Tag: Europe

Shaquille Working Toward Haydock’s Sprint Cup

Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), a dual Group 1-winning sprinter in the colours of Hughes, Rawlings, and O'Shaughnessy, will shortly begin his fast work in preparation for the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sept. 9.

Trained by Julie Camacho, the 3-year-old is eight-for-seven and claimed both the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the G1 July Cup S. in July.

“Shaquille is in really good form,” said Camacho's husband and assistant Steve Brown. “We purposely gave him a quiet couple of weeks after Newmarket which was always the plan. “He looks well and it has freshened him up. He has regrouped nicely and is back cantering.

“We are very pleased with him. He is a very straightforward horse at home and he will do his first bit of fast work on Saturday. We are all systems go to Haydock and we're looking forward to it.”

Of the colt's autumn plans, Brown added, “I would think the obvious route would be to go to Champions Day [in October]. We've obviously had a little bit of interest in the possibility of going abroad [to the Breeders' Cup] this year, but I think we will be staying at home and probably go to Ascot.

“We'll go a step at a time, but it will have been a long year by then and he's still a 3-year-old and we have to be mindful of that.”

Co-owned by joint-breeder Martin Hughes, Shaquille has generated plenty of attention regarding a future stallion career.

“There has been lots of interest in him,” Brown said. “We have directed that down to Martin. He's waded through it and I think he's keen to do something more towards the end of the year, really.

“He said pretty early on it was something we'd discuss at the end of the year and we should just get on and enjoy the racing for now in the short term. There are lots of scenarios, but he's been wonderful whatever happens.”

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Godolphin’s Hurricane Lane Bought By Coolmore As National Hunt Sire

Dual Classic winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}–Gale Force {GB}, by Shirocco {Ger}) will stand in 2024 under Coolmore's National Hunt banner after being purchased from Godolphin this week.

Bred by Philippa Cooper's Normandie Stud and born and raised at Coolmore, the three-time Group 1 winner was purchased by Godolphin for 200,000gns out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. Sent into training with Charlie Appleby, the March foal broke his maiden at first asking at Newmarket in October of 2020, and was an undefeated winner of the G2 Dante S., his third start, in 2021. Third in the G1 Derby, Hurricane Lane rattled off the G1 Irish Derby, G1 Grand Prix de Paris, and the G1 St Leger in succession later that summer and was a close third in the G1 Grand Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Kept in training at four, he added a third in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot and was also first in the G2 Jockey Club S. at five. His record stands at 13-7-0-3 with $2,792,161 in earnings.

“We are delighted to get Hurricane Lane,” Coolmore's Cathal Murphy said. “He's a fine, big, good-moving horse with a pedigree and race record to match. He's one of the best sons of Frankel to date and comes from a leading Aga Khan family. His dam by Shirocco won a listed race at Saint-Cloud and her half-sister Seal Of Approval (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) won a Group 1 on British Champions Day.”

A full-brother to the stakes-placed mare Frankel's Storm (GB), Hurricane Lane is from the extended family of dual Derby winner and sire Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“Hurricane Lane is a very good-looking son of Frankel with plenty of scope and a good action,” added Appleby. “He showed a great constitution throughout his career and was a wonderful racehorse who gave us many great days.”

 

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Night Of Thunder’s Highfield Princess Outclasses King George Rivals

John Quinn's stable star Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) took four starts to get rolling last year and provided symmetry to her profile with another post-Summer Solstice springboard in Friday's G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood.

Last term's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, G1 Nunthorpe and G1 Flying Five heroine broke sharply from the traps and was under a firm grip in second as habitual pacesetter Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) led the way at a healthy clip. Cruising to the front on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, the 4-9 favourite was not for catching thereafter and powered clear under mild coaxing inside the final furlong to easily outclass White Lavender (Ire) (Heeraat {Ire}) by three lengths. Fellow outsider Raasel (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) lost out by a neck in a bobbing finish for the minor placings.

“Highfield Princess ran really well in the [G2] Duke Of York and maybe got a bit tired,” Quinn said. “At Royal Ascot, she was beaten just a length in the [G1] King's Stand and then, four days later in the [G1] Jubilee, she ran another fantastic race. We decided to give her a break, which we did last summer, and we were pleased with her at home. She is a 6-year-old mare and, fair dues to her, she has bounced back well. She is a top-class filly and we are delighted to have her. All she has done is improve for racing and gone from being a top-class handicapper to being the best sprinting filly in Europe, if not the world. I was very keen for her to get her head in front for herself and today will have done her a lot of good. Group 2 races are so hard to win as well, but she had run here two years ago in the [G3] Oak Tree and handled the track lovely, so we thought she'd handle the track. We thought maybe, just maybe, this might be easier than, for instance, the [G1] Maurice de Gheest which we decided to miss.”

Highfield Princess will now prepare for a defence of her Nunthorpe and Flying Five titles, according to Quinn. “The plan is to go back for the Nunthorpe in our back yard and she really loves The Curragh, so it'll be the Nunthorpe and then back to Ireland and we will see after that,” he revealed. “I had thought about going to Australia, but I am a little bit cooler on that now. We will stay in Europe and then possibly go to the Breeders' Cup. She is a very good filly to travel and the lads always say you wouldn't know she was in the horse box, which is very good.”

It was business as usual for rider Jason Hart, who added, “Highfield Princess was her usual self. She jumped well, travelled great, and was much the best. The Czech horse [Ponntos] gave me a lead and I was kind of hoping he would give me a lead for a bit further. I had to commit a furlong-and-a-half down and, on that dead ground, I thought it might blunt her turn of foot, but she has won well. I was keen to give her a race without really getting stuck in. She absolutely ran her heart out in those two races at Royal Ascot and it was nice to see her bounce back and get her head back in front and win by a bit of distance. She has always improved throughout the years and has got better with her racing.”

White Lavender's rider Clifford Lee was satisfied with the performance of the runner-up and envisages another crack at ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye later in the year. “I am delighted with the run and she travelled really well throughout the race. She picked up nicely going for the two-furlong pole and we were beaten by a very good horse. She was second in the Abbaye last year, giving a lot of weight away, and she would definitely go close in that sort of race. She's very consistent and tries very hard.”

Raasel's trainer Mick Appleby was delighted with his charge's effort, who finished unplaced over the same strip in Tuesday's Coral H., and reflected, “Raasel has run a blinder. I think, in a way, we probably wish we didn't run on Tuesday, but we still wouldn't have beaten the winner. We might have got second, possibly, and he has shown that he has still got it. The draw made a big difference, he was drawn in the middle and needs loads of cover. The other day he was drawn on the wing and he just does too much when he's got daylight. I am not sure yet where we are going to go next and we will probably give him a bit of a break now. He's had a hard week this week, so we will give him a few weeks and then look to see where we go from there.”

Pedigree Notes
Highfield Princess is the ninth of 10 foals and one of six scorers thrown by a multiple-winning daughter of G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Saintly Speech (Southern Halo), herself a half-sister to G3 Prix du Calvados winner Woodland Melody (Woodman) and Listed Naruo Kinen-winning sire Maruka Diesis (Diesis {GB}). Saintly Speech is the second dam of G3 Park Express S. winner Chrysanthemum (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 Sandown Classic Trial-winning sire Cunco (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Descendants of Woodland Melody include GII Las Vegas Marathon and GIII Greenwood Cup victor Cary Street (Smarty Jones). The May-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G2 July S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. third Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}).

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 8-4, 3yo/up, 5fT, :58.92, g/s.
1–HIGHFIELD PRINCESS (FR), 127, m, 6, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Saintly Speech, by Southern Halo
3rd Dam: Eloquent Minister, by Deputy Minister
(29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn; J-Jason Hart. £170,130. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, Fr & Ire, 35-13-7-6, $1,875,821. *1/2 to Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Eng, $355,619. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–White Lavender (Ire), 127, m, 5, Heeraat (Ire)–Goodnight And Joy (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire). O-Mrs Barbara M Keller; B-Paul McCartan (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £64,500.
3–Raasel (GB), 130, g, 6, Showcasing (GB)–Dubai Affair (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). (80,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT; 10,000gns 3yo '20 TATHRA). O-The Horse Watchers; B-Bearstone Stud (GB); T-Michael Appleby. £32,280.
Margins: 3, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.44, 28.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Makarova (GB), Kerdos (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Equality (GB), Nymphadora (GB), Silky Wilkie (Ire), Ladies Church (GB), Equilateral (GB).

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Kingman’s Epictetus Upsets Fellow TDN Rising Star Nostrum At Goodwood

George Strawbridge's homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) had finished of the board in his three latest starts and returned to form with a bang to deny fellow Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Friday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. at Goodwood.

Last term's G1 Futurity Trophy second, who annexed Epsom's Listed Blue Riband Trial on sophomore return, was swiftly into stride from the inside gate and raced under a firm hold in third through the early fractions as Nostrum set the tone up front. Nudged along soon after passing halfway, the 6-1 chance was ridden to go second approaching the final furlong and swept by that rival inside the final 100 yards to prevail by a length from the odds-on favourite in ultimately snug fashion. Charles Hills trainee and G1 2000 Guineas fourth and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas fifth Galeron (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) was best of the remainder and finished 1 1/2 lengths further adrift in third.

“Epictetus showed plenty of speed over a mile at two and we thought he was a horse who would progress to 10 furlongs this year, but that did not pan out,” explained Thady Gosden. “He has run good races, but not what we thought that he was capable of. It was a perfect ride from Frankie. He broke well, sat him on the fence and followed Ryan [Moore]. Nostrum is a very smart horse, but Frankie gave our horse a brilliant ride. Epictetus ran a very good race last year [in the Futurity Trophy] at Doncaster when second to a future Derby winner on soft ground. He rolls his knee a little bit and is bred to like a little bit of give in the ground. It is slightly less tacky today and a bit more good to soft.” Looking ahead, Gosden continued, “There is a mile race back here, the [G2] Celebration Mile, which fits in well.”

Dettori, who extended his winningmost record in the race to seven, added, “We tried Epictetus three times over 10 furlongs and we always had an excuse. John and Thady found this race over a mile and the favourite looked very hard to beat. I had a good passage and, once I got the gap [inside the final quarter-mile], it was up to me to do the rest. Ryan wasn't stopping and my horse showed a turn of foot. Now we've got the distance right, we can concentrate on mile races. He is ready to go up in grade and the Celebration Mile in three weeks springs to mind. There are lots of races in the autumn at Newmarket, and maybe over Arc weekend. He has beat a decent field today in style and we can make big plans.”

Reflecting on the performance of Nostrum, Sir Michael Stoute's assistant James Savage commented, “Ryan thought that he had the race in the perfect place four out, picked up the pace to the two and he thought the race was for us. He said that the last 100 yards felt like he had a puncture and the horse didn't get home. We have always thought that he would handle ease in the ground, but I think maybe that dead ground has just probably caught him out in the last stages. It is very different ground to the [Newmarket] July meeting. We just felt he didn't hit the line today, so we will give him a good check over and re-group. He is a very, very good horse and we are not going to lose any faith in him. He will have all the best entries and we will just have to get it right next time. He will be an even better horse next year.”

Pedigree Notes
Epictetus, the fifth foal of seven foals, is one of five winners produced by G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk), herself a half-sister to dual Group 3-winning G1 Cantala S. second McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) out of the dual stakes-winning G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest third Dolma (Fr) (Marchand De Sable). Thistle Bird was a 750,000gns purchase, carrying Epictetus, at Tattersalls' 2019 December Mares fixture and has also produced last term's G3 Valiant S. victrix Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Burrito (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Frankel (GB). The May-foaled bay's stakes-placed third dam Young Manila (Manila) is kin to a trio of stakes performers headed by MGSW G2 Prix de Royallieu victrix Fabulous Hostess (Fabulous Dancer).

 

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 8-4, 3yo, 8fT, 1:41.04, sf.
1–EPICTETUS (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Thistle Bird (GB) (G1SW-Ire, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $577,634), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Dolma (Fr), by Marchand De Sable
3rd Dam: Young Manila, by Manila
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £56,710. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 8-3-2-0, $234,588. *1/2 to Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), GSW-Eng & GSP-Ire, $164,451; and Bullfinch (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), SP-Aus, $214,235. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Nostrum (GB), 129, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Mirror Lake (GB), by Dubai Destination. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £21,500.
3–Galeron (Ire), 129, c, 3, Camacho (GB)–Society Gal (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€45,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Teme Valley & Aura Racing; B-Gigginstown House Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £10,760.
Margins: 1, 1HF, NK. Odds: 6.00, 0.67, 14.00.
Also Ran: Knight (Ire), Bold Discovery, Docklands (GB), Montesilvano (Ire).

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