Tag: Inspiral (GB)

Inspiral Limbering Up For Possible Lockinge Return

Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, has issued a positive bulletin on star mare Inspiral (GB) as she prepares to embark on her five-year-old campaign.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Inspiral was last seen running out an impressive winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November, her third top-level success of the season having already won the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville for the second year in a row and the Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket.

The daughter of Frankel (GB) subsequently won the 2023 Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Female, a notable achievement for the Cheveley Park team who have made the sporting decision to keep her in training in 2024, with the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury on Saturday, May 18 being identified as a likely first port of call.

“The Lockinge is the plan, but obviously she is a filly that likes to take her time to come in the spring as we've seen before,” said Richardson. “Certainly the Lockinge looks the first engagement we can consider and, if she tells us she's not quite ready, then we can wait until the Queen Anne [at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, June 18].

“She seems to be happy and well back in the yard and I watched her come up Warren Hill the other morning and she went up there nicely and quietly, so we will see how we go.”

Inspiral had not raced beyond a mile before her Breeders' Cup triumph, but that performance over 10 furlongs provides more options ahead of a five-year-old campaign which will see her try to add to her six Group 1 victories.

Richardson added, “I think John is keen to start her off at a mile and then we can build over the campaign hopefully, all being well. We will definitely be considering going a mile and a quarter.

“She's five now and a lovely filly who is still maturing and developing. She had a lovely break at the stud after America and they are a long time in the paddocks, so she is a mare we can really enjoy. She had a nice visit to us and was out in the paddock with her usual companions. She is always very inquisitive with her ears pricked, seeing who is coming round the corner next.”

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Four Individual Group 1 Winners Feature Among Lockinge Entries

Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) is one of the star names among 21 entries for the £400,000 G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury on Saturday, May 18.

Trained by Christopher Head, Big Rock ended his three-year-old campaign with an emphatic six-length win in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot in October, finally making the breakthrough at the top level following a hat-trick of runner-up finishes. He could be joined at Newbury by Andre Fabre's Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}), who won the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc for the second year in succession at Saint-Cloud on Monday. Big Rock and Tribalist are the only French-trained entries in a race they haven't won since Keltos (Fr) struck for Carlos Laffon-Parias in 2002.

The home team is headed by three multiple Group 1 winners trained by John and Thady Gosden, namely Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Lord North and Nashwa both reappeared on Dubai World Cup night when they finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in the G1 Dubai Turf, while the five-year-old Inspiral has been off the track since gaining the sixth top-level success of her career in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November.

Commenting on future plans for Nashwa, Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner-breeder Imad Alsagar, said, “It depends how she comes out of the race [in Dubai]. She recovered fine, but we'll see how she takes the trip home and then we'll make a plan. She's in the Middleton [at York on Thursday, May 16] and the Lockinge and I think those would be the most likely potential targets.

“She's run a super race and everything pretty much went to plan,” Grimthorpe added of Nashwa's Dubai Turf effort. “She just had to use herself up a little too much, but she was beaten just over four lengths, so overall we were very encouraged really. We'd hope she'll improve, as she did last season.”

The Gosden yard could also be represented in the Lockinge by G3 Criterion S. winner Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has been on the sidelines since finishing down the field in last year's renewal. Laurel is one of two possible runners in the famous Juddmonte silks which were last carried to victory in the Lockinge by the great Frankel in 2012. The other Juddmonte entry is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who hails from the most successful stable in the race's history with eight wins.

Other entries of note include the placed horses from last year's G1 2000 Guineas, Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), plus Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who impressed when making a successful return to action in the Listed Doncaster Mile S. for Roger Varian.

The first scratching stage is by noon on Tuesday, April 30, with final confirmation stage by noon on Monday, May 13.

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Making Waves: Breeders’ Cup Bonanza For Team Europe

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victories of Team Europe at the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.

 

Auguste Rodin Carves BC Masterpiece

Already a four-time Group 1 winner including both the Derby and the Irish version, Coolmore partners' Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) delivered another win in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf last Saturday (video) for Aidan O'Brien.

The 'TDN Rising Star' had been bred by Coolmore, and he is the first foal out of triple Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). His weanling half-brother is by Dubawi (Ire). Rhododendron is a full-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the duo are out of Broodmare of the Year Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), herself a decorated runner and winner of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and two other top-flight races.

Shadai Stallion Station's late Deep Impact has sired five winners from just 10 runners (50%) in the U.S. Two of that quintet are Grade I winners, with Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Loves Only You (Jpn) his first in America.

 

 

 

Cheveley Park's Inspiral Best At Santa Anita

Cheveley Park Stud homebred Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), racing beyond a mile for the first time in her career, won the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf last weekend for trainers John and Thady Gosden (video).

The six-time Grade/Group 1-winning daughter of Starscope (GB) (Selkirk) is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Celestran (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Starscope, herself a half-sister to stakes winner Solar Magic (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), was second in both the G1 1000 Guineas and the G1 Coronation S. Her latest produce are colts by Siyouni (Fr) and Ulysses (Ire)–named Megastar (GB) and Stetchworth Friend (GB), respectively–and a weanling full-sister to the winner. Stetchworth Friend was a 160,000gns buy by Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Juddmonte's Frankel has sired 26 winners from 50 runners (52%) in America. Of his 11 stakes winners there (22%), Inspiral is his second Grade I winner after McKulick (GB).

 

 

 

Godolphin One-Two In BC Mile

Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Godolphin homebred for trainer Charlie Appleby, got the bob to win the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile over fellow Godolphin runner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) last weekend (video).

Already a Grade I winner in Canada, the gelding was also second in the G1 2000 Guineas in 2021. A half-brother to a trio of stakes winners including the UAE Oaks heroine Falls Of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), herself the dam of two Group 1/Grade I winners in Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Master Of The Seas is also related to Classic winner Dupont (GB) (Zafonic). Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill)'s last foal is the winning Dark Angel (Ire) 3-year-old filly Sithchean (Ire).

On an international scale, Dubawi has 266 stakes winners (175 group/graded) to his credit. The gelding counts as one of 57 top-draw winners worldwide.

 

 

Unquestionable Stars In Juvenile Turf

Al Shaqab Racing and the Coolmore partners' Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) earned his first black-type victory in style when taking the GI Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Saturday for Aidan O'Brien (video).

The 'TDN Rising Star' was bred by Guillaume and Camille Vitse with their two daughters, and he brought €340,000 as a yearling at the Arqana August Sale. His dam, Strawberry Lace (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), has Almanzor (Fr) colts born in 2022 and 2023 as her latest produce. This is the extended family of Group 2 winner and sire Bated Breath (GB).

Coolmore sires sired the winners of three of the five Breeders' Cup races on Friday, and Wootton Bassett now has 15 winners of 23 (65%) runners in the U.S. Of his seven American stakes winners, Unquestionable is his second Grade I winner and Breeders' Cup winner after Audarya (Fr) won the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in 2020.

 

 

Blue Point Colt Fastest In The Land At Breeders' Cup

Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), raced by RP Racing, Ltd. from the yard of Mick Appleby, returned to the form that saw him win the G3 Molecomb S. in the summer with a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in Arcadia (video).

A product of the storied Rabbah Bloodstock breeding programme, the son of Hana Lina (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) brought just 50,000gns from breeze-up pinhooker Mickey Cleere out of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Consigned to the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, Big Evs was then withdrawn and sold privately. His placed dam has a yearling filly by Ribchester (Ire) to come and a weanling colt by another son of Shamardal in Earthlight (Ire).

Off to a bright start with his first crop of juveniles, Darley's Blue Point has 44 winners internationally. Already the sire of French Group 1 winner Rosallion (Ire), the bay has an additional five black-type winners worldwide. Big Evs was his first runner in America.

 

 

Have I Got A Deal For You

On the Breeders' Cup Saturday undercard, Salesman (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) demolished the G2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. by 8 1/4 lengths for trainer Richard Mandella and owner/breeder Wertheimer et Frere (video).

The son of High Maintenance (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}) is a fourth generation Wertheimer et Frere homebred. Listed-placed in France, Saturday's win was his first stakes. His G3 Prix Gladiateur-placed dam is also responsible for the five-time Group 1 winner Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and the stakes winner Lunch Lady (GB) (Shamardal), who was also twice third in a pair of French Group 3s. Second dam Fabulous Hostess (Fabulous Dancer) is best known as the winner of the G2 Prix de Royallieu.

One of 21 stakes winners (27%) and 16 graded winners (21%) in the U.S. for his Darley sire, Salesman is also part of a 39-strong battalion of winners (51%) there for Dubawi. The son of Dubai Millennium (GB) has been represented by 77 runners in the U.S.

 

 

 

Dandy Man Gelding Strikes At Del Mar

Dandy Man Shines (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) won his second race in a row for Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, LLC at Del Mar on Thursday for trainer Jeff Mullins (video). Placed at the graded level in 2022, the Let It Ride S. was his first stakes win.

Bred by John Frances Keegan in Ireland, the 3-year-old gelding was a €75,000 Goffs November foal turned €90,000 Goffs Orby yearling. He brought 105,000gns from his owners out of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale. In two European starts, he was unplaced for Rancho Temescal's Tim Cohen and trainer William Jarvis before traveling Stateside.

The son of Zehrah (Ire) (Raven's Pass) is a half-brother to Scandinavian champion Mystery Night (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), and his second dam won at listed level in England besides taking third in the G2 Cherry Hinton S. A juvenile filly by Kodiac (GB) and a weanling filly by Bated Breath (GB) are Zehrah's latest foals.

Dandy Man, who stands at Ballyhane Stud, has now sired two stakes winners from 25 runners in America (8%). His first is GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. hero River Boyne (Ire), who is a stallion at Tara Stud. Dandy Man Shines is one of 13 winners (52%) in that jurisdiction.

 

 

Night Of Thunder Filly Proves Dynamic in NY

Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown combined to take a maiden race at Aqueduct last weekend with first-time starter Dynamic Pricing (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (video).

The Epona Bloodstock-bred filly was a 170,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase by Mike Ryan on behalf of her current connections. She is the third–and last–known foal and second winner out of Shemda (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}). This is the female family of G1 Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}).

Her Darley sire has tallied eight winners from 14 runners (57%) in the U.S. His three American stakes winners are anchored by Grade III winners Sopran Basilea (Ire) and Pocket Square (GB).

 

 

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Inspiral To Avoid Ascot; Paddington To The QEII

Storm Babet has decided the final shape of the fields for Saturday's Qipco Champions Day fixture, with the softening ground ruling Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and making up Aidan O'Brien's mind as to where to point Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). That four-times group 1 winner takes up his engagement in the QEII, leaving a total of nine to take part in the G1 Qipco Champion S. Heading the list for the 10-furlong highlight is last year's winner Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}), with the improving Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) and Derby runner-up King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) declared alongside Shadwell's G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who had been a doubt earlier in the week due to the dire forecast. There are 11 engaged in the QEII, with The Aga Khan's Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) a doubt to tackle Paddington if the ground worsens again, while Imad Al Sagar's Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been diverted from the Champion by the Gosdens.

Cheveley Park Stud's managing director Chris Richardson said of Inspiral on Thursday, “We've obviously been monitoring the weather and the rain that's fallen. I know John Gosden walked the track yesterday, there's been a subsequent 12 millimetres and it looks like there's more to come. As we know, when she ran on soft ground in the Sussex at Goodwood in the summer, Frankie looked after her as it wasn't the sort of performance she was enjoying. The decision now is whether the Breeders' Cup [Filly & Mare Turf] is an option. John is going to speak to Mrs Thompson about it and then we'll know more, but it's very much up to her to decide whether she wants the filly to go to America. They're liaising between them and there's decisions to be made on whether she runs again this year and whether she's kept in training next year. She's a wonderful filly, Mrs Thompson is the owner of the horse and will make the decision.”

In other news, the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 July Cup hero Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) will not run in the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint. Steve Brown said of the 3-year-old, who was disappointing in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup, “He wasn't just tracking through as normal behind with his movement. It looks minimal, but given the ground conditions, which are obviously going to be pretty testing, we're just not prepared to take any chances with him. It's as simple as that really.”

Marc Chan's defending Champions Sprint title-holder Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) will face 14 in the six-furlong bonanza, there are 14 declared for a wide-open G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S., and Ballydoyle's star stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) faces seven in the G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup. The storm has resulted in 13mm of rain falling, with further rain forecast on Friday.

Ascot's clerk of the course Chris Stickels is ready to switch the Long Distance Cup, Filly & Mares and Champion S. to the drier inner hurdles track for the first time since 2019. “If we have heavy ground on any part of the round course, we can move the round course races to the inner track and we have to decide that before 8 a.m. on Saturday,” he explained. “Looking at the forecast for Friday, I would say that is quite likely. I think the rain we will get overnight will turn us back to soft on the round course and maybe even if we get the top end, some heavy places on the round course. It's a shame we are a week later in the calendar this year and even today, John Gosden said if we were racing today the ground would have been perfect.”

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