The Coolmore partners' runner won his first three starts and had been the 3-1 morning line favourite for Friday's contest. He also finished third to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in both the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. and looked primed for a big effort. River Tiber was due to be ridden by Ryan Moore. Moore will instead pilot fellow Coolmore runner Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. He had been due to be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

The team of runners from Ballydoyle has also been depleted by Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) being declared a non-runner in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

River Tiber is not the only high-profile European raider to be scratched on Friday morning. Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), trained by Jessica Harrington, is out of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint earlier on the card, the result of a vet scratch, confirmed by his part-owner Con Marnane. Following his withdrawal, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Asean (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) has been bumped up from his reserve slot to take his place in stall 14 under Tyler Gaffalione.

Enhanced veterinary protocols are in place for the Breeders' Cup meeting, with on-site examinations having been taking place on site at Santa Anita from last Friday. Dr Will Farmer, the co-team lead for the Breeders' Cup veterinary team, explained the process for race-morning scratchings to the TDN at Santa Anita on Friday morning.

He said, “We have seven teams of veterinarians that went out and did the stall-side and trot-up exams on all runners today. They were examined this morning.

“Any time that there is a question that arises from these large event days, we have a second team of veterinarians who come in as kind of a referee, as a second pair of eyes. So we have the pair that would look at the horse and if there are any questions or disagreements between the two veterinarians, that second team, which is comprised of CHRB and Breeders' Cup veterinarians on that panel. They would go in and do their exam and confer with the first team of veterinarians that had looked at the horse, and then ultimately come with whatever recommendation or decision that had to be made.”

Dr Farmer added, “The safety of the horse is at the forefront of every decision we make. Whether it's the trainer or the veterinarian scratching the horse, we're all aligned in doing what's in their best interest.

“Scratch decisions are informed by multiple hands-on veterinary inspections in addition to observation of the horse at the jog in the stabling area and on the track while training in the days leading up to the World Championships.”

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Having needed the judge to edge out 'TDN Rising Star' Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the course-and-distance G2 Railway S. last month, the Adrian Murray-trained €165,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate could be called the clear-cut winner some way out as Ballydoyle's 13-8 market-leader failed to get on terms. At the line, the 9-4 second favourite had four lengths to spare over the G3 Albany S. scorer Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio), with 1 1/2 lengths back to Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) as he edged Unquestionable out of the placings by a short head.

“It didn't really go to plan with the pacemaker not getting anywhere near me, so I had to ride my own race but he's very uncomplicated and lengthened and stretched from 2 1/2 out and was quite surprised that nothing came to challenge me,” jockey Kevin Stott said of the winner, who had taken the first juvenile race of the season over five furlongs here in March before running third in the G2 Coventry S.

“We've always thought he was nice, but he was a big baby the first day of the season and has only grown and strengthened since,” Stott added. “Adrian and Robson have done a great job with him and made my life easier to just steer him. He was only just doing enough and I'm sure had something come to him he'd have gone again. He's a horse that we think will get further in time and who knows what kind of horse we've got heading into next year? He's a big horse and takes his racing very well and settles nicely, so you'd like to think he'll get further and if he doesn't we've got a nice sprinter.”

Murray said, “He was very impressive. We had him here 10 days ago doing a piece of work and Robson got off him and said to me 'this is the best horse I've ever ridden'. He was certainly correct in that one. He's a serious horse. That's three runs and three wins here, he's the horse of a lifetime. I'd say it'll be the [G1] National S. now and I don't think he'll have any problem stepping up to seven. The ground today would be a bit easier than the last day. He was very impressive in his maiden here on heavy ground, but it's not an issue for him as he's won on quick ground as well.”

Pedigree Notes

Bucanero Fuerte, who is the seventh top-level winner for his sire, is a full-brother to the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp hero Wooded (Ire) and the G3 Sovereign S. runner-up Beat Le Bon (Fr), with the dam Frida La Blonde (Fr) (Elusive City) being out of the G2 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) runner-up Firm Friend (Ire) (Affirmed). She was responsible for the dual listed winner and G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis runner-up Fred Lalloupet (GB) also by Elusive City, as well as the Listed Prix Servanne scorer and G3 Prix de Cabourg-placed Mon Pote Le Gitan (Thunder Gulch) and the triple listed winner Maximum Aurelius (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}). Also related to the G3 Cornwallis S. and G3 Norfolk S.-winning sire Magic Ring (Ire), Frida La Blonde's yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire) now has the best upgrade of all as she heads to Arqana's Deauville August Yearling Sale and sells on Saturday.

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
KEENELAND PHOENIX S.-G1, €300,000, Curragh, 8-12, 2yo, c/f, 6fT, 1:12.53, gd.
1–BUCANERO FUERTE (GB), 131, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Frida La Blonde (Fr), by Elusive City
2nd Dam: Firm Friend (Ire), by Affirmed
3rd Dam: Chere Amie (Fr), by Gay Mecene
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€165,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Amo Racing
Ltd & Giselle De Aguiar; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG (GB); T-Adrian
Murray; J-Kevin Stott. €180,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng,
4-3-0-1, $307,645. *Full to Wooded (Ire), G1SW-Fr, $274,930;
and Beat Le Bon (Fr), GSP-Eng, $418,772. Werk Nick Rating:
   A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Porta Fortuna (Ire), 128, f, 2, Caravaggio–Too Precious (Ire),
by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.
O-Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing 2020 LLC, Steven I Weston &
Reeves Thoroughbred; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE);
T-Donnacha O'Brien. €60,000.
3–Givemethebeatboys (Ire), 131, c, 2, Bungle Inthejungle (GB)–
Dromana (Ire), by Dutch Art (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.
(€15,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €11,000 Ylg '22 GOAUYR;
£1,100,000 2yo '23 GOFLO). O-Bronsan Racing & Mrs Theresa
Marnane; B-Airlie Stud & Mrs S M Rogers (IRE); T-Jessica
Harrington. €30,000.
Margins: 4, 1HF, NO. Odds: 2.25, 3.50, 10.00.
Also Ran: Unquestionable (Fr), Gaenari (Ire), His Majesty (Ire), Launch. VIDEO.

BUCANERO FUERTE

Railway Stakes winner Bucanero Fuerte extends his perfect record @curraghrace by powering his way to Group 1 glory in the @keeneland Phoenix Stakes.

What a moment for Kevin Stott, @amoracingltd and @AMurrayRacing pic.twitter.com/YgmcBQwYBM

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 12, 2023

The post Wootton Bassett’s Bucanero Fuerte In A League Of His Own In The Phoenix appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“He was very impressive when he won at Navan, a furlong down you'd think 'how is this horse going to win?' and he put his head down and galloped the whole way to the line,” Kate Harrington said of the winner, a bargain €11,000 Goffs Autumn Sale graduate. “He hated the ground that day and was green. He's learned an awful lot from that and will learn an awful lot from today, he'll be even more competitive the next day when we go to Ascot.”

Con Marnane added, “He was a cheap horse, Amy picked him out in Doncaster but he went lame, he got a foot abscess. I was gutted as he was my favourite horse at the sale, but we bought him at Goffs then in October. We've won all the good races at Ascot with horses we've sold, or whatever, but we haven't got the Coventry yet. This is our fella.”

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
GAIN MARBLE HILL S.-G3, €60,000, Curragh, 5-27, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.81, gd.
1–GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Bungle Inthejungle (GB)
1st Dam: Dromana (Ire), by Dutch Art (GB)
2nd Dam: Tecla (Ire), by Whipper
3rd Dam: Mahalia (Ire), by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€15,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €11,000 Ylg '22 GOAUYR). O-Mrs Theresa Marnane; B-Airlie Stud & Mrs S M Rogers (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €36,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $48,859. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Noche Magica (Ire), 131, c, 2, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Pious Alexander (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£230,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi; B-Mountarmstrong Stud & Alexander Bloodstock (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. €12,000.
3–His Majesty (Ire), 131, c, 2, No Nay Never–Czabo (GB), by Sixties Icon (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (325,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Smith, Magnier, Tabor, Westerberg & Brant; B-Newstead Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €6,000.
Margins: HD, HD, 2. Odds: 11.00, 1.63, 2.75.
Also Ran: Buyin Buyin (Ire), Valiant Force, Democracy (Ire).

A thrilling renewal of the Group 3 GAIN Marble Hill Stakes sees Givemethebeatboys run out a narrow winner as the colt makes it two wins from two in the hands of Shane Foley for the in-form @jessica_racing team pic.twitter.com/R8xa4w88QS

— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) May 27, 2023

Givemethebeatboys was named after the famous Uncle Kracker song, and after giving those in attendance a little taster in the Curragh parade ring, Marnane promised to give a full rendition of his favourite tune at Ascot should he win the Coventry. 

“I am emotional,” he added. “This little horse, I have been so lucky with Bungle Inthejungle. I had a very good filly by him last year, Funny Money Honey (Ire), and another very good one in Blame Thechampagne (Ire). 

“This horse had problems when we bought him. The poor lads that I bought him off, there's nothing I could do about it, but I basically got him at half price. They are great operators, the Brickley brothers, and they run a good ship at Ard Erin Stud. They will rightly get their name in lights because of this and they deserve it.  I hope they are here–they're probably in the bar and I'll be with them in a minute!”

The success of Givemethebeatboys was very much a family one with Marnane's daughter Amy picking the horse out at the sales and other daughter Olivia riding him out every day at Harrington's yard. 

As well as looking forward to Royal Ascot with Givemethebeatboys, Amy reflected on an “up and down year” at the breeze-ups, and explained how with a little bit of outside the box thinking, the family have a genuine Royal Ascot contender on their hands. 

She said, “I think he's a very good horse. He showed a lot of promise from very early on. We've only ever had two Bungles before this. One is a stakes winner in Doha and Funny Money Honey is the other. Mrs Harrington had her last year and here we go again with Givemethebeatboys. “We're going to go to the Coventry and try to do what we did with Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) [won the Albany S. at Royal Ascot in 2017].”

She added, “It's really difficult to get a Bungle Inthejungle into a breeze-up sale because they don't walk. They are not sales horses but my God they are racehorses.

“It has been an up and down year for us with the breezers. The buyers are gone so dependent on that clock and it makes it really difficult. Let's say this horse for example, if we sent him to a breeze-up sale he wouldn't have clocked. It's really difficult and some of the horses in the breeze-ups, their sale date is the Derby. We train these horses ourselves so, if we don't make the breeze-up sale, we can race them.”

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