Tag: Europe

Exceed And Excel’s Mawj Survives Enquiry In The Duchess Of Cambridge

Godolphin's homebred 2-year-old distaffer Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}–Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) exhibited an impressive array of gears when earning 'TDN Rising Star' status by daylight in her May 14 debut over six furlongs at Newmarket's Rowley Mile venue and followed up with a second in Royal Ascot's June 17 G3 Albany S. in her only other start last time. Lining up as a 4-1 chance for Friday's bet365-sponsored G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at HQ's July course, the G1 Moyglare Stud S. nominee bounced back in style, and survived a stewards' enquiry, to claim a first black-type triumph in the six-furlong test. Positioned on the lead after a slick getaway, she was bustled along when threatened on both sides at the foot of the hill and kept on strongly, despite a leftward drift, in the closing stages to deny the hitherto unbeaten Listed Empress S. victrix Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) by a half length for a career high.

“The way she won the race is exciting and now we're looking at the [G1] Cheveley Park,” revealed trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who notched his second win, and first since 1997, in the contest. “She's a tiny filly, but she obviously has class. I remember when she won first time out, off the back of one piece of work, because she was light and she won well. She was behind a good filly at [Royal] Ascot and now winning this is a good result for her. I hope she grows and if she does it would be great. I'll take her to Dubai to find nice races for her in the winter, but her next target is the Cheveley Park and she will have a break now. Seven furlongs will be better for her at the end of the season.”

Winning rider Ray Dawson incurred a three-day suspension for careless riding in the closing stages and added, “Obviously there was interference, I was unaware where Frankie [Dettori on Lezoo] was until probably the last furlong and it was a little bit late then. I straightened my filly up and she was always going to stay in front. We kept the race, but it's mandatory that you're going to get between two and four days. I got three which is fair enough. I watched the video of the head-on and I did let her drift across and I've got to be punished for that. I am over the moon for this filly and we got very excited when she won first time out at Newmarket. Ascot didn't work out the way we hoped and she ran a great race [in the Albany], but we bumped into a very good horse on the day. She jumped and was very professional today. She wanted to please me the whole way and wanted to get her head in front. She was tough when she needed to be and she's got a lot of scope for the future. She's definitely heading towards a Group 1, she's ticking all the boxes and the [G1] Cheveley Park sounds about right at this moment.”

Ralph Beckett, trainer of runner-up Lezoo, commented, “I was very pleased with the run, she ran her race and left it all there. We just couldn't quite get it done. She was ready for it, from the way she was training, and I was happy to come back here after her Listed win here 13 days ago. Six furlongs on this [good-to-firm] ground appears her gig. Her dam was very much a soft-ground filly that won the [G3] Firth Of Clyde, so I wouldn't mind trying her on it.”

Mawj is the fifth of six foals and one of four scorers out of a half-sister to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-winning sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), G3 Prix Minerve victrix Synopsis (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}) and the dual stakes-placed Epic Similie (GB) (Lomitas {GB}), herself the dam of G2 July S. and G3 Sirenia S. runner-up Figure of Speech (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Her dam Modern Ideals (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) is also kin to the dam of Listed Prix Pelleas second Lackeen (GB) (Shamardal). Descendants of her MGSW third dam Proskona (Mr. Prospector), herself a half-sister to MG1SP sire Keos (Riverman) and GSW matriarch Korveya (Riverman), include MG1SW sire Act One (GB) (In the Wings {GB}), G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains third Gharir (Ire) (Machiavellian), G1 Fillies' Mile second Summer Symphony (Ire) (Caerleon) and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational third Summer Solo (Arch). The April-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), stakes-winning G3 Diomed S. second Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) and a yearling filly by Mastercraftsman (Ire).

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE S. (SPONSORED BY BET365)-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-8, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.02, g/f.
1–MAWJ (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Proskona, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Ray Dawson. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $102,467. *1/2 to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), GISW-US, G1SW-Fr & GSW-Eng, $1,136,105; and Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), SW & GSP-Eng, SP-UAE, $176,814. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lezoo (GB), 128, f, 2, Zoustar (Aus)–Roger Sez (Ire), by Red Clubs (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (77,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; €110,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Marc Chan & Andrew Rosen; B-Chasemore Farm (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £21,500.
3–Queen Olly (Ire), 128, f, 2, No Nay Never–Surprisingly (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€300,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Diamond Creek Farm (IRE); T-David Loughnane. £10,760.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.00, 1.88, 9.00.
Also Ran: Tagline (GB), Carmela (Ire), Maylandsea (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Kingman’s Epictetus Oozes Class In TDN Rising Star Display

George Strawbridge's 2-year-old colt Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) was the pick of a baker's dozen on breeding, but not so in the betting, for Friday's Weatherbys British EBF Maiden S. at Newmarket and made a mockery of 11-1 odds with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in a heat won last term by subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up and G3 Jersey S. victor Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}). The 2022 G1 Derby entry was swiftly into a comfortable rhythm behind the leaders and raced on the bridle through halfway in this seven-furlong contest. Making eyecatching headway under a motionless Martin Harley to ease ahead at the quarter-mile marker, he was given a shake of the reins when threatened approaching the final furlong and kept on powerfully up the hill to easily outpoint Leadman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths in impressive fashion.

“He's done nothing at home, he's worked gently on the bridle with another horse and wasn't wound up in any way for the race,” explained trainer John Gosden. “He was so sensible in the proceedings beforehand and in the race he did it all very professionally. He's not been on the grass for seven weeks, he's just been on the all-weather. Martin [Harley] gave him a lovely ride and I'm overjoyed. James Wigan bought the mare for Mr Strawbridge at the Rothschild dispersal and she was an exceptionally talented Group 1 winner that Roger [Charlton] trained. We'll go a step at a time and won't go jumping in the deep end. I think he'll be very comfortable over a mile, we'll go to a novice and then see where we go from there.”

Epictetus is the fifth foal and winner for 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 the winner, at Tattersalls' 2019 December Mares fixture and has also produced Listed Radley S. victrix and G3 Fred Darling S. runner-up Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire). 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).

1st-Newmarket, £15,000, Mdn, 7-8, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:24.28, g/f.
EPICTETUS (IRE), c, 2, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Thistle Bird (GB) (Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Ire, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, $577,634), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Dolma (Fr), by Marchand de Sable
3rd Dam: Young Manila, by Manila
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £8,100. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Hugely Popular Group 1 Winner Lord Glitters Retired

Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper–Lady Glitters {Fr}, by Homme de Loi {Ire}), one of the most popular horses in training, has bowed out from racing and been retired, according to his trainer David O'Meara.

The Group 1-winning grey amassed £2.2 million in prize-money throughout a glittering career on the track. He won 11 of his 46 starts and netted connections another massive payday when bagging the G2 Singspiel S. at Meydan back in February.

From the same family as French Group 3 winner Petit Chevalier (Fr) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Lord Glitters carried the colours of the late Geoff Turnbull and his wife Sandra and the undoubted highlight of his career came when he won the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot in 2019.

He also won the G1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai last year, the Balmoral H. at Ascot and the G3 Strensall S. at York.

O'Meara said, “Obviously, if he was still going, we'd go back to Bahrain, as he had each of the past few winters abroad, but we feel he's had enough. He's had a lot of racing on his old body and it now looks like it is time to pack up.

“He had a good winter. He won the Bahrain Trophy and the Singspiel again and I don't want him to decline–I want him to finish off having a good year and this seems to be the right time now.”

The trainer added, “He's had a good career. He's won a lot of prize-money and won a lot of big races and has been brilliant for us and a huge flag-bearer for the yard.

“I know he has been campaigned a lot abroad, but to win almost two-and-a-quarter million in prize money is very good for a horse based in England.”

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Son Of Thistle Bird Catches The Eye 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. Friday's Observations features a son of Group 1 winner Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk).

1.15 Newmarket, Mdn, £15,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT
EPICTETUS (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is one of the key members of this boutique maiden full of illustriously-bred types, being a son of the G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk). John and Thady Gosden introduce George Strawbridge's May-foaled bay, whose half-sister is the Listed Radley S. winner and G3 Fred Darling S. runner-up Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), and among those he encounters is Godolphin's forecast favourite Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars (Ire}). He is a relative of Lammtarra and one of a duo from Charlie Appleby's stable, which has won three of the last six renewals of this race including in 2021 with the subsequent G3 Jersey S. scorer Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}).

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