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Dubawi’s Concert Hall Wins The Park

After a shift in tone on Saturday, Team Ballydoyle continued to reach a pitch with their 2-year-old crop at The Curragh on Sunday as the regally-bred Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) built to her own crescendo in the G3 Weld Park S. As if the juveniles at Rosegreen have been moved stealthily towards a peak for the all-important autumn scene, the daughter of the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) put two uninspiring efforts behind her to deliver on her early promise under Seamie Heffernan. Held up in rear early, the 9-2 shot who had shaped as if she was coming forward with a fourth placing in the course-and-distance G1 Moyglare Stud S. Sept. 12 delivered a sustained run down the outer to collar Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}) 50 yards from the line and score by a length. “I'm delighted with her and if she comes out of this okay she'll probably step up and go on to the [Oct. 8 G1] Fillies' Mile [at Newmarket]. She's a hardy lady and is going to improve from racing. She stays well and is a good strong build.”

Runner-up on debut over six furlongs at Fairyhouse July 7, Concert Hall went one better over this track and trip 11 days later before failing to get involved in the Aug. 21 G2 Debutante S. on soft ground again over seven here. In the Moyglare, she was staying on to real effect late to get within a length of the third Sunset Shiraz and so this represented improvement on that bare form. In a race where it paid to come from behind, the winner overcame a bump from Cigamia (Karakontie {Jpn}) a furlong out to wear down the game runner-up who might have been paying for chasing the strong early tempo.

Concert Hall is the fourth foal and first black-type winner out of the aforementioned Was, who is a full-sister to this year's G2 Curragh Cup winner and 2020 G1 Epsom Derby third Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire), the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. scorer Douglas MacArthur (Ire) and the G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up Al Naamah (Ire). She is also a full-sibling of the unraced dam of the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte winner and G3 Prix de Flore runner-up Mashael (Fr) who shares Dubawi as a sire with Concert Hall.

The second dam is the Listed Blenheim S. and Listed Rochestown S.-placed Alluring Park (Ire) (Green Desert), a daughter of the high-class dual champion Park Express (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}) which makes her a half-sister to the brilliant five-times group 1-winning champion, Derby hero and prolific sire New Approach (Ire) by Was's sire Galileo. She is also a half to the G3 Matron S. winner and G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas-placed Dazzling Park (Ire) (Warning {GB}) who is the second dam of Ballydoyle's past G1 Phoenix S. hero Alfred Nobel (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). This is also the family of the GII Royal Heroine Mile S. winner and GI Gamely S. runner-up Quiet Oasis (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who produced this stable's dual G3 Gladness S. winner Lancaster House (Ire) also by Galileo, and this year's G1 Newmarket H. hero Zoutori (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}). Was's yearling is a full-brother to Concert Hall.

Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
WELD PARK S.-G3, €50,000, Curragh, 9-26, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:26.70, gd.
1–CONCERT HALL (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Was (Ire) (G1SW-Eng, G1SP-Ire, $496,294), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Alluring Park (Ire), by Green Desert
3rd Dam: Park Express (Ire), by Ahonoora (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, Westerberg; B-Was Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamie Heffernan. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-0, $63,966. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sunset Shiraz (Ire), 128, f, 2, Time Test (GB)–Sunny Again (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (£100,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Lindsay Laroche; B-Mount Coote Estates (IRE); T-Gavin Cromwell. €10,000.
3–Seisai (Ire), 128, f, 2, Gleneagles (Ire)–Lillebonne (Fr), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€40,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; £78,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; B-Peter Henley, John Connolly & Pattern Blds (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €5,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.50, 3.30, 7.00.
Also Ran: Trevaunance (Ire), Cigamia, Albula (Ire), Lovely Mana (Ire), Madonnadelrosario (Ire), Pink Fire Lilly (Ire).
Scratched: Hello You (Ire), Tranquil Lady (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Camelot’s Luxembourg Impressive In The Beresford

Aidan O'Brien's crop of juveniles had looked short of the usual standard up to Saturday, but five minutes of action across Newmarket and The Curragh changed the conversation with the hugely exciting Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) doing his bit for Ballydoyle in the G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. Not seen since winning in style on debut in a conditions event over this mile trip at Killarney July 14, the imposing Westerberg-Coolmore representative was the subject of heavy support into 8-13 favouritism for this prize Aidan O'Brien had already won an astounding 20 times. Racing in a detached last early with Seamie Heffernan downing anchor, the bay was green initially when switched wide to challenge in the straight but accelerated when the whip was shown to seize the advantage a furlong from home and surge to an impressive 4 3/4-length success from Manu Et Corde (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Speaking from Newmarket, Aidan O'Brien simply said, “We've always thought the world of that horse.”

When it comes to the Beresford, it is now customary that a future star is on display. While in the 1980s, the likes of Assert (Ire) and Sadler's Wells prevailed, it was not until the early 2000s that it became a more consistent marker of excellence. After Alamshar (Ire), Azamour (Ire), Sea the Stars (Ire) and St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) came Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and although the opposition here might not have been top-class, there is reason to believe that Luxembourg could fit into that category with the potent turn of foot he displayed. Incredibly, none of the previous 20 winners from the current set-up at Ballydoyle went on to win the G1 Epsom Derby and only Capri (Ire) and Saxon Warrior were Classic winners thereafter, so Luxembourg's immediate short odds quoted for the blue riband seem premature even allowing for the impression he created.

Seamie Heffernan has been around long enough to know what a top prospect feels like and his enthusiasm was as noteworthy as it was unsurprising. “He's very smart at home and he's proven it twice now. I was very impressed–very talented, very smooth,” he said. “The most impressive thing about him is he knows he's good and he doesn't show it off. He doesn't show you until you press the button and say 'give us a look'. When you have that turn of foot a mile is well within his comfort zone. His dad was a good staying horse that had the pace and class to win a Guineas. If Aidan wants to run him in the Guineas he'll change his galloping procedures and if he's targeting the Derby he'll go a different route. The turn of foot he showed me today was pretty exciting. I'm not sure what he's going to be targeted at, but he couldn't have done that any easier.”

Luxembourg's dam Attire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) raced over seven furlongs and a mile and has also produced the 10-furlong G2 Mooresbridge S. winner Leo de Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Sense of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who was placed in the G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial and G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack Memorial S. The second dam Asnieres (Spend a Buck) is a half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}) who produced the versatile Forgotten Voice (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). He had the speed to win the Royal Hunt Cup over a mile and the stamina to add the 12-furlong G3 Glorious S. to his tally before finishing third in the two-mile Listed Esher S. during a spell when he also raced over hurdles.

Attire, whose yearling full-brother to Luxembourg sells during Wednesday's session of the Goffs Orby, is also kin to the G3 Prix de Flore winner Australie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) who produced the Listed Carlingford S. winner and G3 Diamond S.-placed Hawke (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr scorer Mireille (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Also the second dam of the Listed Criterium de Lyon scorer and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Private Jet (Fr) (Aussie Rules) and the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or winner and G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis second Princedargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), the relative of the distinguished G1 Prix de Diane heroine Aqarelliste (Fr) (Danehill) visited Camelot again last year and has a filly foal as a result.

Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
ALAN SMURFIT MEMORIAL BERESFORD S.-G2, €112,000, Curragh, 9-25, 2yo, 8fT, 1:40.88, gd.
1–LUXEMBOURG (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Asnieres, by Spend a Buck
3rd Dam: Albertine (Fr), by Irish River (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamie Heffernan. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $91,171. *1/2 to Leo de Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}), GSW-Ire, $150,238. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Manu Et Corde (Ire), 131, c, 2, Teofilo (Ire)–Tiffilia (Ire), by Macho Uno. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €20,000.
3–Tuwaiq (Ire), 131, c, 2, Elzaam (Aus)–Nutshell (GB), by Dubai Destination. (€8,000 RNA Ylg '20 GOFOCT). O-Dr Ali Al Mutairi; B-BHL (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €10,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, NO, HF. Odds: 0.62, 14.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Swan Bay (Ire), Chicago Soldier (Ire). Scratched: Piz Badile (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Glass Slippers Tries For Second Flying Five Stakes Win At The Curragh

Irish Champions Weekend concludes at The Curragh on Sunday with two Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” races headlining the card. The winner of the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes will receive an automatic starting position into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, and the winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes earns a free spot into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

Last year the Bearstone Stud-owned Glass Slippers (GB) earned an automatic berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a victory in the G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, before following up with success in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

This year, the Kevin Ryan-trained mare, a 5-year-old daughter of Dream Ahead, faces 12 rivals in the five-furlong contest. Tom Eaves, who has ridden the mare in 17 of her 18 starts, will again be in the saddle.

Heading the opposition is the King Power Racing owned 3-year-old filly Winter Power (IRE), who earned an automatic entry into the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month.

Trained in Yorkshire, England, by Tim Easterby, the daughter of Bungle Inthejungle (GB) has won six of her last eight starts and will be ridden by former British champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa.

The Archie Watson-trained Dragon Symbol (GB), was first past the post in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, but was placed second behind the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle (IRE) following a Stewards' Enquiry, and is another strong contender from Britain.

The 3-year-old was third behind Winter Power in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes last time out and jockey Oisin Murphy believes the undulating track will suit. Murphy said: “He's been knocking on the door in Group 1 company all season and we're trying to find the key; so hopefully the stiff nature of The Curragh's five furlongs will help. Hopefully, it will bring him and Winter Power closer together. He's in very good shape.”

The Irish-trained contenders include the Jack Davison-trained Mooneista (IRE) who defeated Gustavus Weston (IRE) and Romantic Proposal (IRE) in the Group 2 Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes over course and distance in July.

Homeless Songs out to Preserve Unbeaten Record in Moyglare Stud Stakes

Impressive Leopardstown maiden winner Homeless Songs (IRE) faces seven juvenile fillies as she bids to make it two wins from two starts in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Owned by the race sponsors Moyglare Stud Farms and trained by Dermot Weld ― who enjoyed a breakthrough Breeders' Cup success with Tarnawa (IRE) at Keeneland last year ― the daughter of Frankel (GB) defeated subsequent stakes winner Agartha (IRE) by two lengths on debut.

Since finishing second behind Homeless Songs in July, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Agartha (IRE) has gone on to win the Group 3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown and the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes over course and distance last month. The second, third, and seventh-placed horses that day ― Sunset Shiraz (IRE), Discoveries (IRE), and Concert Hall (IRE) ― all take her on again here.

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has won the seven-furlong contest a record nine times and fields two this year with Prettiest (USA), a daughter of Dubawi (IRE), and the mount of Ryan Moore, and Concert Hall, who will be ridden by Seamie Heffernan.

The eight-runner field is completed by the Ger Lyons trained Caidre Go Deo (FR) and big-priced outsider Missing Matron (IRE), trained by Jim Bolger.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be run at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Broome’s Brother A New Rising Star At The Curragh

As Derby week heads towards the blue riband itself, Aidan O'Brien launched one who could conceivably be a headline act for the 2022 version in Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) who proved enormously impressive at The Curragh. Sent off the 7-4 favourite for the card's opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for colts and geldings over seven furlongs, the full-brother to the stable's multiple group winner Broome (Ire) who cost 575,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 was quick to dispute the lead with the experienced Barud (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). By the time they passed the two-furlong pole, it was clear that the March-foaled bay had that rival's measure and once given a smack with Seamie Heffernan's whip finished off powerfully to register a 5 1/2-length success in the maiden won by the future group 1 performer Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) two years ago. The Donnacha O'Brien-trained Unconquerable (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who had the benefit of a run under his belt, was second half a length in front of the Fozzy-Stack-trained newcomer Mannix (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Point Lonsdale's win continues the impressive strike-rate of Ballydoyle's juvenile class of 2021 so far, being the 10th individual winner from 15 starters at the time of his race and the third TDN Rising Star for the yard's 2-year-olds after the Caravaggio pair of fillies Tenebrism and Contarelli Chapel (Ire). He also becomes Australia's first TDN Rising Star and he looks an altogether faster type than his talented full-sibling and one of the sharper sorts by his sire so far. Aidan O'Brien has made a habit of taking one of his elite 2000 Guineas hopefuls to the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot in recent years, with Unconquerable's sire Churchill successful in it in 2016 and Battleground (War Front) following up last term. This race's winner Lope Y Fernandez also went to the Chesham, but was undone by Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) and it is that race that the master of Ballydoyle has in mind for Point Lonsdale.

“He was working very smart and we wanted to get him out, as we felt he was a horse for the Chesham,” he said. “That's what we think of him–we've always loved him. He relaxes and quickens and is a good-natured horse who is very intelligent and very straightforward. Seamie knew he'd get the trip well and if it fell easily to him he was happy to go forward. He got down and stretched the last furlong, so it will have been good for him–he really lowered his head the further he went and flattened out through the line lovely. He shows everything at home–all the right stuff.”

Broome had the precocity to be runner-up in both the G2 Champions Juvenile S. and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, but it was not until he stepped up to a mile and a quarter that he truly shone when winning the G3 Ballysax S. and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. One of this season's early success stories, the 5-year-old who is also versatile regarding ground conditions has added the G2 Mooresbridge S. and G3 Alleged S. to his tally and was narrowly denied in last month's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup so any upgrade on that kind of form will see his brother scale the heights.

The dam Sweepstake (Ire), who also has a yearling filly by Lope de Vega (Ire) in the wings, is by speed influence Acclamation (GB) and stayed true to that profile herself. Successful in the Listed National S. over five furlongs and third in the G3 Princess Margaret S. over an extra furlong for Richard Hannon, she joined David Carroll and ended up second in the GIII Appalachian S. at a mile. Predominantly, she hails from a middle-distance family although three Hesmonds Stud representatives Bulaxie (GB) (Bustino {GB}), Spotlight (GB) (Dr Fong) and Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) managed to win the seven-furlong G3 Fred Darling S. and nine-furlong GII Lake Placid H. and GIII Hillsborough S. respectively. Spotlight was responsible for Acclamation's Projection (GB), who took the G3 Bengough S. over six while the family also includes another notable Hesmonds-bred mare in Tyranny (GB) (Machiavellian).

She produced one of this stable's luminaries in Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who had the pace to win the G1 Phoenix S. as a juvenile and who gave Frankel (GB) such a scare in the following year's G1 St James's Palace S. before becoming such an influential sire. Tyranny also threw Rostropovich (Ire) by Frankel himself, a stronger stayer who went close to winning the G1 Irish Derby, and Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) who was fast and captured the G3 Anglesey S. Point Lonsdale looks to have drawn more from the speedier elements of his esteemed dynasty on this evidence, which despite coming at an early stage of the season stamped him as a Guineas horse through-and-through. There is obviously also a more than average chance that he will stay at least a mile and a quarter and he rates as one of Ballydoyle's most exciting 2-year-old prospects in recent years.

1st-Curragh, €16,500, Mdn, 6-2, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:27.65, yl.
POINT LONSDALE (IRE), c, 2, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng, SW & GSP-US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
Sales history: 575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $12,092. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. *Full to Broome (Ire), MGSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Fr, $595,734. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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