Europe | Horse Racing Free Tips

Observations: Arqana September Topper Debuts 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 Insights features half-sister to top-shelf performers Sottsass (Fr) and Sistercharlie (Ire) at Newmarket Friday.

3.20 Doncaster, Novice, £7,300, 3yo/up, f/m, 10f 43yT
ROYAL SCANDAL (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks to underline the striking impression she made on debut at Newcastle last month under a seven-pound penalty facing a trio of rivals. Racing in the Vestey silks carried to G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. glory by her dam Seal of Approval (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), the February-foaled chestnut is therefore a full-sister to the dual group-placed Promissory (Ire) from the family of Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who enjoyed one of his biggest days here in September.

3.25 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, 10fT
SAFARIA (Dubawi {Ire}) stands out in this intriguing affair as a daughter of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast) who represents her owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani. Francis-Henri Graffard introduces the February-foaled bay, whose peers include another relative of a Classic heroine in the Niarchos Family's Feel (Into Mischief), a Pascal Bary-trained half-sister to the G1 Prix de Diane winner Senga (Blame).

5.0 Curragh, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, 6fT
ST KITTS (IRE) (No Nay Never) may not be the pick of Ryan Moore of the Ballydoyle pair, but the newcomer has much to commend him as a son of the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Bracelet (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) by the sire who is off to a flyer this term. The April-foaled chestnut is back-up to the stable's Roscommon fourth Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), a son of the dual group 3-winning sprinter Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), while among the other newcomers is the Niarchos's Yosemite Valley (GB) (Shamardal), a Donnacha O'Brien-trained half-brother to the stable's G3 Ballysax S. winner Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) who was withdrawn from his intended debut at Naas last month.

5.35 Curragh, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 7fT
DOWER HOUSE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is another Ballydoyle debutante without the services of Ryan Moore, but as a full-sister to Churchill (Ire) and Clemmie (Ire) she is more of a next-time project given that both her illustrious siblings were only placed on their racecourse bows. Aidan O'Brien's first string is very much the six-furlong course maiden third Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the first foal out of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational winner Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) from the family of the opening maiden's protagonist St Kitts and Sea the Stars (Ire) and Galileo (Ire). Jessie Harrington, who took this last year with the future G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) as she inched out Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), saddles Yuesheng Zhang's newcomer Danvers Gold (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of the G3 Cornwallis S. scorer Mrs Danvers (GB) (Hellvelyn {GB}) who cost 320,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2.

6.25 Newmarket, Novice, £10,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT
PURE DIGNITY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is yet another by the supersire to catch the eye on Friday, being the €2.5million Arqana Deauville September Yearling Sale topper. Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa and KHK Racing's half-sister to Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the similarly high-class Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) finally gets out for Roger Varian and faces four on her debut.

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Eight Set For Irish Derby

Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will be contested by seven colts and the filly Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) after Aidan O'Brien confirmed just that G1 Oaks heroine for The Curragh's €1 million Classic. Drawn in stall one as she bids to become the first of her sex to prevail since Balanchine (Storm Bird) in 1994, she meets Juddmonte's G1 Derby third Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who will break from stall five. With Rosegreen's Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set to go elsewhere, the form of Epsom's Blue Riband will also be represented by Flaxman Holdings' Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) and the outsider Glory Daze (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}). Ecurie Ama Zingteam's G3 Gallinule S. winner Hannibal Barca (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Normandie Stud's Listed Cocked Hat S. scorer Lionel (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) are two other notable contenders.

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Why Redvers Forgave Conformation Issues to Buy Lion Of War for Just 7,000

Lion Of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) became a TDN Rising Star after bolting up at Newcastle on Thursday but David Redvers, who signed for the colt on behalf of Qatar Racing for just 7,000gns, revealed how he called on the opinion of co-trainer Mark Johnston in a bid to ascertain if he would stand up to training or not.

Redvers revealed he was surprised that Lion Of War was knocked down to him for just 7,000gns at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Sale, however, he admitted that the colt's front leg was far from the prettiest, which may go some way to explaining the basement sum.

But after getting the seal of approval from Johnston, Redvers was convinced Lion Of War was worth pursuing, and what a bargain he is turning out to be.

Redvers said, “Obviously he had the benefit of a previous outing but he has clearly surprised Charlie and Cieren [Fallon, jockey] by how much he has leapt forward from his debut win which is fantastic. He's bred to get 10 furlongs so, to be doing what he did today at Newcastle so well, it gives us great hope that we might have something a bit special.”

Lion Of War looked a colt of immense promise at Newcastle. His win was tinged in sadness, however, given the Qatar Racing team lost Roaring Lion prematurely due to colic in 2019.

“It's well documented how gastly the whole thing was when we lost Roaring Lion. From Sheikh Fahad down to the lad who looked after Roaring Lion, everyone adored the horse as he had such character,” Redvers said.

“You can see lots of him coming through in his stock and you can see lots of him in Lion Of War with the way that he gallops. When he pricked his ears in the last furlong or two as he was being let down, he looked exactly like his old man. It's obviously quite sad but we are equally blessed to have raced at least one good crop of Roaring Lions and, if it's not this fellow, there will be one in there who will replicate what he did or at least go close to it. He looks the best of them so far and it's just extraordinary that it happens to be from the cheapest purchase.”

Recalling Lion Of War as a yearling, Redvers said that it was the colt's front legs that put most people off. However, Johnston gave him the confidence to buy the horse and now stakes races await.

He said, “It's really quite fascinating. From the side view, he was an absolute miller, a 150,000gns horse. But when he walked towards you, his front legs were not terribly pretty.

“I asked Mark Johnston for his opinion as to whether he could train it and as you can imagine Mark said he most definitely could.

“You could never have imagined that we would get him for that money and it was interesting that we were allowed to by the vendor and the opposition.”

Redvers added, “Conformationally, there was definitely a risk element but what's really fascinating is that Kevin Darley was in Mark's yesterday and took a head-on video of a horse. “We compared the videos to see how he has shaped up and it's amazing how his leg has straightened up. They are still not perfect knees but they are within the acceptable limit.

“They are not slowing him down. I worked for Mark many moons ago and his words to me were, 'I would rather a Ferrari with worn tyres than a Mini Cooper with Pirellis.' We have had hundreds of horses in training over the years and the common denominator between the lame ones and the sound ones was rarely their front-leg conformation.”

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Galway Excited by Next Crop of Alpha Racing Runners After Cadillac Sale

Just over a week after selling the syndicate's flag-bearer Cadillac (Ire) (Lope De Vega) for a cool £500,000 at the Goffs London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot, Alpha Racing are concentrated on sending out the stars of the future at the Curragh on Derby weekend, headed by G2 Airlie Stud S. contender It's Showtime Baby (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

A winner of a Dundalk maiden on debut back in April, the Jessica Harrington-trained It's Showtime Baby achieved black type when running third in a Group 3 at Naas last month.

Connections opted to sidestep the royal meeting in preference for the Curragh this weekend and Richie Galway, who set up the commercially-driven Alpha Racing Syndicate with Harrington, is optimistic about the next batch of 2-year-old coming through.

He said, “We have It's Showtime Baby (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) to look forward to in the G2 Airlie Stud S. at the Curragh on Sunday. We decided against going to Royal Ascot with her because we thought this race would suit. She has won her maiden and has black type. She looks progressive.

“We have two nice colts running at the Curragh as well. We bought them at the breeze-ups. National Emblem (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) looks to be a lovely horse and he runs on Friday. The First And Last (Ire) (No Nay Never) runs on Sunday so it's a very exciting weekend for the group.”

Galway added, “We try to make Flat racing accessible and give people an opportunity to spread their risk. The syndicate is somewhat commercial. We have fun but we also trade and have been very conscious about that in the four years we've been up and running.

“Everything we run is for sale at a price. When we go to the yearlings sales, we have a limit and we try to limit the syndicate to 20 people at around €50,000 apiece. We all take a share ourselves; myself, Jessica [Harrington] and Patrick [Cooper] so we are all invested in it.”

Cadillac was the last of the yearlings bought in 2019 on behalf of the syndicate. His sale ensured that the owners recorded an overall profit and, according to Galway, the current crop of 3-year-olds in training with Harrington are on course to ensure it will be another lucrative investment for the 20 or so people who make up the syndicate.

He said, “Cadillac's sale was the highlight. He has been a flagship horse for the syndicate and has brought us all over the world. He ran brilliantly at the Breeders' Cup, got us to Bahrain and won at Leopardstown a few times as well. We were sorry to see him go but the objective of the syndicate is to trade.”

Galway added, “In this year's 3-year-olds, we have Nectaris (GB), who ran well in a Listed race at Longchamp, and she's a lovely filly by Sea The Moon (Ger).

“We also have Viareggio (Ire) (Caravaggio) and she has been third now in two Listed races and Cowboy Justice (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who is another solid horse. We also had an unraced Zoffany (Ire) colt in that year. I'd be disappointed if that syndicate doesn't make a profit on their initial investment as well.”

Excitement levels are on the rise among the syndicate members as Harrington lifts the wraps on the next batch of runners this weekend and Galway is cautiously optimistic about the future, outlining an ability to sell horses all over the world after they show a level of ability in Ireland.

He said, “It's an exciting weekend. But it's been an exciting couple of weeks with the sale of Cadillac and the two runners–Nectaris and Viareggio-at Longchamp.

“The benefit of having a small stake in all of these horses is that you get consistent and regular action. There are people involved from all over the world–Asia, America, Britain and Ireland.”

He added, “Last year for example, we bought a horse called Pioneering Spirit (American Pharoah) at the breeze-ups. We paid 100,000gns for him and ran him four weeks later in a Curragh maiden.

“He finished fourth and we got him sold straight after that. The syndicate owned the horse for six weeks and got a nice return on the purchase price in that short space of time. Irish racing is held in high regard all over the world. If you can win or be placed in a maiden here you have a pretty good commodity on your hands.”

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