Tag: Night of Thunder (Ire)

Group Schedule Outlined for Night Of Thunder’s Ornellaia

Ornellaia (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), winner last out at Goodwood Aug. 3, will target a series of group tests over the coming weeks, according to Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing. The Dominic Ffrench Davis-trained filly is slated to make her first foray into group company Saturday in the G2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville.

Prior to her seven-furlong score, the 2-year-old finished third behind Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})–subsequent G3 Princess Margaret S. winner–in a six-furlong Newmarket maiden July 13.

“We went to Newmarket on debut knowing she would benefit from the experience and we were encouraged when the winner went on to win the Princess Margaret,” said Pennington. “I was a bit disappointed to see the Godolphin filly that finished second [Dubai Treasure {Ire}, by Exceed and Excel {Aus}] get beat at Yarmouth [Aug. 9], but we knew our filly had a good deal of ability. We went to Goodwood pretty confident that she would get the job done at seven furlongs being by Night Of Thunder and with there being some cut in the ground. She went and did it nicely.”

As for her upcoming itinerary, he added, “She's in the Prix du Calvados at Deauville and that is on the radar at the minute, but she's also in a lot of nice races. She's in the [G1] Moyglare Stud S. [Curragh, Sept.  10], she could go to the [G3] Prestige [Fillies' S.] at Goodwood [Aug. 26] at the end of the month. She's potentially a very nice filly who we think is probably group class.”

The post Group Schedule Outlined for Night Of Thunder’s Ornellaia appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Night Of Thunder’s Highfield Princess Outclasses King George Rivals

John Quinn's stable star Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) took four starts to get rolling last year and provided symmetry to her profile with another post-Summer Solstice springboard in Friday's G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood.

Last term's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, G1 Nunthorpe and G1 Flying Five heroine broke sharply from the traps and was under a firm grip in second as habitual pacesetter Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) led the way at a healthy clip. Cruising to the front on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, the 4-9 favourite was not for catching thereafter and powered clear under mild coaxing inside the final furlong to easily outclass White Lavender (Ire) (Heeraat {Ire}) by three lengths. Fellow outsider Raasel (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) lost out by a neck in a bobbing finish for the minor placings.

“Highfield Princess ran really well in the [G2] Duke Of York and maybe got a bit tired,” Quinn said. “At Royal Ascot, she was beaten just a length in the [G1] King's Stand and then, four days later in the [G1] Jubilee, she ran another fantastic race. We decided to give her a break, which we did last summer, and we were pleased with her at home. She is a 6-year-old mare and, fair dues to her, she has bounced back well. She is a top-class filly and we are delighted to have her. All she has done is improve for racing and gone from being a top-class handicapper to being the best sprinting filly in Europe, if not the world. I was very keen for her to get her head in front for herself and today will have done her a lot of good. Group 2 races are so hard to win as well, but she had run here two years ago in the [G3] Oak Tree and handled the track lovely, so we thought she'd handle the track. We thought maybe, just maybe, this might be easier than, for instance, the [G1] Maurice de Gheest which we decided to miss.”

Highfield Princess will now prepare for a defence of her Nunthorpe and Flying Five titles, according to Quinn. “The plan is to go back for the Nunthorpe in our back yard and she really loves The Curragh, so it'll be the Nunthorpe and then back to Ireland and we will see after that,” he revealed. “I had thought about going to Australia, but I am a little bit cooler on that now. We will stay in Europe and then possibly go to the Breeders' Cup. She is a very good filly to travel and the lads always say you wouldn't know she was in the horse box, which is very good.”

It was business as usual for rider Jason Hart, who added, “Highfield Princess was her usual self. She jumped well, travelled great, and was much the best. The Czech horse [Ponntos] gave me a lead and I was kind of hoping he would give me a lead for a bit further. I had to commit a furlong-and-a-half down and, on that dead ground, I thought it might blunt her turn of foot, but she has won well. I was keen to give her a race without really getting stuck in. She absolutely ran her heart out in those two races at Royal Ascot and it was nice to see her bounce back and get her head back in front and win by a bit of distance. She has always improved throughout the years and has got better with her racing.”

White Lavender's rider Clifford Lee was satisfied with the performance of the runner-up and envisages another crack at ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye later in the year. “I am delighted with the run and she travelled really well throughout the race. She picked up nicely going for the two-furlong pole and we were beaten by a very good horse. She was second in the Abbaye last year, giving a lot of weight away, and she would definitely go close in that sort of race. She's very consistent and tries very hard.”

Raasel's trainer Mick Appleby was delighted with his charge's effort, who finished unplaced over the same strip in Tuesday's Coral H., and reflected, “Raasel has run a blinder. I think, in a way, we probably wish we didn't run on Tuesday, but we still wouldn't have beaten the winner. We might have got second, possibly, and he has shown that he has still got it. The draw made a big difference, he was drawn in the middle and needs loads of cover. The other day he was drawn on the wing and he just does too much when he's got daylight. I am not sure yet where we are going to go next and we will probably give him a bit of a break now. He's had a hard week this week, so we will give him a few weeks and then look to see where we go from there.”

Pedigree Notes
Highfield Princess is the ninth of 10 foals and one of six scorers thrown by a multiple-winning daughter of G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Saintly Speech (Southern Halo), herself a half-sister to G3 Prix du Calvados winner Woodland Melody (Woodman) and Listed Naruo Kinen-winning sire Maruka Diesis (Diesis {GB}). Saintly Speech is the second dam of G3 Park Express S. winner Chrysanthemum (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 Sandown Classic Trial-winning sire Cunco (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Descendants of Woodland Melody include GII Las Vegas Marathon and GIII Greenwood Cup victor Cary Street (Smarty Jones). The May-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G2 July S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. third Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}).

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 8-4, 3yo/up, 5fT, :58.92, g/s.
1–HIGHFIELD PRINCESS (FR), 127, m, 6, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Saintly Speech, by Southern Halo
3rd Dam: Eloquent Minister, by Deputy Minister
(29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn; J-Jason Hart. £170,130. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, Fr & Ire, 35-13-7-6, $1,875,821. *1/2 to Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Eng, $355,619. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–White Lavender (Ire), 127, m, 5, Heeraat (Ire)–Goodnight And Joy (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire). O-Mrs Barbara M Keller; B-Paul McCartan (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £64,500.
3–Raasel (GB), 130, g, 6, Showcasing (GB)–Dubai Affair (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). (80,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT; 10,000gns 3yo '20 TATHRA). O-The Horse Watchers; B-Bearstone Stud (GB); T-Michael Appleby. £32,280.
Margins: 3, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.44, 28.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Makarova (GB), Kerdos (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Equality (GB), Nymphadora (GB), Silky Wilkie (Ire), Ladies Church (GB), Equilateral (GB).

The post Night Of Thunder’s Highfield Princess Outclasses King George Rivals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Goffs November Foal Topper One Of The Highlights Of Orby Book 1 Catalogue

A strong catalogue of 543 yearlings, featuring a Kingman (GB) half-brother to Group 1 winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), will go under the hammer during Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale on Sept. 26-27.

The €550,000 foal, who counts GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. heroine Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) in his immediate family, will be offered as lot 313 by Stauffenberg Bloodstock. They will also offer a Masar (Ire) half-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) as lot 373.

There are also a bevy of other siblings and half-siblings to Group 1 winners and Classic winners. Lot 48 is a Sea The Stars (Ire) half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) offered by Tinnakill House Stud. That stallion is also responsible for a half-brother to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero and sire Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) as lot 488; and a full-sister to top-level winner Shraaoh (Ire) is lot 434.

Kingman is the sire of lot 504, a half-brother to G1 2000 Guineas hero and sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn). There are also half-brothers to 2000 Guineas victor Poetic Flare (Ire)–by Camelot (GB) as lot 500–and a No Nay Never son of Many Colours (GB) (Green Desert), who is a half-brother to G1 1000 Guineas victress Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 498). The catalogue also boasts a full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) (lot 356). The late, great Galileo (Ire) is represented by a pair of yearlings from his final crop in lot 269, a full-brother to Group 2 winner Delphi (Ire); and a colt out of Group 3 winner Wind Chimes (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is lot 179.

Lot 37 is a Night Of Thunder (Ire) half-sister to juvenile Group 1 winner and sire Lucky Vega (Ire); while lot 227 is a Wootton Bassett (GB) half-sister to G1 Prix Royal-Oak scorer Technician (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). There is also a Mehmas (Ire) colt who is a half-brother to Grade I winner Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) as lot 409; and a Mehmas half-brother to G2 Coventry S. winner River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (lot 150).

The sale also features yearlings by stallions like Frankel (GB), Dubawi (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire), Kodiac (GB), Churchill (Ire), Lope De Vega (Ire), and Siyouni (Fr), among others.

Following Book 1, Goffs will host the Orby Book 2 Sale, formerly the Sportsman's Sale, from Sept. 28-29. All yearlings offered over the four days will be eligible for the new Goffs Two Million Series which offers a guaranteed minimum prize fund of €2 million exclusive to buyers at Goffs. The Two Million Series consists of Europe's Richest Two-Year-Old Race, the seven-furlong €1-million Goffs Million, on the eve of the 2024 sale at the Curragh and the €500,000 Goffs 500 over six furlongs, with prize-money available through 10th place. In addition, the Goffs €50,000 Bonus Series will see €50,000 bonuses paid to the winners of a diverse range of 2-year-old maidens on Irish racecourses throughout 2024.

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “A stated ambition of Goffs is to attract more of the top tier Irish yearlings to Orby and we are thrilled to present two larger days of impeccable quality in Orby Book 1 following increased support from leading breeders.

“They have been persuaded by the massive international buying bench that attended last year's successful sale and the evolution of the Goffs Two Million Series which means that only Orby yearlings will compete for a massive €2 million next year.  We are eternally grateful to our vendors for we our nothing without their horses and are so excited to present this superb selection to global buyers.”

The post Goffs November Foal Topper One Of The Highlights Of Orby Book 1 Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Making Waves: Classic-Placed Mare Makes Hay In Canada

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Fev Rover in the GII Nassau S. at Woodbine.

Gutaifan Mare Takes Second Canadian Grade II

The G1 1000 Guineas-placed Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) added her third group/graded win to her resume with an open-length victory in the Nassau S. for Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse (video).

Bred by Manister House Stud, the 5-year-old was a £20,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling turned 695,000gns Tattersalls December purchase in 2021. Her latest siblings are a juvenile filly christened Leveret (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}) and a yearling full-brother. Group 2 winner Nashmeel (Blushing Groom {Fr}) was placed in a trio of top-level races in the U.S. and France prior to foaling GI Yellow Ribbon S. heroine Light Jig (GB) (Danehill), herself the dam of Grade I winner and sire Seek Again (Speightstown).

Gutaifan, who currently stands in France at Haras des Faunes, has sired a trio of stakes winners worldwide, with Fev Rover his first group winner so far. She is his only starter in Canada.

 

 

Sopran Basilea Game At Delaware Park

Madaket Stables LLC & Bill Strauss's Sopran Basilea (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) won the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. at Delaware Park for trainer Graham Motion (video).

A product of Aidan Sexton's breeding programme, the 5-year-old mare sold for €11,000 at the 2018 Goffs November Foal Sale, and won three of Italian stakes races led by the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio for Leonardo Ciampli and trainer Grizzetti Galoppo during her career in Italy. Sent through the Deauville ring during the Arqana December Sale, she was snapped up by her current connections for €300,000 last year, and was runner-up in the GIII Gallorette S. at Pimilco in May. The fifth winner out of Kathy Best (Ire) (King's Best), Sopran Basilea has The Irish Rover (Ire) half-siblings born in 2021 (colt) and 2022 (filly). The extended family has thrived in Italy, which includes recent multiple group winner Plusquemavie (Ire) (Kheleyf).

The winner is Darley stallion Night Of Thunder's second graded scorer in the U.S. after GIII Athenia S. heroine Pocket Square (GB). Overall in that jurisdiction, he has six winners from nine runners (66%) and three stakes winners (33%).

 

 

Lope De Vega Filly Graduates At Belmont

Bridlewood Farm and Madaket Stables LLC's No Show Sammy Jo (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won a Belmont maiden at second asking for Graham Motion (video).

Bred by Fittocks Stud and St Albans Bloodstock, the daughter of Shomaria (Fr) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) was purchased for 150,000gns as a Tattersalls Book 1 yearling in 2021. Tracing to the G1 Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}), No Show Sammy Jo is the first foal out of her placed dam. Her Dark Angel (Ire) juvenile half-brother sold for 14,000gns to Meadowview Stables as a Book 2 yearling and she is also a half-sister to a weanling filly by Palace Pier (GB).

Lope De Vega has sired 36 winners from 67 runners (54%) in North America, with five of them scoring in stakes (7%) to date. Since the first of the year, the Ballylinch stallion is responsible for 11 stakes winners across seven countries led by G1 Tancred S. winner Arapaho (Fr).

Honourable Mentions:

Wise Racing LLC's Turf King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who was mentioned in our Feb. 18 column, became the 67th stakes winner and 40th graded/group winner worldwide for his Juddmonte sire in Woodbine's all-weather GIII Marine S. on July 1 for trainer Chad Brown (video).

Brown also trained Klaravich Stables' Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to win a Belmont affair and improve his record to a perfect two-for-two near the end of June (video).

 

The post Making Waves: Classic-Placed Mare Makes Hay In Canada appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights