Golden Horde Retired From Racing

This year’s G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}-Entreat {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) has been retired from racing after suffering a tendon injury. Stud plans have not yet been decided.

“He suffered a tendon issue that proved to be longer term than first realised, so rather than miss a complete season it was with reluctance that it was decided to retire him to stud,” said trainer Clive Cox. “He was the best horse owned so far by HH Sheikh Sultan Al Deen bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa, who has been deeply involved with all decisions regarding what is best for the horse. We had hoped to finish this season on a high in the Champions Sprint at Ascot last Saturday, but it wasn’t possible.”

A £65,000 Goffs UK Premier sale yearling, Golden Horde won the G2 Richmond S. at two before finishing third in the G1 Prix Morny and second in the G1 Middle Park S. He opened his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before finishing third while facing elders in the G1 July Cup. After finishing fifth, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, Golden Horde was third in the G1 Sprint Cup.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to train some top-class sprinters, most recently Harry Angel, but Golden Horde had all the physical attributes to maintain his progress, plus a wonderful temperament,” Cox added. “He danced every dance, no matter what the course or ground, and was a model of consistency at the highest level. We will all miss having him around, and I hope he will be of interest for the next chapter in his life but greatly look forward to handling his progeny.”

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Darley July Cup: Jockey Kevin Stott Hoping To Continue Dream 2020 Season With Hello Youmzain

A talented field of 13 will head to post for the Darley July Cup at Newmarket's July meeting this Saturday.

The field consists of multiple big-race winners and none more so than the winner of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, Hello Youmzain. The four-year-old was giving jockey Kevin Stott his first Royal Ascot win as well as first Group 1 win and the pair will be well fancied again this Saturday.

Stott is hoping to continue his whirlwind start to the season; the 25-year-old had undoubtedly the biggest day of his career on the Saturday of this year's Royal meeting. He won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes with Hello Youmzain for his first Group 1 and immediately followed it up with a winner in the next race with Hey Jonesey – his first Royal Ascot winners.

The North Yorkshire-based jockey revealed the pure emotion he felt that day and that Kevin Ryan's stable star, Hello Youmzain, has come out of the race well and is ready to go on Saturday, in a race that forms part of the 2020 QIPCO British Champions Series.

“As we crossed the line it was the best feeling in the world. It's something that I've dreamt about since I was a kid,” Stott said.

“It was very emotional for me being my first Group 1. It didn't sink in straight away, I was very overwhelmed with it being my first Group 1 and my first Royal Ascot winner. It didn't sink in until I was sat at home in bed the next morning watching the replay.

“Hello Youmzain has come out of the race brilliantly, his preparation for the July Cup on Saturday has been very good. He's been fresh and well so I'm very happy with him.

“He's a very big horse, he was a late two-year-old. He's extremely balanced and very fast out of the stalls. If I could describe him in one word it would be that he's athletic. He's an absolute pleasure to ride.”

Stott is 12th in this year's Flat Jockeys' Championship with 21 wins from 117 rides at a strike rate of 18%.

The winner of the other six-furlong sprint at the Royal meeting, Golden Horde will also head to post after his commanding victory in the Commonwealth Cup. Clive Cox and Adam Kirby know all about teaming up with sprinters in this race having won it twice before with Lethal Force and Harry Angel.

The past three runnings of the Darley July Cup have been won by 3-year-olds and last year the Classic generation were responsible for the first five home – a good omen for Clive Cox's sprinter.

Last year's champion apprentice Cieren Fallon Jr. is hoping Oxted can provide him with a dream first Group 1 triumph by landing the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday. Fallon Jr. is still able to claim 3lb in the majority of races but the status of the showpiece sprint, which forms part of the 35-race QIPCO British Champions Series, means he has to compete on level terms.

Fallon Jr. guided Oxted to victory in the William Hill Portland Handicap at Doncaster in September and was also on board him when he won the Group 3 Betway Abernant Stakes on his return at Newmarket last month.

Fallon Jr. believes the absence of any spectators will be a bonus for the horse: “He has his quirks and we have the hood on him in the parade ring. The crowd not being there is a big help to him as he can get a little worked up beforehand.”

Hello Youmzain's win in the Diamond Jubilee could prove to be a good form guide as three of the first four home all re-oppose each other here.

Irish sprint sensation, Sceptical was third in the Royal Ascot Group 1 and will be looking to overturn that result this time out. Trained by Denis Hogan in Ireland, Sceptical changed hands for just 2,800gns last year as an unraced three-year-old and has already proved a lucrative purchase. He will again be ridden by Frankie Dettori, still searching for an elusive first win in the July Cup.

Fourth place in the Diamond Jubilee went to Khadeem and he will also be looking to reverse that form for trainer, Charlie Hills.

Brando, the 2017 Prix Maurice De Gheest winner, will be running in his fourth July Cup for Kevin Ryan. He beat all bar U S Navy Flag in the 2018 renewal and chased home Judicial at Newcastle last time out.

Threat scooped two Group 2 prizes as a juvenile last year – including when beating Lord Of The Lodge in the Al Basti equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York – and drops back in distance after finishing fifth on his return over a. mile in the St James's Palace Stakes. Conversely, Equilateral moves up in distance after chasing home Battaash, his brilliant stablemate, in the King's Stand Stakes.

German-trained challenger Namos, winner of two pattern races in his native country this year, adds international flavour, while Sir Dancealot gets the opportunity to try and improve on the fourth place he managed in the 2018 July Cup.

Shine So Bright ounds out the field of 13 and will be looking to return to some sort of form after a disappointing run in the Diamond Jubilee where he could only manage tenth.

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Golden Horde On Course For July Cup

Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) has exited his G1 Commonwealth Cup victory last week “really well” and is set to tackle elders in the G1 Darley July Cup on July 11, trainer Clive Cox said.

Golden Horde was emulating his young sire with a Royal Ascot Group 1 victory, Lethal Force having taken the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. in 2013 for Cox, and the 3-year-old will also attempt to follow his sire into the July Cup winner’s enclosure.

“He’s come out of it really well,” Cox said. “He took the race super. It was a great performance.

“It’s our intention to go for the July Cup and we’re very happy with him. That’s precisely where we’re heading, all being well.”

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Commonwealth Cup Headlines Friday Feast

It is not only the most hygienic Royal Ascot ever staged that features on Friday, with Chantilly and Gowran Park also holding meetings with notable races. The Berkshire venue, of course, is at the forefront, with the G1 Commonwealth Cup the main focus as ‘TDN Rising Star’ Pierre Lapin (Ire) (Cappella Sansevero {GB}) defends his unbeaten tally for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and Roger Varian. If the truth were told, nobody knows the true extent of his abilities but his smooth success in Newbury’s G2 Mill Reef S. in September was sufficient to cast him as ante-post favourite for this test.

Varian has hit a real streak over the past two days and is looking at a potential trainers’ title at the meeting. “We felt it was a bit tight running in the Pavilion at Newcastle beforehand and liked the idea of getting him to Ascot as a fresh horse,” he said. “We’d have loved to have got a prep run into him in May, but he’s not a horse I wanted to go ‘bang-bang’ with and so we took the decision to try and get him cherry-ripe for Ascot. He’s probably got to overcome a little bit of inexperience, but he is a very natural horse and he won in group company after a four-month lay-off on only his second start. Hopefully, his ability will shine through and he will be streetwise enough for the big day. He’s got to prove himself at the top level, but he’s got the gears, definitely, and I think he now has the strength.”

While Pierre Lapin lacks experience, AlMohamediya Racing’s Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) has plenty under his belt as he prepares to provide trainer Clive Cox and jockey Adam Kirby with another big afternoon at the Royal meeting. Successful in the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood at the start of August, the imposing chestnut came up against Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) on two occasions with a third placing in Deauville’s G1 Prix Morny later that month followed by a neck second to that Godolphin heavyweight in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket in September. “He has done very well over the winter and carries a real level of form into the race,” Cox said. “I believe he’s done as well as any horse possibly could from two to three. With the sprinting brigade, in particular, it’s all about maturity and strength. Once you’ve got that natural speed and ability, maturity is the curve you hope and pray continues upwards. I’m hoping we go there with a good chance.”

Like many others, Wesley Ward would not have wanted Thursday’s rain for Ten Broeck Farm’s Kimari (Munnings), although she did perform to a high standard on easy ground when a neck second to Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}) in the G2 Queen Mary S. over five furlongs at this meeting 12 months ago. Her win on sloppy going in the Purple Martin S. at Oaklawn Park on Apr. 4 was a perfect warm-up and she meets several opponents without that kind of race-sharpening experience. “Not all my horses do well from two to three, but she really has, which is why we’re bringing her back,” Ward explained. “My team tell me she is in really good form. Kieren Fallon has been riding my horses in Newmarket and out of them all she is his pick for the week. It would be fantastic if she can go one better than last year.”

Aidan O’Brien drops Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) back to six furlongs, having looked to run out of stamina late when third in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh a week earlier, while further Irish representation is provided by last year’s G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who also reverts to sprinting having been tried in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket June 7. In a blow to the race, Al Shaqab Racing’s G3 Prix Texanita winner Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was taken out on Thursday by connections due to the ground.

Charlie Appleby supplies a live outsider in Royal Crusade (GB) (Shamardal), who raced at seven furlongs at two and was runner-up in Doncaster’s G2 Champagne S. in September and in the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud the following month. “I am looking forward to him dropping back in distance to six furlongs. He is a typical Shamardal in that he has got stronger and quicker as he has got older,” his trainer commented. “This could be an ideal target for him as it is a stiff six furlongs at Ascot and we know he gets seven. He has a big chance.”

Supporting action involves the G2 Hardwicke S., in which Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {Ire}) looks to prolong Shadwell and Jim Crowley’s purple patch. Trying a mile and a half for the first time, the son of Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) was staying on stoutly when third in the G1 Juddmonte International over an extended 10 furlongs at York in August and when runner-up behind Wednesday’s impressive G1 Prince of Wales’s S. winner Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. at Haydock on June 7.

Mark Johnston’s son and assistant Charlie said he is hoping that Shadwell’s golden run continues in the mile-and-a-half feature of the meeting. “Sheikh Hamdan left it in our hands to make the decision and we felt it was the right race,” he explained. “We’re not ruling out going back to a mile and a quarter and his big midsummer target will be the Juddmonte at York–a track at which he goes so well. In the short-term, though, we’re interested to try a mile and a half because there are signs he could improve for it and if he does it opens up a lot more doors going forwards. He will improve a little for Haydock. He was built up in March and then again in May, so he’d done plenty of home work before that. Like in that race, he’s not exuberant–he only does what he has to do and is quite laid-back.”

Aidan O’Brien would not have welcomed the change in going for last year’s G1 Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is looking all the time a genuine fast-ground specialist. His 2 1/2-length second to the sensational Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Coronation Cup at Newmarket on June 5 would give him the edge had the rain not come. One who will benefit from the ease underfoot is King Power Racing’s Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), who beat Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by eight lengths in Chester’s G3 Ormonde S. last May and garnered the course-and-distance G3 Cumberland Lodge S. in October on two of the three occasions he encountered soft ground.

In the G2 Queen’s Vase, William Haggas pitches the Tsui family’s Born With Pride (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) against the boys tackling 14 furlongs. On the face of it, last year’s Listed Montrose Fillies’ S. winner was disappointing when seventh in the 10-furlong G3 Classic Trial at Kempton on June 3 but there were several mitigating circumstances that conspired against her in what has turn out to be a warm race and she has everything in her favour here. “We just felt the ground might not be soft enough in the Ribblesdale and we thought we’d wait until later in the week with some rain forecast,” her trainer said. “Her debut form looks very good now, obviously, but that was a long time ago. I think she’ll get the trip alright–she might even want it.”

Godolphin’s Listed Pat Eddery S. winner Al Dabaran (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is tried in blinkers by Charlie Appleby and he is an intriguing contender on his second in Chantilly’s G3 Prix de Conde in September. “Al Dabaran’s preparation has gone well and we expect the step up to a mile and three-quarters is going to suit,” his trainer commented. “We were contemplating putting headgear on him last year and he is wearing blinkers this time, which we hope will also see some improvement. This will be his first start of the year but he is fit and ready to go.”

In the G3 Albany S., last year’s winning trainer Roger Varian Setarhe saddles the June 4 Newmarket maiden winner Setarhe (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), as well as Cheveley Park Stud’s Undertake (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) who was off the mark at Lingfield’s Polytrack on June 6. Ballydoyle’s Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was second in an extended five-furlong maiden at Navan on June 10, is a half-sister to last year’s G2 Premio Dormello winner Night Colours (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) who operated on heavy ground, while it is guesswork as to how CJ Thoroughbreds’s impressive May 21 Gulfstream Park maiden special weight winner Flying Aletha (Tiznow) will react to this slow surface.

Wesley Ward said of Flying Aletha, “I see she’s favourite on the book and she is a filly with true quality–she’s not just a fast filly, which is why we think she can stretch out a little further. She did some eye-opening breezes prior to her first run. She ended up running on the dirt because the turf races were cancelled and still won really well, even though she’s a turf horse rather than a dirt horse. She isn’t a big, robust filly. She’s quite light and frail, which is keeping me a little grounded about her chances, but I’m still hopeful she’ll run a big race.”

The following G2 Norfolk S. sees Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Eye of Heaven (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) look to build on his debut success over this five-furlong trip at Newmarket June 4. He had Wednesday’s Listed Windsor Castle S. scorer Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) two lengths back in third and looks a ready-made juvenile group winner. Qatar Racing’s The Lir Jet (GB) is bidding to emulate the success of his sire Prince of Lir (Ire) in this in 2009 following his authoritative success at Yarmouth June 3, while Ballydoyle’s Lipizzaner (Uncle Mo) received a major form boost on Thursday as his stablemate Battleground (War Front) took the Listed Chesham S. He had been fifth when Lipizzaner was second over six furlongs at Naas on June 8.

At Chantilly, the G2 Prix de Sandringham sees the May 31 Listed Prix des Lilas one-two-three Miss Extra  (Fr) (Masterstroke), Golden Crown (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Porcelaine (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) re-oppose. They are met by the impressive May 18 Marseille-Borely maiden winner Like a Charm (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) from the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches-winning stable of Frederic Rossi. In the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac Longines also over a mile, Rossi also saddles last year’s G3 Prix la Rochette winner Kenway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) who was fifth in the G1 G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp on June 1. One of the unexposed types in the line-up is Robert Ng’s unbeaten Natural Path (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}), but the Henri-Francois Devin-trained bay needs to improve off his May 28 Clairefontaine conditions win at this distance. In the six-furlong Listed Prix Marchand d’Or, one who would not have been out of place in the Commonwealth Cup is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Hurricane Ivor (Ire) (Ivawood {Ire}), who was so impressive over this course and distance on May 13. At Gowran Park, the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial S. over an extended nine furlongs sees Ballydoyle’s $1.2-million Keeneland September graduate Elfin Queen (American Pharoah) take on her elders after her 6 1/2-length June 8 Naas maiden success.

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