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Mishriff Bests Charlatan In Saudi Cup; Knicks Go Fourth

The $20-million Saudi Cup had been billed as a showdown between the brilliant American Grade I winners Charlatan (Speightstown) and Knicks Go (Paynter), but when the dust settled on the world's richest horse race it was the John Gosden-trained, Prince Faisal homebred Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) who stole the show to a raucous reception in his owner/breeders homeland.

Breaking smartly from gate 12 under 21-year-old jockey David Egan, the G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff-who also ventured to Riyadh to finish second in the Saudi Derby on this card last year-was encouraged to keep in contact with the pace as Charlatan and Knicks Go locked horns. It was the GI Malibu S. winner Charlatan under Mike Smith who came out best in the early skirmishes, but the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational victor Knicks Go under Joel Rosario refused to let his rival have things his own way, keeping close tabs on Charlatan's inside while Mishriff and Extra Elusive (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) waited in the second flight of runners on the outside with Tacitus (Tapit) on the rail. Knicks Go cut the corner and put his head in front rounding the turn, but that lead was short lived with Charlatan re-rallying at the quarter pole. It was at that stage that Knicks Go cried enough, but Charlatan's uncontested advantage was short lived as Mishriff had broken away from the pack and was rapidly gaining ground. Charlatan was game enough to hold off Mishriff until the 100 metre mark, but at last the chestnut gave way to the dark bay, and Mishriff hit the wire a length the best. It was a great result for the Saudis with the locally trained longshot Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}) getting up for third, with Knicks Go settling for fourth.

“Unbelievable,” said Egan after putting in a ride beyond his years. “I've been dreaming all my life of winning a race like this. Last year Mishriff was always a horse who seemed to jump slow; maybe it was just through immaturity. Last year in the Saudi Derby he jumped slow behind the Japanese horse to finish second–I thought to myself that if he had jumped on terms he nearly would have won last year. But he's matured throughout the year and Mr Gosden had him primed for today. He looks a million dollars–well, 10 million dollars.

“He jumped very well today, as good as the two American horses. I squeezed him on for the first 50 yards and I was actually surprised how well he went, through the back straight I was on Mike Smith's heels and he was really taking me into it. I got pressed on the rail when we started turning and that was the only worrying sign I had, when they started quickening whether I was going to get back rolling again.

“Once he ran second here last year I am sure it was on the Prince and Mr Gosden's minds to come here; he had such a good season in Europe last year and this is in Prince Faisal's back garden, it's where he lives, so it was a no-brainer. He's taken on top-class horses from all round the world and proven how good he is.

“My dad [John Egan] is helping out with the Bahrain horses and riding for Fawzi Nass in the mornings, so it is very special to have him here. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be the rider or the person I am today. He's done everything he can to help me in my career, pushed me and trained me hard. This one's for him.”

Speaking via Zoom from Newmarket, Gosden said, “Full marks to my team. I'm here in Newmarket. His owner/breeder always wanted him to come back for the Saudi Cup. He ran well here last year and through the year except for at Ascot on bottomless ground–he didn't like that ground. Otherwise he has a superb record. The team here did a very good job with him through the winter and then Thady [Gosden, son and assistant trainer] and the team did a great job out there.”

Mishriff made three starts at two, finishing fourth and third in novice races at Yarmouth and Newbury before graduating by 10 lengths at Nottingham when stepped up to 1700 metres and partnered by Egan, Prince Faisal's retained rider, for the first time. Egan was again in the saddle next out when Mishriff finished second in the Saudi Derby, and again when the colt won the Listed Newmarket S. by four lengths. Covid restrictions, however, meant that Egan couldn't travel to France for Mishriff's summer assignments, and he was replaced by Ioritz Mendizabal and Frankie Dettori, respectively, for Mishriff's victories in the Prix du Jockey Club and the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. Dettori was once again in the saddle when Mishriff checked in eighth of 10 over the soft going when last seen in the G1 Qipco Champion S. on Oct. 17.

Gosden continued, “I think there are very few horses that can switch surfaces like that. I would have to say enormous thanks to the whole of the Saudi Jockey Club for putting on such an amazing day's racing. The turf track is superb–I was blown away by how good it was when it had only been laid down a few months before when I was there last year. And I have always been told by the top American jockeys and by Frankie Dettori that this is the best main dirt sand track in the world, and I think that is very much proven today that a turf horse can actually switch to it. So many of the tracks are too loose with horrible kickback, but this is a very good test for the Thoroughbred.”

Asked whether Mishriff will be stretched out to 2400 metres this summer in Europe, Gosden added, “He will stay. I think in the end he nailed them because he could go the pace and then see it out to the end, and that was a hard-run mile and an eighth. We'll see. Thady will come back with his reports and we will discuss it all with Prince Faisal and take it a step at a time after a flight like that and training through the winter. We'll see how he is when he gets back before we make any grand plans.”

Charlatan's connections reflected on their colt's performance after, for the first time in his career, he failed to cross the finish line first. Jockey Mike Smith said, “He's just so lightly raced this year and the way the racetrack was playing all day, I got a little concerned because speed wasn't holding all day long. He's only ran once [this season] and it was a seven-eighths race. He got really tired. If he'd had two races, I think he'd win.

Trainer Bob Baffert added, “I was very proud of his effort. Going in, we thought he would run his race. Turning for home, we knew they were going pretty fast early. He's a fast horse, but that stretch–I'm glad we don't have any stretches like that in America.”

Pedigree Notes

Prince Faisal, a close relative of Prince Bandar bin Khalid al Faisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, has done a massive service to the European breeding industry through his Nawara Stud in producing Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB) from his G1 Prix de Diane winner Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), and it is from that mare that Mishriff descends, she being his third dam. Mishriff's second dam Acts Of Grace (Bahri) is one of three stakes winners out of Rafha, and Acts Of Grace is now best known as the dam of Massarra (GB) (Danehill), who was bought by Coolmore for 600,000gns in 2009 and whose five stakes winners include the G1 Gran Criterium winner and stakes producer Nayarra (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), G2 Superlative S. winner and young Coolmore sire Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and G3 Silver Flash S. scorer Wonderfully (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Mishriff's dam is the winning Raven's Pass mare Contradict (GB), who has thus far outdone herself in the breeding shed with her first three foals being stakes horses. Her first was the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick victor Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and her second the G3 Craven S. and G3 Supreme S. second and G3 Thoroughbred S. third Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), who is now trained locally in Saudi and was sixth in Saturday's stc 1351 Turf Sprint. Mishriff is Contradict's last reported foal.

Another branch of the family includes the G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Chinese White (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who is out of a half-sister to Rafha, and the dual Australian Group 1-winning 2-year-old Pride Of Dubai (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), who has gotten off to such a good start with his first crops in both hemispheres.

Mishriff is from the first crop of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix de la Foret winner Make Believe (GB) (Makfi {GB}), who stands at Ballylinch Stud for €15,000. Mishriff is Make Believe's lone Group 1 winner and one of five stakes winners for the sire.

WATCH: Mishriff upsets the Americans in the Saudi Cup

Saturday, King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia
SAUDI CUP (Cond.), $20,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-20, 4yo/up, 1800m, 1:49.59, ft.
1–MISHRIFF (IRE), 126, 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; T-John Gosden; J-David Egan; $10,000,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur, Eng & Fr at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr, SW-Eng, 9-5-1-1, $11,047,442. *1/2 to Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SW-Fr; and Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), MGSP-Eng, $131,343.
2–Charlatan, 126, c, 4, Speightstown–Authenticity, by Quiet American. ($700,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Fred Hertrich III, John D Fielding & Golconda Stables; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike Smith; $3,500,000.
3–Great Scot (GB), 126, g, 5, Requinto (Ire)–La Rosiere, by Mr. Greeley. (€2,500 RNA Ylg '17 TATNOV). O-Prince Faisal Bin Khalid Bin Abdulaziz; B-Clyne Mound Thompson; T-Abdullah Mushriff; J-Adel Alfouraidi; $2,000,000.
Margins: 1, 6HF, 1.
Also Ran: Knicks Go, Sleepy Eyes Todd, Military Law (GB), Tacitus, Bangkok (Ire), Chuwa Wizard (Jpn), Derevo (GB), Max Player, Global Giant (GB), Extra Elusive (GB), Simsir (Ire).

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Mehmas At The Double

One day after racing resumed in Britain on June 1, Mehmas (Ire) notched his first winner in the country less than an hour after he had recorded his first ever winner, in Italy. From thereon, the Tally-Ho Stud resident was pulling double all season, opening up an easy lead over his fellow European freshmen and bossing his way to a new first-season sire record which, with 56 winners, was 17 clear of that previously held by Iffraaj (GB).

It is, frankly, a staggering tally, with 101 of his 121 named first-crop foals having set foot on a racecourse in 2020. Moreover, there was strength in depth. Mehmas’s 12 black-type performers include four stakes winners in Europe, led by Supremacy (Ire), winner of the G1 Middle Park S. and G2 Richmond S. and Minzaal (Ire), winner of the Gimcrack S and third behind the former in the Middle Park. He also finished the year with a flourish as the sire of a fifth stakes winner, Quattroelle (Ire), in the Blue Norther S. at Santa Anita.

Having passed this first stage with flying colours, the challenge now is for Mehmas to sustain this dominance. He covered 177 mares in 2018, and unsurprisingly the results of those matings were popular at the most recent round of yearling sales. The true test of any stallion is what happens when his runners turn three and beyond. We’ve seen plenty burn brightly in their debut season with runners only to fizzle out, but nonetheless this son of Acclamation (GB) is most certainly a stallion to follow keenly in 2021.

Take Mehmas out of the equation and 24 winners is a decent first tally. That was the number of winners notched by Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Adaay (Ire) in 2020 from his 64 runners. He is missing a stakes winners but has been represented by three black-type performers and two useful dual winners, Shark Two One (GB) and Twaasol (GB), both rated in the mid-90s.

With Mehmas and Adaay the leaders in Ireland and Britain respectively, the emerging young sire in France was Haras de Colleville’s Goken (Fr), who was another stallion to make his mark almost as soon as racing resumed in France, and the day after his stud-mate Galiway (Fr) had supplied the first juvenile winner of the season in the high-class Sealiway (Fr). What will certainly have pleased his breeder and Colleville’s owner Guy Pariente is that Goken is a son of the stallion who made the Normandy stud’s name, Kendargent (Fr). Furthermore, his 15 winners, including the Group 3 winners Livachope (Fr) and Go Athletico (Fr), came from a first crop of just 61 foals. Support for him will certainly grow, along with his popularity.

The Darley duo of Territories (Ire) and Belardo (Ire) feature in fourth and fifth in the European table, with the former hailing from the family of Shamardal and Belardo, by Lope De Vega (Ire), being one of Shamardal’s grandsons.

The 19 winners and seven black-type horses for Territories represent a decent start and they included the Group 3 winner Rougir (Fr), who was also third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Belardo is certainly worth noting and following closely in the season to come. From his 51 runners, he has 13 winners, four of which were stakes winners, with Isabella Giles (Ire) landing both the G2 Rockfel S. and G3 Prestige S. and Lullaby Moon (GB) winning the G3 Prix Miesque and listed Two-Year-Old Trophy among their four wins apiece.

Coolmore’s Pride Of Dubai (Aus) did not return to Ireland after his debut season but a case could be made for him doing so in future. The son of Street Cry (Ire) was champion first-season sire in his native Australia last year and, from 43 runners in his sole northern hemisphere crop he sired 11 winners, five of which were stakes winners. These include the Italian Group 2 winer Telepathic Glances (Ire) as well as Flying Visit (Ire) and Star Of Emaraaty (Ire), who are Group 3 winners in Ireland and Britain respectively.

Another of the young Kodiac (GB) stallions at stud, Kodi Bear (Ire), joined Adaay in the top ten, with 17 winners from his 54 runners, which again was an encouraging debut for a sire with 79 first-crop foals. Plenty of stallion masters have Clive Cox to thank for getting their youngsters off to a good start (think Supremacy) but in the case of Rathbarry Stud’s Kodi Bear, Cox trained both the stallion and his best offspring to date, the 107-rated Cobh (Ire), winner of the listed Stonehenge S. and third in the G2 Royal Lodge S.

As a grandson of Pivotal (GB) and son of Kyllachy (GB), Twilight Son (GB) was always going to be a popular new recruit to Cheveley Park Stud and, by number of first-crop winners, he is third behind Mehmas and Adaay on 22. His sole stakes winner, Aria Importante, won both the G3 Premio Primi Passi and listed Eupili in Milan.

Ballylinch Stud not only has the globally popular Lope De Vega (Ire) as its lynchpin but it also has some promising young stallions on the way through, including New Bay (GB), who, from a first crop of 77 foals, was represented by 43 runners and 12 winners in 2020. Encouragingly, this group includes four stakes performers, among them the G2 Royal Lodge S. winner New Mandate (Ire) and G3 Oh So Sharp S winner Saffron Beach (Ire). Unfortunately, the gelded New Mandate cannot be aimed at this year’s Classics but, being out of an Authorized (Ire) mare, one could reasonably expect him to improve further with age and distance. Saffron Beach looks a worthy Guineas contender for Jane Chapple-Hyam and her step-brother Ben Sangster, who races the filly in partnership with his son Oliver and James Wigan.

Haras de Bouquetot’s Shalaa (Ire) was the toast of this crop as his first foals and yearlings hit the sales, and he has sired 21 winners overall from his first northern hemisphere crop, two of those coming in America and one in Kazakhstan. His best European performers are the G2 Coventry third Saeiqa (GB) and the 102-rated No Speak Alexander (Ire).

Just bubbling under the top ten were Prince Of Lir (Ire), whose 13 winners include the G2 Norfolk S winner The Lir Jet (Ire), and The Gurkha (Ire) on 14 winners.

As is often the case, the table is numerically dominated by Irish-based stallions. In addition to those mentioned above, the smaller British contingent includes Bobby’s Kitten, whose 12 winners were led by Sheikh Hmadan’s promising dual winner Monaasib (GB), who was runner-up in the G2 Beresford S. With Roaring Lion having met an early demise and Hawkbill having been relocated to Japan, the Lanwades Stuyd resident leads the charge for his successful American sire Kitten’s Joy in Britain, with Kameko having recently taken up stud duties at Tweenhills.

Also worth noting among the young German stallions is the Deutsches Derby winner Isfahan (Ger), who, from only 10 starters, notched five winners including Italian Group 3 winner Isfahani (Ger).

Second-crop sires of 2020
Darley’s Night Of Thunder (Ire) made a huge impression with his first-crop runners and the 2019 champion first-season sire retained the upper hand as his second crop took to the track, albeit with fewer eye-catching juveniles than in his dazzling debut season. A Group 1 winner eludes him, though surely not for long, as the son of Dubawi has 14 stakes winners to his credit, with G2 Dante S. Winner Thunderous (Ire) and G2 Oaks d’Italia victrix Auyantepui (GB) his leading lights in 2020.

We’ve already touched on Ballylinch Stud’s small but select stallion roster above and Make Believe (GB) continued his fledgling career in upwardly mobile fashion with a first-crop Classic winner to add to his credentials. The Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff (GB) remains the star of his runners to date, while Believe In Love (Ire) was consistent and progressive for Roger Varian and Koji Maeda, winning five of her nine starts in 2020, culminating in the G3 Prix Belle de Nuit in October.

The six stakes winner for Coolmore’s Gleneagles (Ire) in 2020 included the Jessica Harrington-trained Silence Please (Ire). His contemporary Golden Horn (GB) matched him on 51 winners for the year and, while the Darley stallion could do with a few more stakes winners, he has a decent array of highly-rated winners who could yet take that next step into group class.

Similar comments apply to Shadwell’s Muhaarar (GB), whose 52 winners for the year equalled the tally of Night Of Thunder. The Francis Graffard-trained Paix (Ire), from the family of Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), was his star performer of the season with victories in the G3 Prix de Lutece and listed Prix Frederic de la Grange.

Worthy of a special mention in this category is Haras de Colleville’s son of Galileo (Ire), Galiway (GB). With only 85 foals from his first two crops, his 18 winners include the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Sealiway (Fr) and Kenway (Fr), winner of the G3 Prix la Rochette and two listed contests. Both are out of mares by his fellow Colleville resident Kendargent.

Also noteworthy is the Ashford Stud-based American Pharoah, whose 27 runners in Europe this year included 16 winners. Top of the pile was the G1 Criterium International winner Van Gogh, a son of the dual Oaks winner Imagine (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells).

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Wildcards Added To Goresbridge

Twenty-three wildcards have been added to the July 24 Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale which, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, will take place at Park Paddocks in Newmarket this year rather than Fairyhouse in Ireland. The breeze is scheduled for the Rowley Mile on July 22.

Among the wildcards are lot 227, a No Nay Never half-brother to stakes winner We Are Ninety (Ire) (Thewayyouare); lot 230, a filly by red hot second-season sire Night Of Thunder (Ire) out of a full-sister to G3 Gladness S. winner Sruthan (Ire) (Arakan); lot 248, a Kodiac (GB) filly whose dam is a half-sister to the Listed Hilary Needler Trophy winner Geesala (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and the listed-placed Tomintoul Singer (Ire) (Johannesburg); lot 250, a Shalaa (Ire) colt whose dam is closely related to Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and is also from the family of Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and her slew of over-achieving sisters; lot 251, a Siyouni (Fr) brother to two listed-placed winners; lot 253, a filly by exciting young sire Make Believe (GB); and lot 254, an American Pharoah filly who is the second foal out of the listed-winning Innocent Love (Grand Slam).

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The Weekly Wrap: Blue Is The Colour

A sea of blue dominated winner’s enclosures in Britain and France this week, largely owing to the successful season currently being enjoyed by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation and Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell team. The brothers occupy the top two slots in the owners’ table in Britain, and Godolphin is also currently the leading owner in France.

While Sheikh Mohammed has a significant number of horses in Chantilly with Andre Fabre, who oversaw the successful return of France’s champion 2-year-old of last year, Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), in the Listed Prix Kistena, it was the marauding team of visitors from Charlie Appleby’s stable which really took Deauville by storm on Sunday. At the top of the list was Pinatubo (Shamardal), making a return to winning ways in the G1 Prix Jean Prat. But, let’s face it, if a third-place finish in the 2000 Guineas and a second in the St James’s Palace S. are the only blots on an otherwise spotless copybook, he was hardly a horse coming back from the doldrums. Nonetheless, it is always satisfying to see the champion 2-year-old add to his tally at three and beyond, and it was pleasing to see the hugely likeable Pinatubo triumph in the same race used as a ‘recovery mission’ for the previous season’s champion juvenile Too Darn Hot (GB).

The two colts are sons, respectively, of the two stallions who have contributed enormously to Godolphin’s resurgence in recent years: Shamardal and Dubawi. The loss of the former in April will be rued for years to come, as just a quick glance at Sunday’s Deauville card shows. Along with Earthlight and Pinatubo, Shamardal is also the sire of the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Royal Crusade (GB), and is the damsire of listed Prix Amandine winner Althiqa (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who together formed the Appleby stakes treble along with Pinatubo. He was also the grandsire of the third horse home in the Jean Prat, the Marco Botti-trained Malotru (GB) (Casamento {Ire}), while in Germany, his 4-year-old daughter Half Light (Ire) struck in the G3 Sparkasse-Holstein Cup for Henri-Alex Pantall, who won last season’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches with another Shamardal filly, Castle Lady (Ire).

Dubawi is no slacker himself and in the week following the triumph of his son Ghaiyyath (Ire) over Enable (GB) in the Eclipse, his stakes winners kept rolling in. It’s too much to hope that Master Of The Seas (Ire) could be another Pinatubo for Appleby so soon, but his G2 bet365 Superlative S. win after a tetchy start was pretty convincing and means he is now unbeaten in two races. Dubawi cannot take all the credit, however, as Master Of The Seas is out of Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill), a smart performer herself and notably runner up to Kingman’s dam Zenda (GB) (Zamindar) in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. She is also now the dam of five black-type performers among her seven winners.

Al Suhail (GB)—more of whom below—was another stakes winner for Appleby and Dubawi on the first day of racing on the July Course this season, while Too Darn Hot’s full-brother Darain (GB) made an impressive start to his racing career, winning a Newbury novice race by almost five lengths.

The decent start made by Dubawi’s first-crop son New Bay (GB) was noted in last week’s column but it is worth reiterating this following two more good winners—Jumby (GB) and Vafortino (Ire)—in Britain and Ireland on Saturday. From just ten runners to date, New Bay now has six winners.

It’s a strike-rate to crow about, as is the fact the last year’s champion freshman Night Of Thunder (Ire), also by Dubawi, has now sired eight black-type winners this season, including Thursday’s G2 Dante S. winner Thunderous (Ire), a welcome big-race success for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.

Oxted Provides First For Many
Away from these powerhouse operations and stallions, the result of the G1 Darley July Cup gave a lift to those operating on a smaller scale. Owned in partnership by his breeders Stephen Piper, Tony Hirschfield and David Fish,

Oxted (GB) not only provided a first Group 1 winner for his fellow July Cup-winning father Mayson (GB) but also for his trainer Roger Teal and young jockey Cieren Fallon.

He was the first foal of his dam Charlotte Rosina (GB), a daughter of July Cup runner-up Choisir (Aus), who was also trained by Teal for the same syndicate under the Homecroft Wealth Racing banner. His full-brother Chipstead (GB)—named after the Surrey village which is home to his birthplace of Hirschfield’s Cheval Court Stud, not far from the village of Oxted—is now also in training in the stable. To complete the July Cup omens, Oxted inhabits the same box as the winner of the race in 1993, Hamas (Ire) (Danzig), who was trained by Peter Walwyn at Windsor House Stables in Lambourn where Teal took up residency at the start of this year.

The move has certainly done the trainer no harm, and his biggest win to date followed the success of Gussy Mac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Listed Dragon S. the previous weekend.

Star Appeal
Before Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) came along, Shirocco Star (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) had come closest to being a homebred Oaks winner for Meon Valley Stud when she was beaten just a neck by Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2012, finishing half a length in front of third-placed The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}). She has been quick to consolidate her position in the Meon Valley broodmare band, too.

Her first foal is the 92-rated dual winner Starcaster (GB) ((Dansili {GB}), who is now in training with Anthony Freedman in Australia. His year-younger brother Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {GB}) won last year’s G2 Dante S. and recently bounced back to form with a wide-margin win in the G3 La Coupe at Longchamp. In the last week, 3-year-old Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a 1.1 million gns yearling who was group-placed last season, became the mare’s second black-type winner when landing the listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at Newmarket by six lengths.

All three of these sons could yet garner more stakes success and, while Shirocco Star has no current 2-year-old or yearling to represent her, she produced her first daughter, by Frankel, on Feb. 14.

Telecaster and Al Suhail are not the only male graduates to be flying the flag for the Hampshire nursery this year as Meon Valley Stud also bred the exciting staying prospect Dashing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), whose two runs in 2020 have resulted in victory in the listed Buckhounds S. and G3 Henry II S. to add to his win in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot last year.

While Shirocco Star is a fifth-generation descendant of Reprocolor (GB) (Jimmy Reppin {GB}), the most celebrated of the Meon Valley foundation mares, Dashing Willoughby’s dam Miss Dashwood (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is the same number of generations removed from Reprocolor’s contemporary One In A Million (GB) (Rarity {GB}).

The reassuring longevity and success of a well-managed and relatively small British breeding operation continues.

Make Busy
Last week’s wrap touched on the start made by Ballylinch Stud’s Make Believe (GB) through his first-crop Classic winner Mishriff (GB) and it would be remiss not to acknowledge the continuing achievements of the filly who was a ‘breakthrough’ runner for the stallion. The Mark Johnston-trained Rose Of Kildare (Ire), bred by Wansdyke Farms Ltd at Oghill House Stud, was Make Believe’s first winner on May 20 last year. That was her third start; she won again nine days later and clinched another three races, including a pair of Group 3s, before her juvenile season was out. She headed for her winter break after running 12 times between Apr. 30 and Oct. 11 for five wins and three places.

Since racing resumed in June, Rose Of Kildare has run four times, finishing third in the G2 German 1000 Guineas and then third in the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. on ‘Derby day’. Just five days later she was back out to claim her first win of the year in the rescheduled G3 Tattersalls Musidora S.

The tough filly was partly responsible for a memorable day for Johnston and jockey Franny Norton, who also combined to win the G2 Dante S. with Thunderous (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

Norton, who turns 50 this year and is arguably riding better then ever, joked in a recent interview that if his children are naughty he threatens them by saying he’s going to send them to Mark Johnston. Certainly, the horses in his stable tend to work hard and race often, and Rose Of Kildare is not the only one who has shown that she thrives on a busy campaign.

Make Believe’s sire Makfi (GB) started his career at Tweenhills Farm & Stud and completed two terms at the Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval before being exported to stand at the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association’s Shizunai Stallion Station in 2017. He also appeared as grandsire of another stakes winner this week: The Queen’s G2 Tattersalls July S. winner Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) is out of his listed-placed daughter Make Fast (GB).

Hollie Go Brightly
Ben Curtis may be romping away with the British jockeys’ championship and is the only rider with more than 100 wins to his name at this stage, but heading the chasing pack is Hollie Doyle, whose season and profile goes from strength to strength.

After landing her first Royal Ascot victory and becoming only the third woman to ride a winner in the meeting’s history, Doyle secured her first group win on Anthony Oppenheimer’s Dame Malliot (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in the G2 Princess Of Wales’s S. at Newmarket last Thursday. The 4-year-old filly is a credit to her trainer Ed Vaughan, who had her in fine shape for her resumption after 301 days away from the racecourse. She also continued a fine season for Oppenheimer’s Hascombe & Valiant Studs, which has also been represented by G2 Ribblesdale S. winner and Oaks third Frankly Darling (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and has last year’s Irish Oaks and Prix Vermeille winner Starcatcher (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) waiting in the wings for her seasonal comeback.

Doyle’s Royal Ascot winner came aboard Scarlet Dragon (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) for Alan King, who was busy restocking the Flat section of his yard at last week’s Tattersalls Guineas Sale, where he bought four juveniles, including the 140,000gns top lot. From five runners at Royal Ascot, King saddled three winners and a second. That runner-up, Tritonic (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who was bought at last year’s Guineas Sale, will bid to improve on that good run in Thursday’s listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glasgow S. at Hamilton with Doyle booked to ride.

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