Chantilly | Horse Racing Free Tips

Full-sister to Arc Hero Waldgeist Debuts at Chantilly

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's observations feature a full-sister to Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

14.20 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, f, 9 1/2f (AWT)
Andre Fabre trainee WILDFEDER (GB) (Galileo {Ire})–who represents the axis of Newsells Park Stud, Gestut Ammerland, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier–is the fifth of six foals out of Gestut Ammerland's G3 Prix Penelope winner Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) and thus a full-sister to MG1SW G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Waldgeist (GB). Also kin to G2 Prix de Malleret victrix Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Listed Newmarket S. third Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}), she is confronted by 12 rivals in this debutantes' contest. They include Haras de Saint Pair's homebred Sub Sahara (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}), who is a Jean-Claude Rouget-trained half-sister to MGSW G1 Champion S. third Subway Dancer (Ire) (Shamardal) and GSW G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern fourth Secret Advisor (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}); and Haras d'Etreham's Ma Difference (Fr) (Scissor Kick {Aus}), who is a half-sister to last year's G1 Triumph Hurdle scorer Burning Victory (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

15.20 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, c/g, 9 1/2f (AWT)
His Highness The Aga Khan's SAIYDABAD (Blame) is a son of GSW G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Prix Jean Romanet placegetter Sarkiyla (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and debuts for the Jean-Claude Rouget barn in this newcomers' heat. His 14 opponents include Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Alafdhal (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who is out of a half-sister to Shadwell's GSW G1 Prix Morny runner-up Alrahma (GB) (Shamardal), representing Freddy Head.

The post Full-sister to Arc Hero Waldgeist Debuts at Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Half-Sister to G1SW Left Hand Set For Chantilly Debut

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's observations features a half-sister to Group 1 winner Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

3.50 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, f, 8f (AWT)
Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's NOHAND (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is the eighth of nine foals produced by G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Balladeuse (Fr) (Singspiel {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine and MG1SP G1 Prix de Diane third Plumania (GB) (Anabaa). The Andre Fabre trainee is thus full to G1 Prix Jean Romanet third Romanciere (Ire) and kin to G1 Prix Vermeille scorer Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her eight rivals include Haras de la Perelle homebred Rispetta (GB) (No Nay Never), who is a Stephane Wattel-trained granddaughter of GI E.P. Taylor S. victrix Reggane (GB) (Red Ransom).

The post Half-Sister to G1SW Left Hand Set For Chantilly Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Chantilly Double For Powerstown Breezers

As Covid travel restrictions prompted delays and relocations, last season's breeze-up sales were anything but plain sailing for many consignors. Some consolation was found on Thursday at Chantilly for Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud, who celebrated two first-time-out winners with Keeneland yearling purchases.

The first race of the day, the Prix du Rond du Manege, went to Bellharbour Music, a May-foaled colt from the first crop of Mshawish, bought in September 2019 from Brookdale Sales for $30,000. Now trained in Chantilly by Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti, Bellharbour Music is still in Whitehead's ownership having picked up a small injury prior to his intended appearance at the Arqana Breeze-up, which last year was held at Doncaster in July.

He is the first runner and winner in France for his second-crop sire, who was himself a breeze-up graduate from the Arqana sale having been bought in Kentucky by Whitehead's friend and colleague Johnny Collins for just $10,000. A profitable pinhook, Mshawish was then resold at two to Nicolas de Watrigant on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for $170,000 and went on to win a listed race in Deauville before becoming a dual Grade I winner in America.

After his victory in the GI Donn H., Mshawish closed out his career by running sixth to California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup of 2016 and both stallions then retired to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky the following year. Their names were linked again at Chantilly when, two hours after Bellharbour Music's win, California Chrome's 3-year-old daughter Injera made a similarly impressive debut. The filly, trained by another French-based Italian, Gianluca Bietolini, triumphed in the Prix de la Croix Vaillant to become the first European winner for her sire, who is now at Arrow Stud in Japan.

“The colt just had a minor setback and he couldn't go to the sale. I sold the filly privately when we didn't know if the sales were going to go ahead,” explained Whitehead. who is based in Co Kilkenny, Ireland.

“I sent them both over to France around Christmastime so they've been there around six weeks. They weren't worked hard at home but by jockey bookings and betting they were both fancied so they must have been doing some nice work. I know it's only February but it's never easy winning in Chantilly.”

Whitehead is a regular at Keeneland and works the yearling sales in tandem with Nancy Sexton. He bought last season's GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Ete Indien (Summer Front) at the September Sale for $80,000 before reselling him at Arqana to Patrick Biancone for €240,000.

Casting his mind back to the purchase of Bellharbour Music, he said, “I knew the stallion Mshawish when Johnny sold him at the breeze-ups and I followed him through his racing career. When the first crop came up for sale in America I knew he was a good horse and I thought why not buy one. He won on dirt and turf and he was tough, racing until he was six.”

Whitehead's Powerstown Stud will have a team of 25 juveniles to offer at the forthcoming breeze-up sales. He added, “We're happy enough for now but the next month or two will tell. They are roughly half and half American and European horses. Now we just need lockdown to end and to get people back racing.”

The post Chantilly Double For Powerstown Breezers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Can An App Tell You A Horse’s Optimal Running Style? Study Suggests It’s Possible

A recent study has left researchers with data that could change the way racehorses are trained all around the world. According to Science Magazine, authors of a new study believe that their approach could be used to identify customized pacing plans that could optimize individual horses' chances of winning.

Dr. Amandine Aftalion, a mathematician at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris, has been analyzing the performance of world champion runners since 2013. Together with colleague Quentin Mercier she recently decided to try to apply her research methods to racehorses through the use of a new GPS tracking tool embedded in French racing saddles. These GPS trackers are typically used for fans, but ended up giving Aftalion and Mercier access to valuable speed and position data during races at the Chantilly racetracks north of Paris.

Aftalion and Mercier were able to use the GPS tracking technology to quantify the success of running styles from dozens of races at Chantilly to see if one racing style was more effective than others. Afterwards the two researchers were able to develop a model for different winning strategies for three specific race distances – 1,300 meters, 1,900 meters, and 2,100 meters. Aftalion and Mercier came to the conclusion that the most success came from a quick start followed by a more relaxed speed until the closing kick. Different cruising or closing speeds have different aerobic requirements of a horse, which could explain why one style is easier for one individual going a particular distance. In theory, this model could allow trainers to plug in certain information about their horses to get custom racing strategies that best fit that horse's aerobic capabilities.

At first glance, this seems like a great expansion of technology into a very traditional part of the sport. However, Dr. Peter Knight, a veterinarian at the University of Sydney, pointed out that trainers may be slow to adopt such a statistical model, as these models can not account for every horse's unique behavior. At the end of the day, horses are still living animals with a mind of their own that can be rather unpredictable sometimes. These results could also vary amongst different countries the same way typical racing styles do.

“We can't truly model performance,” Knight said to Science Magazine's Christa Lesté-Lasserre. “But perhaps the fundamental question is: Do we really want to? For people who love horse racing, the uncertainty provides the excitement, and the actual running of the horses provides the spectacle and the beauty.”