Last year's Eclipse champion turf male returns to the place of his Breeders' Cup glory Friday with an expected start in the GI Maker's Mark Mile S. Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), trained by Charlie Appleby, makes his 4-year-old debut since taking the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland last November.
Off the board in only two of his 13 prior starts, the chestnut just missed in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot leading into the Breeders' Cup, took the GI Woodbine Mile by 5 1/4 lengths three starts back and finished second only to Cartier Horse of the Year Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) four back in the G1 Qatar Sussex Cup at Goodwood.
Up to challenge him from the inside is Todd Pletcher's 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready), entered off a pair of graded-stakes wins in Florida this spring for owners WinStar Farm and Sien
a Farm in Tampa's GIII Tampa Bay S. and Gulfstream's GIII Canadian Turf S.
A Group 1-placed juvenile in Ireland, Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) makes just his second start stateside off a win against optional claiming company at Gulfstream Mar. 10 for Chad Brown and Peter Brant
Ireland's Flat action may have already started and France's has been rumbling on for several days, but for many the real beginning to the season on the level is Doncaster's Lincoln H. on a Saturday which wrests the attention from the national hunt in no uncertain terms. Whether there is a horse of the calibre of Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) lurking in the prestigious mile handicap remains to be seen, but there is a strong vibe surrounding another member of the William Haggas tribe in 'TDN Rising Star' Al Mubhir (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is the mount of Doncaster specialist Andrea Atzeni now operating as a freelance in a 2023 that will define his future riding career. “I thought he was going to be a good horse,” Haggas said of Al Mubhir, who had looked pattern-class all over when entered in the G3 Craven S. 12 months ago. “He won his maiden very nicely at Newmarket as a two-year-old and then I thought he was going to be a nice three-year-old. Then he was very disappointing. He was pretty unruly as well and lost his way a bit, but he finished the season well. I don't know how good he is, but he's always been a nice horse and I think he's in good shape.”
Donny Delights…
Also at Doncaster are the Listed Cammidge Trophy, which sees the return of the still-unexposed G2 Sandy Lane S. winner El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) returning for the first time since beating only two home as the joint-favourite for the G1 Commonwealth Cup, and the Listed Doncaster Mile while the 2-year-olds assembled for the opening Brocklesby Conditions S.
Plat Du Jour…
'TDN Rising Star' Pensee Du Jour | Scoop Dyga
It is at Saint-Cloud that the high-stakes action takes place, however, with Andre Fabre seeking a third straight success with TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Prix Penelope. Staged over the 10 1/2-furlong trip of the Prix de Diane, the renowned trial has surprisingly not been won by a subsequent heroine of that Classic since Pensee Du Jour 's distant relative Pawneese (Ire), the Wildensteins' champion of 1976. Fabre already holds the record of nine in this and the way the Ballymore Thoroughbred representative went through her maiden at Chantilly in February and the Listed Prix Rose de Mai here early this month suggests that number 10 is imminent.
Come On, Get Happy…
Ballydoyle have begun the year with gusto and the presence of two of the stable's runners in the Penelope is certain to be an indicator of what is to come as Rosegreen look more to France than ever before. Ryan Moore is here and not on the aforementioned favourite for the Lincoln, so it is up to another daughter of Camelot in Be Happy (Ire) to make up for that missed opportunity. Impressive at Cork on debut in September, the relative of the Prix du Jockey Club hero Anabaa Blue (GB) and of the great Urban Sea was only fifth in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. the following month but this is a new year and her rider is quietly confident. “Be Happy will enjoy the expected soft ground and she is a filly we like,” he said. “She probably didn't get the run of the race at the Curragh and this longer trip will suit.” Jean-Claude Rouget saddles Denford Stud's dual Cagnes-Sur-Mer scorer Iznik (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), while Gainesway Ventures' Arqana December purchase Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) adds weight having won Leopardstown's G3 Eyrefield S. and been in front of Be Happy when third in the Staffordstown.
Old Habits Die Hard…
In the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc, Al Asayl France's stalwart The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has everything in his favour as he bids for a third renewal following his win in the course-and-distance Listed Prix Altipan three weeks ago, with the G3 Prix Perth one-two Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) and Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and the 2021 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International hero Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) offering stern opposition. Unbeaten at this venue in five starts on ground that rode softer than good, the 8-year-old former QEII hero still sets the standard in this type of company.
Dubawi (Ire), the world's most successful active stallion, achieved another major milestone on Saturday by siring his 250th individual stakes winner.
Away from all the bright lights and razzmatazz of a big festival, Godolphin homebred Lake Lucerne, who began his career with John Gosden, achieved that landmark success when running out a cosy winner of the Albert M Stall Memorial S. at Fair Grounds for Brendan Walsh and Tyler Gaffalione.
That victory means that Dubawi has now achieved 599 stakes wins in total. A whopping 53 horses by him have scored at the highest level, with many serving to harden Dubawi's reputation as a sire of sires, which leading bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud has explained is one of the most pleasing aspects of the evergreen 21-year-old's influence.
He said, “Dubawi is just an unbelievable stallion. To be a sire of sires, which he is, it's unprecedented really. Dubai Millennium (GB) was a very special horse for everyone at Godolphin and it's wonderful that the line is continuing. We have Dubawi and his sons who will continue.
“You've got New Bay (GB), Zarak (Fr), Night Of Thunder (Ire) and lots of other young sires coming through like Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Space Blues (Ire) who are all by him. There's a lot to look forward to.”
Stroud added, “I don't think you could ever get tired of speaking about a stallion who is so on top of his game like Dubawi is. He has been a consistent sire at the highest level. We are just very privileged to have had stallions like Galileo (Ire), and now Sea The Stars (Ire), Frankel (GB) and Dubawi in Europe.”
Stroud has bought a large portion of Godolphin's yearlings at public auction in recent years and, alongside Sheikh Mohammed, returned to the market at Book 1 at Tattersalls last year to snap up 14 yearlings to the tune of just over 13,000,000gns by the dominant stallion. Put simply, there are few people better qualified to comment on the success Dubawi is having than he is.
However, while Stroud admits that what Dubawi has achieved already is astounding, he said that he firmly believes that the ink is still wet on his story.
He explained, “It's a great landmark for him to have achieved but, in racing, you never look backwards and always push forward. Yes, 250 is great, but there is still more to come from him. I firmly believe that the trajectory that he is on, it will continue to go upwards.
“The great thing about Dubawi is his versatility. He can get top-class horses over six furlongs, a mile or any distance. It's remarkable really. Another thing, they all seem to have very good minds. They have wonderful temperaments.”
Of the 250 individual stakes winners sired by Dubawi, 133 were colts or geldings and, in terms of Group or Graded winners, 98 have been achieved by colts or geldings and 65 by fillies or mares.
Stroud also acknowledged the huge significance surrounding the fact that milestone winner Lake Lucerne was bred by Godolphin and carried the famous royal blue silks to victory on Saturday.
He said, “Yes, it's quite fitting as the homebreds are the backbone to the Godolphin operation. They are key to any successful racing operation. The homebreds are the spine.”
Providing an update on Dubawi, who is set to stand for a whopping £350,000 this year, Stroud added, “He is really good, really well, and understandably has a fantastic book of mares to look forward to this year.”
Galileo (Ire) and Dubawi (Ire) fillies with Classic connections are among 23 supplementary lots to be offered at next week's Goffs February Sale set for Feb. 8 and 9. Pedigrees are available to view online here.
Close relations to G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo) head the supplementary lots, with Over The Rainbow (Ire), a 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi out of Seventh Heaven, to be offered from The Castlebridge Consignment (Lot 383A).
Baroda Stud offers an own-sister to Seventh Heaven in Sweet And Lovely (Lot 459A), a 4-year-old whose other siblings include G1 Middle Park S. winner Crusade (Mr. Greeley) as well as Group 2-placed colts Cristoforo Colombo (Henrythenavigator) and Coat Of Arms (Galileo {Ire}) (Lot 459A).
Baroda Stud also consigns the winning Red Azalea (Ire) (Galileo), who is out of Group 3 winner Music Box (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (Lot 482A).
The additions bring to six the number of Galileo mares on offer next week at Kildare Paddocks, a lineup that also includes Love On My Mind (Ire), the dam of 2022 G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. winner Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
