Europe | Horse Racing Free Tips

Victory For Uruguay on Super Saturday

Uruguayan trainer Antonio Cintra's first season with a satellite yard in Dubai continued in successful fashion with victory for Quality Boone (Arg) (Daniel Boone {Brz}) in the Listed Al Bastikaya, giving the colt his second win at Meydan this carnival.

Race favourite Bendoog (Gun Runner) got first jump and dominated the early stages in the lead on the rail under Tadhg O'Shea, with Get Back Goldie (Goldencents) pestering him for a short while but visibly weakening on the turn. With Bendoog's advantage appearing to increase off the bend, it wasn't long before the front-runner also started to look leg-weary in the straight.

The Fawzi Nass-trained Withering (GB) (Mondialiste {Ire}) was the first to take up the challenge and as he closed on the leader, Quality Boone swept past him down the centre of the track to win by a length and a quarter, with Withering snatching second, a nose in front of Bendoog. The international flavour of the race was highlighted by runners from four different countries filling the first four places: Withering represents Bahrain, while Bendoog is trained in Dubai, and the fourth-placed Final Dance (Tur) (Declaration Of War) in Turkey.

Quality Boone triumphed on his first start at Meydan over seven furlongs on Dec. 23 and has been a model of consistency since then, finishing runner-up next time at the same trip and then taking third in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas when stepping up to a mile last month. Carrying 10 pounds more than his northern hemisphere-bred rivals to allow for his slight age advantage, the winner will likely head next to the G2 UAE Derby on the Dubai World Cup card.

His jockey Vagner Leal said, “The horse is improving race by race and winning these races is very important for us. We know that each race is more difficult but I hope after this one he can improve and run well [in the UAE Derby].”

Leal took fifth in last week's G1 Saudi Cup aboard Aero Trem (Brz) (Shanghai Bobby), who is also trained by Cintra.

Pedigree notes

A half-brother to Argentinean Grade 1 winner Quiz Kid (Arg) (Forestry), Quality Boone is from the first crop of the Brazilian-based stallion Daniel Boone, a grandson of Wild Again who won the GI Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado. He is the ninth foal and fourth winner of his unraced dam Quindici (Crafty Prospector), a half-sister to the minor stakes winners Scolara (Elusive Quality) and Platinee (Gulch). The 19-year-old Quindici also has a 2-year-old full-brother to Quality Boone named Quibbler.

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
AL BASTAKIYA (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES HOLIDAYS)-Listed, $170,000, Meydan, 3-5, NH3yo & SH3yo, 1900m, 2:00.91, ft.
1–QUALITY BOONE (ARG), 131, c, 3, by Daniel Boone (Brz)
1st Dam: Quindici, by Crafty Prospector
2nd Dam: Millie's Delight, by El Gran Senor
3rd Dam: Defer, by Damascus
1ST STAKES WIN. O-Stud Guara Del Sur; B-Haras Santa Maria
de Araras (ARG); T-Antonio Cintra Pereira; J-Vagner Leal.
$102,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, $148,226. *1/2 to Quiz Kid
(Arg) (Forestry), G1SW-Arg, $212,708.
2–Withering (GB), 121, c, 3, Mondialiste (Ire)–Just Jealous (Ire),
by Lope de Vega (Ire). (€25,000 wnl '19 GOFNOV; £50,000 yrl
'20 GOFSEP) O-Victorious; B-Elwick Stud (GB); T-Fawzi Nass.
$34,000.
3–Bendoog, 121, c, 3, Gun Runner–Nellie Cashman, by
Mineshaft. O-Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed; B-Calumet Farm
(KY); T-Bhupat Seemar. $17,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 2HF.
Also Ran: Final Dance (Tur), Violent Justice, Get Back Goldie, Sari Dubai, Conglomerate (Ire), Mujeer, Quality Humor, Secret Image (Ire), Sed Maarib. Scratched: Qarnas. Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.

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Hukum Strikes Gold On Way To Sheema Classic

The class act of the field, Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), gave Shadwell Stable a dream start to Super Saturday and booked his ticket for Dubai World Cup night when landing the G2 Dubai City Of Gold in a tight finish with Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Drawn widest of all in stall 14, the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum jumped well and gradually manoeuvred to a handy spot tucked away behind the leading pack which was headed by Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who set a steady pace just ahead of Island Brave (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}). As the tightly bunched field approached the turn for home, Crowley had Hukum travelling easily and stalking the front-runners as Global Storm (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) took up the running. The Godolphin leader was soon picked up in the straight as Hukum and Without A Fight tussled for the top spot. The latter lived to his name, battling all the way to the line but eventually having to settle for second best, just a head behind the winner. Global Storm stayed on to take third.

“We were using it as a prep run for World Cup night and I thought we got into a raceable position from where we were drawn,” said Crowley. “But the pace wasn't very strong so I had to make a move a little sooner on him but he stick on well. He's a high-class horse who has been winning Group 2s and Group 3s, and he deserves to take his place in another Group 1. I expect him to come forward for that.”

That next Group 1 challenge will be the Dubai Sheema Classic in three weeks' time for the consistent 5-year-old who has now eight of his 13 starts, including three Group 3 contests last season at Ascot, Newbury and York. His sole try to date at the top level was when finishing fifth, just over four lengths behind Galileo Chrome (Ire) in the G1 St Leger.

Pedigree notes

A Shadwell homebred, Hukum is a full-brother to the unbeaten dual Group 1 winner Baaeed (Ire) and a half to the treble winner Kasbaan (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Their dam Aghareed (Kingmambo) was a Listed winner at Longchamp when trained for Sheikh Hamdan by John Hammond and was herself the first foal of the GI Breeders' Cup Fill & Mare Turf winner Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), a great grand-daughter of the celebrated Shadwell foundation mare Height Of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}).

After the 4-year-old Baaeed, Aghareed has the unraced 3-year-old filly Zaghaareed (GB) (Intello {Ger}), a Nathaniel (Ire) juvenile colt named Naqeeb (Ire), and a yearling colt by Night Of Thunder (Ire). She was barren last year to New Bay (GB).

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
DUBAI CITY OF GOLD (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES SKYWARDS)-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 3-5, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2410mT, 2:28.56, gd.
1–HUKUM (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Aghareed (SW-Fr), by Kingmambo
2nd Dam: Lahudood (GB), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahayeb (GB), by Arazi
O-Shadwell; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Owen
Burrows; J-Jim Crowley. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 13-8-1-2,
$515,286. *1/2 to Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), G1SW-Eng
& Fr, $991,173. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Without A Fight (Ire), 126, g, 5, Teofilo (Ire)–Khor Sheed (GB),
by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum
(IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. $50,000.
3–Global Storm (Ire), 126, g, 5, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Travel,
by Street Cry (Ire). (200,000gns wnl '17 TATDEC; 260,000gns
HRA '19 TATAPR) O-Godolphin; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE);
T-Charlie Appleby. $25,000.
Margins: HD, 2 1/4, 1 1/4. Also Ran: Al Madhar (Fr), Global Heat (Ire), Alignak (GB), Island Brave (Ire), Court Poet (GB), Light of Darkness, Iron Butterfly (Swe), Square de Luynes (Fr), Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire), Mekong (GB), Valyrian Steel (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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Le Havre Dies Weeks After Being Pensioned

The Prix du Jockey Club winner and Classic sire Le Havre (Ire) has died at the age of 16. The son of Noverre was euthanised at Sumbe's Haras de Montfort et Preaux in Normandy just three weeks after his retirement from stud duties had been announced.

Le Havre's owner Gerard Augustin-Normand told TDN at that time, “He has been the most important horse of my life. He was the beginning and it's very emotional for me. I wouldn't have been in the breeding business if he had not been there. Everything began with Le Havre and I wouldn't have started breeding horses without him.

“It has not been easy but it is the right thing to do. We love him so much and he has given us the biggest emotions. I hope he will stay with us as long as possible.”

Sadly, Le Havre was not granted a long retirement but in his 12 full seasons at stud he has to date been represented by 20 group winners and 30 listed winners. They are headed by two dual Classic-winning daughters. Avenir Certain (Fr), a member of his first crop bred by Elisabeth Vidal, became Le Havre's first Classic winner in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and swiftly followed up in the Prix de Diane. Two years later the Augustin-Normand-bred La Cressonniere (Fr) completed the same Classic double. Both fillies were campaigned in partnership by Augustin-Normand and Antonio Caro and trained by Le Havre's former trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.

Augustin-Normand said last month, “When Le Havre went to stud I wanted to give him the best chances, everything he needed to succeed. I was so grateful to him for what he had given me, and that has not stopped. To have won two Poules and the Prix de Diane twice [with his daughters] is incredible.”

Le Havre was bred by Jan, Maja and Anna Sundstrom under their Team Hogdala banner and was the first foal of his dam Marie Rheinberg (Ger) (Surako {Ger}), a half-sister to the Group 1-winning sprinter Polar Falcon (Nureyev). Bought by Rouget for €100,000 at Arqana's August Sale, he became the first major winner in Thoroughbred racing for his prolific owner Gerard Augustin-Normand, who had previously been involved with racing trotters.

A dual winner at two, Le Havre won the Listed Prix Djebel on his 3-year-old debut, beating the previous season's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Naaqoos (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) into second. He was then runner-up to Silver Frost (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains before his dominant victory in the Prix du Jockey Club on what would transpire to be Le Havre's final start.

His retirement to what was then known as Haras de la Cauviniere in 2009 sparked a significant venture into the Thoroughbred breeding world by Augustin-Normand, who invested heavily but shrewdly in broodmares to support his young stallion.

The owner was soon rewarded with the aforementioned Avenir Certain, and Suedois (Fr) later became the second Group/Grade 1 winner from Le Havre's first crop when landing the GI Shadwell Turf Mile. La Cressonniere, Villa Marina (Fr), winner of the G1 Prix de l'Opera, and Wonderful Tonight (Fr), victrix of the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and the G1 Prix de Royallieu, followed on the roll call of top-level winners.

In a role in which we are likely to see him become more prominent in the years to come, Le Havre is the broodmare sire of G1 Coronation Cup winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}). A number of his daughters have been exported to Japan, including both his French Classic winners. Avenir Certain, who died after producing just two foals, is the dam of Des Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the winner of last year's G2 Hanshin Himba S. as well as the G3 Aichi Hai in February. Le Havre's daughter Sea Front (Fr) is the dam of the Grade 2-winning juvenile Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}).

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Giant’s Causeway Colt Smart Winner at Meydan

1ST-Meydan, AED82,500, Cond., 3-3, NH/SH 3yo, 1400mT, 1:24.35, gd.
MONAADAH (c, 3, Giant's Causeway–Almusafa, by Haafhd {GB}), one of three horses-and now three winners–in the final crop of the legendary 'Iron Horse' Giant's Causeway, made his debut a winning one at Meydan on Thursday. Joining GIII Sam F. Davis S. hero and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity third Classic Causeway and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third Giant Game, the colt punched the breeze from the bell while out widest of all. Near the vanguard despite his isolation, he sidled over to keep an eye on the leaders in midpack, but was no less than three wide rounding the bend. Still idling a bit for Jim Crowley, Monaadah was popped the question leaving the bend and set sail for the front, drawing even around the 400-metre mark. He edged past Moqadar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who had taken over from the longtime pacesetter Street Mood (Street Boss) inside the 300-metre pole and surged home to win by a widening 4 1/2 lengths. Silver Jubilee (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) made up some late ground to take second, two lengths to the good of Moqadar. Street Mood hung on for fourth, another 3 1/4 lengths behind. Monaadah is the fourth foal and third winner from three to race for his two-time winning dam Almusafa. The bay mare has a juvenile colt by The Factor and a yearling filly by Dads Caps. Out of the stakes-placed Basaata (Dixieland Band), she was bred to Cat Burgler last year. This is the same family as the Hong Kong wunderkind Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, AED49,500. VIDEO.
O-Shadwell. B-Shadwell Farm, LLC (KY). T-Saeed bin Suroor.

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