Tag: Saudi Cup undercard

Frankel’s Spirit Dancer Pounces In Neom Turf Cup

Saturday marked the fifth edition of the blockbuster G1 Saudi Cup, with Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) racing into the history books as another American-trained winner of the $20-million race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Connections of horses worldwide benefitted from the $33.5 million in purses on offer throughout the card, with Europe claiming a trio of wins, and Japan two victories on a night that is rapidly becoming one of the can't-miss events of the year in international racing.

Sir Alex Ferguson, best known for his Manchester United exploits in another sporting sphere, declared the victory of SPIRIT DANCER (GB) (g, 7, Frankel {GB}–Queen's Dream {Ger}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) in November's G2 Bahrain International Trophy “my best day in racing”, but already that triumph has some stiff competition. In Saturday's $2-million G2 Howden Neom Turf Cup, Ferguson, Ged Mason and Peter Done's determined gelding put his rivals to the sword with a dramatic kick to win by a length in the 2100-metre contest for trainer Richard Fahey.

Japan's Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was a half-length ahead of the rallying Calif (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) at the line, with Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who had stayed nearer the pace set by Jack Darcy (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) a neck back in fourth.

When the gates flew, Spirit Dancer was a touch keyed up, tossing his head and was forced to sit three off the fence in midfield as Jack Darcy cut out the running while feeling the heat from Luxembourg, who was ridden forward from the widest alley. Relaxing into a nice rhythm on the backstretch, Spirit Dancer was able to edge a bit closer to the inside, but still had at least six horses to pass on the far turn. Ryan Moore asked Luxembourg to tackle the leader 400 metres from the wire, while Spirit Dancer swung toward the centre of the lane for his bid. He soon gobbled up ground, blew past Luxembourg inside the final furlong and withstood the closing rushes of Killer Ability to his inside and Calif to claim his third group race in good style.

“It's fantastic, after Bahrain you come here and look at the field, the performance from Oisin [Orr] and the horse and Richard, it's unbelievable,” said Ferguson. “Richard made the point he hasn't had a lot of racing, and I think we see the evidence today. Oisin said this morning horse the is improving all the time. I took a gamble a few years ago with a stud in Hemel Hampstead and the results have been very good.

“That puts his win in Bahrain in perspective. Richard gave us confidence but it is one of these things, you are never too confident.”

Mason added, “It's like a dream, I have to pinch myself. For Richard to produce him and win as easy as he did, he was like a steam engine. Sir Alex had a dream this morning and dreamt he'd win.”

“It's absolutely amazing,” said Done. “Super, super trainer. All credit to him and Oisin with a terrific ride. We bought into him as a 2-year-old. If Sir Alex asks do you want a share, what do you say? We turned down a big offer after Bahrain and we all turned it down and what a great decision.”

A three-race winning streak last summer culminated in York's G3 Strensall S. in August for the Ferguson and Niall McLoughlin-bred gelding, and two starts later he won the G2 Bahrain International Trophy in November. Spirit Dancer was fourth in the G1 Jebel Hatta to Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) warming up for this on Jan. 26.

“We'll send him back to Dubai, said Fahey of future plans. “We'll see how he is in the morning but it's hard not to go back to Dubai. I'll be shocked if he doesn't line up in something on World Cup night.

“Always in my mind I wanted to stretch out to a mile and a half [2400m] but I don't want to make any decisions tonight. Any horse that goes on the international scene, becomes a people's horse, and he's got a huge fan base–the lad that has a share in him has something to do with that!

“As trainers we don't really understand what it means to people and to see the enjoyment gives me huge pride. He gets his head down and gallops to the line.”

Pedigree Notes

The unbeaten champion Frankel is already the recipient of two sire titles in the UK & Ireland, and the 16-year-old's progeny are never far from the limelight. Spirit Dancer is one of 136 stakes winners (93 group) on an international scale for the bay, and one of seven stakes winners out of Oasis Dream mares. The best of that septet is G1 Prix de la Foret heroine Kelina (Ire).

The third foal and one of four winners for his unraced dam Queen's Dream, Spirit Dancer's latest half-sibling is a 2-year-old by Masar (Ire). Second dam Quetena (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) was a better producer than runner, as she placed in a listed race in Italy before foaling a quartet of stakes winners. Three of them were group class or better–Italian Group 1 winner and sire Querari (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), fellow sire and G3 Bavarian Classic victor Quasillo (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and the stakes-producing Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) all won at least one race at the group or graded level. The last-named mare triumphed in the GII Ballston Spa S. and GII Canadian S., and GIII Valley View S. and was placed an additional three times at the highest table in the U.S.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
HOWDEN NEOM TURF CUP-G2, $2,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-24, NH4yo/up, SH3yo/up, 2100mT, 2:07.10, gd.
1–SPIRIT DANCER (GB), 125, g, 7, Frankel (GB)
                1st Dam: Queen's Dream (Ger), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                2nd Dam: Quetena (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
                3rd Dam: Quebrada (Ire), by Devil's Bag
O-Done/Ferguson/Mason; B-Sir Alex Ferguson & Niall
McLoughlin (GB); T-Richard Fahey; J-Oisin Orr; $1,200,000.
Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng & Bhr, 25-8-6-2, $2,131,263. Werk
   Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Killer Ability (Jpn), 125, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Killer Graces,
by Congaree. O-U Carrot Farm; B-Northern Racing (Jpn);
T-Takashi Saito; J-Cristian Demuro; $400,000.
3–Calif (Ger), 125, g, 5, Areion (Ger)–Cherry Danon (Ire), by
Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire). (€95,000 RNA Ylg '20 BBASEP;
€400,000 HRA '23 ARQSEP ). O-Victorious; B-Gestut
Brummerhof; T-Fawzi Nass; J-Adrie de Vries; $200,000.
Margins: 1, HF, NK.
Also Ran: Luxembourg (Ire), Jack Darcy (Ire), Grocer Jack (Ger), Alooqaal (Ire), Astro King (Ire), Studley (Jpn), Starcat (GB), Hearts Concerto (Jpn), Bolthole (Ire), The Foxes (Ire).
Click for the JCSA chart (R7) and video.

 

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Mick Appleby Duo Test The Riyadh Turf

Fosnic Racing's Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Gary Allsopp's Roberto Escobarr (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) both worked over the King Abdulaziz turf course ahead of intended starts on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard in Riyadh on Wednesday for trainer Mick Appleby.

The son of Muhaarar, who won the G3 Bengough S. in October, ran second in a Lingfield listed race earlier this month, a prep for the G2 Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint on Saturday. He galloped 1200 metres Wednesday morning.

“Annaf worked over six furlongs [1200m] on the grass this morning and everyone is happy,”Appleby said. “My two horses will have an easy day tomorrow and canter again on Friday. Annaf didn't get as good a draw as Roberto Escobarr but I'm not too worried. I think he'll be able to get across from 12 and slot in behind the leaders hopefully.”

Roberto Escobarr, who spend 1600 metres over the grass on Wednesday, will break from gate three in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. over 3000 metres, also on grass, on Saturday. The multiple Group 3 winner landed the G3 Premio St Leger Italiano in November, and was last engaged taking fourth in a Newcastle all-weather handicap on New Year's Day.

“He worked this morning over a mile [1600m] and everyone is happy so he will have an easy day tomorrow and canter again on Friday,” Appleby reported. “He has drawn in stall three, which is a good draw for him as I'd imagine the plan will be to jump out and make the running.”

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Mostahdaf Makes It Look Easy For The Gosdens In Neom Turf Cup

George Boughey's Missed The Cut (Quality Road) may have fluffed his lines but still the G3 Neom Turf Cup Sponsored By Altanfeethi went for export with fellow Newmarket-based trainers John and Thady Gosden landing the $1.5-million contest with Arc also-ran Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) sprinting clear under Jim Crowley.

John Gosden suggested after the race that the G1 Dubai World Cup could be next for Mostahdaf, a horse the team at Clarehaven Stables thought good enough to run in Europe's showcase race last autumn.

But this was the day where Mostahdaf came good on his initial promise by carrying the famous Shadwell Estate colours to a seven-length victory over Saeed bin Suroor's Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Missed The Cut could only manage fourth after racing far too keenly.

Gosden said, “He did it perfectly. He had a nice draw and Jim used it. I think the track is quick and, if you are handy and have Mikael Barzalona [aboard Eagle's Flight (Ire) (Gleaneagles {Ire})] measuring the fractions, that's where you want to be; handy.”

He added, “Stunningly-good performance. We obviously know the family well and Sheikha Hissa has done wonderfully to keep these horses in training and her father would be so proud with what she has done with the stable. It's a Shadwell family and we have the sister and we have the brother who is a nice 3-year-old, so look, he's an improving horse and we're delighted with him.

“If he flies home in great form, obviously we came here with Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and then he went to Dubai, so he could run on Dubai World Cup night as well.”

Boughey was less sure where Missed The Cut would be off to next. The bitterly-disappointed trainer explained how the short-priced favourite was somewhat a victim of his own downfall after his early antics in the race.

“He probably did a little bit too much down the outside. It was no-one's fault and I think he might have travelled a little bit further than some of them. That's racing, isn't it. It's frustrating but he will be back.”

Boughey added, “He travelled down to post good and then was one who was throwing about. It didn't help him but, essentially, he's probably run a little bit below the form of his last race if you take the winner out of it.

“There's lots of different options for him but I was slightly hoping that we'd see a different horse today. We'll see how he is tomorrow and see where we go from there.”

A winner of the G3 Gordon Richards S. and G3 September S., Mostahdaf was unplaced in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

 

Pedigree Notes

Part of Frankel's 108 stakes winners (76 group), Mostahdaf is bred identically to With The Moonlight (Ire), who won the G2 Balanchine at Meydan on Friday; her full-brother, the late Group 1 winner Dream Castle (GB); 2022 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Homeless Songs (Ire); and G1 Derby/G1 King George hero Adayar (Ire), who are all out of Dubawi mares.

Listed winner Handassa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), herself a half-sister to GII San Gabriel S. hero and GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. second Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), is also the dam of the G1 Sun Chariot S. and G1 Falmouth S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the winning Dark Angel (Ire) 3-year-old Mostabshir (GB), a juvenile full-brother to the winner and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB).

Group 1 winners and sire full-brothers Pastoral Pursuits (GB) and Goodricke (GB), both by Bahamian Bounty (GB), are under the third dam.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
NEOM TURF CUP SPONSORED BY ALTANFEETHI-G3, $1,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-25, 4yo/up, 2100mT, 2:06.24, fm.
1–MOSTAHDAF (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Frankel (GB)
                1st Dam: Handassa (GB) (SW-Ire), by Dubawi
                2nd Dam: Starstone (GB), by Diktat (GB)
                3rd Dam: Star (GB), by Most Welcome (GB)
O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited; T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley; $900,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Eng, 13-8-2-0, $1,254,238. *1/2 to Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eur & Eng at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Eng, $409,959. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Dubai Future (GB), 126, g, 7, Dubawi (Ire)–Anjaz, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed Bin Suroor; J-Daniel Tudhope; $300,000.
3–Flying Visit (Ire), 126, g, 5, Pride Of Dubai (Aus)–Fionnuar (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). (28,000gns HRA '21 TATAUT). O-Alfathwa Stable; B-J S Bolger; T-Sami Al Harabi; J-Ricardo Ferreira; $150,000.
Margins: 7, 5 3/4, 1 3/4.Odds: 9-5, 8-1, 55-1.
Also Ran: Missed the Cut, Eagle's Flight (Ire), Castle (Ire), White Moonlight, Star of Wins, Sir Busker (Ire), Byline (GB). Scratched: Peter The Great (GB). VIDEO

 

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Crack Stayer Subjectivist Set For Red Sea Turf

Charlie Johnston's Group 1-winning stayer Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) turned in a maintenance gallop at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Wednesday, ahead of an intended start in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard.

Set to face 12 rivals in the event, the 6-year-old entire has not graced the racecourse since dominating the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2021, having injured a tendon in training.

“It has been a very long road, 20 months since this horse saw the racecourse,” said Johnston. “It has been a long journey for the team and one where we've trodden on eggshells for the most of it. So, to see him back in this kind of environment is fantastic. Horses like him don't come around very often. It was getting to that point where you don't really care about the opposition.”

Already a winner of the 2020 G1 Prix Royal Oak, 2021 G2 Dubai Gold Cup, and his Royal Ascot demolition job, Subjectivist appears back to his best following a racecourse gallop at Newcastle earlier this month.

“We wouldn't be here if we didn't think we were ready,” Johnston added. “But at the same time any prep is difficult, but in particular in a situation when you come back from such a serious injury.

“We took him to Newcastle and that was a pretty serious workout. That was the key point, to feel he was in shape to be ready to come here.

“What he did here today was to see him stretch his legs, see that he is fit and well and that he has taken the journey OK. The hard work has been done at home and now it is a case of keeping him wrapped up until Saturday.

“It is very much one day at a time with this horse. Every morning he canters up the gallop, he goes into his box and we check that his leg is still OK.

“I've barely allowed myself to think about Saturday, never mind think beyond Saturday.”

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