Tag: Newmarket July Festival

Newmarket: “I’ve No Doubt She’s Got Enough Toe.” Falmouth Speed Test For Nashwa

Whether or not connections of Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) allow the G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine to run in Friday's G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. at Newmarket, the elephant in the room is the supplemented Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who could just be ready for a reinvention at the July Festival. Not seen at this trip since the 6 1/2-length Haydock novice success that earned her TDN Rising Star status, the apple of Imad Al Sagar's eye has been as far as 12 furlongs when a creditable third in the Oaks before apparently settling into a niche at or around a mile and a quarter with wins in the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S.

While it is on the face of surprising that she is winless since the latter contest, there has been a creeping feeling that the intermediate trip is too far for her now that she has filled her substantial frame. That was no more obvious than last time, when she had Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) beaten until tying up in the last handful of the extra 42 yards added to the 10 furlongs of Newcastle's G3 Hoppings Fillies' S. Attempts to curb her enthusiasm have proven fruitless even for the ultra-skilled hands of Hollie Doyle and it would be no surprise to see her allowed to rock and roll from the front on a track that strongly favours that approach.

“She has grown and developed a lot over the winter [and] is a really big, burly mare now,” her rider and number one fan explained. “I think she has taken a time to come to hand and has taken a few runs to get straightened out, really. It seems the obvious route to go down after her last two runs and I've no doubt she's got enough toe. Time will tell, because this is a different ballgame.”

 

Via Sistina Part Of Falmouth Quandary

With so many fillies going down in trip, this is a far from straightforward renewal of the Falmouth, but then this is a race which can throw curveballs such as Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) at 16-1 last year upsetting Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Like Nashwa, Via Sistina is another sharpening up at a mile having beaten the aforementioned Al Husn by six lengths in devastating fashion when the rain came to Newmarket on the weekend of the Guineas Festival. That rampage over the nine furlongs of the G2 Dahlia S. outshines her subsequent triumph in the Pretty Polly and the fact is that the less give in the surface the less advantage she has.

“There are very few horses in training that can be favourite for Group 1 races over various trips and I think she has that versatility in that she stays and has got plenty of boot,” trainer George Boughey said. “She showed a proper turn of foot in the Dahlia and I think over a mile she would be equally as effective. It is a bit of a question mark coming back to the mile as she hasn't ever been there, but for her career going forward we want to try and keep some speed in her.”

 

 

Is This One For The Closers?

With the memory of last year still fresh, it is hard to see anything other than Prosperous Voyage going forward again and with the increasingly free-going Nashwa here alongside another who has set the pace before in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. runner-up Random Harvest (Ire) (War Front), this could be a case of the leaders setting it up for the finishers. Via Sistina fits that bill, but if the ground is too lively then the likes of the G1 Coronation S. runner-up Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Juddmonte's Sandringham H. winner Coppice (GB) (Kingman {GB}) come into the equation. There is no telling what the plan is in Ryan Moore's mind for Ballydoyle's Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), another reverting to a mile after a hit-and-miss season which includes a second to Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de Diane which puts her in the mix.

 

 

Grand Prix

The Gosdens have a strong chance of a Group 1 double on Friday, with Lady Bamford's Oaks heroine Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) the fly in the colts' ointment in ParisLongchamp's Grand Prix de Paris. Partnered by Kieran Shoemark for the first time, the homebred faces Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard's TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) who was fourth in a hot G1 Prix du Jockey Club; the G3 Prix Hocquart winner First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was beaten by Feed The Flame in the spring but who hails from the stable of the 13-times successful Andre Fabre; and Ballydoyle's Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) who brings the G1 Irish Derby form into sharper focus.

“It's a competitive field and we're getting three pounds off the colts,” Shoemark said. “This is a tough task and it is the first time a filly has ran in the race for 10 years, so it is something that doesn't happen very often but John and Thady Gosden have her in good order and hopefully we go there with a good chance.”

 

Star Of Mystery Takes Aim At The Duchess of Cambridge

Charlie Appleby's opening fixture of the July Festival was a mixed bag on Thursday, so a big effort from TDN Rising Star Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) would be welcome in Friday's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. So impressive over this course and distance in the Listed Maureen Brittain Memorial Empress Fillies' S., this comes quick enough but with a disappointing turnout of only four her claims are obvious. “Star Of Mystery came out of her recent win in good order and this looks a natural progression for her,” he said. “A couple of her rivals bring Royal Ascot form into the race, which always warrants respect, but she looks the one to beat based on her Empress Stakes display.”

Those Royal Ascot runners will not include Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's G3 Albany S. third Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who was ruled out on Thursday due to a medication administration error, but the filly who followed her home in fourth there steps out on Friday. Amo Racing's TDN Rising Star Persian Dreamer (Calyx {GB}) is the form threat to Godolphin's favourite and trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis is hopeful.

“Persian Dreamer ran a blinder and she was the last horse off the bridle,” he said. “I think if she had been drawn on the other side she would definitely have been in the first three, but she ran very well and has come out of the race well. Any rain would be appreciated because she does like to get her toe in a little bit. She's a lovely filly and I think she is going to stay further. She will get seven and a mile next year and I think she will get seven later this year. I think she is going to be a very classy filly if we can keep her in one piece.”

 

Little Big Bear Still In The July Cup

Aidan O'Brien is leaving a decision on the participation of Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) in Saturday's G1 July Cup at Newmarket until later in the week after declaring last year's G1 Phoenix S.-winning champion juvenile. One of only nine engaged in the six-furlong feature, the TDN Rising Star had been a doubt for the contest after suffering a bruised foot but his inclusion means that Rossa Ryan has been booked for his G1 Commonwealth Cup conqueror Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). The G2 1895 Duke of York S. winner Azure Blue (Ire) (El Kabeir) and Marc Chan's G1 British Champions Sprint S. hero Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) are other notables in the smallest field for the July Cup since 1997, when Compton Place (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) caused a 50-1 shock.

 

 

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Prizemoney Boost For July Festival

Prize-money for Newmarket's three-day Moet & Chandon July Festival has risen by almost 13% on the values originally listed for this year. 

The increase means that more than £1.77 million will be on offer across the meeting, with the G2 Tattersalls July S., G2 Duchess of Cambridge S., and G2 bet365 Superlative S all now being worth £90,000, having previously been advertised at £65,000.

The G3 Bahrain Trophy receives an extra £25,000 and is now worth £150,000, and the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S., previously £40,000, is now up to £52,000. All handicaps at the meeting will be run for a minimum of £25,000.

“The Moët & Chandon July Festival is our summer flagship event on the July Course and I am pleased that we are able to offer this increase in prize-money,” said Michael Prosser, Clerk of the Course at Newmarket and East Region Head of Racing for The Jockey Club.

“The Covid-19 pandemic, with many months of behind-closed-doors racing, has obviously been an extremely challenging time for everyone involved in racing and it has been a priority for us to increase prize-money levels as soon as possible. The £1.77 million on offer this year takes us back to just 5.5% below the pre-pandemic prize-money levels available at the Moet & Chandon July Festival.”

He added, “As a major festival, it was particularly important for us to keep prize-money levels competitive for all contests and that is why we have ensured that there is now no handicap worth less than £25,000 and the three Group Two juvenile races are now all up to £90,000. I would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has made this possible and the ongoing support of our principal July Festival sponsors–Moet & Chandon, Darley, bet365 and Tattersalls.”

 

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TurfTrax Utilised at Qatar Goodwood Festival

The upcoming Qatar Goodwood Festival will provide live weather data from TurfTrax, the Cambridgeshire-based technology company announced on Sunday. Developed in conjunction with a number of leading UK racecourses, the system provides horsemen, media and the general public with up-to-the minute GoingStick readings, going maps, irrigation and rails positions, as well as detailed live weather data comprising wind speed and direction, rainfall and soil moisture content via a dedicated webpage. This technology was previous used with success at Royal Ascot and Newmarket’s July Cup Festival.

“We have been delighted with the response to the live weather data app so far,” said TurfTrax Managing Director Mike Maher. “There certainly seems to be increasing demand for accurate data and the benefit of the TurfTrax weather system is that the information it measures comes direct from the course and not a weather station in the nearest town which could be several miles away.

“The information delivered by the app has been available to racecourses using the TurfTrax weather system for a number of years, but investment in the front-end now enables them to make the same information available to a wider group of stakeholders.”

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First Group One For Cieren Fallon As Oxted Wins the July Cup

Last year’s champion apprentice Cieren Fallon completed his meteoric rise to prominence on Saturday when steering Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) to glory in Newmarket’s G1 Darley July Cup, one of the top races to evade his legendary jockey father. Having his first ride in a pattern race when partnering the Roger Teal-trained 4-year-old to success in the G3 Abernant S. over this six-furlong trip on the Rowley Mile June 5, the budding talent had the 12-1 shot positioned near the early pace before committing on the approach to two out. Staying on strongly up the rising ground, Oxted had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over Sceptical (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) at the line, with the 2-1 favourite Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) a neck away in third.

“I’m speechless, I can’t believe it,” Fallon commented. “I was just a passenger on a very good horse today. Mr Teal and the team back home have done an incredible job. There was a lot of pressure going into a group one like this. I spoke to my dad beforehand and my jockey coach Michael Tebbutt and went into the office to see my boss Mr Haggas too. I’m very lucky to have the support around me that I have to keep me progressing. Dad said to keep it simple, jump out, stay in a straight line, don’t take him back, don’t push and keep him travelling. Hold him together to the dip then let him go and see what’s underneath you. That’s what I did today.”

Kieren Fallon was full of praise for his son and also William Haggas, who took the youngster under his wing from the early stages of his career. “He’s got it–I know he’s got it,” he said of ‘Junior’. “He’s got so much confidence–I wish I had half his confidence when I was riding. William [Haggas] has done so much with him behind the scenes. He has sent him to Australia and he has sent him to America. He’s doing everything to get him where needs to be at. He works hard and he’s dedicated, but without William he wouldn’t be having this success. He’s done a great job with him.”

Lightly-raced for a sprinter, Oxted traded at 20-1 when caught late by Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and finishing runner-up on his third career start in Newbury’s six-furlong Listed Carnarvon S. last May. Only sixth on good-to-soft ground that may have undermined him in the G3 Hackwood S. back over the same course and distance the following month, the bay sunk when last of four on the same going in a Doncaster conditions event in early August. Undeterred by that eclipse, he was out again 15 days later to run second in a handicap over this track and trip before tackling Doncaster’s prestigious Portland H. and giving five pounds and a half-length beating to the previous year’s winner A Momentofmadness (GB) (Elnadim) in the 5 1/2-furlong test in September.

Looking to have progressed again in the Abernant, Oxted broke professionally here and formed a line of four ridden prominently alongside Golden Horde, Lord of the Lodge (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) before the G1 Commonwealth Cup took charge against the rail. Passing three out, Golden Horde and Hello Youmzain came under the pump but Fallon had plenty left and Oxted was soon dragging that Royal Ascot-winning duo into the red running downhill. Looking like his “old man” as he built more momentum heading back out of the “dip”, Fallon had his mount in an unstoppable rhythm to carve out his first group 1-winning experience.

For Roger Teal, this was the culmination of months of build-up and a few days of heightened excitement. “His work was blistering in the week and my son Harry’s words were ‘he wins the July Cup dad’–he was breathtaking and it gave us the confidence coming here,” he said. “I was a bit worried about the ground, but we got lucky with it drying up this morning. When he won the Portland last year, this was the target and we knew we had him short going to the Abernant and he still won nicely. We decided to miss Ascot especially to come to this race, but yards of our size don’t normally get the glory in races like this.”

“Everyone has worked hard and things go wrong daily in racing, but you have to keep picking yourself up when you have horses like this and Kenzai Warrior and Gussy Mac,” Teal added. “We’ve got his half-brother in the yard and he’s a bull now. We’re punching above our weight, but it’s down to the hard work of the team and our owners have also been terrific throughout lockdown. I’ve had a lot of questions asking why we were still using Cieren as he couldn’t use his claim, but he’s just gelled with this horse and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. I said to the owners we couldn’t take him off until he got beat on him. Cieren is inexperienced, but he’s very calm. Haydock is on the agenda [the G1 Sprint Cup] and there’s a race in Deauville [the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest], but we’ll see how he comes out of today.”

Oxted, who was bought back for £400,000 at last year’s Goffs London Sale, is out of the useful handicapper Charlotte Rosina (GB) (Choisir {Aus}) who raced for this stable and won over this course and distance. The dam, whose family includes the G2 Grosser Preis von Deutschland and G2 Premio Ellington winner Captain Horatius (Taufan), also has the as-yet unraced 3-year-old colt Whiskey Jar (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) and the 2-year-old Chipstead (GB), who is a full-brother to Oxted.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
DARLEY JULY CUP S.-G1, £250,000, Newmarket, 7-11, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:09.59, gd.
1–OXTED (GB), 132, g, 4, by Mayson (GB)
1st Dam: Charlotte Rosina (GB), by Choisir (Aus)
2nd Dam: Intriguing Glimpse (GB), by Piccolo (GB)
3rd Dam: Running Glimpse (Ire), by Runnett (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (£400,000 RNA 3yo ’19 GOFLON). O-S Piper, T Hirschfeld & D Fish; B-Homecroft Wealth Racing (GB); T-Roger Teal; J-Cieren Fallon. £141,775. Lifetime Record: 9-4-2-0, $290,097. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sceptical (GB), 132, g, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Jealous Again, by Trippi. (£2,800 3yo ’19 GOFAUG). O-James McAuley; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Denis Hogan. £53,750.
3–Golden Horde (Ire), 126, c, 3, Lethal Force (Ire)–Entreat (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (£65,000 Ylg ’18 GOUKPR). O-Al Mohamediya Racing; B-CN Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Clive Cox. £26,900.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 1HF. Odds: 12.00, 3.60, 2.00.
Also Ran: Khaadem (Ire), Hello Youmzain (Fr), Brando (GB), Sir Dancealot (Ire), Namos (Ger), Equilateral (GB), Threat (Ire), Lord of the Lodge (Ire), Southern Hills (Ire). Scratched: Shine So Bright (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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