Tag: Europe

Observations: Frankel Half to Nostrum Debuts at Newmarket

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Insights features a half-sister to the well-regarded Nostrum.

14.05 Newmarket, Novice, £8,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
IMITATE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the eighth foal out of the listed-winning Mirror Lake (GB) (Dubai Destination), whose colt Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is one of the better 3-year-olds in training. Also a half to the dual group winner and Group 1-placed Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the March-foaled Juddmonte homebred is like Nostrum under the care of Sir Michael Stoute. Her peers include fellow newcomer Meribella (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), David Aykroyd's 350,000gns Tatts December Foal Sale graduate and Ralph Beckett trainee whose dam is a half to the former Stoute-trained star Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}).

 

HOW THEY FARED
18.55 Leopardstown, Listed, €40,000, 3yo, 14fT
Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the TDN Rising Star who was returning in this Listed Vinnie Roe S. from a lay-off third having been third in the G3 Ballysax S. in April, was disappointing again and beat only one home in sixth.

16.35 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), the daughter of the G1 Irish Oaks, G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Hong Kong Vase-placed Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), looked in need of the experience as she stayed on into a non-threatening fourth behind the impressive winner.

 

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York: Highfield Princess Back on the Knavesmire to Defend Nunthorpe Crown

   Friday sees the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. take centre stage at York with the returning heroine of last year Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) the star turn in the line-up for the Win-and-You're-In contest ahead of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Emphatic 12 months ago when dismissing the 2-year-old The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), the John Quinn-trained 6-year-old has to do it all again with another juvenile Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) lurking with his 21-pounds weight-for-age swing.

Having come up short against the revitalised TDN Rising Star Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in the G1 King's Stand S. and finished third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. at the beginning and end of Royal Ascot, there was a question mark over whether the formidable mare retained her level of last season. Having brushed off those doubts when regaining her dominant aura in the G2 King George S. at Goodwood earlier this month, she returns to the track at which she also won the 2022 G2 1895 Duke Of York S.

“It's a spicy race,” Quinn said. “When a three-year-old wins a King's Stand you have to sit up and take notice and the two-year-old is a Royal Ascot winner and a Goodwood winner and looks really tough, hardy and mature, so they are two and something else could pop up who at their best could be in the mix. Goodwood was very good, so we're hopeful anyway. She's done so much and people expect plenty from her, but she seems in good nick and she loves this place, which is all you can ask.”

Bradsell, who also went through a fallow period after his G2 Coventry S. success last June, was remarkably having his first try at this five-furlong trip when upstaging Highfield Princess at this year's Royal Ascot but he has to do it on the flat, fast strip which offers such a contrast to the Berkshire venue. “We thought he might not have as much early speed as the Australian sprinters, but he showed more speed than ever before and really thrived down in trip,” Hollie Doyle said of the King's Stand performance. “He's our flagbearer at Archie's and it's great to be going to the Nunthorpe with a live chance again.”

The Mick Appleby-trained Big Evs, one of the key members of his remarkable sire's first crop, has been added at a cost of £40,000 following his Listed Windsor Castle S. and G3 Molecomb S. successes with his connections hoping they have timed it right with that huge weight concession. Clipper Logistics' TDN Rising Star Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) won the G2 Queen Mary S. last year and the G2 Temple S. on her 3-year-old bow and this could be ideally poised if she can put a disappointing effort in the King's Stand behind her.

“It was a non-event at Ascot, we thought we were drawn on the wrong side,” the owners' racing manager Joe Foley said. “Danny [Tudhope] came in and said he looked up two furlongs out and they were a long, long way behind. Also the ground was quite dead on the first day of Ascot and she needs fast ground, hence we missed the King George at Goodwood. She has been working very, very well, so it'll be interesting to see where she stands with the proper group one sprinters now that she is a mature three-year-old and is getting her ground.”

 

TDN Rising Star Johannes Brahms Heads Gimcrack cast…
In the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S., Ballydoyle are represented by TDN Rising Star Johannes Brahms (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), still exciting and unexposed having chased home Big Evs in the Windsor Castle over an inadequate five furlongs. Ryan Moore already knows all about the impressive Listed Dragon S. winner Kylian (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who may have been compromised by Goodwood's soft ground when third in the Molecomb, so major market support for the Aidan O'Brien raider will be significant.

“I rode Kylian in the Molecomb and we didn't see the best of him there,” Moore said. “He may be the one to beat, up in trip, but Johannes Brahms is a colt with improvement in him. He already brings a good level of form to the table, winning over sic furlongs on his debut and then chasing home Big Evs stepped down to five in the Windsor Castle, and he is a horse I like.”

This is always tough and the presence of the G2 Vintage S. winner Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) and Clipper Logistics' highly-regarded Newmarket novice scorer King's Gamble (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) are another two to stand out. The latter, who is trained by Ralph Beckett, earned a supplementary entry with his performance on debut and Joe Foley explained, “He's a horse that we will probably step up to seven soon, but Danny Tudhope thought he showed a lot of speed at Newmarket that Friday and the sectionals backed that up, so we thought we would give the Gimcrack a go.”

 

Courage Mon Ami On Retrieval Mission In The Lonsdale Cup…
Another who failed to shine at Goodwood's Qatar Festival was Wathnan Racing's G1 Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who became like so many others lost in the backwash behind Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G1 Goodwood Cup. Having learned from that experience, connections will possibly be looking for a change of tactics in Friday's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup. John Gosden is hoping the 4-year-old can put up a fight this time. “We all know the Goodwood Cup was an interestingly different sort of race and not dissimilar to the Lonsdale last year, really,” he said. “He couldn't get a run and then when he did get a run, the race was over. So, he had what I call a nice racecourse gallop, really!”

Quickthorn, who had given forewarning to his Goodwood rivals with a 14-length beating of Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in this 12 months ago, is the enviable mount of Tom Marquand who understands just how fast to go throughout the early stages of these staying contests. “In the Lonsdale, he pretty much ran away with me if I'm honest,” he admitted. “I was going to make the running, but I didn't intend to go that fast and he was doing too much really. But he's a lot more measured now and at Goodwood he never felt as though he was going that quick. Hughie [Morrison] has done an amazing job having Quickthorn right on the day so far and he's no one-trick pony. Far from it. He doesn't have to make the running, so long as he finds a rhythm and is in his comfort zone and he only has to beat horses he has beaten before.”

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Stallion News: Kevin Blake And Jack Cantillon Buy Smart Sprinter Bouttemont

Kevin Blake and Jack Cantillon have secured French sprinter Bouttemont (Ire), who they are targeting at a rare Group 1 double in the Flying Five and Prix de l'Abbaye, before standing the highly-rated son of Acclamation (GB) in Ireland. 

Bouttemont will see out his career with current trainer Yann Barberot and will race in the colours of Syndicates.Racing, the successful ownership group which is headed by Cantillon. 

A number of packages that include racing and breeding rights are available in the Group 3 winner with Blake describing the opportunity to invest in Bouttemont as a rare one for prospective investors.

The well-known racing pundit and breeder told TDN Europe, “We're doing things a little bit different in that people can get into Bouttemont for the remainder of his racing career and also secure breeding rights. This is a new partnership between Jack and myself and I really believe that Bouttemont is quite a compelling horse. He has the form, the profile, the looks and the pedigree. You'd like to think he'd be an appealing horse at that level.

“I think it's quite a unique thing that, anyone who gets involved in the horse at this stage, they get to rock up to the Irish Champions Festival in a few weeks' time and then on to Longchamp with a share in a Group 1 runner on Arc day. You don't usually get an opportunity to do this sort of thing without spending an awful lot of money so it's a pretty interesting opportunity.”

Bouttemont landed the Group 3 Barriere Prix de Meautry at Deauville a year ago. He posted an impressive speed figure when landing a listed contest at Chantilly over the minimum trip back in June and Blake says he is confident that the five-year-old has more to offer over five furlongs. 

He explained, “Bouttemont ran to an RPR of 116 when he won the Prix Hampton at Chantilly and that's the performance that I'd be focussing in on because an RPR of 116 would have been good enough to win or finish second in any of the past five Flying Fives or Prix de l'Abbayes. The ability to be good and competitive in those races is there when he gets his conditions.”

Blake added, “Nearly every person we've bounced the idea of the horse to can see the case and have shown a lot of enthusiasm. In most cases, people wouldn't have been familiar with the horse but, when you explain what you're thinking and provide them with the information, they can see it and are quite excited by it. Again, it's the uniqueness of being able to get in on a racing and breeding level which is appealing to a lot of people.”

Bouttemont may represent Blake's first endeavour into standing a stallion but this won't be Cantillon's first rodeo. Far Above (Ire), who stands at Micheál Orlandi's Starfield Stud in County Westmeath, was sourced by Cantillon and covered 142 mares in his first season at stud.

Commenting on his latest stallion acquisition, Cantillon said, “I don't think people should get confused about the fact they could achieve two things that they might otherwise never achieve in their lifetime here. When you pick up the TDN over the next few weeks and months, you will read announcements about horses retiring to stud. This isn't a stallion retiring announcement. This is a stallion prospect being reimagined. 

“What really excites me about this is that, not only do people have the opportunity to own a breeding right in one of the highest-rated sons of Acclamation, but they also have the upside of racing. People can accomplish the lifelong goal of owning a stallion and ultimate life goal of owning a Group 1 runner with a live chance as well.”

He added, “Dealing in cold hard facts, this horse gave a performance in the Prix Hampton which places him on a career higher-rating RPR than Mehmas and Dark Angel, achieved a top speed of 72 kilometers per hour in that race and almost broke the track record. He's an exceptionally-quick horse.

“I have always gotten on very well with Kevin and we have combined what we are good at here; identifying value and being a champion of the breeder, which involves new ways for breeders to get involved in our great game. Hopefully we have unearthed the next great stallion son of Acclamation and, who knows, he could be the last son of Acclamation who ever retires to stud. Even if he doesn't get his ground in his remaining Group 1 dates, he already has the proven credentials of the type of horse that thrives at stud in Ireland.”

Acclamation has already come up trumps with stallion sons Mehmas (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire) and more emerging as leading stallions having embarked on their careers at stud at modest fees initially. 

The prowess of Acclamation as a sire of sires was illustrated by Blake in last month's TDN Europe and the research for that article is said to have convinced him to bring Bouttemont to stud in Ireland.

Blake said, “The origin story is that I was doing a piece on sires of sires for TDN Europe and Acclamation came out with the big double red circle around his name. This purchase was the product of a lot of groundwork as Jack and I have been working on partnering on a stallion for the last number of years. It took time to find the right one but Bouttemont jumped off the page.”

He added, “This part of the world is full of breeders that have had great experiences with Acclamation and his sons Dark Angel and Mehmas. We couldn't be more excited to help bring what might be the last new stallion son of Acclamation back home to Ireland and offer him to breeders at an accessible level.”

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Racing World Mourns Death of Lady O’Reilly 

Highly successful and longstanding owner-breeder Lady Chryss O'Reilly, the owner of Haras de la Louviere in Normandy, has died at the age of 73.

As recently as Saturday, she was represented as the breeder of two Group 2 winners in Britain and Ireland. At Newbury, Witch Hunter (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) won the Hungerford S., while Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), bred in partnership with Ecurie des Monceaux, won the Debutante S. at the Curragh.

As ever, Lady O'Reilly was present at Arqana in Deauville during the last week, where her consignment of yearlings once again put her among the top ten vendors of the August Sale. Haras de la Louiviere also topped Arqana's V.2 Sale on Tuesday with a Kodiac (GB) colt out of Rainbow Vale (Ire) who was sold for €200,000 to Arthur Hoyeau.

Born in America in 1950 as Chryssanthie Goulandris, she held dual US and Greek citizenship. Her parents John Goulandris and Maria Lemos hailed from two Greek shipping dynasties, and she shared her passion for racing and breeding with two of her uncles: George Goulandris owned the 1962 Oaks winner Monade (Fr), while Constantin Goulandris was the former owner of La Louviere and bred two champion trotters.

As well as operating under her own banners of Skymarc Farm and Petra Bloodstock Agency, Lady O'Reilly was also one of the breeding partners in Ecurie des Monceaux. With her husband, the businessman and former Irish rugby international Sir Anthony O'Reilly, she previously owned Castlemartin Stud in Ireland, and she was a former chair of the Irish National Stud.

Lady O'Reilly's achievements as a Thoroughbred breeder span almost 50 years and include the Group 1 winners and influential sires Highest Honor (Fr) and Lawman (Fr), as well as the latter's fellow Classic-wining half-sister Latice (Ire). She also bred the 1996 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Helissio (Fr), G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Chinese White (Ire), and G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Lightening Pearl (Ire) among a host of stakes winners. She was inducted into the ITBA Hall of Fame in 2013.

A hugely popular figure on the European scene, Lady O'Reilly supported a wide range of trainers, including Nicolas Clement, Pascal Bary and Henri-Alex Pantall in France, and Kevin Prendergast, Dermot Weld and Eddie Lynam in Ireland, where her distinctive black-and-white hooped silks with blue cap were carried to victory by the Group 1 winners Rebelline (Ire) and Voleuse De Couers (Ire). She also enjoyed much success with the late British trainer David 'Dandy' Nicholls, who trained for her the likes of group winners Sovereign Debt (Ire), Moss Vale (Ire) and Peace Offering (Ire).

Eddie Lynam, who trained the G2 Sapphire S. winner Soffia (Ire) among other black-type winners for Lady O'Reilly, told TDN, “She was a very kind woman. I was fortunate to have trained for her for 15 years, maybe more, and she was a pleasure to train for as she was very knowledgeable. She will be sadly missed in racing throughout the world, never mind here, where we were very fond of her. She used to come and visit and she was great fun. We did everything bar win a Group 1 for her: we were second in a Group 1 and won a Group 2, Group 3, Listed and all the rest.

“She was great for racing, she was chair to the National Stud here in Ireland and she was a fabulous breeder. My family and I were all very fond of her and we will miss her. My thoughts are with Sir Anthony and the rest of her family.”

Henri Bozo of Ecurie des Monceaux shared Lynam's view. He said on Thursday, “It's a sad day. She's been amazing and she's a huge loss for many people. She was such a supportive and kind person and she made our industry nicer and more human. This is a big shock but she has enjoyed the last days of her life doing what she loved.”

He continued, “Through Patricia Boutin I got to know Chryss at the beginning of my career and she helped me like she helped so many young people. When we started Monceaux she was very happy to go into partnership. She was here all the time. She was a fantastic person when you had to give her bad news, and she was so happy when there was good news. On Saturday we won the Debutante Stakes together as breeders, and she and Patricia and I were in a box together in Deauville and she had a big smile on her face. It is my last memory of her and it is very special.”

Arqana's Eric Hoyeau and Freddy Powell paid tribute to Lady O'Reilly in a joint-statement which read, “It is with deep sadness that we have heard the news this morning. Lady O'Reilly was at the sales this week, greeting everyone entering the B yard with a smile. Many of her friends stopped by to chat with her; we believe that her last few days were happy ones, surrounded by her cherished Thoroughbreds and horse people. 

“Chryss has been selling in Deauville for decades and everyone will remember her champions Highest Honor, Helissio, Lawman or Latice. Last Saturday, she was delighted when two of her graduates won Group 2s in England and Ireland, then on Tuesday, La Louviere sold the V.2 top price.

“We would like to express our deepest condolences to her family, her friends and all the people who cared for her horses on her stud farms. Deauville sales will never be the same without her.”

Such notable success on the racecourse and in the sale ring in the last few days of her life are just reward for an individual who put so much time and thought into her own operation and the sport itself. That Lady O'Reilly had raced so many of the horses whose names appear on the page of her sale-topping Kodiac yearling, including his damsire Moss Vale and second dam Rainbows For All (Ire), speaks volumes for her enduring contribution to the world of Thoroughbred breeding. 

 

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