Make Believe (GB) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Breeders’ Cup Still the Plan For Mishriff

Three-time Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) will still race next at Del Mar's Breeders' Cup meeting in early November, as long as he remains well. The John and Thady Gosden trainee, who won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club last term, ran fourth in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16.

He kicked off his season with a victory in the $20-million Saudi Cup on dirt in February and added Meydan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic back on turf at the end of March. Third in the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July, the Prince A A Faisal colourbearer went one better in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot later that month and won the G1 Juddmonte International S. by six lengths at York on Aug. 18.

“John [Gosden] wants everything to be right for us to go, but that [Breeders' Cup] is his next target,” said Prince Faisal's racing manager Ted Voute. “It was spoken about on Sunday, and the early indications were that he came out of the race okay. At the moment we've all been told to act as if we're going, and the horse will let us know whether he's ready.

“John and the Prince will decide where to go. I suspect they'll go to the [GI Breeders' Cup] Turf–although just glancing through the [GI Breeders' Cup] Classic, I'd be happy to consider that race as well.

“It's up the Prince and John really–and it's down to Mishriff and his wellbeing. All the boxes have got to be ticked, and I'm sure John and the Prince will make the right decision.”

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Mishriff Out On His Own In the International

Gaining the British group 1 his record demanded in devastating style on Wednesday, Prince Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) proved a class apart in one of the finest performances witnessed in the history of York's Juddmonte International. Third to the race's absentee St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on his European return in Sandown's G1 Eclipse July 3, the high-level worldwide campaigner had moved forward considerably in the subsequent three-week period to be runner-up in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot. This represented a further leap, with David Egan able to bask in the moment after launching the homebred on to the lead approaching the two-furlong pole en route to a six-length defeat of Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) with Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) half a length away in third. “A lot of people had questioned whether he could do it on home soil, so I'm thrilled for the horse and this is really special,” Egan said. “The way he cruises into his races between the three and the two, I really think he'd have put it up to St Mark's Basilica today. I'm just so privileged to be put in the position to ride for Prince Faisal and ride a horse like Mishriff. Winning the Juddmonte International, it's stuff I've dreamt of my whole life.”

Mishriff, whose early career involved a second on dirt in the Saudi Derby in February 2020 and a four-length success in the delayed Listed Newmarket S., had proved himself at this level on his first attempt by capturing Chantilly's G1 Prix du Jockey Club last July. Following up in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville in August, he was only eighth in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot in October but was back in the groove returning to Riyadh's dirt to garner the Feb. 20 Saudi Cup. Switching back to turf to take the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on his first try at a mile and a half Mar. 27, he looked to have run into something special as St Mark's Basilica swept him aside at Sandown. What would have happened in the proposed rematch is conjecture, but John Gosden believes he had him undercooked for that contest and it is debatable whether the Ballydoyle sensation would have been able to live with this version of Mishriff.

Coming out of his tussle with Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the King George in buoyant form, the bay raced evenly in fourth early alongside Love as they tracked Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Alenquer. Always moving smoothly, Mishriff challenged up the centre of the track as all rivals were flat out and he was soon well beyond reach to recall memories of wide-margin winners of this in Sakhee, Royal Anthem and Assert (Ire) without quite hitting the dizzying heights of Frankel (GB). What he does have over the last three of that quartet is the ability to race with equal prowess on the dirt, which is where comparisons with the highly-talented Sakhee are apt as that Shadwell luminary went so close in the Breeders' Cup Classic 20 years ago. Giant's Causeway was another to lose out in agonising fashion in that monument, while this race's honor roll includes the similarly-versatile duo Singspiel (Ire) and Electrocutionist who managed to win the G1 Dubai World Cup.

“I was in the ideal position, one out and one back and everything worked out perfectly,” Egan said. “He got into a nice rhythm and he stays this flat mile and a quarter really well, so I was inclined to ask him to hit top gear and stretch the opposition. He prob will stay a flat mile and a half really well, so the Arc could suit. I had thought that over a mile and a quarter he had to be ridden prominently, but I couldn't believe how well he cruised into the race. He's a bit of a freak to do what he does on dirt and turf and I can't think of another one.”

John Gosden is looking to give the winner a break now ahead of big end-of-year targets. “I want to freshen him up again, as there's a campaign for him deep into the autumn,” he explained. “There's QIPCO Champions Day and the Arc, but I wouldn't run him on very testing ground. Then the Breeders' Cup Turf and the Japan Cup too. He wouldn't be one for the Breeders' Cup Classic this year. It's a very short straight at Del Mar and that wouldn't suit him at all. He needs a Belmont straight, not a Del Mar one. I think we've seen the finished article. This is the race we've talked about since last December, this has been THE race we've wanted to win with him and make him a stallion.”

Mishriff is currently the last of three foals out of Contradict (GB) (Raven's Pass) alongside the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick winner Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) who was second in the G3 Craven S. and G3 Supreme S. The G3 Princess Royal S.-winning second dam Acts of Grace (Bahri) is a daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane heroine Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), the famed matriarch who produced the stellar Invincible Spirit (Ire) and fellow sire of note Kodiac (GB) as well as the latter's full-sister Massarra (GB) (Danehill) who is in turn responsible for Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). This is also the family of the G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Chinese White (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and the dual group 1-winning young sire Pride of Dubai (Aus).

Wednesday, York, Britain
JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL S.-G1, £1,000,000, York, 8-18, 3yo/up, 10f 56yT, 1:59.25, gd.
1–MISHRIFF (IRE), 132, c, 4, by Make Believe (GB)
1st Dam: Contradict (GB), by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: Acts of Grace, by Bahri
3rd Dam: Rafha (GB), by Kris (GB)
O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Nawara Stud Limited (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-David Egan. £567,100. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur, Eng & Fr at 9 1/2-11f, G1SW-UAE & Fr, 13-7-2-2, $15,074,636. *1/2 to Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), MGSP-Eng, $172,676. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alenquer (Fr), 125, c, 3, Adlerflug (Ger)–Wild Blossom (Ger), by Areion (Ger). (€18,000 Wlg '18 ARQDE; 80,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-M M Stables; B-Gestut Romerhof (FR); T-William Haggas. £215,000.
3–Love (Ire), 129, f, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Pikaboo (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £107,600.
Margins: 6, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.25, 8.00, 2.75.
Also Ran: Mohaafeth (Ire), Mac Swiney (Ire), Alcohol Free (Ire), Juan Elcano (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Lord North Bound For Dubai Turf

Group 1 winner Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will step forward in the G1 Dubai Turf over 1800 metres on Mar. 27, Racing Post reported on Monday. Trainer John Gosden accepted an invitation for the race for the Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing colourbearer. A winner of the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. last June, the bay was third in the G1 Juddmonte Internatioanl S. a month later. Unplaced in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. on Oct. 17, he was a solid fourth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7. Gosden will also be sending Saudi Cup winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) for the G1 Sheema Classic.

“Lord North has been invited to run in the Dubai Turf and he seems in good form at home so the plan would be for he and Mishriff to travel,” trainer John Gosden told the Racing Post. “Lord North goes well fresh and Mishriff seems to have come out of his Saudi Cup win in good shape, so it's all systems go for World Cup night.”

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Turf, Dirt No Problem

The John Gosden-trained, Prince Faisal homebred Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) stole the show in Saturday's $20-million Saudi Cup. Gary King caught up with Ted Voute, racing manager to Prince Faisal, on Monday morning to reflect on the win.

GK: Prince Faisal has enjoyed incredible success in the bloodstock world over the years, which includes breeding and racing Invincible Spirit (Ire). Where does this victory rank?

TV: I think being on his home dirt, as it were, I would have to say Mishriff has made Prince Faisal a very proud man. Having named him after one of his closest friends soon after his death, and having named a horse Mishriff in the past who broke down, for Mishriff to win in front of his family in his homeland was a thrill he will never forget.

GK: Could you tell us a little bit more about Prince Faisal's breeding operation?

TV: He has 11 mares which all board with me at our farm in the village of Eydon, England.

GK: It was such a fantastic performance, beating two of America's best dirt horses in Charlatan and Knicks Go. Should we expect to see him running this summer and autumn in America?

TV: The racing programme hasn't been discussed by John Gosden and Prince Faisal yet, but I know that the G1 Juddmonte International at York, which throws up some of the best horses every year, would be dear to Prince Faisal. To add a domestic Group 1 to his CV would be the next logical step.

But I'm sure Royal Ascot's G1 Prince of Wales's S. and the G1 Eclipse at Sandown would be high on the agenda. He's in the G1 Dubai World Cup and the GI Breeders' Classic, more because I persuaded the boss to enter in case we won.

GK: So would the GI Breeders' Cup Classic now be a logical end of season goal?

TV: He has already formed an interesting CV winning at two, three and four over various distances, going and surfaces. As I have said there are no set plans, but the end of the year brings the G1 Arc, the G1 Champion S., and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

It's a long time away and I don't know about the Prince but I would be torn between the Arc and the Classic. I would like to see him amass credentials to make him attractive as a stallion to studs in the U.S., Japan or Europe. His win on Saturday has certainly not gone unnoticed from farms in all three jurisdictions.

GK: His dam, Contradict (GB), is obviously a highly valuable part of the broodmare band now. Could you tell us about the mare, and who she has been covered by over the last few seasons?

TV: Contradict was originally in training with Sir Micheal Stoute as a 2-year-old and was placed second and third. Determined to get her to win a small race she went to Mick Channon who won at Salisbury and was fourth in a listed race.

Her first foal by Invincible Spirit (Ire), close inbreeding to Rafha (GB), was stakes winning Orbaan (GB) who was with Andre Fabre. Her second was stakes placed Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) who Roger Charlton trained and raced in the 1351 Turf Sprint on Saturday and is now in Saudi Arabia. She is three-for-three black-type.

She went to Invincible Spirit for two years and was barren and also barren to Frankel (GB). She is currently in foal to Frankel and due at the beginning of March. She will visit Make Believe (GB) this year, and is currently at Coolmore waiting to foal.

GK: And finally, a few words about John Gosden and David Egan?

TV: For David Egan it was a life changing moment for a young talented rider. Even with his $100,000 fine for excessive [whip] use I am sure he will have enough left over to buy a nice house. From a wide draw, he kept Mishriff out of the kick back and produced him at exactly the right time, waiting for the U.S. horses to battle it out in front.

John Gosden is the best trainer in England. To train a horse in the winter months on his own is a phenomenal feat. I also sent him New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) who was third in the Saudi Derby having bought him in the Tattersalls Horses-In-Training Sale [90,000gns from Jim Bolger's Glebe House Stables].

Mr. Gosden's staff have had all the COVID restrictions to contend with in travel, and Thady Gosden did a first-class job handling his training after his arrival where he blossomed each day he was there.

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