Israr Eclipses Adayar In Newmarket’s Thursday Feature

The odds for Thursday's Kingdom of Bahrain-sponsored G2 Princess of Wales's S. suggested a measure of redemption was in store for Derby and King George hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), but Shadwell's former handicapper and 7-2 second favourite Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}–Taghrooda {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) confounded those in possession of 1-3 tickets with a power-packed display of his own to claim a career best in the 12-furlong feature. The eventual winner slipstreamed Godolphin duo Global Storm (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Adayar through the early fractions and eased outside into an echelon formation in readiness for his bid passing halfway. Moving into second with three furlongs remaining, he was pushed to the front going into “the dip” and lengthened clear in impressive fashion up the hill to easily assert superiority by 4 1/2 lengths. Adayar was unable to match the winner's kick up the hill, finishing a well-beaten second. Stablemate Global Storm was 7 1/2 lengths further adrift in third.

Israr, who attained 'TDN Rising Star' status tackling one mile at Doncaster on debut in 2021, snagged two of six handicap outings last year and opened this campaign with runner-up finishes in May's G3 Aston Park S. at Newbury and in last month's Listed Grand Cup at York.

“We ran him at York over a mile-and-six, he took on a good stayer [Quickthorn] that day and it was a mistake as it was too far,” explained John Gosden after collecting a third renewal. “They have gone strong fractions today and they are not far off a track record. It was a great performance, he coped with the good-to-firm ground and it was the best performance of his life. I expected him to run well today, but I didn't expect him to beat Adayar like that. He is improving, but I don't want to rush him in any big races like the [G1] King George. I think it would be too soon and too quick after a performance like that. I'd like to try and box a bit more cleverly than that. If we space his races he will be a nice horse right the way through to the [G1] Sheema Classic next year. I do have plans, but I've not got them organised yet so I will have to get the old [programme] book out.”

It was a first triumph in the race for rider Jim Crowley, who added, “He didn't quite get home last time at York, but he is probably only just coming to himself now. He has a very good personality and is very laid back, but he is tough and tries hard. As soon as I got upsides Adayar at the two pole I pretty much knew we had got him beat. It looks as though a mile-and-a-half is definitely his trip. He is a big, strong horse that is getting better with racing and age and is a work in progress.”

Reflecting on a sub-par performance from Adayar, trainer Charlie Appleby said, “Will [Buick] was happy throughout the race and when he made the move we thought he'd go and put it to bed. To be fair to Israr, he came under the pump before we did and we thought we had got him at it. He was disappointing when he hit the rising ground and just emptied out. We'll get him home and see what the vitals say after the race, but it wasn't the ground. He's won on quick ground before so I'm not going to use that as an excuse and we'll see if anything comes out in the wash.”

Pedigree Notes
Israr becomes the first pattern-race scorer, from two winners, produced by G1 Oaks and G1 King George S. & Queen Elizabeth S. heroine Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who also hit the board in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Taghrooda is the leading performer for multiple stakes-winning G2 Lancashire Oaks second Ezima (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself a daughter of the unraced Ezilla (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). Descendants of Ezilla include Group 1-winning siblings Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Edabiya (Ire) (Rainbow Quest). Taghrooda has the unraced 2-year-old filly Taraneem (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire) to come.

 

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
PRINCESS OF WALES'S S. (SPONSORED BY THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN)-G2, £125,000, Newmarket, 7-13, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:27.33, g/f.
1–ISRAR (GB), 134, c, 4, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Taghrooda (GB) (MG1SW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $2,404,603), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ezima (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Ezilla (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 11-4-3-3, $243,660. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adayar (Ire), 134, h, 5, Frankel (GB)–Anna Salai, by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £26,875.
3–Global Storm (Ire), 137, g, 6, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Travel, by Street Cry (Ire). (200,000gns Wlg '17 TATFOA; 260,000gns 2yo '19 TATBRE). O-Godolphin; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £13,450.
Margins: 4HF, 7HF, 9. Odds: 3.50, 0.33, 18.00.
Also Ran: Grand Alliance (Ire).

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Kingdom Of Bahrain To Extend And Expand July Festival Sponsorship

The Kingdom of Bahrain will extend its sponsorship of The July Festival at Newmarket beginning in 2023, The Jockey Club and The Bahrain Turf Club announced on Friday.

A sponsor of the G3 Bahrain Trophy since 1991, the Kingdom of Bahrain will also now sponsor the G2 Princess Of Wales's S. and the G2 July S. in a new, multi-year agreement. All three stakes races take place on opening day of The July Festival, Ladies Day, on Thursday, July 13.

Speaking from The Bahrain Turf Club where The Jockey Club Bowl was run Friday afternoon, Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director said, “The relationship between The Jockey Club and The Kingdom of Bahrain is a long and happy one, and as horseracing there continues to go from strength to strength we are delighted that our partnership is mirroring that development.

“As our longest-standing sponsor at The July Festival, with its support of the Bahrain Trophy stretching back over 30 years, it is fantastic news that the Kingdom of Bahrain has decided to add to its sponsorship portfolio at The July Festival by backing the Princess of Wales's S. and the July S.”

Salman bin Rashed Al Khalifa, Executive Director of The Bahrain Turf Club, said, “The Bahrain Turf Club are delighted to continue and develop our support to one of British racing's leading meetings. We are extremely proud of the Kingdom of Bahrain's long and respected relationship with The Jockey Club and look forward to growing this in the coming years.”

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July Festival Gets Underway

With the skies free of cloud, Newmarket begins its three-day July Festival on Thursday which for many afficionados of the turf is their highlight of the year. The feature on day one is the G2 Princess Of Wales's Close Brothers S., which sees Godolphin's international bigwig Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) face off against Shadwell's still-improving Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Yibir may have slipped a little of late, with a surprise second to Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Rowley Mile's G2 Jockey Club S. presaging another disappointing reversal when third in the May 14 GI Man o'War, but the reigning GI Breeders' Cup Turf title holder has enjoyed a freshener and returns to the scene of his G3 Bahrain Trophy win at last year's Festival.

“He had a break after coming back from New York in May, he looks great and he's in good order for this,” Charlie Appleby said of Yibir. “He will be aimed at the [GI] Sword Dancer back in the States early next month.”

Mostahdaf's second in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot June 18 was his first try at this mile and a half and it may be that Jim Crowley can be more positive now that his stamina is proven as tactics promise to play a big part. “He's quite a tough horse,” Angus Gold said of the Shadwell representative. “As a 3-year-old he was quite immature, but now he's more mature he should be able to cope with the quick turnaround with any luck.”

 

Big Noise

As the 2-year-old form slowly unfolds in 2022, the reputation of Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) just gets further inflated and the June 15 Listed Windsor Castle S. winner cuts a formidable figure in Thursday's G2 Close Brothers July S. In his three starts to date, he has beaten three subsequent black-type scorers including the G2 Railway S. hero Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a host of other winners, all done with a degree of comfort suggesting he has an abundance in reserve. He meets Amo Racing's June 14 G2 Coventry S. runner-up Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in a fascinating encounter, with Brian Goodyear's unlucky G2 Norfolk S. fourth Brave Nation (Ire) (Sioux Nation) and Charlie Appleby's unexposed June 9 Newbury novice scorer Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) adding intrigue.

“His sire Mehmas was second in the Coventry before going on to win the July Stakes, so I'm hoping he can do the same,” Persian Force's trainer Richard Hannon said. “He's got the right profile going into the race and he is still the horse we hope he is.”

 

Masekela Goes Trophy Hunting

In the 13-furlong G3 Bahrain Trophy which acts as an early St Leger pointer, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Derby fourth Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) bids to put down his marker for the Doncaster Classic as he returns to the scene of his short-head defeat by Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the G2 Superlative S. at last year's July Festival. Whereas he chose Epsom to burst back onto the scene, Aquis Farm and Manton Park's Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) had Royal Ascot as the backdrop to his revival as he went down by an agonising margin to the leader Leger fancy Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the June 15 G2 Queen's Vase. As a juvenile, the Freddie and Martyn Meade-trained Zechariah had a 2 1/4-length margin to spare over Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Newbury's Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. Form which looks very healthy as of this moment in time. Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) began his heady ascent in this card's Listed Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil S. and a year on, the race which pays tribute to the Town's much-missed great sees the Gosdens-Dettori link re-established with Saeed Suhail's G1 St James's Palace S. fifth Mighty Ulysses (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}).

Inspiral And Frankie Face Four In Falmouth

John and Thady Gosdens' Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will remain the mount of Frankie Dettori in Friday's G1 Falmouth S., which drew four rivals set to line up against last year's champion filly. The Cheveley Park Stud homebred is unbeaten and swept to an imperious G1 Coronation S. victory at Royal Ascot.

“Inspiral hasn't done much since then [the Coronation], but all has been well with her and she enjoyed a nice stretch on Saturday with Robert Havlin on board,” said Cheveley Park Stud Managing Director Chris Richardson. “Frankie knows her well, having ridden her in all her races bar her first, and Mrs. Thompson is pleased that John [Gosden, joint trainer] is happy for him to ride her again on Friday.”

Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) is next in the ratings, and will attempt to build on her G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. third, while G1 1000 Guineas second Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and group winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) attempt to return to form after unplaced efforts behind Inspiral in the Coronation. 'TDN Rising Star' Sibila Spain (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) enters on the back of a gritty victory in the G2 Prix du Muguet in May.

Click here for the group fields.

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Mojo Star Camp Eyeing St Leger Bid

Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), runner-up in the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom at the beginning of June and fifth after a rough trip in the Irish equivalent on Saturday, has emerged from his latest effort in good order. Trainer Richard Hannon is considering the Sept. 11 G1 St Leger at Doncaster, as well as targets earlier in the summer. Second at Newbury in October, the bay filled the same position there when making his 3-year-old bow on May 14, prior to his runner-up effort in the blue riband.

“He's come back fine,” said Hannon. “He's just been out in the pen since and had a trot yesterday and today. He's none the worse for it and we'll have a chat to connections about where we go from here.”

The July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot is under consideration, as Newmarket's G2 Princess of Wales's S. on July 8.

He added, “He's in the King George and the Princess of Wales's S. and obviously the St Leger is an option later on in the year. He's fit and he doesn't need to do any more [work]. At some stage we'll take an easy run and then go back into something big. I'd love to have a crack at the Leger, but we'll see how we go.”

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