Half to Nazeef Unveiled at Newcastle

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. Tuesday's observations features a Frankel (GB) half-brother to MG1SW Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

2.50 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, 3yo, c/g, 9f (AWT)
INTEGRANT (FR) (Frankel {GB}) is a son of the G3 Prix Vanteaux-placed Via Manzoni (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) who cost Hisaaki Saito 525,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. Henri Devin has charge of the newcomer, one of a clutch of European purchases made by Chauvigny Equine Global on behalf of Japan's emerging force.

 

6.15 Newcastle, Novice, £5,300, 3yo/up, 7f 14y (AWT)
MOSTAHDAF (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is another notable newcomer on the day by the Juddmonte powerhouse, this time running for Shadwell and the John Gosden stable on the Tapeta. A half-brother to connections' G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the May-foaled homebred is ahead of schedule in relation to that high-class half-sibling, who made her racecourse bow as a 3-year-old as late as June.

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Stars Line Up for QIPCO British Champions Day

Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) might be retired to the Juddmonte paddocks, but there will still be plenty of equine stars spread across five group races on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, as fields were drawn on Thursday morning.

2019 G1 QIPCO Champion S. winner Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is aiming for her second consecutive Champion S. score, and the Coolmore runner has been in prime form of late, with three Group 1 wins this season, her only loss a second to formidable frontrunner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. in August. The 5-year-old mare leads the Ballydoyle trio of MG1SW Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Derby scorer Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She defeated Ghaiyyath in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 12. Last year’s G1 Champion S. runner-up Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) earned a brace of Group 1 wins in Australia this spring, and he ran second to the re-opposing Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot in June. The durable chestnut was first past the post at the listed level at Ayr on Sept. 19 for William Haggas. Besides Lord North, John Gosden sends out G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who landed the G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville on Aug. 15.

The G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. lost some of its lustre with the absence of 2020 G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) and MG1SW Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), but that has put the focus even more firmly on fledgling miler wunderkind Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s undefeated colt stunned in the G1 St James’s Palace S. in June and backed up those claims in heavy ground in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August. This year’s G1 Queen Anne S. hero Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of three from Ballydoyle, ran second in the G1 Sussex S. in July before taking third to Palace Pier in the Prix Jacques le Marois. The Flaxman Stables/Coolmore partners colourbearer was most recently third in the G1 Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp on Sept. 6. Shadwell’s Oct. 3 G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Oct. 3 G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein victor The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could also both provide stiff challenges on Saturday.

If Hollie Doyle triumphs aboard 4-year-old filly Dame Malliot (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S., it would be one of the stories of the weekend, as it would  be Doyle’s first win out of the top drawer. Ed Vaughan’s dual Group 2 winner ran third in both the G1 Preis von Europa in August and the Sept. 13 G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille and is a solid chance. She faces ace sophomores Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who won the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu for David Menuisier on Oct. 3, and Ger Lyons’s G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks heroine Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) among others.

Despite the absence of Shadwell’s grey speedball Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), quality is rampant throughout the 17-strong G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. field. Lael Stable’s One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will try to go one better than in 2019 and enters off her third straight G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret victory. However, the 6-year-old mare is not the only entrant coming in off a Group 1 victory, as Roger Teal trainee Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) resurfaces after a score in the G1 July Cup S. on July 11 and a wind operation. Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead), the top-rated horse in the field, bettered Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths in Haydock’s G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. on Sept. 5. Andrew Balding saddles the progressive Happy Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looking for the colt’s fourth-straight win, building on the back of scores in the Aug. 30 G3 Supreme S. and Newmarket’s G2 Challenge S. on Oct. 9.

A baker’s dozen step up for the opening race, with 2018 winner Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) out to regain his crown in the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup. The game Bjorn Nielsen runner was second last term to Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Twice a winner at the highest level in 2020, he was last in action when seventh in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The chestnut faces two-time G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Moyglare Stud, 2019 G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})-one of three for Aidan O’Brien, 2020 Irish St. Leger bridesmaid Fujaira Prince (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), and G2 Doncaster Cup S. hero Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) for Team Valor and Gary Barber.

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Campanelle Bids for Prix Morny Glory

Having conquered Royal Ascot, Stonestreet Stables’ Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) has dead aim at Sunday’s G1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville. Kept company by Frankie Dettori after the Italian was denied the chance to ride at York this week due to new quarantine measures, the June 20 G2 Queen Mary S. winner has pole position in the six-furlong test after Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) boosted that form on the Knavesmire on Thursday. Already successful here with the Queen Mary heroine Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) in 2016, having garnered the race with another Royal Ascot scorer No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) three years before, Wesley Ward is hoping for a rare treble and said, “She’s doing great. She’s been working real good–just cruising up and doing things nicely. I hope she’s got a good chance, hopefully the ground won’t be too soft. It’s great Frankie has stayed in France for the week so he can ride. He must fancy her chances, I guess, and it’s always good to have Frankie in your corner.”

Campanelle meets one of the most talented of the precocious colts around in The Queen’s Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), who took the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot June 17 before following up in rain-eased ground in the G2 July S. at Newmarket July 9. His owner-breeder’s racing manager John Warren said, “Tactical left Kingsclere on Friday morning, with Andrew [Balding] reporting that he couldn’t be happier with the horse. He has been aimed at this Group 1 since winning the July S. and, up to this point, everything is going to plan. We are very hopeful he remains on target to give the Queen great pleasure with this cracking homebred.”

Marie McCartan’s Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) is the third winner on show from the Royal meeting, having shook Berkshire with a 150-1 success in the June 20 G2 Coventry S. Trainer Clive Cox is looking for him to show that was no fluke. “I’m very pleased with him. Obviously his Coventry success was very pleasing and we’ve had a nice healthy time in between,” he said.  “We had an entry in the Papin. He wasn’t quite right for that and I’m pleased he’s in very good order and he’s heading over to France on Sunday. He won’t mind getting his toe in.”

In a renewal with the potential to be dominated by the foreign contingent, John Dance’s impressive July 17 Haydock novice winner Rhythm Master (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a fascinating contender and his owner commented, “We’ve only ever really done this with Laurens–who went from novice to group company also at Deauville–so to be doing this again and going two rungs higher, it feels very exciting but also incredibly scary at the same time. We were looking at the races we were in and we just felt this was an opportunity. Richard [Fahey] obviously really likes the horse and felt that we should shoot for the stars.”

Mick Channon saddles the unbeaten Cairn Gorm (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who has vital experience of the course and distance having already tackled the Aug. 2 G3 Prix de Cabourg and his trainer said, “He knows how to win, which is always a good thing. He’s always been a good horse, but it is a good race. He’s won at the track before, so we’ll see how we get on.”

Perhaps the main contender for France is Alain Jathiere, Alain Chopard and Guy Pariente’s unbeaten Livachope (Fr) (Goken {Fr}), but he has stamina to prove stepping up from five furlongs for the first time having taken ParisLongchamp’s G3 Prix du Bois July 2.

Supporting the Morny is the 10-furlong G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet, with Dettori teaming up with Shadwell’s Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who followed wins over a mile in the June 16 G2 Duke of Cambridge S. and July 10 G1 Falmouth S. with a third placing over this trip in Goodwood’s G1 Nassau S. July 30. Deep ground is an unknown, but it was soft at Newmarket in the Falmouth and John Gosden’s son Thady is at least confident of her stamina. “She’s in good form and this looks the obvious race,” he said. “I’d say you can be fairly confident that she stays 10 furlongs.”

Joseph O’Brien’s July 23 Listed Silver S. winner Bolleville (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) returns to France, having been previously trained by Pascal Bary, while Alain de Royer-Dupre supplies The Aga Khan’s July 19 Listed Prix de la Pepiniere scorer Dariyma (Fr) (City Zip) and James Rowsell and Steve Ashley’s Ambition (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) tries her hand following her career-best win in the G2 Prix Corrida at Lyon-Parilly June 6.

George Strawbridge’s Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the star turn in the G2 Darley Prix Kergorlay, while the G2 Darley Prix de Pomone sees Frankie partner the Corrida runner-up Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) for the Gianluca Bietolini stable as she bids to confirm the form of that race with the third-placed Spirit of Nelson (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB}), who has subsequently won the July 22 G3 Grand Prix de Vichy.

At Sandown, the G3 Atalanta S. sees ‘TDN Rising Star’ Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) reappear after a break having finished third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 20. Also third in the G1 1000 Guineas, the G1 Fillies’ Mile heroine does not have far to go to get back to her prime. “She’s run two very good races in fairness, to be third in both the 1000 Guineas and the Coronation,” Teddy Grimthorpe commented. “It appeared afterwards that she had a sinus infection and an infected tooth, so we’ve let her recover from those and had them sorted out. She’s been in good form since and even though she hasn’t won, you could argue that she still sets the standard.”

Her rivals include the Falmouth runner-up Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) from the Richard Hannon stable, which also supplies the likely favourite for the G3 Betway Solario S. as the impressive July 23 course-and-distance scorer Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}).

Naas’s card features the G3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra S., in which The Aga Khan’s Kastasa (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) can continue her ascent up the ranks among the country’s stayers following her successful seasonal return in Gowran Park’s Listed Vintage Tipple S. over this 14-furlong trip July 25. Also on the fixture is the Irish EBF Ballyhane S., a €320,000 median auction race for 2-year-olds whose sires had a median of no more than €75,000 last year. Turned out quickly having run second in Thursday’s £180,000 Goffs UK Premier Yearling S. at York, Russell Jones’s Devious Company (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) who was also runner-up in Newmarket’s G2 Superlative S. July 11 and the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood July 28 meets Johnny Murtagh’s Measure of Magic (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), who was third in this track’s Listed Marwell S. last time. The form of that five-furlong Aug. 3 contest looks stronger now that the winner Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) has won the G2 Lowther S. and the runner-up Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) has taken the Listed Curragh S.

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Nassau Anchors Goodwood Festival on Thursday

It is the turn of the fillies and mares on Thursday, with the G1 Qatar Nassau S. headlining a fascinating third day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. It features a clash between two fillies whose limits are far from set at present, with Shadwell’s Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) taking on the year-younger Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The former steps up from a mile for the first time, having captured the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot June 16 and G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 10 in the manner of a filly that will improve for a step up to this 10-furlong trip. Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s racing manager Angus Gold said, “She’s been an absolute star this year–it’s lovely to see her not only fulfil the potential, but exceed what we hoped. We were hoping to make her a stakes winner and it’s been a real thrill. Stepping up in trip now will be interesting, but everyone who has ridden her has always felt she would get it. Obviously you never know for sure until they try, but I’m very hopeful she will stay it–the way she has always finished off her races.”

Fancy Blue was runner-up to Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh June 13 prior to outbattling Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and that rival in Chantilly’s G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs July 5. While there were four fillies involved in a blanket finish to that Classic, it looked every bit a top-class renewal and trainer Donnacha O’Brien is in accord. “In a tight finish between four horses you can usually mark it down a bit, but they were definitely the right horses involved that day and they pulled clear of the rest of the field, so it looks like very strong form,” he said. “Fancy Blue is very genuine, tries hard and takes her work well,” he added. “She’s a very uncomplicated and talented filly who relaxes and is able to quicken. She gets a mile and a quarter very well and is closely related to High Chaparral, so there’s plenty of stamina in her pedigree and she will probably get a mile and a half in time. There are a great bunch of fillies around at the moment,” Donnacha added. “Among the 3-year-olds you have Love, who looks special, and then of course you’ve got Enable and Magical and a few of the those turning up at Goodwood this week, including ours.”

Last year’s winner Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) comes back with identical race conditions to suit, but possibly faces tougher opposition and has to reverse the form of the G1 Eclipse S. with the similarly-accomplished international mare Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), having finished 1 1/4 lengths behind that Ballydoyle rival when fifth in the July 5 Sandown feature. Oisin Murphy is again on board and commented, “I think she has improved since her last race and August is always her favourite season. We tried the Eclipse, because Sandown has a long straight and with the COVID situation it has been a little bit tricky to train the horses. We found there that she might struggle with the uphill, now we are heading to the Nassau S. with the long straight and flat course. We understand the great importance of the race, we have seen Midday win three times and we are the only horse to have a chance to win twice in a row.”

Aidan O’Brien has booked Frankie Dettori for Magic Wand, who was electric when taking the Curragh’s G2 Lanwades Stud S., or Ridgewood Pearl, over a mile June 13. “She’s a lovely filly who takes everything in her stride and this looks a nice race for her in the middle of the summer,” the Ballydoyle handler said. “She’s very straightforward and we’re very happy with her.”

Earlier on the card, the G2 Qatar Richmond S. and G2 John Pearce Racing Gordon S. provide ideal build-up to the main event with the Gordon seeing the first post-Derby run of Bjorn Nielsen’s English King (GB) (Camelot {GB}). A lot went against the Ed Walker trainee when fifth in Epsom’s July 4 blue riband, but his ability to handle difficult terrain is well and truly proven having won the June 5 Listed Lingfield Derby Trial and he has quickening ground conditions to aid his cause further. “He’s in great form. The ground should suit, he should handle the track and he hasn’t missed a beat since Epsom,” Walker said. “We will see how it goes at Goodwood, but we would be hoping to go for something like the [G1] Grand Prix de Paris. It is shaping into a great race, but everything seems to be this year because it has all been condensed. Hopefully he can prove to us he deserves to take on the best, but we will certainly learn a bit more this week.”

Re-opposing English King is Ahmad Al Shaikh’s Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), who was closest to Epsom’s runaway winner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when 5 1/2 lengths adrift and he has course form having won the Listed Cocked Hat S. over 11 furlongs June 14. “The course and the drying ground should suit him and all being well, a reproduction of his Epsom form should give him every chance,” trainer Andrew Balding said. Also coming back from the Derby is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mogul (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was sixth behind his ebullient stablemate with Ryan Moore picking him. Aidan O’Brien said, “He seems to have come out of the Derby well and we’ve been very happy with him since. He’s a big, strong, powerful horse who is made like a miler and he’s not the easiest to get fit. He carries weight and we’re just trying to get it off him. We think racing is going to bring out the best in him. We think he gets a mile and a half, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to go back in trip.”

In the Richmond, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum’s Yazaman (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is for once without The Queen’s Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) for company and looks for compensation for two runner-up efforts behind that peer in the five-furlong Listed Windsor Castle S. June 17 and G2 July S. over this six-furlong trip at Newmarket July 9. Fourth in the July was Shadwell’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Qaader (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), who had previously finished runner-up in Royal Ascot’s G2 Coventry S. June 20 when another TDN Rising Star Admiral Nelson (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was only eighth as the 5-2 favourite.

Click here for the group fields.

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