Tag: Europe

Dark Angel’s Khaadem Powers To King George Glory

Charles Hills dominated Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. with the now-retired Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) from 2017 through 2020 and has found another son of Dark Angel to claim glory in the five-furlong charge after G3 Palace House S. victor Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}–White Daffodil {Ire}, by Footstepsinthesand {GB}) blew his rivals away and provided the trainer with a record-breaking fifth renewal on Friday. Fitri Hay's 6-year-old gelding had already tasted glory at this meeting, having annexed 2019's Stewards' Cup H. as a 3-year-old, and burst clear in the closing stages here for a career high. Racing under a firm grip in mid division through furious early fractions, the 8-1 chance made eyecatching headway into contention from halfway and went beyond recall once quickening for control entering the final furlong to hold the fast-closing G3 Coral Charge victor Raasel (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) by a neck. Clive Cox trainee Caturra (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was best of the remainder and finished 3/4-of-a-length adrift in third.

“It has always been the plan to come here, the track suits and he has won here before in the Stewards' Cup,” explained Hills. “He is getting faster with age and today he was so relaxed, which is not like him. I said to Ryan [Moore] that he was held up when he won the Stewards' Cup, so ride him how you want. He has won a couple of times making all, but he does not have to be ridden that way and Ryan gave him a peach [of a ride]. The way the race unfolded, they all came down the one side, and that opened everything up. He likes a bit of space in his races. He is a good horse, a very good horse with a lot of speed. Ryan was very positive after and we will look now for a Group 1, the Nunthorpe or wherever. He is growing up and sprinters can take their time. As a 3-year-old he had a fantastic season, but it then did not quite work for him as a 4-year-old. When Baattash won this day, Khaadem won the Stewards' Cup the next day and someone told me that he clocked a quicker sectional. We went then to a [G1] Haydock Sprint Cup and have always thought he could get to the top table. Maybe it's age, maturity or being cut. He wears a red hood, but he is not tricky, just a bit quirky.”

Moore added, “Khaadem has shown already this year how good he is in the Palace House. It is the first time I've sat on him and the plan was not to be dropping him in. They went very hard and the pace was either side of me. Because he usually leads, I ended up taking it up too soon and he was waiting in front. He won the Stewards' Cup over six furlongs and has won this over five. He can win dropped in or from the front. He is a very good horse.”

Jim Hay, husband of winning owner Fitri, continued, “We have always thought that Khaadem was a class horse. We were hopeful that he would deliver on our expectations and he did. That was perfect, and a great training performance from Charlie. I could not split Khaadem and our other runner [eighth-placed] Equilateral, as they are neck and neck on the gallops. Equilateral did everything we wanted from him. He ran a great race and will win a big one at some point. Goodwood is a fantastic track, a lucky place for us, and we've had a great week.”

Raasel's trainer Mick Appleby was upbeat despite his star attraction's reversal. “Raasel has run a blinder,” the trainer said. “James [Doyle] just said at halfway he hit a false bit of ground and that is when he had just come off the bridle. The ground may be overwatered for him and he likes a quicker surface. He has run a blinder and the winner Khaadem is a very good horse, so we're not disappointed at all. Raasel is definitely a Group 2 horse and I would imagine it will be the [G1] Nunthorpe and the [G1] Flying Five now.”

Reflecting on the performance of third-placed Caturra, trainer Clive Cox said, “It was a very pleasing run. He probably got a little bit outpaced for the first furlong down the hill, but really hit the line well. I am delighted and that was a very good performance. He is a horse that really came into himself for the second part of last year, so I'm quite excited. He isn't that ground dependent, so we can look at all the nice five-furlong races from here on.”

Khaadem, one of his sire's 49 pattern-race winners, is one of two stakes scorers for White Daffodil (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and thus a full-brother to Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy victor and multiple Group-placed G2 Norfolk S. and G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Log Out Island (Ire) (Dark Angel (Ire). White Daffodil is a winning sibling of three stakes performers headed by Listed Carnarvon S. and Listed Prix Saraca winner Lady Links (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), herself the dam of Listed Oh So Sharp S. victrix Selinka (GB) (Selkirk). Selinka, in turn, is the dam of G3 Curragh S. and G3 Mercury S. winner Hit The Bid (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and the stakes-winning distaffer Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}). From the immediate family of G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest-winning sire Bold Edge (GB) (Beveled), Khaadem is also a full-brother to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Themainprotagonist (Ire) and a weanling filly.

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 3yo/up, 5fT, :56.46, g/f.
1–KHAADEM (IRE), 130, g, 6, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: White Daffodil (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB)
2nd Dam: Sparky's Song (GB), by Electric (GB)
3rd Dam: Daring Ditty (GB), by Daring March (GB)
(750,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Ryan Moore. £170,130. Lifetime Record: SP-UAE, 23-7-2-3, $647,408. *Full to Log Out Island (IRE), SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Ire & SP-Fr, $250,585. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Raasel (GB), 130, g, 5, 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. £64,500.
3–Caturra (Ire), 126, c, 3, Mehmas (Ire)–Shoshoni Wind (GB), by Sleeping Indian (GB). (110,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Clive Cox. £32,280.
Margins: NK, 3/4, NO. Odds: 8.00, 3.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Lazuli (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Clarendon House (GB), Acklam Express (Ire), Equilateral (GB), Existent (GB), Mitbaahy (Ire), Vertiginous (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Lillie Langtry To Conclude Glorious Week

The elite-level contests are done, track records have tumbled and Goodwood's five-day bonanza concludes with the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. taking centre stage at the Sussex venue on Saturday.

The £300,000 14-furlong distaffers' test has fallen to favourites in six of the last nine editions and this year's market is headed by Sunderland Holding's G2 Lancashire Oaks runner-up Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 Irish Oaks fourth Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The former's stamina is not in question, according to William Haggas, with the Somerville Lodge trainer bidding to double his win tally after Baaeed's G1 Sussex S. success earlier in the week. “Sea La Rosa is very well and we have obviously had this race in mind since Haydock,” Haggas said. “She ran a very good race there on ground which we did not think suited her. She won over a mile and five [furlongs] at Lingfield and we think she'd get the trip without any problem, so we think she has got a chance.”

Irish To Buck The Trends?
Aidan O'Brien is in unfamiliar territory and yet to register a win, from seven runners, in the contest and is represented by the progressive Emily Dickinson, who was narrowly denied by Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Leopardstown's G3 Stanerra S. earlier in the month before missing out on her Classic placing by a half-length last time. She will attempt to buck a trend which has seen just five sophomore triumphs and one Irish victory in 19 renewals.

Accompanying her on the trip from Ireland is Newtown Anner Stud's Jessica Harrington trainee Forbearance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has twice chased home Rosscarbery and finished behind Emily Dickinson in the Stanerra when last seen. The 5-year-old, set to be partnered by Hollie Doyle for a second time, accounted for Sea La Rosa when the duo met in last term's G3 Princess Royal S. at Newmarket and the rider will be hoping to outpoint husband Tom Marquand for household bragging rights.

“Forbearance gave me a memorable afternoon at York's Ebor Festival last year when she won the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Galtres S. and I'm hoping she can rediscover her best form and outrun a big price,” said Doyle. “She beat Sea La Rosa by more than four lengths at Newmarket, but William Haggas's filly has improved considerably since then.”

With five millimetres of overnight watering scheduled, Harrington nonetheless expects Forbearance to relish underfoot conditions and added, “She ran a much better race the last time and has come into herself now. She did not come into herself last year until August and she seems to be in good form. She will love the ground and the quicker the better. Hopefully she will put her best foot forward.”

Click here to view the group fields.

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Time Test’s Rocchigiani Battles To G3 Thoroughbred Triumph

Goodwood may not have attracted as big an international contingent as last month's Royal Ascot festival, but Thursday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. was very much a continental affair as Germany's G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) second Rocchigiani (GB) (Time Test {GB}–Ronja, by El Corredor) showed his class to garner the 3-year-old one-mile test. Last term's G3 Zukunftsrennen victor, who ran fifth in the Royal meet's June 18 G3 Jersey S. last time, was positioned in second as Norway's Norsk 2000 Guineas hero Hotline Bling (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) established a clear lead through halfway. Cruising closer on the bridle in the straight to challenge hard on the steel passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-backed 11-2 chance quickened smartly to seize control approaching the final furlong and was driven out in the closing stages to bravely hold The Wizard Of Eye (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and Sonny Liston (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) by 3/4-of-a-length and the same.

“Rocchigiani is a nice horse, he travelled well in the race and the pace was good for him,” said winning trainer Peter Schiergen after the local stewards allowed the finishing order to remain unchanged. “His form in Germany was very good, he's a speed horse and he likes leading horses. The owners [Stall Domstadt] like Goodwood and always come here and this is my first winner here today. We have not had many runners and it is not easy to do. I looked from race to race after [Royal] Ascot and we will chat about what to do now. His last race was seven furlongs, but the mile is a little better for him. Maybe we will come back to England next.”

Winning rider Tom Marquand, who incurred a three-day sting for his alleged transgressions in the closing stages, added, “Rocchigiani ran well when fifth in the Jersey. He looked like he had a good bit of speed, so when Hotline Bling burst clear, I was happy to sit and use that injection of speed to go and win the race. It got a little bit messy at the two-furlong pole when the leader weakened, but this horse has travelled over really well for the Peter Schiergen team and it is a job well done. I was never really worried about the ground with his action. He is probably more used to cut in the ground, but it just shows that what they are used to is not always what they want.”

“The Wizard Of Eye has run a fantastic race,” reflected the second's trainer Stan Moore. “He is still, as you can see, a very big horse and James [Doyle] said that he was still a little bit raw. He is 17 1 1/2hh and there's not many Flat horses that size. We missed the last two-and-a-half months with him because he started early and ran good in the Saudi Derby and he will come on. We will probably do a little bit of a winter campaign again, but I think there's a hell of a lot more to come from the horse and we will probably have to wait until next year to see that.”

Sonny Liston's trainer Charlie Hills said, “He travelled really nicely and I was really pleased. After running in the Derby, we gave him a bit of time off and brought him right back in trip. I am delighted with him.”

Hotline Bling was the main victim of scrimmaging in the latter stages and his owner Hans Christian Valstad commented, “It is just a victory to be here. For this to happen is a bummer, but we're delighted to be here in the UK. Back home in Norway, the winner of the race would have been scratched. He impacted my horse quite heavily and Hotline Bling's jockey had to be pull him up and lost several lengths. For us back home, he would have finished fourth at least, but it is what it is. It's okay and you can't change the rules. We have a dream to go to Royal Ascot at some point and, when we got invited to Goodwood, it only took me two minutes to say 'let's go' as you need to take the opportunity.”

Rocchigiani, one of two pattern-race and an overall five black-type winners for Newmarket's National Stud resident Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), is the sixth foal and scorer from as many runners produced by Listed Dusseldorfer Henkel-Stutenpreis victrix Ronja (El Corredor), herself kin to the dam of GII Knickerbocker S. third En Wye Cee (Declaration Of War). The May-foaled bay is a half-brother to stakes-winning G2 Godolphin Mile runner-up and dual G3 Burj Nahaar placegetter Ross (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and a yearling filly by Iffraaj (GB).

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 3yo, 8fT, 1:38.10, g/f.
1–ROCCHIGIANI (GB), 129, c, 3, by Time Test (GB)
1st Dam: Ronja (SW-Ger), by El Corredor
2nd Dam: Royal Sanction, by Royal Academy
3rd Dam: Northern Sanction, by Affirmed
O-Stall Domstadt; B-Dr Till Grewe (GB); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Tom Marquand. £56,710. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ger, 7-3-1-0, $139,737. *1/2 to Ross (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), SW-Fr, MGSP-UAE & SP-Ger, $464,735. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Wizard Of Eye (Ire), 129, c, 3, Galileo Gold (GB)–Prom Dress (GB), by Mount Nelson (GB). (€4,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; £7,500 RNA Ylg '20 TATIRY; €7,500 RNA 2yo '21 GOFFEB). O-O Humphrey, A Favell, R Humphrey & J S Moore; B-M Phelan (IRE); T-Stan Moore. £21,500.
3–Sonny Liston (Ire), 129, c, 3, Lawman (Fr)–Stars In Your Eyes (GB), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (60,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Chelsea Thoroughbreds (The Big Bear); B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £10,760.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 2. Odds: 5.50, 40.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Bayside Boy (Ire), Hotline Bling (Ire), Berkshire Shadow (GB), Checkandchallenge (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Desert Crown Unlikely To Run Again This Season

Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is doubtful to run again this season but connections of the brilliant G1 Derby winner are committed to keeping him in training next year. 

Sir Michael Stoute's sixth Derby winner has not raced since his Epsom triumph and Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, delivered the news on Friday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast that the colt was unlikely to reappear again in 2022. 

“The difficult thing is, would he [Stoute] have time to prepare him [for the major races in the autumn] and that probably is doubtful,” Raymond said.

Asked if he was confident that Desert Crown would be back next year, Raymond added, “One hundred per cent yes, he'll definitely be back next year. I don't know what the programme is but I know Saeed would like to take him to Dubai for the Sheema Classic but that's entirely up to him and Sir Michael. 

“The trouble with the [G1] Sheema Classic is, it's a great race and you get lots of kudos for winning it over there, but you miss so many early-season races because you have to give them a good rest afterwards. 

“Saeed is looking towards Dubai with him and we're pretty confident that he'll get there.”

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