Motivator | Horse Racing Free Tips

Another ‘Sun’-ny Prospect For Kitasan Black In Keisei Hai

Just days after his son Equinox (Jpn) was named both champion of his generation and Horse of the Year in Japan, Kitasan Black (Jpn) could well have another player on this year's Classics trail in the form of Sol Oriens (Jpn), who took his record to two-from-two with a convincing victory in Sunday's G3 Keisei Hai at Nakayama.

The slight second choice in the wagering behind Seven Magician (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}), the Shadai homebred was void of early speed and raced with about three rivals behind into the backstretch behind a modest tempo. Held together into the final half-mile by Takehsi Yokoyama, Sol Oriens was asked for an effort approaching the exit to the second turn, but drifted out several paths off the home corner. Rebalanced in upper stretch, he focused on the task at hand and ran out an easy winner while racing greenly and on his incorrect lead through the final furlong. Omega Rich Man (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}), easily the roughest chance in the field of nine, ran home for second ahead of Seven Magician in third.

Pedigree Notes:

A bit of a later-bloomer in his own right, Kitasan Black won the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) at three, but is throwing runners more precocious than he. Sol Oriens is the fourth black-type winner–each at group level–for Kitasan Black, two each from his first two crops.

Patrick Barbe acquired the French stakes-winning Skia for €320,000 in foal to Leroidesanimaux (Brz) at the 2014 Arqana December Sale and her second Japanese-bred foal is the gifted Vin de Garde, a Group 2 winner at home and placed in the last two renewals of the G1 Dubai Turf. A half-sister to Tropaios (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}), also a stakes winner in France before becoming a star in Singapore for the China Horse Club, is also the dam of a 2-year–old colt by Kizuna (Jpn) and is due to Epiphaneia (Jpn) this season. Dam-sire Motivator is now responsible for 14 black-type winners (six group winners), a number that also includes treble Japanese Group 1 scorer Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
KEISEI HAI-G3, ¥76,450,000, Nakayama, 1-15, 3yo, 2000mT, 2:02.20, fm.
1–SOL ORIENS (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Kitasan Black (Jpn)
1st Dam: Skia (Fr) (GSW-Fr, $163,904), by Motivator (GB)
2nd Dam: Light Quest, by Quest For Fame (GB)
3rd Dam: Gleam of Light (Ire), by Danehill
1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST STAKES WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm; T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Takeshi Yokoyama; ¥40,315,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, ¥47,315,000. *1/2 to Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, MG1SP-UAE, $2,792,422. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Omega Rich Man (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Isla Bonita (Jpn)–El Calafate (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn). (¥16,000,000 Wlg '20 JRHAJUL). O-Reiko Hara; B-Shadai Farm; ¥16,090,000.
3–Seven Magician (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Just a Way (Jpn)–Happiness Dancer (Jpn), by Meisho Samson (Jpn). O-Yoshiyuki Maesako; B-Northern Farm; ¥ 10,045,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.70, 117.00, 1.70. Click for the JRA Chart.

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Confidence Behind ‘The Next Sottsass’ Ahead of French Derby

Jean-Claude Rouget is not prone to hyperbole so, when the decorated French handler compared the unexposed Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) to his only G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) earlier this week, some people did a double take.

Not Benoit Jeffroy, who manages Haras de Bouquetot on behalf of the Al Shaqab operation. Jeffroy has long been aware of the standing in which the multiple Classic-winning trainer has held Al Hakeem and, when the colt won the Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly on Tuesday, he wasn't one bit surprised that Rouget told the French press that 'he reminds me a lot of Sottsass'.

“Jean-Claude is a straight-talking man and he says what he thinks. It was no surprise to us to hear what he said about Al Hakeem because he always told us that the horse was a colt with a lot of ability, he just needed to show it on the track,” Jeffroy explained.

High praise indeed for a horse who has graced the track just four times, winning three of those starts, with Tuesday's Chantilly victory a personal best by some way.

However, Jeffroy is predicting that Rouget's bold comparison between Sottsass and Al Hakeem can become evident to everyone when the highly progressive colt tackles the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on June 5.

“Who knows, maybe after the French Derby we can really start comparing him to Sottsass, let's wait and see,” he said.

“He is a great physical and, the fact that he showed what he could do at Chantilly the other day is very exciting with a view towards the French Derby.”

Jeffroy added, “There are a lot of similarities between Al Hakeem and Sottsass. They are by the same sire and have the same broodmare sire in Galileo (Ire).

“But the way this horse has been training, that's what reminds Jean-Claude most of Sottsass, as his work has been very good.

“Even as a 2-year-old, Jean Claude said that this might be the next Sottsass, the way he was training and behaving at home. Let's hope he is.”

It is that Siyouni cross with Galileo mares that not only produced one high-class colt in Sottsass but also St Mark's Basilica (Ire), hailed by Aidan O'Brien as 'possibly the best horse we've ever had at Ballydoyle,' after he scooped the prize for Horse of the Year at the 31st annual Cartier Racing Awards.

It may well be written in the stars for Al Hakeem but the comparables to Sottsass don't end with his pedigree. His dam, Jadhaba (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who showed classy form for Rouget before her career was cut short after she suffered a setback, was purchased by Al Shaqab for €620,000 at Arqana in 2014 from Ecurie des Monceaux, who also produced Sottsass.

“Jadhaba is a Galileo mare and, when it came to mating her, we felt that she needed a bit of speed, which is why we went to Siyouni,” he said.

“We thought the cross might work well and, not long afterwards, along came Sottsass and St Mark's Basilica, on the exact same cross. It just made a lot of sense.

“Galileo (Ire) crossed with Danehill has worked really well, as has Galileo and Pivotal, and she has got both. Hopefully Al Hakeem can be the third top-class colt from this cross.”

He added, “Jadhaba was in training with Jean-Claude as well. She was highly regarded and won twice as a 2-year-old and, after finishing third in a Group 3 on her only start at three, she developed a little issue so we had to stop. But she seems to have passed on a lot of her ability.”

If Al Hakeem can come good on Rouget's praise, it will stand the Al Shaqab operation in good stead for the future as she has a Siyouni filly at foot and is back in foal to the sire.

“Her first colt, Dahiya (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), won for Andre Fabre and Al Hakeem is only her second produce,” said Jeffroy of the broodmare.

“She also has a lovely Kingman (GB) filly in training with Jean-Claude, a very good looking Siyouni filly foal at foot and she is back in foal to Siyouni, so she could be an exciting young mare for us. She also has a Shalaa (Ire) yearling filly that is very similar to Jadhaba, a nice filly with good depth.

“Sheikh Joaan al Thani deserves it. He is passionate about the game and has invested a lot of money into it. He deserves to have bred a good one as a reward for all his investment.”

New dreams abound for a team that will forever be associated with Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), who carried the colours of Al Shaqab Racing en route to recording back-to-back Arcs in 2014.

Given Al Hakeem is being compared to another Arc winner in Sottsass, it seems fitting to ask if the mind has been allowed to wander as far as the great race on Oct. 1.

“No, step by step,” Jeffroy laughed. “The Arc is an important race and of course it's in the back of our minds but let's take it race by race and hopefully–hopefully it takes him one year less than it did for Sottsass!”

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Intello Leads Quesnay Roster

Intello (Ger), sire of four group race winners this year, leads the 2021 roster at Haras du Quesnay and will stand for €10,000. The G1 Prix du Jockey winner’s 2020 highlights include G3 Sovereign S. winner Regal Reality (GB), G3 Prix la Force scorer Pao Alto (Fr), Group 3-winning 2-year-old Noble Heidi (Fr) and Australian Group 3 victor Young Rascal (Fr).

A pair of proven sires will be available for €7,000 at Quesnay: Derby winner Motivator (GB), who is the sire of dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve and has made a name for himself as a sire both on the flat and over jumps; and Anodin (Ire), a top 10 European third crop sire responsible for four stakes winners.

Completing the Quesnay roster is dual Group 1 winner Recoletos (Fr) (€6,500), whose first foals arrived this year, and Attendu (Fr), whose first yearlings were sold this year. He will stand for €3,000.

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