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Tag: Horse racing news
Thunder Moon Possible for Dewhurst
Group 1 winner Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who won the G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. at The Curragh on Sunday for Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, is under consideration for the G1 Dewhurst S. on Oct. 10, trainer Joseph O’Brien revealed on Monday. The bay graduated at first asking for breeder Anne Marie O’Brien at The Curragh on Aug. 9, before being purchased privately.
“We were very happy with him,” said O’Brien of the ‘TDN Rising Star’. “It was a bit of a messy race, but he showed a great turn of foot to go away and win well. We did supplement him, so we were hopeful he’d run a nice race, but I suppose I was surprised by the manner of his victory.”
“If he was to run again this year, the Dewhurst would probably be the race for him, but we’ll see how he comes out of the race on Sunday and a lot will depend on the ground as well. The Breeders’ Cup [in November] is there as an option as well, but that wouldn’t be on my radar at the moment. He’s an exciting colt.”
O’Brien also sent out ‘Rising Star’ Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) to run second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. to Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), trained by his brother Donnacha. A start on Champions Day in the G1 Fillies’ Mile or the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day or a Breeders’ Cup appearance in November are all on the table at the moment for the John Oxley silkbearer. Her biggest win to date was the G2 Debutante S. on Aug. 22, beating the aforementioned Shale.
“Pretty Gorgeous ran a great race,” said O’Brien. “I think the two of them [Pretty Gorgeous and Shale] are very good fillies and whichever one of them gets the rub of the green on the day might come out on top.
“We’ll see how our filly comes out of it, but we have the option of the Fillies’ Mile or the Prix Marcel Boussac and there’s also the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll see how we go, but I’d say she probably just wants one more run this year, with Newmarket and France being the likeliest options.”
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Fabulous Forego: Superstar of the Handicap Division
A bank of menacing grey clouds rolled low over the barns at Belmont Park the morning of Oct. 2, 1976. A steady rain began to pelt the Long Island, N.Y., track. It was bad news for trainer Frank Whiteley. In 47 previous starts, his champion Forego had run only once on an off-track, finishing third.
Breeders’ Cup Mile Likely for Safe Voyage
MGSW Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), who won the G2 Boomerange S. at Leopardstown on the first day of Irish Champions Weekend, is a likely starter in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile in November. Trained by John Quinn, the 7-year-old gelding added the Listed Investec Surrey S. to his haul second up on July 4 and was fourth in the G2 Qatar Lennox S. later that month at Goodwood. Back on top in the G2 Sky Bet City of York S. on Aug. 22, the Ross Harmon colourbearer struck at that level again with a narrow victory in the Boomerang on Saturday.
“We’re delighted it just went his way,” said Quinn. “I think he deserved it as he’s so tough and admirable–everything you want in a top-class racehorse. It was his first win over a mile, which is great–it opens up other doors.
“We’ll see how he comes out of the race, but I’m going to work back from the Breeders’ Cup. We can look at the [G1 Prix de la] Foret [on Oct. 4] and the [G1] QEII [on Champions Day at Ascot on Oct. 17], but he’ll only run in one of those, if any. They’re all very good races, but the Breeders’ Cup Mile is the race that appeals the most.”
Quinn also provided an update on listed winner Keep Busy (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and G1SP Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), second and seventh, respectively, in the G1 Flying Five S. at The Curragh on Sunday. Both horses are eyeing the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc Day at ParisLongchamp.
“It was a phenomenal run from Keep Busy–she doesn’t know how to run a bad race,” Quinn added. “She got a bump from a horse going backwards and was beaten half a length, but that’s racing and full credit to Kevin and all the connections of the winner.
“Liberty Beach ran a good race as well. She just had no luck in running and was only beaten three lengths. They’re both entered in the Prix de l’Abbaye and if they’re both well, that’s where they’ll go.”
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