Tag: Pearls and Rubies

Caravaggio’s Porta Fortuna Takes The Cheveley Park

While Newmarket's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. was stripped of an important runner in the certain favourite Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), whose dirty scope ruled her out of action on the eve of the race, there can be few complaints that Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio–Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) was not ultimately a worthy winner as she again delivered her potent blend of professionalism and class on Saturday. Surprisingly as big as 9-2 as the joint-second favourite given her exemplary record so far, the Donnacha O'Brien trainee who races for Steven Weston, Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing 2020 LLC and Reeves Racing was straight on to the case of Ballydoyle's leader Cherry Blossom (Ire) (No Nay Never) and as early as halfway it was clear she was the one to beat.

Edging ahead a furlong out, the G3 Albany S. and G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. winner, G1 Phoenix S. runner-up and G1 Moyglare Stud S. third gave generously to Oisin Murphy to put some space between her an the blanket in behind with 1 1/2 lengths the winning margin to another Aidan O'Brien trainee in Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never). There was a head back to the G3 Princess Margaret S. scorer and G1 Prix Morny fourth Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third, giving the form the desired solidity.

“That is the first time she has had proper quick ground since Ascot and she seems to be a lot better on it back to six,” Donnacha said. “She is a very good filly. I think she is fine at seven, but I think ground is important to her as she seems to be a lot better on better ground as she travels and quickens. She hit the line strong and the plan is to go to the Breeders' Cup and the mile. We think there is every chance she will get that as well.”

“Her performance in the Albany was probably one of the best performances of any filly and then she has probably run a little bit below par on slow ground on her last two runs and that is why she was a bit bigger in the betting, but thankfully she came back to her form today. She is very uncomplicated and very easy to train and usually the good ones are. She is owned by an American syndicate and the plan was to go to the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year if that was how it turned out so that is what we will do.”

“There is a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the 1000 Guineas, but I suppose we would start her off in a trial over seven and make a decision then whether we go sprinting or go for the Guineas.”

Charlie Johnston said of Sacred Angel, “It was a very good run. I thought coming into it if she finished in the first three we would be very happy. The only two that achieved more than us on the form book were Relief Rally and Porta Fortuna and one of those wasn't here. To finish a very close third behind the Albany winner stacks up as very good two-year-old form.”

“She breaks phenomenally fast and just as Ryan wanted to go forward on his filly that lit her up for half a furlong and she was maybe just over-racing and that is probably what has cost her second in the last couple of strides. After Deauville I was certain she will be trained for a Guineas next spring. The speed she showed today might make you think twice about that, but the Guineas is the be-all-and-end-all for three-year-old fillies at that time of year and if you need to re-route later on then so be it.”

Pedigree Notes

The second Cheveley Park winner for Caravaggio, Porta Fortuna is the first foal out of Too Precious who is a full-sister to the G2 P.J. O'Shea S. winner and G1 Australian Cup and G1 Doomben Cup runner-up Numerian (Ire) and the G3 Prix Francois Boutin-placed Montesilvano (Ire). The third dam Kantikoy (GB) (Alzao) is kin to the G3 St Simon S. scorer Kithanga (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), in turn the dam of the G1 St Leger-winning sire Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells) who was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. His half-sister Koora (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) emulated her dam's success in the St Simon before producing the G2 Queen's Vase S. winner Kemari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also related to the Derby and Irish Derby hero and prolific sire Kahyasi (Ire) and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Key Change (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), Too Precious's yearling filly by Ten Sovereigns (Ire) sells on Tuesday at the Tatts Book 1 Sale. She also has a filly foal by Sottsass (Fr).

Saturday, Newmaket, Britain
JUDDMONTE CHEVELEY PARK S.-G1, £275,000, Newmarket, 9-30, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.66, g/f.
1–PORTA FORTUNA (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Caravaggio
      1st Dam: Too Precious (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
      2nd Dam: Delicate Charm (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
      3rd Dam: Kantikoy (GB), by Alzao
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Medallion, S Weston, B Fowler & Reeves Thoroughbreds; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Oisin Murphy. £155,953. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Ire, 6-4-1-1, $408,564. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pearls And Rubies, 128, f, 2, No Nay Never–Diamondsandrubies (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs Richard Henry & Mrs John Magnier; B-Premier Bloodstock (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £59,125.
3–Sacred Angel (Ire), 128, f, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Sacred Aspect (Ire) (SW-Ire), by Haatef. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (£52,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Johnston. £29,590.
Margins: 1HF, HD, 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 33.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Cherry Blossom (Ire), Persian Dreamer, Jabaara (Ire), Soprano (Ire), Symbology (GB), Jasna's Secret (Fr), She's Quality (Ire), Shuangxi (Ire). Scratched: Juniper Berries (GB), Relief Rally (Ire).

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Expert Eye’s Snellen Wins The Chesham

Saturday's Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot was all about the fillies as the Gavin Cromwell-trained Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}–Illumined {Ire}, by Sea The Moon {Ger}) found the line just ahead of Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never). Off the mark at Limerick 10 days earlier, having won her barrier trial beforehand, Lindsay Laroche's homebred was keen early tracking the leader of the stand's-side group but had plenty in reserve when committed by Gary Carroll approaching two out. Green and errant late as the 7-4 favourite Pearls And Rubies drove to the line many lengths wider out in the centre of the track, the 12-1 shot was there a head in advance of her Aidan O'Brien-trained compatriot. Golden Mind (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and Oddyssey (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) fared best of the colts, finishing off strongly to be half a length away in a joint-third.

“The last half furlong was a very long half furlong for me–she was looking for company and started to lean a bit, but she's a very good filly,” Carroll said. “She is a little bit weak and was getting a little lonely when she started rolling. I tried to correct her in Limerick when she went like that and lost momentum. So I was going forwards and thought, 'keep going', and thankfully I hung on.” Cromwell added, “She has been nice from the word go and is progressing. I think she's going to improve as well.”

 

Richard Henry said of Pearls And Rubies, “She went to win her race and maybe got a bit lonely on her own. She has run a great race and will come on for the run. She is a sweet filly. Ryan thinks she could be very good.”

Pedigree Notes
The dam Illumined, who was a winner over 12 furlongs and was third in the Listed Foundation S. for George Strawbridge, was a 170,000gns purchase by Harvey Bloodstock at the 2020 Tatts December Mares Sale. Snellen, who becomes a landmark first black-type winner for her second-crop sire, is her first foal. She is kin to the listed scorer and G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Night Tango (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), who is in turn the dam of five black-type performers headed by the four-times group 1-winning King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II S. hero Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Illumined's second foal is a yearling filly by Blue Point (Ire), while she also has a colt foal by Gleneagles (Ire).

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
CHESHAM S.-Listed, £100,000, Ascot, 6-24, 2yo, 7fT, 1:29.36, g/f.
1–SNELLEN (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Expert Eye (GB)
1st Dam: Illumined (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Sea The Moon (Ger)
2nd Dam: Nenuphar (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Narola (Ger), by Nebos (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-L H LaRoche (IRE); T-Gavin Cromwell; J-Gary Carroll. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $88,302.
2–Pearls And Rubies, 126, f, 2, No Nay Never–Diamondsandrubies (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs Richard Henry & Mrs John Magnier; B-Premier Bloodstock (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £21,500.
(DH) 3–Golden Mind (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo Gold (GB)–Sagely (Ire), by Frozen Power (Ire). (150,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Richard Fahey. £10,760.
(DH) 3–Oddyssey (GB), 131, c, 2, Ulysses (Ire)–Last Echo (Ire), by Whipper. (10,500gns Ylg '22 TADEY). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Pinnacle Thoroughbreds 3; B-Culworth Grounds Farm (GB); T-Patrick Owens. £10,760.
Margins: HD, HF, HF, HF. Odds: 12.00, 1.75, 12.00, 125.00.
Also Ran: Hot Fuss (Ire), Carolina Reaper (GB), Nemonte (Ire), Dallas Star (Fr), Warnie (Ire), Sayedaty Sadaty (Ire), Matnookh (Ire), Maymay (Fr), Content (Ire), Lightning Leo (GB), Count Palatine (Ire), La Guarida (Ire). Scratched: Quatre Bras (Ire).

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Royal Ascot: “We Know He Is Good Enough.” Artorius Back for Jubilee Burn-Up

Royal Ascot 2023 winds up on Saturday with the centrepiece the meeting's now-familiar international dash, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. These are some of the fastest equine dragsters on the planet, with the 1:11.05 six-furlong course record of Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) potentially under threat as the high pressure continues to build over Berkshire. Australia's Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) returns a year older and more mature than when a close third 12 months ago as he covered the final three furlongs faster than any. Hong Kong's Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) gets the dual benefit of an overseas holiday in the English sun and some time away from his nemesis Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}). He's also got Ryan Moore, which can't be bad.

Sam Freedman is not feeling the same pressure with the current favourite Artorius as 12 months ago.

“He is a lot shorter in the market and there is a bit more expectation, but last year it was the unknown and whether he was going to measure up–this year we know he is good enough,” he explained. “I am not so concerned about the opposition, but more where he will end up and where he will get to in the run. I am confident taking on any of the sprinters in the world, but it is a case of getting the right transit and a bit of luck.”

US interest comes in the form of the Christophe Clement-trained Big Invasion (Declaration Of War) on a big day for Dean and Patti Reeves who had a share of the Albany success of Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) on Friday. He faces a stark new challenge here, but looked the kind of strong closer in the GI Jaipur that will enjoy this stiff six. English queen Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is back on the track four days after her gallant effort in the G1 King's Stand S., where she was definitely compromised by Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) who due to his drift looked a more worthy winner than he actually was. The good news for fans of John Quinn's triple group 1 winner is that she is not the type to let such an injustice fester and the vibe from her accomplished trainer straight after was that the experience will even bring her to a peak.

“We left her down all week and looked at her on Thursday morning and she seems fine, so we're quite happy to roll the dice,” her Malton-based trainer said. “Plenty of horses have run well in both races, so it's doable. She seems bright and she's no travelling to do, which is important.”

Marc Chan's G1 British Champions Sprint S. hero Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) will have to travel faster than he's ever done, something that won't be a problem for the dual Wokingham winner Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) who finally gets his crack at the meeting's big one on the fast ground he loves. Based on his times when taking his second renewal of the day's big handicap, he would have been in the mix in this especially as he was carrying seven pounds more than the Platinum Jubilee winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and clocked a final three furlongs 2/10 second faster than Artorius.

With the ground quickening with each passing day, Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. could be robbed of its star turn as connections of Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) revealed they will be checking out the lay of the land ahead of the mile-and-a-half test. Trainer Owen Burrows has avoided this kind of surface since the debut of Shadwell's G1 Coronation Cup winner and would welcome some storms in Berkshire. “This was the obvious race for him, our only slight worry is the ground being a bit quick for him, so I think we'll walk the track at midday on Saturday and make sure we're happy with it,” he said of the 6-year-old who was so impressive in last month's G3 Brigadier Gerard S. “He's won on a range of grounds, but I know speaking to Sheikha Hissa after he won at Sandown that Jim [Crowley] had mentioned to her that he's so much better on good ground and we want to look after him this year–we won't risk him on fast ground.”

George Strawbridge's talented Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is hardly the biggest fan of fast ground either, but she handled something near this when accounting for Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Middleton S. at York last month. Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) was on a quick surface when landing the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. over the course and distance when last seen and Willie Muir is relishing the end of the long wait. “As I've said all the way through, this is hopefully a prep race for the King George and will put the edge on him,” he said. “I've got no doubt his ability is all still there, but he's been off the course for a long time and we just want to get through this race and move on. As long as he goes through the race nice and comes home nice, we're laughing.”

Opening the card is the seven-furlong Listed Chesham S., where Ballydoyle's strong collection of juveniles is represented by the Navan scorer Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never) and the eye-catching Leopardstown third Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). In a renewal dominated by Irish-trained fillies, others to note are Lindsay Laroche's Limerick winner Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) and The Curragh scorer Nemonte (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) who is another to represent Reeves Thoroughbred Racing owned in partnership with Steven Rocco.

Shadwell's TDN Rising Star Enfjaar (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ballydoyle's proven The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Juddmonte's Covey (GB) (Frankel {GB}) seem the trio to focus on in the seven-furlong G3 Jersey S., with the latter unusually impressive in the always-competitive Silver Bowl H. at Haydock last month. “He's a very exciting horse and we look forward to seeing him out again,” Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon said. “He looks to have plenty of pace for seven furlongs and he gets a mile, so the stiff seven in Ascot should be fine for him.”

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