Tag: Cazoo Derby

O’Brien-Trained Bolshoi Ballet The Early Favorite For 2021 Epsom Derby

As ever, the stepping stones to the Epsom Downs in the first week in June have seen bubbles burst and other candidates burst into contention. There are still 29 in contention after the latest forfeit stage this week for the 2021 Cazoo Derby, including three sons of Frankel who are prominent in the betting: Hurricane Lane, Mohaafeth and John Leeper.

Bolshoi Ballet would not have been considered Aidan O'Brien's No 1 Derby contender heading into this season, but he is now after successive Group 3 wins at Leopardstown in the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes and then the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes.

The Galileo colt was especially impressive in the latter contest, quickening clear from three furlongs out to win by six lengths. Mac Swiney (fourth), Taipan (fifth), and Southern Lights (sixth) were all left trailing that day. Bolshoi Ballet is the general 2/1 favorite after those victories. Mac Swiney, a Group 1 winner at two, was a disappointment that day but he scoped dirty after the race. He re-established his claims with victory in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday, when he had Van Gogh back in third.

Galileo has sired four Derby winners and, before excelling as a stallion, himself gave O'Brien the first of his record eight Derby victories in 2001, having won the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial beforehand. High Chaparral followed the same path a year later, so Bolshoi Ballet would be reviving an established O'Brien blueprint if successful.

Since 2004, five Derby winners have contested the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante Stakes at York. Last week's renewal, won by the unbeaten Hurricane Lane, warrants close scrutiny. The Charlie Appleby-trained colt kept on dourly to beat Megallan, with High Definition, another O'Brien-trained son of Galileo, staying on to finish third. Gear Up, a Group 1 winner at two, was further back in fifth.

High Definition had been an intended runner in the Novibet Derby Trial at Lingfield, five days earlier, but an unsatisfactory scope ruled him out. In his absence, Third Realm, trained by Roger Varian, was a decisive winner from Adayar, with Kyprios a well-beaten fourth. The winner will seek to emulate Anthony Van Dyck, who won at Lingfield before his Derby victory in 2019.

William Haggas gained his first and, to date, only Derby success with Shaamit, 25 years ago. A couple of potential challengers will line up for him. Alenquer showed a good attitude to scoop the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown Park last month when he had Adayar (second), Yibir (third), Lone Eagle (fourth) and Etonian (seventh) behind. The vanquished are all engaged at Epsom, but Alenquer will need to be supplemented if he is to take part.

Haggas is also responsible for the exciting Mohaafeth, who advanced his claims with an easy win in Listed company at Newmarket this month. John Leeper, named after trainer Ed Dunlop's late father, also won in the same grade at Headquarters last weekend to book his ticket.

Adding further depth is the Andrew Balding-trained Youth Spirit. He stayed on well to beat Sandhurst in the Group 3 Chester Vase and is owned by Ahmad Al Shaikh, whose Khalifa Sat finished runner-up in the Derby last year. Ruler Of The World (2013) and Wings Of Eagles (2017) ran in the Chester Vase en route to glory at Epsom.

Trials are, of course, only one part of the puzzle. However, they have certainly whet the appetite for what looks set to be a thrilling 2021 Cazoo Derby.

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The Weekly Wrap: Classics, Classics Everywhere 

It seems harsh, when the British and Irish Classics have so far have been split two apiece between Jim Bolger and Aidan O'Brien, to suggest that this season is all about Bolger. But, let's face it, it is. 

Plenty has been written about Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and the fact that both sides of their families are very much ingrained in the Bolger breeding and training academy. What is equally admirable, especially in the case of Mac Swiney, is the fact that they are being rigorously campaigned. The trainer has already confirmed that the Irish 2000 Guineas winner is now on course for Epsom in an attempt to emulate both his sire and grandsire in the race that many people still consider to be the greatest of them all. Surprisingly, the master breeder Jim Bolger is not one of them.

Following Poetic Flare's triumph at Newmarket, Bolger declared that he believed the 2000 Guineas to be the most important race. That said, he surely will not mind if Mac Swiney delivers a second Derby victory for him, 13 years after New Approach became the first of six Derby winners for Galileo.

It is worth rewatching Galileo's own Derby triumph 20 years ago to be reminded how the relatively small horse with the massive stride skated round Tattenham Corner and scooted clear in the straight. 

In an interview with TDN earlier this year, Aidan O'Brien reflected on the racing days of Europe's multiple champion sire, who gave him his first Derby victory, recalling how those connected with Galileo at Coolmore had a high opinion of him even as a yearling.

“He didn't walk, he prowled, ” O'Brien said. “His walking stride was so long and there was so much power from his front and back, so I suppose the lads had him as a king before he came here.”

He has more than justified that belief, both on the racecourse and at stud, and Galileo has in no small way played a significant part in the training careers of both Bolger and his protege O'Brien.

The latter has eight of the remaining Derby entries, Bolger has just one, Mac Swiney, the horse who could become the first Derby winner to be inbred to Galileo, through Bolger's two champion juveniles New Approach and Teofilo (Ire). Furthermore, as breeder, Bolger has another roll of the dice via the Mark Johnston-trained Gear Up (Ire), a son of Teofilo. 

For all his success, which includes wins in the G2 Beresford S., G1 Vertem Futurity and now the Irish 2000 Guineas, the mud-loving Mac Swiney has never started favourite and remains perhaps under-rated. Following the coldest, wettest English May in living memory, it would be folly to overlook the neat, tenacious colt at Epsom on the first Saturday of June. Destiny calls.

Gold For Japan In Rome

Chantilly-based Satoshi Kobayashi has had seven winners in France so far this year but it was in Italy on Sunday that he recorded the biggest success of his career to date. The trainer sent the Teruya Yoshida homebred Tokyo Gold (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) to Capannelle for an easy four-length victory in 138th running of the Derby Italiano, which was downgraded to Group 2 status in 2009.

Tokyo Gold is the first Classic winner for his sire Kendargent, and his third group winner this year after the likeable Skalleti (Fr) and his full-brother Skazino (Fr). The latter claimed his second group victory of the season when winning the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp on Monday.

Now 18, Kendargent is having a fruitful season in France and is numerically the most successful sire with 38 winners as well as the Nicolas Caullery-trained Kennella (Fr), who was third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. The Haras de Colleville stallion's reputation is also being enhanced by his son and stablemate Goken (Fr), who was leading first-season sire and leading sire of 2-year-olds in France last year, with 15 winners from just 33 runners, including the group winners Go Athletico (Fr) and Livachope (Fr).

Yoshida, owner of Japan's famous Shadai Farm, has a notably international outlook when it comes to selecting broodmares, and his support extends to to a number of leading French sires, including Le Havre (Ire) who is the sire of the latest foal for Arc winner Dandedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}). The 13-year-old mare foaled a filly by the Sumbe stallion last Wednesday in Japan.

Yoshida also bought Le Havre's Classic-winning daughters La Cressonniere (Fr) and Avenir Certain (Fr). The latter has been represented by two winners this season in her two daughters by Deep Impact (Jpn), the G2 Hanshin Himba S winner Dea Ailes (Jpn), and 3-year-old Honneur (Jpn), who are sadly her only offspring as she died after being covered by Deep Impact in 2018. 

La Cressonniere visited Shalaa (Ire) and Golden Horn (GB) in Europe and is now in Japan, where she had a colt last year by Epiphaneia (Jpn) before being covered by his fellow Shadai stallion Lord Kanaloa (Jpn).

Carvalho Has Classic Double In Sight

It has been a successful couple of days for the French-born, German-based trainer Jean-Pierre Carvalho, who won Monday's G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) with Mythico (Ger), another promising 3-year-old for the recently deceased Adlerflug (Ger).

On Sunday, Carvalho, a former private trainer at Gestut Schlenderhan, saddled Sea Of Sands (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to win the G3 Derby Trial at Hoppegarten for owner/breeder Gestut Hony-Hof, an operation we will be covering in greater detail in Wednesday's TDN. 

Sea Of Sands represents a family which has had an enormous impact on the German Classics over the last two decades. His grandam Salve Regina (Ger) (Monsun Ger) won the G1 Preis der Diana for Hony-Hof's owner Manfred Hellwig and was second in the G1 Deutsches Derby in 2002, two years after her full-brother Samum (Ger) had won the Derby at Hamburg. In 2005, another full-brother Schiaparelli (Ger) followed suit, and three years later Samum's son Kamsin (Ger) won the Derby en route to becoming German champion 3-year-old. The run continued with the 2014 winner, Sea The Moon (Ger), a son of Sea The Stars and the unraced Sanwa (Ger), another full-sibling to Salve Regina. Now a successful sire in his own right at Lanwades Stud, Sea The Moon is thus very similarly bred to Sea Of Sands, who is now co-favourite for this year's Deutsches Derby on July 4.

Second-Crop Sires To Watch

For the current second-crop sires, what happens this year on the racecourse is arguably so much more important than the results from their first 2-year-old runners. 

Mehmas (Ire), who made a frankly staggering start to his stud career last year with a record 56 winners, looks to be making that important transition with his 3-year-olds and is also compiling an international profile. The Tally-Ho Stud resident has so far had only four runners in America but three of them have won, including the treble Grade III victrix and appropriately named Going Global (Ire), who has now won all four of her American starts. 

The G3 One Thousand Guineas Trial winner Keeper Of Time (Ire) has recently been sold to race in America and will surely add to her good record across the Atlantic, as has been the case for Tetragonal (Ire), a first-time-out winner for Hugo Palmer last year who won for Richard Baltas on Saturday at Santa Anita on the same card as Going Global.

One second-crop European sire we've heard much less about is Protectionist (Ger), but that may soon change. For a start, he is the only one in the table who boasts a strike rate of 11% group winners to runners. The final son of Monsun (Ger) at stud in Germany, Protectionist has large shoes to fill but, from only 18 starters this year, he has been represented by two group winners. The first, Lambo (Ger), won the G3 Bavarian Classic on May 1, beating subsequent G2 Derby Trial winner Sea Of Sands, before finishing third in Monday's G2 Prix Hocquart at ParisLongchamp. 

Protectionist also looks to have a genuine contender for the G1 Preis der Diana on Aug. 1 in Amazing Grace (Ger), winner of Sunday's G2 Diana Trial for owner/breeder Dr Christoph Berglar, who also bred her sire. His son Liban, a winner at Cologne in April, also holds a Derby entry. 

The winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin, Protectionist, in common with most German sires, has covered relatively small books and had 44 foals in his first crop, followed by 36 in 2019. However, he has the advantage of standing at Gestut Rottgen, which has supported him with members of its own powerful broodmare band, including Wellenspiel (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ger}), the dam of consecutive Deutsches Derby winners Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Weltstar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). Furthermore, Protectionist's owners Australian Bloodstock have not only supported him with mares but have also bought his yearlings in Germany, and Lambo now races in their colours.

Two of Protectionist's offspring, a filly from his first and second crops respectively, have already been exported to Australia and it is fair to expect that more will follow. 

In the meantime, Protectionist is very much a stallion to follow with interest in Europe.

Hello Royal Ascot

It seems as if almost every British race meeting has at least one Amo Racing runner these days, and Kia Joorabchian's operation looks set to be well represented at Royal Ascot.

The latest to have advertised strong claims for a trip to the Berkshire course in mid-June was Monday's impressive Wolverhampton winner Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who trounced her rivals by six and a half lengths in one of the most impressive juvenile performances of the season to date. Trained by Ralph Beckett, she was a €350,000 purchase by Robson Aguiar at last year's Arqana Select Sale from her breeder Serge Boucheron. 

Hello You's win on debut brought up 18 for the season for Amo Racing, which equalled their tally of winners for the whole of 2020. This followed victories on Saturday for Raadobarg (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who completed a treble at Haydock, and Beautiful Sunshine (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), who struck for the second time at Sandown on Thursday and is likely to return there this week for the listed National S.

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O’Brien Issues Update On Epsom Runners

Twenty years ago, Aidan O'Brien won the Derby for the first of his record eight times with Galileo (Ire), whose son Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) is currently ante-post favourite for the Cazooo Derby on June 5. The Ballydoyle trainer also has the favourite for the Cazoo Oaks, Santa Barbara (Ire), who is by another of his Derby winners, Camelot (GB).

Issuing an update on the G3 Ballysax S. winner Bolshoi Ballet, O'Brien said, “I am very happy with him, everything has gone well so far. He is a very well-balanced horse. He seems to get the mile and quarter very well and he is very relaxed, very off-handed, and tactically he is very easy to place in a race.

“We always thought middle distances wouldn't be a problem to him. Obviously you are never sure until you run over the mile and a half, but we always thought he would stay.”

The trainer also has the Galileo colt High Definition (Ire) among his Derby team of five and he said of the recent G2 Dante S. third, “Obviously, he had a very interrupted preparation–a week before the Dante he wouldn't have been able to run. He just came right a couple of days before. We knew he had to run if he was going to the Derby and we couldn't have been happier.

“Obviously, we were going to ride him patiently, kindly and gently, and that is what Ryan did. We were very happy with his run at York. He covered the last three furlongs quicker than anyone else in the race, so that is a very good sign for a horse like him.”

The quintet is completed by the Camelot colts Sir Lamorak (Ire) and Sir Lucan (Ire), as well as G1 Criterium International winner Van Gogh (American Pharoah).

“It's what the foundation of the thoroughbred is built on really,” added O'Brien of the Derby. “It is the ultimate test and they are tested in every way–speed, stamina, courage and balance.”

Along with Santa Barbara, the trainer's Oaks entries include the impressive G3 Musidora S. winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

He said of the favourite, who was fourth in the 1000 Guineas on her seasonal debut, “It was a big risk going to the 1000 Guineas on only her second run, but she ran very well. This was always pencilled in to be her next run. She came out of the 1000 Guineas well and everything has gone well with her since. She hasn't been over that far before, but she is a Camelot filly and we are really looking forward to seeing her run. She was always very special in her work.”

Snowfall is also pleasing O'Brien, who said, “We always thought the world of Snowfall last year, but we could never get her to produce what she was doing at home. Maybe a little bit of time over the winter, maybe she matured from two to three and a little bit extra distance has helped her. Physically she has done well since and mentally she is lovely, so it is very possible that she could really take off.”

O'Brien could also have up to six runners in the Coronation Cup on Friday, June 4, including last year's Derby and Oaks winners Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The list is completed by Japan (GB) and his full-brother Mogul (GB), both sons of Galileo, as is fellow entrant Armory (Ire). Recent G2 Mooresbridge S. winner Broome (Ire), by Derby winner Australia (GB) is also engaged.

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The Weekly Wrap: Fools Rush In

If there was a lesson to be learned in the last week, it is not to issue press releases on April Fool's Day.

The great news that the Derby has a new multi-year sponsor, after being dropped by Investec last year as the pandemic took hold, was sidetracked by its release date. It can be hard to tell real news from fake news these days but Cazoo, an online car dealership with an amusing name but serious credentials, is indeed the new sponsor of the 'Derby festival' (if we must—I still prefer the word meeting) and it can only be seen as a welcome development, despite sniffiness in some quarters as to the company's line of business. 

Frankly, though, who cares? Of far greater concern is that racing regularly fails to attract big-name sponsors beyond the betting and breeding industries. Investec was an excellent partner for the Derby and was a huge loss to one of the most important meetings in Britain, as was Magners to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which was run last month without a sponsor. 

The fact that Cazoo, which was recently floated on the New York Stock Exchange with a value of $7 billion, wishes to add racing to its sports sponsorship portfolio of two Premier League football clubs, the forthcoming Rugby League World Cup, cricket and snooker can only be good news. Only a fool would think otherwise.

The Look Of Eagles Again?

The Prix Tourbillon was named after the 1931 winner of the Prix du Jockey Club, and heading to that French Classic this year could well be this year's Tourbillon winner Baby Rider (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}). 

His family has already claimed a European Classic in recent years when Wings Of Eagles (Fr) Pour Moi {Ire}) delivered a 40/1 shock in the Derby in the hands of Padraig Beggy. Like that colt, Baby Rider was bred by Gilles and Aliette Forien of Haras de Montaigu from a half-sister to Wings Of Eagles. His listed-placed dam Gyrella (Ire) is among a growing band of good broodmare daughters of Oasis Dream (GB), who was advertised even more flamboyantly as a damsire over the weekend by Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G1 Tancred S. in Sydney.

Trained by Pascal Bary, who has won the Jockey Club six times, most recently with Study Of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Baby Rider has done little to disappoint his owner Jean-Louis Bouchard to date. He was second to subsequent G3 Prix Thomas Bryon winner and Group 1-placed Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) on debut last September before winning his only other start last year at Fontainebleau.

Havana Good Time

Havana Gold (Ire) made a decent impression with his first crop of 2-year-olds back in 2017, when his 24 winners were led by Havana Grey (GB), winner of the G3 Molecomb S. and runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny at two before going on to land the G1 Flying Five the following season. 

As his support dwindled in ensuing years at stud—as is so often the case for young stallions—those crucial juvenile winners started to dry up. From 11 in 2018, Havana Gold had eight 2-year-old winners in 2019 and just one last year. The good news for his supporters is that he has already doubled that tally in 2021, from his only two juvenile runners of the nascent season and from his biggest crop of foals since year one.

Chipotle (GB) was fast out of the blocks for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton to win the Brocklesby S., and Anadora (GB) followed up by striking on her debut on Friday at Newcastle, where Havana Gold was also represented by 3-year-old novice winner Havagomecca (GB).

Twenty-four hours later, Crohanne (GB), bred on the same Havana Gold-Makfi (GB) cross as Chipotle, set a smart standard when winning the Prix Durban at Saint-Cloud for her young trainer Mario Baratti, a former assistant to Marco Botti and Roger Varian. The first five fillies who finished behind Crohanne all hold entries for the G1 Prix de Diane.

Havana Gold's sire Teofilo (Ire) enjoyed an outstanding year in 2020 with six Group 1 winners in France, Germany, Hong Kong and Australia. Perhaps this year it will be the turn of the son to rise.

Little Money For Jamm

Last year's G1 South Australian Derby winner Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was recently retired with a tendon injury following his runner-up finish in the All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley on March 13. Another globetrotting son of Camelot, the aforementioned Sir Dragonet, finished ninth behind him that day and has been kept busy since. A fortnight later he was beaten just over two lengths when fourth in the G1 Ranvet S., and he bounced out a week later to win Saturday's G1 Tancred S. back at Rosehill. This of course follows his victory in the 100th running of the G1 Cox Plate last October for the Anglo-Australian training partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. 

Camelot's day improved later on in the northern hemisphere when the Paddy Twomey-trained Moll (Ire) got the better of the statuesque Flor De La Luna (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the listed Noblesse S. at Cork. The 4-year-old was notching her third win from seven starts and this first black-type success, coupled with a decent pedigree, makes it all the more surprising that she raised a bid of only €3,000 when sold by Coolmore though the Castlebridge Consignment at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. 

Her 9-year-old dam Jamm (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade (Ire}) didn't make it to the racecourse but she is the only blot on the record of her own dam, Starship (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Mated exclusively with Danehill-line sires, the treble winner Starship is a half-sister to the brilliantly fast and precocious Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}). The family has provided much success for William Haggas and his father-in-law Lester Piggott, who bred Starship and Superstar Leo with Tony Hirschfield. 

Starship's seven multiple winners are headed by the G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Rivet (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and, notably, they have made 160 starts between them, with Booming Delight (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Packing Tycoon (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) both being Group 3 winners. The pair were formerly known as Out And About and Alexander Pope before being exported to Hong Kong, where Rivet also ended up and is now known as Rivet Delight.

A few months after Moll was sold as a yearling, Jamm went to the Goffs November Sale and was sold in foal to War Command to Oakley Stud for €7,000. That same season, Superstar Leo's grand-daughter One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) posted the first of her three wins in the G1 Prix de la Foret. A relatively small investment in a family with such depth means there is always the chance of jam tomorrow. 

Out Of The Woods

Sean Woods spent most of the lockdown in 2020 refurbishing Shalfleet Stables in Newmarket, which he bought from Jeremy Noseda following his return from Hong Kong. 

The trainer has restarted his career in Britain with a team of 23 horses, mostly juveniles, and he certainly has them in good form. His first runner, the Woods family homebred General Panic (GB) (Outstrip {GB}), impressed on debut at Southwell on Sunday, and 24 hours later Meng Tian (GB) (Territories {Ire}) was denied by just a nose when lining up for the first time at Kempton. 

One of the stable's few older representatives, the 4-year-old Caspian Queen (Ire) (Sepoy {Aus}), is declared to make her first start for the trainer at Lingfield on Wednesday and she will be partnered by his nephew, Sebastian Woods, son of former leading jockey in Hong Kong, Wendyll Woods.

One For The Team

From July 29, the Racing League will commence its inaugural six-week run. The competition, which will be staged at the Arena Racing tracks of Newcastle, Windsor, Doncaster and Lingfield, features 12 teams made up of 30 horses from the stables of between two and four trainers, with three assigned jockeys and a manager. 

Eleven of the teams of jockeys were announced last week, with the ongoing Covid-related travel restrictions meaning a delay in the announcement of the three French jockeys who will comprise the final team. 

With £1.8million in prize-money up for grabs—or £50,000 for each of the 36 races—the competition is a significant addition to the calendar, despite the fact that racing in teams is somewhat against the ethos of the sport. However, the jockeys involved, which include Frankie Dettori, Hollie Doyle, James Doyle, Oisin Murphy and Jim Crowley, will doubtless face some tough decisions right from the start of the competition, particularly if the rule of riding at only one meeting per day is upheld as the British lockdown eases. 

The first leg of the Racing League at Newcastle on July 29 clashes with the Thursday of Glorious Goodwood, that day's racing including the G1 Nassau S., G2 Richmond S., and G3 Gordon S. The fourth of the six meetings, at Windsor on Aug. 19, is on the same day as the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G2 Lowther S. at York's Ebor Meeting.

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