Yulong’s Alcohol Free Booked To Frankel

Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never–Plying, by Hard Spun), a four-time Group 1-winning 6-year-old, will be covered by Frankel (GB) and is already back in the Northern Hemisphere, owner Yulong Investments confirmed to the TDN on Wednesday.

Bred by Churchtown House Stud, she sold for €40,000 as a Goffs November foal and was originally raced by Jeff Smith of Littleton Stud and trainer Andrew Balding. Successful in the G1 Cheveley Park S. as a juvenile, both the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. went her way in 2021.

Kept in training at four, she added the G1 July Cup S. to her resume before bringing 5.4 million gns to top the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale when picked up by Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong. After an Australian campaign with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, she has returned to Europe for broodmare duty. Her record stands at 20-6-1-3 and $2,546,735 in earnings.

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TDN Rising Stars to Follow: Part II

In Europe, the TDN Rising Stars are awarded by Sean Cronin and Tom Frary, and no amount of begging, bleating or bribery from other members of the editorial team or external forces can persuade this duo to award one if they are not in agreement. Their decisions are based on performance, pedigree and, as the award title suggests, the likelihood of that individual becoming a stakes winner. Following the first five selections published yesterday, Tom Frary selects his five to keep an eye on in 2024.

This could prove a very big year for the TDN Rising Stars, with a headlining colt who could emerge as one of the very finest in more than two decades of its existence.

CITY OF TROY, c, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Together Forever (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Green Room, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Chain Fern, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
Owner: Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Breeder: Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY)
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Introduced in the Curragh's seven-furlong Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden in July which Aidan O'Brien used for the Galileo stars Rip Van Winkle (Ire), Gleneagles (Ire), Roderic O'Connor (Ire) and Australia (GB), as well as for Danehill's high-class Duke Of Marmalade (Ire) and Horatio Nelson (Ire), City Of Troy had immediate star appeal and one start later had already put himself in that bracket. With his highly advantageous stride and innate turbo, this is a colt with serious upside, and that is understating his potential. It will be disappointing if he doesn't win the Guineas and there is no reason he won't add a Derby to that. He's not far off Frankel already and he doesn't have the headstrong tendencies of that great at the same stage of their careers, so a mile and a half is easily within his range. Then we can dream of the St Leger! Early signs are that Justify could become very big news very soon, with his other TDN Rising Star last term being the high-class Ramatuelle.

HENRY LONGFELLOW (IRE), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Minding (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lillie Langtry (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
3rd Dam: Hoity Toity (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
Owner: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier
Breeder: Coolmore (IRE)
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

There are no apologies for including another from the Aidan O'Brien squad here, such is the power of their 2023 juvenile crop, and this second foal out of the brilliant Minding, closely related to Galileo's Tuesday (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire), could be an able deputy for City Of Troy if the ground gets too soft. His G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. win was reminiscent of his sire's in 2004 and were it not for his stablemate the noise around him would be much louder.

AZADA, f, 2, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Azmiyna, by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Asmara, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Anaza (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
Owner: H H Aga Khan
Breeder: His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE)
Trainer: Dermot Weld

Siyouni's 10th TDN Rising Star was able to overcome deep ground on her Leopardstown debut in October and as a half-sister to The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), the Dermot Weld project, who is from the same cross as Sottsass (Fr) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr), has plenty to come. The sire was responsible for the same connections' Tahiyra (Ire) and while this one hasn't the same level of precocity she has all the potential.

TASK FORCE (GB), c, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Special Duty (GB), by Hennessy
2nd Dam: Quest to Peak, by Distant View
3rd Dam: Viviana, by Nureyev
Owner: Juddmonte
Breeder: Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett

At last, Special Duty seems to have a good one. Juddmonte's mare, who holds the rare distinction of having been promoted from second to first in two Classics, had so far failed to channel her precocity and star quality into her progeny but this exciting colt is a case of better late than never. Second in a high-class renewal of the Middle Park despite being the least experienced in the line-up, he should stay further than six furlongs given that his dam's previous best Elegant Verse (GB), by Frankel's sire Galileo (Ire), won over a mile and a half. As the family features Sightseek (Distant View) and Tates Creek (Rahy), it could be that Task Force is one who could shine in the States one day.

MATRIKA (IRE), f, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Muravka (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tabdea, by Topsider
3rd Dam: Madame Secretary, by Empire Maker
Owner: Mrs John Magnier/Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Westerberg
Breeder: Barronstown Stud
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Another Ballydoyle special, although Matrika wasn't seen after winning the Airlie Stud S. in July having been second in Royal Ascot's Albany days earlier. A full-sister to the dual Group 3-winning and G1 Takarazuka Kinen runner-up Unicorn Lion (Ire) and a half to The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), the Barronstown-bred was described after her debut by Aidan O'Brien as being “totally asleep all the time” and that is always a good thing where this stable is concerned. Related to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Ta Rib (Mr. Prospector), Matrika could be one for that Classic if her lengthy absence has nothing serious behind it.

 

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Frankel Waltzes to a Second Sires’ Championship 

Frankel (GB) has recaptured the crown he first wore in 2021 and is the champion sire in Britain and Ireland for 2023, as well as being the leading sire in Europe, for the second time. It won't be the last.

Whether or not he will be able to emulate the long reigns of his sire Galileo (Ire) and grandsire Sadler's Wells remains to be seen, but it would be unwise to bet against it. Yes, Frankel's launch into his stud career was the stallion equivalent of being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so great was the support from major international breeders from the outset, but there have been plenty of examples of that not equating to a horse becoming a top sire. Frankel is just that, any way you look at it.

He is quickly being joined at stud by a number of his best sons, and there are plenty to choose from. This year alone in Britain, the trio of Chaldean (GB), Mostahdaf (Ire) and Triple Time (Ire) join the Newmarket powerhouses of Juddmonte, Shadwell and Darley, while Onesto (Ire) is now at Haras d'Etreham in France. Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) joins the National Hunt ranks where St Leger winner Logician (GB) already resides, and Derby winner Adayar (Ire) and another Irish Derby winner, Westover (GB), have headed east to Japan. That's seven new Group 1-winning sons of Frankel in one year's intake alone.

Frankel has won this year's championship in a manner not dissimilar to his performances on the track: by a wide margin. His progeny earnings in Britain and Ireland of just over £7 million put him almost £3 million clear of last year's champion Dubawi (Ire), with a margin of roughly £30,000 separating the runner-up and third-placed Dark Angel (Ire). In fact, it was pretty tightly packed among the first six horses in Frankel's wake.

To return to the champion momentarily, his 39 stakes winners worldwide in 2023 (23 in Britain and Ireland) included his 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean, who now stands alongside him at Banstead Manor Stud, Soul Sister (GB), who became his second winner of the Oaks, Inspiral (GB), who recorded her sixth Group/Grade 1 win at Santa Anita at the Breeders' Cup, and her fellow Group 1 winners Nashwa (GB) and Jannah Rose (Ire). Three of these four fillies/mares remain in training, with Jannah Rose's immediate future yet to be decided. 

Dubawi is also not short of the company of his sons at stud either. On the Darley roster alone, there is Night Of Thunder (Ire) (who is 12th on this year's table), along with Ghaiyyath (Ire), Space Blues (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB), and that group has been bolstered by the arrival of Modern Games (Ire), a Group/Grade 1 winner at two, three and four. Dubawi's wide-margin G1 National S. winner Henry Longfellow (Ire), out of the champion mare Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}, should be high among his Classic colts to follow next year.

Good old Dark Angel. There is little doubt that his books will have risen in quality over the years but he would not be covering as many bluebloods as Frankel and Dubawi. He has been in the top seven sires in the last six years and takes third again, equalling his best performance of 2020. The six-year-old Art Power (Ire) typifies Dark Angel's profile as a sire who provides stock that are generally fast and hardy. Art Power is classy too, and he brought the curtain down on a good year for his father with victory in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint.

Three of the stallions to have finished in the top 20 in Britain and Ireland for the year are no longer with us. Galileo (Ire), for so long such a dominant force in Europe, and Deep Impact (Jpn), of whom the same can be said in Japan, died in 2021 and 2019 respectively. Recently Ballyhane Stud lost its stalwart Dandy Man (Ire), who ends this year in 19th place in the table and was one of only five stallions to sire 100 or more winners this year.

Galileo, 12 times the champion sire, took the fourth spot, with the dual Group 1 winner Warm Heart (Ire) being his stand-out performer of the year from his 15 stakes winners in Britain and Ireland, which put him third in this sector behind only Frankel and Dubawi. 

Not surprisingly, Deep Impact had only 11 runners in Britain and Ireland this year, but four of them won, and when one of those is the dual Derby and Irish Champion S. winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) then a decent slot in the table is guaranteed. The late Shadai stallion duly finished in 13th place.

In fifth was France's leading sire Siyouni (Fr), who had another banner year beyond his home country, with Paddington (GB) and Tahiyra (Fr) winning the Irish 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas respectively, before landing another five Group 1 victories between them. Paddington becomes the third son of Siyouni to join the Coolmore roster after Sottsass (Fr) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr).

Galileo's half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire) ensured that two Aga Khan Studs stallions made the top six. King George hero Hukum (Ire) was of course his best runner. He is now at stud in Japan, while we live in hope that the G1 Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn (GB) returns to training next year having not been seen since finishing seventh behind Hukum at Ascot in July.

The 103 British and Irish winners (and 11 stakes winners) for Kingman (GB) this year came at a 50% strike-rate to put him in seventh position, one ahead of the prolific Kodiac (GB), who is the leader by number of winners on 118 and was also represented by nine stakes winners.

Lope De Vega (Ire) was another member of the quintet with winners into three figures – 101 and eight stakes winners. No Nay Never completes the top ten with nine stakes winners to his credit, including new Coolmore stallion Little Big Bear (Ire).

Of those bubbling just under, it is hard not to think that we won't see Wootton Bassett (GB) shooting up the charts from next year. His 11th place finish in 2023 came from just 58 runners in Britain and Ireland, around a quarter of the number fielded by most of those names above him. 

From 2024, we will see the first two-year-old runners to have been conceived following his move to Ireland, and Wootton Bassett was represented by three new Group/Grade 1 winners this year in three different countries. The hugely likeable King Of Steel was his real talking horse, and he returns next year, along with the Classic prospect Unquestionable (Fr) and Bucanero Fuerte (GB).

The dependable Derby winners Australia (GB) and Camelot (GB) were also in the top 20, along with Classic sire Nathaniel (Ire), who is surely one of the best value elite stallions in Britain. 

An honourable mention must also go to Havana Grey (GB), who in 16th was the youngest of the top 20 finishers with only two crops to have raced for him so far, and eight stakes winners to his credit this year. And let's not forget Muhaarar (GB), which is what many perhaps tried to do when he left Shadwell to stand at Haras des Faunes in France in 2022. Now that people have worked out that most of his progeny are not sprinters, as he was, we can also admit that he's not a bad sire at all. He's had a jolly good year, in fact, with Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) leading the charge and backed up by G2 Princess of Wales S. winner Israr (GB) and Group/Grade 3 winners Annaf (Ire) and Motorious (GB) among his nine stakes winners worldwide (four in Britain in Ireland). Muhaarar is on the move again and will stand at Haras de Petit Tellier in 2024.

France and Germany

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is such a valuable race that it usually guarantees French champion status (or thereabouts) to the sire of the winner.

Last year Frankel took the title, thanks largely to his wonderful daughter Alpinista (GB) but this year he has to play second fiddle to his son Cracksman (GB), sire of the brilliant Ace Impact (Ire). Frankel's influence loomed large in the Arc trifecta, with his sons Westover and Onesto taking second and third.

Of the stallions standing in France, Siyouni continues to stand tall and was third in the French table overall, with his daughter Mqse De Sevigne (Fr) landing a notable Group 1 double for her owner-breeder, the outgoing France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild. Siyouni notched the highest number of winners (66), and had Wootton Bassett just behind him in the table in fourth.

Next for the home team came Anodin (Ire), who was sixth overall with 60 winners and his first Group 1 winner, King Gold (Fr), in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. Dabirsim (Fr), now at Haras de Montaigu and sire of the multiple group winner Horizon Dore (Fr) this year, came next, while Zarak (Fr), another to have a first Group 1 winner his year when Zagrey (Fr) won the Grosser Preis von Baden, was ninth overall.

It is worth noting that, along with Zagrey, Zarak had another seven group winners this year: three more in Germany, and one in America. This unsurprisingly put him high in the German table in fourth position, with Straight (Ger) having won the G2 Union Rennen, while Shagara (Ire) won the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin and Princess Zelda (Ger) took the G3 Mehl-Mulhens-Trophy.

King of the hill in Germany, however, was Sea The Moon (Ger), which is no surprise given that he supplied the G1 Deutsches Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) and the first three home in the G1 Preis der Diana, led by Muskoka (Ger). The Lanwades resident had another three group winners in Germany in 2023, as well as one each in Ireland, America and Italy.

Separating Sea The Moon and Zarak was the late duo of Areion (Ger) and Adlerflug (Ger), and special mention must go to Iquitos (Ger), who finished seventh in the table despite having had just five runners. That quintet included the stakes winners Mr Hollywood (Ire) and Drawn To Dream (Ire), both bred by Gestut Ammerland from Hurricane Run (Ire) mares.

 

 

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Making Waves: Clodovil Gelding Earns Stakes Badge In California

  In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Unconquerable Keen at Del Mar.

 

Keen Rides Out The Storm At Del Mar

It was another stakes victory for the Phil D'Amato barn with the former European runner Unconquerable Keen (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) in the Stormy Liberal S. at Del Mar on Saturday (video).

Bred by Nicholas Hartery, the 4-year-old gelding managed a pair of victories in his native land in the colours of his breeder and trainer Michael Halford before changing hands. Now, raced by CYBT, Omar Aldabbagh, and Michael Nentwig, the son of Queenie Keen (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), herself out of a half-sister to the stakes winner Duty Paid (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}), is the 26th stakes winner for his sire worldwide.

The son of Danehill has sired seven winners from 13 runners in the U.S. (54%). His other stakes winner in that jurisdiction is GII Santa Ana S. heroine Tuttipaesi (Ire), while both Enchanteresse (Ire) and Laugh Out Loud (GB) have been stakes placed.

 

Repeat Winners

No Nay Hudson (No Nay Never), a winner of the William Walker S. in May, returned to take a Gulfstream contest for trainer Wesley Ward on Dec. 1 (video). He currently races for Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable, LLC.

Featured in the same May edition of Making Waves is current dual Grade I winner Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who races in the Klaravich Stables' colours. He secured a victory in the GI Hollywood Derby for trainer Chad Brown on Dec. 2 (video).

Already the winner of a Del Mar maiden in September, Zona Verde (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) earned her first stakes victory in the GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar on Saturday (video).

Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), third in the GII Del Mar Derby in September, won for the fourth time in his career at Del Mar on Sunday (video). Already a Stateside winner in July, the gelding races for trainer Phil D'Amato and an ownership group of CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano.

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