York: “Hopefully We’ll See the Nostrum We Saw At Newmarket Again.” Saturday Bonanza Begins with Juddmonte’s Rising Star

Saturday's European black-type count stands at a baker's dozen, with eight group races in Britain and Ireland alone featuring several movers and shakers towards the elite level kicking off with Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in York's G3 Strensall S. and culminating five hours later with the fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) in the G3 Weatherbys Global Stallions Winter Hill S. at Windsor.

Nostrum was surprisingly beaten by fellow TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in Goodwood's G3 Thoroughbred S. last time, but is back on quick ground in this contest over what could prove an ideal trip of nearly nine furlongs so it is a case of game on again. His previous performance when upstaging some smart peers including the subsequent G3 Sovereign S. dead-heater Embesto (GB) (Roaring Lion) and G2 Hungerford S. runner-up New Endeavour (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in Newmarket's Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. stands up as one of the key pieces of mile form this year and connections retain full faith.

“We all called it wrong, we thought he'd have liked the ground the last day as he's a big horse and he bends his knee a bit,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “We were all wrong and Ryan just felt that he couldn't pull himself out of it, it was gluey. There was the factor too that he'd been off the track for so long, there may have been a bounce on his second start–we don't know but he's training well and we're looking forward to seeing him. We think he'll have come forward for the run and we're looking forward to getting him back on a better surface and a more conventional track. Hopefully we'll see the Nostrum we saw at Newmarket again.”

Epictetus Poised For Celebration…
Less than an hour after Nostrum graces York's Knavesmire, the Gosdens send Epictetus back to Goodwood for the G2 Celebration Mile as he builds towards the major autumn tests. With the G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Sussex S. third Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in attendance, this will provide a gauge as to where George Strawbridge's son of Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk) is among the leading milers. “He's stepping up in grade again on Saturday, but the drop down to a mile has suited him well and he's been in good order since his last run,” Thady Gosden said. “I don't think he necessarily needs soft ground–he's relatively versatile as regards to it.”

Prestige Contests Continue Thick And Fast…
In between these two contests, there is the G3 Prestige Fillies' S. for 2-year-old fillies at Goodwood where Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa's Carla's Way (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) gets the chance to atone for a disappointing effort in Royal Ascot's G3 Albany S. with Newtown Anner Stud Farm's 10-length Thirsk novice winner Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in opposition. Back at York minutes later, the £500,000 G2 City of York S. features Marc Chan's G1 Prix de la Foret and G1 British Champions Sprint S.-winning TDN Rising Star Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) who is just about the best there is at this seven-furlong trip.

“It's amazing that York can put up that much prize-money for a group two race,” Chan's racing manager Jamie McCalmont said. “They deserve the race to get upgraded to a group one when they can come up with that sort of money. He certainly doesn't owe us anything right now, but as Frankie says, he's like an ATM machine so let's hope that will continue.”

On a big day for Chan, last year's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) enjoys a class drop in Newmarket's Listed Hopeful S. after her break since flopping in the G1 Commonwealth Cup. This is also the farewell ride for Andrea Atzeni, who departs for Hong Kong after the meeting. “Andrea is a great guy and the way he's ridden over the last couple of months is as well as he's ever ridden,” McCalmont added. “This is a good stepping stone back, she loves the course, we get her ground and she's fine over the distance, so fingers crossed.”

Best Of The Rest…
As the afternoon action winds down in Britain, The Curragh gets going with the G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. over a mile hosting some big middle-distance Classic prospects for 2023. When it comes to these kind of juvenile tests, there is always added intrigue where The Aga Khan's representatives are concerned and so the Dermot Weld-trained Tipperary maiden scorer Shelaka (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) will have plenty of eyes on her. The card also features another significant prize for the juveniles in the six-furlong G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S., while the fillies and mares get their shot in the nine-furlong G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S.

Elsewhere, York's Listed Julia Graves Roses S. features Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's TDN Rising Star and G3 Molecomb S. runner-up Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}), while another TDN Rising Star lines up in Windsor's Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions August S. over an extended 11 furlongs. That is Anthony Oppenheimer's Kempton novice winner Lion's Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion), who holds an entry in the G1 St Leger and while this is an unorthodox prep for that Classic, the half-brother to Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) could yet become a leading light for Doncaster.

 

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Dettori To Ride Mostahdaf in Juddmonte International

Jockey Frankie Dettori will be aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) for the G1 Juddmonte International at York over the Knavesmire on Aug. 23, Shadwell racing manager Angus Gold announced on Saturday. The veteran rider deputises for the 5-year-old's regular jockey, Jim Crowley, who was suspended for his winning ride aboard Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 King George & Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29.

“John put Frankie on him this morning and said 'I think Frankie's the man', so he will ride him at York,” Gold said. “He had a sit on him this morning and seemed very happy with the horse. We'll try and keep him in one piece and then they'll both be reunited at York.”

Though Dettori has not regularly ridden for the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell recently, he has worn the distinctive blue and white silks to victory on the international stage a number of times. Dettori is set to hang up his tack at the end of this year.

“He obviously won on Sakhee (Bahri) back in the day and more recently I remember him winning the [G3] Greenham at Newbury on Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream [GB]) [in 2015],” Gold said. “He's ridden plenty for us over the years and it will be very nice to hopefully give him a decent ride in his final year.”

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Azure Blue To Take On Highfield Princess In Nunthorpe

Azure Blue (Ire) (El Kabeir), who bested Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in the G2 Duke Of York S. in May, will square off again with that multiple Group 1 winner in York's G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 25, trainer Michael Dods confirmed on Friday.

A listed winner last October, the 4-year-old claimed the Listed Ellen Chaloner S. at Newmarket at the beginning of May before her group heroics. She was sixth in the G1 July Cup S. at Newmarket, but is reportedly doing well.

“At the moment we're thinking of going to York and the Nunthorpe,” said Dods, who has won the Knavesmire feature three times with Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in 2015/2016 and Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in 2018.

“We're pulling her back a furlong and it will be very competitive if the 2-year-olds come in and also Highfield Princess was so impressive at Goodwood.

“We had had a run and Highfield had not when we met before and she's obviously come on a lot from then. But it is the obvious race and at the moment the plan is to go there.”

The five-furlong Group 1 is new territory for the filly, who has raced at six furlongs or farther in every other start to date.

“We're travelling into the unknown,” Dods acknowledged. “They will go a hard gallop and hopefully she will be fine. We're looking forward to it and at the minute it is all systems go.”

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‘Whoever Wins Is A Leading Derby Player’ – Appleby Has Say On Dante

   With the Derby picture unclear, it is probably welcome that Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. has no stand-out among its dozen participants. George Strawbridge's TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) bids to continue the momentum of the Gosdens and Frankie following the Musidora and step forward from his seasonal debut much as his stablemate Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) did on Wednesday. On the face of it, a workmanlike defeat of inferior rivals in Epsom's 10-furlong Listed Blue Riband Trial would not be enough to ensure favouritism in a race like this but last year's G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up has a lot of upside.

Dual Honours?

Godolphin already have a tailor-made Derby prospect in Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), but Charlie Appleby would relish another and TDN Rising Star Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has the right material based on his emphatic Listed Stonehenge S. success in August. Perhaps compromised by easier ground and tactics afterwards, the relative of Lammtarra still managed to add Newmarket's G3 Zetland S. to his tally and his trainer is bullish. “We know that he gets this trip, having won the Zetland on his final 2-year-old start, and feel that he has the scope to improve again as we step him up over further,” he said. “It looks a competitive renewal of the Dante and whoever wins will be a leading player for the Derby.”

 All Aboard

Sir Michael Stoute carried this off 12 months ago and looks to the Niarchos homebred Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) to jump into the Derby reckoning following his smooth debut win in Newmarket's Wood Ditton last month. Supplemented following his withdrawal from Chester's Listed Dee S. last week, the homebred brings a potential x factor into play. “Passenger was a non-runner at Chester because of soft ground, but should have the perfect ground for him in the Dante,” racing manager Alan Cooper said. “It's a stepping stone and we'll see how he takes it, and Sir Michael will then make a plan afterwards. The hope is he is confirms the potential of the Wood Ditton and we can take it from there.”

Underestimated?

Like Passenger, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's White Birch (GB) is a son of Ulysses going places and despite his form being there in the book is almost double the price with most bookmakers. His success in Leopardstown's G3 Ballysax S. was no fluke and the colt he beat there, Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), upheld the form next time when second to what should in all likelihood be the Derby favourite in Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G3 Derby Trial. “We couldn't be happier with him and we're looking forward to it,” commented George Murphy, assistant to father John. “This is a bigger test again and it will be good to see what White Birch can now do. It looks a very hot race on paper and everyone is going there thinking they have the winner.”

Free Pass

York also stages the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S., with another  Strawbridge-Gosdens-Frankie collaboration with the 2021 G2 Park Hill S. and G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). This extended 10-furlong trip is probably shy of her best and the ground may be too lively, so she has very little to lose as her stable look for clues as to her program. “She has shown good form over a mile and a half to a mile and six, but York is a nice, galloping track and we feel it is a good place to start her off,” Thady Gosden said. “She has enough speed to win over 10 furlongs. She has always had plenty of ability and this will tell us more where she goes afterwards.”

Group 1 Winners Return

Runner-up in this last year, Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) went on to win Deauville's G1 Prix Jean Romanet when last seen in August and is penalised as a result. Her course form, which includes a defeat of Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the 2021 Listed Lyric Fillies' S. over this course and distance, entitles her to respect despite the extra three pounds which also applies to last year's G1 Preis der Diane heroine Toskana Belle (Fr) (Shamalgan {Fr}). Now racing in the Teruya Yoshida silks with Roger Varian, the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational runner-up is an unknown quantity in this sphere. “She's a nice filly and has been working well,” her trainer said. “She has some strong 3-year-old form from Germany and America last year, and we're looking forward to getting her started. I think 10 furlongs on a track like York is a nice starting point for her and will give us a good direction moving forwards.”

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