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Nathaniel’s Bubble Gift Gets Up Late In The Niel

Zak Bloodstock's G2 Prix Hocquart victor Bubble Gift (Fr) (Nathanial {Ire}), last seen finishing sixth to Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in ParisLongchamp's July 14 G1 Grand Prix de Paris, was yet another weekend winner subjected to the rigours of a stewards' enquiry and doubled his pattern-race tally after an inquest in to Sunday's G2 Prix Niel back at the Bois de Boulogne venue. The 22-5 chance, who also posted a runner-up finish in Chantilly's June 20 G3 Prix du Lys in his penultimate start, was the last of five into stride and employed patient tactics from the outset of this 12-furlong Arc trial. Bustled along in early straight, he made continued headway into second entering the final furlong and stayed on relentlessly under a late drive to oust familiar foe Baby Rider (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}) by a nose on the line.

“That was close and I thought he'd finished second, so it was a nice surprise when the result was announced,” said winning trainer Mikel Delzangles. “He was in very good condition leading up to this comeback and I expected him to run a really good race. He's in the [Oct. 3 G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe back over this course and distance], but it will probably be an extremely tough race. We'll not make any decision just yet and I'll go home and discuss plans with the owners.”

Pascal Bary was similarly non-committal on the plans for runner-up Baby Rider and added, “It's tough to lose it on the line, but he ran a great race. He's in the Arc and I shall talk to the owner before coming to a final decision.”

Bubble Gift is the last known foal bred from Bubble Back (Fr) (Grand Lodge), whose five winners include G3 Darley S.-winning G1 Prix du Jockey Club second Bubble Chic (Fr) (Chichicastenango {Fr}), last week's G3 Prix Gladiateur victor Bubble Smart (GB) (Intello {Ger) and Listed Prix Charles Laffitte second Queen Bubble (Ire) (Layman). Queen Bubble is the dam of Listed Prix Delahante and Listed La Coupe de Marseille scorer King Bubble (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}). Bubble Back is a half-sister to Listed Prix Maurice Caillault victrix Anacarde (Fr) (Anabaa Blue {GB}) and is a granddaughter of Rive du Sud (Nureyev), herself the dam of G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Comillas (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}) and the second dam of G1 Prix Jean Prat hero Rouvres (Fr) (Anabaa) and GIII Jaipur S. victor Right One (Fr) (Anabaa). Bubble Gift's stakes-winning fourth dam Riviere Doree (Secretariat) is a daughter of MG1SW G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Riverqueen (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX NIEL-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-12, 3yo, 12fT, 2:34.63, gd.
1–BUBBLE GIFT (FR), 128, c, 3, by Nathaniel (Ire)
1st Dam: Bubble Back (Fr), by Grand Lodge
2nd Dam: Genuine (Fr), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rive du Sud, by Nureyev
O-Zak Bloodstock; B-Ali Hakam (FR); T-Mikel Delzangles; J-Gerald Mosse. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-0, €185,580. *1/2 to Bubble Chic (Fr) (Chichicastenango {Fr}), Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 9.5-11f, GSW-Eng, MSW-HK & MG1SP-Fr, $1,499,465; Bubble Smart (GB) (Intello {Ger), GSW-Fr, $140,464; and Queen Bubble (Ire) (Layman), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Baby Rider (Fr), 128, c, 3, Gleneagles (Ire)–Gyrella (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). (220,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard; B-Aliette & Gilles Forien (FR); T-Pascal Bary. €28,600.
3–Timour (Fr), 128, c, 3, Gleneagles (Ire)–Rock My Soul (Ire), by Clodovil (Ire). O-OTI Management (Pty) Ltd & Mme Emmanuel de Seroux; B-Ecurie Peregrine SAS (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: NO, 1HF, NK. Odds: 4.40, 4.00, 7.40.
Also Ran: Media Stream (GB), Pretty Tiger (Ire). Scratched: Bolshoi Ballet (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Siyouni’s St Mark’s Basilica Prevails in Irish Champion Thriller

Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown may have been short on quantity, but was certainly not lacking in quality as Coolmore's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) maintained his winning streak at the highest level with a fifth such triumph in a thrilling finale to the €1,000,000 10-furlong contest. Backing up a juvenile high in Newmarket's G1 Dewhurst S., the 3-year-old bay has carried all before him during a banner sophomore campaign, which has also witnessed victories in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Coral-Eclipse. Forced to sidestep last month's G1 Juddmonte International after suffering a minor setback at home, he had to dig deep to deny three-time elite-level victrix Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in a three-way drive. Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis third Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}) set the tone with a clear advantage through halfway, ahead of Poetic Flare, the eventual winner and Tarnawa as the field maintained its order until turning for home. Bustled along by Ryan Moore passing the quarter-mile marker, the 5-6 favourite drifted wide towards the stands' side rail soon after and kept on in resolute fashion to deny the even-wider effort of Tarnawa by 3/4-of-a-length with Poetic Flare failing to maintain his early-straight advantage and getting edged out of second by a nose. The track's stewards enquired into possible inteference between the first two, but allowed the result to stand after a lengthy deliberation.

“He's a special horse, he relaxes and quickens and has all the determination from Galileo and all the speed from Siyouni,” said winning trainer Aidan O'Brien after extending his record haul in the contest to 10. “Ryan [Moore] gave him a great ride and I'm delighted. They set off at a nice pace, Kevin [Manning] was in second and he steadied it down to get himself straightened up and set up. The pace went out of the race completely before they turned in [for home], which was unusual, and they sprinted up the straight. He did well because it was very tactical and I would imagine the fractions for those last couple of furlongs were fairly rapid. He had a bit of catch-up to do, after [being forced to miss York] the last day, and one thing we knew is that he quickens. That's what he's always had and his strong qualities are that he relaxes and can really turn it on. He's just an exceptional horse and we're very lucky to have him. All the lads at home have done a great job to get him back here today after the last day. The plan was to go to York and then come here. After that we were going to see what way he came out of it and see what way we were going to go.”

Looking to possible future targets, the Ballydoyle conditioner continued, “He has a lot of options, he can go back to a mile or go a mile-and-a-quarter and all those [top-level] races have to be there. There may be a little bit of a problem with the [G1] Queen Elizabeth II S. [at Ascot on Champions Day]. We know that he handles soft ground, but Ascot can be run in very bad ground.”

St Mark's Basilica is one of two Group 1 winners produced by G3 Silver Flash S. victrix Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the other being G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Vertem Futurity-winning sire Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Cabaret has also produced an unraced 2-year-old full-brother to St Mark's Basilica, named Paris Lights (Ire), and a weanling colt by Kingman (GB). She is a half-sister to G3 Solario S. victor Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and stakes-winning G2 Gimcrack S. runner-up Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). St Mark Basilica's third dam Fife (Ire) (Lomond) ran third in the Listed Lupe S. and is the second dam of G3 Park S. victrix and G1 Moyglare S. runner-up Ugo Fire (Ire) (Bluebird). Fife is a half-sister to Piffle (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), herself the dam of GI Hollywood Turf Cup S. hero Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme) and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). This is also the family of the G1 St Leger hero Mountain Lodge (GB) (Blakeney {GB}).

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, €1,000,000, Leopardstown, 9-11, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:11.19, gd.
1–ST MARK'S BASILICA (FR), 129, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Cabaret (Ire) (GSW-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Witch of Fife, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Fife (Ire), by Lomond
(1,300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €580,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, MG1SW-Eng & Fr, 9-6-1-1, $2,977,233. *1/2 to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $597,769. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tarnawa (Ire), 132, m, 5, Shamardal–Tarana (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €200,000.
3–Poetic Flare (Ire), 129, c, 3, Dawn Approach (Ire)–Maria Lee (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €100,000.
Margins: 3/4, NO, 7HF. Odds: 0.83, 2.25, 4.00.
Also Ran: Patrick Sarsfield (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Shalaa’s No Speak Alexander Springs 25-1 Matron Upset

Jessica Harrington trainee No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) came back off a break to finish 10th behind the reopposing G1 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in last month's G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and stepped forward to shock a stellar field in Saturday's G1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron S. at Leopardstown. She had previously backed up a solid five-race juvenile campaign to snag The Curragh's May 3 Athasi S. on seasonal return and hit the board back there in the May 23 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas in her penultimate start. The 25-1 outsider was positioned along the rail in a forward third after the initial exchanges of the one-mile test. Scrubbed along at the top of the straight, she was ridden to the fore entering the final furlong and kept on in resolute fashion to hold the persistent threat of Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) by a neck for a career high. Coolmore's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Prix Rothschild heroine Mother Earth endured a nightmare passage in the straight and was allowed to coast home in the closing stages to finish 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

“I was worried because I could see a bit of interference, but we ended up keeping the race and, to me, that's the main thing,” commented Jessica Harrington. “After the Irish [1000] Guineas, we wanted to go the Group 1 route and we thought we'd go to [Royal] Ascot [for the G1 Coronation S.], but that didn't happen. We then thought we'd go for the [G1] Falmouth S. [at Newmarket] and that didn't happen. We took her to France, but she got very badly interfered with a furlong down and that was a no race for her. We ended up coming here and, thank goodness, we got the result. She's now a Group 1 winner, which is absolutely fantastic. She's a beautifully bred filly, it's lovely for all the O'Callaghans and she'll be a big asset to their stud. Her best form is with a bit of cut, but it's beautiful ground out there with a lovely covering of grass. It's totally fair ground for anyone and, if she can win on it, any horse can win on it.”

No Speak Alexander, who becomes the first top-level winner for her second-crop sire (by Invincible Spirit), is the first foal out of Listed Prix La Fleche victrix Rapacity Alexander (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), herself a full-sister to G1 Hong Kong Sprint victor Peniaphobia (Ire). The April-foaled bay is a half to the twice-placed 2-year-old filly Making Music (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). No Speak Alexander's fourth dam Quiet Harbour (Ire) (Mill Reef) is the dam of Listed Prix Right Royal victrix and stakes producer Cutting Reef (Ire) (Kris {GB}), the stakes-winning Jazz Ballet (Ire) (Jaazeiro) and G3 Premio Ambrosiano placegetter Guest Harbour (Ire) (Be My Guest). Guest Harbour, herself the dam of G1 Gran Premio di Milano hero Benvenue (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), is kin to five stakes winners headed by G1 Coronation Cup hero Quiet Fling (Nijinsky), whose full-sister De Stael produced four black-type winners headed by MGISW GI Matriarch S. heroine Wandesta (GB) (Nashwan).

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
COOLMORE AMERICA 'JUSTIFY' MATRON S.-G1, €300,000, Leopardstown, 9-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:41.98, gd.
1–NO SPEAK ALEXANDER (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Shalaa (Ire)
1st Dam: Rapacity Alexander (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Dandy Man (Ire)
2nd Dam: Umlani (Ire), by Great Commotion
3rd Dam: Travel Magic (Ire), by Henbit
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€190,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Charles O'Callaghan, Noel O'Callaghan & Paul O'Callaghan; B-Mount Armstrong Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €180,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-1-1, $346,893. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pearls Galore (Fr), 133, f, 4, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Pearl Banks (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (FR); T-Paddy Twomey. €60,000.
3–Mother Earth (Ire), 128, f, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Many Colours (GB), by Green Desert. (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €30,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 25.00, 7.00, 1.20.
Also Ran: Empress Josephine (Ire), Epona Plays (Ire), Champers Elysees (Ire), Acanella (GB), Belle Image (Ire), Pretty Gorgeous (Fr), Dreamloper (Ire), Shale (Ire), Flirting Bridge (Ire), Friendly (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Stradivarius Supreme In The Doncaster Cup

With his stayers' division dominance seemingly on the wane this term, Bjorn Nielsen's talisman Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) assuaged any doubts that the old lustre had been lost by outclassing a reduced field in Thursday's G2 Doncaster Cup. Shorn of G1 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) in the build up, the 18-furlong marathon was led by The Grand Visir (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as Frankie Dettori anchored Stradivarius five lengths off the tempo passing the judge first time. That margin had nearly doubled by halfway, but it was as far adrift as 7-year-old veteran became during the race. Bounding forward on the bridle in the straight, the 4-11 favourite was in full control inside the final quarter mile and extended clear in the closing stages to secure a second edition of the contest by 2 1/2 lengths from the outclassed Alerta Roja (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}). Old foe Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished a further four lengths back in third.

“He's a phenomenon,” stated John Gosden. “He's a wonderful horse and has been great at home. He's enjoyed all his training, he loves his racing and likes coming racing. I had no qualms about coming here and I couldn't have been more thrilled with him. He senses a horse coming to him and plays cat and mouse with them now. I'm sorry the other horse [Trueshan] didn't, run but maybe we'll meet one day. He's had a great season and won three out of four, but Frankie's ride in the [G1] Gold Cup [at Royal Ascot] wasn't his greatest. That said, the winner was mighty impressive. The sad thing for me in the year is that we couldn't run at Goodwood, because he adores Goodwood. His enthusiasm is there 100 per cent and I can assure everyone who loves him, the moment it's not there he will be retired. Until that day comes, which he will tell us, he will race. He lives a bit on the edge and lets us know what he wants. I've always adored stayers and to train him is a dream come true.”

Looking ahead to targets later in the season, Gosden added, “There are two races in the autumn, the [G1 Prix du Cadran] and [G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup at] Ascot, but Ascot last year was heavy and he hated it. Those are the options and it will be one not both. He'll go on summer soft, but not when it goes autumn deep as he cannot take it. It was a mistake to run him in it last year and in the Arc.”

Regular partner Frankie Dettori, whose first of five winners in the 255-year-old contest was provided by the enigmatic Arcadian Heights (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) in 1994, commented, “That was great and it's probably the easiest race he's had since last year when he was here. He still loves his racing and made it look easy again.”

Stradivarius, the latest of seven foals and leading performer for the dual stakes-placed Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), is kin to the black-type trio of G3 Furstenberg-Rennen and G3 Bavarian Classic victor Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), G3 Abu Dhabi Championship third Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and South Africa's Listed Scarlet Lady S. placegetter Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}). His second dam Poughkeepsie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who is also the ancestress of G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin-winning sire Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), is a daughter of G1 Epsom Oaks, G1 Prix de Diane and G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. heroine Pawneese (Ire) (Carvin {Fr}). Pawneese, in turn, is a half-sister to Petroleuse (Ire) (Habitat), herself the granddam of MG1SW sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev).

Friday, Doncaster, Britain
DONCASTER CUP S.-G2, £110,000, Doncaster, 9-10, 3yo/up, 17f 197yT, 3:53.02, g/f.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 134, h, 7, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £62,381. Lifetime Record: 3x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 14f+, MG1SW-Eng & GSP-Fr, 30-19-3-3, $3,993,323. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger})), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Ger, $121,198; Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-UAE, $167,081; and Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}), SP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alerta Roja (GB), 116, f, 3, Golden Horn (GB)–Albaraka (GB), by Selkirk. O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Mark Prescott. £23,650.
3–Nayef Road (Ire), 131, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Rose Bonheur (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (100,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mohamed Obaida; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £11,836.
Margins: 2HF, 4, 3 1/4. Odds: 0.36, 16.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Rodrigo Diaz (GB), Eagles By Day (Ire), The Grand Visir (GB). Scratched: Trueshan (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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