Churchill’s Ladies Church Snags G2 Sapphire S. On The Line

Mark Dobbin's 3-year-old filly Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}–Rioticism {Fr}, by Rio De La Plata) saluted in last term's Listed Marwell S. and hit the board in three subsequent black-type starts. She went postward for Saturday's five-furlong G3 Barberstown Castle Sapphire S. at the Curragh as a 12-1 chance coming back off a close-up 10th in Royal Ascot's June 17 Palace of Holyroodhouse H. and secured a last-gasp win for a career high. Comfortable in mid division through halfway, the eventual winner had eased into contention when shaken up approaching the final furlong and was driven out late to supplant last year's winner Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) by a sliver on the line in a thriller.

“Ben [Coen] is a top-class rider and gave her a peach of a ride,” beamed trainer Johnny Murtagh. “We fancied her strongly in Ascot, but she probably could have done with one more run before that. We knew coming here today that she's a filly that shows plenty of pace. We had a hood on her before because she's keen, but the pace of the race was always going to help her settle today and Ben delivered her to perfection. When she relaxes she's got that turn of foot at the end. She's a huge filly and what she did at two is probably a bonus. She won her maiden and a Listed race and was always going to be better at three. She's learning how to sprint and we're going to be brave with her now for the rest of the season. She's won a Group 2, so it's Group 1s all the way now.”

Ladies Church, half-sister to a yearling colt by Le Brivido (Fr), is the first of two foals produced by Listed Prix des Reves d'Or victrix Rioticism (Fr) (Rio de la Plata), herself the leading performer out of a half-sister to G3 Somerville Tattersall S. and G3 Sirenia S. third Adventurous (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), G3 Marit Sveaas Minnelop second Crimson and Gold (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and Listed Derby du Midi placegetter Music House (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). Descendants of her G1 Prix Saint-Alary-winning fourth dam Rosefinch (Blushing Groom {Fr}), herself a daughter of Britain's Triple Crown heroine Oh So Sharp (Ire) (Kris {GB}), include multiple stakes-winning G2 Dante S. placegetter True Story (GB) (Manduro {Ger}), stakes-winning G2 King Edward VII S. third Roscius (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), multiple stakes-winning G2 Bill Stutt S. third Jimando (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), G2 Dubai City of Gold third Gold Star (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Listed Churchill S. victor Team Talk (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
BARBERSTOWN CASTLE SAPPHIRE S.-G2, €120,000, Curragh, 7-16, 3yo/up, 5fT, 1:00.86, gd.
1–LADIES CHURCH (GB), 128, f, 3, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Rioticism (Fr) (SW-Fr, $101,570), by Rio de La Plata
2nd Dam: Romanticism (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rosia (Ire), by Mr. Prospector
1ST GROUP WIN. (62,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; £160,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR; £700,000 RNA HRA '22 GOFLON). O-Mark Dobbin; B-Dukes Stud & Overbury Stallions Ltd (GB); T-Johnny Murtagh; J-Ben Coen. €72,000. Lifetime Record: 8-3-2-1, $142,753. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mooneista (Ire), 132, f, 4, Dandy Man (Ire)–Moon Unit (Ire), by Intikhab. O-Mrs Paula Davison; B-Killarkin Stud (IRE); T-Jack Davison. €24,000.
3–Equilateral (GB), 135, g, 7, Equiano (Fr)–Tarentaise (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd. (GB); T-Charles Hills. €12,000.
Margins: SHD, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 12.00, 2.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Cadamosto (Ire), Castle Star (Ire), Brostaigh (Ire), Geocentric (Ire), Last Crusader (Ire), New York City (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Night Of Thunder’s Isaac Shelby Prevails In Superlative Thriller

Manton Thoroughbreds' hitherto undefeated 2-year-old colt Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Kentucky Belle {Ire}), by Heliostatic {Ire}) registered a taking 3 1/2-length success in his May 31 unveiling going 6 1/2 furlongs at Newbury, the chestnut's only prior start, and doubled up in game fashion after a ding-dong tussle with Godolphin's Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout the closing stages of Saturday's seven-furlong G2 bet365 Superlative S. at Newmarket. The 3-1 chance was the sharpest of five into stride and accepted a tow from Dark Thirty (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in second after the early shuffling. Coming under pressure, as did all four rivals, passing the quarter-mile marker, he gained a narrow advantage approaching the final furlong and was driven out up the hill to withstand the persistent threat of Victory Dance by a head after a thrilling duel. Dark Thirty kept on once headed to finish 3 3/4 lengths back in third. 'TDN Rising Star' Lion Of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) was unable to feature when it mattered and finished last of the five contenders. The local stewards were back in session to conduct another official post mortem. Looking specifically at interference passing the furlong marker, where Isaac Shelby drifted across Dark Thirty's lane, the placings were allowed stand without amendment. Winning jockey Sean Levey received a two-day ban for his troubles.

“You're always tempted to make predictions, but he's very nice and really is the business I think,” commented Brian Meehan after annexing his first win in the contest. “He looks really special and could even be a [G1 2000] Guineas horse. He's got a good temperament and Sean [Levey] knows him well, so they're a good package. We'd stay at seven [furlongs] now, which I think is ideal, but we won't be in any hurry [to go up in trip]. I think we'd train him as a Guineas horse now. These horses are special and they're the reason you do it. You get the most enjoyment out of training winners of course, but when you get horses like him with serious potential it's exciting. All winter he's looked like a nice horse, he's straightforward with a lovely temperament and is very easy to deal with. We've got a great team at home with some very good judges and they've always liked him. It's easy to think that he was going to be nice, but this is high-end stuff and he's really proven himself. We'll take it step by step and won't rush into things, but he's a horse that we think is going to improve and physically there's still massive improvement there. We'll get him back and sit round the table and make a little plan after a week or so. Goodwood would come too soon, but the [G2] Champagne [at Doncaster in September] is a race I've thought about. I love the Breeders' Cup so the [GI] Juvenile Turf is one we'll definitely factor into our thoughts as well. I'm so pleased for Sam [Sangster], we do a lot together. He buys horses for me and my clients as a bloodstock agent and he runs these partnerships as well. It keeps the [Robert Sangster] colours alive which is really cool, he's a great guy and I can't thank him enough for his support.”

Charlie Appleby was not downcast after the narrow defeat of Victory Dance, who remains on target for the Curragh's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S., according to the trainer, despite the reversal. “The winner is a nice horse as he won that maiden at Newbury nicely and I feel we have more to go forward with as well,” he said. “We saw him there on his first start only just getting the hang of it and, when he got into a battle, he did well for his inexperience. I think going forward we have got all the options now, but I won't take him to somewhere like the [G2] Vintage [at Goodwood]. If we seek significant improvement at home we will carry on with Plan A and head to the [G1 Vincent O'Brien] National.”

Richard Hannon, a dual winner of this contest, was satisfied with the display of Dark Thirty and reflected, “It was a step up from his [Listed] Chesham run and I'm very happy with it. The interference wasn't ideal, but the best horse has won. We are delighted with our fellow as he has got home very well and he will get further in time. He would have finished closer, but I don't think he would have finished a position closer. He is a very nice horse and a class horse to look forward to the rest of the year. We wouldn't be far away in some of those seven-furlong Group 3s and he is definitely not average. There is the [G3] Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville, which would be ideal.”

Isaac Shelby, who becomes the 17th pattern-race scorer for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the third of four foals and one of two winners produced by an unraced half-sister to GII Mac Diarmida H. victor Ramazotti (Honor Grades) and to the dam of dual stakes winner Vow To Recover (Broken Vow). The April-foaled chestnut is a half-brother to a yearling colt by Al Kazeem (GB). The April-foaled chestnut's dam Kentucky Belle (Ire) (Heliostatic {Ire}) is a daughter of Listed Prom S. placegetter Mine Inning (Mining), herself out of Listed Revidere S. runner-up Weed It Out (Clever Trick). Descendants of Weed It Out also include Listed Debutante S. victrix She's My Warrior (Warrior's Reward), Listed Minnesota Derby scorer Thealligatorhunter (Overanalyze), Listed Oak Tree Sprint S. heroine Annie's Candy (Twirling Candy) and the Puerto Rican champion juvenile Wicked Runner (Wicked Strong). Weed It Out's siblings include GI American Derby hero Pocket Zipper (Full Pocket).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 SUPERLATIVE S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:25.13, g/f.
1–ISAAC SHELBY (GB), 129, c, 2, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Kentucky Belle (Ire), by Heliostatic (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mine Inning, by Mining
3rd Dam: Weed It Out, by Clever Trick
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (£92,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Manton Thoroughbreds VII; B-Elaine Chivers (GB); T-Brian Meehan; J-Sean Levey. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $72,686. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Victory Dance (Ire), 129, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (700,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-Godolphin; B-Airlie Stud & Mrs S Rogers (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £21,500.
3–Dark Thirty (Ire), 129, c, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Beach Wedding (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£90,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Martin Hughes & Michael Kerr-Dineen; B-Lynn Lodge Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £10,760.
Margins: HD, 3 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.00, 1.25, 10.00.
Also Ran: For A Laugh (Ire), Lion of War (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Mehmas’s Persian Force To The Fore At Newmarket

Amo Racing's €225,000 Goffs Orby yearling Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}–Vida Amorosa {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}) ran second to 'TDN Rising Star' Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. last month and, in the absence of late scratching Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never), justified odds-on favouritism to claim a first stakes success in Thursday's G2 Close Brothers July S. at Newmarket. He had previously debuted with a win in a stellar renewal of Doncaster's Mar. 26 Brocklesby S. and doubled up in a May 14 Newbury conditions heat. Positioned in a handy third through halfway in this six-furlong test, the crowd's 1-2 pick was sent to the front underneath the stands' side rail passing the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly under continued urging up the hill to comfortably outpoint Show Respect (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) by 1 1/2 lengths for a career high. In so doing, he emulated his sire (by Acclamation {GB}), who ran second in the Coventry before landing this contest in 2016.

“I'm delighted that Rossa [Ryan] put the race to bed when he needed to and we deserved that,” said Richard Hannon after claiming a fourth edition of the contest. “He's done exactly the same as [sire] Mehmas in finishing second in the Coventry and then winning the July. I do think he will get seven furlongs. We don't have to go there immediately, but at the end of the year he will. His temperament is exemplary and he behaves as very good 2-year-olds do and I'm sure a step up would benefit. We might look at the [G1 Vincent O'Brien] National S. in Ireland and the [G1] Prix Morny next. My dad rang me after the Coventry and said he's a Guineas horse and I thought that was a little bit out of the blue, but that was the first thing he said to me. If a horse has a lot of speed he doesn't want to do that, but because he's so sensible he gives himself every chance of getting that [one-mile] trip. He has always given me a tingle, he got his just rewards today and I'm sure he's a Group 1 winner waiting to happen. He's an ideal horse to make a sire, he's a gorgeous looker and has everything that good horses do have. This fellow is probably one of the best 2-year-olds we've had in a long time.”

“It's brilliant for Mr Hannon and all the team because we were unlucky at Ascot and we got repayment for the horse here,” added Rossa Ryan. “Going forward, we have our black-type race under our belts now and a lot of the pressure is off, so it's a job well done. He's so straightforward and is a relaxed character, he takes you through the race and fills you with confidence. It was probably the smoothest run I've got in a Group race for a long time and it all fell into place today. A lot of credit has to go to the lads at home, I do the easy job and they put in all the hard work, so I couldn't be more grateful to the team. Richard is a master of 2-year-olds and, when this lad was building up to Royal Ascot, there was talk that he was as good as Canford Cliffs, so I was getting excited. It's great to have a horse with a proper engine underneath like he does and it's a good feeling.”

Runner-up Show Respect bounced back after running 11th in the Coventry to finish second at odds of 33-1 and trainer Brian Meehan reflected, “That is much of what we expected to happen in the Coventry. He got stopped in the gate at [Royal] Ascot and in these sort of races you need a clean break. He has been able to show today what I always thought of and what James Doyle thought of him at Leicester. He is in the [G2] Gimcrack [at York], the [G2] Richmond [at Goodwood] is there, and there is also the [G1] Prix Morny [at Deauville]. I'm really pleased and all these races will be on his radar now.”

Persian Force, from the family of dual Group 1-winning sire Danehill Dancer (Ire), is the second foal and stakes performer produced by an unraced half-sister to the dam of G3 Prix de Meautry victor Garrus (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}). The April-foaled chestnut if a full-brother to last term's G2 Richmond S. third Gubbass (Ire) and half to a yearling colt by Inns Of Court (Ire).

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
CLOSE BROTHERS JULY S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-7, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:11.18, g/f.
1–PERSIAN FORCE (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Vida Amorosa (Ire), by Lope De Vega (Ire)
2nd Dam: Danamight (Ire), by Danetime (Ire)
3rd Dam: Nuit Chaud, by Woodman
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€75,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV; €225,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Tom Lacy (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Rossa Ryan. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $129,713. *Full to Gubbass (Ire), GSP-Eng, $186,395. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Show Respect (Ire), 128, c, 2, Showcasing (GB)–More Respect (Ire), by Spectrum (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€50,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV; 55,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; £490,000 RNA 2yo '22 GOFLON). O-Family Amusements Ltd & Partners; B-D & E Phelan (IRE); T-Brian Meehan. £21,500.
3–Mysterious Night (Ire), 128, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Mistrusting (Ire), by Shamardal. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £10,760.
Margins: 1HF, 1 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.50, 33.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Harry Time (Ire), Waiting All Night (GB), King's Crown (Ire), Brave Nation (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Broome Gallops Hardwicke Rivals Into Submission

With the scene set on the final day of Royal Ascot, Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. produced the inevitable as Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) conjured a 900th group win for Aidan O'Brien. Ryan Moore was the sorcerer once again, as the meeting's leading rider pulled off a front-running tour de force on the 6-1 shot who had already contributed five to that awe-inspiring tally. In many ways, last year's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero and Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up is a fitting horse to bring up the milestone, typifying the honed resolution and hardiness that is the trainer's great trademark. Kept wide initially before crossing over to head off the rest, he had the 8-11 favourite Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in attendance but by the turn for home Godolphin's re-emerging Irish Derby, St Leger and Grand Prix de Paris hero was in trouble. Striding with zest and purpose to the line, the six-year-old who sports the Masaaki Matsushima silks had 3 1/4 lengths to spare over Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), with Hurricane Lane perhaps finding this too hot on his comeback 1 1/4 lengths away in third.

“We are so privileged to be in the position we are and are so grateful to everyone at Ballydoyle, to John and Sue, Michael and Doreen, Derrick and Gay and Georg and Emily,” O'Brien said in his time-honoured deferential style, before turning his attention to the jockey. “Ryan has done an incredible job on Broome and it was a brilliant ride,” he added. “He is a six-year-old horse now, but the strange thing is he seems to be coming to the peak of his career. He has a very high cruising speed and does not surrender. We think we will see the best of him this year.”

O'Brien's contention that Broome is reaching an apex is borne out by the fact that most of his recent performances have been in the last 12 months, with a second to Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in this preceding his Saint-Cloud highlight and his stirring effort at Del Mar, where only Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could suppress him. Only 11th in the G1 Japan Cup, he was a well-beaten fifth in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 22 but his trainer revealed he had excuses. “When he was getting unsaddled after the Japan Cup, a horse walking by kicked him and fractured a shin,” he explained. “He was off for a long time. He just had the comeback run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and finished fifth behind all those good horses. We will be thinking about something like the King George back here.”

“Broome has been brilliantly prepared–he was a different machine to what I've known before,” Moore said. “He was in a beautiful rhythm and stretched out excellent. He was really good today–he just flowed and lengthened. We always thought a lot of him–he was close to winning a Derby and a few things haven't gone his way. Aidan had him in a place to do that today.”

Mostahdaf was up to this trip for the first time and saw it out strongly, giving John and Thady Gosden options now. Gosden Jr said, “Ryan gave Broome an exceptional ride from the front–probably the best ride I've seen this week. He got loose, but Mostahdaf ran very well. It seems to be the right trip for him now and we'll see where we go from here.”

Charlie Appleby was keen to put Hurricane Lane's reversal in the context of his overall program and said, “We haven't hidden anything about what our thought processes are–we're working back from October, very much so. We feel Hurricane Lane is our Arc horse and, with the ground being as quick as it was, I said to William Buick 'don't forget, if it's not happening for him, look after him round there'. William said he travelled into it well, but his action just shortened a bit and he said he just went through his girths and just got tired. The ground was quick enough for him–he does move better when there's ease in the ground–we all know that. More importantly, he took on two match-fit horses as well. I'm pleased–you're just glad they've still got their enthusiasm.”

If Broome is this good at six, that bodes well for his 3-year-old full-brother Point Lonsdale (Ire) who has already garnered the G2 Futurity S., G3 Tyros S. and Listed Chesham S. here. The dam is the Listed National S. winner and GII Appalachian S. runner-up Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), a daughter of Dust Flicker (GB) (Suave Dancer) who is a full-sister to the G3 Prix de la Nonette scorer Dust Dancer (GB). She is in turn the second dam of the G1 Phoenix S.-winning Zoffany (Ire) and the G3 Bengough S. winner Projection (GB), who shares Acclamation as a sire with Sweepstake. This is the Hesmonds Stud family of the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Claxon (GB) (Caerleon), her GIII Hillsborough S.-winning and G1 Nassau S.-placed daughter Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) and the likes of Ernest Hemingway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Frankel's Rostropovich (Ire) and Toulifaut (Ire). Sweepstake's unraced 2-year-old filly by Lope de Vega (Ire) is named Saadiyat (Ire) purchased by Al Shira'aa Farms for 475,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, while she also has a yearling colt by Frankel.

Saturday, Ascot, Britain
HARDWICKE S.-G2, £237,750, Ascot, 6-18, 4yo/up, 11f 211yT, 2:30.07, g/f.
1–BROOME (IRE), 129, h, 6, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng & US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(€120,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFOR; 150,000gns Ylg '17 TATDEY). O-Masaaki Matsushima, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £134,828. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 11-14f, G1SW-Fr, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US, 24-8-6-0, $1,865,821. *Full to Point Lonsdale (Ire), MGSW & G1SP-Ire, SW-Eng, $236,144. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mostahdaf (Ire), 129, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Handassa (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £51,116.
3–Hurricane Lane (Ire), 129, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Gale Force (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £25,582.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 6.00, 5.50, 0.73.
Also Ran: Solid Stone (Ire), Layfayette (Ire), Away He Goes (Ire), Living Legend (Ire). Scratched: Third Realm (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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