Tag: Europe

Dubai Honour Takes Queen Elizabeth, As Haggas Mulls Australian Satellite Yard

Mohamed Obaida's Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) defeated dual Group 1 scorer Mo'unga (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) and nine-time Group 1 winner Anamoe (Aus) (Street Boss) to win the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at Randwick during the second weekend of The Championships on Saturday.

The William Haggas trainee claimed the G1 Ranvet S. at Rosehill in March, and his two top-level victories have his trainer feeling “pretty keen” to add an Australian satellite yard to his operation.

Haggas, who would likely share the base with Andrew Balding according to Australian reports, told Sky Racing World, “[Balding] He's very keen and I'm pretty keen so we'll see what happens.

“Anamoe is a great horse, take nothing away from him. But this horse has come forward for being here and he's won well today. Don't underestimate him. He's a pretty good horse and he was never quite right last year and he was boxing against some good horses–top, top horses.”

The 5-year-old gelding, who won a brace of Group 2s in 2021, was reunited with regular pilot Tom Marquand, who pulled off the Ranvet/Queen Elizabeth double with the Haggas-trained Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in 2020. That gelding would repeat in the latter in 2021, again with Marquand in the irons.

Marquand said, “For the boss to target the Queen Elizabeth with another horse and pull it off, it's just insane.

“Genuinely, I've jumped aboard this horse on the right day at the right time and it's everyone else behind it that got the job done. All I had to do was point and shoot.”

Another international race, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong, is one of the probable targets for Dubai Honour on Apr. 30.

 

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Night Of Thunder Colt A New Rising Star

Most of the attention was focused on Ballydoyle's first juvenile runner Alabama (Ire) (No Nay Never) before Cork's five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on Saturday, but ultimately it was another newcomer in the Paddy Twomey-trained Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Pious Alexander {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) who stole the limelight to become the first European 2-year-old TDN Rising Star of 2023. Always travelling smoothly anchored towards the back by Billy Lee, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi's £230,000 top-priced colt of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale moved forward with ease to take control 1 1/2 furlongs out and draw away for a 3 3/4-length defeat of the experienced Sturlasson (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}). There was another 3/4 of a length back to the 6-4 favourite Alabama in third in a maiden that despite being short on numbers will probably serve as a key reference point as the season advances.

“Like plenty of mine on debut, he was green and fell out of the gates but once he was going and joined them, Billy said he was just going through the gears,” Twomey said of the dark bay, Night Of Thunder's second TDN Rising Star who had attracted support as the 7-4 second favourite. “He said that that ground actually blunted his speed. He doesn't want that heavy ground, but I felt he was ready to start and run a nice race. I don't gallop horses in the spring and he had one breeze and a little half-speed with a three-year-old last week and that's all he has done so far–it is natural ability with him.”

“Mark McStay bought him for a new owner to the yard, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi, who is a Dubai businessman, and I'm delighted to have him and delighted he sent the horse to us. Hopefully it's onwards and upwards now and while I didn't think past today, I'd say six is no problem and we'd love to go to Ascot in June. Wherever we go before then, I think he is good enough.”

Added McStay to the TDN, “Noche Magica was a very easy horse to pick as a yearling–he was very much a standout from the moment I saw him. He is a good blend of his sire, grandsire and damsire. The Dubawi (Ire) line, the Dubawi shape, that came through. Night Of Thunder was complemented by the little bit of length that Acclamation (GB) sometimes adds.

“He had good size and good scope. Noche Magica looked like a horse who would make a good 2-year-old, but he also had the scope and the size and the look of a horse that would hopefully make into a 3-year-old in time.

“I've been a Night Of Thunder fan from day one. I've followed his career closely from my days at Godolphin and Darley. I've bred mares to him, I've purchased horses by him. I've always liked the sire and Noel O'Callaghan and Rob Tierney at Mountarmstrong breed a very nice horse and produce a very nice horse at the sales.

This pedigree goes back to Sandhurst Goddess (Ire) (Sandhurst Prince {Ire}). [Her daughter] Lady Alexander (Ire) (Night Shift), I remember beating King Of Kings (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in the Anglesey S. at the Curragh. It is one of the fastest families in the stud book with Dandy Man (Ire) (Mozart {Ire}), who was a very, very fast racehorse and a hugely influential sire when it comes to speed at the centre of the pedigree. You've got Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the family as well.

“All in all, I thought he was a pretty straightforward horse to select. I thought he was the nicest horse in the Goffs Premier Sale last year. I didn't write any notes [on his sales page]. He got a tick and a very high grade. Luckily I found a client like Mr. Al Sabousi who was willing to pay for him, because I knew he wasn't going to be cheap and thankfully we got him.”

The dam, who also has a yearling colt by Starspangledbanner (Aus), is a daughter of the G3 Anglesey S. and G3 Molecomb S. winner Lady Alexander who produced the G3 Palace House S.-winning sire of note Dandy Man who was also runner-up in the King's Stand S. when it still held Group 2 status at Royal Ascot. Another of her progeny, Anthem Alexander (Ire) by Starspangledbanner took the Royal meeting's G2 Queen Mary S. as well as finishing third in the fixture's G1 Commonwealth Cup and second in the G1 Cheveley Park S., while this is also the family of the G3 Abernant S. scorer and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp-placed Hamza (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}) and of Patience Alexander (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) who after winning the Listed Marygate S. went to Royal Ascot and finished third in the G3 Albany S.

 

6th-Cork, €16,000, Mdn, 4-8, 2yo, 5fT, 1:03.82, s/h.
NOCHE MAGICA (IRE), c, 2, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
     1st Dam: Pious Alexander (Ire), by Acclamation (GB)
     2nd Dam: Lady Alexander (Ire), by Night Shift
     3rd Dam: Sandhurst Goddess (GB), by Sandhurst Prince (Ire)
£230,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $10,467. O-Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi; B-Mountarmstrong Stud & Alexander Bloodstock (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. Click for for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Observations: Half to Sioux Nation is First Juvenile for Ballydoyle

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. Saturday's Insights features a half sibling to Group 1-winning sire Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy).

3.30 Cork, Listed, €42,500, 3yo/up, 6fT
TENEBRISM (Caravaggio) makes her seasonal bow in this Cork S. as she embarks on a pure sprinting campaign having tried her hand over a mile for most of last term. Successful in the 2021 G1 Cheveley Park S. at this trip, Westerberg and Coolmore's daughter of the high-class Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) added to her tally over seven in the G1 Prix Jean Prat in July and the world is her oyster now that she is concentrating purely on the speed tests.

4.05 Cork, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 5fT
ALABAMA (IRE) (No Nay Never) carries the distinction of being the first juvenile of 2023 to step out from Ballydoyle and also carries some expectation, having been singled out by Aidan O'Brien at last week's press morning. Kin to the G1 Phoenix S. and G2 Norfolk S.-winning sire Sioux Nation by No Nay Never's sire Scat Daddy, the January-foaled bay will be one of the early Royal Ascot hopefuls among the Rosegreen youngbloods.

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‘Good Horses Keep Us All Going’ – Jessica Harrington Stable Tour

Jessica Harrington is the most successful female trainer that Ireland has ever produced. The 76-year-old has sent out multiple Cheltenham Festival winners, including the legendary Champion Chaser Moscow Flyer (Ire), as well as Classic winners Alpha Centauri (Ire) and Magical Lagoon (Ire) from her Moone-based stables in County Kildare.

Plans are now afoot to take home more big-race riches this season and, despite the fact that Harrington is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, there is only one topic of conversation at the breakfast table at this time of year.

“We are very excited about the season ahead and, training horses as good as this, they keep us all going,” Harrington said in typically upbeat fashion.

She added, “We haven't pushed any buttons with our two-year-olds yet but, at this early stage, a filly called With Style (Ire) would have to be my pick.

“Overall, we have a very nice bunch. But even the two-year-olds we had last year, they were a quality bunch as well, so we have some very nice three-year-olds this season to go with the juveniles coming through. It's very exciting.”

Before the Flat season takes centre stage, there is the small matter of the Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown Festivals to navigate, and Harrington will be hoping to break her duck in the Grand National in Liverpool with the aptly-named Lifetime Ambition (Ire).

“He's very well-named, because it has been a lifetime ambition for me to win the race and of course we came very close to doing that when Magic Of Light (Ire) finished second to Tiger Roll in 2019.

“Lifetime Ambition is nicely-weighted and we're hoping the ground will dry out a bit for him. He's had experience over the fences and jumped them very well so we are hopeful.”

All told, the Harrington stable has 170 horses to look forward to on the level, of which, 65 are two-year-olds. Below, Harrington gives her verdict on some of the juveniles who have been showing up well on the gallops at home.

High Five: Harrington celebrates Magical Lagoon's Irish Oaks triumph with Shane Foley | Racingfotos.com

Two-Year-Olds
Fillies
Heavenly Being
Pedigree: Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly out of Rapacity Alexander (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire})
Bought by BBA Ireland for €525,000 from Mountarmstrong Stud at Goffs Orby
Owner: Yuesheng Zhang
Comment: We like her a lot. She's a half-sister to No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}), who won the G1 Matron S. for us a couple of seasons back. She looks as though she will make a two-year-old and we hope to get her out in May. We haven't had many Night Of Thunders but we think we have some good ones by him this year. She's very like No Speak Alexander in that she is a light-framed filly.

Glamourously
Mehmas (Ire) filly out of One For June (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})
Bought by BBA Ireland and the Glamour and Glory Syndicate for €33,000 from Mountarmstrong Stud at Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale
Glamour And Glory Syndicate
We're delighted to have this filly for the new syndicate for the girls. She is a lovely Mehmas filly and has been away to the Curragh. She could run in two or three weeks' time.

What A Squeeze
Dark Angel (Ire) filly out of Fashionable (GB) (Nashwan)
Bought by BBA Ireland for €75,000 from Glacken View at Goffs Orby
Alpha Racing Syndicate
A half-sister to Jack Naylor (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}), we are very happy with her. She is quite like Jack Naylor, is a little bit bigger than she was, but they have the same physique–strong and plenty of bone. She goes nicely. The Alpha Racing Syndicate has been quite successful, I think members have made a profit every year it has been running, so it is a good way for people to get involved in racehorse ownership.

Ally Pally
National Defense (GB) filly out of Myth Creation (More Than Ready)
Cormac O'Flynn
Bought by Cormac O'Flynn for 37,000gns at the Tattersalls Somerville Sale
She's a nice filly, is sharp, and actually has an entry to run at Dundalk next Tuesday. She could run in the Somerville Auction Sale race.

September Leaves
Night Of Thunder filly out of Antique Platinum (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire})
Homebred
Moyglare Stud
She looks sharp and will be out in May. She is a nice Moyglare homebred and we're looking forward to her.

Matter Of Fact
No Nay Never filly out of Malicieuse (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Homebred
Niarchos Family
She's a very nice filly and looks like being a proper two-year-old. She has plenty of size but is compact. We've had plenty of No Nay Nevers down through the years but no superstars. We think that might change this year as we have a lovely bunch by him.

With Style
No Nay Never filly out of Inca Wood (UAE) (Timber Country)
Bought for €150,000 by BBA Ireland from Manister House Stud at Goffs Orby
Yuesheng Zhang
This is a lovely filly and will probably be ready to run in May. She is big and strong and everything she has been doing is really good. She's been showing us plenty and we're looking forward to her. Yulong are great supporters of our yard and have been increasing their numbers every year and now have 30 in training here. We have some lovely two-year-olds for them this year and this is one of them.

Ocean Bliss
El Kabeir filly out of Gold Zain (GB) (Aqlaam {GB})
John Kirkland and Jim Ryan
A half-sister to Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation), she's sharp and will want really nice ground because she has lovely action. We will be waiting for the ground to get a bit tighter for her.

Comic Book
Frenkel (GB) filly out of Vagabonde (Ire) (Acclamation {GB})
Bought by BBA Ireland fo €250,000 at BBAG September Yearling Sale
Yuesheng Zhang
This could be very smart. She won't run until June or July–she's a mid-season filly and you'd expect her to be that on pedigree. She has been doing everything very nicely and we're quite hopeful about her.

Annupuri
Too Darn Hot (GB) filly out of Mirror City (GB) (Street Cry)
Bought by Jamie McCalmont for 120,000gns from Jamie Railton at Tattersalls Book 2
Marc Chan and the Niarchos Family
She's a nice filly but she's not as sharp as we thought she was initially. She has started to grow and might need a bit more time. The Too Darn Hots we have are lovely-actioned horses and they look like they will want good ground.

Betula
Lope De Vega (Ire) filly out of Galileo Gal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Craig Bernick
She's beautiful and is typical of Lope De Vega. She'll be out in the middle of the season and is out of a half-sister to Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).

Emerald Banner
Starspangledbanner (Aus) filly out of Green Castle (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire})
Homebred
Francis Jennings
She's a full-sister to Millisle (Ire) and is actually stronger than Millisle was at this stage of their careers. There's actually a little bit of a story behind this filly. Her dam, Green Castle was retired at Francis Jennings' stud but, when Millisle won her Group 1, she was whipped back in from the field and went straight in foal to Starspangledbanner and has even produced another filly, so now they have two full-sisters. I think she was 22 or 23 when she had this filly but she doesn't look like an old mare.

Earth
Galileo filly out of Alpha Centauri
Homebred
Niarchos Family
The second foal out of Alpha Centauri, she's a very big lady and is a lovely-mover. She will take a bit of time but she has an incredible pedigree and we are looking forward to seeing what she can do. She might be more of a three-year-old.

Unnamed
Kingman (GB) filly out of Starfish (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Homebred
Mrs Frank Barry & Mrs Luke Barry
A half-sister to Astadash, who won the Denny Cordell Lavarack S. at Gowran Park for us, she is very nice and will be out in the middle to back end of the season. Starfish has been an excellent producer for the Barry family and hopefully this filly can be another.

Lucky Melody
Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) filly out of Queen Of Carthage (Cape Cross {Ire})
Bought by BBA Ireland for €195,000 from Baroda Stud at Goffs November Foal Sale in 2021
Yuesheng Zhang
Very nice filly. She's a big girl but is also very sharp and is a half-sister to Lucky Vega (Ire), who did so well for us and obviously means a lot to the Yulong team. We hope to have her out in the middle of the season and she's nice.

Colts
Dundrum
Profitable (Ire) colt out of Rosy Morning (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus})
Bought by BBA Ireland for 31,000 from Castlebridge at Goffs Sportsman's
John G Hennessy
We fancied him to run a big race on debut at Dundalk last week but he came back lame. He actually pulled muscles quite badly so there was a genuine excuse for him disappointing on the day. We hope to get him back to what he was showing us at home before that because he's a colt with an awful lot of speed.

Old Sea
Blue Point (Ire) colt out of Liver Nauticus (Ire) (Azamour {Ire})
Homebred
Moyglare Stud
He's a half-brother to Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}). He's very big and has good action. He does everything very easily and, while we thought he was early, he's started to grow a little and may need more time.

The Bear Trap
Kodi Bear (Ire) colt out of Dat Il Do (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB})
Bought by BBA Ireland for 60,000gns from Pier House Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Alpha Racing Syndicate
He's a gorgeous colt and we're hoping to start him off in a Curragh maiden before long. We think he could be nice.

Guest Star
Due Diligence colt out of Livella Fella (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB})
Bought by BBA Ireland for €46,000 from Boherguy Stud at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale
Hronis Racing
A sharp colt, he'll be out within the next month. He looks early and is training well.

Star Hunter
Lope De Vega colt out of She's Complete (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire})
Yuesheng Zhang
A lovely Lope De Vega colt who will be ready to run by the end of May. He's showing up well.

Imperial Magic
Showcasing (GB) colt out of Solfilia (GB) (Teofilo {Ire})
Yuesheng Zhang
Bought by BBA Ireland for €200,000 from Manister House Stud at Goffs Orby
He is sharp and will run in two or three weeks' time. His work has been good and he is very straightforward.

Highland Bling
Highland Reel (Ire) colt out of Padma (GB) (Three Valleys)
Bought by Hubie De Burgh for €22,000 from Vinegrove Stud at Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale
OTI Racing and Brosnan Racing
A very nice Highland Reel colt, he will want a mile but does things nicely at home.

Instant Appeal
Advertise (GB) colt out of Moment Of Time (GB) (Rainbow Quest)
Bought by BBA Ireland for 78,000gns from Newsells Park Stud at Tattersalls Book 2
Alpha Racing Syndicate
Another sharp colt, we'd expect him to be early and he's a very nice colt to do anything with. He's from the first crop of Advertise, who was a very fast horse himself, and we like what we see so far.

Kinesiology
Study Of Man (Ire) colt out of Kinaesthesia (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire})
Bought by BBA Ireland for €65,000 from Staffordstown Stud at Goffs Orby
Alpha Racing Syndicate
On breeding, he will be a middle-distance horse in time and we won't be in any rush to get him out. It will probably be the middle of the season before we see him but he's quite a likeable colt and is doing everything we have asked of him.

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