Tag: Matilda Picotte (Ire)

Sioux Nation’s Matilda Picotte Dominates The Challenge

One of racing's true front-running forces at the niche seven-furlong trip, Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) followed her tour de force in Doncaster's G3 Sceptre S. with another in Newmarket's G2 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge S. on Friday.

Back at the track at which she had won last year's Listed Bosra Sham Fillies' S. and at which she was a gallant third in the G1 1000 Guineas, Kieran Cotter-trained 3-year-old proved relentless at the head of affairs to score by 2 3/4 lengths from compatriot Lord Massusus (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}).

“I was a bit concerned she might falter in the last 100 yards, but she's so much pace and she's so genuine and they have to work hard to get to her,” Cotter said of the 2-1 second favourite. “Her last couple of runs have been outstanding. I've been saying to the lads for a while that you wouldn't see the best of her until the backend of her 3-year-old season and she's just got better and better. Oisin [Murphy] said today he was going too fast and she was aggressive early, but you can't fight her, he just lets her roll and she's incredibly tough.”

“I don't know if she'll run again this year,” her trainer added of the winner, who was announced on the same day as being due to sell in the upcoming Goffs November Breeding Stock auction. “There is the Breeders' Cup, who knows? There'll be a lot of races for her next year, if we have her. I think she has an entry in the sales, but the lads were saying if she won well today they might keep her. She's a horse of a lifetime and it's been a fairy tale for all the lads.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Matilda Picotte is the last known foal out of the G3 C. L. Weld Park S. third Hallie's Comet (Ire) (One Cool Cat), whose half-siblings include the dual listed-winning and multiple group-placed Along Came Casey (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). She is in turn the dam of Feliciana De Vega (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), whose career high came when winning this weekend's G3 Darley S., while the family also features the GI Beverly D. S. heroine Fire The Groom (Blushing Groom {Fr}) and her brilliant G1 July Cup and G1 Nunthorpe S.-winning son Stravinsky.

 

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY EMPLOYEE AWARDS CHALLENGE S.-G2, £125,000, Newmarket, 10-13, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:25.28, sf.
1–MATILDA PICOTTE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Sioux Nation
                1st Dam: Hallie's Comet (Ire) (GSP-Ire, MSP-Fr,
                                $109,851), by One Cool Cat
                2nd Dam: Secretariat's Tap, by Pleasant Tap
                3rd Dam: Secretariat's Fire, by Secretariat
O-Matilda & Kilmichael Racing Partnership; B-Mighty Universe
Ltd (IRE); T-Kieran Cotter; J-Oisin Murphy. £70,888. Lifetime
Record: G1SP-Eng & MGSP-Ire, 13-4-3-3, $392,153. Werk Nick
   Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or
   the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lord Massusus (Ire), 129, g, 3, Markaz (Ire)–Wajaha (Ire), by
Haafhd (GB). O-John N Bourke; B-Longrove Stud (IRE); T-J G
Murphy. £26,875.
3–Audience (GB), 131, g, 4, Iffraaj (GB)–Ladyship (GB), by Oasis
Dream (GB). O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-John &
Thady Gosden. £13,450.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.00, 12.00, 2.25.
Also Ran: Chindit (Ire). Scratched: Pogo (Ire), Shouldvebeenaring (GB). VIDEO.

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In-form Matilda Picotte Joins Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale Catalogue

Friday's G2 Challenge S. heroine Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation), who was Classic placed earlier this year, will be offered by Clonanny Bloodstock at the upcoming Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale from Nov. 24-25. The multiple group winner will sell on Nov. 24, opening day of the sale.

A daughter of the stakes performer Hallie's Comet (Ire) (One Cool Cat), the 3-year-old filly was bred by Mighty Universe, Ltd., and raced for trainer Kieran Cotter and the Matilda & Kilmichael Racing Partnership. Placed in both the G2 Airlie Stud S. and the G2 Lowther S., she claimed the Listed “Bosra Sham” Fillies' S. at Newmarket last October. At three, she was second in the G3 “Priory Belle” 1000 Guineas Trial S., and third in the G1 1000 Guineas back in Newmarket. Third later this year in the G3 Fairy Bridge S., Matilda Picotte won the G3 Sceptre Fillies' S. before doubling up at the group level with Friday's win.

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “Matilda Picotte demonstrated real star appeal at Newmarket this afternoon and is a hugely appealing international racing and breeding prospect so we are thrilled and grateful to connections that she will take her place among the stellar lineup for this year's Goffs November Sale.  We look forward to welcoming the world to Kildare Paddocks for Europe's first major breeding stock sale of the year and are excited to reveal the outstanding catalogue in the coming days.”

The full catalogue, featuring over 40 horses from the Niarchos family's bloodstock holdings will be revealed on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

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Can Royal Scotsman Deliver in the Irish Guineas?

There was a time around three decades ago when Paul Cole's name was synonymous with the turf's leading lights left, right and centre around Europe. Over 30 years on from his last win in any of the British, Irish or French Classics, the Whatcombe Estate frontiersman who now runs his stable along with son Oliver has found one again. Not since the heady days of Generous (Ire) and co has the Berkshire stable been as electrified as it is at present thanks to Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and it is with great expectations and some jitters that they await the reckoning of Jim and Fitri Hays' flag-bearer  in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh.

What is beyond doubt is that Royal Scotsman is a class act, with his close second to Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Dewhurst S. possibly even better form than his third in the 2000 Guineas itself, with the Newmarket Classic's cutting edge blunted by nagging heavy rain. When the sun burned and the turf rode slick at the Goodwood Festival in July, he was able to take apart the six-furlong G2 Richmond S. with pace that will be lethal if he can carry it this far.

Strongly-supported by the hard hitters on Friday, Royal Scotsman will most likely head to post the favourite and Oliver Cole is abuzz with the cross-sea travelling having gone to plan. “He's in great form, he left for Ireland on Thursday night and arrived Friday morning and has eaten up, so we couldn't be happier with him,” he said. “To do what he did at Newmarket, to be keen and pull for four furlongs and then finish shows he's pretty good. He broke the track record in the Richmond at Goodwood and he was in the second-fastest ever Dewhurst–his sectionals were amazing after the first furlong. He is a very, very good horse, everything just needs to go right for him.”

A Classic Conundrum...
While it is too early to say, the 2000 Guineas looks far from vintage at this stage and this version follows the same narrative on paper at least. Newmarket's Classic was stacked even more than usual with fast colts, who bar Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) seemed the most exciting of those lining up but so many hopes were ultimately dashed as the ground deepened and stretched staying power all around. While the Irish 2000 is set to take place on far livelier terrain, those who helped light up the Classic three weeks ago are already firmly on the road to the Commonwealth Cup.

So what are we left with? TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) exceeded all expectations to be an errant second, one of a long line of rank outsiders to make the frame in the Guineas, but it is impossible to tell how he will back up here. Royal Scotsman may have been third after over-racing, but he far from convinced with how well he ultimately saw out the mile.

The O'Brien Factor…
Six of the last 10 winners of this hadn't been to Newmarket, which of course brings in the Aidan O'Brien contingent (is there ever a time when they could be safely counted out?) and in particular the Listed Tetrarch S.-winning TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) with all his upside. While he will have his many supporters, it is perhaps Donnacha who has charge of the colt with all the boxes ticked. Step forward Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who went the Mac Swiney route of Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial only to fall short against Jessie Harrington's genuine Derby contender Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

Proud And Regal won on debut here in June, went too fast early in the Futurity on his second visit and already needed further than seven furlongs when denied in the Vincent O'Brien National S. tackling the Kildare venue for the third time. His one try at a mile yielded a Criterium International, but the heavy ground there would have been against the chestnut son of Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill) so his defeat of Ballydoyle's classy Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) could even be upgraded.

In The Fast Lane…
A Classic is a Classic, but few would forgive those who are placing Haydock's G2 Sandy Lane S. over the Curragh feature on Saturday, such is the pull of the 3-year-old sprinting generation this year. As mentioned above, the Guineas boasted the likes of Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and while the former has since disappointed, the latter is very much alive and kicking in the category. This is a case of clean slate for the brilliant juvenile of 2022, who has everything in his favour and defeat here will not be enough to stop the worries that he is not the force he was. Physically, the beast who took apart the Phoenix assembly including the beleaguered fellow TDN Rising Star Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) must be at least as good this year and with the calendar stacked against Ryan Moore, it is Frankie who gets to push the buttons for possibly the only time. Lucky man.

What Now For Bradsell?
We see it every year. A wide-margin, dynamic Spring success for a juvenile blessed with “early”, possibly a Royal Ascot sprint wrapped up while that precocity still dominates and then a slow slide into the wilderness. For Bradsell, the latter scenario has thankfully not played out with injury stopping him after his unlucky experience in the Phoenix and a highly respectable comeback effort in Ascot's G3 Pavilion S. last month. While the re-opposing winner Cold Case (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) had his measure that day, Victorious Racing's Coventry hero is on a sounder surface here and Archie Watson has him in a good place. “He travelled very well at Ascot and got a bit tired late, which was to be expected,” he said. “I hope he can take a good step forwards fitness-wise from there. It looks a very strong trial for the Commonwealth Cup. I'd say whatever wins will be the one to beat at Ascot, so at least we'll all know after the weekend.”

Back In Her Comfort Zone?
One of the big performances of the two Guineas at Newmarket was that of Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in the 1000 as she effectively “won” the race behind Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) despite having appeared to have gone off too quickly. Having been third in the Lowther when possibly York's fast six furlongs proved too slick, she made all in Newmarket's Listed Bosra Sham Fillies' S. as the ground eased in the autumn so it is a question of whether it will all be happening too quickly again here. “Her Guineas run puts her in the picture and we should be bang there,” trainer Kieran Cotter said. “In an ideal situation we would have liked a bit of rain, but she handled quick ground when she ran at York in the Lowther and she is pretty versatile.”

Fields Of Stars…
Saturday's cluttered action across Britain and Ireland requires a whistle-stop preview and much analysis after with Royal Ascot particularly in mind. The Curragh's card sees the TDN Rising Stars Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Democracy (Ire) (No Nay Never) go the “Blackbeard route” to Berkshire, while the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp heroine The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) makes her debut for Katsumi Yoshida and Roger Varian in Haydock's G2 Temple S. White Birch Farm's unbeaten Prince of Wales's S. and Eclipse entry Francesco Clemente (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) faces his first black-type test in Goodwood's Listed Festival S., while York's G3 Bronte Cup plays host to George Strawbridge's G2 Park Hill S.-winning 4-year-old Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her sister Journey (GB) really got going at that age, so its still all to play for the quirky but talented representative of the Gosdens.

Tahiyra Heads Sunday Delights…
Dermot Weld would have been heartened by the inside draw handed to Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh as The Aga Khan's TDN Rising Star was the key member of the 10-strong cast confirmed on Friday. Also set to be represented by live contender Tarawa (Ire) (Shamardal), the Rosewell House handler has booked Billy Lee for that G3 Cornelscourt S. runner-up. Aidan O'Brien's trio is headed by Tahiyra's old rival Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), who is alongside the likely favourite in two and set for a Moyglare rematch on the faster ground she relishes so that scores can finally be settled. A thrilling G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup was confirmed, with Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) good to go in the first big older horse encounter of the European season.

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Mawj Wins The Battle Of The Rising Stars In The 1000

Frankie's farewell 2000 Guineas was followed 24 hours later by Oisin Murphy and Saeed bin Suroor's comeback 1000 Guineas victory as Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}–Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) prevailed in a thrilling TDN Rising Star tussle with Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the QIPCO-sponsored Newmarket Classic. In front of the group racing up the centre from the outset, Godolphin's half-sister to last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was joined by The Aga Khan's 6-4 favourite heading into the dip as they began to pull clear of the far-side leader Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation). Despite minor interference between the first two, there were no excuses as the battle-hardened Mawj held her Irish rival all the way to the line to prevail by half a length at 9-1, with 7 1/2 lengths back to Matilda Picotte in third.

“I had a really good start back thanks to lots of different trainers supporting me,” Murphy said. “Just to get back in the big races with a crowd here, it's a great feeling. All the group one winners mean a lot, but I just realise as I've got older that these top-class horses are super hard to find.”

For bin Suroor, it was a first British Classic success since 2009 and a first in this race in 21 years. “I think this my 195th group one winner around the world and it means a lot, as it has been a long time since we won a Classic race in England,” he reflected of his 13th such winner. “Recently, things have been slow with the quality of horses but luckily when I saw this filly start to work, despite her being tiny, she showed her class. She has a big heart and I thought she was going to win when they were close. The Irish 1000 Guineas could be next, we'll see how she is and talk to Sheikh Mohammed.”

Earning her TDN Rising Star tag on her impressive winning debut here last May, Mawj stayed at six furlongs thereafter and followed a second to Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) in Royal Ascot's G3 Albany S. with a battling defeat of Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) in the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at the July Festival. Fourth in the G2 Lowther S. at York in August and third behind Lezoo and Meditate in the G1 Cheveley Park S. back at this venue the following month, she had enjoyed an old-school Dubai preparation for this having defeated the much-vaunted Appleby runner Dream Of Love (Ire) (Shamardal) in the seven-furlong Jumeirah Fillies Classic and taken the Jumeirah Fillies Guineas by 8 1/2 lengths on her first attempt at this trip.

As the ground had worsened considerably from Friday to Saturday, Murphy had begun to worry that Mawj was a sitting duck for the proven slow-ground performer Tahiyra and as they came together passing the two-furlong pole that looked to be the case. Chris Hayes had looked full of horse there, but as soon as the Godolphin filly felt her threat she did what she had to Lezoo last summer and at the line was pulling away in one of the most pulsating 1000 Guineas duels of recent times.

Dermot Weld, who was so close to landing his first 1000 Guineas, surprisingly suggested that the rain had compromised the G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine on her return. “She ran a big race, probably the ground was a shade slow for her,” he said. “We know she has a lot of pace, a lot of speed. The ground just takes the real speed off her. She's run, she's quickened, and Chris Hayes has probably told you that there is another gear there we didn't just quite get today.”

“Because of the weather and things we had, I had to be careful of my training of her,” Weld added. “I would have liked to have got a prep race before today. The ideal plan was to give her a run in Classic trial a couple of weeks ago. The ground has been very heavy and I didn't want to pull the guts out of her. So we came into the race slightly undercooked. We had her 95 per-cent and we didn't have her 100 per-cent and we have got beaten half a length. We'll see how she comes out of the race and I have another Aga Khan filly called Tarawa that ran a very nice prep for the Irish Guineas at Leopardstown today. She is a very sweet filly and she was always on my mind for that, but let's see.”

Kieran Cotter is set to revert to sprinting with Matilda Picotte, who was clear of the field for much of the race. “It was brilliant–she got some cheer in the stands, I can tell you. There are about 20 or 30 of us here. We said coming here that third was up for grabs and we knew we had a serious chance of third. We knew she'd be running on fresh air late on, but she is a marvellous filly. The track is tailor-made for her, because she has so much pace and she can trap down, cruise down into the dip for the climb home. I doubt she will run over the mile again. We'll go back down to six for the Commonwealth Cup.”

Pedigree Notes

Mawj, who becomes the 18th top-level winner for her sire, was continuing the success story of her dam whose aforementioned Modern Games also captured the GI Breeders' Cup Mile as well as the ParisLongchamp Classic. Also responsible for the Listed Windsor S. winner Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), she is a daughter of Gerald Leigh's Epitome (Ire) (Nashwan), linking the late owner-breeder with both Guineas winners over the weekend.

Epitome provided Godolphin with their G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-winning sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), while she also produced the G3 Prix Minerve scorer Synopsis (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}), while the third dam, the Italian champion Proskona (Mr. Prospector), is the ancestress of Leigh's G1 Prix Lupin and G1 Criterium International-winning sire Act One (GB) (In The Wings {GB}) connected to Riverman's stellar producer Korveya who threw the top Woodman celebrities Bosra Sham and Hector Protector. Modern Ideals' 2-year-old filly is by Mastercraftsman (Ire).

Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS S.-G1, £500,000, Newmarket, 5-7, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:37.92, sf.
1–MAWJ (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
     1st Dam: Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan
     3rd Dam: Proskona, by Mr. Prospector
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. TDN Rising Star. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy. £283,550. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-1, $662,085. *1/2 to Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), SW & MGSP-Eng, MSP-UAE, $225,210; 1/2 to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Champion Male Turf Horse-US, GISW-Can, G1SW-Fr, MGISW-US, GSW & MG1SP-Eng, $3,272,966. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Tahiyra (Ire), 128, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Tarana (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). TDN Rising Star. O-H H Aga Khan; B-His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. £107,500.
3–Matilda Picotte (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sioux Nation–Hallie's Comet (Ire), by One Cool Cat.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Matilda & Kilmichael Racing Partnership; B-Mighty Universe Ltd (IRE); T-Kieran Cotter. £53,800.
Margins: HF, 7HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 9.00, 1.50, 33.00.
Also Ran: Caernarfon (GB), Dance In The Grass (GB), Meditate (Ire), Olivia Maralda (Ire), Lezoo (GB), Queen Me (Ire), Embrace (Ire), Mammas Girl (GB), Dream of Love (Ire), Stenton Glider (Ire), Sweet Harmony (Ire), Remarquee (GB), Karsavina (GB), Naomi Lapaglia (GB), Polly Pott (GB), Fairy Cross (Ire), Powerdress (Ire).

 

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