Tag: Europe

Lumiere Rock Lights Up The Curragh With Deserved Group 2 Success

It was always going to take something special to luminate the Curragh against the backdrop of that dark grey sky, but the Joseph O'Brien-trained Lumiere Rock (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) had just the answer in the G2 Moyglare-sponsored Blandford S. under a razor-sharp Dylan Browne McMonagle. 

Lumiere Rock has danced every dance this season. Her big moment at the Irish Champions Festival was richly deserved but it was achieved in far more tenacious fashion than the three-length winning margin would suggest. 

Having gone out on her sword behind the fantastically-talented French filly Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in her own backyard at Deauville last month, Lumiere Rock's ability was clear for everyone to see, and she confirmed herself a smart sort in her own right in grabbing the Blandford by the scruff of the neck in first-time cheekpieces. 

The race-winning move came over two furlongs out when Browne McMonagle, rightly considered one of the hottest riding prospects in Europe, sent the 6-1 shot to the front. From there, Lumiere Rock was not for catching, with Aidan O'Brien's Jackie Oh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) coming through to finish a never-nearer second while the sponsor's Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) finished a credible third. 

“She has been keeping really good company all season,” O'Brien said afterwards. “She was just beaten at Ascot and narrowly beaten again in France the last day. She really did deserve her win at Group 2 level today and won in the style of a filly who will hold her own in Group 1 company as she gets older.”

Lumiere Rock carried the colours of Michael O'Flynn, the property developer who is synonymous for owning top-class jumpers with Mouse Morris, including Grade 1-winning chaser China Rock and one-time exciting novice hurdler Venalmar. 

However, the striking red and yellow silks have been spotted more frequently on the Flat in recent years, through O'Flynn's association with the stables of O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh, and the owner explained how he enjoys the balance between the two codes. 

“I am enjoying it,” the owner said. “I am having more of an involvement on the Flat, which I am really enjoying, but I love the National Hunt. I must say, with Joseph and Johnny Murtagh on the Flat, I have had some really interesting runners and winners. I am favouring a little bit more towards the Flat but I still love the National Hunt.”

O'Brien confirmed that Lumiere Rock could take in a Group 1 contest on her next start.

He said, “I suppose the obvious targets could be Arc day at Longchamp or Ascot for Champions Day. We'll see how she comes out of this and she'll tell us.”

 

Pedigree Notes

One of seven stakes winners for her Coolmore sire, Lumiere Rock is out of the placed Last Gold (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}). She is a half-sister to the 2-year-old filly Forthright (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), a yearling filly by Starspangledbanner (Aus) bound for Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale as lot 1237, and a colt foal by Kodi Bear (Ire).

Second dam Baahama (Ire) (Anabaa) won the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte and was runner-up in the G3 Prix d'Aumale. At stud she foaled a pair of Deep Impact (Jpn) French Group 3 winners–Akihiro (Jpn) and Bartaba (Fr).

 

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
MOYGLARE “JEWELS” BLANDFORD S.-G2, €200,000, Curragh, 9-10, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:07.89, g/y.
1–LUMIERE ROCK (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Saxon Warrior (Jpn)
1st Dam: Last Gold (Fr), by Gold Away (Ire)
2nd Dam: Baahama (Ire), by Anabaa
3rd Dam: Silver Rain (Fr), by Rainbow Quest
(55,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Michael O'Flynn; B-The Last
Partnership (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Dylan Browne
McMonagle. €120,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng & Fr,
10-2-5-0, $302,830. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jackie Oh (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Jacqueline Quest (Ire),
by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire). O-Triermore Stud, Mrs J Magnier &
M Tabor; B-C O P Hanbury (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €40,000.
3–Trevaunance (Ire), 134, f, 4, Muhaarar (GB)–Liber Nauticus
(Ire), by Azamour (Ire). O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm (IRE);
T-Jessica Harrington. €20,000.
Margins: 3, HF, 3/4. Odds: 6.00, 3.20, 8.00.
Also Ran: Araminta (Ire), Red Riding Hood (Ire), Unless, Insinuendo (Ire), Never Ending Story (Ire), Caroline Street, Alanya (Fr), Mashia (Ire). VIDEO.

 

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Galileo’s Warm Heart Prevails In Vermeille Tussle

Coolmore and Westerberg's G2 Ribblesdale S. victrix Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Sea Siren {Aus}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was defiant when battling to a career high in last month's G1 Yorkshire Oaks and displayed her fighting qualities once again to garner Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp.

As she had done on the Knavesmire, Warm Heart settled into a smooth rhythm racing off the pace in fourth, having broken from the stalls with her nose shaving the turf here. Making relentless headway under pressure in the straight, the 3-1 second favourite was driven along to launch her challenge passing the furlong pole and stayed on well under whipless rousting in the dying embers to withstand the persistent threat of G2 Prix de Pomone victrix Melo Melo (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire) by a short-neck. Yorkshire Oaks fifth Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) ran on to finish 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third for her first placing at the highest level.

“The race was a bit of a trappy contest,” explained winning rider James Doyle. “She exits the gates very well, but she slipped today and lost her action for a few strides, so I found myself a bit fenced-in and further back than I would have liked. They didn't go very fast and I was worried during the race, but she showed a lot of determination to come out on top. She doesn't really stop once in the lead, but tends to idle a bit and wait for the others, which is what she did in the Yorkshire Oaks and what she did again today. As for the Arc, her connections will decide. My feeling is that she needs good ground, being a light-actioned sort, and the going is therefore important in this regard. We've already seen editions of the Arc being run on fast ground, it can happen, but it's not common either.”

Francis-Henri Graffard, trainer of runner-up Melo Melo, added, “Melo Melo was conceding weight to the winner today, but we came up against a filly who was really a tough cookie. Looking to the future, she'll be better suited by much softer tracks. In any case, I think she delivered a great performance.”

Sea Silk Road's rider Tom Marquand expressed satisfaction with the run of his filly and commented, “She's a super filly and I'm very pleased with her performance. She had run a little freely in the Yorkshire Oaks and, one day, she'll win her Group 1 race when conditions come right for her. She's a classy filly.”

Reflecting on a long season and looking forward to another, Blue Rose Cen's trainer Christopher Head said, “She was in very good order in the first half of the season, but it's possible that the season has been a little long for the filly. We're going to talk to her owner, and see how she recovers, so we can look ahead to the future. She should stay in training next year, so we'll certainly be concentrating on her 2024 campaign.”

Pedigree Notes

Warm Heart is the fifth of eight foals and one of four scorers produced by G1 Manikato S., G1 Doomben 10,000 and G1 BTC Cup heroine Sea Siren (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), herself kin to the pattern-race winners Oratorio (Aus) (Stravinsky) and Lady Dehere (NZ) (Dehere). The February-foaled bay, whose third dam is G1 Karrakatta Plate heroine Hold That Smile (Aus) (Haulpak {Aus}), is a full-sister to G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. runner-up Celestial Object (Ire) and the winning 2-year-old colt Bremen (Ire). She is also kin to a yearling colt by Camelot (GB) and a weanling colt by Home Affairs (Aus).

 

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX VERMEILLE-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-10, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT, 2:31.29, g/s.
1–WARM HEART (IRE), 123, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Sea Siren (Aus) (MG1SW-Aus, SW & MGSP-Ire, $1,743,772), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Express A Smile (Aus), by Success Express
3rd Dam: Hold That Smile (Aus), by Haulpak (Aus)
O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-James Doyle. €342,840. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 8-5-1-0, €883,762. *Full to Celestial Object (Ire), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Melo Melo (GB), 131, f, 4, Gleneagles (Ire)–You Look So Good (GB), by Excellent Art (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (110,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA). O-Ecurie Ama.Zingteam; B-The Pocock Family (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €137,160.
3–Sea Silk Road (Ire), 131, f, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Oriental Magic (Ger), by Doyen (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (190,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-William Haggas. €68,580.
Margins: SNK, 1 3/4, SNK. Odds: 3.00, 7.60, 31.00.
Also Ran: Rue Boissonade (Fr), Blue Rose Cen (Ire), Above The Curve, Pensee Du Jour (Ire), Crown Princesse (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Flying Five Glory For Excelebration’s Moss Tucker

First there was the Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) at 28-1 in the Nunthorpe, then Saturday's Haydock Sprint Cup turn-up courtesy of the 10-1 shot Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and now Moss Tucker (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}–Rare Symphony {Ire}, by Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) to complete the shock treble at 16-1 in Sunday's G1 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five S. at the Curragh, a GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint qualifier. This looked a surefire renewal for the Brits on form, but one by one Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) and Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) wilted leaving it to a triumvirate of outsiders to fight it out.

As the 22-1 shot Get Ahead (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and fellow outsider at 20-1, Equality (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), tried hard to bring the prize back across the Irish Sea in the closing stages, Billy Lee kept asking the Ken Condon-trained 5-year-old and the response was typically courageous and honest. Using the extra stamina he displayed when taking the six-furlong G3 Phoenix Sprint S. here last time, Moss Tucker forged ahead late to deny Get Ahead by half a length, with Equality eventually beaten another 1 1/4 lengths in third. Following the preceding rain, Highfield Princess was hammered into even-money favouritism but uncharacteristically missed the break and struggled some way out.

“It's fantastic on the Curragh, on the most important weekend in Irish racing. It's just been a great story with this horse how he has progressed and kept improving,” Condon said. “You're thinking if we got placed it would be a super effort and then the heavens opened about an hour and a half ago which helped us a good bit. He was very good here the last day a month ago. We thought that was a career-best and obviously this is another step in the right direction.”

Moss Tucker had been to The Curragh on eight occasions prior to this, with wins in the aforementioned Phoenix Sprint and also the Listed Waterford Testimonial S. in October to his name as well as a third to Art Power in the G2 Sapphire S. In July. Also responsible for upsetting Tenebrism (Caravaggio) in the Listed Woodlands S. at Naas in April, the gelding needed a slice of luck to get one of these on his file but had that in spades here with the British contingent so below-par.

Billy Lee said, “Ken and I love this horse and he has been a brilliant servant who has made his way up through the grades. He is as genuine as they come, things went lovely today–he jumped and travelled well, but when they quickened at the two I thought I was in trouble. He is all heart though, stuck to his guns and really battled hard. He is just a brilliant horse and while we have had a quietish year, this one winner makes all the difference.”

 

Pedigree Notes
Moss Tucker's dam Rare Symphony is a half-sister to the GIII Astra S. winner Pantsonfire (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}) and her Swedish Derby-winning full-brother Bomar (Ire), as well as the stakes-placed Liar Liar (Ire) (Dream Ahead). Also connected to the G1 2000 Guineas hero Island Sands (Ire) (Turtle Island {Ire}), her unraced 2-year-old gelding is by Poet's Word (Ire), while she also has a yearling filly by Sumbal (Ire).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD, DUBAI FLYING FIVE S.-G1, €400,000, Curragh, 9-10, 3yo/up, 5fT, 1:00.89, g/y.
1–MOSS TUCKER (IRE), 132, g, 5, by Excelebration (Ire)
     1st Dam: Rare Symphony (Ire), by Pastoral Pursuits (GB)
     2nd Dam: Rubileo (GB), by Galileo (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Ruby Affair (Ire), by Night Shift
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Charlie Bit Me Syndicate; B-Mr Donal Spring (IRE); T-Ken Condon; J-Billy Lee. €240,000. Lifetime Record: 30-8-4-7, $444,181. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Get Ahead (GB), 129, f, 4, Showcasing (GB)–Suelita (GB), by Dutch Art (GB).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (200,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Hot To Trot Racing V; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Clive Cox. €80,000.
3–Equality (GB), 132, g, 5, Equiano (Fr)–Penny Drops (GB), by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£50,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR). O-Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds II; B-Mr & Mrs G Middlebrook (GB); T-Charles Hills. €40,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 16.00, 22.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Ladies Church (GB), Highfield Princess (Fr), Art Power (Ire), Bradsell (GB), Aesop's Fables (Ire), Bouttemont (Ire), Ano Syra (Ire).

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Sea The Stars Filly Tops Trade At SGA Sale In Italy

Agent Marco Bozzi snapped up a daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) for €160,000 to top trade during the one-day SGA Yearling Sale in Milan, Italy on Saturday. He was the leading buyer by gross with seven purchased for €316,000.

From Razza del Velino, lot 14 is out of the G3 Italian 1000 Guineas runner-up Cronsa (Ger) (Martino Alonso {Ire}). The filly is a half-sister to G3 Premio Dormello victress Sweet Gentle Kiss (Ire) (Henrythenavigator) and the stakes winner Sunset Key (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}).

Botti France picked up lot 7, a colt by New Bay (GB) out of Cajamarca (Fr) (Amico Fritz {Ger}). Sold by Razza del Velino, the relative of Holy Moon (Ire) (Hernando {Ire}) and her bevy of five stakes winners led by G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine and Arc runner-up Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), was knocked down for €90,000.

First-season sire Magna Grecia (Ire) already has seven winners among them Listed Prix Yacowlef hero Myconian (Ire) to his name, and Scuderia Incolinx shelled out €100,000 for a son of the Coolmore stallion (lot 10) and the Mr. Greeley mare Ceoldrama. From the Nedo Giudici draft, the colt is a half-brother to listed winner Teresa Mendoza (Ire) (Territories {Ire}), who has been placed three times at the group level.

Saxon Warrior (Jpn), who sired his seventh stakes winner on Friday, was the sire of lot 17, a colt out of the Excellent Art (GB) mare Epica (Ire), who was placed twice at listed level. Offered by Razza Vedano, the colt joined the Scuderia Incolinx fold for €80,000.

Fresh off siring his second Group 1 winner in Regional (GB) at Haydock on Saturday, Territories (Ire) was also the sire of note of a filly out of Pardon (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) (lot 28) during Saturday's session. She sold to Giotti Simone for €70,000 from the Razza del Sole consignment.

At the close of trade, 72 sold of 106 offered (68%) for a gross of €1,570,500. The average was €21,813 (+11%) and the median was €12,500 (+25%). Last year's catalogue resulted in 95 sold from 135 offered (70.4%) for a gross of €1,868,500. For the full results, please visit the SGA website.

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