Joseph O'Brien | Horse Racing Free Tips

Caravaggio’s Agartha Makes All In The Debutante

Acquired by Scott Heider after her success in Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. July 22, Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) led her rivals a merry dance in the next seven-furlong stepping stone for the leading juvenile fillies in Saturday's G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante S. at The Curragh. Sent off the 4-1 co-favourite, the bay who was belatedly breaking her maiden last time was sent straight to the front by Declan McDonogh and never looked like being pegged back en route to a two-length defeat of the outsider Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}). One of the other co-favourites Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the full-sister to Alpha Centauri (Ire), was 2 1/2 lengths behind in third as most of the big names cracked under the pressure. “She's unreal, she's tough and Declan said she seems to go on any ground,” trainer Joseph O'Brien's assistant Brendan Powell said. “Last time out he made plenty of use of her and he's done the same today. You could see them trying to come at her one by one. She seems to stay well, she gallops well and puts her head down. Most of all she's an absolute trier. It's only onwards and upwards with her. She's tough and hardy.”

Agartha, whose maiden defeats over shorter trips came behind the smart types Prettiest (Dubawi {Ire}) and Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), was second to TDN Rising Star Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) stepping up to this trip for the first time at Leopardstown July 8 prior to her dynamic Silver Flash display. Bred by the O'Briens, the dam Arya Tara (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) who started at Ballydoyle before joining this stable took the 14-furlong Listed Stanerra S. and was third in the G3 Irish St Leger Trial over that trip. Blended with the speed influence Caravaggio, Agartha is the result of that experiment and a notable first foal to be followed by a yearling son of Churchill (Ire). This is an Aga Khan family featuring the G1 Prix Ganay hero Astarabad (Alleged), the high-class Azamour (Ire) (Night Shift) and the six-times group 1-winning The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
ALPHA CENTAURI DEBUTANTE S.-G2, €100,000, Curragh, 8-21, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:27.49, sf.
1–AGARTHA (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Arya Tara (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire)
2nd Dam: Anadiyla (Ire), by Barathea (Ire)
3rd Dam: Anaza (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
O-Scott C Heider; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Declan McDonogh. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-2, $115,832. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sunset Shiraz (Ire), 128, f, 2, Time Test (GB)–Sunny Again (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (£100,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Lindsay Laroche; B-Mount Coote Estates (IRE); T-Gavin Cromwell. €20,000.
3–Discoveries (Ire), 128, f, 2, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Alpha Lupi (Ire), by Rahy. O/B-Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. €10,000.
Margins: 2, 2HF, HD. Odds: 4.00, 25.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Seisai (Ire), Mise Le Meas (Ire), Twinkle (Ire), Concert Hall (Ire), Hapipi Go Lucky (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Quick Suzy Goes For Prix Morny, BC Juvenile Turf Sprint Berth Sunday

Royal Ascot winner Quick Suzy (IRE) is set to take on 13 rivals in the 6-furlong Group 1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday. The Darley Prix Morny winner will receive an automatic berth into the $1 million Grade 2 Juvenile Turf Sprint through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

Owned by the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Quick Suzy blitzed her rivals in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Ascot on June 16 and will be looking to emulate Campanelle (IRE) by completing the Queen Mary-Prix Morny double, which Lady Aurelia also achieved in 2016.

Quick Suzy is trained by Gavin Cromwell in Navan, Ireland. Cromwell commented, “Quick Suzy goes for the Prix Morny. She was entered in the Phoenix Stakes (G1) at the Curragh last week, but we gave her a break after Ascot and the race just came too soon after that break. Fillies have a very good record in the Prix Morny and, on top of that, Queen Mary winners have a great record in it too, so it looks the right race for her. It fits perfectly into her schedule too. Gary Carroll will ride and we're really looking forward to the race. She's in great form.”

The Richard Hannon-trained and Al Shaqab Racing-owned Armor (GB) won the Group 3 Markel Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood by 3 ¼ lengths and steps up to Group 1 company for the first time. The son of No Nay Never will be ridden by Patrick Dobbs.

The unbeaten Velocidad (GB) took out the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh on his second start. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, the 2-year-old son of Gleneagles (IRE) will be ridden by Ryan Moore for the first time.

Asymmetric (IRE) is another Group 2 winner in the field. The son of Showcasing (GB) built on his second-place finish in the Group 2 Tattersalls July Stakes at Newmarket to win the Group 2 Unibet Richmond Stakes in his latest start. Runner-up that day at Goodwood in the Unibet Richmond Stakes was Khunan (GB). The son of Twilight Son (GB) is one of two runners in the race for trainer Richard Fahey, who also saddles Group 2 Norfolk Stakes winner Perfect Power (IRE). Hollie Doyle and Christophe Soumillon are booked to ride, respectively.

The French challenge is headed by the Andre Fabre-trained Trident (FR). Impressive on debut, Trident was narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Darley Prix de Cabourg over course and distance. He will be partnered with Mickael Barzalona.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Darley Prix Morny to start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, which will be run at five furlongs over the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Heider Purchases Agartha

Scott Heider has purchased the July 22 G3 Silver Flash S. winner Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) from breeder Annemarie O'Brien, with the 2-year-old filly set to stay in training with Joseph O'Brien.

One of three first-crop stakes winners thus far for Caravaggio, Agartha was placed on four occasions-including second-place finishes to 'TDN Rising Stars' Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Homeless Songs (Ire) Frankel {GB})–before breaking her maiden by 2 3/4 lengths in the Silver Flash. She is the first foal out of Arya Tara (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), with Group 1 winners Astarabad and Azamour (Ire) appearing under the third dam.

Heider, a Grade I-winning owner in America, has campaigned stakes winners Pista (American Pharoah), Crossfirehurricane (Kitten's Joy) and My Generation (Speightstown) with O'Brien.

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All-Stakes Cross Country Pick 5 Featuring Whitney, Hambletonian Pays $699.25

An all-stakes cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday paid $699.25 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $60,003. The wager, which featured thoroughbred racing from historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., also encompassed two prestigious harness races from the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.

Thoroughbreds started the action when State of Rest won the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational to capture the second leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series for 3-year-olds in Race 9 at the Spa. The Irish-bred State of Rest, trained by Joseph O'Brien and ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, topped Solider Rising by one length in the 1 3/16-mile contest on the Mellon turf course in a final time of 1:53.35. Off at 21-1, State of Rest returned $44.20 on a $2 win wager.

Monmouth Park, located in Oceanport, New Jersey, hosted the $100,000 Tyro for juveniles going five furlongs on the turf in Race 12. Her World, an Irish bred trained by Wesley Ward, romped by six lengths as the even-money favorite, paying $3.80. Under jockey Paco Lopez, Her World completed the course in :56.62 seconds.

A unique wrinkle to the Cross County Pick 5 came in the third leg when standardbreds took center stage with the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks in Race 14 at the Meadowlands. The prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies saw heavy favorite Bella Bellini win in rein to driver Dexter Dunn. The R. Nifty Norman trainee paid $3 to win in capturing the race for trotters.

Saratoga's feature, the 94th running of the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney in Race 10, saw Knicks Go surge to the front and go wire-to-wire to best the five-horse field under jockey Joel Rosario, who notched his second career Whitney victory. Trained by Brad Cox, Knicks Go won by 4 1/2 lengths as the favorite, paying $4.10, and hit the wire in the 1 1/8-mile contest in 1:47.70.

Standardbreds closed out the sequence when another favorite – Captain Corey – won the 96th running of the $1 million Hambletonian for 3-year-olds in Race 15 at the Meadowlands. Trainer and driver Ake Svanstedt led Captain Corey [$4.60] to victory in the one-mile stakes for trotters.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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