Time Test’s Crypto Force Battles To Beresford Triumph

Amo Racing's £900,000 Goffs London graduate Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}–Luna Mare {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) bounced back from a first reversal, when seventh in Royal Ascot's June 18 Listed Chesham S., to loosen Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. over one mile at the Curragh. He had earlier accounted for subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Golden Fleece S. victor Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in his June 1 debut over seven furlongs here and employed patient tactics at the tail of the five-strong field through halfway. Making smooth headway in the straight to go second passing the quarter-mile marker, the 15-2 chance hit the front with 150 yards remaining and drew clear under a drive to subdue Ballydoyle's 4-7 favourite Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) by 2 1/4 lengths for a first stakes rosette. Jim Bolger's Young Ireland (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) finished four lengths further adrift in third.

“I'm delighted for Kia Joorabchian and Amo Racing, because Kia's been a big supporter of mine this year and has let me go away to the breeze-ups and buy some nice horses,” said Michael O'Callaghan. “I bought this lad myself and when he won his maiden I told Kia he was going to the London Sale. He didn't force me to sell the horse to him at home, I brought him to the sale and he paid a lot of money for him. The pressure was very much on me from that point on and it was a massive kick in the guts at [Royal] Ascot. It wasn't to be, he just needed that bit more time and Kia has been very patient. I thought he wanted a mile-and-a-quarter, looking at his homework, and that's why I was happy to see a bit of rain to make the mile a test. He'll be better on fast ground and could make up into a Guineas horse over the winter, but we won't get carried away with ourselves yet. He won that very well, so I'll go back and sit down and talk to Kia. It would be nice to just put him away and train him with next year in mind.”

Crypto Force, who becomes the third group-race winner for his second-crop sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is full to a yearling colt out of a winning full-sister to the dam of dual stakes-winning G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil third Jeri (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}). Crypto Force's third dam is Listed Oaks Trial victrix Baraka (Ire) (Danehill), from the family of G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Youmzain (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) and G1 Lockinge S. victor Creachadoir (Ire) (King's Best), is a full-sister to Japanese champion Fine Motion (Ire) and kin to multiple Group 1-winning sire Pilsudski (Ire) (Polish Precedent).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
ALAN SMURFIT MEMORIAL BERESFORD S.-G2, €120,000, Curragh, 9-24, 2yo, 8fT, 1:44.30, yl.
1–CRYPTO FORCE (GB), 131, c, 2, by Time Test (GB)
1st Dam: Luna Mare (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Pale Moon Rising (Ire), by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Baraka (Ire), by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (32,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 65,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; 160,000gns 2yo '22 TATBRG; £900,000 2yo '22 GOFLON). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-W A Tinkler (GB); T-Michael O'Callaghan; J-Colin Keane. €72,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $80,217. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adelaide River (Ire), 131, c, 2, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €24,000.
3–Young Ireland (Ire), 131, c, 2, New Approach (Ire)–Ard Fheis (Ire), by Lil's Boy. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €12,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 4, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.50, 0.57, 25.00.
Also Ran: Roaring Gallagher (Fr), Lakota Seven (Ire). Scratched: Continuous (Jpn), Pivotal Trigger (GB).

 

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Bringing It Back Home In The Platinum Jubilee

Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S. was a reminder, if it was needed, that Antipodean sprinters operate at an elevated level compared to the majority of their European counterparts and the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. which dominates the closing day of Royal Ascot 2022 could serve to underline that. While he may have been lucky to defeat stablemate Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) in the Feb. 19 G1 Black Caviar Lightning, Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) who had earlier captured the G1 Coolmore Stud S. also at Flemington still represents exalted form as he bids to complete a landmark double for Chris Waller.

“I feel with Home Affairs, after his dominant win in the [G1] Coolmore Stud S., that he is very good over 1200 metres provided he settles and we have done a lot of work with him on that,” his trainer explained. “I loved his jump out at Flemington before getting on the plane–he relaxed very quickly which is what he will have to do to win.”

A Match Made In Heaven

Australia also has last year's G1 Blue Diamond hero Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), who has 3 1/2 lengths to make up on Home Affairs from the Coolmore Stud S. but is tailor-made for this stiff six furlongs. One of the most familiar sights at Royal Ascot is that of Jamie Spencer sitting chilly behind a wall of horses long after most would dare and his unique style appears the perfect accompaniment to this raider.

“He's a hold-up horse who is usually a bit slow out of the boxes and wants a good strong tempo. He's probably more of a 1400-metre horse, but that should hold him in good stead at Ascot,” Sam Freedman said. “His last 100 metres will be excellent, but his problem is that he can give himself too much to do. He always hits the line hard and just needs to stay in touch. Hopefully Jamie can get him out of the gates a bit better and hold a spot a little closer. We went for him for a reason.”

Getting Reacquainted

One of the intriguing factors in the major sprints is the amount of interplay between the protagonists, with such fine margins separating them and raceday conditions paramount to the outcomes. There was hardly a more dramatic event at last year's Royal meeting than the tussle in testing conditions in the G1 Commonwealth Cup between the dominant pair Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), with the latter being awarded the race by the stewards. 'TDN Rising Star' Dragon Symbol went on to dance many of the dances in Britain for the remainder of 2021 and it is to be hoped that this season's early form is not a reflection of a decline. Campanelle, who also beat Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the 2020 G2 Queen Mary S., heads here possibly with higher confidence following her cruise in the Apr. 16 Giant's Causeway S.

A Baptism Of Fire

This is an ideal race for fast seven-furlong performers, given the perpetual incline to the line which can find out the pure speedsters and one who looks just quick enough to cope is Cheveley Park Stud's scarcely-seen Sacred. Remarkably, given that she was a busy 2-year-old, she was seen only three times last term and this is her seasonal debut but there is a sense that she has the potential to be as much of a force over six as over that extra furlong. Her defeat of Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in Newmarket's G3 Nell Gwyn S. on her 2021 bow stands up to inspection, as does her smooth G2 Hungerford S. win when last seen in August. Fast-ground-dependant, the heatwave has come in time for her and William Haggas has her primed.

“It will be nice to see her again. They're going to go hard, so she will be finishing off well but it's whether they can draw the sting out of her by going so hard–we don't know,” he said. “There isn't a seven-furlong Group 1 until October. There are three seven-furlong Group 2s and they are all within a month, the Lennox, the Hungerford and the City of York, so it's not very helpful.”

Lane One

Saturday also sees the return of the accomplished Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who is unpenalised in the G2 Hardwicke S. despite his trio of victories in the G1 Irish Derby, G1 St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris. Asked to race on ground faster than he has encountered so far in his career, Godolphin's Arc-bound luminary is the first of the Charlie Appleby stable's big Frankels to reappear with the comeback of Adayar (Ire) frustratingly stalled. Both were spoken of last season as being potential improvers at four and there is nothing in their pedigrees to suggest otherwise, so this first sighting of Hurricane Lane is one of the key moments of the meeting.

“What we've seen since he worked on the July Course, we've been very pleased with,” Appleby said. “His constitution as a 3-year-old was phenomenal and on what we've seen early in his 4-year-old career, hopefully we're going to be dealing with the same horse. It's always a question mark, whether it's two to three or three to four, their first run of the season you are hoping you see the same horse but the signs have all been good. We know that his preferred ground is on the easy side of good but it was pretty quick when he won the Irish Derby. If anything, he looks sharper than last year and the team are very excited to see him have his first outing of the year. His programme is working back from the Arc.”

 All Eyes On Alfred Munnings

Aidan O'Brien has made a point of singling out one of his brighter future prospects for the Listed Chesham S. in recent times and it is no different on Saturday, with the easy May 13 Leopardstown maiden winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Alfred Munnings (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) the focus in the day's opener. The half-brother to Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has a big reputation which his trainer has so far not played down, so his performance in a renewal that looks full of potential from elsewhere should provide interesting insight. Amo Racing and Omnihorse Racing's £900,000 Goffs London acquisition Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) looked a smart colt when beating Alfred Munnings's unlucky stablemate Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in a Curragh maiden over this seven-furlong trip at the start of June and bids to turn around the fortunes of Kia Joorabchian and trainer Michael O'Callaghan at the meeting.

In The Image Of The Iron Horse

The unusual combination of Shadwell and Saeed bin Suroor is represented in the G3 Jersey S. by the intriguing Monaadah, one of the last of the Giant's Causeways who has impressed so much in his three winning starts at Meydan, Newcastle and Kempton.

Operating under a double penalty in the latter race over this seven-furlong trip at the start of the month, the chestnut shrugged it off to beat 'TDN Rising Star' Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) with ease and he is one of the meeting's most exciting 3-year-olds. Last year's Listed Flying Scotsman S. winner and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) looked to  be clicking with a six-length success allowed to bowl along in front in Newmarket's Listed King Charles II S. Apr. 29 and a repeat of those tactics will be effective on the fast surface.

“Noble Truth is a very headstrong horse and gelding him since he won at Newmarket seems to have settled him down slightly,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “He won't mind the quick ground and should hopefully be a live player.”

Click here for the group fields.

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£1.2 Million Derby Second Set for Australia

LONDON, UK–There has been an awful lot of water under the bridge since Goffs UK last convened its London Sale in the royal parks, but somehow the bloodstock market has meanwhile stayed buoyantly afloat. In this country, demand for horses in training has remained a priceless lifeline, and the additional kudos of a Royal Ascot entry for the majority of lots elevated the bidding along with the thermometer as summer made a timely arrival in Kensington Palace Gardens.

That proved equally true among those defending reserves and those managing to overcome them, who were split 50-50 through two dozen lots. It was striking, however, that the biggest investments of the evening were both animated by agendas extending far beyond what may or may not be achieved down the road this week.

These were headed by the Australian partnership that responded to an extraordinary opportunity in G1 Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) [6] with a no less extraordinary opening bid of £1 million.

That was enough to cause a prolonged silence, if not among those present principally to sip cocktails or admire couture, then certainly among anyone else contemplating a bid. Eventually some resistance was mustered, actually by telephone from California, but the authors of this bold strategy–namely Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and clients Go Bloodstock–soon won the day at £1.2 million, the docket signed by their longstanding local agent Johnny McKeever. The underbidder turned out to be Marie Yoshida of Asian Bloodstock Services, on the line to Nick Nugent from Los Angeles.

Of the various plaudits to be shared for this coup, top billing must go to that remarkable judge Federico Barberini, who has found so many bargains in the past and discovered this one in no less a catalogue than Tattersalls October Book 1 for just 40,000gns. His client Ahmad Al Shaikh sent the horse to Kingsclere, where he had made nice progress through three juvenile starts and then a couple of the spring trials at    Newmarket, while still seeming a tier down from the elite of the crop. Hence his starting price of 150-1 at Epsom, but he outran those odds in startling fashion–and connections opted to strike while the iron was hot.

“You rarely get the chance to purchase horses of this calibre,” Bott explained afterwards. “He has a profile we think we will really suit Australia, with the Melbourne Cup obviously high up the agenda. As you know, the industry in Australia seems vibrant and healthy, so we want to try to capitalise on that, there's some great prizemoney around and he's a horse that can race at the level we want to be.

“He was on the radar when he was entered for the sale, so did a bit of homework prior to the Derby. Obviously his run there confirmed what we were thinking, and that's what you want with a lightly raced horse: continued improvement every time he's stepped out.”

As for detonating the bidding with a seven-figure opening salvo, Bott said with a shrug: “Look, you know where a horse like this is going to fit in the market and we just thought you should show your intentions at what was a fair price. Prices are dictated by their recent form and obviously not many horses at that level come onto the market too often, so you're not paying these amounts too often, either. So it's all relative. A horse like this, coming down to Australia, is hard to get hold of, so we knew we had to be strong. We've had to pay was obviously what fair amount, but we're excited to get him down there and see what he can do for us.”

His purchasers will now consult Andrew Balding about his two entries later in the week, respectively in the G3 Hampton Court S. on Thursday and the G2 King Edward VII S. the next day.

“We'll have a discussion with Andrew and see how he feels about how the horse has done after that run in the Derby,” Bott said. “First and foremost, we want to do the right thing by the horse, though obviously it would be a huge attraction for the new connections to have an Ascot runner.”

 

The Force Is with O'Callaghan

In contrast to Balding, who must soon bid farewell to one of his rising stars, Michael O'Callaghan found himself in a “win-win” situation after Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) [24] became the latest and perhaps most remarkable vindication for his business model of targeting the breeze-ups as a platform for resale.

It was less than two months ago that the Curragh trainer gave 160,000gns for this colt at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up, from the Tally-Ho consignment that had such a fine run in that sector this spring. O'Callaghan launched Crypto Force in a maiden at his home track 13 days before the sale and, while the odds-on favourite from Ballydoyle did not have the best of runs in second, that does alter the acceleration he showed to win unthreatened.

If he takes up his engagement in the Listed Chesham S. on Saturday, Crypto Force will do so in the cause of Kia Joorabchian, agent Hamish Macauley having signed a 900,000gns docket in the names of Omnihorse/Amo Racing.

“We don't have too many of that type,” explained Joorabchian, who confirmed the colt will stay in the yard. “He could potentially be a Derby horses next year. Potentially. He showed that he stays [seven furlongs] well, and now that I'm racing in Ireland I know how very, very tough the competition is there. I appreciate how hard it is to win a maiden like that. He finished very strong and he has a very strong pedigree. We came here to buy him–and we got him.”

The colt is out of a young Galileo (Ire) mare while his third dam is a stakes-winning half-sister to Pilsudski (Ire), a painful Royal Ascot memory for some of us. He somehow finished 17th off a mark of 82 in the King George V H. at Royal Ascot in 1995, before proceeding to win six Group 1s and twice finishing runner-up in the Arc!

O'Callaghan had earlier set up a superb evening's work when selling on Harry Time (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), an 82,000gns breezer at the Craven Sale, to Meah Lloyd for £300,000 as Lot 5.

Harry Time won on debut at Navan and holds an entry in the G2 Coventry S. on Tuesday. David Meah explained that this was a return to the same well that produced G1 Commonwealth Cup fancy Twilight Jet (Ire) (Twlight Son {GB}) as an investment for Michael and Julia Iavarone.

“We bought into Twilight Jet before his run at the Breeders' Cup Our relationship with Michael has grown and grown,” the agent said. “And win or lose, they've all flown over from America and we're going to have a great week: we're all here to have fun.”

 

Cadillac Leads Bargains with Horsepower

There were a series of cracking “racetrack pinhooks” among those that did meet their reserves. The 4-year-old Cadillac (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), for instance, cost BBA Ireland €40,000 as an Orby yearling but then won his debut for Jessica Harrington by nine lengths and won a Group 2 as a juvenile. He confirmed his continued potency when winning a Listed race earlier in the month and duly figures among the leading fancies for the Listed Wolferton S. on Tuesday's opening card–after which he will transfer to Kevin Philippart de Foy, whose client Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah stretched to £500,000 for Lot 20.

“Yes, he'll be coming to me at the end of the week,” his new trainer confirmed happily. “Sheikh Abdullah has been a great supporter of the yard over the last year and has Juan De Montalban (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) running in the last race tomorrow. We've followed this horse all the way through: he has shown excellent form on good ground, probably doesn't want it too soft, and could possibly be one to go to the Middle East next winter.”

Cresta (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) was another bargain sold by this auction house, found at their Premier Sale at Doncaster in 2020 by Dermot Farrington for only £21,000. Martyn and Freddy Meade have advanced his rating to 104 in just five starts, via placings in the G3 Horris Hill S. and Listed Dee S., and that forced Will Douglass of Charlie Gordon-Watson Bloodstock to £490,000 for Lot 23.

“He was purchased for Mohamed bin Hamad Al Attiyah,” said Douglass. “He will be exported to Qatar but will run at Royal Ascot [G3 Hampton Court S., Thursday] and perhaps once more before leaving. He's a progressive horse with a nice profile and by a sire that's on an upward curve.”

“He wasn't the biggest, but we just loved the way he moved,” recalled Meade Sr. of the young Cresta. “You've seen he has a lot of ability but I think he still has a lot of potential.”

There was no disguising the bittersweetness for Heather Main, either, after Ileach Mathan (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) catapulted his £25,000 value as an Orby yearling to £340,000 for Hong Kong clients of Richard Ryan as Lot 7. The gelding has even fewer miles on the clock, having won at Kempton on debut last autumn and then finished second on his Newbury reappearance.

“I just had to have him,” Main recalled. “He just had the deepest girth. They started calling me immediately after he ran at Newbury and I didn't want to sell, the owners didn't want to sell, but here we are. We had no choice, but it's sad to see him go. He's got a lovely temperament, he's a complete gentleman, lazy at home. He'll do very well out there, I'm sure.”

 

Happy Days Here Again

There is limited point in comparisons, with a boutique horses-in-training catalogue like this, though Goffs UK chairman and Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby naturally noted that business stacked up very well–turnover up 42 percent, average up 18 percent, and median down nine percent–compared with the last auction staged in the royal parks before derailment of the most sociable week of the British Turf.

“We're delighted to be back, after everything everyone has had to endure during the two-year hiatus, and we're absolutely delighted with the results,” Beeby said. “The team has put in a huge effort to bring this sale back to Kensington Palace Gardens, and to bring some wonderful horses to the catalogue. To get a Derby second was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he made a fitting price.

“The sale has come back in style, and we're extremely grateful to the vendors–not least of the top lot, who could probably have sold many times over before the sale. Fair play to the underbidders as well, it was obviously quite an operation, with one line from L.A. to Nick here and another line apparently open to a client in New York.”

Though half the offerings did not sell, the timing of this sale has always allowed vendors to make a bet to nothing.

“At a normal sale, a 50 percent clearance rate would obviously be very disappointing,” Beeby remarked. “But what we always say to vendors is that you might get premium, with Ascot—and if you don't, well, don't sell! Just have a shot. Some people are just as happy not to sell. We're very grateful to them all, to all our partners as well, and thankfully the weather also played its part. It was a joyful occasion.”

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