Tag: Europe

Kinross Denies Isaac Shelby To Register A Second Triumph In The Lennox

The field for Tuesday's G2 World Pool Lennox S. at Goodwood was reduced by a third after three of the nine original nominees were withdrawn, but nonetheless produced a thrilling finish in which Marc Chan's 2021 winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}–Ceilidh House {GB}, by Selkirk) defeated G1 Poule d'Essai de Poulains runner-up Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) to become the third dual winner of the seven-furlong contest.

Last term's G1 Prix de la Foret and G1 British Champions Sprint hero was swiftly into stride from the inside stall and raced along the rail in third before slipping to fourth at halfway. Shaken up at the cutaway with a quarter-mile remaining, the 10-11 favourite was ridden along to launch his bid entering the final furlong and kept on well under continued urging to withstand the persistent challenge of Isaac Shelby by a neck. The pair drew three lengths clear of the remainder headed by last term's G2 Vintage S. winner and 28-1 outsider Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

“Kinross has spent a good chunk of the last 48 hours with his left fore in a bucket because he trod on a stone,” trainer Ralph Beckett said of last year's runner-up and GI Breeders' Cup Mile third. “He's got very, very thin soles and he feels every pinprick, but when he gets here he loves it. He should have won it last year, he got trapped in and got there too late, but what a horse to own and what a horse to train. He likes soft ground because he is out of a Selkirk mare, but over a mile he handles it quick and we'll take the same route [as last year] again. He'll go to York, he might go to Doncaster for the [G2] Park S. and I hope he'll go to Longchamp for the [G1 Prix de la] Foret, the [G1 British Champions] Sprint at Ascot, and Santa Anita [for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile]. He is a gelding, that's what he's there for and he's got to dance every dance. He could go to Hong Kong, particularly with his owner being Hong Kong-based, and there is an idea that that might happen as well. We might have to duck one of the races here to ensure he gets there at the end of the year, but it's a good problem to have.”

Frankie Dettori, who also annexed the 2006 renewal aboard Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic), added, “Kinross is my ATM machine and he keeps bringing in the money every year. He is super consistent, he's versatile and seven furlongs is his favourite trip. All the credit goes to the Beckett team and this horse. He is a star. He's good for Marc [Chan], who is not here today, but I'm sure he is watching on World Pool. I think Marc wants to run him in Hong Kong at the end of the season, so fingers crossed for that. There are plenty of other targets, including the race he won last year at Ascot, and he loves the soft ground although he ran a great race in the Breeders' Cup on firm.”

Reflecting on the performance of Isaac Shelby, Brian Meehan said, “I am disappointed, obviously, but I'm very pleased with my horse and he ran all the way to the line. I don't know what the official distance is, but he's that close to a genuine Group 1 horse. Sean [Levey] was very happy and said it was a solid run. I guess the cutaway helped Kinross a little bit, but he's a wonderful Group 1 horse and we were not far away. My horse is a 3-year-old and relatively lightly raced. He is very good and only going to get better. We space his runs out, so I've got to talk to the owners and see what they'd like to do. I think the Foret is an obvious target, but we'll see.”

Charlie Fellowes was thrilled with the effort of Marbaan and commented, “We have been beaten by two proper Group 1 horses and I am delighted with that. I think Jamie [Spencer] felt, had the ground been just a bit quicker, we might have been able to get a little bit closer to them, but he's run a cracker. I have always felt that he is one of those horses who is better ridden with a little bit of confidence and a little bit of patience. He has plenty of entries and I need to have a look at the calendar.”

Pedigree Notes

Kinross, third in last month's G1 July Cup when last seen, is the fifth of six foals and one of four scorers produced by Listed Gillies Fillies' S. victress Ceilidh House (GB) (Selkirk), herself kin to the dam of G3 Solario S. winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up First Selection (Spa) (Diktat {GB}). His dual stakes-winning second dam Villa Carlotta (GB) (Rainbow Quest), herself a daughter of multiple stakes-winning G3 Rockfel S. second Subya (GB) (Night Shift) from the family of G1 Irish Derby-winning sire Law Society (Alleged), is a half-sister to GI Hollywood Derby second Battle of Hastings (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) and to the stakes-placed dam of South African Grade 1 performers Mljet (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) and Felix The Cat (SAf) (Black Minnaloushe).

 

Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
WORLD POOL LENNOX S.-G2, £180,000, Goodwood, 8-1, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:28.75, g/s.
1–KINROSS (GB), 131, g, 6, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Ceilidh House (GB) (SW-Eng), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Villa Carlotta (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Subya (GB), by Night Shift
O-Marc Chan; B-Lawn Stud (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £102,078. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng & Fr, GISP-US, 25-9-1-3, $1,600,479. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Isaac Shelby (GB), 125, c, 3, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Kentucky Belle (Ire), by Heliostatic (Ire). (£92,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Elaine Chivers (GB); T-Brian Meehan. £38,700.
3–Marbaan (GB), 125, c, 3, Oasis Dream (GB)–Zahoo (Ire), by Nayef. O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Fellowes. £19,368.
Margins: NK, 3, 3/4. Odds: 0.91, 2.50, 28.00.
Also Ran: Holguin (GB), Indestructible (Ire), Audience (GB). Scratched: Al Suhail (GB), Jumby (Ire), Pogo (Ire).

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Mayson On The Move

Mayson (GB) has been sold to his part-owner and breeder David Armstrong and will leave Cheveley Park Stud after completing 11 breeding seasons. 

The 15-year-old son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) is out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Mayleaf (GB) and won five of his 18 starts for Richard Fahey, including the G1 July Cup and G3 Palace House S., as well as being beaten just a neck when second in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. At stud, he has been represented by the G1 King's Stand S. and July Cup winner Oxted (GB) and the G2 Sandy Lane S. winner Rohaan (Ire) among 28 black-type winners and a host of decent sprinters. 

Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, said, “It has been a wonderful partnership between Cheveley Park Stud and David and Emma Armstrong. However, we feel Mayson could now benefit from a change of scenery. His success rate of winners to runners remains solid and we wish Mayson continued success in the future.”

Future stud plans for Mayson are yet to be decided by the Armstrong family. 

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Haatem A Black-Type First For Phoenix Of Spain In Goodwood’s Vintage

Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah's Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}–Hard Walnut {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) was the most experienced of nine contenders lining up for Tuesday's G2 Nicholson Gin Vintage S. at Goodwood and paid a handsome compliment to his G2 Superlative S. conqueror City Of Troy (Justify) with a game success in the seven-furlong test. The March-foaled bay becomes the first stakes winner for freshman sire Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire) and a first winner of the contest for Richard Hannon, whose father Richard senior collected five editions.

The 9-4 favourite was positioned within range of the leaders in a handy fifth after a slick getaway. Making smooth progress once into the straight, he was ridden to seize control approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly under a drive to withstand the late threat of Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) by a length. Ballydoyle representative Mountain Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) threatened out wide passing the furlong pole and ran on well to finish a neck further adrift in third.

“Haatem is a lovely horse, he deserved that after running so well in the Coventry and the Superlative and I am very pleased,” said Hannon. “I thought this was his day and could be his Derby, but he will get better as the year goes on. He is a horse big enough for next year and is not just about being a 2-year-old. He is a Group 2 winner now, so obviously we will have to look at Group 1 races, but he is getting better. He has to improve to take on the real big guys, but he is doing that with every run.”

Winning rider Sean Level added, “On paper, Haatem deserved to win this. For a big horse, he hasn't missed any dances and he's been unlucky to run into a couple of exceptional horses without getting his head in front. He ran into an exceptional horse of Mr O'Brien's last time, his form stood out today and I would have been disappointed if he did get beaten. He is a big horse with plenty of scope who will keep improving. It is a sharp track here and, as much as he has a classy way of travelling, I did feel he was a bit workmanlike through the line. He gave the impression that going up to a mile might get a little bit more out of him. He doesn't have anything else to prove this year, but we'll proceed with time in mind. With a winter on him, he could be anything next year.”

The runner-up's trainer Charlie Hills commented, “Iberian is a really nice horse and William [Buick] was very impressed by him. Obviously being drawn nine, he had to be patient with him and he has run a great race. I think we'll probably look at the [G2] Champagne S. and, if he goes well there, the [G1] Dewhurst. That softer surface probably blunted the speed out of him. He had them covered, but when William asked he just floundered a little bit on the [good-to-soft] going. I am pleased he stepped up to show us that he's up to this level.”

Pedigree Notes
Haatem, who had previously run fifth in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S., is the fifth of six foals and one of three scorers out of a dual-winning half-sister to G3 Premio Carlo Vittadini and G3 Premio del Giubileo runner-up Father Frost (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and Listed Prix Pelleas, Listed Doncaster Mile and Listed Foundation S. placegetter Born To Be Alive (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}). His second dam Yaria (Ire) (Danehill), herself a daughter of G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Yara (Ire) (Sri Pekan), is a winning sibling of dual stakes scorer Emirates Gold (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}), Listed Prix Melisande victrix Yarastar (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and the stakes-placed Yario (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Haatem, half-brother to a weanling filly by Inns Of Court (Ire), hails from the family of G1SW sires Homme De Loi (Ire) (Law Society) and Mister Majestic (Ire) (Tumble Wind).

 

Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
NICHOLSON GIN VINTAGE S.-G2, £175,000, Goodwood, 8-1, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.15, g/s.
1–HAATEM (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Phoenix Of Spain (Ire)
1st Dam: Hard Walnut (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Yaria (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Yara (Ire), by Sri Pekan
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€28,000 RNA Wlg '21 GOFNO1; 27,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah; B-Hyde Park Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. £99,243. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-2, $183,318. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Iberian (Ire), 129, c, 2, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Bella Estrella (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (200,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Teme Valley & Ballylinch Stud; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £37,625.
3–Mountain Bear (Ire), 129, c, 2, No Nay Never–Holy Alliance (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £18,830.
Margins: 1, NK, HF. Odds: 2.25, 3.33, 11.00.
Also Ran: Golden Mind (Ire), Son (GB), Witness Stand (GB), Soldier's Gold (Ire), Thunder Blue (GB), Spanish Phoenix (Ire).

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Goodwood: English Rain? Courage Mon Ami

While the 2023 English summer staggers on in dour misery, Britain looks to the Qatar Goodwood Festival which in terms of the weather is a far cry from its prior “Glorious Goodwood” standing but in terms of thoroughbred quality is up there with any of its counterparts. This week, we get to see the Royal Ascot heroes Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the likes of Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), to name a few. If the rain that presaged the action at Ascot last week continues, soft-ground specialists will be the order of each day with the opening fixture set to take place on good-to-soft, soft in places.

That makes the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup even more of a stamina test than usual, which should be no hindrance to Wathnan Racing's Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami given how strongly he saw out that race over a further half a mile. Pointed here instead of the same connections' 3-year-old option Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), the Gosdens' unbeaten representative has experience of this tricky circuit having won a handicap here in May.

“John [Gosden] was keen to train both him and Gregory for the race and soft ground or probable soft ground swayed the decision towards running Courage Mon Ami, while Gregory will now take a different route, with his main aim being the St Leger,” the owners' racing adviser Richard Brown said. “He's back in trip, but he won there impressively before the Gold Cup and we know he handles the track. I don't think it will be a problem coming back to two miles, it was always the question before Ascot if he would he stay two and a half.”

Fourth here last year, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is back an improved horse and has just 3/4 of a length to turn around with Courage Mon Ami from the Gold Cup. Oisin Murphy believes the high-class veteran has conditions in his favour to do so. “All the signs at home are positive and I think this two miles will suit him better than the two and a half at Ascot,” he said. “I don't think the quick ground was a problem in the Gold Cup as he obviously let himself down on it, but we know from his past form that he enjoys some dig in the ground, so that's a plus for him.”

Also helped by the rain is Ballydoyle's Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who bounced out of the Gold Cup in which she was fourth to win last Sunday's G2 Curragh Cup. “She loved the ease in the ground at the Curragh,” Aidan O'Brien said. “She comes out of races on fast ground perfectly, which suggests it does not bother her, but she appears much better with an ease in the ground.” In a deep renewal, the first four home from the G2 Yorkshire Cup re-oppose with the winner Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) a fresh horse and the runner-up Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) back on a more suitable surface after flopping in the Gold Cup.

Marco Botti is hoping that Giavellotto can repay the resisted temptation to run at the Royal meeting. “He won well at York and it has always been the plan to skip the Gold Cup at Ascot and go to Goodwood,” he said. “He is well and his prep has gone to plan, we think he is fit and he looks in good order. We know he stays and we're looking forward to it. Two miles is not an issue, but we felt the Ascot Gold Cup may have stretched him a little bit. He settles well and he looks a stronger horse than last year. I just worry about the ground, I hope it will be nice ground for everyone and not extremes. Good-to-soft would be what he wants.”

All Boxes Ticked For Kinross…
Also on Tuesday is the G2 World Pool Lennox S., the next in the sequence of seven-furlong features which have been enhanced in recent years and which now provide a welcome narrative throughout the season. One of the finest in this category is Marc Chan's TDN Rising Star Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has the rain and return to the trip over which he is most comfortable to suit. He also has Frankie Dettori back on board, with the partnership temporarily ruptured by a spurious riding ban in the G1 July Cup in which the high-class gelding again showed his versatility to be third. Having beaten Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in 2021, he was an unlucky second 12 months ago so this is clearly his bag. “There is no doubt this is his best distance,” Chan's racing manager Jamie McCalmont said of the Ralph Beckett yard's stalwart, who is set to be an integral part of Dettori's farewell tour. “He likes the course and he's justifiably the favourite, even though that doesn't mean he will win the race.”

Of this year's 3-year-olds, Wathnan Racing's G3 Greenham S. winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) looks tailor-made for this after finishing fourth on ground that was too fast in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. “He's back to seven and hopefully that will see him in his best light,” Richard Brown said. “He got lit up and things didn't really go to plan at Ascot. I'm not trying to use an excuse and saying he would have won there, but back in trip and back in grade here, he should be thereabouts.”

Revived by a gelding operation last year, Cheveley Park Stud's TDN Rising Star Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) showed what he is capable of when making all in Newmarket's G3 Criterion S. and the stud's Chris Richardson is hoping he can back that up. “This race is the natural progression really and he came out of the Newmarket race well. He has not been straightforward, but gelding seems to have worked and we are now seeing what we were seeing on the gallops but not on the racecourse. It was just one of those rather frustrating things, but it was lovely to see him bounce back and follow up the previous win with such an emphatic success.”

Is Iberian Of The Right Vintage?
In the G2 Nicholson Gin Vintage S., Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's Newbury novice scorer Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is one of the less-exposed types who was spared the beating by City Of Troy (Justify) that the Hannon stable's solid yardstick Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) had to endure in the G2 Superlative S. Richard Ryan, racing manager for Teme Valley, said of the former, “We're hopeful we have a nice horse and this race will answer a lot of questions. He is an impressive horse at home and Charlie [Hills] is having a great season with his two-year-olds.”
“He looks to have a number of promising horses, so we are in the slightly excited camp until proven otherwise,” Ryan added. “Although it is probably going to be wet at Goodwood, it's unwatered and well maintained for this meeting and probably with it being the first day, it won't have the same issues the July Course had at the time with conditions in the pouring rain.”

One of the eyecatchers of the Royal Ascot 2-year-old events was Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Golden Mind (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), a half-brother to the fellow Richard Fahey-trained star Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) who was finishing to real effect when third in the Listed Chesham S. over this seven-furlong trip. He gets the Dettori treatment and Fahey has a special wish. “He's a horse that is improving the whole time, he's a bit of a laid-back character and with racing he's going to get better,” his trainer said. “He's in good order and I would love Frankie to ride me a winner before he retires, he's a legend.”

Paddington Set For Select Sussex…
Only five will take on this season's sensation Paddington in Wednesday's G1 Qatar Sussex S., the feature race of the meeting, with the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Eclipse S. hero scaring off much opposition. One who hasn't been spared is Cheveley Park Stud's G1 Fillies' Mile, G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), while soft ground means that Shadwell at least have an outside chance of another surprise with the William Haggas-trained Aldaary (GB) (Territories {Ire}).

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