Tag: Doncaster

Curtain Up For Ireland’s Flagship Sale In Doncaster

DONCASTER, UK—It’s crunch time for the European yearling market, with both Ireland’s and Britain’s major auctions being staged in the next fortnight. The major obvious difference is the relocation of the Orby Sale, which takes place over the next two days, to Doncaster. An expected difference, however, is a reduction in trade from some of the boom years the bloodstock market has enjoyed since the recovery from the major recession of 2008.

Considering the unprecedented backdrop to the sales calendar of 2020, the breeze-up sector and the early yearling sales have held up reasonably well, and it is of vital importance that the Orby Sale, the flagship auction of the Goffs calendar and one which has thrived of late, continues that trend. 

It is fair to say that the mood on the sales ground at Doncaster settles somewhere between weary resignation that this year has been so trying in myriad ways, and a cautious optimism thanks to an increase in footfall on Tuesday as more trainers arrived in Doncaster. What is unwavering is the praise from a range of participants for the Goffs team, which took decisive action to wrest the sale from its natural home of Kildare and has pulled out plenty of stops to ensure as pleasant experience as possible even under the ever-increasing restrictions being imposed on the public amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

International participation is crucial to the yearling market at this level and while it is impossible for the full range of potential overseas buyers to be present this year, vendors will have felt heartened to see several familiar faces from America in South Yorkshire over the last few days, including Justin Casse and Ben McElroy.

“I actually left Keeneland early so I could quarantine in Ireland before I came here,” said Casse, who is visiting Doncaster for the first time. “There are some horses that I am involved with in training in Ireland, so I got to spend a week watching them and looking at a few foals and yearlings, and horses I own, then I came over here on Sunday.”

He continued, “It’s nice to get out, because by this time of the year usually I’d have made six trips across the Atlantic. It’s good for the mind to be out doing something. I don’t think anyone is going to be shell-shocked by what the market does. We’re all bracing ourselves for impact, so to speak. I don’t know how many Americans are coming over but I’ve done my best to let those who might be interested know that I’m here. I’ve found the sales grounds very accommodating and very easy to navigate. There’s plenty of space and I’ve gotten through the horses quickly.”

Casse will not be alone in longing for a return to normal for next year’s sales programme. He added, “This is an important sale for Ireland and I look forward to getting back there. I love Ireland and I like the sales grounds and the hospitality but this is a more than acceptable alternative.”

Plenty of the Irish vendors on the sales ground this week are also operating at Doncaster for the first time and have had to employ some quick thinking to organise transport and accommodation for the horses and staff. The Irish National Stud, with its draft of 12 yearlings, including representatives of the stud’s first-season sires Decorated Knight (GB) and National Defense (Ire), is one such consignor. 

“We are used to going just 20 minutes down the road to get to Goffs so this has been a huge logistical effort to get the horses here, but the alternative was no sale at all,” said Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale.

“Credit to everyone for putting it on. The traffic to the doors has been fantastic and there seems to be quite a buzz about the place today so we are cautiously optimistic of a good sale. Goffs have gone to huge trouble and the sales complex is excellent.”

A giant marquee to the side of the sales ring is just one new feature at the Goffs UK sales complex this week, and it is one that will certainly come into its own as Tuesday’s warm sunshine gives way to the forecasted rain. Certainly the good weather so far this week has helped to keep spirits high among vendors, and Peter Fagan of Deerpark Stud was another who fulsome in his praise of the sales house. 

He said, “It hasn’t been an easy season for anyone but Goffs has done an excellent job to get this on. They’ve made a huge effort.”

The Goffs complex in Kildare would usually be awash with Irish trainers and, at a time of year which is equally busy on the racing front, a number of them have made the trip to the UK, including Jessica Harrington, Joseph O’Brien, Michael Halford and Andy Oliver. No travel, even across the Irish Sea is without its complications at present.

With governments across Europe now frequently tweaking rules and restrictions as the coronavirus infection rate rises to levels previously seen in the early days of lockdown, it surely can’t be taken for granted that the 2020 sales season will continue without further disruption. For the time being, a couple of days in sunny Donny will be appreciated all the more by those who are just grateful that the wheels of the industry are able to keep turning, even if, as expected, it transpires to be at a reduced rate. 

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The Cream of Ireland on Offer in Doncaster

A different venue is not the only deviation from the norm as the Goffs Orby Sale takes centre stage in the European yearling sales calendar at Doncaster this week. On the last three occasions she has been represented in this sale Galileo (Ire) has been the sire of the star offering out of stellar producer Green Room (Theatrical), but on this occasion it will be Gilltown Stud’s Sea The Stars (Ire) who has the honour of aiming to continue the mare’s spectacular sales results. As usual consigned by Ballylinch Stud on behalf of breeders Vimal and Gillian Khosla, the bay filly (lot 176) has a lot to live up to as the mare’s progeny have yielded just shy of €9 million in the ring at Goffs over the years as well as, more importantly, excelling on the racecourse. While the pedigree needs little introduction some new names have added even further depth to the page this year. Military Style (War Front), a son of this filly’s half-sister Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), won the G3 JRA Tyros S. at Leopardstown in August while another half-sister Do You Love Me (Ire ) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a €3.2-million purchase at this sale two years ago, obtained some valuable black-type when third in a listed race at Newmarket. While the mating with Sea The Stars is a slight deviation, there is a successful precedent with Green Room’s daughter by the same sire Signe (Ire) fetching €1.1 million at this sale in 2014, so overall the case for more of the same seems fairly airtight.

Of course the sale is not at all about just one or even a handful of horses. Last year’s edition unearthed this year’s G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Lucky Vega (Ire), a €175,000 purchase by BBA Ireland for Yulong Investments as well as that horse’s Group 2- winning stablemate Cadillac (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a bargain at €40,000. There is equal strength in depth throughout this year’s catalogue and Henry Beeby’s usual optimism and infectious enthusiasm show no signs of abating despite these trying times.

“As usual we have had great support from vendors and we’ve assembled another strong Orby catalogue as a result,” Beeby said. “Just as much work has gone into creating an environment that will allow as many potential purchasers from around the world get involved with the sale and while we were unable to have as much person-to-person contact with owners, trainers and agents as we would normally have had, our phones have been working non-stop and we have been direct mailing people. Thankfully we’ve had a lot of interest from all over the world and while it will manifest itself in a lot less people being at the sale we are confident that between our online bidding and through the use of agents on the ground people will have no trouble buying horses. The online platform is very customer- friendly and it has been used successfully now at several sales here at Goffs UK. We have also organised for videographers to go to as many farms as possible so there are up-to-date videos of most lots available as well as having videographers on site at the sales complex. It’s a case of being adaptable and finding a way through this.”

Beeby continued, “Of course we will be doing our very best to achieve the maximum price for each lot but the metric we will look at most will be the clearance rate and to provide as vibrant a marketplace as is possible at the moment. The top of the market has held up well at Arqana and Keeneland so we are hoping we can replicate that kind of activity. We are fortunate to have a sales complex that rivals anywhere and we have added even more facilities to cater for people. Also Irish Thoroughbred Marketing are treating this as an Irish sale so will be providing support to buyers coming from Ireland, which is another great help. Doncaster is also a very accessible place within England between the motorway network and the train line from London so that is in our favour too. So between the strength of the catalogue we’ve assembled and the record of Orby graduates on the track this year and in the past we are as confident as we can be in this ever-evolving situation that things will go well. There will be no lack of effort from everyone involved so please god we can get a reasonable result.”

Galileo has been prolific at the top end of this sale, siring the highest-priced yearling the last two years and indeed the top two last year headed by the €3-million filly out of Green Room now named Espania (Ire) who is in training with Aidan O’Brien. When crossed with sprinting mares Galileo has produced some top-class horses, notably Cape Blanco (Ire) and Churchill (Ire) to name just two and buyers will have that in mind when inspecting lot 122, one of eight by the sire in the catalogue. The Castlebridge-consigned filly is grey like her very fast dam Easton Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who won two listed races over the minimum trip for trainer Mike Dodds before being sold for 500,000gns in 2017.

Luke Barry offers a Galileo half-sister to G1 Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) through his Manister House Stud as lot 311, while Baroda Stud’s lot 305 is out of Australian Group 1 winner Nechita (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Having topped one yearling session already this season Baroda has a strong hand to repeat that feat and their draft, which is the second-largest numerically, also features a colt by Kingman (GB) out of the German champion 2-year-old Monami (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}). Lot 291 has added appeal as a half-brother to this year’s G1 Preis de Diana winner Miss Yoda (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Another Baroda yearling with a close Classic connection is lot 211, a Dark Angel (Ire) colt out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) while few boast a better page than Baroda’s lot 458. This colt by Frankel (GB) is a half-brother to six-time Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and his third dam is Doff The Derby (Master Derby), dam of the mighty Generous (Ire) et al.

At the time of writing Dubawi (Ire) was sitting at the top of the table of the leading European stallions of 2020 based on worldwide earnings and Darley’s flagship stallion is represented by just the one offering in the Orby Sale, lot 17 from Kirsten Rausing’s Staffordstown Stud. The February-born colt is out of All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a winner of three stakes races in France and a daughter of champion Albanova (GB) (Alzao). All At Sea’s first produce, a 3-year-old filly called A La Voile (GB), has proved quite progressive for Sir Michael Stoute this year winning her only three starts and is now rated 88 with the promise of more to come.

Whether a homebred or a pinhook, stock from Timmy Hyde’s Camas Park Stud demand the utmost attention and hopes will surely be high for lot 102, a colt by Gleneagles (Ire). The son of Daneleta (Ire) (Danehill) is closely related to Group 1 winners Intense Focus and Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) and his foal price tag of €155,000, when purchased from breeders Airlie Stud at Goffs last year, suggests he looks the part too. Camas Park also offers a full-brother to last year’s champion European sprinter Ten Sovereigns (Ire) as lot 388. The No Nay Never colt’s two older full-sisters have made €600,000 and 320,000gns, respectively, the last two years so his credentials are obvious.

Last year’s G1 Prix de Diane Longines winner Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) slipped through the net at this sale three years ago when sold to Meridian International for just €18,000 but one imagines a bit more attention will be paid to lot 253. This Sea The Stars (Ire) filly, offered by The Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of Pat O’Kelly’s revered Kilcarn Stud, is a half-sister to Channel and comes from a fantastic fillies family with her granddam being the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}).

Lot 114 from Michael O’Flynn’s Rockfield Farm is one that’s certainly bred for speed. The No Nay Never filly is out of Double Fantasy (Ger) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), who has already bred two stakes winning fillies including the Fozzy Stack trained Piece Of Paradise (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). This April-born filly’s year-older full-brother brought 320,000gns as a yearling last year and although unraced so far for Roger Varian and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, his name Jet Engine (Ire) suggests he is showing some pace at home.

Another speedily bred filly with high residual value is lot 223 from Yeomanstown Stud. The Dark Angel filly is a full-sister to the classy and durable 15-time winner Sovereign Debt (Ire) and a half to another stakes winner in Puff (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) while her 3-year-old full-sister Darkest (Ire) broke her maiden at Limerick recently.

The Bolger family have been quite fortunate with updates this year and lot 180 from Clare Manning’s Boherguy Stud got a timely boost when his half-brother Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) won the G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh. The Vocalised yearling colt is closely related to high-class Bolger performers Light Heavy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Parish Hall (Ire) and buyers should be reminded that Bolger sold this year’s G3 Acomb S. winner Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) at this sale last year for €52,000 to Mark Johnston.

International buyers are vital to the success of this sale and one that could appeal to various overseas markets is lot 259, a colt by Caravaggio from the Castlebridge Consignment. The colt is a half-brother to both Royal Ascot winner Beauty Flame (Ire), (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) who went on to have a successful career in Hong Kong, and Roca Roja (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}), who also parlayed her smart Irish form to be a successful stakes winner in America. Another half-sister Roca Roma (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is a 97-rated 3-year-old filly that looks potentially stakes class for Ger Lyons.

With such quality packed into the two days there are dozens more yearlings that will no doubt command a premium while Jessica Harrington’s Cadillac (Ire) proves that there will be plenty of horsepower to be found at all levels of spending.

The sale will begin at 10 a.m. each morning.

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Ghaiyyath The Star On Super Saturday

There are few days in the European racing calendar as replete with top-class action as Saturday, with Doncaster’s St Leger festival reaching its climax as the Irish Champions Weekend begins at Leopardstown. With the exception of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Godolphin’s phenomenon of 2020 Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has emerged to dominate the middle-distance division and he bids to extend that to Ireland as he takes in the G1 Irish Champion S. With Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in opposition, on paper his task involves a simple repeat of his G1 Juddmonte International heroics but little is ever as simple in the reality of Thoroughbred competition. Many champions elect have gone to this country in the past with impeccable credentials only to suffer a cruel dethroning, such is the level of competition entered into. If he needs any help, it could be available from Leopardstown’s track which has played to a front-running bias on occasion this year. If that is the case again and he is firing on all cylinders after a trio of tough efforts, he should prove as impossible to peg back as he has so far during his sensational campaign.

In many ways, the 5-year-old represents the confirmation of the resurgence of the operation in recent years and Charlie Appleby is aware of his status among the legions of luminaries to sport the royal blue. “Ghaiyyath is already the highest-rated I have had the privilege to train and he will always be regarded as one of Godolphin’s great horses. He is special,” he said. “This is a wonderful Godolphin story. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has followed the progress of Ghaiyyath very closely from the time he was purchased as a foal five years ago and it is pleasing to see a descendant of Godolphin greats Dubai Millennium and Dubawi also making his mark at the highest level. His performances are always very big–he’s never easy on himself even when he’s winning. He puts those big figures out there and in the past it’s taken its toll, but thankfully this year he’s taken each race very well. A decision on the Arc will be a wait-and-see. We purposefully took our time before deciding to definitely run in Ireland, we just took it day-by-day and we’ll regroup after it.”

Last year’s winner Magical needs something extra to shake up Ghaiyyath, but Aidan O’Brien believes it could be in the reserves. “She doesn’t owe anybody anything. She’s raced against the best. We feel we haven’t really seen the best of her yet,” he said. “Someday when everything will fall right she’ll be at the height of her powers and we’ll see. She’s a serious, high-rated, incredibly genuine mare. We keep tweaking things as we go along to see if we can get another little bit from her to get her to show everybody what she shows us at home every day.” Ryan Moore has opted to ride last year’s Juddmonte International winner Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) over Magical and he has 2 1/4 lengths to make up on the Godolphin flag-bearer having finished third in Sandown’s G1 Eclipse S. on July 5. Subsequently last of three when injuring a foot in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot on July 25, he will be tested to the extreme here. O’Brien said of him, “He came back from Ascot with very sore soles in his feet. He’s in full work and has been taking it very happily. He’s travelling well in his work and everything seems good, so it was a legitimate excuse.”

Japan was fourth when White Birch Farm’s 2019 G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was a half-length ahead in third in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and it will be interesting to see how they fare under these contrasting conditions. Successful in the G1 Prix Ganay over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly on June 14 and a neck second to Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) when attempting to give that smart rival six pounds in Deauville’s G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron on heavy ground on his return on Aug. 15, Sottsass is in deep here. Jockey Colin Keane commented, “Obviously Ghaiyyath was impressive the last day, Magical is the queen, she never runs a bad race and our horse I’d say has been trained with an autumn campaign in mind so you might not have seen the best of him yet.”

 Doncaster Serves Up Competitive Leger

   At Doncaster, the G1 Pertemps St Leger will now be contested by 11 runners after Ed Walker took out the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris-bound English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) on Friday morning. There is no clear favourite at present, with the trio of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) all close together at the top of the market. Also popular is the Aug. 29 Listed Yeats S. winner Galileo Chrome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in a renewal that is as open as it is competitive and that Joseph O’Brien representative will now be partnered by English King’s proposed rider Tom Marquand after Shane Crosse was ruled out with a positive COVID test. Pyledriver comes via the tried-and-tested route of York’s Aug.  19 G2 Great Voltigeur, which he won under a penalty for his prior success in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot on June 16. Santiago bids to emulate the 2017 winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in coming off a success in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh on June 27, while Hukum looks for a first Shadwell victory in this Classic having impressed when beating his elders in the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. over an extended 13 furlongs at Newbury on Aug. 15.

   Pyledriver’s trainer Willie Muir has the chance of a lifetime ahead of him and said, “The horse had a quiet week to 10 days after York, but he’s back in his normal routine now and he’s as fit as a flea. You don’t dream about how good it would feel to win, you dream about all the things that could go wrong. If it comes off, what it would do for me and the yard would be immense. I think he’ll stay. He is in fantastic form and if he stays, it will take a very good one to beat him.”

Aidan O’Brien said of Santiago, “It maybe didn’t work as we’d liked [when third] in the [G1] Goodwood Cup. We usually like to take our time on him and he just hit the gates on Ryan and he couldn’t really get him back. He was just sitting in the second position and Ryan would have felt maybe he was a gear too high all the way. Because of that he went from travelling very well to having to drop him and ask him to go and race very quickly and he really didn’t get his breath to go again. It didn’t really work, but it didn’t do him any harm and he seems to be in good form. We had to give him a little bit of an easy time after it, because obviously when things don’t work or go smooth for a horse usually they have a harder race, but he seems to be in good form again.”

Hukum is perhaps the one who has yet to truly show his hand, much as Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was 12 months ago, and Angus Gold is hoping he will prove up to the task. “We’re still learning about him, he’s lightly-raced for the time of year, but he’s done everything well this season,” he commented. “I’m not saying he’s going to win a Leger, but I don’t think he’ll be far away. Owen [Burrows] has been at pains to say he’s not simply a stayer, but at the same time he stayed well enough at Newbury to make you think he won’t be beaten for stamina. He might not be good enough, but I’ll be surprised if it’s a lack of stamina that beats him. Hopefully next year we’ll be looking at races like the Hardwicke and the King George.”

Following the drama which unfolded on Friday regarding Shane Crosse, Galileo Chrome is in the spotlight even more than he would be after demonstrating his class at Navan. “Last time out he quickened up impressively, he showed a big turn of foot. It was quite a hot race, obviously not as hot as the St Leger, but it was quite hot and he couldn’t have been any more impressive,” trainer Joseph O’Brien said. “I think he goes there with a good each-way chance. He’s got to step up a little to win, but we’re hoping he’ll run very well.”

Classic Showdown In Matron

The third of Saturday’s top-level contests is the G1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron S. over a mile at Leopardstown and there is a rematch between the June 13 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas one-two Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Fancy Blue was on top when they met subsequently in the G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly on July 5 before adding Goodwood’s G1 Nassau S. to her tally on July 30. Since finishing third in the Diane, Peaceful has been rested and her rider Seamie Heffernan has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds her. Ryan Moore is on Fancy Blue, who would be providing Donnacha O’Brien with a major prize on this weekend in his first season with a licence.

“It’s a great weekend, the biggest in Irish racing and I’m excited about having horses to run,” Donnacha said. “Fancy Blue starts out on her autumn campaign in the Matron S. and while the trip might not be ideal, she does have good form over a mile and she ran well in the Irish Guineas over this distance.”

This year’s Matron is a hot contest and last year’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was runner-up after a break in the G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S. over nine furlongs at The Curragh on Aug. 28, will need to improve to feature while progression is the watchword where Fitzwilliam Racing’s Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) is concerned. Successful by seven lengths in Galway’s Listed Corrib Fillies S. over seven furlongs on July 28, the Johnny Murtagh trainee followed up in the G3 Fairy Bridge S. over another half a furlong at Gowran Park on Sept. 2 and boasts a similar profile to the now-infamous 2006 winner Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab). “Her performance in Galway blew me away,” her trainer said. “I was very surprised the way that she won, the way she travelled and the way she quickened on ground that we weren’t sure about. Since Galway she’d had very clear run–it’s been smooth, her work has been good and she hasn’t missed a day.” Murtagh also saddles Qatar Racing’s July 1 G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. winner and Aug. 2 G1 Prix Rothschild third Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), which serves as a measurement of how quickly his racing operation has advanced. “She’s fresh and well–she’s the best horse we have in the stable,” he said. “I thought if we had a good horse this year, it was her. She’s a very big filly, good breeding. I think she’s going there with a great chance. She has to improve seven to 10 pounds to be involved in the finish with all the good fillies’ that are in it.”

Leopardstown’s three other pattern races offer quality in abundance, with the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. over a mile carrying the status of being a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race, as is also the case with the Irish Champion and Matron. Alpha Racing 2020’s Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who impressed with a nine-length debut win over seven furlongs here on July 1, was second in The Curragh’s G2 Futurity S. also at that trip on Aug. 22 and has the call over Van Gogh (American Pharoah) on the form of that contest. Ballydoyle’s Aug. 6 G3 Tyros S. runner-up was only sixth, but he carries the air of a big name waiting to happen and Ryan Moore is on board for the first time here. Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez’s impressive July 23 course-and-distance maiden winner Fernando Vichi (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is an unexposed type held in high regard along with Newtown Anner Stud Farm’s Ides of August (More Than Ready), who has not been seen since scoring on debut over seven furlongs here on June 21.

There is a fascinating clash in store in the G2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile, or Solonaway S. as it is registered, between Abdulla Belhabb’s Aug. 29 G2 Celebration Mile winner Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Ross Harmon’s Aug. 22 G2 City of York S. scorer Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Ballydoyle’s June 13 G3 Gladness S. winner Lancaster House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The 12-furlong G3 Paddy Power ‘Is It 2021 Yet?’ S., or Kilternan S., sees Ballydoyle’s Irish Derby runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) encounter the year-older Joseph O’Brien representative Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}) who took the nine-furlong G3 Meld S. here on July 11 and was third in Munich’s G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis over another furlong last time on July 26. Aidan O’Brien said of Tiger Moth, “He’s had a nice long break and is in good form. We think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter, mile-and-a-half horse,” he said. “He has a little bit of class.”

Toast To A Star

Back at Doncaster, the G2 bet365 Champagne S. sees ‘TDN Rising Star’ Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) look to confirm the impression of his 6 1/2-length debut success over this course and distance on July 25. He meets Michael Pescod’s unbeaten Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who came out on top in a strong renewal of the Listed Pat Eddery S. at Ascot on July 25. Fourth that day, John Deer’s Saint Lawrence (Ire) (Al Kazeem {GB}) has subsequently taken the Listed Washington Singer S. also over this seven-furlong trip at Newbury on Aug. 15 and re-opposes. Alongside Albasheer, Shadwell also has the seven-length Aug. 28 Newmarket novice scorer Mujbar (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and the racing manager Angus Gold is relishing seeing the pair in action.

“Albasheer’s always looked a nice horse at home, he’s a good-looking, strong horse who is well-bred by a very good stallion. From what we can see we hope he’s a very good horse,” he said. “He did have the option of the listed race at this meeting, but he worked very nicely the other day and Owen [Burrows] was happy to let him take his chance in this. Mujbar beat a horse who had finished behind Minzaal, so we’ve a bit of a line on him. He looked a good, galloping horse to me at Newmarket.  They’ve always thought a bit of him, he’s out of a good mare in Madany who has produced Massaat and Eqtidaar and he worked very well on Tuesday to the degree that Charlie [Hills] was happy enough to go for this–he said he thinks he’s decent so let’s have a look at him in the Champagne. We’re never afraid to run them against each other, one has run twice the other just once and you never know until you run them. There’s only a month left of the season and we’re running out of big races.”

Limato In Long Awaited Return

Paul Jacob’s popular seven-furlong specialist Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) has his favoured lively surface as he bids to register a second win in Doncaster’s G2 bet365 Park S. that he took five long years ago. His latest authoritative success in the G3 Criterion S. at Newmarket on June 27 demonstrated that he is still able to operate at a high standard and trainer Henry Candy is in positive mood. “Conditions should be perfect on Saturday, which is a relief as it’s been a long summer of abortive attempts,” he said. “It was a long time ago when he won. He’s been ready for four races since, but they’ve all been too soft. I think he’s well, he should run well and he didn’t look to be getting any slower at Newmarket.”

Ballydoyle try seven furlongs again with the June 6 G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was ridden by Frankie Dettori there before finishing third in Royal Ascot’s G1 St James’s Palace S. on June 20. Only eighth in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 9, he possibly has ideal conditions here. “Wichita is a very interesting ride. The question mark is the return to seven furlongs, but I think that should be ideal,” Dettori said. “He’s a fast horse that ran well over a mile–second in a Guineas and a close third in the St James’s Palace–and we think this trip will really suit him.”

Wichita was half a length second to Shadwell’s Molatham (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) in the Listed Flying Scotsman S. over this course and distance 12 months ago and Molatham has since captured Royal Ascot’s G3 Jersey S. on June 18 before finishing fifth in Deauville’s G1 Prix Jean Prat also over this trip on July 12. Trainer Roger Varian said, “Molatham is in great form and we’re looking forward to getting him back on track. I don’t think he ran his race in Deauville, but it still wasn’t a bad run.”

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Pyledriver’s ‘Unbelievable’ Progression Has Value Purchase In Top Form For St. Leger

Martin Dwyer and his father-in-law, William Muir, believe Pyledriver has all the attributes needed to provide them with a fairytale triumph in the £350,000 (about US$414,000) Pertemps St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.

The final Classic of the year, first run in 1776 and part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, has attracted a final field of 12. It features three challengers from the yard of serial Irish Champion Trainer, Aidan O'Brien, who is seeking a 39th British Classic success and has already landed this year's Investec Derby, Investec Oaks and QIPCO 1000 Guineas.

O'Brien's principal challenger, Santiago, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner, will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, whose tally of 258 Group 1 triumphs includes six St Leger victories. By contrast, Muir is still searching for his first win at the highest level, having been training a similar amount of time as O'Brien, while Dwyer's last Group 1 victory in Britain was 14 years ago aboard Sir Percy in the 2006 Derby.

Dwyer, 45, said: “If I'm totally honest, for the last four or five years I thought my days of riding horses as good as Pyledriver were gone. To get another bite at the cherry is fantastic and hopefully I can make it count. They've all got me to beat. Touch wood, if things go well he will win.

“He's definitely up there among the best horses I've ridden. He's been a bit of a slow-burner but his progression has been unbelievable. William and his team have done a tremendous job.”

Pyledriver has been known by those closest to him as “Dave” from the day he was foaled and is owned by brothers Guy and Huw Leach, plus their long-time friend Roger Devlin. He changed hands for only 10,000gns as a yearling; something Muir puts down to his sire [Harbour Watch] becoming unfashionable. He sees parallels in his own Lambourn yard, where 26 horses reside.

“It's all fashion, nobody even looked at him – and he's gorgeous to look at with a great stride,” Muir said. “We're not a fashionable yard, everyone wants somebody younger. It's just one of those things. If this horse could go and win on Saturday it would be fantastic for the whole team and everyone around it.”

Pyledriver announced himself on the big stage when an emphatic winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and put a luckless run in the Investec Derby behind him when a commanding winner of the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month, when conceding 3lb to each of his seven rivals.

Dwyer said: “He surprised me a bit at Ascot with how easily he won but even there he was like a teenager and now he's become a man. He destroyed the field at York and has just flourished all year.

“It's a great story, this year more than ever because it's been difficult times. Over the past five to ten years all the good horses have seemed to be in the same hands. It's got harder and harder. He's shown you can have a horse for £10,000 and compete at the top level – the dream is alive. It's just what racing has needed at this time.”

Big-money offers for Pyledriver, exceeding seven figures, have been rejected. Muir said: “If the offers had been accepted I don't think he would have stayed in this country – places like Australia and Hong Kong wanted him really badly. If one person had owned him, you couldn't have said no to the kind of offers we got – it was life-changing money – but there's three of them, and they wanted to keep him.”

Pyledriver's stamina is untested beyond a mile and a half but Dwyer said: “He wasn't stopping at York. He hit the line strong and I don't think it [the trip] will be a problem. He's got gears and the speed for a mile and a quarter but as long as he relaxes, as he does, then I don't think it will be an issue.”

Muir accepts his pedigree gives mixed messages but says: “Do I think he will stay? Yes, as I think he has the right attitude. He's got such a relaxed way about him. I'm in a good place because the owners have said 'what's the worst thing that can happen? If we get beat we can come back in trip.' It's a horse race, he's in fantastic form and if he stays he will be very hard to beat.”

Pyledriver will stay in training next year and Muir says his final run of this season will be in the QIPCO Champion Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on October 17.

Santiago won the Irish Derby just eight days after landing the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot at the main expense of Berkshire Rocco. On his latest start, he finished third to Stradivarius in the Qatar Goodwood Cup when things did not go quite to plan.

O'Brien said: “Goodwood didn't work as we would have liked. We usually like to take our time on him but he hit the gates on Ryan [Moore] and he couldn't really get him back. He was sitting in that second position and Ryan felt he was probably in a gear too high all the way. Because of that he went from travelling very well to having to drop him and ask him to go and race very quick. He really didn't get his breath to go again.

“We had to give him a little bit of an easy time after it because obviously when things don't go smooth for a horse they usually have a harder race but he seems in good form again.”

O'Brien and Dettori have teamed up for St Leger glory once before, striking with front-running Scorpion in 2005. The prospect of Dwyer and Dettori fighting out the finish on the market leaders is quite something and Dwyer said: “We've been friends for many years and I've always looked up to him. Frankie's a superstar and riding better than ever. It's a joy to watch him and I've learnt lots from him over the years. His positioning is just unbelievable and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. That's what wins big races.”

O'Brien also runs Dawn Patrol, who was third in the Irish Derby, and Mythical while his son, Joseph, will field the progressive Galileo Chrome, who has won each of his three starts this year. There is one other Irish challenger in the shape of the Andrew Slattery-trained Sunchart.

Owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum is enjoying a fabulous year but his silks have never been carried to victory in the St Leger. He bids to put that right with the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum, who won the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot on his return before following up in the Group 3 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

Front-running Subjectivist lines up on the back of a 15-length romp in the Group 3 Ladbrokes March Stakes at Goodwood. He had previously finished third in the Group 3 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at the same venue, with English King behind in fourth. English King had previously been a landing fancy for the Investec Derby, at Epsom, where he finished a staying-on fifth, with Mohican Heights, absent since, back in twelfth. Ed Walker, the trainer of English King, has said his colt remains more likely to run in France on Sunday.

The field is completed by the Richard Spencer-trained Tyson Fury, who belied odds of 20/1 when winning a novice stakes on his debut over 1m4f at Doncaster in early July.

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