Zoffany’s Sakheer Oozes Class In Mill Reef Power Display

KHK Racing's 2-year-old twice-raced colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}–Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), a promising debut second at Windsor in August, attained 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a wide-margin demolition at Haydock on the first of this month and repeated the dose with another imperious performance in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. The 4-5 favourite was alert from the stalls and found a smooth rhythm in a handy third through the early fractions of this black-type bow. Tanking forward to loom large on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, he settled the contest in an instant when quickening for control soon after and powered further clear under minimal coaxing in the latter stages to easily outclass Rousing Encore (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) by 3 1/2 lengths. The winner's Roger Varian stablemate Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) fared best of the remainder and finished 3/4-of-a-length further adrift in third.

“His work has always been very good at home and we thought he would win first time, but he ran into a smart filly at Windsor [Magical Sunset],” said Varian. “He then won well at Haydock and he looks good. How good, I don't know, but he is possibly the best of my 2-year-olds. He has size and scope, he's very exciting and I think he'll stay seven furlongs or a mile. You can never really expect things to go as well for us as it has today, but everything is clicking. He is in the [G1] Middle Park, but it's next week. It's very soon, so we'll have to see.”

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 one of three scorers produced by 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 second Love Spirit (GB) (Elusive City). The February-foaled bay, who hails from the family of Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}) and Chief's Crown (Danzig), 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).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE MILL REEF S.-G2, £84,250, Newbury, 9-17, 2yo, 6fT, 1:13.53, gd.
1–SAKHEER (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Shortmile Lady (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jinsiyah, by Housebuster
3rd Dam: Minifah, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (80,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; $65,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; €550,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-KHK Racing; B-Drumlin Bloodstock (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £47,778. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $63,902. *1/2 to Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), MGSW-Ire, GSW & GISP-USA, $386,350. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rousing Encore (Ire), 129, c, 2, Acclamation (GB)–Jolie Chanson (Fr), by Mount Nelson (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (57,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 32,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Paul K Spencer; B-Hunting Hill Stud (IRE); T-Richard Fahey. £18,114.
3–Charyn (Ire), 129, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £9,065.
Margins: 3HF, 3/4, NK. Odds: 0.80, 20.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Shouldvebeenaring (GB), Wallop (Ire), Mustajaab (GB), Heroism (Ire).

 

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Mill Reef At The Centre Of Saturday Action

It is all about the 2-year-olds in Europe on Saturday, with Newbury's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. enjoying the prestige bragging rights. A week after celebrating Classic glory, KHK Racing, Roger Varian and David Egan combine again with the exciting 'TDN Rising Star' Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who is a warm order following his six-length Haydock novice rout at the start of the month. “He has looked of good ability throughout the summer,” commented Varian, who also has Nurlan Bizakov's Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Clive Cox may have something to say about the outcome, having won this twice in the last six years including with Harry Angel (Ire), but Jason Goddard's Aug. 19 Salisbury novice scorer Heroism (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) has a leap to make. “He's a horse we have always liked and because of the exceedingly dry summer, he hadn't been on the grass since the spring when he won first time,” he said of the descendant of The Queen's Highclere (GB) and relative of Deep Impact (Jpn).

 

All About Me

Of the seven other group races across Britain and France on Saturday, three are for the juveniles with Ayr's Gold Cup meeting including the six-furlong G3 Virgin Bet Firth of Clyde Fillies' S. in which Jaber Abdullah's Aug. 18 G2 Lowther S. runner-up Queen Me (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to continue the winning momentum for Kevin Ryan here. Ryan Moore heads to Chantilly to partner Ballydoyle's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) in the G3 Prix de Conde over nine furlongs, with his mount in pole position having beaten the subsequent G3 Prix d'Aumale winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in Deauville's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage Aug. 20. He may have most to fear from the Wertheimers' Precious Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a daughter of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Indonesienne (Ire) (Muhtathir {GB}) who had the subsequent G2 Prix du Calvados scorer Wed (Fr) (Profitable {Ire}) back in second in a seven-furlong conditions event at La Teste de Buch July 13. In the six-furlong G3 Prix Eclipse, an intriguing contender is Stall Ritterbusch's impressive Aug. 4 Deauville winner Bodyman (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) from the Andreas Suborics stable.

Click here for the group fields.

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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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