Kingman’s Epictetus Oozes Class In TDN Rising Star Display

George Strawbridge's 2-year-old colt Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) was the pick of a baker's dozen on breeding, but not so in the betting, for Friday's Weatherbys British EBF Maiden S. at Newmarket and made a mockery of 11-1 odds with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in a heat won last term by subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up and G3 Jersey S. victor Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}). The 2022 G1 Derby entry was swiftly into a comfortable rhythm behind the leaders and raced on the bridle through halfway in this seven-furlong contest. Making eyecatching headway under a motionless Martin Harley to ease ahead at the quarter-mile marker, he was given a shake of the reins when threatened approaching the final furlong and kept on powerfully up the hill to easily outpoint Leadman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths in impressive fashion.

“He's done nothing at home, he's worked gently on the bridle with another horse and wasn't wound up in any way for the race,” explained trainer John Gosden. “He was so sensible in the proceedings beforehand and in the race he did it all very professionally. He's not been on the grass for seven weeks, he's just been on the all-weather. Martin [Harley] gave him a lovely ride and I'm overjoyed. James Wigan bought the mare for Mr Strawbridge at the Rothschild dispersal and she was an exceptionally talented Group 1 winner that Roger [Charlton] trained. We'll go a step at a time and won't go jumping in the deep end. I think he'll be very comfortable over a mile, we'll go to a novice and then see where we go from there.”

Epictetus is the fifth foal and winner for G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk), herself a half-sister to dual Group 3-winning G1 Cantala S. second McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) out of the dual stakes-winning G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest third Dolma (Fr) (Marchand de Sable). Thistle Bird was a 750,000gns purchase, carrying the winner, at Tattersalls' 2019 December Mares fixture and has also produced Listed Radley S. victrix and G3 Fred Darling S. runner-up Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire). The May-foaled bay's stakes-placed third dam Young Manila (Manila) is kin to a trio of stakes performers headed by MGSW G2 Prix de Royallieu victrix Fabulous Hostess (Fabulous Dancer).

1st-Newmarket, £15,000, Mdn, 7-8, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:24.28, g/f.
EPICTETUS (IRE), c, 2, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Thistle Bird (GB) (Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Ire, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, $577,634), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Dolma (Fr), by Marchand de Sable
3rd Dam: Young Manila, by Manila
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £8,100. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Galileo’s Free Wind Overcomes Traffic To Plunder Haydock Feature

George Strawbridge's 4-year-old filly Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Alive Alive Oh {GB}, by Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) prevailed in three out of four starts last term and closed her sophomore campaign with a seven-length rout in September's G3 Park Hill S. at Doncaster. She was sent postward as the 11-4 joint-favourite for Saturday's G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks, her seasonal return, and overcame severe traffic problems in the closing stages of the 12-furlong test to register a career high in taking fashion. The eventual winner settled into a smooth rhythm behind the leading duo in third from flagfall, but was badly hampered and made heavy contact with the far-side rail for several strides when launching her bid soon after passing the quarter-mile marker. Finding a clear passage and returned on an even keel entering the final furlong, she displayed an impressive array of gears to hunt down Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) with 100 yards remaining en route to a 2 1/4-length triumph.

“She's done well to pick up again after that,” reflected rider Rab Havlin. “The gap was there and my filly was going well. We just got tight, but credit to the filly as she organised herself and picked up. We always thought she was a proper filly last year and she did it today. She doesn't show a great deal at home and never has, but on the track she's been really progressive and looks like a Group 1 filly. I'd say we'd probably aim her a bit higher than the [G2] Lillie Langtry, that's an obvious race to consider at Goodwood, but I'd imagine connections will want to go for a Group 1.”

There was a sting in the tail for Havlin, who picked up a five-day suspension for being the one deemed to have initiated his own interference. “Sometimes horses will lean off the rail and I thought I gave Jim [Crowley on Eshaada] half a furlong to see if he was going to go back on,” he explained. “The gap was there and my filly was going well, but we just got tight. Normally, if it opens straight away, you would just wait as they can roll on and off the rail. I felt he was off the rail for long enough and his filly looked as if she was leaning into the Haggas filly [Sea La Rose], so I thought I was going to take the opportunity as I was going well. When I got halfway there it got tight.”

Free Wind, full-sister to a yearling colt, is the second of four foals and one of two scorers for MSW G3 Dance Design S. third Alive Alive Oh (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), herself half to G3 Fukushima Kinen and G3 Tanabata Sho victor Crescendo Love (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}). Alive Alive Oh is also kin to the dam of the dual stakes-placed Soldier's Minute (GB) (Raven's Pass). The April-foaled bay's second dam Higher Love (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who was runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks, is out of Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial runner-up Dollar Bird (Ire) (Kris {GB}), herself a half-sister to GSW sire Amfortas (Ire) (Caerleon) and to the dam of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) and G1SP sires Chevalier (Ire) (Danehill) and Alexander of Hales (Danehill).

Saturday, Haydock, Britain
BET365 LANCASHIRE OAKS-G2, £115,000, Haydock, 7-2, 3yo/up, f, 11f 175yT, 2:37.89, sf.
1–FREE WIND (IRE), 133, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Alive Alive Oh (GB) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Duke of Marmalade (Ire)
2nd Dam: Higher Love (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Dollar Bird (Ire), by Kris (GB)
(325,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-George Strawbridge; B-Mrs Sue Ann Foley (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Robert Havlin. £65,217. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 7-5-1-0, $238,855. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sea La Rosa (Ire), 133, f, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Soho Rose (Ire), by Hernando (Fr). (€200,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-G&B Partnership (IRE); T-William Haggas. £24,725.
3–Eshaada (GB), 133, f, 4, Muhaarar (GB)–Muhawalah (Ire), by Nayef. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-Roger Varian. £12,374.
Margins: 2 1/4, NK, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.75, 4.00, 2.75.
Also Ran: Believe In Love (Ire), Stay Alert (GB), Nell Quickly (Ire), Kawida (GB). Scratched: Invite (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Augustin Homebred Impressive in Keeneland Allowance Score

6th-Keeneland, $109,450, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($80,000), 4-22, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:24.11, ft, 2 3/4 lengths.
MOUFFY (f, 3, Uncle Mo–Truly Together {GSP, $119,760}, by Smart Strike), pounded into 7-10 favoritism off a big-figure runner-up effort when trying conventional dirt for the first time at Gulfstream Park Feb. 20, gave her backers some anxious moments as she raced in heavy traffic down the backstretch, but the homebred bay took advantage of an inviting opening at the fence when heads were turned for home and quickened up nicely to clear her first allowance condition by a convincing margin. A bit hesitant to begin from gate three, the bay was outsprinted early and settled in the second flight of horses as she traveled in fifth or sixth position in a bunched field to the turn. Ridden along to come after the leaders nearing the stretch, Mouffy accelerated while hugging the fence, opened an unassailable advantage into the final furlong and kept on well to take it by 2 3/4 lengths. Mouffy, a winner on debut over the Gulfstream synth Jan. 8, is the first produce for her dam, third in the GIII Lambholm South Endeavour S. and herself a daughter of Strawbridge's Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Forever Together (Belong to Me). Truly Together is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Quality Road and a yearling full-brother to Mouffy. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $109,635. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Augustin Stable; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Jonathan Thomas.

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Stakes Placed Dubawi Colt Added to Arqana Arc Sale

The stakes placed Dubawi (Ire) colt In Crowd (GB) has been added as a wild card to the Arqana Arc Sale on Oct. 2. Offered as lot 20, the George Strawbridge homebred is trained by Frederic Head and was runner-up in the Listed Prix Haras de la Haie Neuve. Out of the Group 1 producer and G3 Prix de Flore heroine In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), the chestnut is a half-brother to Group 1 winners We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), as well as the listed winners Dream Clover (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Incahoots (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). He is one of 37 lots for the Arc Sale, which begins at 6:30 p.m. after racing at ParisLongchamp on Saturday.

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