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Curtain Rises on Dubai World Cup Carnival

The 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival lasts from Jan. 14-Mar. 5, Super Saturday and begins on Friday. The 19th edition of the DWCC features enhanced purses and a new group of turf races, the Jumeirah Series. Anchoring the first seven-race card-six Thoroughbred and one Arabian race–is the $250,000 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Presented by Nakheel, which attracted a field of 14.

Meydan veterans abound in the 1600-metre dirt contest, with 2021 G2 Godolphin Mile hero Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) signed on, one of five for trainer Bhupat Seemar. Breaking from stall five, the 9-year-old entire hasn't been seen in action since his Dubai World Cup night heroics.

“Secret Ambition has a good draw [stall five], is fit, healthy, and good to go,” said Seemar, who also saddles dual Meydan winner Imperial Empire (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), 2020 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 victor Kimbear (Temple City), the two-for-two Kafoo (Curlin) and 2021 Godolphin Mile third Avant Garde (Tonalist). “Kafoo is drawn 10 but is unbeaten this season. He's doing everything right. I only hope inexperience doesn't catch him because he's definitely got the talent to be up there to compete against this class of horses.

“Imperial Empire is a Dubawi and is a half-brother to a Group 1 winner, so hopefully he should show up. Kimbear ran a good race on his debut for us but unfortunately he's drawn a bit on the outside [stall 11], while Avant Garde is doing really well. This is his minimum trip, he would rather go over a mile and quarter, but it's a good place to start him.”

Others signed on are last year's G1 Dubai World Cup fourth-place finisher Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the 2021 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 and G1 Al Matoum Challenge Round 3 scorer Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}). The 2019 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Capezzano (Bernardini) is also back for more, as is four-time Meydan dirt lover and Doug Watson trainee Thegreatcollection (Saint Anddan).

Said Watson, who also sends out Midnight Sands (Speightstown) and Golden Goal (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), “They're all doing well at home. We were a bit disappointed with Midnight Sands last time [when unplaced in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile on Dec. 16] but it was his first run after a long lay-off. He's been training well since.

“Thegreatcollection and Golden Goal are both in great shape. They both ran well recently after being off for the track for eight to nine months. It looks like they've come on so we're hoping they all run well.”

The Grass is Greener

Just after the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 is the G2 Cape Verdi, also over a mile, for fillies and mares on grass. The royal blue silks of Godolphin have been carried to victory in the race nine times already, and trainer Saeed bin Suroor has a pair entered, among them Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas victress of last year. Although off the board in a Riyadh after her Guineas win in January, she failed to see out the 1900 metres of the G2 UAE Derby on dirt in March. Returned to the UK, she ran out a 1 3/4-length winner in the Listed Rosemary S. at Newmarket in September going this trip, but gave way and finished ninth in the 2000-metre G3 Pride S. there on Oct. 8.

“She ran well last year, here in Dubai and also when we took her back to England,” said bin Suroor. “She won listed races on both dirt and turf. This looks like it is the right race to start her four-year-old campaign as she has been pleasing us at home.”

Bearing the second-string white cap is Stunning Beauty (Ire) (Shamardal), who was third after briefly leading in a Goodwood conditions race in August.

“Stunning Beauty showed better form in the UK last season and has been going well at home, so I'm hoping for a nice performance over a trip that suits,” said Bin Suroor.

Fellow Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby also has a contender in the lightly raced Nov. 13 Wolverhampton synthetic conditions scorer Wedding Dance (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Successful in the past three renewals, Appleby said, “Wedding Dance improved from her first to second run last season, winning nicely at Wolverhampton on the latter occasion.

“The plan was always to bring her out to Dubai afterwards and we have been pleased with the way she has been training out here. She will potentially come forward for this, but we feel that she is ready to have a run and should be competitive.”

Mnasek (Empire Maker) appears to be the main threat to shake up the Godolphin domination. Raced exclusively at Meydan for her five starts to date, she was a distant second to Soft Whisper after a slow break in the 1900m UAE 1000 Guineas, but thrived in the G3 UAE Oaks last February. Only ninth in the colts' equivalent on Dubai World Cup night, she returned on Nov. 18 to run second in a rated conditions heat, but this will be her turf bow.

Turf Classic Pointers

Billed as turf prep races for the new $300,000 1400-metre grassy Ras Al Khor on Super Saturday, Mar. 5, the Jumeirah Series also begins on Friday with the 1400-metre Jumeirah Classic Trial Presented by Palm Jumeirah. Saeed bin Suroor fields Home City (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) with Frankie Dettori in the irons with an eye to the European Classics. The colt ran second in a nursery handicap at Goodwod in October and is one of two in the race for Godolphin, with Charlie Appleby's Sovereign Prince (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a winner over this trip at Epsom on Sept. 26. The highest rated horse in the eight-strong race is Alice Haynes's Mr Professor (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), who found soft going to his liking in the Listed Silver Tankard S. at Pontefract on Oct. 18.

Meydan also hosts the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic Presented by the View at the Palm over 2410 metres on turf and Meydan's nightcap-the Listed Dubai Dash over the minimum trip, also on turf. Naturally, Godolphin holds a strong hand in the former, with bin Suroor's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden third Passion and Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Appleby's Listed Blue Riband Trial victor Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) subscribed among a quintet of royal blue representatives.

Leading on ratings in the turf sprint is Motafaawit (Ire) (Intikhab), one of five for the late Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell operation. The gelding was fifth most recently in the Mar. 27 G1 Al Quoz Sprint. He locks horns with Listed Dubai Sprint hero Man of Promise (Into Mischief) from the Appleby yard.

Click here to view the group fields.

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Shadwell Draft Propels Final Session as Tattersalls December Ends

Demand for bloodstock continued in Newmarket on Thursday, albeit at a lower price bracket, as Adaalah (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a member of the Shadwell draft, brought 82,000gns to top the fourth and final session of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale as the curtain fell on the sales season at Park Paddocks for 2021.

Thanks in part to larger drafts from the aforementioned Shadwell, Juddmonte and Godolphin, the former pair having lost their patrons earlier this year, turnover at the December Mare Sale was in excess of 60 million gns, with 788 lots sold from 964 offered (82%) for an aggregate of 62,412,700gns. This was an improvement of 45% on the sale total from 2020. Both the entire sale's average and median were also up at least 30%, with the former at 79,204gns (+35%) and the latter at 26,000gns (+30%).

Four mares made seven figures led by Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) (lot 1839) at 2.2 million gns, and followed by 2-million gns buy Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (lot 1840). Sunday Times (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 1810) and Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) (lot 1798) rounded out the quartet at 1.8 million gns and 1 million gns, respectively.

Consigned as lot 2277, Adaalah, in foal to Eqtidaar (Ire), was purchased by Najd Stud. A daughter of the dual listed winner Muteela (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who was also second in the G3 Supreme S. and G3 Oak Tree S., Adaalah's stakes-winning and dual group-placed granddam Nufoos (GB) (Zafonic) is responsible for G1 Middle Park S. hero Awzaan (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), G3 Sweet Solera S. victress Muraaqaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the stakes-placed Hajras (Ire) (Dubai Destination).

“We don't know plans yet, I need to call Saudi and find out,”said Saud Al Qahtani, who was bidding on behalf of Najd Stud's Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz. “She may stay here with other mares or she may ship to Saudi. We have also bought lot 1790, Under The Stars (Ire) (300,000gns), who is in-foal to Frankel (GB). They may stay with Ted Voute, who, of course, reared this year's champion Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}).

Adaalah's foal of 2021 was knocked down for 15,000gns by BBA Ireland at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

“This mare is by Oasis Dream, which was very attractive for us,” continued Al Qahtani, who also signed for two other mares on Thursday, among them Shadwell's winning Etaab (Street Cry {Ire}) (lot 2328), in foal to Muhaarar {GB}, for17,000gns. “He is a good broodmare sire. She has had a very nice foal this year by the same stallion. We are hoping to build a significant operation in Europe.”

Another Shadwell consignee, Sareeha (Ire) (Shamardal), caught the eye of JD Moore at 52,000gns. Lot 2379, out of the winning Saraha (GB) (Dansili {GB}), has one run to her name. The second dam is the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte victress Kareemah (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and this is the extended family of champion and Shadwell royalty Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}).

“She is for a client, we like her profile and she is by Shamardal,” JD Moore said. “She looked green on her start at Chelmsford in September. We will make plans when she gets to her new yard.”

Completing the top three lots was Brook Stud's Golden Wattle (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (lot 2294). Charlie Peate acquired the 3-year-old after she left the ring for 40,000gns. Her dual Group 3-winning dam Chrysanthemum (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who was also third in the G1 Pretty Polly S., already has G3 Classic Trial winner Cunco (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to her credit.

Thursday's session benefitted from Shadwell's offerings, with five of the top 10 lots hailing from that consignment. Of the 163 fillies or mares offered, 105 sold (64%) for a gross of 845,700gns. The average increased to 8,054gns and the median was also up to 5,000gns, gains of 59% and 67%, respectively.

Taking a fortnight of selling into account, a staggering total of 1,667 lots sold from 2,034 offered (82%) across the Tattersalls December Yearling, Foal, and Mare Sales. The gross was 98,781,700gns, up 35% on 2020's 73,353,300gns during the first year of the covid pandemic. The average and median were also higher than their 2020 counterparts-59,257gns average (+20%) and 25,000gns median (+25%).

At the conclusion of the 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “Beginning with Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the 2021 Tattersalls sales season has consistently outperformed expectation and the global demand throughout this week's December Mares Sale has seen the momentum sustained to the very end.

“Record medians at both the December Yearling Sale and December Foal Sale demonstrated the extraordinary depth in all sectors of the market and we have seen that replicated over the past four days with buyers from throughout the world all contributing to a sale which has not only comfortably surpassed last year's returns but also the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

“The 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale has produced turnover well in excess of 60 million guineas, 45% higher than last year, wide-margin gains in average and median, an impressive clearance rate above 80% and an unprecedented 164 fillies and mares which have sold for 100,000 guineas or more. Annual turnover at Tattersalls has leapt from 260 million guineas in 2020 to more than 320 million guineas this year, a figure bettered only twice and a clear demonstration of a wider industry which has quickly regained confidence and vibrance after the rigours of last year.

“The four outstanding seven figure lots, Waldlied, Cayenne Pepper, Sunday Times, and Flotus, all paid tribute to the consistent demand for bloodstock of the highest quality which has been the feature of the 2021 Tattersalls sales season, but the real highlight has been the opportunity to welcome back so many international buyers to Park Paddocks. The Tattersalls December Mares Sale showcases the very best breeding stock to be found in Europe, and the easing of travel restrictions has seen the return of the uniquely international atmosphere to this historic fixture with international buyers competing at all levels of the market. Buyers from America, Australia, France and Japan have been particularly prominent and the throng of overseas participants have faced strong competition throughout from their British and Irish counterparts.

“As well as recognising the massive contribution from the buyers we must also pay tribute to the consignors who every year make the Tattersalls December Sale a highlight of the international bloodstock sales calendar. The major consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates, as well as the dispersal of Sir Robert Ogden's fillies and mares, proved to be hugely popular and the support of the top consignors from Britain, Ireland and France has yet again been rewarded with the unrelenting global demand which has long been the hallmark of Europe's premier sale of breeding stock.”

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Bespangled A Star Signing For Elwick Stud

NEWMARKET, UK–Phew. There was a little bit more time to compose one's thoughts during the third session of the December mares' sale following a blockbuster Tuesday when every other lot sold for the price of a modest family home.

A slight rejigging of the catalogue to include the second batch of the Juddmonte draft on Tuesday rather than in its traditional Wednesday afternoon slot, meant that the prices took a bigger dip than usual, but the demand remained just as strong and the list of buyers every bit as international.

With the clearance rate remaining constant at 87%, this larger session led to 227 fillies and mares changing hands–27 more than on the corresponding day last year when 11 horses returned six-figure sums, with seven of those being Juddmonte-breds. This time around three mares sold for 100,000gns or more. The aggregate dropped by 18% to 4,374,000gns and the median and average were also both down, for reasons explained above. The session average was 19,269gns (-27%) and the median was 11,000gns (-21%).

The rolling aggregate for the three days, however, is already far in excess of last year's entire sale, and is currently sitting just above 61.5 million gns. Last year's total turnover was 43.1 million gns.

In the absence of Juddmonte, fillies and mares from Godolphin and Shadwell took top billing, with the day's star turn being provided by Bespangled (Ire), an unraced 3-year-old filly by Dubawi (Ire) out of the Meydan listed winner Pure Diamond (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}). With the filly's grandam and great grandam both being former champion 2-year-olds in Germany, there was much to recommend lot 2163 to breeders and it was Elwick Stud, recent winners of the G3 Bahrain International Trophy with their globetrotting grey Lord Glitters (Fr), who lasted longest in the bidding to 330,000gns.

Agent Billy Jackson-Stopps was acting on behalf of the Turnbull family and said after securing Bespangled, “The team at Elwick Stud was very keen on her, she was an obvious standout in this session. They have had a lot of good horses along the way, and they are revamping the stock and this is one for them.”

Elwick Stud was until last season the home of another of Geoff and Sandra Turnbull's top-flight winners, Mondialiste (Ire). The young son of Galileo (Ire) has his first runners on the track this year and stood the 2021 season at Haras d'Annebault in Normandy.

Jackson-Stopps added, “I don't know what plans are, but as the farm has its own sire I would be tipping that she might visit him.”

Bespangled's juvenile half-brother Symbol Of Light (GB) (Shamardal) has won twice in the last two months for Charlie Appleby from just three starts, and their dam has offspring by Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB) to follow. Pure Diamond is herself out of the G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up White Rose (Ger) (Platini {Ger}), who has also produced three other black-type performers.

Ragsah (Ire) (2151), a Shamardal half-sister to Dubai Millennium (Seeking The Gold) was another leading pick from Godolphin, fetching a bid of 130,000gns from Hazelwood Bloodstock on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's Essafinaat UK. Now 13, the chestnut mare was a winner in her juvenile season, when she was also placed in the G3 Firth of Clyde S. Her two winners to date include the Grade II-placed Richmond Avenue (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and she has fillies by Iffraaj (GB) and Camelot (GB) on the ground.

“She has been bought for an existing client, one of our greatest supporters,” said Adrian O'Brien of Hazelwood Bloodstock. “We are delighted to get a mare with that profile. She has not got a blemish-free breeding record, but she is a sister to an iconic horse. It is brilliant, it bolsters the team at home fantastically well. We will take her home, regroup and make a plan.”

Dubai Millennium and Ragsah and out of the G2 Prix de Pomone winner Colorado Dancer (Shareef Dancer), herself a daughter of the blue hen Fall Aspen (Pretense), five of whose sons went on to be stallions. Two of Ragsah's half-sisters are also proving themselves as broodmares, with Chaquiras having produced the G2 Lowther S. winner Threading (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), while Dubai Sunrise is the dam of Dee Ex Bee (GB). The latter, runner-up in the Derby and twice a Group 3 winner who has just joined Arctic Tack Stud, is a son of Farhh (GB), the last covering sire of Ragsah, though she was sold barren.

Early in the session Robert O'Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud went to 120,000gns for another Dubawi mare, Nawassi (GB) (lot 1960), this time from the Shadwell draft. Members of the Yeomanstown team are on the lookout for mares to support the stud's new stallion, Supremacy (Ire), a Group 1-winning son of the popular Mehmas (Ire). Nawassi's foal, a colt by Yeomanstown's Dark Angel (Ire) had passed through the ring last week and sold for 100,000gns to Philipp Stauffenberg.

“Her Dark Angel foal was very good so it will be bred on the same lines,” said O'Callaghan of the plan to send the mare to Supremacy next year. She is currently carrying to Eqtidaar (Ire), who is by Dark Angel's and Mehmas's sire Acclamation (GB).

He added, “We're trying to buy some nice fast mares for Supremacy. We've bought seven now. She's a very good-looking Dubawi, from a very good family as a daughter of a Queen Mary winner–that was a big draw. It makes it a lot easier to buy these mares when you can see what they're producing. She was the one today that we wanted to buy and we're very glad to get her.”

O'Callaghan continued, “We're very excited about Supremacy. He's gone down extremely well with breeders so it is a very exciting year ahead. It is our first Group 1 winner since Dark Angel to go to stud; if he can be half as good as Dark Angel we'll be happy. We had a lot of showings and bookings. Generally we'd have two or three shows a day through December and January and then we can kick on in February and start covering.”

Out of the G2 Queen Mary S. winner Maqaasid (GB) (Green Desert), Nawassi won her sole race at two. She stems from Shadwell's signature family as her third dam is Sarayir (Mr Prospector), a stakes-winning daughter of Height Of Fashion and subsequently the dam of 1000 Guineas winner Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway).

Cathy Grassick of Brian Grassick Bloodstock was another to plump for a mare from Shadwell, signing for lot 2033, Ghazawaat (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), in foal to Tamayuz {GB}) at 80,000gns.

“She has been bought for an existing Irish client,” said the agent. “This autumn I bought her daughter by Dark Angel as a yearling, I like her a lot and she is going to Jessie Harrington.”

Grassick added, “It's hard to tell at this stage, but you can't go to wrong with a Siyouni stakes mare. She was rated 100 and he really looks like the broodmare sire of the future, he is such a lovely stallion. She also has the benefit of being out of a Choisir (Aus) mare, and he has been a very lucky stallion for me and he really is a broodmare sire that I like.”

Grassick can also bathe in some reflected glory this week as her family's Newtown Stud was the breeder of Shades Of Blue (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and co-breeder of Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who were sold for 850,000gns and 1,000,000gns to White Birch Farm and Northern Farm respectively on Tuesday.

The December Sale concludes at Tattersalls on Thursday, with the final session beginning at 9.30am.

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Derby Hero Erhaab Dies at 30

Shadwell's Erhaab (Chief's Crown–Histoire {Fr}, by Riverman), who won the G1 Derby at Epsom in 1994, died peacefully this week at Batsford Stud. The 30-year-old, the oldest surviving winner of the Blue Riband, had spent the past decade at the Gloucestershire stud.

Bred by Sheikh Hamdan's operation in Kentucky, the half-brother to Group 2 winner Oumaldaaya (Nureyev) and stakes winner Hispanolia (Fr) (Kris {GB}) was trained by John Dunlop. In five starts as a juvenile, the dark bay won twice and was also third in the G3 Horris Hill S. at Newbury. He made his sophomore bow with a second in the Listed Feilden S. in April. Successful in the G2 Dante S. next out, he ran out a 1 1/4-length victor in the Derby-both of those wins were under Willie Carson. His final placing was a third in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown

A damaged suspensory ligament brought about his retirement later that summer with a record of 11-4-2-2 and $905,450 in prizemoney. He stood in Japan, Kentucky, and Shadwell's Beech House Stud, and was later a jumps stallion at Wood Farm Stud and Batsford Stud. As a stallion, he sired a quartet of listed-placed progeny in England and Japan, while his daughters have produced three black-type winners in Japan.

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