Shaquille Working Toward Haydock’s Sprint Cup

Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), a dual Group 1-winning sprinter in the colours of Hughes, Rawlings, and O'Shaughnessy, will shortly begin his fast work in preparation for the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sept. 9.

Trained by Julie Camacho, the 3-year-old is eight-for-seven and claimed both the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the G1 July Cup S. in July.

“Shaquille is in really good form,” said Camacho's husband and assistant Steve Brown. “We purposely gave him a quiet couple of weeks after Newmarket which was always the plan. “He looks well and it has freshened him up. He has regrouped nicely and is back cantering.

“We are very pleased with him. He is a very straightforward horse at home and he will do his first bit of fast work on Saturday. We are all systems go to Haydock and we're looking forward to it.”

Of the colt's autumn plans, Brown added, “I would think the obvious route would be to go to Champions Day [in October]. We've obviously had a little bit of interest in the possibility of going abroad [to the Breeders' Cup] this year, but I think we will be staying at home and probably go to Ascot.

“We'll go a step at a time, but it will have been a long year by then and he's still a 3-year-old and we have to be mindful of that.”

Co-owned by joint-breeder Martin Hughes, Shaquille has generated plenty of attention regarding a future stallion career.

“There has been lots of interest in him,” Brown said. “We have directed that down to Martin. He's waded through it and I think he's keen to do something more towards the end of the year, really.

“He said pretty early on it was something we'd discuss at the end of the year and we should just get on and enjoy the racing for now in the short term. There are lots of scenarios, but he's been wonderful whatever happens.”

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Mehmas’s Minzaal Electrifies The Sprint Cup

Haydock missed the rain on Friday night and Saturday and so the depleted line-up for the feature G1 Betfair Sprint Cup needed a stimulant. It got that and then some in the form of Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who came to the fore in scintillating fashion to become yet another in a long line of star sprinters operating in the Shadwell livery.

Looking ready for this career-defining moment when storming to success in Newbury's G3 Hackwood S. on a similarly fast surface over this six-furlong trip July 16, the 7-2 second favourite who had been second to Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in Deauville's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest in the interim Aug. 7, was visually full of running covered up in mid-pack by Jim Crowley. Let loose approaching the final furlong, the Owen Burrows-trained 4-year-old piled it on to romp to a 3 3/4-length verdict over last year's winner Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal), who denied Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) by a short head.

“That was impressive, but it's not a surprise because we've always held him in high regard,” Crowley said. “He won the Gimcrack at two and then he went wrong after that. He is a remarkable horse because he is so laid-back. He is like a boxer–literally the bell goes and he wakes up then. He is a real dude.

“He has been a bit slow away in the past, which has probably cost him a couple of races, but today he jumped nicely and they went a nice pace. I was always travelling very comfortably and as I got the split he was away and gone. He is equally effective on good-to-soft as he is on fast ground and the main aim would now be Champions Day, so we will try and nick another one with him.”

Having won the G2 Gimcrack S. and finished third in Newmarket's G1 Middle Park S. as a 2-year-old, Minzaal was off the track until Ascot's Listed Rous S. over five furlongs in early October and his effort when second there proved he had lost little effectiveness during his downtime. Third in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. a fortnight later, he went into winter quarters with the chance of a clean run through the 2022 season and on his comeback ran into what looks to be the clear sprint division leader in Highfield Princess when third to her in the May 11 G2 1895 Duke Of York S. Apparently averse to cheekpieces when only 13th in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. at the Royal meeting June 18, he was back in the groove without headgear in the Hackwood and Maurice de Gheest to set up this career-best.

Tracking the right rivals up the centre of the track in Flaming Rib (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) and Emaraaty Ana, the bay took a few strides to really engage top gear when brought between them approaching the furlong pole but stretched out willingly from there to forge a large opening on top-class opponents. The 3-1 market-leader Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was disappointing as he beat only one of the 12 runners, with the five non-runners due to the fast ground including the leading contenders Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Brad The Brief (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}).

Owen Burrows, whose record for Shadwell on big Saturdays is outstanding, was delighted his stable star had finally achieved what looked inevitable on that gloomy August day on York's Knavesmire two years ago. “He ran a big race in France last time and credit to Shaun his groom, who's been telling me that he's been in better form coming into this than he was for France and he was right. It was a big performance,” he said. “He's a pleasure to deal with, that's his one major attribute that he's got a temperament to die for as a sprinter. He's so laid-back about life, he just eats, sleeps and works and he's just lovely and a pleasure to train.”

“There was plenty of room so once he jumped and got a nice position behind the leaders–something which didn't quite materialise in France–I was happy and it's a massive performance,” he added. “I'm thrilled for him, he's been knocking on the door for some time and through no fault of his own he didn't get a chance last year to show what he can do and he's finally got to prove it. He'll go to Ascot next, all being well, Jim has been saying for most of the year that he'd appreciate a bit of juice but it didn't look that way just then!”

Emaraaty Ana's jockey Andrea Atzeni said, “He ran a blinder. It was very similar to last year in that he travelled beautifully through the race and when I let him down he really picked up for me, he just found one a bit too good on the day.”

Hollie Doyle said of Rohaan, “It was a great run and they went flat out, a lot quicker than at Newbury and I think that played into most of our strengths.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Minzaal's unraced dam Pardoven (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), whose maiden 2-year-old Maxi King (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was a 280,000gns purchase by A C Elliott at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and whose yearling daughter of Footstepsinthesand (GB) was bought by Grande Ville Breeding for 80,000gns at the latest edition of that auction, is kin to four black-type performers headed by the G3 Gordon S. runner-up Firebet (Ire) (Dubai Destination). Their dam, the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial-placed Dancing Prize (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), is a full-sister to the G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Dance To The Top (GB) whose progeny list is headed by the G2 Al Fahidi Fort winner and G1 Dubai Duty Free runner-up Bankable (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) and the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy scorer Cheshire (GB) (Warning {GB}).

 

Saturday, Haydock, Britain
BETFAIR SPRINT CUP S.-G1, £350,000, Haydock, 9-3, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:08.44, g/f.
1–MINZAAL (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Mehmas (Ire)
                1st Dam: Pardoven (Ire), by Clodovil (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Dancing Prize (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Aim For The Top, by Irish River (Fr)
   1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (85,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 140,000gns
Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Ringfort
Stud (IRE); T-Owen Burrows; J-Jim Crowley. £198,485. Lifetime
Record: G1SP-Fr, 11-4-2-3, $580,785. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
   *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
   Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Emaraaty Ana (GB), 131, g, 6, Shamardal–Spirit Of Dubai
(Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al
Maktoum; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (GB); T-Kevin Ryan.
£75,250.
3–Rohaan (Ire), 131, g, 4, Mayson (GB)–Vive Les Rouges (GB),
by Acclamation (GB). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£36,000 Ylg '19
GOFFPR; 20,000gns 2yo '20 TATAHI). O-Chris Kiely Racing Ltd
& Mr J Tomkins; B-Liam Phelan (IRE); T-David Evans. £37,660.
Margins: 3 3/4, SHD, 3/4. Odds: 3.50, 7.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Flaming Rib (Ire), Chil Chil (GB), Harry Three (GB), Go Bears Go (Ire), Art Power (Ire), Khaadem (Ire), Hala Hala Athmani (GB), Naval Crown (GB), Dubawi Legend (Ire). Scratched: Brad The Brief (GB), Castle Star (Ire), Great Ambassador (GB), Kinross (GB), Umm Kulthum (Ire).

 

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Haydock’s Sprint Cup Attracts 17

There is no concern with small field sizes in an ultra-competitive edition of Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday, with a maximum line-up of 17 sprinters heading to post after the draw was made on Thursday. In the past 10 runnings, only Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) and G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) were drawn in double figures, so connections of the leading fancies Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) would have been buoyed by seeing their runners handed low numbers for the six-furlong straight clash.

 

Legend Heads Strong Palmer Challenge

Sunday's G3 Goldene Peitsche winner Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been given the go-ahead to back up for the race and will be one of the pace angles breaking from stall four along with the forward-going Art Power and Naval Crown. Dr. Ali Ridha's 'TDN Rising Star' is one of a trio from Hugo Palmer's Manor House Stables alongside Chasemore Farm's G2 Greenlands S. winner Brad The Brief (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) and the G1 Commonwealth Cup runner-up Flaming Rib (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}). “It will be very special when we get a first Group 1 from Manor House, after a Group 2 winner and a Group 1 second, and I'm really looking forward to running all three of them,” the trainer told QIPCO British Champions Series. “If it rains I suspect that Brad The Brief has the best chance, but the other two are entries in a stallion-making race, so any one of the three would be wonderful.”

Explaining the absence of Brad The Brief since his career-best in the Greenlands and the Curragh May 21, Palmer added, “It was very quick ground when we were considering the Maurice De Gheest and then he was a non-runner after being declared for the City Of York. He doesn't need it soft–there was no real cut in it at The Curragh–but he doesn't want fast ground, and having waited so long I wouldn't want to go and jar him up out of frustration. Dubai Legend is amazing. He was very happy and fresh when we gave him a quiet canter on Wednesday morning and although it's a big leap from a German Group 3 we are keen to give it a go.”

 

Ryan Team Wait On The Weather

Last year's Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) is in stall 13, but has the front-running G2 King George S. scorer Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) alongside in 12 in what should prove a fascinating encounter. Of more concern than the draw is the effect of the forecast rain, with jockey Andrea Atzeni hoping that it avoids Haydock so as not to diminish the prospect of the first dual winner since 1967. “He likes a strong pace to run at, which he should get once again, but the major key to him is the ground,” he told QIPCO British Champions Series. “We got lucky last year as it was very fast, which is just how he likes it, so ideally we don't want too much rain. I did say to Kevin earlier this year that I thought he might come good in the autumn again, and he's going to Haydock with a very similar profile to last year.”

 

Tasso Set For Clash

The final field for Sunday's G1 152nd Wettstar Grosser Preis von Baden was also established on Thursday, with Gestut Auenquelle's Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in line for his title defence as he limbers up for his return to ParisLongchamp in four weeks' time. Gestut Park Wiedingen's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) receives seven pounds weight-for-age from the Frankie Dettori-ridden 5-year-old, with Rene Piechulek forced to miss out to honour his retainer on last year's G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern runner-up Mendocino (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) as five head to post. In a twist, Piechulek had also partnered Sammarco to success in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis with Bauyrzhan Murzabayev out of action, but that rider is back on board the 3-year-old this time.

Click here for the group fields.

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Haydock Sprint Cup Next For Starman

Starman (GB) (Dutch art {GB}), the winner of the G1 July Cup, will aim for a start in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sept. 4 after running a close third in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on Sunday. A winner of his first three starts last fall, including the Listed Garrowby S. at York in September, the 4-year-old colt did not care for the soft ground in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. and ran unplaced in October. he was back on top in the G2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics S. on May 12 prior to his Newmarket victory on July 10.

Trainer Ed Walker said, “We live to fight another day and when we get him back on proper fast ground, we'll see his true colours again. We've so much rain, we're surely due a dry spell. We'll aim for Haydock and see how we go.”

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