Qatar Goodwood Festival | Horse Racing Free Tips

Battaash Cracks the Track Record As he Makes It Four King Georges

His odds were 2-7 and that proved generous as early as halfway as Shadwell’s Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) pulled off a historic fourth victory in Goodwood’s G2 King George Qatar S. on Friday. Recording his fastest time (55.62) in the race in the process, the G1 Nunthorpe S., G1 King’s Stand S. and G1 Prix de l’Abbaye hero was shadowed by last year’s G1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) but was comfortably on top at the line to score by 2 1/4 lengths, with Ornate (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) a neck away in third as he replicated his position in this 12 months ago. Dragged along by the fastest horse in Europe, the next two home also broke his previous track record.

“He was good, just getting a bit lonely out in front but it’s very hard to find horses quick enough to lead him,” Jim Crowley commented. “He was in front a long way and was just idling, so I had to give him a couple of taps just to keep his mind on the job. He’s so fast and very consistent now. If a horse wants to take him on in a race then good luck to them. He’s so quick he burns them off from halfway.”

Battaash’s achievement in bringing up four wins in this is nothing short of remarkable and history bears that out as fact. Of all the current group 1 and group 2 sprints in operation, he is the only one to garner that amount of successes in the same race with only Fine Art (Fr) bettering it with his five victories in the Prix du Gros Chêne from 1942 to 1946. Post-war, he is out on his own and this was all the more meritorious in that he was slicing a decent fragment off his prior track record on terrain made to measure for his style. There have been very few who could go with him once he had done the damage travelling downhill and it took a fast Australian mare to make any kind of impact as Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) became the sole rival to get within a length of him at the finish of this race last term.

When you are this good, the only one left to beat is yourself and in his younger days Battaash was guilty of doing that on the occasions that his hot temperament got the better of him. Each year, with consistent tender handling and love and attention, he has become ever more the finished article in terms of maturity and now wanders around the parade ring like an old sage. Having finally conquered York’s flat Knavesmire to win the Nunthorpe in August, he annexed a first King’s Stand on his latest start June 16 and has now set this benchmark which is unlikely ever to be met. He does not even need to blast from the outset any more, with Crowley opting to coast through the first 1 1/2 furlongs without the lead as the free-running French raider Ken Colt (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) managed to outspeed Ornate.

Charlie Hills was revelling in the moment as he tried to find expression for what he just seen. “He’s so talented and we’re very proud of him. To have a horse like him in the yard at six is amazing, to be involved with him means everything,” he commented. “Four consecutive group twos takes some doing, he’s not the biggest horse in the world but is so fast and well-balanced. He’s a true athlete. Further Flight, who my dad trained, is the only horse to win a pattern race five years on the trot so we might come back next year!”

Hills is looking at the familiar European sprint options now, but was also not ruling out a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup. “He’s not overly-raced and will have maybe two more runs this year,” he added. “We’re looking forward to the [G1] Coolmore Nunthorpe now and then probably the Abbaye, but it’s a strange year and no-one really knows what the future holds. He’ll go on until he tells us he’s not the horse he was today. I love America and it would be tremendously exciting if he did go.”

Kevin Ryan said of Glass Slippers, “She has run a blinder. I thought for a minute she was going to give him a race, but it is a great achievement by Battaash to win this race four years running. I’m delighted with our filly. It is a possibility we could look at the Nunthorpe, but she is in the [G1] Flying Five in Ireland and we wouldn’t mind going back up to six furlongs again in the [G1] Sprint Cup at Haydock. We always planned to run in the Sprint Cup, as she is as effective over six as she is over five furlongs. That could be an interesting race.”

Battaash is the first foal out of Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who is a half-sister to four black-type performers including this operation’s Etlaala (GB) (Selkirk) who captured the G2 Champagne S. and was third in the G1 July Cup. Her other half-sibling Bird Key (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) produced another leading sprinter in these silks in the G2 Duke of York S. winner and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. and G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S.-placed Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Anna Law also has Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ unraced 3-year-old filly Valletta Gold (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) who is in training with John Quinn, and also the 2-year-old full-sister to Battaash who was bought by Shadwell for 800,000gns at last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. She is named Altaayshah (Ire) and is in training with Charlie Hills.

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £125,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 3yo/up, 5fT, :55.62 (NTR), g/f.
1–BATTAASH (IRE), 133, g, 6, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Anna Law (Ire), by Lawman (Fr)
2nd Dam: Portelet (GB), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Noirmant (Ire), by Dominion (GB)
(200,000gns Ylg ’15 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Ballyphilip Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Jim Crowley. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 2x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 5-7f, Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 5-7f & G1SW-Fr, 22-12-2-3, $2,072,804. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Glass Slippers (GB), 125, f, 4, Dream Ahead–Night Gypsy (GB), by Mind Games (GB). O-Bearstone Stud Limited; B-Bearstone Stud Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. £26,875.
3–Ornate (GB), 128, g, 7, Bahamian Bounty (GB)–Adorn (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (110,000gns HRA ’17 TATAHI). O-Kings Road Racing Partnership; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-David Griffiths. £13,450.
Margins: 2 1/4, NK, 4. Odds: 0.29, 14.00, 100.00.
Also Ran: Liberty Beach (GB), Dubai Station (GB), Ken Colt (Ire), Al Raya (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Battaash Cracks the Track Record As he Makes It Four King Georges appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Tilsit Confirmed Thoroughbred Winner After Enquiry

Khalid Abdullah’s Tilsit (First Defence) followed up a June 4 debut second at Newcastle with a breakthrough score–by a whopping 19 lengths–back there June 27 and survived a lengthy stewards’ enquiry to be confirmed the winner of Friday’s G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. at Goodwood. The 10-1 chance was steadied to race in third behind a modest tempo set by My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and remained there through halfway in this turf bow. Quickening to launch his challenge at the quarter-mile marker, he edged in front entering the final eighth, but suddenly veered right to force that rival into the far-side fence with 150 yards remaining before returning on an even keel to hit the line with a 1 1/2-length advantage. My Oberon somehow managed to remain upright for second place, finishing 2 1/2 lengths ahead of 4-7 favourite Khaloosy (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in third. As expected, Ryan Moore was sanctioned for the final-furlong incident which impeded My Oberon and incurred a five-day suspension for careless riding in the debrief.

“Tilsit had two runs at Newcastle, which is a completely different track to Goodwood, and it was his first start on turf so he has really stepped up and done so well,” commented trainer Charlie Hills. “It was a good step forward really and he has beaten two very nice horses. We knew coming into today that we would know where we would stand after the race and we are all very excited now. Tilsit has come a long way and the guys at home have done a great job. [NH jockey] Will Kennedy has been coming in most days to ride and he has done a fantastic job. A lot of thought has gone into this horse. We’ll see how he is tomorrow morning and go from there. We could maybe come back here for the [G2] Celebration Mile.”

Teddy Grimthorpe added, “That was a huge step forward, but he is still very babyish and has to mature. You could see that slightly in the paddock beforehand, but he was much better than he was the previous two times. He has handled the race pretty well, but he did wander a bit, no doubt about that. He has some talent, no question, and I think fast ground is the key to him as well. I think he is still a bit goofy and immature and I wasn’t at all optimistic we would keep the race. He was the best horse, no doubt about that, but it always worries me. Ryan [Moore] had his whip in his right hand, so that was good, and he has just dived in. He was always going to win so from that point of view the rules are spot on, but it is always a nervous moment. This was Tilsit’s first race on turf and part of the learning curve for him, but he is pretty progressive by the looks of things. The Celebration Mile here could be a possibility and it is always nice to have a few thoughts about where we go and what to do. He looks on an upward curve and, trip-wise, I think we will stay at a mile.”

Tilsit is the first of four foals produced by a daughter of G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Zenda (GB) (Zamindar), herself a half-sister to MG1SW sire Oasis Dream (GB) (Green Desert). The homebred bay is a half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old gelding Bilingual (English Channel), a yearling colt by Kitten’s Joy and a 2020 Noble Mission (GB) filly. Zenda, of course, is also the dam of MG1SW sire Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), GSW sire Remote (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and G3 Cumberland Lodge S. third First Eleven (GB) (Frankel {GB}). She is also the second dam of this month’s G3 Musidora S. third Ricetta (GB) (Camelot {GB}), GIII Sham S. second Let’s Meet In Rio (Flatter), G2 German 2000 Guineas runner-up Fajjaj (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and stakes-winning G2 Gimcrack S. placegetter Repartee (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), himself last of five in this contest.

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £50,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 3yo, 8fT, 1:40.46, g/f.
1–TILSIT, 127, c, 3, by First Defence
                1st Dam: Multilingual (GB), by Dansili (GB)
                2nd Dam: Zenda (GB), by Zamindar
                3rd Dam: Hope (Ire), by Dancing Brave
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Charlie Hills; J-Ryan Moore. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $42,992. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–My Oberon (Ire), 127, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–My Titania (Ire), by Sea the Stars (Ire). O/B-Sunderland Holding Inc (IRE); T-William Haggas. £10,750.
3–Khaloosy (Ire), 127, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Elshaadin (GB), by Dalakhani (Ire). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £5,380.
Margins: 1HF, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 10.00, 3.00, 0.57.
Also Ran: Mystery Power (Ire), Repartee (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Tilsit Confirmed Thoroughbred Winner After Enquiry appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Battaash Graces Goodwood Friday

Friday of the Qatar Goodwood Festival means Shadwell’s Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) once again and these cherished days of the history-makers fortunately seem to go on and on. Where Tuesday’s legend Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) led with a fourth renewal of one of the meeting’s prestige events over two miles, so Charlie Hills’s fireball goes to post for the same tally in the G2 King George Qatar S. over the minimum five furlongs. As strong as ever last time when taking Royal Ascot’s G1 King’s Stand S., the 6-year-old is at home on these Downs and is reported in fine order by his trainer. “Battaash came out of the King’s Stand really well. He has been fresh since then and he goes into Goodwood in similar form to last year,” he said.

“At Ascot, I thought he always looked in command. He travelled sweetly through the race, picked up and won pretty comfortably,” Hills added. “He’s very straightforward these days. We have got a good routine with him now–we have got a good team of people that ride him and look after him. Goodwood is a speed track–you go down a hill and that really plays into his favour. He is so quick mid-race that he tends to get his rivals uncomfortable with the pace he’s going and that is really where it plays into his advantage. For me, he is a horse of a lifetime. He has not been the most straightforward through his career and there have been times earlier on when he was very tricky to manage, but it’s great credit to all the team to have turned him into the superstar he is.”

Third in the King’s Stand, last year’s G3 Molecomb S. winner Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) comes at Battaash again having finished runner-up to A’Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) in Sandown’s G3 Coral Charge July 5. She at least gets an extra three pounds from the favourite due to his group 1 penalty and this track will play more to her strengths than Ascot. “I don’t think there was too much wrong with her last run at Sandown. The horse that gave her a lead dropped away and she probably hit the front a bit too soon on a day there was a strong headwind,” trainer John Quinn explained. “It looked like she would go away and win, but the other horse had a bit of cover and was the best horse on the day. The winner has won a group race at the Curragh since, so it looks good form. Our filly is in good order and we know she likes the track. Battaash will be very hard to beat, but we’ll give it a go.”

Last year’s G1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) also tries again to beat Battaash, having been fifth in the King’s Stand, and she is one of two Arc day winners on this card alongside One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Lael Stable’s dual G1 Prix de la Foret heroine takes a class drop in the G3 Saint Clair Oak Tree S. over the seven-furlong trip that she excels at. Fourth in this from a wide draw in 2018 before she proved herself a top-class performer, the homebred was beaten around a length when fourth in Newmarket’s G1 Falmouth S. July 10 and drawn in one this time should make her class tell. Trainer William Haggas is concerned about potentially fast conditions, however. “I just don’t want the ground to dry out too much for her, but she’s in great form,” he said. “It is a bit of a drop in class, but there are so few seven-furlong races for her. You’ve got the [G2] Hungerford and the [G2] City of York S. coming up, so she’ll go for one or both of those next.”

If One Master has one to worry about, it could be Marc Chan’s 3-year-old Valeria Messalina (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who took the G3 Brownstown S. over this trip at Cork last time July 12. Judging by how well the fellow Jessie Harrington-trained One Voice (Ire) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) performed in the G1 Nassau S. on Thursday, she is worthy of respect with Frankie Dettori on board.

In the G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S., there could be more cheer for Shadwell as the highly impressive Britannia H. winner Khaloosy (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) steps into pattern company on the back of his 4 1/2-length success in that seemingly-competitive June 18 Royal Ascot contest. He is met by Khalid Abdullah’s 19-length June 27 Newcastle novice winner Tilsit (First Defence) and Sunderland Holding’s six-length July 18 novice scorer My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in an intriguing encounter between potential class acts.

Click here for the group fields.

The post Battaash Graces Goodwood Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Fancy Blue Battles To Nassau Success

Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), fresh from a thrilling victory in Chantilly’s G1 Prix de Diane earlier this month, doubled up in battling fashion and continued to lead the way for the freshman stable of Donnacha O’Brien with a second Group 1 success in Thursday’s G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood. Accepting a tow from Aidan O’Brien trainee and G1 Mackinnon S. victress Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) into the straight, the 11-4 chance inched closer to launch her challenge at the quarter-mile marker and was driven out once taking control soon after to withstand the late charge of last month’s G3 Blue Wind S. victress One Voice (Ire) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) by a neck, providing Ryan Moore with a 50th Goodwood festival success. Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) finished a further 2 3/4 lengths adrift in third. “That was a lovely performance from Fancy Blue, she is unbelievable and it is massive as you never believe you will get one like her in your first year of training,” said conditioner Donnacha O’Brien. “When you have the pedigrees that Coolmore have, you always have a chance and I am very lucky. I was given Fancy Blue as a yearling and you don’t really expect these kind of things, but when they come along it is more unlikely that the majority will be up to this sort of Group 1 class. You do right by them so that they will fulfil their full potential and thankfully she has reached that class. It is unbelievable that I get a filly like her in my first year. People go a lifetime without getting a filly like her and I am no under no illusions as to how lucky I am, and I just need to do the best I can with her. I was looking after her as a yearling and I was responsible for her, but I didn’t have my licence so she was not under my name.”

The homebred bay was unbeaten in two juvenile outings for Aidan O’Brien, backing up a Naas debut success with victory in The Curragh’s Listed Staffordstown Stud S., and her first official start for O’Brien junior was a runner-up finish to Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas on seasonal debut before turning the tables on that former stablemate at Chantilly last time. “I was hopeful of a good performance due to the weight she was getting [from the older fillies], and this race fitted in well after her win in the French Oaks,” O’Brien commented. “Every race she has won she has had to battle for and work for it. Jessie [Harrington]’s filly [One Voice] came at her today and if she had got into a proper battle with her, I think she would have found more. She is a very tough, high-class filly who has shown how good she is today. We came here today unsure as to what she would think of the ground. I was speaking to Dad during the race that she was swapping and changing her lead leg coming down the hill. She didn’t look particularly comfortable and I think a little bit of juice in the ground won’t be any harm for her in the future.”

Looking ahead to targets over a variety of distances, the rookie trainer revealed an extensive agenda. “We will give her a little break now as she has had a busy start to the year,” he announced. “We might look at Irish Champions Weekend to bring her back and that could be in the [G1] Matron [over one mile at Leopardstown], which I know is back down in trip, or in the [G1] Irish Champion [over 10 furlongs]. She’ll then go to Arc weekend where she has the option of the [G1] Prix de l’Opera [over 10 furlongs] or the Arc itself. After that, it will probably be the Breeders’ Cup or a trip to Japan for the Queen Elizabeth, where there is big money on offer over a mile-and-three and a bonus for winning the Prix de Diane. We’re not really sure what is going on with America at the minute, but they are the options. All the people in Japan are massive supporters of racing and I know myself from riding Saxon Warrior, and him being by Deep Impact, that we got a good following from the Japanese fans. It is always somewhere I have wanted to go and, whilst it is not set in stone, she could go there. Arc weekend fits nicely so whether it is the Opera or the Arc, we will sit down and speak with the owners. Taking in the [G1 Prix] Vermeille [over 12 furlongs] could maybe be a possibility, but we will have to see. There are a lot of good races around and I think she would be competitive anywhere from a mile to a mile-and-a-half. With her allowance in the Arc, I wouldn’t be writing her off either so we’ll have to see how strong the Opera is. Coolmore could have Love for the Arc too so nothing is set in stone.”

Fancy Blue is one of six winners produced by Chenchikova (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), herself a winning full-sister to MG1SW sire High Chaparral (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and G2 Dante S. victor and GI Secretariat S. runner-up Black Bear Island (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells). She is a kin to stakes-winning G1 Dewhurst S. third Smuggler’s Cove (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and stakes-winning G3 Prix de Lutece placegetter Casterton (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Fancy Blue is also a half-sister to the placed 2-year-old filly Miss Chess (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), a yearling filly by Caravaggio and a 2020 filly by Saxon Warrior (Jpn). Chenchikova, kin to the dam of MGSW GI Belmont Derby Invitational third Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and MGSW G1 Dewhurst S. placegetter David Livingston (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), is also a granddaughter of MGSW French champion and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and G1 Prix du Moulin placegetter Kozana (GB) (Kris {GB}). The latter produced a quartet of stakes performers which includes G1 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) and GI Oak Tree Turf Championship runner-up Khoraz (The Minstrel).

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR NASSAU S.-G1, £250,000, Goodwood, 7-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 9f 197yT, 2:04.99, gd.
1–FANCY BLUE (IRE), 124, f, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Chenchikova (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
2nd Dam: Kasora (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Kozana (GB), by Kris (GB)
O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Donnacha O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £141,775. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, SW & G1SP-Ire, 5-4-1-0, $666,724. *1/2 to Smuggler’s Cove (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), SW-Ire & G1SP-Eng, $137,682; and to Casterton (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), MSW & GSP-Fr, $163,024. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–One Voice (Ire), 124, f, 3, Poet’s Voice (GB)–Zaaqya (GB), by Nayef. (€55,000 Ylg ’18 GOFSPT). O-Craig Bernick; B-J Lenihan (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. £53,750.
3–Nazeef (GB), 133, f, 4, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Handassa (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (GB); T-John Gosden. £26,900.
Margins: NK, 2 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.75, 20.00, 3.30.
Also Ran: Queen Power (Ire), Magic Wand (Ire), Lavender’s Blue (Ire), Deirdre (Jpn). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Fancy Blue Battles To Nassau Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post