Newmarket: Will The Rain Dampen City Of Troy’s Dewhurst Show?

Newmarket's wet spell would not have been what connections of City Of Troy (Justify) would have wanted, so all credit to “the lads” for their full commitment to running their new “big horse” in Saturday's G1 Native Trail's Dewhurst S. We already know what we are dealing with in terms of talent, with his performance in the G2 Superlative S. an adequate barometer, and luckily we will now get to measure his versatility and character as well with conditions as well as classy peers offering a sticking point.

As with Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) at Doncaster 12 months ago, soft ground will not mean a no-show from the colt that is certain to draw extra numbers to Future Champions Day and Ryan Moore was not too concerned about conditions immediately after steering Ylang Ylang (GB) to glory in the G1 Fillies' Mile. The times on Friday's card suggested good-to-soft was more accurate at that point, but the rain that came after the feature was heavy and relentless so this could be more of a slog then expected.

“He's ready for run and is three weeks down the road from The Curragh and Dean [Gallagher] is very happy with him,” Aidan O'Brien commented. “We've always loved him and he's done everything we've asked of him, so this should be a lovely run to finish off the season and a good experience.”

Soft ground holds no fears for Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's G2 Champagne S. winner Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who had the subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Listed Star Appeal S. winner Mountain Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) behind when taking Doncaster's G2 Champagne S. last month. Largely due to the dominance of Irish-trained colts in this race this century, Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) last year and Too Darn Hot (GB) in 2018 are the only two to complete the Champagne-Dewhurst double since Distant Music in 1999, so Charlie Hills' exciting colt is up against it.

“I was very impressed at Doncaster, like everyone else who was watching him, and he showed a good turn of foot which is what you need over seven in a Group 1,” Iberian's jockey Tom Marquand said. “There have obviously been Group 1 winners behind him, albeit on different ground. We've only seen City Of Troy on a racecourse twice and he's off a three-month absence since the Superlative. While he was impressive in that, if ever there is a day to take on a horse like that, this is it. Circumstances are probably as in our favour as they can be and I'm looking forward to it.”

Given how well Shadwell's Alyanaabi (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) operated on the fast going prevalent for last month's G3 Tattersalls S., this shift underfoot has to be a question mark as it is for the G3 Acomb S. winner Indian Run (Ire) (Sioux Nation) and Prince Faisal bin Khaled and Najd Stud's TDN Rising Star Eben Shaddad (Calyx {GB}), who hardly looked a stout stayer over course and distance when third in the Tattersalls. Juddmonte's Array (Ire) (No Nay Never) handled heavy when edging the six-furlong G2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury, but these are far deeper waters and stamina is not guaranteed.

Owen Burrows said of Alyanaabi, “I felt he had to quicken at a few stages in the Group 3 last time. I'm not concerned if there is lack of pace in the race as this horse has won over six furlongs. He is pretty versatile. We always felt he was this level and the fact I pitched him in a listed race on his second start instead of going for a novice race under a penalty suggested that.”

 

More Autumn Offerings?

While the celebrated half-siblings Nashwan and Nayef and fellow class act Dr Fong captured the Autumn S. in its former guise as a listed contest at Ascot, it was not until the mile juvenile contest was shifted to Newmarket and upped to Group 3 status that it really took on an extra dimension. Since 2017, Godolphin's Dubawi luminaries Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Coroebus (Ire) and the Fabre A-lister Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) have graced its honour roll so this is always a race to take seriously.

Charlie Appleby has found another son of Dubawi to bid for a fourth consecutive edition and fifth since 2017 for the stable and a fifth in a row for Godolphin, with Military March (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) successful for Saeed bin Suroor in 2019. Not seen since finishing third in the Listed Pat Eddery S. on the King George card in July, Ancient Wisdom (Fr) becomes the latest to represent the form of that deep contest and his trainer is happy he is at a peak for this. “Ancient Wisdom has done very well for a break since Ascot,” he said. “I felt he lost little in defeat that day, as seven furlongs was on the sharp side and he was still learning. He has done very well since physically and it was always the plan to give him some time off ahead of an autumn campaign. His work has been good and he should handle testing conditions if the rain does come. We feel that he will be a strong player.”

Stamina will also be of concern to Aidan O'Brien, who puts forward the G2 Beresford S. runner-up Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's TDN Rising Star Arabic Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) also looks likely to relish a soft-ground mile test given the way he won on debut over seven furlongs at the July Festival here and finished second in Salisbury's Listed Stonehenge S. over this trip in August. Another big player is the Gredleys' Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who was a notable first-time winner for the James Fanshawe not renowned for big debut efforts when impressive over seven at Leicester last month.

 

Arabian Crown The One To Beat In The Zetland

Completing the trio of juvenile pattern races on the Future Champions Day card is the G3 Ghaiyyath Zetland S., where another of Appleby's Dubawi projects Arabian Crown (Fr) is likely to start at prohibitive odds. His defeat of aforementioned Arabic Legend in the Stonehenge gives him the form edge over some intriguing rivals including Ballydoyle's Curragh maiden winner Gasper De Lemos (Ire) (Justify) and Chasemore Farm's Sandown debut scorer Dambuster (GB) (Kingman {GB}) from the Andrew Balding stable.

“Arabian Crown brings a nice profile into this,” commented Appleby, who has won the last two editions with similar types. “He has a pedigree and running style that suggests stepping up to a mile and a quarter will produce further improvement, so he should be very competitive.”

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Sumbe Strikes For Iberian Full-Brother At 1.1m During Tattersalls Book 1

A son of Lope De Vega (Ire) (lot 260), a full-brother to G2 Champagne S. hero Iberian (Ire), became the latest seven-figure lot during Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when selling to Sumbe for 1.1 million gns. Consigned by Ballylinch Stud where his sire stands, the colt is out of Bella Estrella (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who won the Listed Cairn Rouge S. and is a full-sister to G3 St Simon S. victress High Heeled (Ire), who ran third in both the G1 Oaks and the G1 Coronation Cup. Another sister, the Rainbow Quest mare Faraday Light (Ire), is the dam of the top-class Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who won the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, as well as a Grade I in Canada.

 

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Lope De Vega’s Iberian On Top In The Champagne

Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Bella Estrella {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) backed up a debut success at Newbury in June with a second in last month's G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood and continued on the upgrade with a decisive victory in Saturday's G2 Betfred Champagne S. at Doncaster.

Racing fourth of five behind a modest pace through halfway, the 3-1 chance powered forward inside the final quarter mile to gain a narrow advantage passing the furlong pole and was driven out to easily assert superiority by two lengths from Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's hitherto undefeated Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) was unable to land a telling blow as the 4-5 favorite and finished 1 1/2 lengths away in third.

“He's a very exciting horse and that was just what the doctor ordered,” commented winning trainer Charlie Hills. “Listening to Tom [Marquand] when he came back, he said he gave him some feel, he's got an electric turn of foot and put the race to bed very well. His work had been unbelievable at home, so we just wanted him to show that on a racecourse and I think he's done that today. He learned plenty at Goodwood, where he was unlucky as he was drawn one, and I think William [Buick] was conscious to teach him how to do things properly. He was probably just a bit far out of his racing ground that day and inexperience caught him out, but he did finish well. The ground is still pretty soft today, but when the ground is quicker I think you'll see a better horse. It will be the [G1] Dewhurst next. He'll get a mile no problem, his dam stayed really well and I don't see why he can't be a [2000] Guineas horse. He's straightforward, with a great attitude, and he's so professional.”

Pedigree Notes

Iberian is the second of four foals and lone first scorer out of Listed Cairn Rouge S. victrix Bella Estrella (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), herself a full-sister to G3 St Simon S. winner and G1 Oaks and G1 Coronation Cup third High Heeled (Ire). High Heeled, a daughter of dual Grade II winner Uncharted Haven (GB) (Turtle Island {Ire}), is also a half-sister to the dam of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and GI E P Taylor S. heroine Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). The February-foaled bay is full to a yearling colt and half to a weanling colt by No Nay Never.

 

Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
BETFRED CHAMPAGNE S.-G2, £120,000, Doncaster, 9-16, 2yo, c/g, 7f 6yT, 1:27.35, sf.
1–IBERIAN (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Bella Estrella (Ire) (SW-Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Uncharted Haven (GB), by Turtle Island (Ire)
3rd Dam: Tochar Ban, by Assert (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Teme Valley & Ballylinch Stud; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Tom Marquand. £71,040. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $143,100. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sunway (Fr), 128, c, 2, Galiway (GB)–Kensea (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€300,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Guy Pariente Holding, T Lines & Qatar Racing; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-David Menuisier. £26,868.
3–Rosallion (Ire), 128, c, 2, Blue Point (Ire)–Rosaline (Ire), by New Approach (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £13,428.
Margins: 2, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 3.00, 6.00, 0.80.
Also Ran: Mountain Bear (Ire), Power Mode.

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Goodwood: English Rain? Courage Mon Ami

While the 2023 English summer staggers on in dour misery, Britain looks to the Qatar Goodwood Festival which in terms of the weather is a far cry from its prior “Glorious Goodwood” standing but in terms of thoroughbred quality is up there with any of its counterparts. This week, we get to see the Royal Ascot heroes Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the likes of Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), to name a few. If the rain that presaged the action at Ascot last week continues, soft-ground specialists will be the order of each day with the opening fixture set to take place on good-to-soft, soft in places.

That makes the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup even more of a stamina test than usual, which should be no hindrance to Wathnan Racing's Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami given how strongly he saw out that race over a further half a mile. Pointed here instead of the same connections' 3-year-old option Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), the Gosdens' unbeaten representative has experience of this tricky circuit having won a handicap here in May.

“John [Gosden] was keen to train both him and Gregory for the race and soft ground or probable soft ground swayed the decision towards running Courage Mon Ami, while Gregory will now take a different route, with his main aim being the St Leger,” the owners' racing adviser Richard Brown said. “He's back in trip, but he won there impressively before the Gold Cup and we know he handles the track. I don't think it will be a problem coming back to two miles, it was always the question before Ascot if he would he stay two and a half.”

Fourth here last year, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is back an improved horse and has just 3/4 of a length to turn around with Courage Mon Ami from the Gold Cup. Oisin Murphy believes the high-class veteran has conditions in his favour to do so. “All the signs at home are positive and I think this two miles will suit him better than the two and a half at Ascot,” he said. “I don't think the quick ground was a problem in the Gold Cup as he obviously let himself down on it, but we know from his past form that he enjoys some dig in the ground, so that's a plus for him.”

Also helped by the rain is Ballydoyle's Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who bounced out of the Gold Cup in which she was fourth to win last Sunday's G2 Curragh Cup. “She loved the ease in the ground at the Curragh,” Aidan O'Brien said. “She comes out of races on fast ground perfectly, which suggests it does not bother her, but she appears much better with an ease in the ground.” In a deep renewal, the first four home from the G2 Yorkshire Cup re-oppose with the winner Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) a fresh horse and the runner-up Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) back on a more suitable surface after flopping in the Gold Cup.

Marco Botti is hoping that Giavellotto can repay the resisted temptation to run at the Royal meeting. “He won well at York and it has always been the plan to skip the Gold Cup at Ascot and go to Goodwood,” he said. “He is well and his prep has gone to plan, we think he is fit and he looks in good order. We know he stays and we're looking forward to it. Two miles is not an issue, but we felt the Ascot Gold Cup may have stretched him a little bit. He settles well and he looks a stronger horse than last year. I just worry about the ground, I hope it will be nice ground for everyone and not extremes. Good-to-soft would be what he wants.”

All Boxes Ticked For Kinross…
Also on Tuesday is the G2 World Pool Lennox S., the next in the sequence of seven-furlong features which have been enhanced in recent years and which now provide a welcome narrative throughout the season. One of the finest in this category is Marc Chan's TDN Rising Star Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has the rain and return to the trip over which he is most comfortable to suit. He also has Frankie Dettori back on board, with the partnership temporarily ruptured by a spurious riding ban in the G1 July Cup in which the high-class gelding again showed his versatility to be third. Having beaten Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in 2021, he was an unlucky second 12 months ago so this is clearly his bag. “There is no doubt this is his best distance,” Chan's racing manager Jamie McCalmont said of the Ralph Beckett yard's stalwart, who is set to be an integral part of Dettori's farewell tour. “He likes the course and he's justifiably the favourite, even though that doesn't mean he will win the race.”

Of this year's 3-year-olds, Wathnan Racing's G3 Greenham S. winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) looks tailor-made for this after finishing fourth on ground that was too fast in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. “He's back to seven and hopefully that will see him in his best light,” Richard Brown said. “He got lit up and things didn't really go to plan at Ascot. I'm not trying to use an excuse and saying he would have won there, but back in trip and back in grade here, he should be thereabouts.”

Revived by a gelding operation last year, Cheveley Park Stud's TDN Rising Star Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) showed what he is capable of when making all in Newmarket's G3 Criterion S. and the stud's Chris Richardson is hoping he can back that up. “This race is the natural progression really and he came out of the Newmarket race well. He has not been straightforward, but gelding seems to have worked and we are now seeing what we were seeing on the gallops but not on the racecourse. It was just one of those rather frustrating things, but it was lovely to see him bounce back and follow up the previous win with such an emphatic success.”

Is Iberian Of The Right Vintage?
In the G2 Nicholson Gin Vintage S., Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's Newbury novice scorer Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is one of the less-exposed types who was spared the beating by City Of Troy (Justify) that the Hannon stable's solid yardstick Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) had to endure in the G2 Superlative S. Richard Ryan, racing manager for Teme Valley, said of the former, “We're hopeful we have a nice horse and this race will answer a lot of questions. He is an impressive horse at home and Charlie [Hills] is having a great season with his two-year-olds.”
“He looks to have a number of promising horses, so we are in the slightly excited camp until proven otherwise,” Ryan added. “Although it is probably going to be wet at Goodwood, it's unwatered and well maintained for this meeting and probably with it being the first day, it won't have the same issues the July Course had at the time with conditions in the pouring rain.”

One of the eyecatchers of the Royal Ascot 2-year-old events was Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Golden Mind (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), a half-brother to the fellow Richard Fahey-trained star Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) who was finishing to real effect when third in the Listed Chesham S. over this seven-furlong trip. He gets the Dettori treatment and Fahey has a special wish. “He's a horse that is improving the whole time, he's a bit of a laid-back character and with racing he's going to get better,” his trainer said. “He's in good order and I would love Frankie to ride me a winner before he retires, he's a legend.”

Paddington Set For Select Sussex…
Only five will take on this season's sensation Paddington in Wednesday's G1 Qatar Sussex S., the feature race of the meeting, with the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Eclipse S. hero scaring off much opposition. One who hasn't been spared is Cheveley Park Stud's G1 Fillies' Mile, G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), while soft ground means that Shadwell at least have an outside chance of another surprise with the William Haggas-trained Aldaary (GB) (Territories {Ire}).

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