Godolphin’s unbeaten Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) faces his first major test of 2020 in a strong renewal of Sunday’s 6 1/2-furlong G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. Facing the older sprinters for the first time, last year’s G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner also meets Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) who was a neck behind him when runner-up in the Middle Park at Newmarket in September. There was no sign that his delayed start to the season had meant a diminishing of his ability when he took the Listed Prix Kistena over six furlongs here on July 12 and Andre Fabre said he is happy with his preparation, if wary of the size of the task ahead. “Earthlight’s juvenile form is among the best around and he comes into this race in excellent condition,” he said. “I’m a bit worried if a race like this might just be coming a bit soon for him, he’s only had one run this season, which he found very easy. He’s having to take on older horses as well, but we’ll see. He had that interruption to the start of his season, which hasn’t been ideal.”
Also from Godolphin is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is on a roll over seven furlongs having annexed the G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp on June 25 and the G2 Lennox S. at Goodwood on July 28. He was only beaten a length when third in this 12 months ago and is probably an improved performer. “Space Blues has come out of the Lennox S. in good form. He ran well in this race last year and, with the way he has performed so far this year, we are heading back very confident that he can run a big race,” Charlie Appleby said. “Every time he has stepped up in grade this season, he has won more impressively, while he has performed well at Group 1 level on both his previous starts at Deauville. He ran very well in it last year and a repeat performance of that or what he has done this year is going to make him a live player.”
Golden Horde has stepped up this year, winning the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on June 19 before finishing third in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket on July 11. Trainer Clive Cox commented, “He is drawn 10 of 11, but I’m very happy with the horse. This is a very competitive Group 1, especially with Earthlight in there, who we have form with from last year. In the Morny he beat us quite convincingly, although our horse ran well, and we closed the gap by the end of the year in the Middle Park. I think an extra half a furlong will be no problem for us. I’m quite excited and looking forward to it. I think home territory might be a slight advantage, with the heat we have at the moment, but that said, apart from the journey it will be the same for all of us. He won well at Royal Ascot first time out and ran well in defeat in the July Cup. I’m still full of hope and admiration for our horse.”
Another Royal Ascot winner in the line-up is Haras d’Etreham and Cambridge Stud’s Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}), who took the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on June 20. Only fifth in the July Cup, he has to bounce back. Jockey Kevin Stott said, “I think he’ll like the track, as he didn’t come down the hill particularly well at Newmarket and the extra half a furlong will be right up his street. I’m really excited. He’s a very laid-back horse who takes everything in his stride.” Aidan O’Brien’s duo are the July 12 G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never), who drops back in trip after his second in the June 6 G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, third in the G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot on June 20 and fifth in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood on July 29.
Phoenix Headlines Curragh Card
The Curragh features a fascinating clash of the precocious juveniles in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S., with Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez’s recent purchase Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) stepping up to six furlongs following his success in Goodwood’s G3 Molecomb S. on July 29. Qatar Racing’s June 19 G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) renews rivalry with Middleham Park Racing’s Ventura Tormenta (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), with the latter denying him by the narrowest of margins in the G2 Prix Robert Papin over this trip at Chantilly on July 19. “The Molecomb winner was very impressive and Group 1s are never easy, but the horse seems in good form so we’ve got our fingers crossed,” trainer Michael Bell said of The Lir Jet. “He was in front before and just after the line in Chantilly, a real case of heads up, heads down, but unfortunately ours was up where it mattered. The horse who beat him is obviously a good horse in his own right. I don’t think he’s an out-and-out 2-year-old–you wouldn’t think it looking at him, as he’s a scopey sort. Hopefully the Commonwealth Cup might be on his agenda next season.”
Richard Hannon is hoping Ventura Tormenta can uphold the Robert Papin and said of him, “He is an Acclamation and he does exactly what it says on the tin. He is a reliable worker and is as good an Acclamation as we have had. They are rock hard and are made for racing and he is no different. In France it looked to me like he was running for second or third, but he stuck at it very well. This is another step up and he needs to find more, but he improved from his last run so hopefully he can do the same again.”
Also in the line-up is the July 18 G2 Railway S. first and second Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) and Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and that course-and-distance contest has always been a stepping stone to this. The winner’s trainer Ken Condon has a smart collection of juveniles in 2020 and said, “All has been fine with him and we’re looking forward to it. He’ll have to improve and step forward again, but he’s been good since and he’s well entitled to take his chance. He took a big step forward from his first to his second run and then from his second to his third, and has pleased us since.” According to jockey bookings, the one to head the trio bidding to give the current Ballydoyle set-up a 17th renewal is St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), the half-brother to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who was second on his sole start over this track and trip on July 26.
Elsewhere on the Curragh card, the story of the G3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint S. is whether the June 28 G2 Greenlands S. and July 5 G3 Ballycorus S. winner Speak In Colours (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) can give nine pounds to last year’s G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), now that she has served notice that she is back to her best when winning by four lengths in Naas’s G3 Ballyogan S. over this six-furlong trip on July 22. At Salisbury, Shadwell’s June 16 Buckingham Palace H. and July 11 Bunbury Cup winner Motakhayyel (GB) (Heeraat {Ire}) steps into pattern company in the G3 AJN Steelstock Sovereign S., where he meets some established performers headed by the July 28 G2 Lennox S. runner-up Duke of Hazzard (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).
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