Wonderful Tonight The Saturday Star

   With Goodwood Saturday centred around the Stewards Cup for the sprinters, the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. is the sole black-type contest on the closing card but it features one of Europe's best in Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was forced to miss last Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. due to the fast surface and despite the ground drying out all the time here,  she is committed to run under her three-pound penalty. Trainer David Menuisier is taking nothing for granted.

“The opposition obviously is not the same as the King George, but they have to be respected,” he said. “I haven't gone into great detail as to the horses left in the race but there's a 3-year-old carrying next to no weight, which is something you can't discard. She's the favourite and she should be, but we're not going there thinking she's a sure thing. It's a horse race and we know Goodwood offers some upsets at times.”

“I'm not here to put a dampener on it because on sheer ability, there's no race,” he added. “She's a bit buzzy, because she went to Ascot and had to come back but other than that she's fine. It's important she runs at the end of July and it didn't happen last weekend. That's the main point–she needs to run somewhere, because she's really well and fit. I don't want to deceive her by going back home and keep on working her there to get the freshness out of her without racing.”

Weather is always a concern for Menuisier, but there is rain forecast ahead of the race. “Obviously we're still hoping for some rain before Saturday to keep it on the slow side, because it's drying out quickly,” he said. “Good ground would be okay and if we don't get any more rain I think that's what it will be. I just know that on quicker ground she can't reach the levels she does on soft, so then it is a question of opposition.”

Koji Maeda's July 8 G3 Stanerra S. winner Believe In Love (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) will be in the mix if the favourite fails to fire, while the weight-for-age is a staggering 15 pounds which brings Ballydoyle's June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks third and July 17 G1 Irish Oaks runner-up Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) into the equation as the sole 3-year-old in the line-up.

“She has developed into a very solid, classy filly and now has two Classic-placed performances to her name,” jockey Ryan Moore said. “She operates on any ground, so the weather can do what it wants and you have to like her chances as the only 3-year-old in here getting a hefty 12 pounds from most and 15 from Wonderful Tonight.”

At Newmarket, Juddmonte's rare jewel Chiasma (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) lines up for the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice S. The John and Thady Gosden-trained full-sister to Frankel (GB) faces tough opposition in the 12-furlong contest as she bids to build on her novice win at Kempton last time June 30.

“It's a good renewal of the race and some of the fillies in there have got some strong form by their names,” Thady Gosden said. “Chiasma won last time out which was important for her and for Juddmonte. Now we hope to get some black-type next to her name with a pedigree like hers. If the ground is faster it won't be a worry, although it is due to rain and she has already run on soft ground. She shows a great attitude at home and enjoys her work.”

Another Juddmonte runner is the unbeaten Ralph Beckett-trained Yesyes (GB) (Camelot {GB}), who has impressed at Haydock May 28 and Lingfield July 14.

“The mile and a half on the July Course should suit her really well, particularly as they have a drop of rain forecast,” her trainer said. “Her first run has been given a boost and it is lovely form. We've had to be patient with her, as she was slow to come to hand. Last year she was a big filly and was simply not ready to race.”

Godolphin's Sayyida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a half-sister to Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) with two course-and-distance wins to her name May 16 and June 26 and Charlie Appleby is looking forward to seeing how she fares in a tough contest.

“We will be slightly on weather watch, as we would like a bit of rain as it was quick enough there on her last start,” he explained. “We are pleased with her preparation and the one thing she does is stay well.”

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Night of Thunder’s Suesa Storms to King George Glory

Unbeaten bar a latest blip in testing ground in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 18, George Strawbridge's Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) bounced back to her brilliant best in Friday's G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood. Sent off at 7-1, the Apr. 20 G3 Prix Sigy and May 17 G3 Prix Texanita winner chased the frantic early pace which saw the four-times winner Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) sitting off it throughout the early stages. Coming alive for William Buick at halfway, the Francois Rohaut-trained bay powered by Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole en route to a three-length dismissal of that fellow 3-year-old, with Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) the best of the older sprinters 1 1/2 lengths away in third. Battaash, the 2-1 favourite, found little when the crunch came and trailed in seventh. “It was an amazing performance,” the in-form Buick said after steering his sixth winner of the meeting after his success in the other “King George” at Ascot on Saturday. “She travelled through the race very strongly and had that kick at the finish off a fast pace. It was bad ground in the Commonwealth Cup and she couldn't get any cover early over six furlongs, so she ended up running her race the wrong way round there. Everyone had put a line through that and I wanted to let her travel where she was comfortable here, so it was just about getting a run. She has a great attitude and is very calm–she's just a very good filly.”

Racing for owner Georgina Cabrero and trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias initially, Suesa scored in a debutantes contest over six furlongs at Chantilly in October before following up over 5 1/2 furlongs back at that venue in the Listed Prix Yacowlef the next month. Doing enough to draw attention from George Strawbridge as a result, she provided an instant return on his investment when taking the Sigy over the Yacowlef course and distance before winning with just as much authority over six on her fourth start at Chantilly in the Texanita. Sent off the 9-4 favourite for the Commonwealth, she was beaten two out and faded to eighth after racing prominently and it was a case of back to the drawing board for connections.

Entering this aggressive test of pace something of a forgotten filly as a result, it turned out to be tailor-made for her racing style and the true Suesa was in evidence as she brushed aside some leading sprinters including Shadwell's lord of the manor in a watershed moment for this prize. Always travelling within herself following Dragon Symbol and Arecibo (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) as the race regular Ornate (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) blazed the trail, she was off the bridle and working as Battaash was still hard on the steel for Jim Crowley out wide with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. While his effort petered out remarkably quickly, Suesa's surge was relentless to make the speedy Dragon Symbol and Glass Slippers appear relatively pedestrian late on.

James Wigan, racing manager for George Strawbridge, said, “We thought she was very good before Ascot and then the rain came and the ground was bottomless. She just couldn't act on it, luckily we took her home and she was okay. Her form in France before was very impressive, but we didn't know what she'd be like over here. There aren't really many deep sprint group races in France in the summer, so this was the obvious place to come. As for a run at York [in the Aug. 20 G1 Nunthorpe S.], it depends what she is like when she gets back. She'll have had quite a lot of travelling, coming here and then going back, then coming again having already done Ascot. The [Oct. 3 G1] Abbaye will be the obvious target. There is a very good chance she will stay in training next year, as the owner is very much a sportsman.”

Oisin Murphy was left feeling deflated by another runner-up finish for Dragon Symbol. “He is better than that. It's a shame the good ones weren't drawn beside him, we followed the wrong ones,” he said. Glass Slippers' trainer Kevin Ryan was pleased with the effort of the mare on her seasonal bow. “We would like to have got a racecourse gallop into her, but the ground has been so firm everywhere. We didn't want to risk doing that,” he said. “We knew coming here she was going to need the run. We can look forward to the rest of the year now. We will have a chat over the weekend, but we will generally take the same sort of route, the race in Ireland [the Sept. 12 G1 Flying Five] I would imagine will be on the agenda. It will be a nice chat to have on Sunday morning.”

Charlie Hills was inclined to blacme the ground for the uncharacteristically tame effort of the favourite. “He had a good trip and although there was a lot of pace on the other side of the track he came into it nice and strong,” he said. “l was a little bit concerned about the going here today and he didn't handle it as well as he could have done. We were happy that he was doing everything he's done in the past few years and there was no difference really. We'll see how he comes out of this and speak to the management and Sheikha Hissa and see where we go.”

Jim Crowley added, “The ground was probably slow enough for him. He travelled well early and showed plenty of enthusiasm. Even cantering down, I thought the going was slow enough.” Shadwell's Angus Gold refused to give a kneejerk reaction, but seemed to be suggesting that retirement could beckon now. “He had an injury last year and it took him a long time to come right. He's had issues all his life and I think it's remarkable that he's back with us at all,” he commented. “I'll speak to Sheikha Hissa. He is her horse and the last thing we want to do is abuse him. After all the problems he's had and him being seven, why would we go on now? Ascot I thought was a good run given how long he had been back in the yard. Today was not so good. Obviously, Charlie and the team would like to keep him in the yard, but there comes a time for all of us.”

Suesa is out of an unraced half-sister to the Listed Radley S.-placed Sheboygan (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and daughter of the Listed Tyros S. third White Satin (Ire) (Fairy King). The latter is kin to the stakes-winning and GII Honeymoon H.-placed Chenille (Ire) (Tenby {GB}) and the group 3-placed Sweet Treat (Ire) (Orpen) connected to the dual listed-winning and dual group-placed sprinter Nights Cross (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}). This is the family of the Sadler's Wells duo of luminaries Barathea (Ire) and Gossamer (GB) and the multiple group-winning sire Desert Style (Ire) (Green Desert). Sally Is the Boss, whose previous best was the Spanish champion juvenile colt Valle Inclan (Ire) (Elusive Pimpernel), also has the unraced 2-year-old filly Celebrate In Style (Ire) (Estidhkaar (Ire) and a yearling colt by The Last Lion (Ire).

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 7-30, 3yo/up, 5fT, :59.35, g/s.
1–SUESA (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Night of Thunder (Ire)
     1st Dam: Sally Is the Boss (Ire), by Orpen
     2nd Dam: White Satin (Ire), by Fairy King
     3rd Dam: Canton Lightning (Ire), by Rheingold (GB)
1st GROUP 1 WIN. (€17,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV). O-George Strawbridge; B-Thomastown Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Francois Rohaut; J-William Buick. £170,130. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Fr, 6-5-0-0, $376,852. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dragon Symbol (GB), 124, c, 3, Cable Bay (Ire)–Arcamist (GB), by Arcano (Ire). (67,000gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Yoshiro Kubota; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Archie Watson. £64,500.
3–Glass Slippers (GB), 125, m, 5, Dream Ahead–Night Gypsy (GB), by Mind Games (GB). O/B-Bearstone Stud Limited (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. £32,280.
Margins: 3, 1HF, 2. Odds: 7.00, 2.50, 22.00.
Also Ran: Arecibo (Fr), Keep Busy (Ire), Stone of Destiny (GB), Battaash (Ire), Art Power (Ire), Good Effort (Ire), Liberty Beach (GB), Zargun (Ger), Ornate (GB), Ubettabelieveit (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Sea The Stars’s Baaeed Explosive in Goodwood’s Thoroughbred

Shadwell's homebred 3-year-old colt Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) announced his arrival on the scene going three-for-three with a four-length rout in Newmarket's Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. earlier this month and continued a rapid rise through the ranks with an explosive performance in Friday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. at Goodwood. He had earlier snagged a June 7 one-mile maiden on debut at Leicester, following up under a six-pound penalty in a June 19 novice heat at Newmarket, and went postward with overwhelming crowd confidence for this fourth outing at the one-mile trip. Baaeed employed patient tactics from flagfall and settled off the pace, racing sixth of the seven runners, through halfway. Making eyecatching headway under a motionless Jim Crowley in the straight, the 2-5 favourite loomed large hard on the steel approaching the furlong marker and lengthened clear in impressive fashion to easily outclass G1 Coral-Eclipse fourth El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by a widening 6 1/2 lengths. Royal Ascot's G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up Tasman Bay (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) bolstered the form and finished a half length back in third.

“People keep saying he is running good times, but he's just a good horse and keeps doing it,” said trainer William Haggas. “He's sound, healthy and fast. I learnt today that he doesn't need fast ground to be at his best and it confirmed that he is a good horse. Baaeed is a full-brother to Hukum, who stays 14 furlongs, and looking at him, he looks like he is faster than his pedigree suggests. We will stay at a mile for now. He started life on June 7 and it is now July 30. He has had four races and been running in decent company against 3-year-olds. He's in the races that he should be and it is time he took on the better ones in the bigger races. He is entered in the [G1 Prix] Jacques Le Marois, the [G2] Celebration Mile back here and the [G1 Prix du] Moulin. I'm not for running them regularly, but horses are bred to race and I am very happy to run him in a top-class race next time.”

Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold added, “It looked like he got there very quickly when Jim [Crowley] asked him. He has a fantastic attitude and you've got to think he is a Group 1 horse. Until he proves us wrong, or gets caught out over a mile, there's no point in going up to 10 furlongs. He is very much a 12-furlong horse on pedigree, but you just have to stand behind him and look at his quarters to see where his speed comes from. We are lucky to have him and too much speed is a nice problem to have.”

Reflecting on the performance, rider Jim Crowley commented, “Baaeed has an engine on him and I was quite happy to sit where I was. We had a low draw, but I didn't want to go up the inside and complicate it, especially here at Goodwood. He got into a nice rhythm and, when I pulled him out, I knew I had plenty of horse. We had a few concerns about the good-to-soft ground as he has not gone on it before, but as you could see it was no problem. He is a proper horse and you would like to think that he is a Group 1 horse, but he's got to go and do it. I don't see any reason to step him up in trip at the moment and, from a stallion's point of view, you'd love him to win Groups 1 races over a mile. I am sure, at some stage, he will go up in trip.”

Roger Varian was not downcast in defeat and accepted runner-up El Drama had met with something special. “In trying to stretch the winner, he just tired in the final 100 yards, but we are pleased he held on for second,” the Newmarket trainer said. “We were blown away by the winner, but he ran a nice race. El Drama is a very likeable horse and just shy of the top grade at the moment. I think he will improve with age and will be a nice horse to have in the stable over the next year or two. He is at this level while the winner looked a Group 1 horse.”

Baaeed is the fifth of seven foals and one of three scorers out of Listed Prix de Liancourt victrix Aghareed (Kingmambo), herself a daughter of MGISW US champion Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). Lahudood, in turn, is a granddaughter of Listed Cheshire Oaks runner-up Bashayer (Mr. Prospector), herself one of seven black-type performers out of MGSW blue hen Height of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}). Baaeed is a full-brother to last term's G3 Geoffrey Freer S. and this month's G3 Silver Cup winner Hukum (Ire). The April-foaled homebred bay is also a half-brother to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Zaghaareed (GB) (Intello {Ger}) and a yearling colt by Nathaniel (Ire).

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 7-30, 3yo, 8fT, 1:41.20, gd.
1–BAAEED (GB), 127, c, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Aghareed (SW-Fr), by Kingmambo
2nd Dam: Lahudood (GB), by Singspiel (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahayeb (GB), by Arazi
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-William Haggas; J-Jim Crowley. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $133,500. *Full to Hukum (Ire), MGSW-Eng, $224,940. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–El Drama (Ire), 127, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Victoire Finale (GB), by Peintre Celebre. (425,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Farm Cove Thoroughbreds (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £21,500.
3–Tasman Bay (Fr), 127, c, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Purely Priceless (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€220,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Sir Peter Vela; B-SARL de Chambure, Haras d'Etreham & SARL Ecurie des Charmes (FR); T-Sir Mark Todd. £10,760.
Margins: 6HF, HF, NK. Odds: 0.40, 11.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Perotto (GB), Tactical (GB), Khartoum, Rhythm Master (Ire). Scratched: Passionova (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Showcasing’s Asymmetric Strikes For Richmond Triumph

Fresh from a landmark success in Tuesday's G1 Goodwood Cup, the Alan King stable was to the fore once more when Leora Judah's 2-year-old colt Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) displayed an explosive turn of foot to bag Thursday's G2 Unibet Richmond S. at the Sussex track. The March-foaled bay had opened up with a pair of novice scores, over this six-furlong strip and at Newmarket in June, before relinquishing his perfect record when the wrong side of a head verdict in the latter venue's July 8 G2 July S. last time. Asymmetric was sharply into stride from the stands' side stall, but was shuffled back to settle fifth after the initial exchanges. Rowed along in behind inside the quarter-mile marker, the 11-4 favourite bullied his way through an opening passing the furlong pole and quickened impressively from there to prevail by a half-length from Khunan (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) in a blanket finish. Newbury's Super Sprint winner Gubbass (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was edged out of second by a nose with G2 July S. fourth Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) finishing a neck further adrift in fourth.

“I burnt out most of the nerves on Tuesday with Trueshan and hoped and thought Asymmetric would run very well today,” said trainer Alan King. “I wasn't thinking he had to win this whereas I thought Trueshan had to on Tuesday. Asymmetric has the most wonderful temperament, he's almost horizontal he's so laid back. We were always going to step back and take a lead on him and I was just hoping they wouldn't get first run on him. They went steady early, which was something I wasn't sure about, he has a fairly good turn of foot when he does go and he picked up very well. He can go on soft, but we think he is a better horse on top of the ground and he gives Martin [Harley] a much better feel on faster ground. Luckily, the ground has dried out a bit. He's in the [G2] Gimcrack and he's entered in the [G1] Prix Morny in France, but I've no idea where he goes next. We'll see what the team want to do.”

Winning rider martin Harley added, “He travelled good and when I asked him for a gear change, he went from second to fifth. He has an incredible turn of foot and he showed that today. That was very exciting.”

Looking ahead to possible targets for the runner-up Khunan, trainer Richard Fahey said, “I think Khunan is a six-furlong horse so we will be looking at the [G1] Prix Morny and he is in the [G2] Gimcrack.” Jockey Hollie Doyle added, “We had an easy time of it on the front end, but he hit a flat spot and then he quickened up really well. It was a massive run.”

Asymmetric, half-brother to a yearling colt by Gleneagles (Ire), is the first of two foals produced by a winning half-sister to Listed Westow S. victrix and G3 Prix du Petit Couvert placegetter Fashion Queen (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}). Black-type descendants of the March-foaled bay's third dam Pizzicato (GB) (Statoblest {Ire}) include MGSW G2 Flying Childers S. victrix Wunders Dream (Ire) (Averti {Ire}) and GSW G1 Jebel Hatta third Muffri'ha (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
UNIBET RICHMOND S.-G2, £150,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:14.31, g/s.
1–ASYMMETRIC (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Swirral Edge (GB), by Hellvelyn (GB)
2nd Dam: Pizzarra (GB), by Shamardal
3rd Dam: Pizzicato (GB), by Statoblest (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (65,000gns Ylg '20 TADEYG; 150,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Ms Leora Judah; B-Redpender Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Alan King; J-Martin Harley. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $157,101. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Khunan (GB), 126, c, 2, Twilight Son (GB)–Hilary J (GB), by Mount Nelson (GB). (£18,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK). O-Al Mohamediya Racing; B-Bumble Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Richard Fahey. £32,250.
3–Gubbass (Ire), 126, c, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Vida Amorosa (Ire), by Lope de Vega (Ire). (£26,000 Ylg '20 TATIRY). O-Jassim bin Ali Al Attiyah; B-Tom Lacy (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £16,140.
Margins: HF, NO, NK. Odds: 2.75, 16.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Ebro River (Ire), Perfect Power (Ire), Gis A Sub (Ire), Caturra (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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