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Mehmas’s Caturra Pounces For Flying Childers Triumph

Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi's 2-year-old colt Caturra (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) rebounded off a runner-up finish in last month's Listed Roses S. at York to swoop late for a career high in Friday's G2 Wainwright Flying Childers S at Doncaster. The April-foaled bay, who had earlier finished a close-up seventh in Royal Ascot's June 15 G2 Coventry S., made a stakes breakthrough with victory in Newbury's July 16 Listed Rose Bowl S. next time and posted a last-of-seven contesting Goodwood's July 29 G2 Richmond S. in his penultimate start. Caturra, competent from the gates, was settled at the tail of the field by Adam Kirby until beyond halfway in this five-furlong dash. Stirred into action soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the 7-1 chance was relentless under continued inside the final furlong and kept on strongly to deny G1 Prix Morny fourth Armor (GB) (No Nay Never) by a neck in the dying strides.

“That was fantastic and brilliant Adam [Kirby] got there,” beamed winning trainer Clive Cox. “I wish I wasn't stood at the furlong pole and had been closer to the line as I was a bit worried when he passed me. I didn't think he was going to get there, but he's always shown us a pleasing turn of foot. He showed more of a versatile approach than we imagined so I'm really pleased. From a management point of view, his laid-back temperament is a big asset and I've never had a sprinter with such a sober approach. He's so laid back he had a lay down when he arrived at the races here today. He's got a wonderful mind and lot of speed. We just had to fine tune how we were riding him as he was using up a little bit too much too early. He does get six [furlongs] and, ridden this way, he's switching off so well in his races we can think about that as well. I don't think there's any doubt he's done it really well today. His turn of foot was amazing and to do that over five [furlongs] is very special.”

Caturra is the fifth of six foals and one of three winners out of Listed Empress S. runner-up Shoshoni Wind (GB) (Sleeping Indian {GB}), herself a half-sister to G3 Chipchase S. third Burnwynd Boy (GB) (Tobougg {Ire}). The April-foaled bay is a half-brother to Listed Qatar Derby placegetter Sir Arthur Dayne (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Inns of Court (Ire). His third dam Pat Or Else (GB) (Alzao), who produced Listed Silver Flash S. victrix Triskel (GB) (Hawk Wing), is a half-sister to a quartet of black-type performers headed by MG1SW sire Classic Cliche (Ire) (Salse) and G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine My Emma (GB) (Marju {Ire}).

Friday, Doncaster, Britain
WAINWRIGHT FLYING CHILDERS S.-G2, £112,500, Doncaster, 9-10, 2yo, 5f 3yT, :58.58, g/f.
1–CATURRA (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Shoshoni Wind (GB) (SP-Eng), by Sleeping Indian (GB)
2nd Dam: Cadeau Speciale (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: Pat Or Else (GB), by Alzao
1ST GROUP WIN. (110,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Clive Cox; J-Adam Kirby. £63,799. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-0, $137,083. *1/2 to Sir Arthur Dayne (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), SP-Qa, $264,789. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Armor (GB), 127, c, 2, No Nay Never–Hestia (Fr), by High Chaparral (Ire). (€55,000 Ylg '20 ARQDOY). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-C E Stedman (GB); T-Richard Hannon. £24,188.
3–Corazon (Ire), 124, f, 2, Markaz (Ire)–Disko (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). (£11,000 Ylg '20 TATIRY). O-Nick Bradley Racing 44 & Partner; B-Cooneen Stud (IRE); T-George Boughey. £12,105.
Margins: NK, NK, HF. Odds: 7.00, 1.25, 11.00.
Also Ran: Papa Don't Preach (Ire), Thunder Love (GB), Attagirl (GB), Up Above (GB), Bond Chairman (GB), Chipotle (GB), The Organiser (GB), Korker (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Vincent O’Brien Is First Trainer Inducted To Hall Of Fame

The late Vincent O'Brien, a master trainer on the Flat and over jumps, is the first of his profession to be inducted to the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. His name was announced along with three equine stars of the 1970s, Mill Reef, Nijinsky and Brigadier Gerard (GB).

Marking the 10th anniversary of QIPCO's sponsorship of the British Champions Series, the Hall of Fame was launched in May with the inaugural inductees Lester Piggott and Frankel (GB).

During an illustrious career, O'Brien notched 141 Group 1 wins, with 67 of those coming in the UK, including six Derby winners. Prior to that his extraordinary success in the National Hunt field included training three consecutive winners of the Grand National. Moreover, he played a hugely significant role in the development of Coolmore Stud in partnership with his son-in-law John Magnier and Robert Sangster. O'Brien's particular liking of the stock of Northern Dancer led to some of Ballydoyle's and Coolmore's leading lights, including his fellow inductee and Triple Crown winner Nijinsky, and the Sangster-bred supersire Sadler's Wells.

“No racing decade ever had a start like the 1970s. Nijinsky, Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard–three horses of the century only a year apart. No Derby winner more majestic than Nijinsky, no Arc winner more of a mould-breaker than Mill Reef, no miler more complete than Brigadier Gerard,” said Hall of Fame panellist and broadcaster Brough Scott.

“Irish genius Vincent O'Brien added to the magic of that era, setting a standard most could only dream of matching. He changed the racing and training landscape, and his legacy lives on at Ballydoyle and Coolmore–which remain two of the world's greatest racing operations to this day.

“They individually and collectively deserve these places within the Hall of Fame and the panel and I offer our heartfelt congratulations to their connections.”

Vincent O'Brien's son Charles said, “The QIPCO British Champion Series Hall of Fame is a wonderful initiative and, on behalf of the O'Brien family, we are absolutely delighted that Vincent O'Brien is the first trainer to be inducted. His achievements, both in the National Hunt and Flat spheres, are unparalleled and highly unlikely to ever be matched. Additionally, his creation of Ballydoyle as a training centre and his involvement in the early days of Coolmore Stud will ensure that his legacy will live on. We would like to thank QIPCO and the judging panel for helping to ensure that this is the case.”

Nijinsky, whose name is intertwined with both O'Brien and Lester Piggott, claimed the Triple Crown in 1970, a feat that has not been repeated in the intervening years. From a hugely successful stallion career, he remains the only sire to have had a winner of the Derby and the Kentucky Derby in the same year, in Shahrastani and Ferdinand.

Brigadier Gerard, bred in Britain by his owners John and Jean Hislop, was ridden by Joe Mercer to win 17 of his 18 races, including the 2000 Guineas, two Queen Elizabeth II S., and two Champion S.

Mill Reef, trained by Ian Balding, was runner-up to Brigadier Gerard in the 2000 Guineas of 1971 but was never beaten again in subsequent starts, including in the Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Fifty years on from Mill Reef's magnificent 3-year-old season, his trainer's son Andrew Balding is currently leading the trainers' championship in Britain.

Connections of the four inductees will receive a specially commissioned medal which will be displayed at Doncaster on Cazoo St Leger day (Saturday) as part of a QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame exhibition. The exhibition can be found within the racecourse's grandstand in the Grandstand Enclosure.

A number of additional inductions will be announced in the build-up to QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, Oct. 16. These include one horse chosen by the public, who can vote here until Sept. 24.

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Bumper First Irish Book For Wootton Bassett

Wootton Bassett (GB) has been given a rapturous reception in his first season in Ireland at Coolmore, where he covered 244 mares, including 61 daughters of the late Galileo (Ire).

The figures for the 2021 covering season have recently been made available on Weatherbys Bloodstock Reports online. They show that Galileo, who died on July 10, covered 45 mares this season, though with a number of those having also visited other stallions, his final crop is likely to be very small.

The same cannot be said for Wootton Bassett, who made the bloodstock world sit up and take notice when siring the European champion 3-year-old Almanzor (Fr) in his first crop which contained only 17 foals. During nine seasons in France at Haras d'Etreham, Wootton Bassett's profile continued to grow, with his leading performers including Breeders' Cup heroine Audarya (Fr), G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Wooded (Ire) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary victrix Incarville (Fr).

Audarya's dam Green Bananas (Fr) (Green Tune) paid Wootton Bassett a return visit this year, along with the dams of Group 1 winners Channel (Ire), Golden Horde (Ire), Harry Angel (Ire), Immortal Verse (Ire), Limato (GB), Line Of Duty (Ire), Mabs Cross (Ire), Mukhadram (GB), One Master (GB), Sioux Nation, Tepin, Zoustar (Aus) and this year's standout 3-year-old filly Snowfall (Jpn).

His book also featured an impressive list of Group/Grade 1 winners, headed by the Arc winner Found (Ire) and including Albigna (Ire), Alexandrova (Ire), Awesome Maria, Bracelet (Ire), Clemmie (Ire), Curvy (Ire), Deirdre (Jpn), Fancy Blue (Jpn), Miss Yoda (Ger), Nickname, Peeping Fawn (Ire), Proviso (GB), The Fugue (GB) and Was (Ire). Along with the 61 Galileo mares, another 13 in his book were maternal grand-daughters of the multiple champion sire.

Wootton Bassett's fee rose to €100,000 this year, up from €40,000 in his final season at Etreham which in itself was a significant rise from his opening fee of €6,000 in 2012. In 2014 and 2015 he covered for just €4,000.

Figures released by Weatherbys focusing on the Coolmore stallions show that of the five sons of Galileo currently standing in Fethard, Churchill (Ire), who has so far sired 15 first-crop winners and four black-type performers, was the busiest of the quintet. He covered 198 mares this year, including the Arc winner Danedream (Ger). Australia (GB) was sent 162 mares, including Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the dam of two of his stars of this season, Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire).

Camelot (GB)'s book of 170 mares included the dam of Aclaim (Ire), which presents some interesting inbreeding to Floripedes (Fr) (Top Ville {Ire}), the dam of Montjeu (Ire). Sparrow (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the dam of Camelot's G1 Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Ire), has made a return visit and another mare of note among Camelot's 2021 suitors is Maria Lee (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of Poetic Flare (Ire).

In his first season at stud, the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) covered 132 mares, while No Nay Never, whose best runners this year include the high-class Alcohol Free (Ire), was sent 183 mares and his Group 1-winning son Ten Sovereigns served 152 mares in his second season.

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Newmarket’s Guineas Meeting Extended To Three Days

From next year, the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket will be extended from two to three days. The 2022 fixture will run from Friday, Apr. 29 to Sunday, May 1. The meeting was last run as a three-day fixture in 2003.

The QIPCO 2000 Guineas will remain in its traditional Saturday slot, with the QIPCO 1000 Guineas run as usual on the Sunday. Details for the Friday programme are yet to be announced.

“We're delighted to be enhancing one of British racing's most prestigious Flat racing fixtures and a meeting which has shown sustained growth in the last decade,” said Sophie Able, general manager of Newmarket Racecourses.

“An additional day means more flexibility to optimise the meeting's race programme both for participants and those who follow and bet on racing, as well as the chance to use the existing infrastructure to create another great day out for our customers. There are wider benefits too in terms of the shape of Newmarket's early-season fixture list, more recovery time for the course itself, and an easier operational switch onto the July Course.”

The Guineas meeting kicks off the British Champions Series, which will now begin a day earlier. For the past two seasons, general racegoers have been unable to attend the first Classics of the British season owing to Covid restrictions being in place. In 2020, the Guineas meeting was delayed until the first weekend of June following a three-month shutdown of racing in the early days of the pandemic.

Rod Street, chief executive of British Champions Series, said, “The QIPCO Guineas Festival is one of the highlights of the British sporting calendar and we welcome the fact that racegoers will be able to enjoy a third day of brilliant racing from the Rowley Mile.

“Whilst the circumstances in 2020 were very different, we have seen the interest that a three-day Festival is able to generate and very much view this as a chance to engage more people in one of racing's most important events.”

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