Tag: KHK Racing

Havana Grey’s Vandeek Denies Ramatuelle In Morny Thriller

Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Morny looked a deep one beforehand and it didn't disappoint as KHK Racing's Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}–Mosa Mine {GB}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) reeled in Infinity Nine Horses' TDN Rising Star Ramatuelle (Justify) close home for the bragging rights at Deauville. As he had on his winning debut at Nottingham and the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained 625,000gns Tatts Craven Breeze Up joint-topper travelled easily throughout with Andrea Atzeni notably still. Allowing the G3 Prix du Bois and G2 Prix Robert Papin winner Ramatuelle first run passing two out, the 9-2 shot was eating into that even-money favourite's advantage with every stride and ultimately outstayed her for a short-neck success, with Ballydoyle's G2 Coventry S.-winning TDN Rising Star River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) closing to two lengths at the line.

 

“It was a huge display and a big performance,” Ed Crisford said of his cold, who has now earned a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November. “I thought the filly's turn of foot was fantastic and I thought we weren't going to claw her back, but to be fair to him he's stuck to his guns and stuck his head down and he's a really high-quality colt. We were behind a few horses and I saw Andrea looking for a gap and he couldn't quite find one, but once he got out he's picked up really well in that ground and he's a proper horse with a big future, hopefully. He could go further in time, but I think he's got so much speed being by Havana Grey that we'll aim for the Middle Park and then take it from there.”

This was a top-class renewal of the Morny and there was never a question that the pace would not be strong and it could be a slowly-run tactical affair. The G2 July S. winner Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) was electric from the gates, denying Thunder Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) who was acting as the pacemaker for the G2 Norfolk S. winner Valiant Force (Malibu Moon) the lead. That set it up for the smoother-travelling closers in behind, of which Vandeek was always the most striking from a visual standpoint and also on paper once the sectional times had been released.

Every horse was dragged into a speed test here, with such strong splits leading to halfway meaning that this was turning into one for the stayers. With the testing ground accentuating the stamina test, Ramatuelle was faster than Vandeek between three out and the furlong pole but she paid for that in the run to the line as the British raider clawed back the deficit and edge it late as she tired.

Ramatuelle's trainer Christopher Head was not downcast afterwards. “She ran a blinder again–it's amazing what this filly is capable of,” he said. “A small tiny filly among those gigantic colts! It was a great performance, there is no shame in losing. We will discuss the next race with all the partners, but she is in the Cheveley Park and the Lagardere.”

Aidan O'Brien was also delighted with the run of River Tiber following his well-documented training troubles. “He had a muscle pull behind a little over two weeks ago and I really didn't think he'd make it,” he said. “He just lacked a little bit of drive early, so he was back a long ways and Ryan had to give him a chance to loosen up. When he did, he came home very well so we were very happy with the run. We'll see how he is and then make a plan.”

Pedigree Notes

Vandeek, who becomes the first group 1 winner for his excellent sire, is a grandson of Baldemosa (Fr) (Lead On Time) whose half-sister is the G1 Prix Robert Papin heroine Balbonella (Fr) (Gay Mecene). Her trio of top-class performers are the G1 July Cup S. and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero Anabaa, the GI Pimlico Special runner-up Key Of Luck and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Always Loyal (Zilzal).

Always Loyal is the second dam of the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies-winning champion Shonan Adela (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while another of Balbonella's progeny was the G3 Prix de la Grotte-placed Country Belle (Seattle Slew) who was the dam of the G2 Gimcrack S.-winning sire Country Reel (Danzig). Also connected to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Baine (Fr) by Country Reel, Mosa Mine's colt foal is by Starspangledbanner (Aus).

Sunday, Deauville, France
SUMBE PRIX MORNY-G1, €350,000, Deauville, 8-20, 2yo, c/f, 6fT, 1:09.84, vsf.
1–VANDEEK (GB), 126, c, 2, by Havana Grey (GB)
1st Dam: Mosa Mine (GB), by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Baldemosa (Fr), by Lead On Time
3rd Dam: Bamieres (Fr), by Riverman
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (52,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE; 42,000gns Ylg '22 TADEY; 625,000gns 2yo '23 TATBRE). O-KHK Racing; B-Maywood Stud (GB); T-Simon & Ed Crisford; J-Andrea Atzeni. €199,990. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 3-2-0-0, €316,055. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ramatuelle, 122, f, 2, Justify–Raven's Lady (GB), by Raven's Pass. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€100,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Infinity Nine Horses, Ecurie des Monceaux, Hollymount Stud France SC, Chun Wai Kwok, Arthur Hoyeau, Mme Ilse Smits & Clement Tropres; B-Yeguada Centurion SLU (KY); T-Christopher Head. €80,010.
3–River Tiber (Ire), 126, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Transcendence (Ire), by Arcano (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (480,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg & Brant; B-Pier House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €40,005.
Margins: SNK, 2, 2HF. Odds: 4.40, 1.00, 3.70.
Also Ran: Sacred Angel (Ire), Valiant Force, Sajir (Ire), Elite Status (GB), Jasour (GB), Thunder Blue (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Sakheer Routed Directly To Commonwealth Cup

'TDN Rising Star' Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who ran seventh in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas earlier this month, is likely bound for the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. without a prep in June, according to trainer Roger Varian.

Owned by KHK Racing, the bay was named a Rising Star off of a victory at Haydock in September, and he ran out an open-length winner of the G2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury later that month. The Guineas was his first run at three.

“He's come out of the race well and most likely he will go straight to the Commonwealth Cup,” said Varian of his Royal Ascot-bound colt. “It was such a messy race the 2000 Guineas, it was almost a non-event for us. He made quite an eyecatching move in the race, but it was all happening away from him and maybe he just didn't get home the final 100 yards.

“We imagine a stiff six furlongs at Ascot is tailor-made for him.”

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Winter Oaks Goes To Lope De Vega’s Al Agaila

6th-Lingfield, £100,000, Hcp, 1-21, 4yo/up, f/m, 10f (AWT), 2:05.12, st.
AL AGAILA (IRE) (f, 4, Lope De Vega {Ire}–L'Amour de Ma Vie {GSW-UAE, SW-Fr, GSP-Eng, $322,632}, by Dansili {GB}), sent off the 10-11 favourite for this Winter Oaks having won the course-and-distance Winter Oaks Trial with ease last month, tracked the leading trio throughout the early stages. Earning the advantage approaching the furlong pole, the bay held on to score by a head from Morgan Fairy (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Simon Crisford said, “It was a tactical race and she would have benefitted from a stronger pace, as I think a real strong gallop will see her to better effect. Throughout the summer, she started growing and we had to give her some time, but she is doing very well now. We will speak to her owner Sheikh Khalid [bin Hamad Al Khalifa] and see if he is interested in coming back here for the [Feb. 25 G3] Winter Derby. We will be running against Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), so it will be like the [G1 King George all over again! Entries for Dubai World Cup Night close on Monday and she will certainly get an entry for the [G1] Dubai Turf.” The winner is the sole runner from two foals of racing age so far out of the dam, who captured the G2 Balanchine and was runner-up in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. and G2 Cape Verdi. A half to the GII Marathon S., GIII Greenwood Cup and GIII Hawthorne Gold Cup winner Scuba (Tapit), her 2-year-old full-brother to the winner was a €75,000 purchase by Barry Lynch at the Goffs Orby. Sales history: €240,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-2, $101,809.
O-KHK Racing; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford.

 

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Horris Hill Success For Mehmas’s Knight

Bringing TDN Rising Star status into Saturday's G3 Virgin Bet Horris Hill S. at Newbury, KHK Racing's Knight (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}–Fidaaha {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) emerged from an intriguing renewal of the seven-furlong staging post with reputation enhanced as he proved top dog among the Classic hopefuls.

Tackling testing ground having operated with style on good-to-soft on his impressive debut at Yarmouth Sept. 25, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained full-brother to the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and G3 Prix Imprudence winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and G1 Prix de la Foret runner-up Malavath (Ire) found cover behind the front-running Grey's Monument (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and when asked to take on that rival by David Egan inside the final two furlongs responded generously.

Asserting from the furlong pole, the 10-1 shot had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over the long-time leader at the line, with a further length back to Ancestral Land (GB) (Sioux Nation) in third.

“That was very impressive,” Egan said. “I rode him at home before his debut and he's really physically improved since then in a short space of time. He was a different horse today–he raced very economically throughout and showed greenness but really picked up his knees and grabbed the ground. He's very exciting for next year–if a 2-year-old can gallop out on those deep conditions over seven you'd be very confident that he'd get a mile. He's got to be respected now he's won a Horris Hill.”

Ed Crisford added, “It was hard to guess what he achieved on his first start, but he'd trained well after it. His sister gets through this ground with a high knee action and we were hopeful he would. He's an exciting colt and probably a Guineas horse who will go for a trial–the Craven or the Greenham. The owners are having a great year, winning the Leger and the Mill Reef and they have a few with us.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Knight, who cost 210,000gns at the Book 2 Sale, is the second foal out of the Shadwell cast-off Fidaaha after the aforementioned Malavath, who showed her appreciation of this kind of ground when two-lengths second to Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the Foret three weeks ago. She is a full-sister to the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. winner Ceisteach (Ire) and a half to Steip Amach (Ire) (Vocalised) who annexed the G3 Killavullan S. and G3 Amethyst S. before finishing third in the G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix Jean Romanet.

The third dam Sharafanya (Ire) (Zafonic) is kin to the G2 Goldene Peitsche winner Giant Sandman (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and to the listed-placed dam of the G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Shalanaya (Ire) (Lomitas {GB}). This is the family of the great Shergar (GB). Fidaaha, who cost Tally Ho Stud a mere €15,000 at the 2017 Goffs November Mares Sale, is also responsible for the filly by Cotai Glory (GB) who sold to Ken Condon for €200,000 at last month's Goffs Orby. Her 2022 foal is a full-brother to the winner and Malavath.

 

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
VIRGIN BET HORRIS HILL S.-G3, £50,000, Newbury, 10-22, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:29.79, hy.
1–KNIGHT (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
                1st Dam: Fidaaha (Ire), by New Approach (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Ceist Eile (Ire), by Noverre
                3rd Dam: Sharafanya (Ire), by Zafonic
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. TDN Rising Star.
(210,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-KHK Racing; B-Tally Ho Stud
(IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford; J-David Egan. £28,355. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $37,309. *Full to Malavath (Ire), MGSW &
G1SP-Fr, GISP-US, $466,261. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
   Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click
   for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grey's Monument (GB), 128, c, 2, Territories (Ire)–Matron Of
Honour (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP
   BLACK TYPE. (20,000gns RNA Wlg '20 TATFOA; €65,000 Ylg
'21 GOFOR). O-Tracey Ashbee; B-Mr W A Tinkler (GB); T-Ralph
Beckett. £10,750.
3–Ancestral Land (GB), 128, c, 2, Sioux Nation–Swing Out Sister
(Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK
   TYPE. (140,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Isa Salman Al Khalifa;
B-Aston Mullins Stud & S Barrow Esq (GB); T-Clive Cox. £5,380.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, 4. Odds: 10.00, 4.50, 18.00.
Also Ran: Caragio (Ire), Promoter (GB), Lord Of Biscay (Ire), Defence Of Fort (Ire), Oviedo (Ire), Striking Star (GB). VIDEO.

 

 

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