Devilwala | Horse Racing Free Tips

LEXINGTON, KY–This year’s European contingent at the Breeders’ Cup includes a handful of accomplished trainers sending out their first runners at the meeting-the likes of Michael Bell, James Fanshawe, Nigel Tinkler, John Quinn and Ger Lyons. They will, no doubt, all be hoping to follow in the mould of trainer Ralph Beckett, who won with his first ever Breeders’ Cup starter, Muhannak (Ire) (Chester House), in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita Park.

The Andover-based Beckett has exhibited a special touch with fillies over his 20-year career as a trainer; his three Classic wins have come with Look Here (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G1 Oaks of 2008 and 2013, and with Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), who in 2015 became the first filly in 22 years to win the G1 St Leger. Beckett’s last runner at the Breeders’ Cup was Qatar Racing’s filly Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) when the meeting was last at Keeneland in 2015; she finished seventh in the GI Filly & Mare Turf, having been disqualified from first to third in the GI Beverly D. S. in her prior run.

Beckett returns to the Breeders’ Cup after a five-year hiatus with a pair of 2-year-olds for the GI Juvenile Turf: Amo Racing and Arjun Waney’s Devilwala (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Marc Chan’s New Mandate (Ire), a gelded first crop son of New Bay (GB).

Beckett has supervised his two charges’ exercise the past two mornings astride a pony on Keeneland’s all-weather training track, and he said they will take their first spin over the turf course on Thursday.

“They’ve traveled over very well and handled it all very well so we’re in good shape,” Beckett said. “They look well, they’ve been on the training track yesterday and today and they’ll breeze on the turf on Thursday morning around the bend and just get a feel of it.

“I walked the course on Tuesday night and it’s in excellent shape. They both handle fast ground; it isn’t what you’d call fast here but it’s quick enough for what they’re used to at home.”

Devilwala and New Mandate endured contrasting fortunes at the draw; Devilwala will exit gate 13 under Rossa Ryan, while New Mandate jumps from gate two under Frankie Dettori.

Beckett was straightforward in his assessment of Devilwala’s draw in light of the fact that he will have a short run into the first turn going a mile.

“Devilwala goes forward, so that’s a problem, but there’s not much we can do about that,” the trainer said. “He’ll have to take his medicine or land close to the pace, whichever way it is. But we’ll certainly ride him positively; he needs that.”

Devilwala, a 220,000gns purchase by Alex Elliott and Blandford Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Craven breeze-up sale on June 25, broke his maiden at first asking at Haydock in August for trainer Archie Watson before finishing second in the G2 Gimcrack S. and seventh in the G2 Mill Reef S. He was transferred to Beckett prior to running fourth over the soft ground in the G1 Dewhurst S. on Oct. 10, far outrunning his odds of 100-1.

“It was an extraordinary run in the sense that it was certainly the owner’s decision to run there rather than mine,” Beckett reflected. “I was going along for the ride, effectively. He ran way above my expectations based on what he’d shown at home. He doesn’t show very much at home; he hides his light under a bushel so we were delighted with his effort and he’s trained very well since.”

New Mandate, meanwhile, has been in Beckett’s care for some time: he was part of a group of five staying-bred yearlings bought at the yearling sales last year for a group spearheaded by Beckett and agent Alex Elliott with the intention to sell on later in their careers. Being by G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner New Bay and out of a mare by Derby winner Authorized (Ire), it is easy to see why New Mandate fit that bill, and he was picked up at Arqana’s August Yearling Sale for €35,000. Beckett said, however, the gelding came to hand much faster than anticipated and was thus sold on to new Hong Kong-based owner Marc Chan after breaking his maiden in a Sandown handicap at third asking in September. New Mandate has subsequently won his two starts for Chan: the Listed Flying Scotsman S. on Sept. 11 and the G2 Royal Lodge S. on Sept. 26.

“We set out last year to buy five yearlings with staying pedigrees for the market at the end of their 3-year-old careers,” Beckett said. “We weren’t expecting him to show the speed he has, and when a good offer came in from Jamie McCalmont, who used to employ Alex and is an old ally of mine as well, it made very good sense for a trading syndicate. We were delighted to do a deal for Mr. Chan and it’s worked out well so far, so let’s hope that continues on Friday.”

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LEXINGTON, KY–Tuesday brought about another bright but cool morning in Lexington, and the European Breeders’ Cup contingent-all bar the Ballydoyle brigade, which touched down in Lexington late on Monday evening and will be ensconced in quarantine until Thursday-had another opportunity to stretch their legs at Keeneland. The English and Irish Guineas winners Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) and Siskin (First Defence) were among those who took to the training track for the second straight day, with Kameko once again catching the eye in a light gallop just as dawn broke. Siskin once again displayed his well being by throwing in a periodic hop and swivelling his head to take in all the sights as he went about his work, but the Ger Lyons trainee looked a picture of good health and appears to have taken his travels well.

Five Europeans-GII Juvenile Turf Sprint entrant Ubettabelieveit (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) in addition to the fillies Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead), Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire})) and One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})–tested the Keeneland turf course for the first time on Tuesday.

G1 Prince of Wales’s S. winner Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a standout among the John Gosden trio as he took to the training track alongside stablemates Terebellum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and the GI Turf contender traveled enthusiastically on the bridle without being overeager through an easy gallop. Trainer Ralph Beckett, having arrived in Lexington on Monday night, was aboard a pony to oversee his GI Juvenile Turf runners New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Devilwala (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The G2 Royal Lodge S. winner New Mandate galloped freely ahead of his barnmate Devilwala, who was fourth in the G1 Dewhurst S. last out. Both horses are campaigned by owners relatively new to the game: Marc Chan bought New Mandate from a partnership headed by Beckett and Alex Elliott after a handicap win at Sandown in August, while Devilwala is among a talented bunch of 2-year-olds for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing.

New Mandate landed in gate two for Friday’s Juvenile Turf at Monday evening’s post position draw and Devilwala in 13, the only horse to the inside of Qatar Racing’s The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}). The Lir Jet’s trainer Michael Bell was on hand to supervise his first Breeders’ Cup starter on Tuesday, having landed the evening before, and he was philosophical about the draw.

“The draw could have been kinder, but people seem to say you’re better off drawn wide than out low. Time will tell,” he said. “I watched the [2015 Juvenile Turf] when Hit It A Bomb won here, and he won from post 14 and had a great ride from Ryan Moore, so we hope Oisin [Murphy] can do the same.”

The Lir Jet skipped over the training track for the second straight morning on Tuesday, and Bell said he is pleased with how the colt has taken his journey.

“He seems very happy in himself and he’s eating well, which is the most important thing when they’ve traveled, because it can be a bit disruptive for them,” the trainer said. “But he looks in very good form when he’s out on the track in the morning. We’ve kept him on the training track just to keep a lid on him but he couldn’t have traveled better.

It was somewhat serendipitous circumstances that saw The Lir Jet land in Bell’s yard earlier this year; the colt was bought privately by Bell’s son Nick from pinhooker Robson Aguiar after the breeze-up sales were delayed in the spring. Sheikh Fahad came calling after The Lir Jet set a five-furlong track record when winning at Yarmouth on debut two days after racing in Britain resumed on June 3, and the colt carried Qatar Racing’s colours when beating Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot. The Lir Jet, from the first crop of Ballyhane Stud’s fellow Norfolk winner Prince of Lir, was somewhat unlucky to be beaten when second in the G2 Prix Robert Papin on July 19 and the G1 Phoenix S. on Aug. 9, and according to Bell didn’t quite handle the Newmarket dip when fifth in the G1 Middle Park S. on Sept. 26. He steps up to a mile for the first time on Friday.

“He was a bit unlucky in the photograph in the Papin when it was heads up, heads down; the dice didn’t roll the right way for him because he was in front just before and just after the line,” Bell said. “He ran in Ireland in the Phoenix S. and stayed on very well but got slightly hampered and finished off very well over six furlongs. He ran at Newmarket and was a bit unbalanced coming down the hill, so this flatter track will suit him better. But he finished off his race very well over six, so we’re hopeful he’ll get the mile.”

“It would be a fantastic achievement,” Bell said of a potential Breeders’ Cup win. “It’s not going to be easy; we’re under no pretensions that he’s a warm-order favourite. We’re taking a punt at the trip, but if he does stay he’ll be in the mix because he has the class and he can certainly run to a higher rating over a mile if he stays. But we’ll only find that out on Friday.”

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