Lope de Vega (Ire) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lope de Vega Colt Wins The Cocked Hat

The only maiden in the line-up for Goodwood's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat S. on Friday, Normandie Stud's Lionel (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) emerged on top of a tight finale to step into the frame for the Irish Derby. Sent off at 17-2 on the back of a promising third behind the re-opposing Natural World (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the subsequent Listed Fairway S. winner Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in an 11-furlong Newbury maiden Apr. 16, the bay was settled with one behind early by Jamie Spencer as Frankie Dettori dictated on Aldous Huxley (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Off the bridle before the turn for home, the chestnut kept responding to build a head of steam and wear down that 7-4 favourite in the final yards and prevail by a neck, with Lysander (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) half a length away in third.

Lionel's trainer David Menuisier is aiming high now. “He is in at Royal Ascot and he is in the Irish Derby and he is in the Grand Prix de Paris in July. At the moment, when I say Ascot, I can't write off the Queen's Vase. I can't write off the King Edward VII and can't write off the Irish Derby,” he said of the winner, who was withdrawn from the Derby. “He had no luck at Newbury. I think he is a very good horse, I have always said that, but he wants to be a grown up to win at Epsom and he is not. I think he will handle any ground, but I don't want it to be too quick on unconventional tracks. On a nice, big galloping track, he will be fine.”

“Doncaster in September is a good possibility. The dam won a group 2 there and he will stay well in time, but he has got the pace to win over one mile and four. I think the Curragh over one mile four sounds like a good idea. He is entered in the Arc and entered everywhere.” Lysander was not immediately ruled out of the Derby, with Harry Herbert saying, “It wasn't a bad run, but the ground was too soft for him. He had a hard race, but I would hold on to those Derby tickets a while longer. We will see how he takes this.”

As Menuisier stated, Lionel is the first runner for the G2 Park Hill S. and Listed Chalice S. winner Gretchen (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of Dolores (GB) (Danehill) who captured the Listed Conqueror S. here and was second in the G2 Sun Chariot S. and third in the G1 Coronation S. Her sons Duncan (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Samuel (GB) (Sakhee) enjoyed career-highs when dead-heating in the G1 Irish St Leger and winning the G2 Doncaster Cup respectively, while another daughter Deirdre (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was third in the Listed Height of Fashion S. on this card in 2010. She has the unraced 2-year-old colt Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) and a colt foal by Kingman (GB).

BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF COCKED HAT S.-Listed, £55,000, Goodwood, 5-20, 3yo, c/g, 11f 44yT, 2:33.34, sf.
1–LIONEL (GB), 128, c, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Gretchen (GB) (GSW-Eng, $127,958), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Dolores (GB), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Agnus (Ire), by In the Wings (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Normandie Stud Ltd (GB); T-David Menuisier; J-Jamie Spencer. £31,191. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-1, $44,780.
2–Aldous Huxley (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Albasharah, by Arch.
1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £11,825.
3–Lysander (GB), 128, c, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Darting (GB), by Shamardal.
1ST BLACK TYPE. (120,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Beehives; B-Highclere Stud (GB); T-William Haggas. £5,918.
Margins: NK, HF, 3/4. Odds: 8.50, 1.75, 3.00.
Also Ran: Maksud (GB), Mr Alan (GB), Natural World (Ire). Scratched: Inverness (Ire).

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Deauville, It’s Good To Be Back

DEAUVILLE, France–With a glinting sun, seagulls on the wing, and the occasional hint of a sea breeze, it is hard to imagine on this perfect spring day that there was ever anything wrong in the world. But it was three years ago that Arqana last held its Breeze-Up Sale at its rightful home in Normandy, with a prolonged pandemic twice forcing the uprooting of one of the most popular auctions of the year to Yorkshire.

“It is good to be back here,” says Freddy Powell, Arqana's executive director. “But we are still very grateful to Goffs UK for hosting us for two years. We know our own place better though and it's great to see the smile on everybody's face to be back in Deauville. Some of them are already saying that they can't wait to be back in August.”

It is easy to see why, for there is no more pleasing backdrop to the serious business of a horse sale than the seaside town where racehorses wander through the streets of a morning. With the horses in training back in their stables for the day, it is the turn of the next intake. In front of packed stands and a complimentary hot dog stall, juvenile after juvenile breezes down the back straight of Deauville's turf course with pleasing frequency, coats gleaming now that the winter is fully behind us.

“The consignors have done a wonderful job,” Powell says. “Obviously we have more time than the other sales, and especially with fillies at this time of the year, suddenly they start to look great. The feeling is that if you don't have a horse for the early races, what is the point in rushing them to a sale when you can come to Deauville in May.”

The horses don't just look good, however. There are some serious pedigrees among the original 145 catalogued and the seven wild-card entries. Just by Lope De Vega (Ire) alone you can find the full-brother to Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (lot 17), winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas three years ago and now a member of the Irish National Stud roster. At the National Stud in Newmarket is the new recruit Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), and his full-sister pops up in the catalogue as lot 107. Both 2-year-olds hail from the draft of Church Farm & Horse Park Stud.

“We don't worry so much about pushing them to do a really fast time,” says Roger Marley of Church Farm as he watches the breeze with his consigning partner John Cullinan. “I like them to be moving well within themselves and finishing off nicely.”

He adds as their Sea The Moon (Ger) colt (lot 140) gallops by easily under jockey Gary Halpin. “I'm delighted with that, they've breezed really well today.”

Among the onlookers are visitors from America, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and beyond. Bhupat Seemar, who had his first taste of the Kentucky Derby experience with Arqana graduate Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front) last Saturday, sits alongside his uncle Satish, from whom he took over the training licence in Dubai last year. Marc Chan, who is represented by former Arqana August yearling New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in Saturday's G1 Lockinge S., is in attendance with agent Jamie McCalmont, and also at the sale is Dean Reeves of GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man fame.

“Obviously through War Of Will (War Front), winning the Preakness with a horse who was sold as a 2-year-old in France was a great thing for us,” says Powell. “But for the last few years we have had Kentucky Derby contenders and that's quite special.

“It shows as well the know-how of our horsemen in Europe, that they are preparing horses to run all over the world.”

He adds, “We are very thankful to France Galop and how they work the Deauville track to ensure it is perfect for the breeze. And we are grateful to the trainers here who had to finish earlier this morning for the breeze, and who cope with not being able to use the all-weather track for a few days. But they understand that it is great for people from all over the world to come here to see all the amazing facilities that Deauville has, and perhaps they will end up having a horse trained here. It's a wonderful showcase.”

Norman Williamson, the consignor of War Of Will at this sale four years ago, offers a pair of juveniles from his Oak Tree Farm, including a Kingman (GB) colt from the Lordship Stud family of Swiss Lake (GB) (Indian Ridge {GB}). As lot 72, he was among the fastest breezers of the day.

“They did a great job on the ground,” Williamson notes. “It was watered every night and they had a great covering of grass. It is quick ground but these are Flat horses and I thought there was a good cover of grass on it. There seems to be a lot of people around here so hopefully it ends up being a very good sale.”

Come Friday night, we will know just how good the sale has been, but the early signs are more than encouraging.

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Lope de Vega Filly On Top In The Cleopatre

Off the mark over nine furlongs at Fontainebleau Apr. 12, Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud's Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) came through her first major test in style to annexe Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. Bred to appreciate at least this 10 1/2-furlong trip, being out of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner Traffic Jam (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the Andre Fabre trainee was held up in last early in contrast to her last outing when she was sent forward from the break. Nudged along by Mickael Barzalona to close at the top of the straight, the 23-10 favourite was produced wide to overhaul Samahram (Fr) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) with 100 metres remaining and beat that duo by 3/4 of a length and a head respectively.

Rupert Pritchard Gordon, representing Al Shaqab in France, said, “When she won last time at Fontainebleau she jumped the pedestrian path after the finish line, unseated Mickael Barzalona and was knocked by the filly behind her that fell–it was a scary moment and she was given a few days off to recover,” he explained. “Lately, she was fine at home and pleasing in her work and she confirmed that today in good style. She was perfectly relaxed behind and she quickened brilliantly, so we have to be delighted. She is in both group 1s, the [May 29] Saint Alary [at Parislongchamp] and the Diane [at Chantilly June 19], and Andre Fabre will make the call.”

Place du Carrousel, who was a €260,000 purchase by Mandore International Agency at the 2020 Arqana Deauville Select Sale, is the first foal out of the aforementioned Traffic Jam who was also second in the G2 Prix de Pomone and is a half to the dam of the Australian group 3-placed Last Sight (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}). Her family features the G1 Racing Post Trophy runner-up Winged Cupid (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}) and the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), which links her to Galileo's Minding (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire) and Sunday's G1 1000 Guineas hopeful Tuesday (Ire). The dam has the 2-year-old filly Nariman Point (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a yearling filly by Kingman (GB) and a filly foal by Sea the Stars (Ire).

Friday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 4-29, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:15.38, g/s.
1–PLACE DU CARROUSEL (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Traffic Jam (Ire) (GSW-Fr, $211,247), by Duke of Marmalade (Ire)
2nd Dam: Place de l'Etoile (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Sweet Emotion (Ire), by Bering (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€260,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing & Ballylinch Stud B-Ballylinch Stud, Alexis Adamian & Mme Fan Adamian (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €58,900. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Samahram (Fr), 126, f, 3, Sea the Moon (Ger)–Djumama (Ire), by Aussie Rules.
1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€160,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Frank Janorschke (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €16,000.
3–Kawida (GB), 126, f, 3, Sir Percy (GB)–Kandahari (GB), by Archipenko. O/B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-Ed Walker. €12,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, 2. Odds: 2.30, 3.80, 2.90.
Also Ran: Hometruths (Ire), Qarasha (GB), Regalis (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Half-Brother To Aclaim Set For Nottingham Bow

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a half-brother to Group 1 winner and sire Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).

16.00 Cork, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo/up, 10f 30yT
Aidan O'Brien trainee FLEET COMMANDER (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-brother to this year's G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup hero Russian Emperor (Ire) and makes his belated debut here. The G1 Irish Derby entry encounters Olympicus (American Pharoah), who is a half-brother to G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) out of MG1SW distaffer Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill), from the Joseph O'Brien stable.

16.45 Newbury, Mdn, £11,950, 3yo, 8fT
Shadwell Estate Company's homebred MORGHOM (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), representing Marcus Tregoning, is a half-brother to MGSW G1 Irish 2000 Guineas third Mustajeeb (GB) (Nayef). His 16 rivals include Paul Turner's fellow newcomer Heathen (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who is an Ed Dunlop-trained 200,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 son of G1 Irish Oaks heroine Great Heavens (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

18.15 Nottingham, Mdn, £7,500, 3yo, 10f 50yT
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum is doubly represented in this late developers' contest and his first colours will be carried by 360,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 Roger Varian trainee AIMERIC (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is a half-brother to G1SW sire Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}). Alternate silks will be sported by Richard Hannon representative Space Odyssey (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who is a homebred son of G1 Epsom Oaks third Lady of Dubai (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also in the line up is Abulla Al Mansoori's Sea Stone (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who is out of G1 Fillies' Mile heroine White Moonstone (Dynaformer), from the Ismail Mohammed barn.

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