‘The Dream Is Alive’ – Willie Browne on TDN Rising Star Sakheer

Breeze-up king Willie Browne, who sold G1 1000 Guineas heroine Speciosa (Ire), G1 Ascot Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris (Ire) and many more top-notchers, is allowing himself to believe that recent graduate Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) could be the real deal after he coasted to an effortless victory at Haydock on Thursday.

The 76-year-old bought Sakheer for $65,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sales in 2021 before producing the colt to top the Arqana Breeze-up Sale in May of this year.

Sakheer was bought by Oliver St Lawrence for €550,000 on behalf of KHK Racing Ltd. and went some way in justifying that price tag when bolting up by six lengths second time out at Haydock under David Egan for Roger Varian.

It was a performance that left tongues wagging, with the G1 Middle Park S. entrant earning himself a 'TDN Rising Star'  badge in victory, and Browne hopes that Haydock triumph can prove a launchpad for Sakheer's career.

He said, “Visually, it looked very good and we'd like to think he's smart. The third horse was a winner and the time looked good considering he could have gone faster if he [Egan] pressed a button.”

Browne added, “He was always a nice horse and he breezed very well for us. I think he breezed in the top four or five at Arqana and obviously we got well paid for him. He looked a special horse and hopefully he will go on and be that for his connections.”

Operating under the Mocklershill banner, Browne has been breezing horses since 1978 and described the current landscape of the profession as the best it's ever been.

 

“We're getting old but sure we'll try to keep going for as long as we can. It's hard to stop,” – Willie Browne

Thursday represented a good day for his renowned Tipperary-based operation, not only because Sakheer lived up to the high opinion he had always been held in by Brown, but because fellow Arqana graduate Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) posted an encouraging debut at Salisbury.

He said, “We get it right a fair bit but we have also had quite a lot of horses through our hands so we need to produce a few good ones. Sakheer is one of them.

“I went out and bought him by chance at Keeneland last year. He was an expensive foal [80,000gns] in Europe and then the vendors brought him to America to re-sell him for whatever reason.

“He did have a sibling [half-sister Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass)] who did well out there so maybe that was part of the thinking in bringing him to America but he didn't make his reserve in the ring and we got him outside it [for $65,000].”

Browne added, “He was a beautifully put together horse and it wasn't rocket science. The fact that he could gallop, though, there was a certain amount of good fortune in that. Sometimes you can buy beautiful-looking horses and they might not be able to gallop. He could.

“The plus about Arqana is, even though this horse breezed very well and we got well paid, we'd another horse there, a Lemon Drop Kid, and we got well-paid for him even though he didn't break the clock.

“He [Ensued] actually ran yesterday, was a very good third on debut at Salisbury for James Fanshawe, and he's a good middle-distance horse going forward. He breezed like a middle-distance horse but the people who buy in Arqana can see beyond speed and that's a plus for us.”

 

Browne has been breezing horses ever since it was a thing and Mocklershill is recognised as one of the premier consignors of 2-year-olds in Europe. He has overseen a kaleidoscope of change in the industry and admits that, in order to get well paid, you don't always need to break the clock anymore.

He explained, “A fast horse will always get you money, no matter where you go, but the Lemon Drop Kid was a good example of a middle-distance horse making good money at the breeze-ups, as we got €260,000 for him.

“If yesterday's run is anything to go by, he's also an exciting horse in his own right, so there's two horses at the opposite end of the stick. The fast horse, Sakheer, who showed up well, and the middle-distance horse, Ensued, who may not have been as fast, but showed different qualities and made a good price.

“It's a great thrill opening the paper every morning and seeing the percentage of 2-year-old winners who are graduates from the breeze-ups. It's just off the charts. It's unbelievable what's going on in the breeze-ups at the moment. There's a lot of good people breezing horses and they know what they're doing.”

Asked where Sakheer may rank in the pantheon of top-notchers to have graduated from Mocklershill, he replied, “When he wins a group race, come back to me. He needed to do what he did yesterday. It gives you great satisfaction when you produce a good horse, it's as much relief as anything else, but when they cost what Al Sakheer did, you like to see them go on and be good.

“Sometimes it happens and other times it doesn't but the dream looks well and truly alive right now. If he goes and wins a group race, maybe we'll be able to put our chest out a little bit more.”

Browne has already been making his presence felt at the yearling sales and has been busy re-stocking for next year's breeze-ups.

He said, “I didn't go to the August Sale at Arqana this year. Maybe I should have, but I didn't. We went to Doncaster and bought a few there alright.

“We gave a good few quid for a Showcasing (GB) horse, we gave 140,000gns for him, which is plenty of money for a breeze-up horse, but he looks a fast horse to me. I'm hoping the money is well spent.

“We bought a Ten Sovereigns (Ire) for 50 grand as well, so that's the start of it all. We're getting old but sure we'll try to keep going for as long as we can. It's hard to stop.”

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Zoffany’s Sakheer Impresses With TDN Rising Star Display

KHK Racing's once-raced 2-year-old colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}–Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), who shaped with a deal of promise when posting a debut second going six furlongs at Windsor last month, was a class above his rivals in Thursday's Auction Finance EBF Novice S. over the same trip at Haydock and attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a mightily impressive display of raw power. Swiftly into stride for an early advantage, the 1-2 favourite was untroubled from halfway and extended clear in hand to easily rout Acai (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) by six lengths. The Roger Varian trainee is engaged in Newbury's Sept. 17 G2 Mill Reef S. and the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket one week later.

“He ran a great race first time out, he picked up and finished well clear of the third,” commented winning rider David Egan. “We wanted him to have a nice debut, he learnt a lot and came from behind. I expected him to take a step forward and, from halfway, I knew he was a class above the rest. It's been a great job by everyone at home to get him here and to get his win. To do it like that was impressive and the feel he gave me was even more impressive. I don't think I've had an easier race, in any sort of race, since I've been riding. He has a big price tag, he's got some big entries coming up and there is a lot more in the tank. Horses like this make our jobs easier, he's a classy individual and very exciting.”

Sakheer, who was the highest-priced lot when knocked down for €550,000 at this year's Arqana Breeze-Up sale, is the fifth of seven foals and third scorer out of a half-sister to G3 Prix de Meautry winner Indian Maiden (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 World Trophy victrix Maid In India (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) and the dual stakes-winning G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis runner-up Love Spirit (GB) (Elusive City). The February-foaled bay is a half-brother to multiple Group-winning GI Beverly D. S. third Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), a yearling colt by Exceed And Excel (Aus) and a weanling filly by Sea The Stars (Ire).

 

3rd-Haydock, £10,000, Nov, 9-1, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:11.20, g/f.
SAKHEER (IRE), c, 2, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Shortmile Lady (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jinsiyah, by Housebuster
3rd Dam: Minifah, by Nureyev
(80,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; $65,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; €550,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-KHK Racing Ltd; B-Drumlin Bloodstock (IRE); T-Roger Varian. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $9,337. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Henry Cecil Open Weekend Returns in September

Following a record 2021 season, the Henry Cecil Open Weekend will be held Sept. 17-18 at Newmarket. Each September, racing and equine enthusiasts descend on British racing's headquarters for a behind-the-scenes look at Britain's best-known racing yards. Last year featured several training yards, including George Boughey and Harry Eustace, Charlie Fellowes, James Ferguson, Roger Varian and Simon & Ed Crisford. The highest number of yards opened to the public in 2021, and record crowds raised £60,000 for the event's chosen charity partners. The 2022 Henry Cecil Open Weekend will continue to support the racing industry and its workforce whilst also supporting the local community.

Money raised this year will be donated to the long-term charity partner and main beneficiary Racing Welfare, as well as the National Horseracing Museum, Newmarket Day Centre and the Newmarket Heath Ambulance, a fundraising initiative to purchase a quick response unit for work riders on Newmarket Heath.

“Last year we saw huge numbers of visitors to Newmarket during the Henry Cecil Open Weekend. It was fantastic to see and for everyone to experience all that our town has to offer,” said Charlie Fellowes, Chairman of The Henry Cecil Open Weekend. “A huge thank you must go to all those who continually support the event and enable the Open Weekend to happen. A particular thanks to all the trainers, racing staff, volunteers and participants, without whom the event would not be possible.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit The Henry Cecil Open website.

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‘A Pleasure To Train’ – Varian’s Group 1 Heroine Teona Retired After Setback

Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Ambivalent {Ire}, by Authorized {Ire}), best known for taking the scalp of Snowfall (Jpn) in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp last season, has been retired to the paddocks after suffering a setback in training.

One of the most talented horses Roger Varian has ever trained, Teona went on to finish third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf behind Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at Del Mar last term, but had yet to reappear this season.

Varian revealed on Friday that Teona, owned by Ali Saeed, will embark on a career as a broodmare after picking up an injury.

Speaking on Twitter, Varian said, “We are disappointed to report that Teona has met with a season-ending injury and will be retired. She was a pleasure to train and can now enjoy her second career as a broodmare.”

Teona graced the track just seven times but, as she showed in Paris, was electric on her day. That Prix Vermeille victory was her only top-flight success but she did win a listed event at Windsor–the Sytner BMW Sunningdale August S.–during her 3-year-old campaign.

A half-sister to the G2 Prix Hocquart victor Al Hilalee (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Teona is from a high-class family and her dam, Ambivalent, carried Saeed's colours to Group 1 glory when winning the Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh in 2013.

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