On Monday the whip rules were tweaked once more by the BHA following a six-month review period and under the new regulations Flat riders are only permitted to use their whip six times in a race, with a four-day ban for going one over the limit and seven days for going two over. Crowley used his whip nine times, which incurs a 10-day ban and is doubled for a class one race. Hornby benefitted from the revisions, but had the rules not been changed he would have received an eight-day ban.

Crowley will be sidelined from Aug. 15-21 and Aug. 23-Sept. 4 and will miss riding Shadwell's G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 16 during the Ebor meeting at York.
“I'm extremely disappointed, obviously I had an inkling it was coming so I prepared myself,” Crowley said. “I can't change it, I've got to get on with it.

“I don't think anything untoward has happened to those horses in any way, it was a brilliant race. I used my whip in a very correct manner, how I've been brought up to use it. I gave the horse time to respond, we never used it in any incorrect place or at shoulder height or anything like that. Unfortunately it's not something I was aware that I'd done, and neither was Rob. It's very difficult to count in that scenario.”

Crowley hasn't decided if he will appeal his punishment.

“Although I broke the rules and I wasn't aware I broke the rules, I didn't think it was a problem watching the race. The horse's welfare always comes first and to me that wasn't a problem. I think they've been very severe and ruled with an iron fist, they don't want the win-at-all cost races. Jockeys aren't aware they're doing it, that's the problem.

“It's very unfortunate but it shouldn't take away from a brilliant race and a fantastic horse. I hope this doesn't overshadow that.”

Hornby also didn't think he had violated the whip rule.

“I wasn't aware on the day, not at all,” Hornby said. “In fact I was kicking myself as I thought I'd only done five (strokes)–that shows what my counting is like in that situation. I'm sure Jim is the same. It's a shame that it has cast a shadow over such a brilliant race, it should be remembered for two great horses.”

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Looming on the front end approaching the furlong pole as the even-money favourite Emperor's Star (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) appeared at the fore on the other side, the 17-2 shot mastered that well-touted rival in the final 100 yards. At the line, the Andrew Balding trainee had 1 1/2 lengths to spare over the Godolphin relative of Cloth Of Stars (Ire), with another three lengths back to that sire's son Dallas Star (Fr) who had been beaten under three lengths in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S.

“He's got a lot of ability and he's an exciting prospect,” Balding said of the winner, who was adding his name to a recent list that includes the future group winners Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) and the group 1-placed Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). This is also the maiden that saw Alhaarth (Ire) beat Mark Of Esteem (Ire) in 1995 and was won by Bahhare a year later, by Dubai Destination in 2001 and by Rio De La Plata in 2007.

“He is a very well-bred horse and we think a little bit of him,” Balding added. “He quickened up nicely and when the rain came it was encouraging. That certainly wasn't going to inconvenience him. I'm sure he will stay a mile and I'm sure he will get further in time. Anything's possible, as he's a high-class horse who is bred to be. He'd be right up towards the top of our two-year-olds.”

Dubawi now has 38 TDN Rising Stars, with the likes of In Italian (GB), Space Blues (Ire), Too Darn Hot (GB), Benbatl (GB) and Zarak (Fr) among them.

5th-Newmarket, £15,000, Mdn, 7-14, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:30.51, g/s.
ARABIC LEGEND (IRE), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
                1st Dam: Sheikha Reika (Fr) (GISW-Can, SW-Eng,
                                $287,753), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Screen Star (Ire), by Tobougg (Ire)
3rd Dam: Actoris, by Diesis (GB)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $10,640. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Andrew Balding.

Taking debut

Arabic Legend (Dubawi) records an impressive victory on his first career start for Andrew Balding & @rob_hornby18 at @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/GMIp22HMEq

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 14, 2023

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Westover raced in a handy third behind Ralph Beckett-trained chaperone Malabu Drive (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was usurped for the lead by last term's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern victor Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), and eased into second when his stablemate faded quickly with a half-mile remaining. Shaken up to seize control from Tunnes in early straight, the 1-2 favourite refused to yield when strongly pressed by Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) inside the final quarter-mile and was driven out to double his elite-level tally by two lengths from that rival. The winning time of 2:25.46 lowered Alpinista's race record, set last year, by nearly 3/4-of-a-second.

Westover's journey at the highest level began with an unlucky-in-running third in Epsom's G1 Derby before gaining a measure of compensation at the Curragh. He emptied quickly when facing elders for the first time in Ascot's G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. at the end of July and closed his 2022 campaign with a sixth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He faced a stiff task on seasonal return in Meydan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, but was no match for galactico Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and ran on with gusto after Emily Upjohn's gears had sealed victory at Epsom last time.

“Inevitably there was pressure as it was a long time since he won, over a year, and the longer that goes on the harder it gets,” reflected Beckett. “There was nothing wrong with his two runs this year and he's only had the one blip in the [G1] King George [last year]. He was great today and it was a very fast time. For so long we had a reputation for training long-distance fillies, so it's important to change the dial. We'll enjoy today and see what comes next. This was important.” Looking ahead to targets down the line, the trainer continued, “I think we'll either stay at a mile-and-a-half or even have a conversation about going up in trip. The peloton came to him, but he stretched away in the last half-furlong. We'll certainly consider the [G1] King George [& Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot] and see how he is closer to the time. There will be a bit of a monkey on the shoulder saying is this a good idea after what happened last year, but we'll see. The Arc will be under consideration too and he ran a great race in it last year, but got stuck in the ground [when sixth].”

It was a landmark success for rider Rob Hornby, with it being his first Group 1 in the Juddmonte silks. “Winning a Group 1 in these colours is the stuff of dreams,” he said. “I was brought up watching these colours win prestigious races and to be able to do it at Group 1 level is the highest honour. I'm grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way. Ralph has trained this horse so well from two to three and three to four, so to win a Group 1 at four is so important. These are things you dream of, so when they come true you don't know how to think.” Reflecting on a record-breaking performance, he added, “The pace was really good early on and Dougie [Costello aboard Malabu Drive] was able to keep it honest the whole way. When he dropped the bit he was able to work into it and hit the line strong. This is my third Group 1 for Ralph and fourth overall, but it's nearly a year since my last one and they are so important for a jockey.”

Pedigree Notes

Westover, one of his sire's 31 Group 1 winners, is one of two black-type scorers and the leading performer out of GIII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. victrix Mirabilis (Lear Fan), who also ran third in the G1 Prix de la Foret. The April-foaled bay is a full-brother to G3 Darley S. victor Monarchs Glen (GB). Mirabilis, a daughter of GII Buena Vista H. and G3 Prix du Bois winner Media Nox (GB) (Lycius), is a half-sister to G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat) and G2 Prix Eugene Adam victor Burning Sun (Danzig). Media Nox, in turn, is kin to MGSW G2 Prix de Malleret victrix Bonash (GB) (Rainbow Quest), whose descendants include G3 Earl of Sefton S. scorer and four-time Group 1-placed sire Phoenix Tower (Chester House) and G1 South Africa Classic hero Anfields Rocket (SAf) (Coup De Grace).

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
GRAND PRIX DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €400,000, Saint-Cloud, 7-8, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:25.46 (NSR), g/s.
1–WESTOVER (GB), 128, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Mirabilis (GSW-US, SW & G1SP-Fr, $275,664), by Lear Fan
2nd Dam: Media Nox (GB), by Lycius
3rd Dam: Sky Love, by Nijinsky II
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Rob Hornby. €228,560. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, GSW & MG1SP-Eng, G1SP-UAE, 11-4-4-1, €2,3570,770. *Full to Monarchs Glen (GB), GSW-Eng, SW & GSP-US, $472,081. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zagrey (Fr), 128, c, 4, Zarak (Fr)–Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr). (€32,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Altima & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €91,440.
3–Junko (GB), 128, g, 4, Intello (Ger)–Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €45,720.
Margins: 2, 3, 9. Odds: 0.50, 3.20, 5.70.
Also Ran: Tunnes (Ger), Malabu Drive (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

Westover takes the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1)!

pic.twitter.com/ym6iz7GGYQ

— IFHA's Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) July 8, 2023

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“He'll be better over six–he's a laid-back horse and he needed to be kept interested but galloped out strongly once he figured out what to do,” his rider said of the son of the dual listed-placed Pack Together (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}). “It was a case of keeping him racing and competitive and that's how he's been trained at home. He's a big strong and heavy colt and all there. He's shown a bit of class and this is a minimum trip for him–he's done that on raw ability.”

Hats off!

We have a royal winner as Serried Ranks scores for HM The King & HM The Queen in the opener at @NottsRacecourse.

The Land Force colt looks a nice type too in an impressive debut for @RalphBeckett pic.twitter.com/TjVc4HQHqI

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 12, 2023

The dam, who was placed in four listed contests, is a half to the dam of the dual Argentinian group 1 winner Victor Security (Arg) (Stormy Atlantic). The second dam is the stakes-placed New Assembly (Ire) (Machiavellian), a full-sister to the G1 Dubai Duty Free hero Right Approach (GB) related to The Queen's high-class runner and producer Highclere (GB). Pack Together's yearling filly is by Cable Bay (Ire).

1st-Nottingham, £6,895, Mdn, 5-12, 2yo, 5f 8yT, 1:06.72, hy.
SERRIED RANKS (GB) (c, 2, Land Force {Ire}–Pack Together {GB} {MSP-Eng, SP-Fr}, by Paco Boy {Ire}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $4,516. O-HM The King & HM The Queen; B-The Queen (GB); T-Ralph Beckett.

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Remarquee's triumph was a fifth in the contest, and first since 2015, for Beckett, who insisted a crack at the May 7 G1 1000 Guineas was now very much on the cards. “It's great, it's everything I'd hoped for and more,” the trainer beamed. “She was green and running away and Rob [Hornby] dropped his stick by the time she was running away from the crowd. Richard Hannon's filly [Magical Sunset] leant on her a bit, so she had Kevin Stott's stick in her face for a couple of strides. She doesn't know very much, but she will know more after today and we will certainly go to Newmarket [for the 1000 Guineas]. I think she is very good and she has got to go there on the back of that. Her mother wanted fast ground and maybe she handles this ground, but I don't see fast ground being a problem.”

Hornby added, “She seems a good mover and she has a high head carriage, which is a bit like Kingman. They tend to be a bit like that, but it doesn't stop her. It is probably what she finds comfortable and she was still running true all the way to the line. She will definitely stay further and, while you don't know until you've tried it, I'm sure she will act well on the course at Newmarket. She is not short of speed and I think a mile will be right for her.”

Pedigree Notes
Remarquee, who becomes the 35th pattern-race winner for her sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), is the fourth of six foals and one of two winners for MGSP Listed Hoppings S. victrix Regardez (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}). The March-foaled homebred bay is kin to the unraced 2-year-old colt Reveal (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and a yearling filly by Study Of Man (Ire). Regardez is kin to the ill-fated G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Scope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), stakes-winning G2 Prix de Sandringham third Glance (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and the stakes-placed Compton (GB) (Compton Place {GB}). They are out of a half-sister G1 Oaks heroine Look Here (GB) (Hernando {Fr), herself the dam of Listed Noel Murless S. victrix and G2 Lancashire Oaks third Hereby (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Remarquee's fourth dam Derniere Danse (GB) (Gay Mecene), whose descendants include Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Kayah (GB) (Kahyasi {Ire}), is half-sister to G2 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero and MG1SP sire Pursuit of Love (GB) (Groom Dancer) and MGSW G1 Prix Morny runner-up Divine Danse (Fr) (Kris {GB}).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE S. (FRED DARLING S.)-G3, £70,000, Newbury, 4-22, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:31.13, sf.
1–REMARQUEE (GB), 128, f, 3, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Regardez (GB) (SW & GSP-Eng, GSP-Ire & US, $181,176), by Champs Elysees (GB)
2nd Dam: Look So (GB), by Efisio (GB)
3rd Dam: Last Look (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-J H Richmond-Watson; B-Lawn Stud (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Rob Hornby. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $54,979. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Stenton Glider (Ire), 128, f, 3, Dandy Man (Ire)–Crystal Malt (Ire), by Intikhab. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£35,000 Ylg '21 TATIRY). O-Mrs J Mairs & T S Mairs; B-Laurence Kennedy (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £15,050.
3–Swingalong (Ire), 128, f, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Pilates (Ire), by Shamardal. (120,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Mount Armstrong Stud. (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £7,532.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 18.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Embrace (Ire), Magical Sunset (Ire), Bridestones (Ire), Crystallium (GB), Lady Alara (Ire), Liberalist (GB), Mottisfont (Ire), Fully Wet (GB), Soul Sister (Ire). Scratched: Olivia Maralda (Ire), Youngest (GB).

Still unbeaten!

Remarquee comes home strongly despite still looking green to land the Fred Darling @NewburyRacing on just her second career start for @RalphBeckett.

Were you impressed? She's been slashed into as short as 6/1 (from 16s) for the 1,000 Guineas. pic.twitter.com/kLcfc6lmGr

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 22, 2023

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She becomes the sixth TDN Rising Star for her sire and the second of his current 2-year-old crop alongside Ballydoyle's Alexandroupolis (Ire).

Taking debut

Bluestocking (Camelot) wins at the first time of asking in some style ahead of a big weekend for team Westover@RalphBeckett | @JuddmonteFarms | @rob_hornby18 | @salisburyraces pic.twitter.com/BuCeiiP7y4

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 29, 2022

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“She's a beautiful filly by our own stallion Bated Breath and it was a lovely performance,” said Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon. “She's always been well regarded by Ralph [Beckett] and Rob [Hornby] and she delivered today. Ralph and myself were confident she'd get seven [furlongs] after the last day and Ralph said let's keep her over six for now, but I thought today it looked like she'd sharpened up a bit. She's in the [seven-furlong G2] Rockfel and the [six-furlong G1] Cheveley Park. They are three weeks away and I suppose it's a big jump from a Group 3 to a Group 1, but we are getting into that time of year where options are getting tight. Ralph is in Baden-Baden at the sales so we haven't had the discussion yet, but they are good discussions to have. She's a beautiful filly, she looks good and when they win a Group 3 they are heading in the right direction.”

Juliet Sierra is the eighth of 10 foals and one of six scorers out of Listed Prix de Bagatelle victrix Kilo Alpha (GB) (King's Best), herself a full-sister to multiple stakes-winning G1 Prix d'Ispahan third Runaway (GB). The February-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to GI Jenny Wiley S. heroine Juliet Foxtrot (GB) (Dansili {GB}), G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Alpha Bravo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the dual stakes-placed Bravo Sierra (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), a yearling filly by Kingman (GB) and a weanling colt by Expert Eye (GB). Her second dam Anasazi (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) is a half-sister to the Classic-winning duo Dancing Brave (Lyphard) and Jolypha (Lyphard).

Thursday, Salisbury, Britain
IRE-INCENTIVE IT PAYS TO BUY IRISH DICK POOLE FILLIES' S.-G3, £45,000, Salisbury, 9-1, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:12.93, g/f.
1–JULIET SIERRA (GB), 128, f, 2, by Bated Breath (GB)
1st Dam: Kilo Alpha (GB) (SW-Fr), by King's Best
2nd Dam: Anasazi (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Navajo Princess, by Drone
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Rob Hornby. £25,520. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $38,653. *1/2 to Juliet Foxtrot (GB) (Dansili {GB}), GISW-US, $745,931; Alpha Bravo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), GSP-Fr; and Bravo Sierra (GB) (Siyouni {FR}), SP-Eng & Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–All The Time (Ire), 128, f, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Mistime (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€52,000 Ylg '21 GOAUTY; £58,000 2yo '22 GOFTY). O-The Royal Ascot Racing Club; B-Rory O'Brien (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. £9,675.
3–Tagline (GB), 128, f, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Terse (GB), by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (14,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Mainline Racing; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Rod Millman. £4,842.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 8.00, 8.50.
Also Ran: Immortal Beauty (Ire), Maria Branwell (Ire), Funny Money Honey (Ire), Ivory Madonna (Ire), Miami Girl (Ire), Poetic Union (GB), Song Of Success (GB), Ange De L'amour (GB), So Sleepy (GB).

Juliet Sierra lands the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes

The Bated Breath filly takes the jump up from novice company in her stride to land the big highlight for @RalphBeckett, @rob_hornby18 and @JuddmonteFarms at @salisburyraces pic.twitter.com/mMQdxn0AXq

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 1, 2022

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No Nay Never now has five crops of racing age and has twice supplied the winner of the July Cup: first Ten Sovereigns, who is now his stud-mate at Coolmore, and now Jeff Smith's Alcohol Free, whose transformation from miler to sprinter has added an interesting element to what is unfurling into an extraordinarily good season.

The 4-year-old filly did of course win a Group 1 at six furlongs as a juvenile, just over the dyke from the July Course when landing the Cheveley Park S. on the Rowley Mile. But, following her G3 Fred Darling S. in 2021, she then logically stepped up to a mile and looked every bit the star at this trip, winning the Coronation S. and then defeating 2,000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare (Ire) in the Sussex S., for which she will return to Goodwood at the end of the month. 

Her July Cup victory on Saturday brought up a second Group 1 success in two days for Rob Hornby, who started his riding career with Andrew Balding at Kingsclere, a yard which has been synonymous with Jeff Smith's colours, most notably through another fast female, his great homebred sprinter Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}).

Hornby, who secured his first Group 1 victory aboard Scope (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) at Longchamp last October after battling back from injury, could have been forgiven the odd grumpy moment after being replaced on Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Irish Derby. Westover duly won in the hands of Colin Keane, and days later Scope was put down after being injured on the gallops at Ralph Beckett's stable. Two weeks on from the Irish Derby, however, it was the quietly-spoken Hornby's chance to shine, first on Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the Falmouth S., and then for his old boss Balding with Alcohol Free in the absence of the suspended champion jockey Oisin Murphy. Hornby's rewards were well deserved. 

Immortal Beloved

Another Coronation S. winner was involved in the production of Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat winner as Tenebrism, by far the leading light of Caravaggio's first crop, is a daughter of the great Kilfrush Stud-bred Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who, a year after her racing career ended, put in another star turn when topping the Tattersalls December Mare Sale at 4.7 million gns. The foal she was carrying then, Literary Society (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), retired winless but his subsequent siblings have made up for that as all four of racing age are winners. These include Immortal Verse's current 2-year-old, Statuette (Justify), who became a TDN Rising Star when winning on debut at Navan in May, and then confirmed that early promise with victory in the G2 Airlie Stud S. on Irish Derby weekend. Like Tenebrism, she races for a partnership which involves her breeders Merriebelle Stables and Coolmore, along with Westerberg.

Mehmas a Friend to Lacy Family

There was a pleasing touch of symmetry to the victory of Persian Force (Ire) in Thursday's G2 July S. Like his sire Mehmas (Ire), he had won the conditions race at Newbury on Lockinge day before running second in the G2 Coventry S. and then triumphing at the July meeting. Furthermore, both father and son were bought by Peter and Ross Doyle to be trained by Richard Hannon. Mehmas went on to win the G2 Richmond S. and end his career with placings in the G1 National S. and G1 Middle Park S. before quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young sires in Europe.

There is also a sense of deja vu for Persian Force's breeders Tom and Barry Lacy. We featured their Ballyheashill Stud in Rhode, Co Offaly, after the Weatherbys Super Sprint win of Persian Force's full-brother Gubbass (Ire) last season. Now the Lacys' 8-year-old mare Vida Amorosa (Ire) has come up with another good 'un.

“She has just the two foals on the ground to have hit the track and both of them are pretty good, and Persian Force looks better than his brother last year,” Barry Lacy told TDN on Monday. “We just took a chance on Mehmas because we really liked him and we just happened to hit the right sire at the right time.”

For the mare's third mating, the Lacys returned to Tally-Ho Stud, sending her to Inns Of Court (Ire) who has his first yearlings at the sales this year. Like Persian Force, the Inns Of Court colt was bought as a foal by the team at Tally-Ho.

Lacy continued, “She has a very nice yearling now at Tally-Ho and he was the nicest of the three foals. If he turns out to be a good racehorse next year we can start to say perhaps it's down to the mare, but at this moment in time we are going to say that it's all about the stallion.

“It does take two to tango but I am trying to keep my feet on the ground, and I do think Mehmas is a very good sire, and he looks like he's going to turn out to be one of the better sires in the country.”

Casting his mind back to Persian Force as a youngster, he added, “He was just such a likeable individual and so relaxed. I wish I could tell you a special story about him as a foal but he was just very straightforward and nothing was an issue. If they were all like him it would be easy. He was just one of those horses who you hoped everything would work out for him and so far it has.”

As her Inns Of Court colt was foaled relatively late, Vida Amorosa missed last year's covering season and is now in foal to another Tally-Ho Stud newcomer, Starman (GB).

“If everything goes well with the foaling, the obvious thing would probably be to go back to Mehmas,” said Lacy.

The family also received a boost over the weekend from Garrus (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who remains a force to be reckoned with at the age of six and won the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville. His dam Queen Of Power (Ire) is a Medicean (GB) half-sister to Vida Amorosa.

Harris Back in Winner's Enclosure

Prior to last Thursday, no horse had run in the name of Peter Harris in Britain since 2015, although we have seen his distinctive silks carried to Group 1 glory by Audarya (Fr) Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is owned by by his daughter Alison Swinburn. Harris's own name made a reappearance last week alongside the promising Gleneagles (Ire) colt Mill Stream (Ire). The half-brother to last season's G2 Richmond S. winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) was bred by Redpender Stud, who sold him as a yearling for 350,000gns, and won on debut at Doncaster for Jane Chapple-Hyam. 

A former breeder and trainer, Harris, now 88, had notable success with his homebred G1 Middle Park S. winner Primo Valentino (Ire) (Primo Dominie {GB}) and his half-sister, the G2 Cherry Hinton S. winner Dora Carrington (Ire) (Sri Pekan). The latter was one of 43 horses which formed the dispersal of Harris's Pendley Farm Stud stock at Tattersalls in 2010.

Epic Debut

Another more recent dispersal, that of Lady Rothschild's Waddesdon Stud, saw the G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk) bought by James Wigan on behalf of George Strawbridge for 750,000gns when in foal to Kingman (GB). The mare's resultant foal, Epictetus (Ire), made his debut at Newmarket on Friday and became the latest runner in Europe to earn a TDN Rising Star badge when cruising to the line in front with his ears pricked. 

All of Thistle Bird's five foals of racing age are winners, and they include current 3-year-old Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who has remained within the Rothschild fold and won last year's Listed Radley S. before finishing runner-up this spring in the G3 Fred Darling S. Her yearling colt is by Lope De Vega (Ire). 

Leigh's Influence Continues To Be Felt

Putting herself firmly in the frame to take leading broodmare honours this years is Godolphin's Modern Ideals (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who is the dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Modern Games as well as Friday's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. victrix Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). Moreover, in May her 4-year-old son Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) won the Listed Royal Windsor S. and was subsequently second in the G3 Diomed S. at Epsom.

Their grand-dam Epitome (Ire) (Nashwan) was, like Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells), acquired by Sheikh Mohammed when he bought the breeding operation of the late Gerald Leigh, who died 20 years ago last month. Modern Ideals was the seventh of Epitome's 14 foals, born three years before her half-brother Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), winner of the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and now resident at Haras du Logis. 

The aforementioned dual Group 1 winner Gossamer, a sister to Barathea (Ire), turned out similarly to be a great addition to the Godolphin/Darley fold, breeding the G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Ibn Khaldun (Dubai Destination) among three black-type performers.

Aclaim Breezing Up the Table

The National Stud resident Aclaim (Ire) can now count two special fillies among his first crop following the emphatic win of Royal Aclaim (Ire) in the Listed City Walls S. at York. The James Tate-trained 3-year-old is now unbeaten in three starts, having got the better of no less a star than Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) when breaking her maiden in May 2021. But she was then absent from the racecourse for more than a year, and didn't return until June 11 at Bath when she won her second novice contest with ease.

Both she and Aclaim's 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) graduated from the breeze-ups, bought from the Craven and Guineas sales respectively for the same sum of 60,000gns. Earlier in the year, Nancy Sexton spoke to Ellie Whitaker and Tegan Clark of WC Equine who consigned Royal Aclaim in their first draft of only two fillies on behalf of breeder Pier House Stud.

Aclaim now sits in second place in the European second-season sires' table behind Churchill (Ire), sire of the Prix du Jockey Club and Eclipse S. winner Vadeni (Fr). Though ahead on prize-money, that pair falls behind Zarak (Fr) when it comes to the number of stakes winners, with the Aga Khan Studs stallion leading that division on five.

Wedding Bells at the Double

It was a hectic week for the bloodstock press pack at a roasting edition of the July Sale at Tattersalls, and particularly so for two members, who were also counting down to their wedding days on Saturday. TDN's own Alayna Cullen married amateur rider and assistant trainer Ross Birkett on the same day that Racing Post sales reporter James Thomas was also trying to juggle reciting his wedding vows with keeping an eye on the July Cup result.

To Ross and Alayna, and James and Molly, we send our congratulations and best wishes for much future happiness. 

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An INCREDIBLE 24 hours for @rob_hornby18!

Fresh from success aboard Prosperous Voyage in the Falmouth Stakes yesterday, the in-form rider guides Alcohol Free to victory in the Darley July Cup at @NewmarketRace @AndrewBalding2 pic.twitter.com/jQTpVkv4yO

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 9, 2022

Since the failed attempt by connections to stretch her to an extended 10 furlongs in the G1 Juddmonte International last August, Alcohol Free's record of one placing in four subsequent starts seemed to tell a story but closer analysis afforded her leeway heading into the most extreme speed test she had yet to face. Apart from the re-entry to the sprinting world in the Platinum Jubilee, she had probably needed her seasonal return when third in the Apr. 22 G2 Sandown Mile and it was only her fourth in the May 14 G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury and eighth in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. that cast any doubt as to her retained ability. This represented a return to the pomp of her defeat of Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the Goodwood feature last term, with her deadly acceleration the key in a deep contest full of sprinting talent proven in the international sphere.

As it turned out, the 2022 July Cup was a case of being in the right place with Naval Crown and James Doyle the one to target and Alcohol Free able to sit over two lengths off him with Artorius in her wake. Despite pace pressure from Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal), Naval Crown was able to fend off all bar the filly heading to two out and the rest never stood a chance with the front three following that straight path towards the far rail. As on Friday, it was Rob Hornby who was judging things to a tee and it is fitting that he was becoming the first to ride the winners of the Falmouth and this at the same meeting since Johnny Murtagh in 2004.

“It just goes to show her guts and bravery, because she has form on every bit of ground now,” her rider commented. “Coming back to six furlongs, we were unsure if the ground was a bit quick and she was a bit disorganised in the first half of the race which she can sometimes be. From half way I felt her really kick in and she had a real fire in her belly today. It is a hell of a training performance from Andrew and everyone back at Park House. She is a fiery character and she has got a lot of personality. She has always shown lots of natural speed, but stamina as well.”

Balding is intent on heading back to the Sussex now to add to a star-studded line-up. “We needed to run somewhere between Ascot and Goodwood really–the Sussex Stakes has always been her main target, having won the race last year and we were just trying to find the best plan to get her there,” her trainer added. “She's obviously a speed miler rather than an attritional miler, so Goodwood should suit her really well and we look forward to it.”

Charlie Appleby was delighted with the performance of the runner-up and said, “Naval Crown has run a rock-solid race. The plan with him was to go and be forward. He set a good clip there and it was only the filly that has come and dived on us late. It was another solid performance at that level as well, and at sprinting more importantly. I think going forward we will probably head towards Haydock [for the Sprint Cup] with him, as the ground doesn't worry him at all.”

Sam Freedman said of Artorius, “Frustrating is the wrong word, because he always runs very well and a frustrating horse is probably one who mixes his form. He's very honest and reliable in the sense he's always finishing his races off and the 1300 metres for his next target would suit him nicely. He needs them to come back to him a little bit and today it's probably not been the easiest thing to do to make up ground.”

Christophe Soumillon reported that the seventh-placed 9-4 favourite Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) was unlucky. “Unfortunately, when I asked him to come through horses I never had a clear run and we shifted from the left to the right. He finished well and it wasn't a bad run,” he said.

Alcohol Free, who becomes her sire's second July Cup winner after Ten Sovereigns (Ire), is out of Plying (Hard Spun) who also produced the Listed Prix Le Fabuleux winner Alexander James (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). The second dam is the Listed National S.-placed Nasaieb (Ire) (Fairy King), who was responsible for the G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Princess Margaret S.-placed Kissing Lights (Ire) (Machiavellian) and is a half to the G3 Solario S. scorer Raise A Grand (Ire) (Grand Lodge). From the family of the champion juvenile filly Numbered Account (Buckpasser), Plying's unraced 2-year-old colt by Dandy Man (Ire) is named Hidden Ambush (Ire) while she also has a yearling filly by Gleneagles (Ire).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
DARLEY JULY CUP-G1, £628,500, Newmarket, 7-9, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:09.47, g/f.
1–ALCOHOL FREE (IRE), 131, f, 4, by No Nay Never
     1st Dam: Plying, by Hard Spun
     2nd Dam: Nasaieb (Ire), by Fairy King
     3rd Dam: Atyaaf, by Irish River (Fr)
(€40,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV). O-Mr J C Smith; B-Churchtown House Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-Rob Hornby. £356,422. Lifetime Record: 14-6-1-2, $1,864,597. *1/2 to Alexander James (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), SW-Fr, $108,819. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Naval Crown (GB), 134, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £135,128.
3–Artorius (Aus), 134, c, 4, Flying Artie (Aus)–Gracie's Lass (Aus), by Redoute's Choice (Aus). (120,000 Ylg '20 MMGYRL). O-Newgate, China Horse Club & Partners; B-Mr G J Perry (AUS); T-Anthony & Sam Freedman. £67,627.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 1HF. Odds: 14.00, 4.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Creative Force (Ire), Double Or Bubble (Ire), Emaraaty Ana (GB), Perfect Power (Ire), Happy Romance (Ire), Flaming Rib (Ire), Romantic Proposal (Ire), King Hermes (Jpn), Cadamosto (Ire), Twilight Jet (Ire). Scratched: Blackrod (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Wow – a huge upset at @NewmarketRace!

Inspiral suffers her first defeat as 1000 Guineas runner-up Prosperous Voyage wins the @Tattersalls1766 Falmouth Stakes for @RalphBeckett and @rob_hornby18! ?? pic.twitter.com/yR3dibyDOW

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 8, 2022

Prosperous Voyage's progress throughout her juvenile campaign had assumed more the pace of a pleasure cruise than a high-speed ferry, with a narrow maiden win at Epsom followed by a second in a Chester novice and a third in the seven-furlong G3 Prestige S. at Goodwood in August. Picked off by Inspiral and beaten 3 3/4 lengths when upped to a mile and allowed to bowl along in the May Hill at Doncaster's St Leger meeting, she had narrowed that deficit to 2 1/2 lengths in the Fillies' Mile on the Rowley Mile here in October, but the overwhelming impression was that she would remain in her contemporary's shadow for some time.

Back over the course and distance of the Fillies' Mile in the May 1 1000 Guineas which was as much about those absent than it was those present, Prosperous Voyage ran a race well up to her 2-year-old form and had she been set the kind of examination she was on this sun-baked afternoon she would have caught Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}). As it was, she was a fast-vanishing neck margin away at the line before blowing out in the Coronation, where she faded uncharacteristically tamely from early straight and wound up nine-lengths 10th.

This upset came down to a filly that operated with deadly efficiency on ground as fast as it gets on the July Course in the modern age, versus one that was compromised by having such a tough assignment so soon after a dynamic effort at Royal Ascot. Time will tell whether Inspiral can get back on top in a rivalry that up until Friday afternoon had seemed anything but, with this gruelling task her first true experience of what it feels like to go deep into her reserves. Hornby put Prosperous Voyage on the limit of what she was capable of and her furlong-by-furlong fractions made it a race of truth which exposed a crack–temporary or otherwise–in the formidable armour of the favourite.

For Beckett, the key to the winner is a straight track. “She scraped home at Epsom, got beat at Chester and didn't act in the Coronation Stakes because she's not as effective around a bend–we know that now,” he explained. “When she's run on a straight track, she's run her race and this race was right for the horse. You will remember she was supposed run in the Saint-Alary, but the traffic was backed up so I decided not to send her and that probably counted today. Rob gave her a lovely ride–he did it in France last year on Scope and we don't lack faith in our rider. He never panics when he is challenged–he sits still and he suits this filly. He sat still on her and she came good underneath him. The Sun Chariot is the obvious race for her and we'll keep bringing her back to Newmarket.”

Hornby, who like Dettori has been in the news of late not only for his considerable riding talent, was happy to focus on his achievement on Friday. “She has a great character and a lot of personality,” he said of the winner. “She run such a heroic race in the Guineas and is a strong stayer who enjoys bowling away in front. Coming inside the three they came to challenge me, but she is so brave and gives her it all, all of the time. She hit the rising ground and stayed strongly. Today it was a matter of keeping the revs up and keep it smooth and flowing like the Guineas.”

“Days like this make everything worthwhile,” he added. “Nothing has ever happened for me straight away. I just plugged away through my apprenticeship through great guidance from Mr. Balding and the academy there, which stood me in good stead for the highs and lows that were to come for the rest of your career. It was terribly sad that we lost Scope after the yard had such a tremendous weekend and I was thinking it can't get any worse, but this is a crazy sport we play and hugely exciting.”

John Gosden was inclined to believe that Inspiral's reversal was down to backing up too fast from the Royal meeting. “You don't normally come here after a big win at Ascot, but she hadn't run all year so we did and I just thought she ran a little flat,” he said. “The ground has quickened up, but I think it's more the turnaround. You could tell early on that she was a little bit flat, so we'll freshen her up and away we go again. She seems happy enough.”

Cheveley Park Stud's Managing Director Chris Richardson commented, “Frankie basically felt that it probably came a bit quick after such a stunning performance at the Royal meeting and perhaps the ground was a little too quick for her, so it was a combination of the two. She's run a great race, so we'll give her a nice five or six-week break and freshen her up and see how we get on. To be fair, Mrs Thompson asked if this was something we should be doing but John and I agreed that it was tempting to come here having missed the Spring. Take nothing away from the winner, who was very impressive and hopefully we'll be back to have another go another day. We were concerned in the Spring even before her setback that fast ground might be a problem coming down into dip on the Rowley Mile.”

Prosperous Voyage's dam Seatone (Mizzen Mast), a Juddmonte cast-off who was a 115,000gns purchase by Charlie Gordon-Watson Bloodstock at the 2011 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, is also responsible for the Australian stakes-placed Romanesque (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Her dam is the G3 Prix Corrida winner Diese (Diesis {GB}), who proved one of Juddmonte's abundant significant stakes producers when throwing the GI United Nations H. and G1 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S. hero Senure (Nureyev) and fellow sire Speak In Passing (Danzig) who captured the GIII San Simeon H. She is also the second dam of the G2 Chairman's H. and G3 N E Manion Cup scorer Permit (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

The third dam is the G3 Ballyogan S. winner and G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Monroe (Sir Ivor), dam of the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Prix de la Salamandre-winning juvenile sensation and sire Xaar (GB) (Zafonic) and the G3 Prix Quincey scorer and G1 Grand Criteirum runner-up Masterclass (The Minstrel). She is also the ancestress of the G1 Dubai Duty Free-winning sire Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and the G2 Temple S.-winning sire Bated Breath (GB), as well as the five-times grade I-winning champion and stakes producer Close Hatches (First Defence). Seatone's unraced 2-year-old colt Tenerife (Ire) (No Nay Never) was the second-highest-priced lot at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, selling to Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock for 450,000gns, while she also has a yearling filly by Camelot (GB).

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
TATTERSALLS FALMOUTH S.-G1, £250,000, Newmarket, 7-8, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:36.03, g/f.
1–PROSPEROUS VOYAGE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Zoffany (Ire)
     1st Dam: Seatone, by Mizzen Mast
     2nd Dam: Diese, by Diesis (GB)
     3rd Dam: Monroe, by Sir Ivor
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (£65,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen; B-Lynch Bages & Camas Park Stud (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Rob Hornby. £141,775. Lifetime Record: 9-2-4-1, $505,539. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Inspiral (GB), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Starscope (GB), by Selkirk. O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £53,750.
3–Sandrine (GB), 126, f, 3, Bobby's Kitten–Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £26,900.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, 3 1/4. Odds: 16.00, 0.14, 12.00.
Also Ran: Primo Bacio (Ire), Sibila Spain (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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