Tag: Martin Harley

Kingman’s Epictetus Oozes Class In TDN Rising Star Display

George Strawbridge's 2-year-old colt Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) was the pick of a baker's dozen on breeding, but not so in the betting, for Friday's Weatherbys British EBF Maiden S. at Newmarket and made a mockery of 11-1 odds with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in a heat won last term by subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up and G3 Jersey S. victor Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}). The 2022 G1 Derby entry was swiftly into a comfortable rhythm behind the leaders and raced on the bridle through halfway in this seven-furlong contest. Making eyecatching headway under a motionless Martin Harley to ease ahead at the quarter-mile marker, he was given a shake of the reins when threatened approaching the final furlong and kept on powerfully up the hill to easily outpoint Leadman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths in impressive fashion.

“He's done nothing at home, he's worked gently on the bridle with another horse and wasn't wound up in any way for the race,” explained trainer John Gosden. “He was so sensible in the proceedings beforehand and in the race he did it all very professionally. He's not been on the grass for seven weeks, he's just been on the all-weather. Martin [Harley] gave him a lovely ride and I'm overjoyed. James Wigan bought the mare for Mr Strawbridge at the Rothschild dispersal and she was an exceptionally talented Group 1 winner that Roger [Charlton] trained. We'll go a step at a time and won't go jumping in the deep end. I think he'll be very comfortable over a mile, we'll go to a novice and then see where we go from there.”

Epictetus is the fifth foal and winner for G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk), herself a half-sister to dual Group 3-winning G1 Cantala S. second McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) out of the dual stakes-winning G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest third Dolma (Fr) (Marchand de Sable). Thistle Bird was a 750,000gns purchase, carrying the winner, at Tattersalls' 2019 December Mares fixture and has also produced Listed Radley S. victrix and G3 Fred Darling S. runner-up Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire). The May-foaled bay's stakes-placed third dam Young Manila (Manila) is kin to a trio of stakes performers headed by MGSW G2 Prix de Royallieu victrix Fabulous Hostess (Fabulous Dancer).

1st-Newmarket, £15,000, Mdn, 7-8, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:24.28, g/f.
EPICTETUS (IRE), c, 2, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Thistle Bird (GB) (Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Ire, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, $577,634), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Dolma (Fr), by Marchand de Sable
3rd Dam: Young Manila, by Manila
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £8,100. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Showcasing’s Asymmetric Strikes For Richmond Triumph

Fresh from a landmark success in Tuesday's G1 Goodwood Cup, the Alan King stable was to the fore once more when Leora Judah's 2-year-old colt Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) displayed an explosive turn of foot to bag Thursday's G2 Unibet Richmond S. at the Sussex track. The March-foaled bay had opened up with a pair of novice scores, over this six-furlong strip and at Newmarket in June, before relinquishing his perfect record when the wrong side of a head verdict in the latter venue's July 8 G2 July S. last time. Asymmetric was sharply into stride from the stands' side stall, but was shuffled back to settle fifth after the initial exchanges. Rowed along in behind inside the quarter-mile marker, the 11-4 favourite bullied his way through an opening passing the furlong pole and quickened impressively from there to prevail by a half-length from Khunan (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) in a blanket finish. Newbury's Super Sprint winner Gubbass (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was edged out of second by a nose with G2 July S. fourth Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) finishing a neck further adrift in fourth.

“I burnt out most of the nerves on Tuesday with Trueshan and hoped and thought Asymmetric would run very well today,” said trainer Alan King. “I wasn't thinking he had to win this whereas I thought Trueshan had to on Tuesday. Asymmetric has the most wonderful temperament, he's almost horizontal he's so laid back. We were always going to step back and take a lead on him and I was just hoping they wouldn't get first run on him. They went steady early, which was something I wasn't sure about, he has a fairly good turn of foot when he does go and he picked up very well. He can go on soft, but we think he is a better horse on top of the ground and he gives Martin [Harley] a much better feel on faster ground. Luckily, the ground has dried out a bit. He's in the [G2] Gimcrack and he's entered in the [G1] Prix Morny in France, but I've no idea where he goes next. We'll see what the team want to do.”

Winning rider martin Harley added, “He travelled good and when I asked him for a gear change, he went from second to fifth. He has an incredible turn of foot and he showed that today. That was very exciting.”

Looking ahead to possible targets for the runner-up Khunan, trainer Richard Fahey said, “I think Khunan is a six-furlong horse so we will be looking at the [G1] Prix Morny and he is in the [G2] Gimcrack.” Jockey Hollie Doyle added, “We had an easy time of it on the front end, but he hit a flat spot and then he quickened up really well. It was a massive run.”

Asymmetric, half-brother to a yearling colt by Gleneagles (Ire), is the first of two foals produced by a winning half-sister to Listed Westow S. victrix and G3 Prix du Petit Couvert placegetter Fashion Queen (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}). Black-type descendants of the March-foaled bay's third dam Pizzicato (GB) (Statoblest {Ire}) include MGSW G2 Flying Childers S. victrix Wunders Dream (Ire) (Averti {Ire}) and GSW G1 Jebel Hatta third Muffri'ha (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
UNIBET RICHMOND S.-G2, £150,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:14.31, g/s.
1–ASYMMETRIC (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Swirral Edge (GB), by Hellvelyn (GB)
2nd Dam: Pizzarra (GB), by Shamardal
3rd Dam: Pizzicato (GB), by Statoblest (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (65,000gns Ylg '20 TADEYG; 150,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Ms Leora Judah; B-Redpender Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Alan King; J-Martin Harley. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $157,101. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Khunan (GB), 126, c, 2, Twilight Son (GB)–Hilary J (GB), by Mount Nelson (GB). (£18,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK). O-Al Mohamediya Racing; B-Bumble Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Richard Fahey. £32,250.
3–Gubbass (Ire), 126, c, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Vida Amorosa (Ire), by Lope de Vega (Ire). (£26,000 Ylg '20 TATIRY). O-Jassim bin Ali Al Attiyah; B-Tom Lacy (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £16,140.
Margins: HF, NO, NK. Odds: 2.75, 16.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Ebro River (Ire), Perfect Power (Ire), Gis A Sub (Ire), Caturra (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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