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King George Hero Pyledriver To Stand Under Coolmore’s NH Banner Next Year

Dual Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}–La Pyle {Fr}, by Le Havre {Ire}) will stand under the Coolmore National Hunt banner in 2024, Coolmore announced on Friday. Retired earlier this year before being acquired by Coolmore, the 6-year-old won both the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Coronation Cup. A fee will be announced later.

“Pyledriver is the best horse I've ever had anything to do with and gave us so many fantastic days,” said co-trainer William Muir. “From day one he never let us down; brilliant temperament, went on any ground, clean winded and super sound. The only issue he ever had was caused by another horse leaning on him in that race in Saudi. It'll be a very sad day when he leaves the yard but I think he'll continue to excel in his new career.”

Bred by Knox and Wells, Ltd., he was a 10,000gns buy-back at the 2017 Tattersalls December Foal Sale and went into training with Muir and Chris Grassick in the colours of the La Pyle Partnership. A debut winner as a juvenile at Salisbury in 2019, he earned a listed victory later that year. Pyledriver then was second in the G3 Classic Trial and won the G2 Great Voltigeur prior to a run in the G1 Derby. He bounced back later that year to take the G2 King Edward VII S. and was also Classic-placed when third in the G1 St Leger.

Never worse than second in four 4-year-old starts, Pyledriver won the Coronation Cup after running second in the G2 Jockey Club S., and later in the year was second by just a length in the G1 Hong Kong Vase.

After a trip to Saudi Arabia and a fourth in Meydan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic to kickstart his 5-year-old campaign, he was second defending his Coronation Cup crown prior to trouncing a quality field in the King George. This term, he won the G2 Hardwicke S. in good style at Royal Ascot and was fifth in another King George. His record stands at 20-8-4-1 and $2,606,075 in earnings.

“Pyledriver is a fine big horse, with plenty of quality about him, a great colour and a very good walk,” said Robert McCarthy who went to inspect him. “He was a terrific racehorse and he's a complete outcross for the majority of National Hunt mares here in Ireland.”

Pyledriver is the first foal out of the dual winner La Pyle, herself a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}) and a full-sister to G3 Park Express S. heroine Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

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Westover Camp Aiming For Coronation Cup

Juddmonte's Classic winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who ran a strong second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March, will make his return in the June 2 G1 Coronation Cup, according to trainer Ralph Beckett.

Successful in the G3 Classic Trial at Sandown last April prior to a third in the G1 Derby at Epsom, the bay stormed to a seven-length victory in the G1 Irish Derby at the Curragh in late June. Leading for part of the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., he failed to land a blow when fifth to Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and was sixth in very soft ground in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe behind Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in October. Epsom's Coronation Cup will be his second run this term.

“We are not really going back because we feel we have unfinished business, it is more so that Epsom clearly suited him last year,” said Beckett. “He handled the track really well for a big horse.

“As long as we are in the right place with him then I will be happy. I think inevitably he is physically a more mature horse this year and you can see that in him. I think in the long-term going to Dubai will make a difference.

“His work has always been good but it has never been stunning. I would be fairly relaxed about what happens at home now. It is important that he reaches his ceiling on the track. sure.

“You would hope that he would be a better horse this year because of his size but he has already run to a pretty high level. In that sense it is about maintaining that progression.”

Added Beckett of the 4-year-old's longer-term goals, “What I would really like to do, if he were to win the Coronation Cup, would be to drop him back to 10 furlongs for the [G1] Eclipse [in July].

“He likes Sandown. He won his maiden around there as a 2-year-old and the Classic Trial last year. I think the track really suits him. I'd be keen to go back to a mile and a quarter there as it would really play to his strengths.

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Derby Attracts 20 Second Entries Led By White Birch

Fresh off of his victory in the G3 Ballysax S. on Sunday, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) leads 19 other colts as second entries for the G1 Derby at Epsom on Saturday, June 3. Owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez and trained by John Murphy, the colt scored a half-length upset in the Ballysax at 22-1.

Several Derby second entries were also made by Charlie Appleby on behalf of Godolphin. Leading the sextet is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while listed winner Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Ancient Rules (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also nominated.

There is also an American-trained entrant to the Blue Riband, whose connections also paid the £9,000 second entry fee–Ken McPeek entered two-for-two Mendelssohn's March (Mendelssohn). Already a winner on turf and dirt after victories at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, he will race in the colours of Harold Lerner, LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, and Team Stallion Racing Stable.

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Group 1-winning Dubai Mile (Ire), by 2018 Derby third Roaring Lion, has been entered by Charlie Johnston, who also declared Group 3-placed Dear My Friend (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for Middleham Park Racing and Michael Lai.

Dubai Mile, who prevailed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs in heavy going in October, will contest either the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 or the G2 Dante S. at York later in the month.

“Any 2-year-old that can win at Group 1 level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their 3-year-old campaign,” said Johnston. “He's obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we're going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we're very much looking forward to him.

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people's eyes and minds going forward and he's a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from–hopefully he can deliver.”

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group 1 so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I'm pretty certain he's going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn't rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”

With these late additions, the total number of nominated horses for the Epsom showpiece has grown to 103. Entries were also released for the G1 Oaks (65 entries) and G1 Coronation Cup (19 entries), both held the day prior to the Derby, on June 2.

Of the latter entries, at least three are Classic winners in the form of Godolphin's Frankel (GB) pair of Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire), and Juddmonte's Westover (GB).

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), and G2 May Hill S. victress Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) are some of the notable entries for the Oaks.

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Westover Camp Mulling Spring Targets

Juddmonte's 2022 Classic hero Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), second in Saturday's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, is pointing to either the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May, or the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, one week later for trainer Ralph Beckett.

Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon said, “We were a little nervous going into Saturday, but luckily it all worked out well and he ran a blinding race and that should settle him down and set him up for what will hopefully be a good season.

“The Tattersalls Gold Cup might come a bit soon for him, but we'll see. I'd imagine he'll get an entry in the Coronation, too.

“A couple of weeks later you have the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud as well, so all those races are going to be under consideration and it just depends which one he's peaking for at the time.”

After winning the G3 Classic Trial last April and running third in the G1 Derby in June, the bay won the G1 Irish Derby in impressive fashion later that month. Fifth in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. a month later and sixth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, the 4-year-old was 3 1/2 lengths behind Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the Sheema.

He added, “I think he definitely has enough speed for 10 furlongs, so I think mix it up through the year between 10 and 12 and hopefully we can win another Group 1 or a couple of them if we're lucky.”

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