Donnacha O'Brien | Horse Racing Free Tips

Zoffany’s Thunder Moon Cuts a Dash In the National

Sunday’s G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. at The Curragh looked of vintage variety on paper and although it lost a notable in Ballydoyle’s Battleground (War Front), an incident-packed renewal ultimately witnessed a colt to quicken the pulse in TDN Rising Star Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Purchased by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez from Anne Marie O’Brien following his scintillating debut success over this course and distance Aug. 9, the 15-2 shot tracked the pace but was holed up with nowhere to go inside the final two furlongs. Declan McDonogh was looking for racing room down on the rail and it came in plenty of time as the fleet-footed bay darted through a gap to cut down St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the final 75 yards. Surging to the line, he had 1 1/2 lengths to spare over that rival’s fast-finishing stablemate Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who snatched the runner’s-up spot by a short head. “I was always going to ride him cool down on the fence from the one draw and take all the chances,” McDonogh explained. “They didn’t go hard enough to get a spread on them and so they bunched up a little bit and I had to check him. He was always giving me the feel that he was going to run them down and he was very impressive. He did extremely well to recover and win smoothly–he has the makings of a smart colt.”

Thunder Moon had won a Dundalk barrier trial July 29 prior to his emphatic 3 3/4-length defeat of the useful yardstick Colour Sergeant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) here last month, but was still the least-experienced member of the line-up in what is always an daunting test for greenhorns. It is unknown how the Listed Chesham S. and G2 Vintage S. winner Battleground–who was taking out after a bout of coughing–would have fared, while Zhang Yuesheng’s Aug. 9 G1 Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) had little luck in running and finished with gusto to be fifth. The other 2-1 joint-favourite, Godolphin’s July 11 G2 Superlative S. scorer Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), had his chance and looked the winner when swooping two out but had raced keenly from the break and probably paid for his exertions. Even Khalid Abdullah’s Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was compromised, as he reared in the stalls and when given the go-ahead to start did too much on the front end. Added to that, Wembley and St Mark’s Basilica were tardy from the gates and the eventual runner-up lost almost as much there as he was beaten in the finish.

Despite the unsatisfactory nature of the way the contest unfolded, there was enough overall quality to make this a race to follow closely and few would bet against the winner coming out on top when meeting any of these rivals in the future. McDonogh had words of warning for those who hope for a second shot at Thunder Moon. “He was only in third gear through the race and didn’t even feel like he was in top gear at the line, so he’s a very exciting colt,” he said. “Even when I checked, he didn’t lose a whole lot of momentum and was straight back into his stride and powered on again. He has a great will-to-win and a great heart–he really wants to please you. I won this on another horse for Kevin Prendergast [Kingsfort (War Chant)] who had only won a maiden beforehand and it takes a proper one to do that. If he has a nice tempo to run at over a mile he’ll relax and stay well. I’d say the ground was as slow as he wants it, he has a real fast-ground action and I think fast ground will suit him really well as he’s a strong traveller. It’s been a long time since I rode one like him–he has a lot of qualities and has the mind to go with it.”

Thunder Moon’s family is that of the day’s G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with his third dam being the high-class Moyglare distaffer Trusted Partner (Affirmed). It was a granddaughter of that G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine, the unraced Small Sacrifice (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who caught the eye of Anne Marie O’Brien at the 2007 Goffs November Mares Sale and she showed her keenness of judgement by securing her for only €18,000. A half-sister to the G3 Horris Hill S. third Aahaykid (Ire) (Intikhab), she went on to produce the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. winner Table Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who was later renamed Anticipation (Ire) in Hong Kong. Small Sacrifice is a full-sister to Out of Thanks (Ire), who produced the G3 Sirenia S. winner Love Lockdown (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), while another of her half-siblings Tiny Petal (Ire) (Grand Lodge) threw the G1 Criterium International hero Vert de Grece (Ire) also by Verglas. This is the family of the GI Matriarch S. heroine Dress To Thrill (Ire) (Danehill) and her full-sister Polished Gem (Ire) who just this week further enhanced her mighty reputation. Small Sacrifice’s yearling colt is by Caravaggio.

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
GOFFS VINCENT O’BRIEN NATIONAL S.-G1, €250,000, Curragh, 9-13, 2yo, 7fT, 1:28.53, gd.
1–THUNDER MOON (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Small Sacrifice (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
2nd Dam: Trust in Luck (Ire), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Trusted Partner, by Affirmed
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O’Brien; J-Declan McDonogh. €150,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $189,183. *1/2 to Table Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), SW-Eng & SP-HK, $643,136. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wembley (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Inca Princess (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €50,000.
3–St Mark’s Basilica (Fr), 131, c, 2, Siyouni (Fr)–Cabaret (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (1,300,000gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O’Brien. €25,000.
Margins: 1HF, NO, HF. Odds: 7.50, 22.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Master of the Seas (Ire), Lucky Vega (Ire), Charterhouse (GB), Laws of Indices (Ire), Mac Swiney (Ire), Military Style, Masen (GB). Scratched: Battleground. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Quartet of Wild Cards Added to Tattersalls August Online Sale

A foursome of wild cards have been added to the Tattersalls August Online Sale. Bidding opens on Aug. 12 at midday BST and ends on Aug. 14 at midday BST. Ger Lyons’s Glenburnie Stables offers Curragh maiden winner and 90-rated Coill Avon (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who is out of the G3 Lodge Park Express S. winner Czabo (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}). Donnacho O’Brien sends Limerick maiden winner Great House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won on his second start going 1 1/2 miles on June 29. Completing the wild cards are two mares offered in foal to Night of Thunder (Ire)-Ballygreany Stud’s Diantha (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), a half-sister to G2 Dante S. hero Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}); and G3 Prix Miesque heroine Sweety Dream (Fr) (Dream Ahead), who is consigned by Oghill House Stud.

Photos and videos, as well as where each horse can be inspected, are available at www.tattersallsonline.com. Final entries for the sale will close at 5 p.m. BST, and prospective purchasers are required to register or login and join the sale ahead of the start of bidding.

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Silver Flash Success For Galileo’s Shale

Donnacha O’Brien’s instant momentum showed no sign of stopping on Thursday as the sole Galileo (Ire) in the G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. line-up Shale (Ire) flew the flag for the newest of the family’s prodigies at Leopardstown. Having won a mile maiden on slow ground at Gowran Park July 8, the daughter of the runaway G1 1000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) was positioned in a clear second early by under up-and-coming riding star Gavin Ryan. Sent past the weakening race animator Finest (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole, the generously-priced 14-1 shot had first run on TDN Rising Star Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) and with stamina assured galloped relentlessly to record a 1 1/2-length success. That 2-1 favourite was completing a forecast for the O’Brien brothers Donnacha and Joseph, with A Ma Chere (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) finishing well adrift 3 1/2 lengths back in third.

“She’s a lovely filly and I’m very grateful that connections let me keep the ride,” commented Ryan, the Co. Tipperary-born five-pound claimer. “She had won her maiden nicely on slow ground and our only worry was the quicker ground today, but she’s a very versatile filly with a lot of class. She travelled into the race well and stayed on gamely. Donnacha said to make sure we were up and forward, as she has a wicked high cruising speed and she’s probably a miler ideally. I think that was a good race and I know Joseph thinks his is a classy filly.”

Shale, who was sixth on debut in the course-and-distance maiden in which the subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. winner Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) was second June 21, had taken her Gowran maiden by 3 1/4 lengths last time and is a filly with limitless potential given her outstanding pedigree. Donnacha was on hand to say, “She had improved plenty from her maiden and her work was good–the race worked out nicely, as they went a good gallop and she got a nice tow into it. To look at her, you would say she wants quick ground so I was a bit surprised how well she handled it the last day. Joseph likes his filly a lot and obviously it’s quick enough out there and not easy to make up ground, So I’d say they are two smart fillies. We’ll look at the [G2] Debutante and the [G1] Moyglare. It would be the obvious path with those two-year-old fillies.”

In the pre-Serpentine era, Homecoming Queen was one of the first examples of what her trainer could do with slow learners as she took eight starts to break her maiden before going to Newmarket and winning the 2012 renewal of the mile Classic by nine lengths. Bred solely to Galileo, Shale is her third black-type performer and her best after the stakes-placed First of Spring (Ire) and G2 Futurity S. third Berkeley Square (Ire). She is a daughter of Lagrion (Diesis {GB}), which makes her a half-sister to the former Ballydoyle great Dylan Thomas (Ire), the juvenile champion Queen’s Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and Remember When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who was promoted to second in the 2010 G1 Epsom Oaks.

Remember When has produced five black-type winners all by Galileo headed by the aforementioned G1 Epsom Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) and Wedding Vow (Ire) who captured the G2 Kilboy Estate S. and was runner-up in the G1 Nassau S. Queen’s Logic, whose unbeaten career was cut short by injury, has produced the G2 Diadem S. and G2 Lowther S. winner and G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup runner-up Lady of the Desert (Rahy) who is in turn the dam of Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who also took the Lowther. Homecoming Queen’s 2019 Galileo offering is a colt.

Thursday, Leopardstown, Ireland
SILVER FLASH S.-G3, €59,000, Leopardstown, 8-6, 2yo, f, 7f 20yT, 1:27.69, gd.
1–SHALE (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-9 1/2f, G1SW-Eng, GSW-Ire, $458,335), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lagrion, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Wrap It Up (Ire), by Mount Hagen (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Donnacha O’Brien; J-Gavin Ryan. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $46,087. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pretty Gorgeous (Fr), 128, f, 2, Lawman (Fr)–Lady Gorgeous (GB), by Compton Place (GB). (€55,000 Wlg ’18 ARQDE; 525,000gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT). O-John C Oxley; B-E.A.R.L. Ecurie Haras du Cadran, Enrico Ciampi & S.A.S.I.E.I. (FR); T-Joseph O’Brien. €10,000.
3–A Ma Chere (Ire), 128, f, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Mad About You (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €5,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3HF, NO. Odds: 14.00, 2.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Snowfall (Jpn), Oodnadatta (Ire), Hazel (Ire), Finest (Ire), Takeko (Ire). Scratched: Meala (Ire), No Speak Alexander (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Harrington to Test Promising Juveniles at Leopardstown

Jessie Harrington is keen to put some of her most promising juveniles to the test in an intriguing card at Leopardstown on Thursday which features the G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. and G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. In the former, which has played host to the likes of Teofilo (Ire), New Approach (Ire), Rip Van Winkle (Ire) and Churchill (Ire) in recent times, she saddles Alpha Racing 2020’s impressive July 1 nine-length course-and-distance maiden winner Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Robert Scarborough and Susan Magnier’s Oodnadatta (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the O’Callaghans’ No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) are currently scheduled to go in the Silver Flash.

“Cadillac seems in good form. We’ve an awful wet morning here, so the ground might end up turning soft, but I don’t think that will bother him–I think he’d be fine on any ground.”

Easy conditions may not suit Oodnadatta, however, who beat the subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. winner Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and the July 28 11-length Galway maiden scorer Meala (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus) in a maiden also over this track and trip June 21. She may instead head for Saturday’s G3 Sweet Solera S., leaving the 6 1/2-length July 7 Roscommon maiden winner No Speak Alexander as the sole representative. “Oodnadatta is in good form, but it is a wet morning here today, so we might take her to Newmarket if the ground goes soft and just run the other filly at Leopardstown,” Harrington added. “No Speak Alexander is in good order. She improved from her first run to her second and I hope there’s more improvement to come.”

Aidan O’Brien has won nine of the last 10 renewals of the Tyros and 13 winners overall, while his tally is seven of the last 11 Silver Flash scorers and 11 in total. He has three colts in the Tyros, with Wayne Lordan booked for the maiden Van Gogh (American Pharoah) who was fourth on debut over this track and trip behind the re-opposing Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}). The latter was 66-1 when just denied by the Juddmonte rival there and trainer John Joseph Murphy sees him as a live outsider again in a year when the lesser-celebrated Irish stables are coming to the fore in the important juvenile staging posts. “He’s in tremendous form and I think he’s come on a lot from his first run,” he said. “You’ve got the horse that beat him there again and it does look a very hot renewal. We haven’t got a great draw and I hope they don’t get any more rain, as he definitely prefers quicker ground.”

Others to note in the Tyros are the Donnacha O’Brien-trained July 8 Gowran Park maiden scorer Southern Cape (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and July 11 course-and-distance maiden winner Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) who hails from brother Joseph’s stable. Coolmore are well-represented in the Silver Flash by Ballydoyle’s July 19 Curragh maiden winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Donnacha’s July 8 Gowran Park mile maiden scorer Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while Jim Bolger saddles the aforementioned Meala, Dermot Weld runs Moyglare Stud’s June 26 six-furlong Curragh maiden winner A Ma Chere (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Joseph O’Brien pitches in John Oxley’s TDN Rising Star Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}). She impressed over a mile at Bellewstown on the July 2 card which has already thrown up a subsequent luminary in the recent G2 Airlie Stud S. scorer Aloha Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).

Click here for the group fields.

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