Tag: Living Legend (Ire)

Pair Of Group 1 Winners Nominated To Winter Derby

Group 1 winners Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are two of the 16 nominations for the Feb. 25 £100,000 G3 BetUK Winter Derby at Lingfield.

Last seen winning the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., the William Muir and Chris Grassick-trained 6-year-old has been on the bench since that victory. He claimed the 2021 Listed Churchill S. over 10 furlongs at that track, defeating fellow Winter Derby entry Harrovian (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).

John and Thady Gosden's Lord North was runner-up in the 2022 Winter Derby to Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}). He then tied with Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G1 Dubai Turf in March, before running off-the-board in a trio of Group 1s–the Tattersalls Gold Cup (fourth to Alenquer), the Prince Of Wales's S. (fifth to State Of Rest {Ire} {Starspangledbanner [Aus]}), and the Eclipse S. at Sandown in July, where he was fourth to Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}).

Another signed on for the Winter Derby is Charlie Johnston's Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who won the G2 Jockey Club S. in 2022. He was most recently second in the G2 Princess Of Wales's S. in July.

Trainer Charlie Johnston said, “We have given Living Legend a BetUK Winter Derby entry and he has also been nominated for the Amir Trophy in Qatar, which takes place the week before.

“Plans are fluid at the moment. We would ultimately love to take him back to Newcastle for the Easter Classic, although with the way the programme book has fallen this year, it is going to make it difficult to qualify unless we win the Winter Derby.

“The Magnolia S. and Finals Day were three weeks apart last year, whereas this year it is only a six-day gap due to Easter falling earlier, which makes having three qualifying runs very difficult.

“There is plenty to think about and we will decide whether we go for the Winter Derby or take up the Qatar option nearer the time.”

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Yibir Back To Winning Ways In The Princess Of Wales

Back at the July Festival at which he first showed his hand 12 months ago, Godolphin's Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) benefitted from an ultra-cool William Buick ride to arrest a brief recent decline in Friday's G2 Princess Of Wales's Close Brothers S. at Newmarket. Upset by Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) when second in the G2 Jockey Club S. on the Rowley Mile here Apr. 29 before finishing a deflating third in the May 14 GI Man o'War S., the reigning Breeders' Cup Turf hero had it to prove returned to the scene of his G3 Bahrain Trophy win at last year's meeting. Sent off the 11-8 joint-favourite alongside the ultimately disappointing Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the Charlie Appleby stable stalwart made his customary move from rear under the exaggerated hold-up tactics that suit to well to pick up Living Legend a furlong out and register a 2 1/4-length success. “Shane Fetherstonhaugh has been on about him for the last 10 days saying he is as good as we have had him,” Appleby explained. “He looked a picture in the paddock today and has been moving so well at home.”

 

Yibir, who is set to ship to the States again for his next outing, has come a long way since this riding ploy paid off so handsomely in the card's 13-furlong Bahrain Trophy in 2021. After garnering the Breeders' Cup Turf, Jockey Club Derby Invitational and G2 Great Voltigeur S. later that term he put one of his finest efforts to finish second off a slow pace in the Mar. 26 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic prior to his two reversals. “William just said that when he has a pace to run at, he is a different animal,” his trainer added. “People on the outside may have been scratching their heads wondering what has been going on, but he needs a gallop. He's a big unit and if you take a pull on him he just gets a bit disorganised and then it takes him a little while to get warmed up.”

“Hopefully now we'll head to Saratoga for the Sword Dancer,” Appleby concluded. “All roads are leading to the Breeders' Cup, but it's at Keeneland this year and it can come up soft there. One thing he does like is to hear his feet rattle, so if it came up a bit slow we might have to think about it, but it's great he's got his head back in front.”

Yibir's dam, the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial S. scorer Rumh (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), is also responsible for Dubawi's G1 Nassau S., G1 Prix de l'Opera and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Wild Illusion (GB), the Listed Montrose Fillies' S. scorer Really Special (GB) (Shamardal) and the G3 Prix d'Aumale runner-up Ceratonia (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The second dam is the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner Royal Dubai (Ger) (Dashing Blade {GB}), a half to the GI Beverly D. heroine Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). Also connected to the G1 Dubai World Cup and G1 Juddmonte International hero Electrocutionist (Red Ransom), Rumh's useful 3-year-old full-brother to the winner and Wild Illusion, Wild Crusade (GB), has also been gelded while she also has a 2-year-old colt by Golden Horn (GB) and a colt foal by Sea The Stars (Ire).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
PRINCESS OF WALES'S CLOSE BROTHERS S.-G2, £115,000, Newmarket, 7-7, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:28.91, g/f.
1–YIBIR (GB), 134, g, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
     1st Dam: Rumh (Ger) (SW-Eng), by Monsun (Ger)
     2nd Dam: Royal Dubai (Ger), by Dashing Blade (GB)
     3rd Dam: Reem Dubai (Ire), by Nashwan
O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £65,217. Lifetime Record: Ch. Turf Male-US, GISW-US & G1SP-UAE, 16-7-3-3, $4,274,138. *1/2 to Really Special (GB) (Shamardal), SW-Eng, SP-UAE, $108,180; Full to Wild Illusion (GB), G1SW-Eng, MG1SW-Fr, GISP-US, $1,590,217. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Living Legend (Ire), 137, g, 6, Camelot (GB)–Jazz Girl (Ire), by Johar. (€25,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFFEB; 22,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Barbara & Alick Richmond; B-A Oliver (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston. £24,725.
3–Global Storm (Ire), 134, g, 5, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Travel, by Street Cry (Ire). (200,000gns Wlg '17 TATFOA; 260,000gns 2yo '19 TATBRE). O-Godolphin; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £12,374.
Margins: 2 1/4, NK, 6. Odds: 1.38, 18.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: New Mandate (Ire), West End Charmer (Ire), Mostahdaf (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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July Festival Gets Underway

With the skies free of cloud, Newmarket begins its three-day July Festival on Thursday which for many afficionados of the turf is their highlight of the year. The feature on day one is the G2 Princess Of Wales's Close Brothers S., which sees Godolphin's international bigwig Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) face off against Shadwell's still-improving Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Yibir may have slipped a little of late, with a surprise second to Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Rowley Mile's G2 Jockey Club S. presaging another disappointing reversal when third in the May 14 GI Man o'War, but the reigning GI Breeders' Cup Turf title holder has enjoyed a freshener and returns to the scene of his G3 Bahrain Trophy win at last year's Festival.

“He had a break after coming back from New York in May, he looks great and he's in good order for this,” Charlie Appleby said of Yibir. “He will be aimed at the [GI] Sword Dancer back in the States early next month.”

Mostahdaf's second in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot June 18 was his first try at this mile and a half and it may be that Jim Crowley can be more positive now that his stamina is proven as tactics promise to play a big part. “He's quite a tough horse,” Angus Gold said of the Shadwell representative. “As a 3-year-old he was quite immature, but now he's more mature he should be able to cope with the quick turnaround with any luck.”

 

Big Noise

As the 2-year-old form slowly unfolds in 2022, the reputation of Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) just gets further inflated and the June 15 Listed Windsor Castle S. winner cuts a formidable figure in Thursday's G2 Close Brothers July S. In his three starts to date, he has beaten three subsequent black-type scorers including the G2 Railway S. hero Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a host of other winners, all done with a degree of comfort suggesting he has an abundance in reserve. He meets Amo Racing's June 14 G2 Coventry S. runner-up Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in a fascinating encounter, with Brian Goodyear's unlucky G2 Norfolk S. fourth Brave Nation (Ire) (Sioux Nation) and Charlie Appleby's unexposed June 9 Newbury novice scorer Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) adding intrigue.

“His sire Mehmas was second in the Coventry before going on to win the July Stakes, so I'm hoping he can do the same,” Persian Force's trainer Richard Hannon said. “He's got the right profile going into the race and he is still the horse we hope he is.”

 

Masekela Goes Trophy Hunting

In the 13-furlong G3 Bahrain Trophy which acts as an early St Leger pointer, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Derby fourth Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) bids to put down his marker for the Doncaster Classic as he returns to the scene of his short-head defeat by Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the G2 Superlative S. at last year's July Festival. Whereas he chose Epsom to burst back onto the scene, Aquis Farm and Manton Park's Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) had Royal Ascot as the backdrop to his revival as he went down by an agonising margin to the leader Leger fancy Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the June 15 G2 Queen's Vase. As a juvenile, the Freddie and Martyn Meade-trained Zechariah had a 2 1/4-length margin to spare over Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Newbury's Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. Form which looks very healthy as of this moment in time. Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) began his heady ascent in this card's Listed Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil S. and a year on, the race which pays tribute to the Town's much-missed great sees the Gosdens-Dettori link re-established with Saeed Suhail's G1 St James's Palace S. fifth Mighty Ulysses (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}).

Inspiral And Frankie Face Four In Falmouth

John and Thady Gosdens' Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will remain the mount of Frankie Dettori in Friday's G1 Falmouth S., which drew four rivals set to line up against last year's champion filly. The Cheveley Park Stud homebred is unbeaten and swept to an imperious G1 Coronation S. victory at Royal Ascot.

“Inspiral hasn't done much since then [the Coronation], but all has been well with her and she enjoyed a nice stretch on Saturday with Robert Havlin on board,” said Cheveley Park Stud Managing Director Chris Richardson. “Frankie knows her well, having ridden her in all her races bar her first, and Mrs. Thompson is pleased that John [Gosden, joint trainer] is happy for him to ride her again on Friday.”

Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) is next in the ratings, and will attempt to build on her G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. third, while G1 1000 Guineas second Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and group winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) attempt to return to form after unplaced efforts behind Inspiral in the Coronation. 'TDN Rising Star' Sibila Spain (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) enters on the back of a gritty victory in the G2 Prix du Muguet in May.

Click here for the group fields.

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Camelot’s Living Legend Usurps Yibir at Newmarket

Barbara and Alick Richmond's Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) lined up for Friday's G2 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club S. at Newmarket with four previous outings this term under his belt and that match fitness proved decisive as the 6-year-old gelding held last term's GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero and this term's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic runner-up Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in rugged fashion. Two of those aforementioned four outings yielded wins with a first stakes tally in Kempton's Mar. 22 Listed Magnolia S. backed up by a victory in Newcastle's Apr. 15 Easter Classic on All-Weather Championships day last time. He was positioned just behind the pacesetting Outbox (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in second through halfway in the 12-furlong feature. Looming large with three furlongs remaining, the 11-1 chance edged ahead at the quarter-mile marker and was driven out in the closing stages as the piping hot 1-4 favourite struggled to land a telling blow.

“We deliberated for about two weeks as to whether to run here or in the [G3] Huxley S. at Chester and we had a long conversation on Thursday morning between Mark [Johnston], Charlie [Johnston], Joe [fanning] and ourselves and ultimately it was [husband] Alick who said we should go for it,” explained winning owner Barbara Richmond. “We had a good horse to beat in Yibir, but we thought ours was a good horse as well so we're absolutely over the moon. This is our first ever Group win and we're just delighted. We bought him off Mark for about 20,000 guineas, or whatever it was, as we were very keen to have a Camelot as we thought he was a great sire. He had tendonitis as a youngster and was superb as a 3-year-old until he had his injury after the May Meeting at Chester. We gave him a year off and he came back into the yard the following April, but couldn't take the training so he had a further year off and then he came back. Mark and Charlie got him training again and he has just gone from strength to strength. We always thought he was a good horse from the start, but after the injury you're never sure. It's as though he was never injured and I think we'll be looking at the [G1] Coronation Cup. We'd need to talk to Mark and Charlie, but it looks the obvious race. We'd have to supplement him, but we've just won a nice pot.”

Reflecting on the performance of Yibir, Charlie Appleby said, “He is one of those characters where the race was never quite run to suit him really. He is one of those horses where they go a gallop and everything comes back at him. He thinks he is King Kong and is electric then. When he is getting into battle half a mile out, it's not for him. It is a classic excuse, but you see him switch his lead at the dip and he is a big old brute to be coming out of it. He is not smooth. Even when he was winning in America he was climbing all the way round and is unconventional when he is doing it. The plan is to head to the {GI] Man O' War in two weeks' time. We were coming up here to get a run in before America and we knew coming into it was one of those races that might not go his way. When he normally comes off a turn it gives him the signal and he is gone, but that turn down is a mile-and-a-quarter out [here] and that is a long way for him.”

Living Legend is the first of two foals and lone performer produced by a multiple-winning daughter of the stakes-placed Madame Boulangere (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), herself out of a half-sister to GII Oak Tree Derby hero Sign of Hope (GB) (Selkirk). His third dam Jazz (GB) (Sharrood) is a half-sister to four black-type performers including GII Oak Tree Derby victor Sign of Hope (GB) (Selkirk), G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte second Carmot (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and G2 Premio Chiusura runner-up Finian's Rainbow (GB) (Relkino {GB}).

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
BETFAIR EXCHANGE JOCKEY CLUB S.-G2, £115,000, Newmarket, 4-29, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:38.15, gd.
1–LIVING LEGEND (IRE), 127, g, 6, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Jazz Girl (Ire), by Johar
2nd Dam: Madame Boulangere (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
3rd Dam: Jazz (GB), by Sharrood
1ST GROUP WIN. (€25,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFFEB; 22,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Barbara & Alick Richmond; B-A Oliver (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston; J-Joe Fanning. £65,217. Lifetime Record: 15-7-1-3, $349,634. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Yibir (GB), 130, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Rumh (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £24,725.
3–Outbox (GB), 127, g, 7, Frankel (GB)–Emirates Queen (GB), by Street Cry (Ire). (16,000gns 5yo '20 TATAHI). O-Hambleton Racing Ltd XXXIII; B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (GB); T-Archie Watson. £12,374.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 8HF. Odds: 11.00, 0.25, 12.00.
Also Ran: Red Verdon, Raymond Tusk (Ire). Scratched: West End Charmer (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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