The three-year-old contest, which is run over 10f, has served as an important stepping stone for many Classic aspirants down through the years but had been run without a sponsor after Derrinstown Stud ended its long association with the race in 2021.

Leopardstown chief Tim Husbands commented, “We are delighted to welcome Cashel Palace Hotel as the sponsor of the Derby Trial Stakes. Their support and partnership will add a new dimension to this event and further enhance the experience for participants and spectators alike. We would also like to congratulate them for their recently received Michelin Star.”

The Derby Trial S. was won last year by the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell (Ire). Prior to that, horses like Sinndar (Ire), Galileo (Ire), High Chaparral (Ire), Yeats (Ire), Dylan Thomas (Ire) and Fame And Glory (GB) have landed the race. 

The post Cashel Palace Hotel To Sponsor Group 3 Derby Trial At Leopardstown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

We all know that anything can happen in a horse race, but some imaginative contortions are required to see any of his rivals bridging the abyss dividing them from the champion juvenile. After all, the most competent among them are keeping him company out wide anyway. There has to be every chance, then, that the GI Kentucky Derby favorite will arrive at Churchill without having been put under any meaningful pressure in five months since having to deal with Cave Rock (Arrogate) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in November.

This, as we know, is the modern way. If his Hall of Fame trainer is satisfied that Forte's best shot of winning the Derby is not even to run until March, and then only to outclass two fields of inferiors in his backyard, then we must respectfully stand aside. It's a different race, nowadays, and contested by a different kind of horse; and it is hardly Forte's fault that so few credible contenders have been tempted to slipstream their way to 40 starting points for the runner-up.

(To listen to an audio version of this column, click below)

Nor is he vulnerable to the way a similarly light schedule has backfired for Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro), who was deliberately kept under wraps between Jan. 21 and last weekend. It looked a safe enough gamble, in that the starting points awarded down to fifth place in the GII Louisiana Derby gave the hot favorite plenty of margin for error. In the event, however, he missed out altogether after trying to make up ground into a quickening pace and running a tepid finish.

There may be dozens of different reasons for that, so we can't assume that another race in between might have sustained him better through that mile and three-sixteenths. But what I do know is that horsemen of the old school, finding themselves in this kind of pickle, would certainly not be panicking. And that's because they would know that there are still 40 points available in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. on Apr. 15.

Now obviously if you decide that the model Derby prep today comprises races on Jan. 21 and Mar. 25, then I can't imagine that you'll suddenly be willing to salvage the situation with a race at the modern equivalent of five to midnight. That's a shame, because a lot of people involved in this talented colt deserve their shot at an experience that owes much of its mystique precisely to the fact that a) no horse gets a second chance; and b) as a result, nor do very many horsemen.

I can think of one man who wouldn't be squeamish about a three-week interval between the Lexington S. and the Derby. In fact, D. Wayne Lukas was probably disappointed in 1982 when Churchill moved the old Derby Trial from the Tuesday before the race back to the Saturday. The couple of Trial winners he had that decade were doubtless a little rusty by the time they ran midfield in the Derby, a full week later.

At 87, and 40 years after his first winner in Hot Springs, Lukas is already enjoying the most lucrative Oaklawn meet of his career and he's a long way from finished. Besides upcoming engagements for barn leaders Secret Oath (Arrogate) and Last Samurai (Malibu Moon), Lukas has seven declared on Saturday's card including 'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun) in the GIII Oaklawn Mile.

Until recently a barnmate of Instant Coffee, Caddo River ran second in the GI Arkansas Derby two years ago. And actually Lukas has a candidate for the latest running with, I suspect, a rather better chance than odds that may yet extend past the 20-1 of the “hangover” line. Bourbon Bash (City of Light) broke his maiden by eight lengths at Saratoga last summer but then bombed out in consecutive Grade Is and was then given a chance to start piecing things quietly back together in sprints. He hadn't quite learned to settle when runner-up to a talented rival around a second turn last month, but then caught the eye with the way he handled a poor trip when fifth as rank outsider for the GII Rebel S.

Lukas evidently believes that Bourbon Bash can stretch out effectively and, if he's right, his revival could yet open up a final fairytale. But we must note that this colt is out of a sister to Volatile (Violence), who has helped to make the sire of Forte primarily, to this point at least, a speed brand. That duly also remains a caveat about the crop leader, who will probably be depending heavily on damsire Blame on the first Saturday in May, when he'll be facing a 10th furlong in much more exacting company.

Ironically this will actually be only Bourbon Bash's third sophomore start, scarcely the standard Lukas treatment. Lukas has said that the horse doesn't need mental seasoning, but has needed time to strengthen. He's certainly fired some bullet works over the past month or so but, who knows, maybe he'll end up having to complete his preparations in the Lexington S.- the last port of call now that the old race-week Trial has been absorbed into the Derby undercard as the GII Pat Day Mile.

Tim Tam, the last horse to double up the Trial and the Derby, had previously won both the races chosen for Forte's own road to Churchill: the Fountain Of Youth S. and Florida Derby. In fact, the Kentucky Derby was his 10th sophomore start. So where would Jimmy Jones have learned a fool thing like that, running a future Hall of Famer four days before the Derby? Well, I can't quote chapter and verse–but I can give you a Citation.

The post This Side Up: Veterans Would Have An Instant Solution appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Stone Age didn't just open the door to a tilt at the Derby in winning the G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday, he kicked it open and announced himself as a leading player in demolishing the field and skyrocketing to a general 5-2 favourite for Epsom glory in the process. 

O'Brien's breakthrough Derby winner, Galileo (Ire), charted a similar path to Epsom by winning that same Derby Trial at Leopardstown, and the master of Ballydoyle admits it could be hard for Moore to ride anything other than Stone Age next month. 

“I think he [Ryan] would find it hard to not ride the horse from yesterday [Stone Age],” O'Brien said on Monday. “I imagine Ryan will find it hard not to ride him.”

Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Star Of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), impressive winners of their respective trials at Chester, Lingfield Derby Trial winner United Nations (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and 2,000 Guineas disappointment Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), will give Moore something to think about, but O'Brien revealed there would have been no decision to make if Luxembourg remained in the picture. 

The long-time ante-post favourite for the Derby, Luxembourg ran a cracker to finish third in the 2,000 Guineas but has been ruled out until at least the autumn after picking up a muscular problem behind.

O'Brien explained, “I am disappointed for the lads. He is a very good horse. I don't think Ryan would have had a choice to make if he were fit.”

When a comparison was made between Luxembourg and St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), O'Brien added, “He probably has more scope than St Nicholas Abbey had. St Nick ran well in the Guineas [sixth] as well but he didn't run as well as this lad did. Luxembourg ran extremely well to make the ground up and finish third. We didn't really see what he was able to do.”

Despite not managing to win in five starts at two, O'Brien outlined how that experience stood to the new Derby favourite Stone Age, who is now unbeaten in his two starts this term and heads to Epsom as the leading Ballydoyle challenger.

O'Brien said, “It'd be hard not to be impressed with what Stone Age did at Leopardstown. You'd like to have something lead him but there was no point in messing him about. Ryan let him bowl along and he was very impressive. 

“He has a lot of experience from his juvenile days. He was happy to get a lead at two. He'd have learnt a lot at two. We were running him and teaching him. He learnt a lot in those races.”

It seems somewhat ironic that O'Brien will face some of the stiffest competition in the Derby from his son Donnacha who appears to have outstanding claims of making his own breakthrough in the race with impressive Ballysax winner Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}). 

Respecting the opposition, O'Brien said, “We always do our best to win no matter what. I am always happy if they [Donnacha or Joseph] beat us. They are rivals, one hundred per cent, but I am always delighted when we get beaten by them. Believe me, there's no inch given anywhere.” 

O'Brien also holds the key to the Oaks and nominated Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a sister to Minding (Ire) and the general 7-2 favourite for the race, as the pick of his team for the fillies' Classic.

Tuesday overcame inexperience to finish strongly for third in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and O'Brien is convinced that there's more to come. 

He said, “Tuesday doesn't turn three until the first week in June and, to be doing what she's doing is unreal. Her run in the Guineas would suggest that she's crying out for a step up in trip. She's still only a baby and we are thinking of running in the Irish Guineas and then going on to the Oaks, just like what Minding did.”

The post Stone Age The Prime Choice for Moore appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Gosden, who trains with his son Thady, told ITV Racing, “He's coming back, but it's a slow process and whether it all comes too soon, we'll know more in three weeks really. The key thing is by the middle of May he is running in a trial and time will be of the essence.

“At the moment he's moving along well, but you know, when you get an interruption like that and he went back home, then came back to us, it's not the ideal flow through the autumn, winter and spring, that's for certain.”

Reflecting on the potential of fielding a Derby runner for The Queen during her Platinum Jubilee year, Gosden added, “You do what's right by the horse and that is what we will do no matter what anyone thinks, and that is what the owner would want.”

The Queen has won every British Classic barring the Blue Riband.

The post Reach For The Moon Bound For A Derby Trial appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

As ever, Ballydoyle will have something to say on the matter with Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bidding to provide her dam You'resothrilling (Storm Cat) with a third English or Irish Guineas winner. Having captured the G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial over a mile at Leopardstown last time May 9, the full-sister to Gleneagles (Ire) and Marvellous (Ire) is back on the soft-to-heavy surface on which she broke her maiden over seven furlongs here Mar. 21. “Like with most of ours this weekend, she'd much prefer better ground but we do at least know she's gone on it before, even though it was only a maiden,” Aidan O'Brien commented.

Successful in the seven-furlong G3 Athasi S. staged on testing ground here May 3, the O'Callaghans' No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) gets re-acquainted with Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) who she trailed when fourth in Deauville's G2 Prix du Calvados on very soft ground in August. The latter was third in the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas on ground that would have been a touch too fast and has done very little wrong throughout her career. No Speak Alexander's trainer Jessie Harrington said, “I'm not saying she will win, but she'll be in the shake-up.” Fev Rover's trainer Richard Fahey commented, “I've been preaching all winter that I want to get her on better ground and here we are running on heavy, but she has had experience of it so she'll handle it as well as most. I was keen to get her to The Curragh, because I just thought the track would suit her. We've been pleased with her since Newmarket–she's a pretty straightforward girl.”

Pulled out of Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Doreen Tabor's Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who took the G2 Lowther S. on good-to-soft in August before encountering a quicker surface when runner-up in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket and third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, is a certain runner here. “It's the last Classic she can run in and she'll take her chance,” trainer Ken Condon said. “The 2-year-old career she put together means she deserves her chance in a Guineas. There are genuine concerns about the ground and, as a consequence, the trip is going to be in more focus. We've a good man riding her and she's drawn around fancied horses.”

Broome Looks For Clean Sweep

Also on the card is the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, where Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) flies the flag for Aidan O'Brien along with the G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the G1 Epsom Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Broome has rattled up a treble while his two stable companions limbered up on the home gallops, taking the Listed Devoy S. at Naas Mar. 28 and Apr. 17 G3 Alleged S. and May 3 G2 Mooresbridge S. here and his ability to handle this type of ground is already proven. “Broome lost his way last year,” Aidan O'Brien said. “He has had three trials in Ireland and I have been very happy with him in all of them. We always thought a mile and a half would suit him this year and he has only been a mile and quarter yet, but I am very happy with him. He won on soft ground earlier in the spring there and he seems to be in good form. The other two are just ready to start back. Serpentine is working very well. Ten furlongs is probably not ideal for either of them really, but they have to start somewhere.”

Moyglare Stud's dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) drops back almost half a mile having been an encouraging second on her seasonal bow in Leopardstown's Listed Saval Beg Levmoss S. May 14. Third behind Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when getting going too late in the delayed edition of this in July, the homebred comes into this in a better place at present and the much slower surface will only serve to aid her cause.

In the G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule S., Fiona Carmichael's G1 Epsom Derby entry Taipan (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) escapes from the clutches of the current blue riband favourite Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) having finished third and fifth to that rival in Leopardstown's G3 Ballysax S. Apr. 11 and May 9 G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial respectively. Up in trip and back on testing ground that looks to suit is The Aga Khan's Erzindjan (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), having been a staying-on second taking on his elders in Leopardstown's G3 Amethyst S. at a mile May 9.

Classic Appetizers In Germany

Hoppegarten stage the G3 Derby-Trial and G2 Diana Trial, with the latter the stage for Gestut Gorlsdorf's promising Mercedes (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) who impressed on debut over this 10-furlongs trip here May 9. Out of the 2016 winner of this race, Meergorl (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), she hails from the family of last year's G1 Preis der Diana heroine Miss Yoda (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). She meets Manfred Anton Schmelzer's G3 Preis der Winterkonigin heroine Noble Heidi (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), who goes up in trip after disappointing on her return when fifth in the G3 Karin Baronin von Ullmann Schwarzgold-Rennen at a mile at Cologne May 2. In the Derby-Trial over the same mile-and-a-quarter trip, Gestut Hony-Hof's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten runner-up Sea of Sands (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) should be sharper for his comeback third in the G3 Bavarian Classic over this distance at Munich at the start of the month.

Derby Anchors Blockbuster Rome Card

The €633,600 G2 Derby Italiano headlines a six-stake card at Rome on Sunday, and with shippers from England, France and Germany taking on the locals, it is guaranteed to be an intriguing affair. Juan De Montalban (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Fabilis (GB) (Frankel {GB}), one-two in a 2000 metre Sandown handicap on Apr. 23, re-oppose with the former making his first start for owner Luigi Roveda and trainer Raffaele Biondi after being purchased privately from Mick and Janice Mariscotti from the yard of Andrew Balding. Juan De Montalban was making his seasonal debut at Sandown, having won by three lengths at third asking going a furlong shorter at Goodwood in October.

Fabilis, meanwhile, takes the prize on pedigree among this bunch, being a son of Frankel out of Mirabilis (Lear Fan), a Grade III-winning half-sister to G1 Prix de Diane victress Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat). Miribilis lines up in the Juddmonte colours for trainer Ralph Beckett, and he makes his third start of the year having run fourth in a one-mile Southwell handicap on Jan. 28. He was fourth in the G3 Zetland S. in October.

Teruya Yoshida's Tokyo Gold (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) is among the visitors from France, and the winner of last year's Listed Prix Haras de Bouquetot lines up off a second in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault on the Polytrack on Mar. 9 and a fourth in the G3 Prix Noailles on Apr. 11. Isfahani (Ger) (Isfahan {Ger}) is among the German raiders, and he has already successfully shipped to Italy, having won the G3 Premio Guido Berardelli last term for trainer Henk Grewe and Darius Racing.

Those trying to keep Derby glory at home include Roberto Saggini's Flag's Up (Ire), one of two sons of War Command in the lineup and the winner of the ten-furlong Listed Premio Emanuele Filiberto on May 2. Tiaspettofuori (Ity) (Mujahid), meanwhile, went a half-furlong further to take the Listed Premio Botticelli over this course on Apr. 25, and all four runners from that race re-oppose here.

Click here for the group fields.

The post Champ Returns In Irish 1000 Guineas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Aidan O'Brien said of his duo, “Carlisle Bay is a tough, solid horse who we always thought would get a mile and a half well. He's a little bit lazy and a little bit laid-back, but that's the way he's always been and he's been working nicely. Kyprios is a horse we always liked last year. He had a nice run in a winners' race in Cork a couple of weeks ago and we always thought he would get a mile and a half well as well. Both are in good form, we think both will get the trip well and we think both will come on from their runs.” Nash Nasha has several well-regarded peers to take on including a pair of unexposed John and Thady Gosden-trained bluebloods in Loving Dream (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who was runner-up to 'TDN Rising Star' Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) in a 10-furlong Wetherby novice on Apr. 25, and Regent (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who beat the re-opposing Invite (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) also over that trip on the Polytrack here on Mar. 26.

In the Blue Wind, a trio of 4-year-old fillies make the contest an Oaks trial with a difference and Ballydoyle's well-regarded Willow (Ire) (American Pharoah) looks to put a disappointing seasonal bow behind her when seventh in the Listed Salsabil S. at Navan on Apr. 25. She gets 15 pounds from Gary Barber and Team Valor International's year-older Silence Please (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who was last seen finishing second in Leopardstown's G3 Kilternan S. in September.

The post Epsom Trail Winds On appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post