Tag: Roger Varian

Lope De Vega and New Bay Available on Southern Hemisphere Time

Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal) and New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will be available to cover on Southern Hemisphere time this year, Ballylinch Stud's Eoin Fives told TTR AusNZ. They will stand for €60,000 (AU$98,957) and €40,000 (AU$65,971) respectively.

In total, Lope De Vega has sired 18 Group 1 winners and 112 individual stakes winners across 12 different countries. From 2011 to 2014, he shuttled to the now-defunct Patinack Farm, and left an indelible stamp on the Australian industry. The result was four elite-level winners of nine Group 1s; Santa Ana Lane (Aus), Vega Magic (Aus), Gytrash (Aus) and Vega One (Aus).

His potency when crossed with Fastnet Rock mares has certainly helped in accruing that total, with the mix firing at a rate of 21 per cent stakes winners to runners. Both Santa Ana Lane and Gytrash fall into that category, with their exploits no doubt driving demand on the other side of the world.

“It's a cross that seems to work very well, and it's definitely pushed an uptake up here in the last few years where we've covered a lot more Fastnet Rock mares,” Fives said. “He's very easy to breed to. He's an outcross for over 90 per cent of the mare population in Europe, so, if you're buying a mare up here, he's very easy to breed to as there are very few things you have to avoid in a pedigree.”

Fives reported that New Bay was also getting the attention of Southern Hemisphere breeders. He received the support of one of Australia's top stables at the Goffs London Sale recently. Landed on by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the aptly named New Endeavour (GB) was a £260,000 (AU$499,000) purchase for the Tulloch Lodge team, who was previously co-owned by Ballylinch and Teme Valley.

He will remain in training with Roger Varian in Newmarket before eventually making his way down to Australia.

Twice a handicap winner over 1400 metres, New Endeavour was sold in the lead up to Royal Ascot, and subsequently ran second in the high-class Britannia S., earning an official rating of 103, which puts him well in the mix at Listed level in the UK. He appears to be on a neat upward curve and may yet be New Bay's next stakes winner.

Meanwhile, Fives reported a surge of interest following that solid Royal Ascot performance. “Coming back from Ascot, more Australians were asking about him (New Bay) and curious about him,” he said. “We can probably see his profile increasing over the next few years, he's only a young sire.”

“His fee has increased every year since he's had runners. His first crop really dazzled, I suppose, and then the last season was just incredible. “He had a Group 1 winner with Saffron Beach, and then he just totally stole the show on British Champions Day when he took the two feature races with Bayside Boy and Bay Bridge.”

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Dubawi’s Al Husn Registers Hoppings Triumph, Nashwa Collared Late

Last term's G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S. heroine Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) attempted to make all in Friday evening's G3 JenningsBet In Shiremoor Hoppings Fillies' S. at Newcastle, but was collared by Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}–Hadaatha {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) nearing the line in the extended 10-furlong distaffers' test.

Shadwell's homebred Roger Varian trainee settled into a smooth rhythm behind Nashwa's moderate tempo and tracked the leaders in fourth until slipping one spot on the home turn. Urged closer with three furlongs remaining, the 3-1 chance went second entering the final furlong and kept on relentlessly under continued urging to deny the faltering odds-on favourite by a half-length in the dying strides. Al Husn has won six of her last seven outings and backed up a second in the Rowley Mile's May 7 G2 Dahlia S. on seasonal return with a breakthrough success in Ayr's May 24 Listed Rothesay S. when last seen.

“She looked so well in herself tonight and is clearly thriving,” said winning rider Jim Crowley. “I was concerned by the nine draw, but she felt in great form and I was able to get a really nice position. It was a bit of a rush when we turned for home, but she picked up nicely and hit the line well. She's improving all the time and, off that run, you crack on and aim a little bit higher. There's no reason why she can't progress. She's not big, but she's a little terrier and I think she has earned a a crack at the [G1] Nassau. I'll speak to Roger [Varian] and connections, but she'd have nothing to lose running in a race like that and everything to gain. Touch wood she'll progress again.”

Racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe admitted Nashwa's effort fell below expectations and said, “I thought it was disappointing. We expected a really a good run for her, as she needed the race in France, but she's been straightforward at home since. Hollie [Doyle] was really happy apart from the last bit, so we obviously have a little bit of thinking to do to see what the best plan might be. In France I knew we were in a bit more trouble, but here I was pretty confident. We'll still think about the [G1] Nassau [at Goodwood], but we have to give it some good consideration.”

Pedigree Notes
Al Husn is the fourth of six foals and one of two scorers produced by stakes-winning G1 Prix de l'Opera third Hadaatha (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), herself a daughter of stakes-winning G1 1000 Guineas third Hathrah (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}). Hathrah is one of seven black-type performers out of the multiple stakes-placed Zivania (Ire) (Shernazar {Ire}), headed by MG1SP sire Ivan Luis (Fr) (Lycius) and G3 UAE 2000 Guineas-winning sire Stagelight (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). The April-foaled homebred bay is kin to a yearling filly by Siyouni (Fr).

Friday, Newcastle, Britain
JENNINGSBET IN SHIREMOOR HOPPINGS FILLIES' S.-G3, £60,000, Newcastle, 6-30, 3yo/up, f, 10f 42y (AWT), 2:09.23, st/sl.
1–AL HUSN (IRE), 133, f, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Hadaatha (Ire) (SW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $109,194), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hathrah (Ire), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Zivania (Ire), by Shernazar (Ire)
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-Jim Crowley. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 9-6-1-0, $170,543. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Nashwa (GB), 133, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Princess Loulou (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Imad Alsagar; B-Blue Diamond Stud Farm (UK) Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £12,900.
3–One For Bobby (Ire), 133, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–One Spirit (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). O-Miss A H Marshall; B-F Dunne (IRE); T-Hugh Morrison. £6,456.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 3.00, 0.73, 12.00.
Also Ran: Misty Dancer (GB), Heavenly Breath (GB), Star Fortress (Ire), Belt Buckle (GB), Rousay (Ire), Bright Diamond (Ire).

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Sakheer Found To Be Lame After Disappointing Ascot Effort

Sakheer (Ire) was found to have genuine excuses for disappointing in last Friday's Commonwealth Cup after trainer Roger Varian reported that the colt emerged from Royal Ascot with “front limb lameness”.

The Zoffany (Ire) colt won two of his three juvenile starts last season, including the Group 2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury, and after failing to see out the mile in the 2,000 Guineas, was sent off as short as 17-2 for the Commonwealth Cup.

However, Sakheer trailed home last of the 13 runners reverting in trip, and Varian says that genuine excuses are coming to light for the sub-par performance. 

The trainer posted on Twitter, “Unfortunately Sakheer is not 100 per cent following his run in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on Friday.

“He is currently unsound and being investigated for a front limb lameness. He will require a period of time out of training but will return to the track later in the year.

“Whilst this is obviously disappointing, it does go some way to explaining his below-par performance.”

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Wootton Bassett’s King Of Steel Dominates The King Edward VII

He's as big as it gets among top-class thoroughbreds, but Amo Racing's King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Eldacar {GB}, by Verglas {Ire}) showed for the second time this month that he has grace in abundance as he stormed to glory in Friday's G2 King Edward VII S. Denied only by Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in a dramatic finale to the Derby, the imposing grey was at risk of coming back too quickly but his odds of 11-10 reflected the confidence in Roger Varian not to make that particular error.

In the event, Kevin Stott faced as tricky a tactical quandary as Chris Hayes had earlier on the card on Tahiyra (Ire) with the pace notably slow and the exuberant favourite needing anchoring at the back. It takes a true class act to circle a KEVII field already quickening, but that was what King Of Steel had looked at Epsom and he duly confirmed that impression with a 11.54 split to two out where he seized control. Chased by Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) from there, he lugged right to the rail but stayed powering on to beat Ballydoyle's representative by 3 1/2 lengths. Derby also-ran Artistic Star (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was another 2 1/2 lengths behind in third.

“They didn't go fast and he was a bit keen–I couldn't get him to drop it until halfway and so I was a little bit nervous but in a matter of strides he was in front and then was just lengthening,” commented Stott, who was enjoying his breakthrough moment at Royal Ascot. “He could easily go back to ten–he has plenty of speed and is so quick on his feet for a big horse.”

 

“He has a blue eye on one side and you have to be nice and relaxed with him, because he might be a tiny bit blind on that side,” his rider added. “You can see how big he is and, if he stays in training next year and fills into this big frame, you don't know how good he could be. It's very exciting for me and for Kia to have such a good horse.”

Varian has another group 1 target in mind now. “It is a relief, as when they run so big in the Derby you want them to back it up,” he said. “He's got such a great constitution and we went on the signs he was giving us, which were great. He's a super horse and so agile. It is very satisfying that he confirmed today what he did in the Derby. We'd like to go to the Grand Prix de Paris, but a lot can change with horses so let's see how he is tomorrow.”

Pedigree Notes

King Of Steel is the last foal out of Eldacar, who died from foaling complications after producing the King Edward VII winner. She is a granddaughter of the Listed Prix Yacowlef winner and G3 Prix du Calvados-placed Seralia (GB) (Royal Academy). One of Lady O'Reilly's many successful broodmares, she produced a trio of black-type performers including the G3 Prix de Psyche winner Serisia (Fr) (Exit To Nowhere) who was in turn responsible for the G1 Chipping Norton S. and G1 Ranvet S.-winning Australian champion miler Contributer (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). A half to Exit To Nowhere's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Shaka (GB), she is also the ancestress of Le Havre's multiple group-placed Sotteville (Fr) and Crisolles (Fr) and the Listed Prix de la Californie scorer and G3 Prix Texanita third Straight Right (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Another family member, the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Sorciere (Ire) (Orpen), is the dam of Thursday's surprise Buckingham Palace S. winner Witch Hunter (Fr) also by Siyouni.

Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
KING EDWARD VII S.-G2, £250,000, Ascot, 6-23, 3yo, c/g, 11f 211yT, 2:35.30, g/f.
1–KING OF STEEL, 128, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Eldacar (GB), by Verglas (Ire)
2nd Dam: Seracina (GB), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Seralia (GB), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. ($200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY); T-Roger Varian; J-Kevin Stott. £141,775. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 4-2-1-0, $602,398. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Continuous (Jpn), 128, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Fluff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & Westerberg; B-Wynatt, Chelston Ireland & Orpendale Bloodstock (JPN); T-Aidan O'Brien. £53,750.
3–Artistic Star (Ire), 128, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Nechita (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-J C Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £26,900.
Margins: 3HF, 2HF, 2. Odds: 1.10, 9.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Dubai Mile (Ire), Arrest (Ire), Relentless Voyager (GB).

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