Pinatubo | Horse Racing Free Tips

Godolphin Triple Threat In Moulin

Three of Godolphin’s finest make up a stellar six-strong field for Sunday’s G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, with the main focus on the operation’s champion Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal). Back to a mile following his initial 3-year-old success in the seven-furlong G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on July 12, last year’s sensational G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. winner has yet to truly convince that he is as effective over this trip as he looked to be outstayed when third in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on June 6 and second to Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot a fortnight later. Charlie Appleby said, “We were delighted to see Pinatubo get his head back in front in the Prix Jean Prat after gallant efforts in the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace S. We purposely gave him a break after that run with the view of going for this race. His preparation has gone well and we are looking forward to stepping him back up to a mile. It’s a very competitive race, but we are very confident that we have Pinatubo in great shape and he is going to run a big race. I think it will be tactical, but Pinatubo is blessed with the way he travels and his turn of foot. Hopefully, if we can get everything in the right order, he is going to be a big player.”

Also in the royal blue are the Andre Fabre-trained TDN Rising Stars Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Victor Ludorum (Ire) (Shamardal), who are the two most recent winners of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and who both placed in their respective renewals of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club. While both have been tried over further, they have proven to be versatile with regards to trip and form a strong second line for the operation. Persian King was fourth when last year’s Moulin winner Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was third behind Palace Pier in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16, with Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) back in fifth, but that was on deep ground which also played against Victor Ludorum as he was third in that track’s G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano tackling 10 furlongs on Aug. 15. “The Prix Jacques le Marois was a race run under very particular circumstances and Persian King’s performance reflected that,” Fabre commented. “The conditions are much more in his favour here. Victor Ludorum has come out of his last race in good form and we are looking forward to seeing him back over a mile.”

Robert Ng’s Romanised went down narrowly to Circus Maximus in a battle royal 12 months ago and there was controversy that the stewards let the result stand. Romanised is a true class act when the ground is riding good or quicker as it is likely to be on Sunday and his Jacques le Marois effort can be forgiven with the surface sapping his class. Trainer Ken Condon is enjoying his best season and said, “We’re very happy with the horse. He did his last piece of work on Tuesday morning and it went very smoothly. They tell me the ground will be good or even on the quick side, which will suit Romanised very well.”

Also from Ireland is Khalid Abdullah’s June 12 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Siskin (First Defence), who suffered a reversal for the first time when third behind Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Circus Maximus in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood on July 29. “He was beaten by two better horses on the day at Goodwood, but it was a lovely run by the horse,” trainer Ger Lyons commented. “We were beaten by an exceptional miler in Mohaather and a rock-solid horse in Circus Maximus. I thought my horse ran a career-best and he was just found wanting against two stronger animals on the day. Physically he’s definitely improved through the summer. He’s not ground-dependent, but I know he likes faster ground–that’s what he’s most comfortable on.”

ParisLongchamp’s card also features the G3 Prix la Rochette for 2-year-olds over seven furlongs and Appleby is represented by Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the 4 1/2-length winner of York’s Aug. 21 Convivial maiden over this trip. “Naval Crown won a strong maiden in good fashion and came out of the race well,” Appleby said. “He has come on with each run and this looks a nice race for him to step up to pattern company.” He meets Haras de la Gousserie and Guy Pariente’s impressive Aug. 6 Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and a promising Jean-Claude Rouget project in Jean-Louis Bouchard’s June 30 Saint-Cloud winner Darkness (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

There are two 10-furlong contests on the card, with the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte for older horses featuring The Aga Khan’s Aug. 23 G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet fourth Dariyma (Fr) (City Zip) and the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange for the Classic generation seeing Team Valor International, Andre Brakha and Anant Singh’s Hurricane Dream (Fr) (Hurricane Cat) bid to confirm the form of Deauville’s Aug. 16 Listed Prix Nureyev with the runner-up Dawn Intello (Fr) (Intello {Ger}). Both took part in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on July 5, with Dawn Intello finishing fourth and Hurricane Dream ninth after contrasting trips throughout that 10 1/2-furlong Classic. Eighth was another Rouget runner in Ecurie Antonio Caro’s Fantastic Spirit (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) and he has subsequently enjoyed a confidence-restoring handicap win on heavy ground at Deauville on Aug. 15.

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Doyle Picks Up Pinatubo Mount

James Doyle will renew his partnership with Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) in Sunday’s G1 Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp, which frees up William Buick to ride Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in next Saturday’s G1 Irish Champion S. should the 5-year-old take up that assignment.

As an elite sportsman, Doyle will need to quarantine for eight days upon returning to the UK from France and provide two negative COVID-19 tests. Ireland’s quarantine rules were adjusted on Thursday to allow jockeys to travel to the country to ride at Group 1 meetings, paving the way for Buick to ride Ghaiyyath.

“We are in a very privileged position to have two retained world-class jockeys in James and William,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “We have looked at the logistics of it all and hopefully how it’s going to work out. James is going to France on Sunday to ride Pinatubo, who he knows equally as well as William. James rode him during the week and was very pleased with him. James also rides the 2-year-old on Sunday [Naval Crown in the G3 Prix la Rochette], so he’ll have two mounts. We have runners in France later in the week, but we’ll make a decision over the weekend on whether he’ll stay or come back and start his quarantine.”

Doyle rode Pinatubo in his first four starts last year, all wins, including the Listed Chesham S. and G2 Vintage S.

“I haven’t ridden him since Goodwood last year, so it will be great to get back on board,” Doyle said. “I sat on him on Wednesday morning and he seems in good shape. There’s only the six runners on Sunday, but I think they’ve won 14 Group 1s between them, so it’s a pretty strong renewal to say the least. It would be great to get that Group 1 win over a mile with him. I’ll be having a week off when I come back from France, but if any horse is worth it, you’d think it would be Pinatubo.”

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Prix Jean Prat Winner Pinatubo Now Heading Standings For Cartier 3-Year-Old Colt

Pinatubo, winner of the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt award in 2019, now heads the latest standings for Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt in 2020 following his victory in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, France, on July 12.

The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards – the Cartier Horse Of The Year, the Cartier Older Horse, the Cartier Sprinter, the Cartier Stayer, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.

European horseracing's top awards are delivered through a tried and tested combination of points earned by horses in Pattern races (30%), combined at the end of season with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists/handicappers (35%) and votes from readers of Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph (35%). The participation of the public plays a crucial role in determining the winners of each year's Cartier Racing Awards and gives horseracing fans the chance to put forward their favourite horses in a meaningful way.

In addition to the equine awards, the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit goes to the person or persons who, in the opinion of the special 16-strong Cartier Jury, has/have done the most for European racing and/or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months. The 10 most recent recipients have been Pat Smullen, David Oldrey, Sir Michael Stoute, Aidan O'Brien, Jack Berry, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Jim Bolger, Team Frankel, Barry Hills and Richard Hannon Sr.

The 30th annual Cartier Racing Awards will be awarded in November. Cartier continues its ongoing support with the presentation of Cartier Racing Awards in 2020, despite the cancellation of the traditional awards ceremony at The Dorchester in London, due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Cartier looks forward to resuming the awards ceremony in 2021.

Homebred by the Maktoum family's Godolphin operation, Shamardal colt Pinatubo (56 points) went through 2019 unbeaten in six races, culminating with G1 victories at the Curragh and Newmarket. The Charlie Appleby-trained colt began this season with placed efforts in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and at Royal Ascot in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes before registering a third career success at G1 level in the Qatar Prix Jean Prat. His closest pursuer in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category is Santiago (48), who was successful in the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot before going on to land the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Pinatubo also enters the reckoning for Cartier Horse of the Year, where the standings continue to be headed by Way To Paris (72), who has scored at G1 and G2 level already in 2020. Way To Paris, owned by Paolo Ferrario and trained by Andrea Marcialis, also leads in the Cartier Older Horse category. A significant mover in both the Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse standings is Nazeef (48), trained by John Gosden for Hamdan Al Maktoum. A daughter of Invincible Spirit, Nazeef has won all three of her starts so far this year. Her latest victory was her best yet as she took the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes on July 10, one of the highlights of Newmarket's Moët & Chandon July Festival.

Also successful at the three-day meeting was Oxted (40), who handed trainer Roger Teal a first G1 success in the six-furlong G1 Darley July Cup. The four-year-old Mayson gelding progressed through handicap company last season and displayed further improvement when landing the G3 Betway Abernant Stakes on his return to action at Newmarket in June. Oxted currently leads the Cartier Sprinter category alongside Golden Horde (40), winner of the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and third behind Oxted at Newmarket.

Love (64) continues to maintain her clear lead in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly category following her Classic victories in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and G1 Investec Oaks. The Galileo filly, trained by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore syndicate, is set to head to York next for the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks in August.

It is a similar story in the Cartier Stayer division where Stradivarius (32), who was crowned Cartier Stayer in 2018 and 2019, continues to head the standings. Owned by Bjorn Nielsen and trained by John Gosden, Stradivarius claimed his third consecutive success in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and is expected to attempt for a fourth win the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup on July 28.

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The Weekly Wrap: Blue Is The Colour

A sea of blue dominated winner’s enclosures in Britain and France this week, largely owing to the successful season currently being enjoyed by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation and Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell team. The brothers occupy the top two slots in the owners’ table in Britain, and Godolphin is also currently the leading owner in France.

While Sheikh Mohammed has a significant number of horses in Chantilly with Andre Fabre, who oversaw the successful return of France’s champion 2-year-old of last year, Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), in the Listed Prix Kistena, it was the marauding team of visitors from Charlie Appleby’s stable which really took Deauville by storm on Sunday. At the top of the list was Pinatubo (Shamardal), making a return to winning ways in the G1 Prix Jean Prat. But, let’s face it, if a third-place finish in the 2000 Guineas and a second in the St James’s Palace S. are the only blots on an otherwise spotless copybook, he was hardly a horse coming back from the doldrums. Nonetheless, it is always satisfying to see the champion 2-year-old add to his tally at three and beyond, and it was pleasing to see the hugely likeable Pinatubo triumph in the same race used as a ‘recovery mission’ for the previous season’s champion juvenile Too Darn Hot (GB).

The two colts are sons, respectively, of the two stallions who have contributed enormously to Godolphin’s resurgence in recent years: Shamardal and Dubawi. The loss of the former in April will be rued for years to come, as just a quick glance at Sunday’s Deauville card shows. Along with Earthlight and Pinatubo, Shamardal is also the sire of the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Royal Crusade (GB), and is the damsire of listed Prix Amandine winner Althiqa (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who together formed the Appleby stakes treble along with Pinatubo. He was also the grandsire of the third horse home in the Jean Prat, the Marco Botti-trained Malotru (GB) (Casamento {Ire}), while in Germany, his 4-year-old daughter Half Light (Ire) struck in the G3 Sparkasse-Holstein Cup for Henri-Alex Pantall, who won last season’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches with another Shamardal filly, Castle Lady (Ire).

Dubawi is no slacker himself and in the week following the triumph of his son Ghaiyyath (Ire) over Enable (GB) in the Eclipse, his stakes winners kept rolling in. It’s too much to hope that Master Of The Seas (Ire) could be another Pinatubo for Appleby so soon, but his G2 bet365 Superlative S. win after a tetchy start was pretty convincing and means he is now unbeaten in two races. Dubawi cannot take all the credit, however, as Master Of The Seas is out of Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill), a smart performer herself and notably runner up to Kingman’s dam Zenda (GB) (Zamindar) in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. She is also now the dam of five black-type performers among her seven winners.

Al Suhail (GB)—more of whom below—was another stakes winner for Appleby and Dubawi on the first day of racing on the July Course this season, while Too Darn Hot’s full-brother Darain (GB) made an impressive start to his racing career, winning a Newbury novice race by almost five lengths.

The decent start made by Dubawi’s first-crop son New Bay (GB) was noted in last week’s column but it is worth reiterating this following two more good winners—Jumby (GB) and Vafortino (Ire)—in Britain and Ireland on Saturday. From just ten runners to date, New Bay now has six winners.

It’s a strike-rate to crow about, as is the fact the last year’s champion freshman Night Of Thunder (Ire), also by Dubawi, has now sired eight black-type winners this season, including Thursday’s G2 Dante S. winner Thunderous (Ire), a welcome big-race success for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.

Oxted Provides First For Many
Away from these powerhouse operations and stallions, the result of the G1 Darley July Cup gave a lift to those operating on a smaller scale. Owned in partnership by his breeders Stephen Piper, Tony Hirschfield and David Fish,

Oxted (GB) not only provided a first Group 1 winner for his fellow July Cup-winning father Mayson (GB) but also for his trainer Roger Teal and young jockey Cieren Fallon.

He was the first foal of his dam Charlotte Rosina (GB), a daughter of July Cup runner-up Choisir (Aus), who was also trained by Teal for the same syndicate under the Homecroft Wealth Racing banner. His full-brother Chipstead (GB)—named after the Surrey village which is home to his birthplace of Hirschfield’s Cheval Court Stud, not far from the village of Oxted—is now also in training in the stable. To complete the July Cup omens, Oxted inhabits the same box as the winner of the race in 1993, Hamas (Ire) (Danzig), who was trained by Peter Walwyn at Windsor House Stables in Lambourn where Teal took up residency at the start of this year.

The move has certainly done the trainer no harm, and his biggest win to date followed the success of Gussy Mac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Listed Dragon S. the previous weekend.

Star Appeal
Before Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) came along, Shirocco Star (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) had come closest to being a homebred Oaks winner for Meon Valley Stud when she was beaten just a neck by Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2012, finishing half a length in front of third-placed The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}). She has been quick to consolidate her position in the Meon Valley broodmare band, too.

Her first foal is the 92-rated dual winner Starcaster (GB) ((Dansili {GB}), who is now in training with Anthony Freedman in Australia. His year-younger brother Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {GB}) won last year’s G2 Dante S. and recently bounced back to form with a wide-margin win in the G3 La Coupe at Longchamp. In the last week, 3-year-old Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a 1.1 million gns yearling who was group-placed last season, became the mare’s second black-type winner when landing the listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at Newmarket by six lengths.

All three of these sons could yet garner more stakes success and, while Shirocco Star has no current 2-year-old or yearling to represent her, she produced her first daughter, by Frankel, on Feb. 14.

Telecaster and Al Suhail are not the only male graduates to be flying the flag for the Hampshire nursery this year as Meon Valley Stud also bred the exciting staying prospect Dashing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), whose two runs in 2020 have resulted in victory in the listed Buckhounds S. and G3 Henry II S. to add to his win in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot last year.

While Shirocco Star is a fifth-generation descendant of Reprocolor (GB) (Jimmy Reppin {GB}), the most celebrated of the Meon Valley foundation mares, Dashing Willoughby’s dam Miss Dashwood (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is the same number of generations removed from Reprocolor’s contemporary One In A Million (GB) (Rarity {GB}).

The reassuring longevity and success of a well-managed and relatively small British breeding operation continues.

Make Busy
Last week’s wrap touched on the start made by Ballylinch Stud’s Make Believe (GB) through his first-crop Classic winner Mishriff (GB) and it would be remiss not to acknowledge the continuing achievements of the filly who was a ‘breakthrough’ runner for the stallion. The Mark Johnston-trained Rose Of Kildare (Ire), bred by Wansdyke Farms Ltd at Oghill House Stud, was Make Believe’s first winner on May 20 last year. That was her third start; she won again nine days later and clinched another three races, including a pair of Group 3s, before her juvenile season was out. She headed for her winter break after running 12 times between Apr. 30 and Oct. 11 for five wins and three places.

Since racing resumed in June, Rose Of Kildare has run four times, finishing third in the G2 German 1000 Guineas and then third in the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. on ‘Derby day’. Just five days later she was back out to claim her first win of the year in the rescheduled G3 Tattersalls Musidora S.

The tough filly was partly responsible for a memorable day for Johnston and jockey Franny Norton, who also combined to win the G2 Dante S. with Thunderous (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

Norton, who turns 50 this year and is arguably riding better then ever, joked in a recent interview that if his children are naughty he threatens them by saying he’s going to send them to Mark Johnston. Certainly, the horses in his stable tend to work hard and race often, and Rose Of Kildare is not the only one who has shown that she thrives on a busy campaign.

Make Believe’s sire Makfi (GB) started his career at Tweenhills Farm & Stud and completed two terms at the Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval before being exported to stand at the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association’s Shizunai Stallion Station in 2017. He also appeared as grandsire of another stakes winner this week: The Queen’s G2 Tattersalls July S. winner Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) is out of his listed-placed daughter Make Fast (GB).

Hollie Go Brightly
Ben Curtis may be romping away with the British jockeys’ championship and is the only rider with more than 100 wins to his name at this stage, but heading the chasing pack is Hollie Doyle, whose season and profile goes from strength to strength.

After landing her first Royal Ascot victory and becoming only the third woman to ride a winner in the meeting’s history, Doyle secured her first group win on Anthony Oppenheimer’s Dame Malliot (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in the G2 Princess Of Wales’s S. at Newmarket last Thursday. The 4-year-old filly is a credit to her trainer Ed Vaughan, who had her in fine shape for her resumption after 301 days away from the racecourse. She also continued a fine season for Oppenheimer’s Hascombe & Valiant Studs, which has also been represented by G2 Ribblesdale S. winner and Oaks third Frankly Darling (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and has last year’s Irish Oaks and Prix Vermeille winner Starcatcher (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) waiting in the wings for her seasonal comeback.

Doyle’s Royal Ascot winner came aboard Scarlet Dragon (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) for Alan King, who was busy restocking the Flat section of his yard at last week’s Tattersalls Guineas Sale, where he bought four juveniles, including the 140,000gns top lot. From five runners at Royal Ascot, King saddled three winners and a second. That runner-up, Tritonic (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who was bought at last year’s Guineas Sale, will bid to improve on that good run in Thursday’s listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glasgow S. at Hamilton with Doyle booked to ride.

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