Emma Berry | Horse Racing Free Tips

Seven Days: Out of the Frying Pan

Sir Mark Prescott will happily recount the story of the time he bashed his former pupil assistant William Haggas over the head with a frying pan for oversleeping. He will also reflect with pleasure on the great pride he felt when Haggas won the Derby in 1996 with Shaamit (Ire).

When it comes to being a benevolent dictator, the Prescott pendulum has, by his own admission, swung more from dictatorship towards benevolence in recent years and, more than anyone involved in British racing, the master of Heath House cares deeply for the history of the sport, its milestones, and its continuing traditions.

Prescott will certainly be enjoying the fact that Haggas currently has the best horse in the world in his clutches, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who notched his perfect ten in the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday, earning a provisional Timeform rating of 137 with his imperious six-and-half-length romp over last year's winner, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}).

But when it came to moments of exultation on the Knavesmire last week, there was as much jubilation for the victory of the Prescott-trained Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Yorkshire Oaks as there was for Baaeed. Alpinista had been runner-up to the Oaks winner Love (Ire) in the Yorkshire Oaks of 2020 and, despite adding British Listed and Group 2 victories to her tally since then, her big-race successes had all come overseas until last Thursday.

Even if Kirsten Rausing's grey mare had retired last year at the end of her 4-year-old season she would still have been a treble Group 1 winner who had achieved the remarkable feat of emulating her own grand-dam, Albanova (GB), by winning the Grosser Preis von Berlin – famously beating subsequent Arc winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) – then the Preis von Europa and Grosser Preis von Bayern. But we were treated to an extra season, and what a year it has been so far for the current star of the prolific Lanwades breeding programme. Two-for-two in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Yorkshire Oaks, Alpinista looks set for a rematch with Torquator Tasso at Longchamp on the first weekend of October. Whether or not she will also face Baaeed in the Arc remains in doubt. The crowd are certainly baying for it, and indeed the manner in which the Shadwell homebred won the Juddmonte International did nothing to suggest he would not see out another two furlongs. Haggas raised the idea that the Irish Champion S. could be the colt's next port of call for what looks likely to be his penultimate race, but wherever and however he ends his career Baaeed will surely be Horse of the Year.

Maybe because he didn't race at two and isn't a Classic winner, Baaeed is somehow not afforded the level of adulation deserving of a horse of his calibre, which is a shame, because let's face it, he's bloody brilliant. Naturally he is most often compared to two previous winners of the International in his own sire Sea The Stars, for whom it was one of six consecutive Group 1 wins in 2009, starting with the 2,000 Guineas and ending with the Arc, and Frankel, who brought York to a standstill a decade ago with his seven-length victory.

The debate will rage endlessly among racing folk as it which of those two greats was the greatest, but it doesn't really matter. What is more important is that both Sea The Stars and Frankel have gone on to be important sires in their own right, with their offspring lighting up racecourses around the world, just as Baaeed and Alpinista did last week at York.

And in the case of those two most recent Group 1 winners, equally important is that they both represent families which have been the cornerstone of their respective breeders' empires for generations. From Sheikh Hamdan's purchase of Height Of Fashion (Fr) from the Queen in 1982 stems Baaeed, while the purchase of Alpinista's fourth dam Alruccaba (Ire) in 1985 by Kirsten Rausing and Sonia Rogers from the Aga Khan has resulted in an impressive dynasty being assembled largely, but by no means solely, at Rausing's Lanwades Stud. Alpinista's run of success is all the more special to those who enjoy the continuity of the great families for it being the centenary of the Aga Khan Studs, an operation which owes much of its own success to her tenth dam, one of the greatest greys of all time, Mumtaz Mahal (GB), who was born 101 years ago and still exerts such influence over the breed.

Trevaunance at the Double

On the subject of anniversaries, the 60th year of Moyglare Stud continues to be marked with great success on the track. As well as an Irish 1,000 Guineas victory for Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and racing the top stayer in Europe, homebred Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), in partnership with Coolmore, Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner's operation celebrated back-to-back group wins for Trevaunance (Ire) in the G2 Prix de la Nonette. Trained by Jessica Harrington, the daughter of Muhaarar (GB) had previously won the G3 Prix de Psyche at Deauville's opening meeting 18 days earlier.

Trevaunance marks the blending of two notable Irish stud farms. Her dam Liber Nauticus (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) was bought by Moyglare from the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal of 2017, and is from a celebrated family which includes dual Breeders' Cup hero Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Irish 2,000 Guineas and Champion S. winner Spectrum (Ire) (Rainbow Quest).

Never Again – and Again

Nine years ago No Nay Never bounced from victory in a Keeneland maiden to the G2 Norfolk S. followed by the G1 Darley Prix Morny, and he is now the sire of a Morny winner following the success of Blackbeard (Ire) on Sunday.

It has to be said that a five-runner Prix Morny with no French-bred or -trained horse was a little disappointing, but there is nothing disappointing about the winner himself, who has had a busy first campaign and has now won five of his seven starts for Aidan O'Brien, including the G2 Prix Robert Papin.

Twenty-four hours earlier, No Nay Never had been represented by a Group 2 juvenile double at the Curragh, courtesy of the exquisite-looking Meditate (Ire) and Aesop's Fables (Ire), both Ballydoyle stable-mates of Blackbeard and the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Little Big Bear (Ire). No Nay Never is steaming ahead as the leading sire of juveniles in Europe this year, with Whitsbury Manor Stud's freshman Havana Grey (GB) in determined pursuit.

Deauville's other group races on Sunday fell to Richard Hannon, with the Rathasker Stud-bred Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) going one better than her finish behind Nashwa (GB) in the G1 Nassau S. to win the G1 Prix Jean Romanet, and to William Haggas, who completed a fantastic week in style with simultaneous victories in the G2 Prix de Pomone with Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and G3 Tally-Ho Stud Ballyogan S. at Naas with Perfect News (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Sea La Rosa also brought up an impressive double for both her dam Soho Rose (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and breeder Guy Heald following the win of her brother Deauville Legend (Ire) in the G2 Dante S. at York.

Only Yann Barberot managed to keep a group race at home for the French trainers this weekend, and that has been a theme in Deauville again this summer, with 13 of the 17 group races having been won by British or Irish trainers, including all five Group 1 contests.

Golden Moments

Both Nathaniel (Ire) and Golden Horn (GB) have covered a number of National Hunt mares this year, and indeed the latter is now officially standing as a dual-purpose sire at Overbury Stud from next season. But both are still eminently capable of getting decent Flat runners, as exemplified by results at York this week.

Godolphin's Trawlerman (GB) landed the valuable Ebor H. under Frankie Dettori, while Haskoy (GB) became the second of Golden Horn's daughters to win the Listed Galtres S. The Juddmonte-bred filly, who was making just her second start, is out of a mare by Nathaniel, who also featured as the damsire of G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the first foal of Group 1 winner God Given (GB).

Meanwhile, though the G2 Lonsdale Cup was drastically depleted by the defections of Stradivarius (Ire) and Trueshan (Fr), there was plenty to enjoy about the emphatic victory of Nathaniel's five-year-old son Quickthorn (GB) for his owner/breeder Lady Blyth.

While we are handing out bouquets, the mighty mare Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) deserves an extra-large one for winning back-to-back Group 1s in Deauville and York within 12 days, to take her tally to 11 wins from 29 starts for her owner/breeder John Fairley and trainer John Quinn.

Another should go to the Whitsbury Manor Stud broodmare Suelita (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who added the G3 Acomb S. winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) – a rare non-homebred runner for Juddmonte – to her list of black-type performers which now numbers five and includes the G2 Mill Reef S winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

Finally, one trainer who almost certainly hasn't been bashed over the head with a frying pan by Sir Mark Prescott, but who, like Haggas, has enjoyed a fruitful week, is Ralph Beckett. Within five minutes on Saturday his stable was represented by the G2 City of York S. winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Listed Chester S. victrix River of Stars (Ire), who was one of five stakes winners for Sea The Stars last week. Beckett's good week also included the aforementioned Haskoy among his seven winners.

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Seven Days: Who Bears Wins

'Industry heavyweights' seems to have been the buzz phrase of the last few weeks, and we have a few of those in our long-running 12-to-follow competition organised by my husband every Flat and National Hunt season. Those competing this summer include several leading Irish stud masters, bloodstock agents, trainers, breeders, sales company executives, and the head of the Tote. And they are all currently trailing in the wake of an 11-year-old boy who was shrewd enough to include Little Big Bear in his list.

What a selection that was. Mind you, Alex Barry is no ordinary 11-year-old boy. He devours pedigrees for breakfast and will surely one day shove his dad Luke aside to take the helm at Manister House Stud. They start 'em young in Ireland, and that's one of the reasons the Irish have the edge in just about every facet of the bloodstock industry.

The bears came out of the woods on Saturday with Little Big Bear landing the Curragh's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S., and the admirably hardy Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), who had been a close third in that same race last year, posting his third group win in the G3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint S.

Little Big Bear became the fourth Group/Grade 1 winner for his sire No Nay Never, whose name has popped up at pretty much every major meeting this season, with his star performer Alcohol Free (Ire) having added the July Cup to her tally of top-level wins, Blackbeard (Ire) notching group wins in Ireland and France, Trillium (GB) landing the Molecomb S., and Little Big Bear having first hinted at his prowess in the Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot.

No Nay Never's sire Scat Daddy is a son of Aidan O'Brien's outstanding juvenile Johannesburg, the winner of Group/Grade 1 races in Ireland, France, Britain and America in his debut season. That run started with the Phoenix S., which was taken by his great-grandson in such impressive fashion at the Curragh on Saturday. The G1 Prix Morny was next on the list for Johannesburg 21 years ago, but it appears that Little Big Bear will not yet take a trip to the land where his dam Adventure Seeker (Fr) (Bering {GB}) was bred by the Wildenstein family, and indeed where his third dam, the champion All Along (Fr) (Targowice), won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1983. Aidan O'Brien told the Nick Luck Daily podcast on Monday that the star juvenile will likely stay at home to contest the G1 National S. next.

Daddy's Legacy

Scat Daddy was only 11 when he died in 2015 but his reputation had grown enough by that stage for him to have left a number of sons at stud, with at least 15 currently scattered between Europe and America. His former home of Ashford Stud contains three of those sons: Caravaggio, the sire of the dual Group 1 winner Tenebrism, Triple Crown winner Justify, and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn. Those last two named both have first-crop runners this year, with Justify currently in second in the American freshman table. His leading performer to date is the G2 Airlie Stud S. winner Statuette, a three-parts-sister to Tenebrism, their dam being the celebrated Group 1-winning miler Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).

At Coolmore in Ireland, another freshman sire of 2022, Sioux Nation, stands alongside No Nay Never, and he has had a pretty stonking week with two Group 3 winners to his credit – Sydneyarms Chelsea (Ire) at Deauville and the tail-swishing Lakota Sioux (Ire) at Newmarket. All of this activity means that No Nay Never has taken over from Havana Grey (GB) as Europe's leading sire of 2-year-olds, with Sioux Nation now in third place in that particular table.

It is also worth noting that Yeomanstown Stud's grey son of Scat Daddy, El Kabeir, provided arguably the most eye-catching maiden winner of the last week in the Karl Burke-trained Bright Diamond (Ire), who sparkled on debut when beating some smartly-bred types by nine lengths at Newmarket.

Meanwhile there are now four young sons of No Nay Never at stud. The first yearlings of Coolmore's Ten Sovereigns will come under the hammer this weekend at Arqana, where the first yearling by Highclere Stud's Land Force (Ire) is also consigned. The G2 Coventry S. winner Arizona (Ire) will have his first foals for sale later this year, while in France Al Shaqab's Molecomb winner Armor (GB) covered his first book of mares this spring at Haras de Bouquetot.

Clearly we will be seeing plenty more runners representing the Scat Daddy line in the coming seasons. The most interesting question to be answered in the relatively short term will be whether the classy female family of the Camas Park Stud and Summerhill-bred Little Big Bear will combine with this generally fast and precocious line well enough to help him show a similar level of form at a mile and fulfil his obvious Classic pretensions.

The Queen of Highfield

There is encouragement to be gained for breeders large and small by the admirable progression of John Fairley's homebred Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who took some notable scalps when winning the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on Sunday. Born only a few miles up the road from Deauville, she is really a child of Yorkshire, where she is trained by John Quinn in the yard he rents from Fairley, Highfield Stables, from which she takes her name.

And she is indeed worthy of that regal soubriquet now, though that was not necessarily apparent from the early days of her career. Unraced at two, her three unplaced maiden/novice runs saw Highfield Princess earn an opening handicap mark of 57 as a 3-year-old, though it must be said that third appearance of her life came in a Redcar novice in which she was fourth, beaten ten lengths by subsequent Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). In good old workmanlike fashion Highfield Princess climbed the ratings to end that opening season on a mark of 83 as a four-time winner.

Last season's delights included a victory at Royal Ascot then a first stakes success in Chelmsford City's Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies' S., and a runner-up finish to Space Blues (Ire) in the G2 City Of York S. That upwardly mobile progression has continued to the very top this season, and she has rewarded her breeder's decision to keep her in training at five by landing the valuable All-Weather Fillies' and Mares' Championship, followed by the G2 Duke of York S. and now her victory over a field which included three previous Group 1 winners.

John Fairley, who breeds under the name of Trainers House Enterprises, bought the former Godolphin mare Pure Illusion (Ire) (Danehill) when carrying Highfield Princess, a first-crop daughter of Night Of Thunder. His first piece of luck was being able to buy her for 18,000gns, and extra bonuses soon came his way when the next season the mare's 2-year-old colt by Lonhro (Aus), named Cardsharp (GB), won the Woodcote S. and G2 July S. Two years later Night Of Thunder announced himself on the scene by becoming champion first-season sire. Though Highfield Princess was not among his 25 first-crop juvenile winners, she will now become his top-rated runner among three Group 1 winners for the son of Dubawi in Ireland, France and Australia. She could yet extend that geographical range to America, with Quinn keen to take his stable star to the Breeders' Cup meeting at Keeneland.

Sadly for Fairley, Pure Illusion died after producing just one more foal after Highfield Princess, and that 2-year-old colt by Aclaim (Ire) is now in training alongside her and has been named Highland Viking (GB).

Brilliant Buick, Marvellous Moore

It has been a good season so far for those racing fans who prefer their jockeys to be boringly brilliant.

William Buick, who arguably should be the current champion jockey, is in the form of his life and is pushing full steam ahead in his quest to gain that accolade this year, currently racking up the winners at a rate of 25%. Buick returned from his Saratoga Derby and Oaks double over the weekend for Charlie Appleby to take up three rides at Wolverhampton on Monday. Now that's dedication.

Ryan Moore has already been champion jockey on three occasions, and his flitting between Britain and Ireland to fulfil his Ballydoyle obligations means that his tally of winners is more or less equally divided between the two nations, but it is a list certainly not short on quality. Four of his five winners of the last week have been in stakes company, led by Little Big Bear and including a treble at Deauville last Tuesday for three different trainers.

There's something almost perversely pleasurable about a Ryan Moore post-race interview in that you almost don't want to watch because it's so very clear how much he's hating it, but you have to stick with it to the end just in case he cracks a faint smile, which is all the more special for its rarity value. While Moore sensibly refuses to play the court jester for the media, he is however absolutely superb in his debriefings with owners and trainers. Those charged with promoting the sport may argue that that's not enough, but it is, first and foremost, his job.

The amusing postscript to Little Big Bear's triumph was found in these words from Aidan O'Brien: “Ryan was very complimentary about him and there's not too many horses Ryan is complimentary of.”

Spin? Possibly. But then this was the man who dismounted from his first victory in the Oaks on Snow Fairy and said, “Well it's not the Derby, is it?” The likelihood is that Moore, along with the rest of us, thinks that Little Big Bear is very exciting indeed.

And to this observer, having two jockeys of the class demonstrated by Buick and Moore, both on and off their horses, is all the excitement one needs. Let's leave the drama and angst to others.

All Roads Lead to Deauville

The strange world within a world that is the bloodstock sales scene cranks into top gear this weekend with the start of the European yearling season in France.

Readers of The Times may have been disheartened by last week's 'Litany of gloom' leader forewarning of another major recession for Britain, but that is unlikely to upset the bull run of the yearling sales. Not yet anyway, and not while there is such a clamour for European-bred turf horses with a touch of middle-distance class from our colleagues in America, Australia and beyond.

Pre-pandemic, Arqana's August Sale hit a new high just shy of €43 million in 2019, and it wasn't far off that last year when the sale returned to its normal slot after a disrupted calendar in 2020, and almost €40 million was traded for 244 yearlings. The catalogue is slightly smaller this year, but it is fair to expect some pretty red hot trade as temperatures soar again in Europe.

Hottest among the trainers in France is the unstoppable Jean-Claude Rouget, who reached a new milestone this weekend when saddling his 7,000th winner, thereby extending his European record as the winningmost trainer.

On the day of his victory with Vadeni (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Eclipse at Sandown, Rouget spoke of the slow beginning to his 43-year training career, when he was training “some jumpers and some bad Flat horses”.

Rouget's recent former assistant Tim Donworth has made a quicker start to his own training career, which began last September. The Chantilly-based Irishman now has 13 winners to his name, and recorded his first stakes win on Saturday with Ocean Vision (Ire) (U S Navy Flag) in the Listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge, in which he also trained the third home, Kokachin (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

La Vie Est Belle

Although there was only one non-German-trained runner in Sunday's G1 Preis der Diana, there was still a strong international feel to the result, with the French-bred Toskana Belle becoming the first Group 1 winner for her Normandy-based sire Shamalgan (Fr), a son of Footstepsinthesand (GB). Furthermore, the filly is now owned by Australian Bloodstock, and she was ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, who was making a flying visit to Europe to ride in the Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday and stayed on an extra day to land his second European Classic victory following the St Leger win of Rule Of Law (Kingmambo) in 2004.

Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett of Australian Bloodstock have long had ties to Germany, where their racing and breeding interests are managed by Ronald Rauscher and include the Gestut Rottgen-based stallion Protectionist (Ger). Like Toskana Belle, the Melbourne Cup-winning son of Monsun (Ger) was trained by Andreas Wohler, who collected his seventh German Oaks victory while, remarkably, the Australian Bloodstock syndicate has now won the race three times.

Toskana Belle, who only started her racing career this April, was initially under the care of Marian Falk Weissmeier, for whom she finished third in the G3 Diana Trial in June before joining the Wohler stable. She was bred by Simon Springer of Ecurie Normandie Pur Sang, who also owns her sire and the Prix Morny winner Dabirsim (Fr). Unusually, Springer bought Shamalgan, now 15, at the Arqana December Sale five years ago for €135,000, and both stallions stand at Haras de Grandcamp.

Springer's own colours were carried to success in France just minutes after Toskana Belle's Classic success when his homebred son of Dabirsim, Celestin (Fr), won the Grand Handicap de Deauville.

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Seven Days: Homebred Heroes

Goodwood's trio of Group 1 races all went the way of owner-breeders, results that are both pleasing to see for the people who invest so much thought and money into the sport over generations, and which also highlight how hard it can be for prospective owners to get into horses at the top level.

This season, ten European Classics have been won by homebreds, with two of those, Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), having been offered for sale by their breeders but bought back. Only 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) and Derby winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) have actually changed hands in a sale ring, the former for 60,000gns as a breezer and Desert Crown for 280,000gns as a yearling.

The victory of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Goodwood Cup continued a banner anniversary year for his breeder Eva Bucher-Haefner of Moyglare Stud, who races him in partnership with the Coolmore team as a result of a foal-share agreement. Following the 4-year-old's victory in the Gold Cup at Ascot, and the emphatic Irish 1,000 Guineas success of Homeless Songs (Ire), it brings the tally of 2022 Group 1 wins to three for Moyglare, and counting.

For this observer, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has now lit up two seasons, but his absence as a 2-year-old and lack of Classic performance means that he has not quite been taken to the hearts of many as a horse of his calibre should. One of the many irksome things about social media is the 'Yeah, but what did he beat?' brigade, who clearly don't reserve their weary cynicism solely for Baaeed but were out in force last Wednesday after he posted his ninth successive victory.

His trainer William Haggas is all too aware of the likely fleeting nature of Baaeed's tenure at the top, and in his stable. He commented at Goodwood, “I said this to Jim in the paddock, we've got him for two more races after this so let's just enjoy him and make the most of him, because he will most likely go to stud at the end of the year and I'll spend the rest of my training career trying to find the next one.”

Indeed. Here's hoping he turns up at York for the Juddmonte International and continues to delight his owner Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum by adding another dimension to his record with a win over ten furlongs. Baaeed is a mouthwatering stallion prospect, and will, thankfully, be one of the sons of Sea The Stars who does not get whisked off to a National Hunt stud.

And then there was Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}). What a thrilling filly she has been so far for Imad Al Sagar. This sight of him almost skipping from the grandstand to the winner's enclosure to greet his star at Goodwood on Thursday after the Nassau S. was to underline the pure joy a horse of such quality, particularly a filly, can deliver for a breeder. Nashwa's second Group 1 victory after the Prix de Diane was as much about the future of Blue Diamond Stud and elevation in stature that the eventual inclusion of a Classic winner in the broodmare band can bring. But for now, and next season, she races on, likely heading to Paris next for the Prix de l'Opera, followed by America and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Godspeed.

Classic Leaders

The French Classic winners Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire) and Nashwa are certainly doing their best to uphold the 3-year-old division this season after disappointments and defections from some of the leading players, including the injured Derby winner Desert Crown, who may or may not be back before the end of the season.

In Germany, Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) looks a special colt for Helmut von Finck and, like Vadeni and Nashwa, he has now added a Group 1 victory over ten furlongs against his elders to his German Derby success.

Of course it is not all about the Classic winners, and two particularly plucky 3-year-old fillies stood out at Goodwood as being worthy of praise. The hardy George Boughey-trained Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) made ten starts as a juvenile, from as early as May 19, and won the Woodcote at Epsom on her third appearance. She ran right though to the end of October, winning the G3 Prix Six Perfections and earning four Group placings, including when third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Not bad for a 4,000-guinea Book 4 purchase, and I must admit when I watched her run last in the gruelling deep dirt of the Saudi Derby in February I thought it might well be the last we saw of the light-framed filly. Happily, I was very wrong indeed.

A good freshen-up through the early spring clearly worked wonders and, along with other notable representatives from her stable, especially Cachet, Oscula has continued to advertise the talents of her young trainer. Since returning to Epsom this Derby weekend to finish second in the Listed Surrey S., the Nick Bradley Racing-owned filly has not been out of the places in black-type contests. Her tally of wins has increased to five, with her late-lunge of a victory in the G3 Oak Tree S. being typical of her never-say-die manner, coming just four days after she was beaten a nose by Jumbly (GB) in a Group 3 at Ascot. Oscula is a lovable wonder.

More sparingly campaigned but still noteworthy is Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), who twice beat Oscula as a 2-year-old when winning the G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. She, too, notched a Group 1 placing that year, taking third in the Cheveley Park S. behind Tenebrism (Caravaggio) and Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).

Launched straight into the 1,000 Guineas for her 3-year-old debut, the Lanwades homebred ran a creditable fifth, less than three lengths behind Cachet, and she was a throughly deserving winner of the G2 Lennox S. at Goodwood when dropping back to seven furlongs after gaining yet more Group 1 black type in the Falmouth S.

It could be a very exciting Arc weekend for Kirsten Rausing if Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) lines up for the main event and Sandrine tackles the G1 Prix de la Foret.

Coventry a Corker in Hindsight

The Coventry S. form is looking jolly good, isn't it? The winner, Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}), is two-for-two and heads next to the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at the Curragh on Saturday for his first appearance since Royal Ascot.

While he's been at home with trainer Archie Watson, the rivals he left toiling in his wake on June 14 have been busily proving themselves here, there and everywhere. Runner-up Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) has subsequently won the G2 July S., in which he was chased home by Show Respect (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), who had been 11th in the Coventry.

Third-placed Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) landed the G2 Richmond S. on Thursday, and Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was fourth at Ascot, has won the G2 Prix Robert Papin as well as being beaten a short-head in the G2 Railway S.

Unsurprisingly, all four are entered in the G2 Gimcrack S. on August 19, though the G1 Prix Morny two days later will doubtless lure some away, despite the increase in prize-money at York to £250,000 for the Al Basti Equiworld-sponsored race.

Welcome To The Races – Or Not

Some racecourse wandering over the last ten days has included trips to fairly major days at Ascot, Goodwood and Newmarket, as well as to the small National Hunt course of Newton Abbot, and to Vichy for the track's Festival du Galop.

There is nothing more thrilling than seeing some of the best horses in the world up close and being able to study them in the paddock beforehand, but there is also nothing less welcoming than having your bag searched on arrival and then being marched past a sniffer dog before being allowed entry to a racecourse.

This is now the norm for major days at racecourses in the UK, and what a sad indictment it is of British society in general. It is hardly the fault of the racecourse management teams that they have to enforce such measures in the wake of on-track brawls, behaviour which is doubtless exacerbated by alcohol and drugs. But it sets a bad tone for the day, compared to an outing to a country course in midweek, or to the laid-back, family atmosphere one finds at racecourses in France and Germany.

Two particular occasions stand out over the last year, and they really are what British racing should be aiming for in order to halt the dwindling attendance figures and encourage a love of the horse from a young age. At Baden-Baden in September, its unusual walkway of stars from the racecourse back to the winner's enclosure was lined with children patiently waiting for an up-close glimpse of the horses returning post-race. It is far less easy to interact with the horses on some courses in Britain, where people are restricted to certain areas of the racecourse depending on the badge they have.

At Vichy last week there were umpteen small ponies wandering around the racecourse for children to ride or lead, and the demand for them from the many families on course was consistent throughout the evening. Small ponies are what led me, eventually, to a life in racing, and I am sure they would perform the same role for others if given the chance.

Compare that to a recent scene on an English racecourse where a mother with two young children who had put a rug on the floor (no picnic) was asked to pick it up and was moved along from where she was sitting. Picnic rugs (and picnics) abounded in both Germany and France, where it also doesn't cost an arm and a leg just to get through the gates.

The problem of drink and drugs is not exclusive to racing, of course, but it would be very easy for racecourses to fix the latter issue with a bit of imagination and a more welcoming approach to families, not least with reduced entry fees. Who knows how many of those children enjoying pony rides and picnics will return to the races in later life as the owner of a proper horse who wants to book a hospitality box for the day?

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Seven Days: A Big, Big Moment

An unusually quiet Sunday on the European circuit allows a pause before the meeting that should only ever be referred to as Glorious Goodwood, and also some reflection on a truly special result at Ascot on Saturday afternoon. William Muir, a baby-faced veteran of the training ranks who now shares his licence with Chris Grassick, assessed the greatest win of his 30-year training career as “a big, big moment”, and he deserves to enjoy that moment for days and weeks to come.

By now, the story of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) is a familiar one. Bred by brothers Guy and Hugh Leach with their friend Roger Devlin, and on the advice of the much-missed Kevin Mercer, at whose Usk Valley Stud the 5-year-old was born, Pyledriver has grafted his way into the public's affection. Buying him back at the foal sales for 10,000gns was in hindsight the best decision the owner-breeders have ever made as Pyledriver's earnings are now knocking on the door of £2 million.

Despite this being an industry wrought with financial interest and concerns, in many ways money can't buy that feeling of having a horse good enough to turn up on the big days and drag you joyously to the winner's circle on the wisps of his tail.

At Epsom, at York, and at Ascot, at the Royal Meeting and now the King George, the bonny, dark bay Pyledriver has taken his connections for spins on the merriest of merry-go-rounds, not to mention putting in some creditable performances in defeat overseas in Hong Kong and Dubai.

We are also the lucky ones to be able to see Pyledriver in action at the age of five. Of course thoughts turn to a stallion career after a race like the King George, and had Westover not pulled so hard and instead had seen out his race in the imperious manner in which he won the Irish Derby, few would now question his stallion credentials. Pyledriver will be a harder sell, and his connections are all too aware of this fact. At Epsom after his Coronation Cup win last year, Roger Devlin told the TDN, “We thought [Pyledriver] would improve as a 4-year-old. He's fairly modestly bred, like the owners, and we didn't think he had huge stallion potential so it was important for us to get the Group 1 on his CV. That's job done.”

That Pyledriver keeps doing his job so well is all that any of his team should focus on for now. Horses are a long time retired, and every moment of those precious few seasons on the track should be savoured, especially a big, big moment like winning the King George.

Pyledriver's Not So Modest Origins

In one of the special 3-year-olds of the season, the Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse winner Vadeni (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), we have seen how the Aga Khan Studs reaped the benefit of the purchase and gradual assimilation of the stock of Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2005.

Roger Devlin may have jokingly referred to Pyledriver as being “modestly bred like his owners” but he too has roots in the Aga Khan's breeding operation through another of the operation's key purchases, in this case the 144 horses acquired from the breeding empire of Marcel Boussac in 1978.

Pyledriver's sixth dam Licara (Fr) (Caro {Ire}) was among that group as a yearling and, more than 40 years later, her descendants continue to be successful for a range of breeders. Sylvain Vidal bought Pyledriver's Aga Khan-bred grand-dam Lidana (Ire) (King's Best) for Gerard Augustin-Normand for 140,000gns as a 4-year-old at Tattersalls. For Augustin-Normand she produced the Group 1 winner Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}) and Listed winner Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who went on to win the G3 Park Express S. for Ballylinch Stud and is now in their broodmare band, with her eldest offspring being a 2-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega (Ire).

Le Havre, a great grandson of Blushing Groom, sadly died earlier this year, but he really does have the potential to become a posthumous force as a broodmare sire. Normandel has yet to prove herself but her full-sister La Pyle (Fr), the dam of Pyledriver, is well on her way. She won twice on the Flat and was then tried unsuccessfully over hurdles before retiring to Usk Valley Stud. Now 11, she has three winners from her three runners, with the amusingly named juvenile Shagpyle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) still to race for her from the same stable as Pyledriver.

Another of Lidana's daughters, Lillebonne (Fr) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), whom she has been carrying when bought by Vidal, won twice in the French provinces and is also now enjoying a fruitful broodmare career as the dam of six winners from six runners, including three black-type performers. They include Isaac Souede and Simon Munir's recent Group 2 runner-up, the 3-year-old Seisai (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), while the mare's 2-year-old Thornbrook (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), bred by Peter Henley, John Connolly and Pattern Bloodstock, won well on debut earlier this month.

Clearly it is a family still full of running, exemplified in fine fashion by Pyledriver's emphatic win over the Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and a classy supporting cast at Ascot.

Godolphin's Next Classic Contenders?

The dust has not quite settled on the current Classic season, with the St Leger still to be run, but thoughts and bookmakers' quotes are already turning to next spring. Earlier this season Charlie Appleby would have hoped to have been at Ascot on Saturday with Adayar (Ire) to defend his King George crown, and perhaps to have been double-handed in the race with Hurricane Lane (Ire). With one sidelined and the other having a lacklustre season so far, the Godolphin trainer could instead look to the future with a pair of colts posting performances on Saturday that could see them step into the illustrious Classic shoes of that pair, or of this year's stars Coroebus (Ire), Native Trail (GB) and Modern Games (Ire).

Appleby won last year's Listed Pat Eddery S. with Modern Science (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who had subsequent Group 1 winners Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) behind him that day. This year the race was won easily by Godolphin homebred Naval Power (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is now unbeaten in three starts. Earlier at Newmarket, the Appleby-trained Highbank (GB) (Kingman {GB}), bred by Lynch-Bages and Camas Park Stud, became the latest TDN Rising Star with his similarly eye-catching debut.

The name Blandford Bloodstock can be found against the purchases of the dams of both Naval Power and Highbank but in quite contrasting circumstances. Highbank's dam Bristol Bay (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) was bought for 400,000gns from Ballylinch Stud/Gestut Ammerland when carrying a full-sister to her Ammerland-bred Listed winner Bay Of Poets (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Naval Power's dam Emirates Rewards (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) went through the ring last November at Goffs and was bought by Richard Brown on behalf of Simon Sweeting's Overbury Stud for €18,000. She is now in foal to Overbury's young sire Ardad (Ire).

An even bigger bargain was found just two weeks ago at Tattersalls when Naval Power's 4-year-old half-sister Late Morning (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) was sold to Sami Racing for 2,200gns. There could well be further black-type updates to come.

Young Guard in the Vanguard

While Ralph Beckett would have been disappointed with Westover's run in the King George, his stable started the day well at Ascot on Saturday when emerging star Lezoo (GB) got back on the winning trail in the G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. She has now won three of her four starts for Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen, and arguably should be unbeaten, having been hampered in the closing stages of the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. by the eventual winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

Importantly now Lezoo is a group winner, having become the first northern hemisphere stakes winner for her sire Zoustar {Aus}) at Newmarket in June. The race also provided another boost in a good season for Chasemore Farm, who bred Lezoo, and also had their own colours carried to third place on the homebred Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).

It was a good week for a number of freshman sires. Havana Grey (GB), still romping ahead and now on 28 individual winners, including three on Saturday, notched his first listed winner. That came via the enterprising young trainer Alice Haynes, who took Lady Hollywood (GB) to Naas to plunder the Marwell S., the filly's third win in a row from five starts. Compiling a similarly impressive strike-rate is Havana Grey's Star Of Lady M (GB), who won her fourth race in six starts at Musselburgh last week. Their sire is not just top of the freshman sires but is currently the leading sire of juveniles in Europe ahead of No Nay Never, who is enjoying his own good season. Admittedly, Eddie's Boy's pot for winning the Weatherbys Super Sprint has helped to push Havana Grey narrowly ahead on prize-money, but his nearest challenger on individual winners is Kodiac (GB) on 20. And it is easy to see where this brand of hardy precocity comes from because by the time Havana Grey arrived at Goodwood this week five years ago to win the G3 Molecomb S. on a relentlessly rainy day, he had already run five times and bagged two Listed victories as well as a novice success.

Cracksman (GB) continues to be the delight of the freshman sire ranks (to this observer at least) and his highly promising start of eight winners from just 12 winners was augmented on Thursday by the victory of the unbeaten Dance In The Grass (GB) in the Listed Star S. at Sandown. She was bought at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale from her breeders Anne Dalgety and Willie Carson for 57,000gns by trainers Charlie and Mark Johnston. And in case you missed Brian Sheerin's fascinating interview in last week's TDN with Mark Johnston on his approach to buying yearlings and more, it is worth pouring yourself another cup of coffee, clicking this link, and having a good read.

Dance In The Grass continues a good run for the family of Shadow Dancing (GB) (Unfuwain), who was also bred by Carson with his former boss Major Dick Hern, who died just a month before she finished third in the Oaks of 2002, trained by his former assistant Marcus Tregoning and running for a syndicate led by Anne Dalgety. Shadow Dancing is now the dam of five winners, the best of them being Dance In The Grass's dam Dance The Dream (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}). But in another division the family has also been represented by one of the stand-out juvenile hurdlers of last season, the Aintree Grade 1 winner Knight Salute (GB), who is Dance The Dream's full-brother.

Good News First, Then The Bad News

In this column, we prefer to reflect on all that is good about racing, particularly cheering the winning breeders for whom a big-race success can often be earned on the back of hard-luck stories and heartbreak along the way. A winner, however small, can do so much to lift the spirits and protect one to a degree from the bad news that we know will be lurking round a corner wherever horses are concerned.

In the realms of the big breeders, we can enjoy the fact that dear old Galileo (Ire) potentially has at least a couple of corkers for the 2023 Classic season in the form of G3 Tyros S. winner Proud And Regal (Ire) and the well-related Tower Of London (Ire), who had my discerning colleague Tom Frary conjuring up comparisons to Camelot (GB) when awarding the full-brother to Capri (Ire) a TDN Rising Star.

Incidentally, I'm not sure if it has been done before, but Ryan Moore rode two Rising Stars in two countries on Thursday as five hours earlier at Sandown he had been aboard the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Juddmonte homebred Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}). If people still used notebooks then his name would have been writ large in many, and on the same page as Coolmore's Tower Of London.

Now, having acknowledged the good stuff (and there has been much, much more on that front that should have been mentioned), I am afraid that this column has to end on a more negative vibe.

Last week we touched on the comments by American trainer Phil D'Amato, notably his view that the bloodstock market in this part of the world is “ripe for plunder”. That same weekend Chad Brown won the GI Diana S. with In Italian (GB), one of five European-bred runners in a field of six.

On Saturday night, D'Amato's words echoed across Del Mar, where he won the GII San Clemente S. with Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), who was bought privately from Jessica Harrington's stable with a mark of 83 following a nursery handicap win at Naas last autumn. In California, Bellabel led home an Irish-bred trifecta, and five other British- and Irish-bred horses featured among the 12 runners.

There is no doubt that international buyers are a vitally important aspect of our bloodstock market, and British and Irish breeders can rightly pride themselves on the fact that our horses are among the most coveted and successful in the world. But, fewer breeders now ever intend to put a saddle on a horse's back in this part of the world unless they absolutely have to, preferring instead to play the equine stock market in the sale ring. And that comes down to one thing: poor prize-money.

It is now of the utmost importance that the racecourses and bookmakers who benefit financially from the important standing which British racing especially still enjoys internationally, start putting their hands deeper into their pockets to ensure that that is not lost. Currently, away from those high days provided by the likes of the plucky Pyledriver, it is hard to look upon the sport without an encroaching sense of doom.

While we stagnate, other nations without the solid breeding programmes behind them that we have, are increasing their racing programmes hand in hand with the offer of lucrative prize-money. This only drives the demand for horses from this part of the world, with even moderate maiden winners now subject to rapid offers from abroad. When their owners look at what they could continue to win in Britain, it is hard to turn those offers down, and though that money may well be ploughed back into buying more horses, how long can we continue selling our own dreams?

Presently, every thoroughbred that leaves these shores is contributing to the crumbling of the foundations of a great racing nation that will eventually topple. That we have a governing body seemingly content to fiddle with side projects while the only topic that truly matters to the future of British racing is left consistently unaddressed is a cause for deep concern.

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