Kodiac’s El Bodegon In Group 1 Breakthrough

Already well-acquainted with France, with two prior visits culminating in a success in the nine-furlong G3 Prix de Conde at Chantilly Sept. 29, Nas Syndicate and Anne O'Callaghan's El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) made all to collect in Saturday's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Providing up-and-coming trainer James Ferguson with a first top-level win in the process, the 9-1 shot dominated the mile-and-a-quarter contest under 2021's supersub jockey Ioritz Mendizabal and after shaking off the threat of Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in early straight hit the line with 1 1/2 lengths to spare over Ballydoyle's Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The 7-5 favourite Goldspur held on for third, 1 1/4 lengths away.

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Galileo’s Joan Of Arc Prevails In The Diane

Things may not have gone to plan in all of the English Classics for Ballydoyle so far in 2021, but the stable continued their charmed existence in France on Sunday as Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) provided Classic number three for the season and a first renewal of Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane Longines for Aidan O'Brien. Combining again with Ioritz Mendizabal, who had steered St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) to glory in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club, the master of Rosegreen had the full-sister to the Classic-winning pair Gleneagles (Ire) and Marvellous (Ire) at concert pitch for the 10 1/2-furlong feature. Drawn favourably in five, the 53-10 shot who was touched off by Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh May 23 made full use of that position to shadow the early leader Sibila Spain (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Working hard up the straight, she took until the last 50 metres to subdue that TDN Rising Star and assert for a 3/4-of-a-length verdict over the Andre Fabre duo of Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Burgarita (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Philomene, who was sent off the 10-3 favourite, finished strongly from behind to deny her stablemate by a short head, as Sibila Spain felt the pinch late to slip back to fourth, half a length further behind. “When I talked to Aidan he was pretty confident she would run a great race and that the longer trip would suit her very well,” the winning rider said. “He asked me to ride her like the winner of the Jockey Club and that is what I did. We had an excellent trip and she quickened very nicely. Three hundred metres from the finish, I wasn't sure we'd win but she's done it easily in the end. She will stay further and it may be that a mile and a half is even better for her.”

Denied a debut win by a short head over seven furlongs at Dundalk in November, Joan of Arc was off the mark in testing conditions over that trip at The Curragh Mar. 21 before finishing sixth when stablemate Empress Josephine was 10th in the G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial again over that distance at Leopardstown Apr. 11. Heading back to the latter venue and moving up to a mile for the G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial, the bay made all before losing out by a short head in the shade of the post in the Irish Guineas. This was as straightforward as it gets in a Chantilly Classic, with Mendizabal encountering no traffic issues and an ideal lead from the Christopher Head trainee who was unpressured on the front end.

As they sauntered past the chateau, Burgarita was allowed to tank down the outer to gain a more prominent position but little else had changed since the outset. In early straight, it looked as if Aurelien Lemaitre had the race in hand on the smooth-travelling 13-1 shot Sibila Spain, with Joan of Arc beginning to work along with Burgarita and TDN Rising Star Harajuku (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) another Fabre representative in the firing line. As the leader began to falter in the last 100 metres, Joan of Arc found another surge and that was decisive as Philomene lunged too late having had three lengths to make up from the top of the lane.

“Aidan O'Brien is my Santa Claus! He has given me two superb horses to ride in recent weeks,” Mendizabal quipped. “He gave me some simple instructions, but when the horses are as good as that, it's easy. All this success is a direct result of the hard work put in at home and for me to be working with the Aiden O'Brien team is just incredible.” Aidan O'Brien's record is now complete, with this victory meaning that he has trained the winner of every British, Irish and French Classic and he said, “I'm delighted, even more so because she was bred at home by John and Susan Magnier. Ioritz gave her a super ride. This is a race we have tried to win many times, but it is not easy to win. According to Ioritz, she shouldn't have a problem stepping up to a mile and a half. The [G1] Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe could therefore be a possibility for her. We have a lot of very good three-year-olds this year, it's very exciting.”

Philomene was emulating her half-sister Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who was runner-up to Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in 2013, and Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “We are delighted with Philomene's run and couldn't be prouder of her effort. She has justified the belief that everyone has always had and Andre Fabre feels that stepping up to 12 furlongs will be ideal for her. She comes from a family that improves with age. I think she looked better in the paddock today and I think that she will come on again for that. We have always loved her. She comes from a very good pedigree and she is also very beautiful, so we are very lucky to have her.”

Maxime Guyon, who was to ride four winners on the card, said of Burgarita, “For just her third race, that was a magnificent performance. She still isn't quite hardened but that will come with time, she has run excellently today.” Christopher Head said of Sibila Spain, “She's run a blinder and it was the right decision to supplement her. She did what we expected her to do and we have no complaints. Today we have really seen her quality at the top level. It is very reassuring, especially as she still has the capacity to progress, not forgetting that she didn't run as a two-year-old. The fact we were drawn on the wide outside may have gone against us, especially in the closing stages. As for the future, we will have a chat with her owners. You always want to win,
but even still, fourth in a race like this is excellent.”

Joan of Arc becomes the fourth group 1 winner for the incredible You'resothrilling (Storm Cat), the G2 Cherry Hinton S.-winning full-sister to the Iron Horse Giant's Causeway. Every foal–which are all by Galileo–she has produced thus far has achieved at least a placing at the highest level, with the aforementioned Gleneagles annexing the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and Marvellous taking the Irish 1000 Guineas. Happily (Ire) was successful in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Grand Criterium and fourth in this three years ago, Taj Mahal (Ire) captured two editions of the G2 Sandown Classic and was runner-up in the GI Secretariat S., Coolmore (Ire) took the G3 C L & M F Weld Park S. and was third in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational, and Vatican City (Ire)–the only one not to score in group company–was second in last year's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas.

You'resothrilling, who also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old full-sister to them all named Toy (Ire), is also a full-sibling of Pearling, the dam of the G1 Irish Champion S. hero and first-season sire Decorated Knight (Ire) also by Galileo. They are out of the six-times graded-stakes winner Mariah's Storm (Rahy), whose eight stakes performers include Giant's Causeway's full-brothers and sires Tumblebrutus and Freud and Galileo's Butterflies (Ire) who was second in the G3 Munster Oaks and third in the G3 Flame of Tara S. and is now the dam of this year's TDN Rising Star Yet (War Front). You'resothrilling and Pearling were the first two fillies produced by Mariah's Storm, with the next being the unraced Love Me Only (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) who also did her part for the family by throwing the G2 Great Voltigeur S. winner, G1 Irish Derby runner-up and G1 Epsom Derby third Storm the Stars (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Another of Mariah's Storm's unraced daughters Fabulous (Ire) by Galileo is responsible for Thinking of You (American Pharoah), who was third behind Joan of Arc in the G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial.

Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE DIANE LONGINES-G1, €1,000,000, Chantilly, 6-20, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:09.05, g/s.
1–JOAN OF ARC (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: You'resothrilling (GSW-Eng & Ire, $219,415), by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Mariah's Storm, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Immense, by Roberto
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ioritz Mendizabal. €571,400. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0, €692,240. *Full to Gleneagles (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Colt-Ire, Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Eng & Ire, G1SP-Fr, $1,427,036; Happily (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Fr, G1SW-Fr & Ire, MG1SP-Eng, $878,482; Marvellous (Ire), G1SW-Ire, $262,665; Taj Mahal (Ire), MGSW-Aus, GISP-US, GSP-Ire, $838,037; Coolmore (Ire), GSW-Ire & GISP-US, $238,593; and Vatican City (Ire), G1SP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Philomene (Ire), 126, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Prudenzia (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (€1,625,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Godolphin, Ecurie des Monceaux & Ecurie Skymarc Farm; B-Ecurie des Monceaux & Ecurie Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €228,600.
3–Burgarita (GB), 126, f, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Angelita (Ire), by Alzao. (95,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA). O-Ecurie Ama.Zingteam; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €114,300.
Margins: 3/4, SHD, HF. Odds: 5.30, 3.30, 5.10.
Also Ran: Sibila Spain (Ire), Rougir (Fr), Harajuku (Ire), Incarville (Fr), Sweet Lady (Fr), Rumi (Fr), Cirona (GB), Coeursamba (Fr), Es La Vida (GB), Noble Heidi (Fr), Light Stars (Fr), Omnia Munda Mundis (GB), Khalidiya (Fr), Natsukashi (Fr). Scratched: Amazing Grace (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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St Mark’s Basilica Completes A Classic Double At Chantilly

As far as passages around Chantilly's circuit go in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) enjoyed one as perfect as is possible on Sunday as he toyed with his rivals in the 181st edition of the Classic. Hardly breaking sweat to become the fourth colt to complete the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-Prix du Jockey Club double since 2005, Ballydoyle's 14-5 favourite was slotted behind the pace-setting Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) from his ideal draw by Ioritz Mendizabal and saved ground against the rail the whole way. As the long-time leader drifted left in the straight, an ideal gap opened for him to slip through 300 metres from the finish and after receiving a whip surged away to settle the outcome in an instant. Flashing his tail late and pulling himself up in the clear, the dominant winner who becomes his stable's fifth Classic winner of 2021 and its first Jockey Club winner was in front by 1 3/4 lengths at the line from Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), with Millebosc (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) a short head away in third. “It is a thrill to ride again for Aidan O'Brien and there was no doubt I was riding the best horse in the race,” Mendizabal commented after completing back-to-back wins in the Classic following Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) 12 months ago. “The only concern was whether he would stay or not and although it was my opinion after the Poulains that he would, he had to confirm it and he did it in great style. I had a lovely run through the race and he did everything right. He's a true champion.”

It could be argued that this Classic was effectively decided when the draw was made, as the Rosegreen candidate already had enough of a class edge over his assembled peers without the addition of such a clear advantage in the post position. Neither keen nor lazy from the break, the bay was able to move forward and draft in a true “catbird seat” with the giant Normandy Bridge almost acting as shepherd in front. With the Rouget trio Cheshire Academy (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), Makaloun (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Saiydabad (Blame) effectively scuppered by their wide draws, they all became hopelessly detached from an early stage and the real action was all up front. Millebosc had tracked the eventual winner against the fence and he was able to enter contention in his own time, but in truth there was only Sealiway who at an insulting 53-1 could even remotely threaten inside the final two furlongs. That G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero briefly flattered before Mendizabal shot up the rail on St Mark's Basilica and was able to temporarily take a pull, such was his control of the race at that stage. As he had in ParisLongchamp's mile Classic three weeks earlier, the winner was in a different league once his acceleration had been employed and while the winning margin was not exaggerated, his superiority was.

Very few European Derby winners are able to win over six furlongs at two, but St Mark's Basilica is in that unique category having broken his maiden over that trip at The Curragh in August, just 13 days after running fifth in the G1 Phoenix S. over the same track and trip. Third to Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) over seven furlongs in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. back there in September, the bay took a step forward to reverse the form with that pair in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket on his 2-year-old finale in October. Whether he ends up a G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe contender remains to be seen, especially as the stable already has a cluster of horses for that showcase, and it is more likely that he will become another from Ballydoyle able to mix it between a mile and 10 furlongs.

“We are absolutely delighted–we thought he'd come forward from his first run at Longchamp, as they usually do and Ioritz gave him a brilliant ride,” his trainer said. “He's a great horseman and very intelligent–he takes all the information on board and when he rode for us at Deauville last year we were very impressed with him. When Frankie rode St Mark's Basilica last year in the Dewhurst, he said he'd have no problem with a mile and a quarter and he relaxes and quickens and is a very easy horse to manoeuvre–he's a very intelligent horse. We know the pace he has and it makes him very special–he has those qualities you need in France more than anywhere really. He was very impressive on his first run and did the same thing today–he puts a race to bed very quickly and very few can do that. He's out of a Galileo mare by Siyouni and he has the qualities of both. We'll see how he comes out of this and its possible he'll stay further, but when you have a horse who is able to quicken over mile like he can you don't know. We'll see what the lads want to do, but he's a very exciting horse.”

Frederic Rossi said of Sealiway, “He ran a bad race last time in the Poulains and that was my mistake, as I think I gave him too hard a race in the Fontainebleau first time this season. He was not quite ready for that and so paid the price in the Poulains, but he had given every sign that he was bouncing back in the mornings and we saw the Sealiway I know on the track this afternoon. There is no doubt that he was beaten by a better horse, but the result says that the European champion 2-year-old won and the French champion 2-year-old was second which says it all. We'll give him a break and bring him back for the [G2 Prix] Guillaume d'Ornano [at Deauville Aug. 14].”

Millebosc's trainer Stephanie Nigge said, “I'm still crying–it was a little bit too much pressure! I always said he was a nice one and he's run a superb race. Unfortunately, he had a few setbacks earlier in the season and we had to bring him back for the races late and he still needed the race in the Prix de Guiche last time. He had changed a lot and improved physically since. He'll probably stay further in the second half of the season and he's a top horse for the future.”

St. Mark's Basilica becomes the second Prix du Jockey Club hero for his sire and also gives his G3 Silver Flash S.-winning dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a third Classic after Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) took the 2019 G1 2000 Guineas. Cabaret is kin to the G3 Solario S. winner Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the Hong Kong stakes scorer Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) who was also runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. The third dam Fife (Ire) (Lomond), who was third in the Listed Lupe S., is also the second dam of the G3 Park S. winner and G1 Moyglare S. runner-up Ugo Fire (Ire) (Bluebird) and is a half-sister to Piffle (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}). She in turn is the dam of the GI Hollywood Turf Cup hero Frenchpark (GB) (Foolshome) and the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Cabaret's unraced 2-year-old full-brother to St Mark's Basilica is named Paris Lights (Ire), while she also has a colt foal by Kingman (GB).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-6, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:07.30, sf.
1–ST MARK'S BASILICA (FR), 128, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Cabaret (Ire) (GSW-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Witch of Fife, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Fife (Ire), by Lomond
(1,300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ioritz Mendizabal. €857,100. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, G1SW-Eng & G1SP-Ire, 7-4-1-1, €1,528,756. *1/2 to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $597,769. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sealiway (Fr), 128, c, 3, Galiway (GB)–Kensea (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€62,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Guy Pariente; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €342,900.
3–Millebosc (Fr), 128, c, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Mixed Intention (Ire), by Elusive City. O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Franklin Finance SA (FR); T-Stephanie Nigge. €171,450.
Margins: 1 3/4, SHD, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 53.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Saiydabad, Cheshire Academy (Fr), Pretty Tiger (Ire), Adhamo (Ire), Derab (GB), Makaloun (Fr), Van Gogh, Normandy Bridge (Fr), Megallan (GB), Fort Payne (Fr), Baby Rider (Fr), El Drama (Ire), Smile Makers (Fr), Ninth Titan (Ire), Royal Word (Fr), Policy of Truth (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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The Weekly Wrap: Coming Of Age

In February, the inevitable announcement came that Pivotal (GB) was to be pensioned at Cheveley Park Stud at the age of 28. David and Patricia Thompson's homebred son of Polar Falcon has been one of the great British breeding stories of the last few decades and the sturdy chestnut has been a great friend to small and major breeders alike through his magnificent stud innings. 

As he continues his retirement, so does his legacy gain momentum. A few months before Pivotal was retired, his son Siyouni (Fr) had been crowned champion sire in his native France for the first time. The Aga Khan Studs stallion had only missed out on earning that title in the two previous seasons to Galileo (Ire) and Nathaniel (Ire), respectively the sires of the high-earning Arc winners Waldgeist (GB) and Enable (GB) in those two years. Then Siyouni got his own Arc winner, Sottsass (Fr), augmenting a profile which already had a properly classy look to it.

In each of the last four seasons, Siyouni has been responsible for a French Classic winner. His first-crop daughter Ervedya (Fr) had actually got the ball rolling in 2015, winning the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for her and her sire's breeder the Aga Khan. A little gap ensued, but Le Brivido (Fr) was soon knocking on the door, and was only a short-head away from claiming the Poule d'Essai des Poulains two years later when being so narrowly beaten by Brametot (Ire).

Then came Laurens (Fr) to claim the Prix de Diane as one of her six Group 1 victories in France, Britain and Ireland, starting a Classic run which was continued by Sottsass in the Prix du Jockey Club of 2019, Dream And Do (Fr) in last year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches before the 2020 European champion 2-year-old St Mark's Basilica (Fr) made good on his juvenile promise to land the Poulains for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore team. 

Of course Siyouni can't take all the credit here, as St Mark's Basilica's Group 3-winning dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has already shown herself to be a producer par excellence for Australian breeder Bob Scarborough via her son Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), winner of the 2000 Guineas in 2019. This repeats the cross seen to good effect in Sottsass, who is out of arguably the most celebrated active broodmare in France, Starlet's Sister (Ire). 

Doubling up on Danzig has done no harm in the case of Laurens and Dream And Do, while Siyouni's other top-level winner, the GI EP Taylor S. victrix Etoile (Fr), is out of a mare by Authorized (Ire) and is, like Laurens, inbred 4×4 to Danzig. A similar cross to this is found in the Siyouni 2-year-old Kaltham (Fr), a daughter of dual Arc winner Treve (Fr), who is by another Derby-winning son of Montjeu (Ire) in Motivator (GB).

Like Pivotal before him, Siyouni started out at stud standing for a relatively small fee of €7,000, which has gradually climbed to €140,000, making him the most expensive stallion in France, just as his own sire was in Britain when Pivotal's covering price climbed to £85,000 in 2007 and 2008. In both cases, lofty reputations look to be well earned.

Spanish Super Sub

For Basque-born jockey Ioritz Mendizabal, the Covid-19 pandemic has been both a blessing and a curse. Last July, when travel restrictions meant that neither David Egan nor Frankie Dettori could make the trip to Chantilly, he won his first Classic aboard Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club for Britain's champion trainer John Gosden.

Mendizabal's good season continued when he rode Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to victory in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet for James Fanshawe, but he was then prevented from travelling to Keeneland to ride her in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf after testing positive for Covid. The now-suspended Pierre-Charles Boudot picked up the winning ride on Audarya in America, but fortune swung back in Mendizabal's favour when Ireland's champion Aidan O'Brien came calling on Friday for him to take the ride on St Mark's Basilica. 

“Winning the Guineas is fantastic,” the jockey told Jour de Galop. “But you cannot know the emotion of even having your name in the same line in the race card as Aidan O'Brien. He is the best trainer in the world. I knew I was going to ride St Mark's Basilica on Friday at 2pm and it was extremely satisfying that Aidan O'Brien called on me.”

Wow Takes A Bow

In his short racing career, The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), an early star of the now-defunct Ascot Breeze-up Sale, went from winning an Ayr maiden to success in the G2 Coventry S. and G1 Darley Prix Morny, to finishing last in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and then out. 

His stud career was similarly short-lived. From covering 40 mares at Haras de Bouquetot in 2017 and 12 the following season, The Wow Signal's poor fertility meant that he had only 15 registered foals in France before he died from laminitis in the spring of 2018.

From a family which includes Shadwell's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Ta Rib (Mr Prospector), The Wow Signal now has his own posthumous winner of that same race despite his seriously limited opportunities. Coeursamba (Fr) was bred by three members of the Mestrallet family, including Julie Mestrallet, who consigns at the French sales under the name of her Haras de l'Aumonerie. She owns only two broodmares, with the Quesnay-bred Marechale (Fr) (Anabaa), the dam of Coeursamba, being the first bought by Mestrallet from a claiming race in the French provinces. 

When The Wow Signal won the Coventry he was following something of a Royal Ascot tradition for his sireline. His sire Starspangledbanner won the G1 Golden Jubilee S. on his second start for Aidan O'Brien after moving from the Australian stable of Leon Corstens, and in turn his father Choisir (Aus) had been the poster boy that opened the floodgates for Australian sprinters heading to the Royal meeting, having won both the King's Stand and the Golden Jubilee back in 2003.

Starspangledbanner was also famously subfertile in his early years at stud but a combination of patience and good management has seen him continue his stallion career while remaining popular with commercial breeders. 

He too was represented among the stakes winners over the weekend when the Fozzy Stack-trained juvenile Hermana Estrella (Ire) landed the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. on debut, with the horses in behind her including favourite Contarelli Chapel (Ire) (Caravaggio), who had earned a TDN Rising Star for her own impressive debut success three weeks earlier.

Bred by Mark and Aisling Gittins at Castlefarm Stud from The Last Sister (Ire), a daughter of the Gittins family's G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Lord Shanakill, Hermana Estrella had been sold as a foal for just 2,500gns. She transpired to be a profitable pinhook for Timmy Hillman of Castledillon Stud, who resold her as a yearling for £42,000 to her trainer and Hubie de Burgh at last year's relocated Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

The family has worked well with that sireline in the past as The Last Sister's half-sister Lady Springbank (Ire) is a dual Group 3-winning daughter of Choisir. Hermana Estrella may now be given her own chance at Royal Ascot in the G3 Albany S.

Snowfall On The Knavesmire

We usually expect to see something special at York in the spring and indeed both formal Classic trials threw up decent winners. Galileo was the broodmare sire of yet another European Classic winner at ParisLongchamp on Sunday and he could yet chalk up further success in this realm in the coming weeks with Snowfall (Jpn), who was highly impressive in winning the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. Like Saxon Warrior (Jpn) before her, she is bred on the Deep Impact (Jpn)-Galileo cross. Her mother fell somewhat short of her lofty name of Best In The World (Ire), and in fact she herself finished last in the Musidora in 2016. She did, however, later collect the G3 Give Thanks S. As a full-sister to Arc winner Found (Ire) and a daughter of Group 1 winner Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab), Best In The World of course had plenty to recommend her, and her first foal is now second-favourite behind stablemate Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) for the Cazoo Oaks.

The Dante meeting also proved to be a highly successful one for trainer Ed Walker, who has a crack sprinter on his hands in Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). The 4-year-old is still lightly raced and has been beaten just once in his five starts for owner/breeder David Ward, who bought his dam Northern Star (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale for €50,000 through Ed Sackville. She won just once but has already produced two stakes performers with her first two foals. Sadly, the mare died after producing a Kingman (GB) filly, named Lodestar (GB), in 2018.

Northern Star's first foal, Sunday Star (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), is a dual winner with multiple stakes placings, including finishing third in the G3 Summer Fillies' S. at York last season. Starman is smarter still and now has two Group 1 sprint entries at Royal Ascot.

Sackville also did Ward a favour when selecting Primo Bacio (Ire) at Tattersalls October Book 1 two years ago from her breeder Kildaragh Stud. A winner last December on her fourth start for Walker, the daughter of Awtaad (Ire) has taken major strides forward in her 3-year-old season and, following a first-up fourth in the G3 Fred Darling S., she now has bold black type thanks to her three-length win in the Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' S., which is run in memory of the late racing journalist Michael Seely.

Primo Bacio's victory not only completed a double for Walker and Ward, but also initiated a stakes double last week for her Derrinstown Stud-based sire Awtaad. Both she and the Sir Edmund Loder homebred Bellosa (Ire), who won the listed Betway King Charles S. at Newmarket on Saturday, are members of the Irish 2000 Guineas winner's first crop, as is last season's Leopardstown winner Ebeko (Ire). The latter was subsequently exported to California, where she won the listed Zuma Beach S. for trainer Peter Miller.

Rising Stars Of The Stud Ranks

There has been plenty of activity in the European first-season sires' table over the last week. Overbury Stud's Ardad (Ire) doubled his tally of winners to eight, with Beautiful Sunshine (GB) and Superior Force (GB) among those to have added to the impressive run for the partnership of trainer George Boughey with Amo Racing and breeze-up consignor/pre-trainer Robson Aguiar.

The National Stud duo of Aclaim (Ire) and Time Test (GB) both got off the mark on Saturday, with Aclaim's first winner, Cachet (Ire), another breeze-up graduate trained by Boughey, being awarded a TDN Rising Star for her Rowley Mile debut.

Galileo Gold's first winner, Ebro River (Ire), struck at Doncaster on Saturday and, appropriately, the colt is trained by Galileo Gold's former trainer Hugo Palmer in the colours of his former owner Al Shaqab Racing, and was bred by Tally-Ho Stud, where the 2000 Guineas winner now stands.

Ribchester (Ire) was another freshman to be represented by a TDN Rising Star in the last week in the form of Gisburn (Ire), the facile winner of a Newbury maiden on Friday for Richard Hannon and owners Michael Kerr-Dineen and Martin Hughes. He is likely to head next to the Coventry S. 

Meanwhile at the head of the table presently on progeny earnings is Ribchester's fellow Darley sire Profitable (Ire). His four winners include the Gavin Cromwell-trained Quick Suzy (Ire), who was runner-up to the aforementioned Hermana Estrella in the Group 3 at Naas on Sunday. Events at Royal Ascot will surely bring further clues as to the prowess of the latest crop of young stallions.

The post The Weekly Wrap: Coming Of Age appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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