Deauville: Rothschild Heads August Festival Opener

Deauville's month-long racing fest is back upon us on Sunday, with the G1 Prix Rothschild the key event on a talent-packed card. British and Irish interests always excel at this meeting, so the first port of call must be the reinvented miler Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was able to transfer the scintillating speed she had shown over middle distances of late to this trip in Royal Ascot's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. The pride and joy of Tom Clover's stable may have found an ideal opportunity to garner one of these precious contests with the big cats playing elsewhere.

“She travels so well and it is hard to have a horse to take her far enough through her races,” Clover said. “We won over a mile, so it makes sense to stay at a mile. Obviously it was a fantastic day at Ascot and one we will always remember, but let's hope we can continue on the path we've been going on. She seems well and has been since Ascot and hopefully we have some luck.”

Also from England is Wathnan Racing's G1 Coronation S. and G1 Falmouth S. runner-up Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has the edge over the Jessie Harrington challenger Sounds Of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on the Coronation form, while France's best chance of keeping this at home could rest with the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). She beat the subsequent shock G1 Prix Jean Prat heroine Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) in Chantilly's G2 Prix de Sandringham last time and is only going one way at present.

Richard Brown, racing adviser to Wathnan, said of Remarquee, “We are conscious it is her third run in a fairly short space of time, but we are going to give her a break next, win, lose or draw. She has come out of Newmarket in great form. She's still quite green and still learning her job. She came up against Nashwa at her best last time and that is a hard task for any filly.”

An Elite Cabourg…
In the fixture's G3 Prix de Cabourg, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Listed National S.-winning sensation Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) goes up to six furlongs for the first time having been found out for sharpness in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk S. Bad news for him is he has White Birch Farm's TDN Rising Star Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) lying in wait having entered the leading juvenile conversation when dynamic at Chantilly at the start of the month. Then there is the Fabre unknown in Prince Faisal's Saint-Cloud scorer Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who follows in the steps of the likes of Zamindar, Xaar (GB) and Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal). François Boutin still holds the record of nine wins in this important staging post, but one more for Fabre and it will be shared.

Sunday's Support…
Also at Deauville, the seven-furlong G3 Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing for 2-year-old fillies features Gousserie Racing and Jean-Etienne Dubois's Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx {GB}), who will give further evidence in the ongoing investigation into the true merit of TDN Rising Star Ramatuelle (Justify) who thrashed her in the G2 Prix Robert Papin. Fabre saddles a granddaughter of Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) for Juddmonte here in the Chantilly winner Cavalletti (GB) (Kingman {GB}), while Ecurie des Charmes' impressive Compiegne debut winner Minoushka (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) could be another big name for the Lerners. Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis sees Liberty Racing's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) take on Godolphin's GI Saratoga Derby winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who is back in Europe after his third from a horror draw in the Mar. 25 G1 Dubai Turf.

 

The post Deauville: Rothschild Heads August Festival Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Teofilo’s Nations Pride Too Strong In The Dubai Millennium

Reappearing for the first time since his fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, last year's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational and GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) got his 2023 campaign off to a flyer with a comfortable success in Friday's G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan. The pick of William Buick of the Charlie Appleby duo and marginally the second favourite at 11-8 behind stablemate Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the homebred travelled notably strongly behind the leading pair throughout the early stages. Rolling to the front 300 metres from the finish, he was pushed out to score by 1 1/4 lengths from Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) as Ottoman Fleet faded late to be a further half length away in third.

Nations Pride has not raced in his native England since finishing eighth in the Derby, his sole blip having come after earning a supplementary for the Blue Riband when beating Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) by seven lengths in the Listed Newmarket S. in April. Highly effective at or around this 10-furlong trip on a conventional track, he is now the winner of this venue's inaugural Jumeirah Derby, the aforementioned Saratoga Derby Invitational and Jockey Club Derby Invitational as well as being a possibly unfortunate runner-up in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational.
Appleby, who was winning this race for the sixth consecutive year, is considering the G1 Jebel Hatta and G1 Dubai Turf. “Immediately, you'd say have a crack at the Dubai Turf, as they'll go a good gallop over the 1800 metres there, but we'll see how the cards fall,” he said.

Pedigree Notes

The dam Important Time (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who was a listed winner in Germany, is a daughter of the G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) who is herself kin to the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud-winning sire Spadoun (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}). Satwa Queen is also the second dam of the G1 Phoenix S. hero and G1 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Middle Park S.-placed Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Also related to the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Marieta (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), she has a 2-year-old filly by Dark Angel (Ire) and a yearling full-sister to the winner to come.

Friday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI MILLENNIUM S.-G3, $150,000, Meydan, 2-17, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:01.16, gd.
1–NATIONS PRIDE (IRE), 136, c, 4, by Teofilo (Ire)
     1st Dam: Important Time (Ire) (SW-Ger), by Oasis Dream (GB)
     2nd Dam: Satwa Queen (Fr), by Muhtathir (GB)
     3rd Dam: Tolga, by Irish River (Fr)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. $90,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-US, SW-Eng, 11-7-2-0, $1,644,216. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zagrey (Fr), 129, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr). (€32,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Altima & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot. $30,000.
3–Ottoman Fleet (GB), 129, g, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Innevera (Fr), by Motivator (GB). (€290,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 425,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-SCEA Marmion Vauville & Alain Jathiere (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $15,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 4HF.
Also Ran: Daramethos (Ire), Annerville (Ire), Aeonian (Ire), Good Fortune (Den), Freescape (GB), Midlife Crisis (Fr), Desert Fire (Ire), Withering (GB), Ursa Minor (Ire).

The post Teofilo’s Nations Pride Too Strong In The Dubai Millennium appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Nations Pride Friday’s DWCC Headliner

The Dubai World Cup Carnival adds its own footnote to the study of flags, known as vexillology for the more serious, since its intent is to draw horses from all over the world. As the meet continues to march towards its big night in late March, another Friday of racing arrives with a trio of Group 3 events.

Waving Godolphin Blue

The G3 Dubai Millennium S. sports this week's headliner, as Grade I winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) returns for a new campaign after what could be considered a successful 2022. The Godolphin homebred won last year at Meydan in the Jumeirah Derby, before competing at Newmarket, Epsom, in the 'Turf Triple' at each of the NYRA courses Stateside and finally in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, where he was fifth behind stablemate Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Bearing the blue brought him an Eclipse Award nomination in the Male Turf Division off of his victories in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. in August and the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. in September, as well as his runner-up effort in the first leg of the Turf Triple, the GI Belmont Derby Invtiational S. in July. The 4-year-old colt should enjoy a return to 10 furlongs here as the deserving favorite in European markets.

“There will be some improvement to come for whatever he [Nations Pride] does on his seasonal return, as we hope that he has another international campaign ahead of him this year, said trainer Charlie Appleby. “Depending on how he goes here, we will consider potentially looking at the [G1] Jebel Hatta [on Super Saturday] or the [G1] Dubai Turf [on Dubai World Cup night].”

Appleby also runs multiple stakes winner and multiple group-placed Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), third in the G2 Singspiel S. last time out. “Returning to this distance looks as though it might benefit Ottoman Fleet based on his two runs so far this year,” he continued. “He goes into the race a fit horse with solid form around him, so he should be a major player.”

Dual French listed winner Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) is aiming to improve after a fourth in the G3 Al Rashidiya on Jan. 13.

Longshot in the Nad Al Sheba

As for the other group races on Friday, a true distance test and  prep race for the G2 Dubai Gold Cup will be proctored at 14 panels on the grass in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy S. Godolphin, winners on nine occasions, has the advantage with four runners in Global Heat (Ire) Toronado (Ire), Brilliant Light (GB) (Sea The Stars), Siskany (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire} and Kemari (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“Siskany looks great and will be a player if he brings his best form to the table,” said Charlie Appleby. “He has won over the course and trip, so he looks the one they have to beat.

“Kemari will also be competitive if he can rekindle some of his old form. He ran some solid races last year but can be a little inconsistent these days.”

Added fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor, “Global Heat won over this trip in the Al Khail Trophy and came out of his recent handicap run in good order. He stays well and I'm hoping for another good effort. Brilliant Light worked well last week and has some good form over this distance. He is ready to go again and will appreciate the step up in trip.”

Not to be overlooked is the Amy Murphy trainee Magical Morning (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who is a quality longshot and could play the role of spoiler, if the gelding can handle the stretch out in distance.

American Jaunt Continues in UAE Oaks

Rounding out Friday's Group 3 events is a Classic on the dirt oval that brings together seven fillies. Of these, Mimi Kakushi (City Of Light) looks best, not because her barn won this race last year, but because the bay filly clearly likes the Meydan surface–including a pair of wins in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial over 1400 metres on Dec. 23 and in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas upped to a mile on Jan. 20. Seven fillies have completed the UAE Guineas/Oaks double, with Shahama (Munnings), subsequently second in the GII Mother Goose S. and a winner of the GIII Monmouth Oaks in America, the latest in 2022.

Standing in her way will be the American-based Ami Please (Goldencents) for trainer Doug O'Neill. Running solely on turf since her California debut at Del Mar on Aug. 1, she was third last time out in the Blue Norther S. at Santa Anita, finishing just behind next out winner, Manhattan Jungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}). Her barn collected a savory win last Friday with Tall Boy (Lookin At Lucky) in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas.

The post Nations Pride Friday’s DWCC Headliner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Modern Games Anchors Appleby Breeders’ Cup Brigade

Godolphin's Breeders' Cup team from Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks will be led by multiple Grade I winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Already successful at the Breeders' Cup with a score in the GI Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November, the chestnut returned to Europe for his seasonal bow and claimed the G1 French 2000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp on May 15. Third in the G1 French Derby in June, Modern Games was fifth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat on July 10 and rebounded to take second behind Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood later that month. He made a second triumphant foray to North America with a 5 1/4-length victory in the GI Woodbine Mile S. in Canada on Sept. 17 and is an intended starter in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

“It's shaping up,” said Appleby on his raiding party bound for the States.

“The Breeders' Cup is always something that is on our minds at the start of the season and we like to try to pinpoint an older horse or 2-year-old for it. As I've always stated I'd rather turn up with one than six–one good one and have a good crack. And this year I feel like we've got some live contenders there.

“Modern Games [is] in the Mile–he is a deserved favourite as we stand. He's been there and done it as a juvenile and been over to Canada and done what he has done at Woodbine.”

He added on a possible run at Ascot prior to Keeneland's Breeders' Cup, “If we take in Champions Day then that would be an extra race on the list for him, but perfectly doable. But being perfectly honest our main target is [the] Breeders' Cup Mile with him.

“We'll sit and toy with the idea of sending Modern Games to the QEII. If it was good to soft the conversation would still be taking place, but there wouldn't be any certainty to it. If it was soft he wouldn't be turning up at all. It doesn't take much to change it, but if you are lucky enough to get a settled week you might end up on some half-sensible ground.”

Appleby boasts a high strike rate at the Breeders' Cup with six wins from just 11 runners. One horse that is likely for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is the G3 Solario S. hero Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who most recently ran third to probable G1 Dewhurst S. pick Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster on Sept. 11. Less certain of a spot on the Keeneland team is GI Summer S. victor Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Appleby is also set to be represented in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with G3 Sirenia S. hero and G1 Middle Park S. fourth Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

He continued, “Silver Knott is a horse I would potentially take to America. Stepping up to a mile I think will suit him, he travels very well.

“Mysterious Night who won in Canada is a horse we'll contemplate going there with as well, but he's achieved his Group 1 status already and, while he hasn't been busy, he's had a few runs and is a horse we've very much got on our radar for next year.

“I will potentially take Mischief Magic to the [Juvenile Turf] Sprint. He ran well in the Middle Park, he ran a solid race drawn out on a wing and he was very impressive at Kempton before that.

“You need to turn up at these international events with A–the right horse and B–have all the luck in the world. You've got to get a good draw, travel over well and get settled in OK. If he does all that he won't look out of place in the race.”

The Godolphin raiders will not be limited to just juveniles, as the progressive Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has won all four of his starts in 2022, including a brace of German Group 1s on Aug. 14 and Sept. 25, is likely for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. scorer Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who blew away a field by 6 1/4 lengths in the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. at the Belmont At The Big A on Sept. 17 is another for the 1 1/2-mile turf showpiece. An outsider for the trip is Classic winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {Ire}), who is first running on QIPCO British Champions Day on Oct. 15.

“For the Breeders' Cup Turf we've got a nice little collective,” said Appleby. “We've already seen what Nations Pride has done in America this season. He's come back and is a horse we will very much look forward to having on the list.

“There is also Rebel's Romance, who is now four-from-four and has got the job done in his last two starts at Group 1 level in Germany. Potentially Adayar as well depending on how he gets on at Champions Day.

“If you can walk away from the Breeders' Cup with one winner it sort of wraps the season up nicely.”

The post Modern Games Anchors Appleby Breeders’ Cup Brigade appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights