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Mill Reef Receives QIPCO Diamonds and Pearls Award

Mill Reef (Never Bend), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. 50 years ago, has been honoured with the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls Award, QIPCO announced on Thursday.

Second in the 2000 Guineas, the diminutive Paul Mellon homebred with the big heart would go on to win the Derby and break the course record at Epsom Downs. In the 1971 King George, the Ian Balding trainee drew off to win by six lengths. His regular jockey, Geoff Lewis, stated at the time, “Daylight was second.” Retired at four after a career-ending injury, Mill Reef stood at The National Stud and sired 63 black-type winners throughout his successful stud career.

“Obviously it's a huge honour to be remembering Mill Reef; he's a horse who meant a huge amount to myself and my family,” said Andrew Balding, son of trainer Ian Balding. “Trained by my father 50 years ago, he was an exceptional 2-year-old and a fabulous racehorse who achieved so much both on the racecourse and at stud. He set up a huge influence on many people's lives with his progeny. He truly is one of the greats of the turf and is very fondly remembered by all at Kingsclere.”

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Concussion Report Published By UK Government

A concussion in sport report was published by the UK Government on Thursday morning and the news was welcomed by the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA).

In March of 2021, an inquiry into the links between sport and long-term brain injury, the implications for youth sport and funding for further scientific research was announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Also under consideration during the four oral evidence sessions that made up the inquiry was the role of national governing bodies and major sporting organisations. The DCMS committee made a number of key recommendations, including the development of a UK-wide minimum standard definition of concussion to be used across all sport. The Health and Safety Executive have been told to work with sports governing bodies to set up a new reporting framework for sports injury by July 2022, with sports required to report any event that might lead to an acquired brain injury within a year of that.

“We very much welcome the DCMS inquiry and the recommendations that have been published in their 'Concussion in Sport' report today,” PJA Chief Executive Paul Struthers told the committee. “Their recommendations to establish a UK-wide minimum standard definition for concussion that all sports must use and adapt for their sport, a UK wide minimum standard protocol for concussion, a national framework for the reporting of sporting injuries and a single research fund that will coordinate and fund research are particularly important.

“We have been fortunate that racing has been ahead of the game in many ways, thanks to the work of the British Horseracing Authority and its predecessors, and especially racing's former Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Michael Turner and his successor Dr. Jerry Hill.

“However, it is vital that we continue to work closely with the BHA and Dr. Hill to ensure racing's protocols, support, education, advice and aftercare continue to be fit for purpose and serve to protect our members as much as possible.

“We also look forward to working with government, Professional Players Federation members and other stakeholders to ensure these recommendations are implemented.”

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Frankel’s Inspiral Dominates Sandown Feature

Cheveley Park Stud's homebred 2-year-old filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a daughter of G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Coronation S. runner-up Starscope (GB) (Selkirk), overcame a slow start to prevail in a June 26 maiden going seven furlongs at Newmarket on debut last time and laid down a marker with an impressive 3 1/2-length win in Thursday's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Star S. over the same trip at Sandown. Anchored at the tail of the field after a deliberate break, the even-money favourite made rapid headway on the bridle in the straight and powered clear once gaining the upper hand approaching the final furlong to outclass her eight rivals in taking fashion. At the line, she was clear of Godolphin's dual winner Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) with a neck back to her stablemate Sunstrike (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third.

“She's always been a classy filly and has just done normal work on the bridle at home,” explained winning trainer John Gosden after claiming a first win in the contest. “Her mother was with us, and she had a lot of ability, and we know all about the father. We thought this was the race to come for, they went pretty strong up front and she won very nicely. Frankie [Dettori] was out the back before coming around them and said he hit the front far too soon. I think it was a pretty hot event and she's not been in front like that before so she did well. She'll have no problem getting a mile and we'll go one step at a time. The [G2] May Hill S. at Doncaster would be an obvious place to go and gives her five or six weeks between races.”

Inspiral is one of four winners from as many runners produced by G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Coronation S. runner-up Starscope (GB) (Selkirk), herself a half-sister to Listed Rosemary S. victrix Solar Magic (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Starscope, who is out of a half-sister to MG1SW sire Medicean (GB) (Machiavellian), has also produced last term's Listed Cocked Hat S. third Celestran (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and a weanling colt by Siyouni (Fr). Inspiral's MGSP third dam Mystic Goddess (Storm Bird), who annexed the Listed Sweet Solera S., is a half-sister to G1 Gran Criterium-winning sire Sanam (Golden Act) and MG1SP dual Group 2 winner Shaybani (Al Nasr {Fr}).

Thursday, Sandown, Britain
BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF STAR S.-Listed, £43,000, Sandown, 7-22, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.17, g/f.
1–INSPIRAL (GB), 126, f, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Starscope (GB) (MG1SP-Eng, $251,626), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Moon Goddess (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Mystic Goddess, by Storm Bird
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £24,385. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $38,687. *1/2 to Celestran (GB) (Dansili {GB}), SP-Eng.
2–Wild Beauty (GB), 126, f, 2, Frankel (GB)–Tulips (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £9,245.
3–Sunstrike (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Extricate (Ire), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). (390,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £4,627.
Margins: 3HF, NK, 3 3/4. Odds: 1.00, 2.75, 14.00.
Also Ran: Qipao (GB), Almohandesah (GB), Profound Alexander (Ire), Fabiosa (GB), Allayaali (Ire), Safra. Click for the Racing Post result.

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Goodwood Target Undecided For Lady Bowthorpe

William Jarvis is to decide between Group 1 targets for stable star Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) at Goodwood next week with the Qatar Nassau S. and Qatar Sussex S. both under consideration.

The 5-year-old mare, owned by Emma Banks, started her season with victory in the G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket and was then runner-up to Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 Lockinge S. A poor blood test has ruled Palace Pier out of the Sussex S., bringing the mile contest and a clash with top 3-year-old colt Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) into contention.

Issuing an update on Lady Bowthorpe following her close-up fourth in the G1 Falmouth S. after meeting some trouble in running, Jarvis said, “Our initial thoughts after the Falmouth were to head to the Qatar Nassau Stakes, to keep her against her own sex and step her up to 10 furlongs. I'm very confident that she'll stay the extra two furlongs. With Palace Pier ruled out, we'll certainly have a look at the opposition in the Qatar Sussex Stakes but I'm certainly leaning towards the Nassau.”

He added, “She was very tired when she came out of the Lockinge Stakes, but we had a very good preparation between Ascot and Newmarket, and she's really been pleasing me since the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes.”

“In the Falmouth Stakes, I didn't think she got the rub of the green, but Snow Lantern is a very good filly. I felt at the time that we were the best horse in the race.”

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