G1 Cox Plate | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ozzie Kheir Buys Breeders’ Cup Winner And Cox Plate Contender Victoria Road

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) will contest the A$5-million G1 Cox Plate in the colours of Ozzie Kheir next month, Racing.com reported on Friday.

Bred by Trevor Stewart and trained by Aidan O'Brien for Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the colt is currently traveling to Australia where he will spend his two-week quarantine in Melbourne. O'Brien will continue training the son of G3 Abernant S. and G3 Charge Sprint S. victress Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) through his intended starts in the 2040-metre Cox Plate and the 2000-metre G1 Champion S. in the coming weeks. He will then change yards to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

“We are extremely excited to have secured this very talented Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old with Japanese bloodlines,” Kheir told the publication.

“Having already won a Grade I at the age of two and being lightly raced, it gave us confidence as a group to proceed with a deal to acquire Victoria Road from Coolmore.

“The Coolmore family have always been a pleasure to deal with, our last significant acquisition being Sir Dragonet (Ire) in 2020. We have now traded together on some high-profile horses and there is a mutual respect for each other where we strike a fair price and terms to suit both. Recently Yes Yes Yes (Aus) and Coolangatta (Aus) have been sold to Coolmore.”

The 115,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate also won the G3 Prix de Conde and the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at two. At three, he was third in the G2 Dullingham Park S. in two starts. From 10 starts, Victoria Road has won four times with earnings north of $680,000. His second dam is the hugely influential blue hen Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).

Added Kheir, “Mathew Becker was instrumental in landing the deal on Victoria Road as I, personally, didn't think we could buy him.

“So, when the opportunity come about on the terms and price, I believed it was really good buying for this loyal and fantastic group of owners we race with.

“We have a runner ready to go in the business end of the spring, provided he travels well, but more importantly, a colt for the future to race in Australia and continue to add to his value with most of, or potentially all, his downside covered by his previous Grade I win as a stallion prospect.

“He will be trained by Ciaron and Dave after his couple of runs in Australia with Aidan O'Brien. It gave us great confidence that Aidan was wanting to continue to travel Victoria Road for our group to compete in the Cox Plate. Victoria Road is currently in the air on route to Werribee [International Horse Centre].

“Our short-term plan post-spring is to target the All-Star Mile and Australia Cup before attacking the Sydney Autumn.”

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‘It Would Be Very Tempting’: Cox Plate A Possibility For Paddington

by Trent Masenhelder/TTR AusNZ

Three-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) is under consideration for the A$5-million G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Oct. 28, Coolmore's Tom Magnier revealed on Wednesday morning.

A winner of six of his seven starts in succession including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., and G1 Eclipse earlier this year, the son of Modern Eagle (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}) holds a slew of entries at the top table in Europe, as well.

Speaking to RSN Racing And Sport, Magnier said of the Cox Plate possible, “We're going to be chatting about that over the next couple of days [bringing horses to Australia].

“When you look at Paddington, he is the best 3-year-old in Europe. Obviously, we've got Auguste Rodin that won the English Derby–he's a machine, but I was looking at Paddington and what he is doing is breathtaking. I don't know if anybody saw him running in the Coral-Eclipse the other day, the race Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) was in… that was an unbelievable field and he just decimated them. He is an absolute superstar.

“You'd have to think that if he lined up in a Cox Plate, he'd be very hard to beat. I'm not saying that that's going to happen, but we obviously hold Australian racing in very high regard and bringing a horse like Paddington down for a Cox Plate… it would be tempting and very exciting.”

Magnier's comments coincide with the Moonee Valley Racing Club's (MVRC) announcement that the winner of next month's G1 Juddmonte International S. will be handed a 'golden ticket' into the Cox Plate.

Interestingly, the G1 Juddmonte International S., which will be run at York on Aug. 23, is a possible option for Paddington and his triple Group 1-winning stablemate Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

“We're very keen to continue our great association with York Racecourse, and the winner of this year's race will be more than worthy of a place in the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate,” MVRC's head of racing, Charlotte Mills, told TTR AusNZ.

Aidan O'Brien, who won the Cox Plate in 2014 with Adelaide (Ire), before his son Joseph was victorious in 2021 with State Of Rest (Ire), said the Cox Plate is a great stallion-making race.

“The Cox Plate has enormous prestige and is a very important race for a colt to win, especially for a potential dual-hemisphere stallion. We won it with Adelaide and more recently Joseph won it with State Of Rest. It is always a great race and a very prestigious race on the international calendar,” O'Brien said.

Previous winners of the Juddmonte International S. include Singspiel (Ire), Giant's Causeway, Falbrav (Ire), Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Baaeed (GB). O'Brien is a five-time winner of the Juddmonte, with his most recent success being in 2019 when Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) scored under Ryan Moore.

The Juddmonte International S. becomes the third golden ticket race, joining the GI Saratoga Derby and G1 Takarazuka Kinen.

“We've been thrilled with the reception that we've had from the international jurisdictions for the international qualifiers; we're getting positive conversations and dialogue between trainers, jurisdictions and ourselves,” Mills added.

“Between Racing Victoria and the clubs here in Victoria, we are actively going out to recruit to ensure we're doing everything in our capacity to bring the best horses to Australia. With the best of our local horses and the opportunities to have international raiders, we want to present the best possible product on the day.

“To have a pioneer like Aidan O'Brien return, that would be a huge thrill for the club and for the race itself. We're certainly happy with the pace of interest we're receiving from international connections, and there are some domestic talents that we are working just as hard on, such as Amelia's Jewel (Aus) (Siyouni {Fr})–we want her in the race.”

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Royal Ascot Possible For Zaaki

Multiple Australian Group 1 winner Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) could return to the Northern Hemisphere and run at Royal Ascot, trainer Annabel Neasham, announced. Racnet.com.au first reported the news. The 7-year-old gelding was successful twice at Group 3 level in his native land for Sir Michael Stoute's Freemason Lodge, and was snapped up by Neasham and Blandford Bloodstock for 150,000gns out of the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale.

“I was hoping to take him to Hong Kong for that race, the [G1] Queen Elizabeth Cup, which I think is three weeks after the [G1] Queen Elizabeth S.,” Neasham told Racenet.com.au.. “We got him vaccinated for that but that's not going to be happening.”

Zaaki has proved a revelation once sent Down Under, and currently sports a record of seven wins in 11 Australian starts, three at the Group 1 level. His most recent victory was a 1 1/2-length score in the All-Star Mile at Flemington on Mar. 19.

“I'd love to take him back over to Royal Ascot,” said Neasham, who was forced to scratch her start from the G1 Cox Plate the morning of the race. “But I'd also love to win the Cox Plate with him because it was devastating what happened last year.

“Whether we can do England and come back for a Cox Plate, I don't know. We could win a Cox Plate with him and go overseas next year.”

She added, “I don't understand or get into all the ratings enough but I notice the Timeform ratings have been excellent. I just know that in this country, we've got great racing and great prizemoney.”

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Chrono Genesis Defends Takarazuka Kinen Title

Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) justified 4-5 favouritism and took her second consecutive G1 Takarazuka Kinen title at Hanshin on Sunday. The 2200-metre contest is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November, as well as the Oct. 23 G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Down Under.

Unicorn Lion (Ire) (No Nay Never) led the charge into the first turn while shadowed by Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Chrono Genesis sat third a few lengths back. A touch keen, pilot Christophe Lemaire found a bit of cover for the grey who had drifted to fourth. Primed to take off after the leaders rounding the final bend, Chrono Genesis immediately scythed in between horses when given the opportunity 1 ½ furlongs from home, as Lei Papale engaged Unicorn Lion on the front end. She employed her superior turn of foot-covering her final three furlongs in a race-best :34.40–and dashed past the pacesetting duo to win by 2 ½ lengths with her ears pricked.

“The mare was in very good condition and looked great at the paddock,” said Christophe Lemaire, who was deputising for the injured Yuichi Kitamura. “We were able to race in good position behind Lei Papale. She stretched really well and was able to run the last 200 meters easily. She can race really well in soft track, so I think she will perform well especially in France.”

The Oct. 3 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a potential long-term target for Chrono Genesis.

Third in the first two legs of the 2019 Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown, Chrono Genesis delivered in the third leg, the G1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto in October of that year, her first top-level triumph. Her next win did not arrive until last February's G2 Kyoto Kinen, and, after a second-place showing in the G1 Osaka Hai that April, she captured her first Takarazuka Kinen at the end of June. Benched until Nov. 1, she ran third in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) to Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), and claimed the G1 Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) on Dec. 27. Her only prior 2021 start was a good second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Mar. 27.

Pedigree Notes

Chrono Genesis is French champion Bago's most decorated progeny. One of two Group 1 winners for the 2004 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, the grey is joined by G1 Kikuka Sho victor Big Week (Jpn). The pair lead seven group winners and 11 black-type winners overall.

The eighth foal, and one of eight winners out of her winning dam who captured a 1700-metre maiden in two starts, Chrono Genesis is also one of two black-type winners, alongside her year-older half-sister Normcore (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}). The latter, also grey, was first past the post in both the G1 Victoria Mile in her native land and also a winner of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup. Chronologist's 2017 filly, Clotho Nona (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) is followed by 2018 colt Klug (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}). Covered by Drefong later that year, Chronologist did not produce a foal in 2019, but has since produced fillies of 2020 and 2021 by Maurice (Jpn) and Rey de Oro (Jpn), respectively.

Her second dam is an unraced full-sister to Fusaichi Airedale (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), a MSW in Japan and the dam of Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fusaichi Richard (Jpn) (Kurofune), MSW Lailaps (Jpn) (French Deputy) and the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies third Beach Samba (Jpn) (Kurofune).

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
TAKARAZUKA KINEN-G1, ¥290,020,000, Hanshin, 6-27, 3yo/up, 2200mT, 2:10.90, fm.
1–CHRONO GENESIS (JPN), 123, m, 5, Bago (Fr)
                1st Dam: Chronologist (Jpn), by Kurofune
                2nd Dam: In This Unison (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
                3rd Dam: Rustic Belle, by Mr. Prospector
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Takashi Saito;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥152,814,000. Lifetime Record:
15-8-3-3. *1/2 to Normcore (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), G1SW-Jpn
& HK, $5,619,785. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Unicorn Lion (Ire), 128, h, 5, No Nay Never–Muravka (Ire), by
High Chaparral (Ire). (850,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Lion Race
Horse; B-Desert Star Phoenix Jvc (Ire); ¥60,804,000.
3–Lei Papale (Jpn), 123, m, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Shells Lei
(Jpn), by Kurofune. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥38,402,000.
Margins: 2HF, NK, 2. Odds: 0.80, 26.80, 2.50.
Also Ran: Curren Bouquetd'or (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Miss Mamma Mia (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), Aristoteles (Jpn), Wipe Tears (Jpn), Melody Lane (Jpn), Admire Alba (Jpn), Shironii (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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