Middle Park Attracts Fourteen

Group winner Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) is coming into the Sept. 25 G1 Middle Park S. in good form after a brief freshening. The G2 Railway S. winner and G1 Phoenix S. third is one of 14 juveniles to stand their ground at this entry stage. A debut winner at Newbury for trainer David Loughnane, the colt was also second in the June 17 G2 Norfolk S. behind subsequent Group 1 winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}).

“We are exactly where we want to be, the ground looks like it's going to be in great condition,” said Loughnane. “We freshened him up and I think it's done him the world of good, physically and mentally. He's strengthened up loads and I couldn't be happier.

“It's a crucial time for 2-year-olds. People might look and say 'he's only had four runs why does he need a break', but he's been on the go since last December for a breeze up.

“That's a long time for a growing 2-year-old to keep rocking and rolling and he's done a lot of travelling, he went to Ireland twice in a short space of time. It's all systems go.”

Two Group 1 winners are currently signed on for the six-furlong test-the aforementioned G1 Prix Morny hero Perfect Power and the G1 Phoenix S. hero Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}). Richard Hannon trainees Armor (GB) (No Nay Never), who won the G3 Molecomb S. and G2 Gimcrack S. victor Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) are both entered. Prix Morny third and G2 Richmond S. winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) has stood his ground for Alan King, while Michael O'Callaghan has supplemented dual Group 2-placed Twilight Jet (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}). The Clive Cox duo of G2 Mill Reef S. winner Wings of War (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and G2 Flying Childers S. victor Caturra (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) are also part of the field. A trio of Ballydoyle representatives are entered at this stage-Glounthaune (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), HMS Endeavour (War Front) and New York City (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Completing the 14 are G3 Marble Hill S. winner Castle Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Ger Lyons trainee Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

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Autumn Group 1 Targets For Ebro River

Al Shaqab Racing's Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), who won the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh in August, is likely to step out in the G1 Middle Park S. over six furlongs at Newmarket on Sept. 25. Third in Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. behind Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) on Sunday, the colt is also possible for the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 3 or the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in November.

“I think it's fair to say Ebro River is not as good over seven furlongs as he is over six, and we're certainly not looking to step him up to a mile next year–we don't see him as a Guineas horse,” said trainer Hugo Palmer. “There is a well-documented and straightforward path to the Commonwealth Cup, which has been designed for horses like him.

“He doesn't need soft ground by any means, but what he doesn't want is firm ground. The Middle Park is the most obvious option for him. The alternative is the Jean-Luc Lagardere [at ParisLongchamp], and we're very keen on taking him to the Breeders' Cup to run in the Juvenile Turf over a mile.

“I think a very sharp mile round Del Mar, round two turns, will suit a horse who is already Group 1-placed over the stiffest seven furlongs in Europe.”

Kept plenty busy since a sixth-place debut at Newmarket in April, the colt was making his eighth start of the year in the National S. He'd also claimed a Sandown listed at the end of May.

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Oasis Dream’s Native Trail Impressive In The National

Putting the seal on a stellar weekend for Godolphin's Charlie Appleby stable, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) brushed aside TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) for an emphatic 3 1/2-length success in Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh. Like the operation's past winners Dubawi (Ire) and his son Quorto (Ire) coming off a win in the G2 Superlative S. at Newmarket July 10, the 7-2 second favourite was notably green throughout with William Buick needing to cajole him into action as early as the four-furlong marker. Picking up the 8-13 favourite instantly once the whip was applied, the imposing bay readily asserted from the furlong pole to race to the top of the juvenile division, with the long-time leader Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) losing a private battle with Point Lonsdale by half a length in third. “This is a hugely exciting race and a very important one that I've been fortunate enough to ride some great 2-year-olds in and this fellow is no different,” Buick said. “I was confident–he's still learning on the job, but he answered every call and I really like what he did in the last 100 yards. He felt like a very good horse–it was a good renewal of the race and the pace was on, so there is every indication that it was a good race. He's a fine big horse and even physically, there is improvement left in him and there is something to work on. Next year he should get a mile no problem.”

Native Trail was introduced over this trip at Sandown June 11 and proved an instant hit when scoring by four lengths, which put him in the frame for the Superlative that Appleby has come to target with his best. Needing time to organise on that occasion, he finished with a flourish to deny Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) and that form had since grown in stature with the runner-up denying Saturday's G2 Champagne S. winner Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) at Newbury. Nevertheless, the relentless momentum behind Point Lonsdale was again impossible to ignore and Ballydoyle's leading juvenile was backed fearlessly once more. Getting a lead this time as the G1 Phoenix S. hero Ebro River took no prisoners, the full-brother to Broome (Ire) had to work hard to subdue the Hugo Palmer representative but just as he managed to do so his real threat was unwinding out wide and was quickly gone.

Appleby had won this with the aforementioned Quorto and Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal), while another son of Dubawi in Master of the Seas (Ire) was fourth 12 months ago having looked the winner a furlong from home. Native Trail looks every bit in their league on this evidence. “We took Native Trail for a racecourse gallop a couple of weeks ago and if you'd asked me then if we would be winning a National Stakes, I might have sat on the fence slightly,” he said. “Full credit to the team at home. We definitely felt the horse had come forward for that gallop and we put a cross noseband on him to help him concentrate. William said Native Trail is still very green and it felt like he was going down to the start on a maiden. He gave the horse a shove early doors to get the revs up, but I knew with two furlongs to go the one thing Native Trail was going to do was gallop out strongly. We will see how he comes out of this and discuss things, but I would say that we might give him one more start this year in the [G1] Dewhurst Stakes [at Newmarket Oct. 9].”

Native Trail, who was a 210,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up purchase, is the second live foal and first runner out of the unraced Juddmonte cast-off Needleleaf (GB) (Observatory) who was bought by the MAB Agency for a mere 60,000gns at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She is a full-sister to the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose (GB) and the G3 Prix d'Aumale winner and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Helleborine (GB), who proved to be important broodmares for Juddmonte. African Rose was responsible for the G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Fair Eva (GB) (Frankel {GB}), while Helleborine produced the high-class G2 Coventry S. winner and exciting young sire Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

The second dam New Orchid (Quest For Fame {GB}), who was third in the G3 Lancashire Oaks, is a daughter of Musicanti (Nijinsky II) who also produced the G1 Dewhurst S. hero and sire Distant Music from a mating with Observatory's sire Distant View. Musicanti is kin to the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, GI Washington D.C. International and GI Suburban H.-winning champion Vanlandingham (Cox's Ridge) and to the dams of the GII Keeneland Turf Mile and G2 Prix Eugene Adam-winning sire Kirkwall (GB) (Selkirk) and to the GI American Oaks heroine Funny Moon (Malibu Moon). From the family of the GI Belmont S. hero and sire Temperence Hill, Needleleaf's yearling filly by Kingman (GB) was snapped up by Godolphin for €950,000 at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale last month. She also has a filly foal by Siyouni (Fr).

Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
GOFFS VINCENT OBRIEN NATIONAL S.-G1, €336,000, Curragh, 9-12, 2yo, c/f, 7fT, 1:26.27, gd.
1–NATIVE TRAIL (GB), 131, c, 2, by Oasis Dream (GB)
     1st Dam: Needleleaf (GB), by Observatory
     2nd Dam: New Orchid, by Quest for Fame (GB)
     3rd Dam: Musicanti, by Nijinsky II
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€50,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 67,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; 210,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Godolphin; B-Le Haras D'Haspel (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. €180,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 3-3-0-0, $289,599. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Point Lonsdale (Ire), 131, c, 2, Australia (GB)–Sweepstake (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €60,000.
3–Ebro River (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo Gold (GB)–Soft Power (Ire), by Balmont. (75,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. €30,000.
Margins: 3HF, HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 0.62, 6.50.
Also Ran: Ultramarine (Ire), Great Max (Ire), Duke de Sessa (Ire), Anatoli (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Middle Park Remains Target For Ebro River

The Sept. 25 G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket remains the main goal for Group 1 winner Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), Hugo Palmer confirmed on Friday. Racing in the Al Shaqab silks, the colt will bid to add to his Group 1 haul after taking the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh on Aug. 8.

Said Palmer, who trained Ebro River's sire Galileo Gold to wins in the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S., “I've left him in the [Sept. 18 G2] Mill Reef [at Newbury] just in case it looks like being soft there and it looks like being firm ground at Newmarket, but I'm not sure many have carried a Group 1 penalty in that race.

“He is very unlikely to go to the [G1] National S. [at The Curragh on Sept. 12] and the [G1 Prix] Jean Luc Lagardere [at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 3] is a possibility, but I think six furlongs is his trip. The Middle Park is the main aim and that is where we want to go but we have kept the other options just in case.”

Successful at second asking at Doncaster in May, Ebro River added the Listed National S. at Sandown on May 27. Only fifth in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, the chestnut reported home fourth in the G2 Tattersalls July S. and July 29 G2 Unibet Richmond S. prior to his top-level score.

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