Observations: Half to Pyledriver Set For Wolves Debut

16.05 Wolverhampton, Nov, £6,500, 2yo, 7f 36y (AWT)
William Muir and Chris Grassick trainee STOCKPYLE (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is an unraced half-brother to last term's G1 St Leger third and this year's G1 Coronation Cup-winning stablemate Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}). He encounters nine rivals including Godolphin's once-raced Silent Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is a homebred half to three black-type performers headed by G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-winning sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), from the Charlie Appleby stable.

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Quality Lineup For Longines HKIR

Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and a team of five from Ballydoyle headed by defending G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase hero Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) are among a list of 49 world-class gallopers that have been extended invitations to the 2021 Longines Hong Kong International Races to be staged Sunday, Dec. 12, at Sha Tin Racecourse. Some 22 of the invitees have already struck at Group 1/Grade I level.

Following her history-making performance in the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6, the 5-year-old Loves Only You is set to journey from California to the same course and 2000-metre distance over which she won the G1 FWD QE II Cup on her world travels this past April as she swansongs in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup. She is set to be joined in the day's richest event by Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), victorious in this year's G1 Osaka Hai and perfect in a pair of starts at 10 furlongs, as well as the less-heralded Hishi Iguazu (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

The Japanese challenge numbers fully 10 of the 21 overseas-based horses and also includes Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), one of three horses back to defend their titles from 2020. The 6-year-old, whose sire was a spectacular two-time winner of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, exits a sixth in the G1 Sprinters' S. behind 3-year-old Pixie Knight (Jpn) and 4-year-old filly Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). The former is a son of Maurice (Jpn), winner of both a G1 Long Hong Kong Mile and Hong Kong Cup. While the connections of Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB})–Japan's best miler not named Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})–have passed on the Mile, four others will have a crack at Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Jpn), including Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who upset the recently retired Gran Alegria in this year's G1 Yasuda Kinen. Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks for a second G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase in three years, having been given a peach of ride by Joao Moreira to score in 2019.

 

Mogul will try to join former Ballydoyle inmate Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as two-time winners of the Vase and will attempt to become the first to go back-to-back in the race since Doctor Dino (Fr) (Muhtathir) in 2007/2008. His Aidan O'Brien stablemates Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}, Cup), the year-older full-brother to Mogul and a latest fourth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf; and Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up Broome (Ire) (Australia {Ire}, Vase) are also among those receiving invitations, though their participation hinges squarely on their performance in and well-being following this weekend's G1 Japan Cup. Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of this year's GI Belmont Derby, is also invited to the Vase, while G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is penciled in for the Mile.

The form of the G1 QIPCO Champion S. will be tested in the Cup by the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}), beaten three-parts of a length into second by Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the Ascot centrepiece Oct. 16, and the third home that day, Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), whose trainer Jim Bolger sent out Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}) to win the Cup back in 2004.

The Vase has lured an additional pair of interesting runners from Europe, including Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), upset winner of this year's G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom who resumed from a five-month break to score impressively in the Listed Churchill S. over the Lingfield all-weather Nov. 13. Aga Khan homebred Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) was a two-time winner at group level in France earlier this year for Alain de Royer-Dupre and ran Broome to one length in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July.

 

In addition to Golden Sixty, who figures a prohibitive favourite to run his current winning streak to 16 in the Mile, other top contenders from Hong Kong include Panfield (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky, Cup); the progressive Lucky Patch (NZ) (El Roca {Aus}) and Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) in the Sprint; and Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood {GB})–second to Panfield in the course-and-distance G1 Champions & Chater Cup–in the Vase. Reliable Team (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), who won the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000mT) Nov. 21, stretches out in trip for the Vase.

“The Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) is firmly established as one of the world's principal racing events and this year we will welcome an extraordinary line-up from Japan, Great Britain, Ireland and France which includes 16 individual Group 1 winners,” said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “To have runners of this calibre in any year would be notable but once again it is truly remarkable given the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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‘Not Like The Dirt Tracks In America’: Group 1 Winner Pyledriver Targeting Saudi Cup After Hong Kong

British trainer William Muir is aiming recent Lingfield winner Pyledriver towards The Saudi Cup meeting where his options include the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup and the $1.5 million Group 3 Neom Turf Cup.

The 4-year-old landed the Listed Churchill Stakes at the all-weather track on Saturday on his first run since winning the Group 1 Coronation Cup on Oaks Day at Epsom in June.

Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick, will now send Pyledriver for the Hong Kong Vase on Dec. 12 before a possible tilt at the world's most valuable race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 26.

Pyledriver missed his intended big-race summer targets with a pulled muscle, meaning he heads into a worldwide campaign as a relatively fresh horse.

Muir said: “His Lingfield win was exactly what we wanted to happen, probably a little bit more.

“Our plan, to start with, was to go to Germany for the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Bayern the previous week. We knew he would be competitive but we also knew he wasn't 100 per cent fit. With the long journey on a horse box and the race, it might just have taken the edge off him.

“The Churchill Stakes wasn't ideal – we had to give away a 7lbs penalty – but we thought it would be better as a prep race. The race went perfectly – it was a great performance. He's taken it well and come out of the race fantastically.”

The frustrations of his summer campaign – when he was ruled out of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes just days before the prestigious Ascot Group 1 contest – could turn out to be a blessing in disguise as Pyledriver embarks on his globetrotting adventures.

Muir added: “It was frustrating but it wasn't worrying because it wasn't really an injury, it was more of a niggle. Because he's such a good horse, you could have turned a niggle into a big problem if we hadn't done exactly what was right to do.

“I think he'd have gone very close in the King George. The last piece of work he did before the race was unbelievable, the way he looked and travelled. Maybe, it was meant to be, and this winter campaign is where it happens.

“We had planned in our minds that we would give him a break after the King George but it would've still been very tight. If we'd have won that, we would've probably said 'we'll have a go for the Juddmonte International at York', so we'd have had to stop then in August to give him a break. Would we have got back for Hong Kong? I don't know. This way, we're definitely on target, we're in great shape and we're ready to go.”

Pyledriver had a successful season last year. He won the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot before landing the Group 2 Great Voltigeur at York in August.

His trip to York is the furthest he's travelled from Muir and Grassick's base in Lambourn, but the co-trainer has few worries about jetting across the globe to take in the The Saudi Cup.

Muir added: “I don't think the travelling will bother him one little bit. Everything we've done with him over the years, nothing's phased him. I can't say for certain because he hasn't done it but he'll probably think it is good fun.

“After he won at Lingfield I walked round to see him back in his box before we left and he had his head over the door when a jumbo jet flew over. He was staring up at it and I said to him 'look closely son, that's where you're going next'.”

Pyledriver's biggest victories have come over distances around 2400m but he had little trouble dropping down to 2000m for the Churchill Stakes. The Saudi Cup, at 1800m on dirt, is shorter still, but Muir is not overly concerned about a possible switch of surface.

He revealed: “They reckon it's the nicest dirt track in the world. I talked to David Egan and Ted Voute (Prince Faisal's racing manager) who was out there last year and they both said it was a lovely surface. It's not like the dirt tracks in America and Ted said our horse would love it.

“Everything we've thrown at Pyledriver, he's taken, so I would be confident enough that he'd handle it. The nine-furlongs (1800m) of The Saudi Cup is the only sort of nagging concern.

“After we finished third in the St Leger last year, I was at pains to say that we would have rather dropped back to a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m) than step up to a mile-and-three-quarters (2800m). He's got so many gears, but we had a go, it was a British Classic and we had a go.

“The Saudi Cup meeting fits in with our time plan. At this moment in time, we're looking to go to Hong Kong, Saudi, then we'll go on to the Sheema Classic in Dubai. The Saudi Cup is attractive as it's the richest race in the world but it's one step at a time.”

Pyledriver gave Muir his first Group 1 victory when landing the Coronation Stakes. Now he could take him to the world's most valuable races.

Muir added: “It's fantastic. This is what we've strived for since I started training in 1990. Early on we had Averti, who was touched off in the Nunthorpe when he was unlucky in running and was runner-up in the Abbaye.

“We've had other very good horses but Pyledriver is the best we've had as he's won a Group 1. This is what all small yards are looking for. Having this horse is a privilege as he's just a very special horse.”

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Pyledriver Gets Gutsy Win In Churchill Stakes At Lingfield Park

Pyledriver was the headline act at Lingfield Park in Lingfield, England, this afternoon and duly delivered with a gutsy success in the Listed Betway Churchill Stakes over 10 furlongs, one of two Fast-Track Qualifiers on the card.

Joint-trainer William Muir had urged caution in the build-up to the race given it was Pyledriver's first outing since winning the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in early June.

Sent off the 6/4 favorite under Martin Dwyer, Pyledriver raced enthusiastically behind front runner Fox Tal before launching a strong challenge on the home turn. The four-year-old held a slender advantage passing the furlong pole and stayed on gamely to repel Harrovian by half a length. Felix was a neck further back in third.

This success sets up Pyledriver for an international campaign, with next month's G1 Hong Kong Vase his next port of call, and also guarantees his place in the £200,000 Betway Easter Classic on Finals Day.

Muir said: “Pyledriver has never let anybody down. He wasn't fit today and we brought him here purposely to improve from it.

“Silvestre [de Sousa, rider of Fox Tal] wanted to go on and we got the perfect sit behind him. Martin said the gears our lad showed when they turned in…he was gone, and then he just got tired late on.

“He was 12 kilograms over his racing weight coming here today. It was the same at Newmarket at the start of the season, but I wasn't worried he got beat that day because I knew he would improve. He has just given 7lb to race-fit horses and he wasn't fit. It was a hell of a performance.

“Hong Kong is our main target and then beyond that, we are looking at the Saudi Cup and the Dubai Sheema Classic. Why not have a go at the Saudi Cup? They reckon it is the nicest dirt track in the world. Ted Voute said it's a fantastic surface and reckons this horse will love it.”

Dwyer said: “Pyledriver was a bit full of himself but that is to be expected after a lay-off. I was delighted with him. He traveled lovely and showed a good turn of foot off the bend.

“It worked out nicely with Silvestre making the pace and going a pretty decent lick. He is an exuberant runner this fella and I preferred to sit a few lengths off the leader rather than right behind him.

“He had a bit against him today, down in trip under a penalty. I think he was only 80 percent fit, but this is a great stepping-stone to the big races.

“I chased him round the bend after the line because I wanted him to get something out of it. He has to go a mile and a half on the turf next in a month's time. I wanted him to take his jacket off and do a bit of work today, so it means we don't have to do tons with him between now and his next race.

“He is a Group 1 winner and a Group 1 horse. A lot of people have been following this horse over the last couple of years. He won on his debut at 50/1 and has been a real success story for his owner-breeders and the whole team.”

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