City Of Troy Tops Derby Nominations at First Entry Stage

A total of 72 horses have been entered for the 2024 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 1, the richest race in Britain with total prize-money of £1.5 million.

Of the 72, 23 are trained in Ireland, including the outstanding juvenile of 2023, City Of Troy (Justify), last seen winning the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket by three and a half lengths in impressive fashion. He is one of 17 entries for Aidan O'Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Classic having saddled nine winners since the turn of the century. O'Brien's other notable entries include G1 National S. winner Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who emulated City Of Troy by winning each of his three starts as a two-year-old, plus G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and G2 Champions Juvenile S. winner Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), both of whom should be well suited by stepping up to a mile and a half on pedigree.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), who finished fourth behind Diego Velazquez at Leopardstown before winning the G2 Beresford S. at the Curragh, is another standout name among the Irish contingent, while Saint-Cloud maiden winner Roadshow (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the sole entry from France. Trained by Andre Fabre, Roadshow is another potential runner for the various Coolmore partnerships, sporting the familiar purple and white silks of Derek Smith which have already been carried to success in the Derby on three occasions.

US-trained runners at Epsom are much less common, but there could be one in the 2024 renewal, namely Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}), last seen filling the runner-up spot in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park for Kenny McPeek. Further international interest could be provided by Justin Milano (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), potentially a first ever runner from Japan in the Derby. Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi–a three-time winner of the Japanese equivalent, the Tokyo Yushun–Justin Milano was successful in the G3 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo on his most recent start.

The home team is headed by the Charlie Appleby-trained pair of Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi) and Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi), both of whom achieved a high level of form at two. Ancient Wisdom proved himself one of the best of his generation when landing the G1 Futurity Trophy S. at Doncaster, while Arabian Crown impressed when running out an emphatic winner of the G3 Zetland S. at Newmarket. Incidentally, Appleby is also responsible for 'TDN Rising Star' Endless Victory (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), a full-brother to the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (GB) who won by a wide margin on his debut at Wolverhampton earlier this month.

Clive Cox's Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is another to note having won each of his three starts as a juvenile, notably coming out on top in what looked a deep renewal of the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket, beating Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Capulet (Justify) and Macduff (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The first four have all been given Derby entries, along with John and Thady Gosden's Futurity Trophy third God's Window (GB) (Dubawi).

The second entry stage is set for Wednesday, April 24.

The post City Of Troy Tops Derby Nominations at First Entry Stage appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Camelot’s Los Angeles Prevails In Thrilling Criterium de Saint-Cloud

Aidan O'Brien had experienced a famine of sorts since annexing 2010's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud with Recital (Fr) (Montjeu {Ire}), but he was back in the familiar surroundings of Saint-Cloud's winner's circle after Ballydoyle second string Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) prevailed in a blanket finish to Sunday's latest renewal of the 10-furlong feature.

The 67-10 chance found the necessary gears late on to register an ultimately impressive debut success tackling nine furlongs at Tipperary at the beginning of last month and was well away to track the leaders in fourth through halfway here. Sent wide to the stands' side rail off the home turn, he was bustled along to launch his challenge with 300 metres remaining and stayed on strongly under continued urging to deny Joseph O'Brien trainee and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. second Islandsinthestream (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a neck. The podium was an O'Brien family affair with the winner's stablemate Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) keeping on well to finish 3/4-of-a-length adrift in third.

“He's a very big horse, I imagine he will be even better next year and we're very happy,” the winning trainer commented after collecting a fifth edition. “He won very well, going left-handed, at Tipperary and Seamus [Heffernan] loved him when he rode him [there]. Christophe [Soumillon] was a bit worried because he wasn't changing his legs throughout the race, but he said he picked up very nicely. He'd only had the one run and this was great experience for him. He's obviously still a bit babyish, but I'm delighted that he won. He could get a mile-and-a-half next year and he's something to look forward to.”

Los Angeles will seek to break an alarming trend set by recent winners. The gold medal has become something of a millstone since Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) prevailed in 2016, with 2020 victor Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) the only one of five to have added to his tally, in that quintet's 41 aggregate starts, after claiming a career high in the contest.

Reflecting on the effort of runner-up Islandsinthestream, Joseph O'Brien said, “It was a very good run and I'm proud of the horse's performance. It was a very good ride from Maxime [Guyon], but it's always frustrating when you get beaten in a Group 1. He'll have a holiday now and we'll look forward to some of those 3-year-old Group 1 races next summer. He's a horse we'll probably campaign internationally as well as at home.”

 

Pedigree Notes
Los Angeles, half-brother to a yearling colt by No Nay Never, is one of three winners from as many runners produced by an unraced half-sister to G3 Prix Messidor victor Impulsif (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). The February-foaled dark bay is a full-brother to G3 Ballyroan S. third Hector De Maris (Ire) and this year's G3 Prix Penelope third Be Happy (Ire). His third dam, G3 Prix de Flore victrix Allez Les Trois (Riverman), produced G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning sire Anabaa Blue (GB) (Anabaa) and is a half-sister to storied blue hen Urban Sea (Miswaki).

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €250,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 2yo, c/f, 10fT, 2:15.25, vsf.
1–LOS ANGELES (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Frequential (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Violante, by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Allez Les Trois, by Riverman
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Christophe Soumillon. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €151,850. *Full to Be Happy (Ire), GSP-Fr & SP-Ire; and Hector De Maris (Ire), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Islandsinthestream (Ire), 128, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–A Mist Opportunity (Aus), by Foxwedge (Aus). (€135,000 Ylg '22 ARQOCT). O-Islandsinthestream Partnership; B-Haras d'Etreham & Katelanis Bloodstock (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €57,150.
3–Illinois (Ire), 128, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Danedrop (Ire), by Danehill. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €28,575.
Margins: NK, 3/4, NK. Odds: 6.70, 1.90, 1.90.
Also Ran: Ramadan (Fr), Bracken's Laugh (Ire), Shiffrin (Ire), Casapueblo (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Camelot’s Los Angeles Prevails In Thrilling Criterium de Saint-Cloud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights