Mohaather Targeting QEII

Last week’s G1 Sussex S. winner Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is aiming for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on Champions Day as his next big target, with trainer Marcus Tregoning as-yet undecided as to whether the 4-year-old will have another start prior.

“His end-of-season target will be the QEII,” said Tregoning. “Whether something slots in before that we’re not sure yet, but Ascot is his main target.

“We could have really done with the [G1 Prix Jacques le] Marois being a week later than it is. There isn’t anything that slots in ideally, as the Marois is the 16th [of August] which is a bit quick and if we drop down to seven for the Foret [on Oct. 4] it’s too close to Champions Day. With the races all moved around it’s difficult. At least we’re now looking having won a Group 1; given how we felt after Royal Ascot things are a good bit different.”

Tregoning was not ruling out a tilt at the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, either.

“The Breeders’ Cup is three weeks after Ascot this year so that would give him enough time, but that would be entirely down to Sheikh Hamdan. He is lightly raced so hopefully we’ll get a few more goes with him.”

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Raabihah Back In The Groove At Deauville

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who went untested as a juvenile, was up with the larks for a Jan. 23 debutantes’ heat win at Cagnes-sur-Mer and doubled up with an impressive tally in ParisLongchamp’s May 14 Listed Prix de la Seine before posting a commendable fourth, despite a troubled trip, pitched into Chantilly’s rescheduled July 5 G1 Prix de Diane in her latest outing. Sent off as the 2-5 lock on a retrieval mission in Saturday’s G3 Prix de Psyche Sky Sports Racing over 10 furlongs at Deauville, the homebred chestnut did not disappoint her legion of supporters and booked a ticket to France’s end-of-season gala with a performance which simply oozed class. She was positioned several lengths off the pacesetting Arriviste (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in fourth until improving one spot as the field bunched on the home turn. Overpowering toiling rivals once quickening in style for control approaching the final furlong, Raabihah surged clear in hand to easily dismiss Listed Prix Finlande victress Wangari (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) by an impressive 3 1/2 lengths with Wangari’s Andre Fabre-trained stablemate Alkandora (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) emerging best of the remainder, finishing 3/4-of-a-length further back in third.

“I think what we have seen here today is a Group 1 filly,” said winning trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, who sent out Luna Kya (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}) to win this in 2001 and subsequent MGISW distaffer Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune) in 2010. “We knew that before, of course, but we missed the opportunity to win a big one in the Diane where she had an awful trip and didn’t have enough experience to get herself out of trouble. We have been in racing long enough to know that these things happen. The pace was good today and the further she was going the more she was opening up on the rest.”

Rouget is now zoning in on targets back at the highest level with October’s G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the ultimate goal this year. “For me, she is the best French filly around and she’s not even running over her distance. We know she is a genuine mile-and-a-half filly, with her second and third dams both being Oaks winners, and the plan is to now go straight to the [Sept. 13 G1 Prix] Vermeille and then the [Oct. 4 G1 Prix de l’] Arc [de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp].”

Raabihah is one of two winners and the leading performer produced by Garmoosha (Kingmambo), who was bred to Noble Mission (GB) this year. The fourth of six foals, she is a half-sister to Listed Wait A While S. third Filfila (Kitten’s Joy), a yearling filly by Kitten’s Joy and a 2020 More Than Ready filly. Her dam is an unraced half to G1 Fillies’ Mile third Firdaws (Mr. Greeley) out of G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Eswarah (GB) (Unfuwain), who in turn is a daughter of MG1SW G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Midway Lady (Alleged). The latter also produced G1 Irish 1000 Guineas third Umniyatee (GB) (Green Desert) and G3 Princess Royal S. victrix Itnab (GB) (Green Desert), who in turn is the dam of stakes-winning G3 Al Shindagha Sprint runner-up Alazeyab (El Prado {Ire}) and Peruvian Group 3 placegetter Madera de Guerrero (Street Cry {Ire}). Descendants of Umniyatee include Argentina’s G1 Presidente da Republica victor Maltes (Brz) (Red Runner).

Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX DE PSYCHE SKY SPORTS RACING-G3, €56,000, Deauville, 8-1, 3yo, f, 8fT, 2:02.81, gd.
1–RAABIHAH, 125, f, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Garmoosha, by Kingmambo
2nd Dam: Eswarah (GB), by Unfuwain
3rd Dam: Midway Lady, by Alleged
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Farm LLC (KY); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €28,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €91,760. *1/2 to Filfila (Kitten’s Joy), SP-US. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wangari (Ger), 125, f, 3, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Wamika (Ger), by Shirocco (Ger). (€35,000 Ylg ’18 BBAGO). O-White Birch Farm; B-Gestut Park Wiedingen; T-Andre Fabre. €11,200.
3–Alkandora (GB), 125, f, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Poplin (GB), by Medicean (GB). (85,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT). O-Godolphin; B-D J Deer & Mrs D J Deer (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €8,400.
Margins: 3HF, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 4.40, 8.00.
Also Ran: Arriviste (GB), Chorba (Fr), Run Wild (Ger), Euclidia (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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A Glorious Send-Off

Goodwood’s Qatar Festival has lived up to its “Glorious” tag all week and Saturday sees the culmination with the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. the key race for the staying fillies and mares. Despite there being only four participants, they are all notable performers in the category and last year’s winner Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) will have to be at or near her best to bring up the repeat. Twelve months ago, the Shadwell representative gave a stone and a five-length beating to Manuela de Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), defying the anchor of a combination of weight-for-age and a penalty here prior to adding Doncaster’s G2 Park Hill S. to her tally. Perhaps undone by testing ground when third in the G1 Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp and fourth in the 12-furlong G2 Princess of Wales’s S. on her seasonal bow at Newmarket July 9, she has ideal conditions again here.

Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold is looking for improvement from her comeback effort.

“I thought she stayed on well in the last part of the race at Newmarket,” he explained. “It was her first run of the year, the trip was a bit short and the ground was soft enough for her as well. Hopefully, the ground will be on the quick side on Saturday, which will certainly help her. She is showing incredible enthusiasm and has this extraordinary action. You can never take anything for granted, but I would hope she’ll put her best foot forward.”

Since her heavy defeat in this last year, Manuela de Vega has come back at four a different proposition but had soft ground to suit when taking Haydock’s G3 Pinnacle S. June 7 and G2 Lancashire Oaks July 5 over a mile and a half. She gets the three-pound penalty as a result this time, which makes it all the harder for her to deal with Enbihaar but trainer Ralph Beckett is willing to give it a go.

“She’s in very good shape and we’re hoping she can go one better than last year,” he said. “We think she’s pretty adaptable ground-wise–I don’t think it makes too much difference to her. It won’t be easy giving the penalty away, but it’s feasible.”

Aside from that duo, the 3-year-olds Snow (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Cabaletta (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) are worthy of respect with the former coming in on the back of a fifth in the G1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh a fortnight ago and Cheveley Park Stud’s TDN Rising Star Cabaletta also backing up quickly having won Newbury’s Listed Aphrodite S. over a mile and a half on the same day.

Deauville ramps up the action as the August Festival gets underway in earnest, with the G3 Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing and G3 Prix de Psyche Sky Sports Racing enjoying a share of the focus. In the former for 2-year-old fillies, Sean Mulryan, Linda Shanahan and Susan Magnier’s unbeaten See The Rose (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) returns to the scene of her smooth six-furlong conditions success July 12. She has to deal with Godolphin’s Wedding Dance (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a member of Charlie Appleby’s academy which always does well here and she impressed with a 3 1/4-length success in a Newmarket maiden over this seven-furlong trip July 11.

“We were very pleased with Wedding Dance last time out, when she won nicely and she came out of the race well. This looks a nice opportunity for her to step up in grade,” her trainer said.

In the Psyche over a mile and a quarter, Shadwell’s Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) will be a warm order, having finished a short neck and two head margins behind the subsequent G1 Nassau S. winner Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) when fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly July 5. Again, Godolphin are at the fore with the Andre Fabre-trained Alkandora (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who took ParisLongchamp’s Listed Prix Melisande also over 10 1/2 furlongs last time July 2.

“Alkandora is in good form and has done really well since her last race,” Godolphin’s Lisa-Jane Graffard said. “She will appreciate a step up in trip in time, but Andre is very happy with her condition and she deserves a try at this level.”

Also in the mix is Tweenhills Fillies and Meridian International’s impressive June 7 Listed Pretty Polly Fillies’ S. winner Run Wild (Ger) (Amaron {GB}), who will be more at home back at that trip having finished last in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 20.

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Shamardal’s Albasheer a New TDN Rising Star

Owen Burrows had enjoyed the limelight last Saturday when Tabdeed (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) took the G3 Hackwood S. and he had something else to ponder a week on after Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) earned TDN Rising Star status at Doncaster. Starting the seven-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Novice S. as a 17-2 shot, the chestnut was under restraint from David Probert from the break and suffered some barges as he tracked the group racing towards the rear. Shaken up to chase the fellow Shadwell representative Alablaq (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) approaching two out, the imposing homebred descendant of Height of Fashion (Fr) brushed that rival aside with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and surged clear under hand riding to record a highly impressive 6 1/2-length debut success.

2nd-Doncaster, £6,400, Novice, 7-25, 2yo, 7f 6yT, 1:25.63, g/f.
ALBASHEER (IRE), c, 2, by Shamardal
     1st Dam: Mutebah (Ire) (SP-Fr), by Marju (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Mohafazaat (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
     3rd Dam: Wijdan, by Mr. Prospector
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,297. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (IRE); T-Owen Burrows. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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