Mastercraftsman (Ire) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Snowfall’s Half-Brother Steps Out at Leopardstown

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. Friday's Observations features a Dubawi (Ire) half-brother to Group 1 winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

1.30 Newbury, Mdn, 2yo, 6fT
MYSTERIOUS NIGHT (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is one of a few intriguing types in this often-informative juvenile scene-setter, being a full-brother to last year's GI Just a Game S. and GI Diana S. heroine Althiqa (GB). Charlie Appleby has charge of the Godolphin homebred, who has drawn William Buick away from York and Newmarket and whose peers include King Power Racing's 440,000gns Book 1 purchase The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), an Andrew Balding-trained half-brother to the stable's classy Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) from the family of Ribchester (Ire).

3.25 Newmarket, Novice, £10,000, 3yo, 8fT
FIRST RULER (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the first foal out of the GI Man o'War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was bought for 3.7 million gns by Godolphin at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. A half-sister to the operation's Ghaiyyath (Ire), her February-foaled bay is in the care of that Dubawi heavyweight's trainer Charlie Appleby who introduces him in the race won 12 months ago by the TDN Rising Star Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}).

5.10 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 7fT
ALFRED MUNNINGS (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of two Ballydoyle newcomers engaged and the most significant by virtue of the fact that he is a half-brother to last year's G1 Epsom, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks-winning sensation Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The May-foaled bay, who sports the Westerberg silks, is joined by the stable's Tenerife (Ire) (No Nay Never), a 450,000gns Book 2 graduate and half-brother to the recent G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). They meet the Niarchos Family's Simpson's Paradox (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the full-brother to the Group 1-winning pair Alpha Centauri (Ire) and Discoveries (Ire) and half to the G1 Coronation S. heroine Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) from the Jessie Harrington stable.

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Mastercraftsman’s Lilac Road Swoops For Middleton Triumph

Jon and Julia Aisbitt's homebred 4-year-old filly Lilac Road (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}–Lavender Lane {Ire} {MGSP-Fr}, by Shamardal), whose lone stakes success came in last term's Listed Upavon Fillies' S. at Salisbury, went postward at odds of 15-2 for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S. at York and displayed a willing attitude at the end of the extended 10-furlong test to continue William Haggas' fine run of form at the Knavesmire venue. She had closed last term with a second to the reopposing Ville de Grace (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) tackling 10 furlongs in October's G3 Pride S. at Newmarket and finished behind that rival once again when fifth to Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) on seasonal return in last month's G2 Dahlia S. down to nine furlongs back at Headquarters. The eventual winner adopted patient tactics behind the leaders along the rail in fourth through the early fractions, but slipped to fifth rounding the home turn. Stirred into action approaching the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to go second entering the final furlong and was ridden out in the closing stages to deny the game pacesetter Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) by a half length nearing the line for a career high.

“I was half-expecting her to win, to be honest, as she ran well the last day,” admitted winning rider Tom Marquand. “We've started dropping her out in her races and it is very hard to come from behind at Newmarket. She relaxed into this today, we didn't go very fast and it worked in our favour. When I got off her at Newmarket I said to William [Haggas] if she stays on this path she'd get a mile-and-a-half, but she's clearly a filly with lots of talent. It was William's idea to drop her out at Salisbury [last year]. He told me to drop her out last and it'd be his fault if she got beaten. It's been the making of her and, as a jockey, you always want to give horses the best chance and basically William made her in one day. She's building up now and you'd have to say that was her best effort.”

Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Aristia, rider Sean Levey added, “She ran a cracker,” he said. “I think maybe in the paddock she wasn't as fully furnished as the rest of them and she's not quite there in her coat, so we'll take second today. I believe she'll improve as her whole family improved with age. She's faced good opposition today and has run quite nicely. She got a little bit tired before the line and she'll definitely improve.”

Lilac Road is the first of four foals and one of two winners out of G2 Prix de Malleret and G2 Prix de la Nonette third Lavender Lane (Ire) (Shamardal), herself a half-sister to G2 Prix Greffulhe winner Sumbal (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Listed Grand Prix du Nord victrix Lily Passion (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). The February-foaled chestnut's second dam Alix Road (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), who ran third in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary, is a half-sister to stakes-winning G3 Prix de Guiche runner-up Fils de Viane (Fr) (Kadounor {Fr}) and hails from the family of G1 Prix d'Ispahan runner-up and MGSW sire Gunboat Diplomacy (Fr) (Dominion {GB}). Lavender Lane has a yearling colt by Camelot (GB) and a weanling colt by Sottsass (Fr) to come.

Thursday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI MIDDLETON FILLIES' S.-G2, £140,000, York, 5-12, 4yo/up, f, 10f 56yT, 2:11.50, gd.
1–LILAC ROAD (IRE), 128, f, 4, by Mastercraftsman (Ire)
1st Dam: Lavender Lane (Ire) (MGSP-Fr), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Alix Road (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Life On the Road (Ire), by Persian Heights (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Jon & Julia Aisbitt (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand. £79,394. Lifetime Record: 12-4-2-1, $210,655. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Aristia (Ire), 128, f, 4, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Aloisi (GB), by Kalanisi (Ire). 1ST GROUP TYPE. (85,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Mrs E Roberts; B-Rathasker Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £30,100.
3–Thunder Kiss (Ire), 128, m, 5, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Desert Snow (GB), by Teofilo (Ire). O/B-Newtown Anner Stud Farm (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. £15,064.
Margins: HF, 2 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00.
Also Ran: Ville de Grace (GB), Noon Star, Forbearance (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Latest Alpha Lupi Offering Hits The Track

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. Monday's Observations features a full-brother to MG1SW Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).

1.10 Curragh, Mdn, €25,000, 2yo, 6fT
SIMPSON'S PARADOX (IRE) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is the 10th foal out of the Niarchos Family's now-legendary Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy), whose prior offerings by this sire are the Group 1-winning distaffers Alpha Centauri (Ire) and Discoveries (Ire). Also responsible for the G1 Coronation S. heroine Alpine Star (Ire) by Sea the Moon (Ger), she has produced only two previous colts and the one who got to the track was Ballydoyle's useful Tenth Star (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) who took the Listed Golden Fleece S. and was second in the G2 Royal Lodge S. Jessie Harrington, who managed and manages the careers of the aforementioned trio of top-level winners, has been handed the responsibility of handling the May-foaled bay who is out surprisingly early.

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White Marlin Added to Tattersalls February Sale

The two-for-two White Marlin (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has been added to the upcoming Tattersalls February Sale on Feb. 3-4. Consigned as lot 375A by Ronald Rauscher, the 4-year-old colt is rated 93p by Timeform after winning a Dec. 15 Dundalk maiden and a Jan. 14 handicap there, both over 1 ½ miles on the all-weather for trainer Joseph O'Brien in the colours of Ms. M. McDowall.

In addition, the grey is a half-brother to G1 Flying Five S. heroine Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass). The duo are out of the winner Playwithmyheart (GB) (Diktat {GB}), herself a half-sister to G1 Prix de la Foret hero Toylsome (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), the G3 winner Coral Mist (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and the dam of stakes winner and G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. third Western Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

The post White Marlin Added to Tattersalls February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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