Group 1-Winning Shuttle Stallion National Defense Dies In Australia

Group 1 winner and young shuttle sire National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}–Angel Falls {GB}, by Kingmambo) passed away in Australia, Widden Stud reported. The 2016 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero was bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and partners. From five starts, he broke his maiden on debut at Deauville, and was also placed in the G3 Prix des Chenes, prior to his Group 1 win. Kept in training at three by Sun Bloodstock, the Criquette Head trainee was also second in the G3 Prix Djebel.

Retired to the Irish National Stud, the €280,000 Arqana August yearling has 12 winners from 24 runners to date. His eldest progeny are just 3-year-olds, with the stallion's best offspring being the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint heroine Twilight Gleaming (Ire). He is also represented by the Italian listed placed colt, Kronangel (Ire).

“We are greatly saddened to hear of the untimely passing of National Defense while on stud duties in Australia,” the Irish National Stud tweeted. “He was an exciting young sire that produced a Breeders' Cup champion, Twilight Gleaming, in his first crop. We hope that his forthcoming progeny can carry his line forward.”

At stud in Australia, National Defense has 80 foals from his first crop set to run this season.

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Zoffany’s Sakheer Oozes Class In Mill Reef Power Display

KHK Racing's 2-year-old twice-raced colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}–Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), a promising debut second at Windsor in August, attained 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a wide-margin demolition at Haydock on the first of this month and repeated the dose with another imperious performance in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. The 4-5 favourite was alert from the stalls and found a smooth rhythm in a handy third through the early fractions of this black-type bow. Tanking forward to loom large on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, he settled the contest in an instant when quickening for control soon after and powered further clear under minimal coaxing in the latter stages to easily outclass Rousing Encore (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) by 3 1/2 lengths. The winner's Roger Varian stablemate Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) fared best of the remainder and finished 3/4-of-a-length further adrift in third.

“His work has always been very good at home and we thought he would win first time, but he ran into a smart filly at Windsor [Magical Sunset],” said Varian. “He then won well at Haydock and he looks good. How good, I don't know, but he is possibly the best of my 2-year-olds. He has size and scope, he's very exciting and I think he'll stay seven furlongs or a mile. You can never really expect things to go as well for us as it has today, but everything is clicking. He is in the [G1] Middle Park, but it's next week. It's very soon, so we'll have to see.”

Sakheer, who was the highest-priced lot when knocked down for €550,000 at this year's Arqana Breeze-Up sale, is the fifth of seven foals and one of three scorers produced by a half-sister to G3 Prix de Meautry winner Indian Maiden (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 World Trophy victrix Maid In India (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) and the dual stakes-winning G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis second Love Spirit (GB) (Elusive City). The February-foaled bay, who hails from the family of Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}) and Chief's Crown (Danzig), is a half-brother to multiple Group-winning GI Beverly D. S. third Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), a yearling colt by Exceed And Excel (Aus) and a weanling filly by Sea The Stars (Ire).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE MILL REEF S.-G2, £84,250, Newbury, 9-17, 2yo, 6fT, 1:13.53, gd.
1–SAKHEER (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Shortmile Lady (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jinsiyah, by Housebuster
3rd Dam: Minifah, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (80,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; $65,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; €550,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-KHK Racing; B-Drumlin Bloodstock (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £47,778. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $63,902. *1/2 to Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), MGSW-Ire, GSW & GISP-USA, $386,350. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rousing Encore (Ire), 129, c, 2, Acclamation (GB)–Jolie Chanson (Fr), by Mount Nelson (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (57,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 32,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Paul K Spencer; B-Hunting Hill Stud (IRE); T-Richard Fahey. £18,114.
3–Charyn (Ire), 129, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £9,065.
Margins: 3HF, 3/4, NK. Odds: 0.80, 20.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Shouldvebeenaring (GB), Wallop (Ire), Mustajaab (GB), Heroism (Ire).

 

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Saxon Warrior’s Victoria Road Notches Landmark Score In The Conde

Westerberg and Coolmore's 2-year-old colt Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}–Tickled Pink {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earned his black-type stripes with a game win in last month's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Deauville and continued his upward momentum with another narrow success, and a first pattern-race victory for his freshman sire (by Deep Impact {Jpn}), in Saturday's G3 Prix de Conde at Chantilly. The 19-10 second choice, who graduated at Gowran Park in his fifth attempt last month, was sharply into stride and settled off the tempo in seventh after the early shuffling. Taking closer order in the home straight, he came under a drive once leaving the quarter-mile marker behind and found extra inside the final 100 metres to edge Rashford (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) by a neck nearing the line, the duo 3 1/2 lengths clear of the remainder headed by Nasomo (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

“We are delighted with the horse and delighted for Saxon Warrior as this is his first Group winner,” reflected Coolmore representative Hermine Bastide. “Ryan [Moore] says that the horse does the minimum, but hasn't stopped improving. He is a late foal, so that is a very good sign. He is in the [G1 Prix Jean-Luc] Lagardere, but that is over seven furlongs. I am sure Aidan [”Brien] will have a look at the programme and decide which race is best for the horse. He will most certainly be entered in the [G1] Criterium de Saint Cloud.”

Victoria Road, the lone black-type scorer for his dam, is one of five winners from many runners out of G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. victrix Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), herself a daughter of multiple Group-winning G1 July Cup second Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}). Tickled Pink is thus kin to three stakes performers headed by three-time Group 1-winning distaffer Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), herself the dam of three pattern-race winners by Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). They include multiple Group 1-winning heroine Magical (Ire) and her dual Group 1-winning full-sister Rhododendron (Ire), the latter being the dam of last week's G2 Champions Juvenile S. victor Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Halfway To Heaven's half-sister Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) is the dam of GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo Drive S. winner Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Cassandra Go is kin to G3 Coventry S. winner and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Verglas (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}). Tickled Pink has a weanling colt by Ghaiyyath (Ire) to come.

Saturday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE CONDE-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 9-17, 2yo, c/g, 9fT, 1:49.11, g/s.
1–VICTORIA ROAD (IRE), 126, c, 2, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)
1st Dam: Tickled Pink (Ire) (MGSW-Eng, $117,768), by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
2nd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahaam, by Secreto
1ST GROUP WIN. (115,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Trevor Stewart (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-0, €144,350. *1st Group winner for freshman sire (by Deep Impact {Jpn}). Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rashford (Fr), 126, c, 2, Zarak (Fr)–Randium (Fr), by Sinndar (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Friedrich Hodel (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €16,000.
3–Nasomo (Ire), 126, c, 2, Australia (GB)–Navaro Girl (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Stall Nizza; B-Ursula & Jurgen Imm (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 3HF, HD. Odds: 1.90, 5.10, 9.00.
Also Ran: Duc De Morny (GB), Mojo Ego (Ire), Precious Sea (GB), Angers (Fr), Kamino (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Daughter Of Dank Appears 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. Saturday's Observations features a daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Dank (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

1.58 Chantilly, Cond, €27,000, 2yo, c/g, 9fT
SILAWI (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a son of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), who was also third in the G1 Prix de Diane. Trained like that former Wertheimer luminary by Carlos Laffon-Parias, the March-foaled homebred from the family of their Arc winner Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) is one of two newcomers pitched in against six experienced peers.

 

1.10 Newbury, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT
LIEBER POWER (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) is a half-brother to this year's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational winner McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), last year's G3 Sceptre S. scorer Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) winner Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Andrew Balding introduces King Power's 200,000gns Book 1 purchase in a field that includes Clipper Logistics' homebred Feud (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Ralph Beckett-trained son of the G2 May Hill S. scorer and G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Agnes Stewart (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

 

1.31 Newmarket, Novice, £8,000, 2yo, f, 8fT
DOOM (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) makes her belated debut, having been withdrawn from her intended one at Salisbury at the start of the month, and is the fourth foal out of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and GI Beverly D. S. heroine Dank (GB) (Dansili {GB}). James Wigan's April-foaled relative of the top-level scorers Eagle Mountain (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Sulk (Ire) (Selkirk) represents the William Haggas stable which won this 12 months ago.

 

2.10 Gowran Park, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 8fT
DELIGHTFUL (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) bids to build on her debut fourth at The Curragh last month and add to an illustrious family honor roll which includes her full-sisters Minding (Ire), Tuesday (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire). The eighth foal out of the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the May-foaled bay is joined by fellow Ballydoyle representative High Chieftess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Also in the list is Craig Bernick's colour-bearer Sounds Of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a Jessica Harrington-trained relative of Galileo's starlets Hermosa (Ire) and Hydrangea (Ire) who cost 650,000gns at the Book 1 Sale.

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