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Australian Legend Glen Boss Will Come Out Of Retirement To Compete In Saudi Arabia’s Jockey Challenge

The first three jockeys in the 2022 stc International Jockeys Challenge have been announced, with recently retired Australian superstar Glen Boss climbing back into the saddle to compete in the four-race competition.

Last year's winner Shane Foley returns to defend his crown and Hayley Turner, the first female jockey in Britain to ride 100 winners in a calendar year, will also take her place in the line-up of seven female and seven male riders.

Boss (52), best known for winning three straight Melbourne Cups with Makybe Diva, as well as an astonishing 90 Group 1s in a glittering career, is looking forward to his return to race riding:

“I feel privileged and honored to be a part of the 2022 International Jockeys Challenge at The Saudi Cup,” said Boss. “I am extremely grateful to be representing Australia on the international stage and am eagerly looking forward to my arrival in Saudi Arabia for their prestigious carnival.”

“I have watched the rapid rise of this meeting in recent years, highlighted by the diverse international participation and significant prize purse on offer. To be able to participate in 2022 as a representative of Australia fills me with great pride and I very much look forward to being a part of it.”

Foley (33) won this year's stc International Jockeys Challenge and as the reigning champion is invited back to compete again.

“I really enjoyed my first International Jockeys Challenge,” said Foley. “It was a pleasure to ride against some great jockeys and I thought the track rode very well. It's nice to see them including the turf in this year's event, which might even give the European jockeys a bit of an edge.

“I knew after reading through the form last year that I had a couple of okay rides and it really is down to the luck of the draw in these jockey challenges. I got a few good chances, and it all went well for me thankfully. You need to get drawn on the good horses.

“I'm having an operation on my hip this week and so will be out of action for about six weeks, but I should be back riding and ready to go a good fortnight before the meeting.

“The prize money is brilliant, and you just have to see the list of jockeys that go out there to gauge how important it is for us. It's nice to be competing alongside them all and the likes of Saudi, Dubai and Bahrain are the places we need to be during the winter.

“I know Jessie [Harrington] will be aiming a couple for the Saturday too, including Ever Present in the Red Sea Turf and possibly Confident Star in the Saudi Derby, so it would be nice to have some rides on Saudi Cup day too.”

Turner (38) is one of Britain's most successful female jockeys and is also excited about the challenge, especially as she's had a spell on the sidelines after breaking her thumb.

“This will be my first time riding in Saudi and I'm really looking forward to it,” said Turner. “Hollie [Doyle] rode out there this year and I've spoken to a few others who have said it's a really nice track to ride.

“Apparently it's a bit like Belmont Park and I've ridden there a few times before. It's exciting to be part of The Saudi Cup meeting, it's been attracting a lot of people. The prize money is amazing so it's easy to see why.

“I always enjoy riding in jockey challenges. I've taken part in quite a few – Mauritius, South Africa, Japan, Ireland and France – and obviously the Shergar Cup is one of my favorites. It will be nice to tick another one off the list.

“I'm staying in the UK this winter. I've had a great year, but it got cut short a bit when I broke my thumb at Wolverhampton a few weeks ago. I'll be back riding in the next couple of weeks and it will be great to get back out on the track.”

The stc International Jockeys Challenge features four handicap races being run for $400,000 each, with a further $100,000 prize fund for the challenge itself.

This year one race over 1200m will be run on turf for the first time and all races will consist of 14 runners and five reserves, with all 14 jockeys riding in each race.

The jockeys are made up of seven international female riders, five international men and two local men with the jockeys receiving 15% of prize money won.

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O’Brien: Jockey Shane Foley Should Have Been Given A Month’s Ban For Interference

Trainer Aidan O'Brien spoke to the Racing Post this week about the riding interference rules in Ireland, specifically calling out jockey Shane Foley for his ride in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last month. Foley was aboard No Speak Alexander, and switched left to impede O'Brien's trainee Mother Earth. The jockey was given a five-day ban for interference, but O'Brien believed the ban should have been much longer.

“It shouldn't have happened,” O'Brien told the Racing Post. “There aren't many countries in the world where you could get away with that and not get a month's ban because to me that is dangerous riding. If the jockeys are allowed to do those things and are not given severe penalties, it will keep happening.”

Specifically, O'Brien blamed the Irish Horse Racing Board for not taking a stand against unsafe riding.

“It's worse in Ireland than anywhere else and it's letting Irish racing down,” O'Brien explained. “We had the whole world watching Leopardstown and it puts people off backing horses or following racing. I'm not just talking about the big days, I'm talking about every day. You have to be consistent.”

Romantic Proposal Upsets Flying Five At The Curragh, Earns BC Turf Sprint Berth

The Clipper Logistics Group-owned 5-year-old mare Romantic Proposal (IRE) ran out a surprise winner of the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh in County Kildare, Ireland, and earned an automatic berth into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

In the second “Win and You're In” race on the card, the Jessica Harrington-trained Discoveries (IRE) secured an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, over 7 furlongs.

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

The Eddie Lynam-trained Romantic Proposal (IRE) was sent off a 16-1 outsider for the G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, having finished third in the Group 2 Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes over course and distance on her most recent start.

Ridden by Chris Hayes, Romantic Proposal (IRE) came with a strong late run to beat the Ado McGuinness-trained A Case Of You (IRE) by a half-length into second, with last year's winner and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Glass Slippers (GB) in third, losing the place spot in the final yards. Dragon Symbol (GB), the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth.

Winning trainer Lynam, who enjoyed Group 1 success with top sprinters Sole Power (GB) and Slade Power (IRE) said: “She'd been progressive. We ran her over a mile first time out and she was placed, then we dropped her back to seven furlongs and she's just kept improving. I always believed the filly was capable of running a big race and she's done everything great. I think it's six years since I've had a Group 1 winner and it's nice to have another one.”

A daughter of Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass (USA) out of the Diktat (GB) mare Playwithmyheart (GB), Romantic Proposal (IRE) completed the 5 furlongs in a time of :59.77 on a course rated as good.

Discoveries Delivers in Moyglare Stud Stakes

Niarchos Family's 2-year-old filly Discoveries (IRE) stormed to success in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes to gain an automatic entry for the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley, who teamed up to win the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, Discoveries (IRE) was third behind Agartha (IRE) and Sunset Shiraz (IRE) in the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes in her last start. The same three fillies fought out the finish today, with Discoveries (IRE) staying on best of all to win by three-quarters of a length, with Agartha coming in second and Sunset Shiraz finishing third. A daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE) out of the Rahy (USA) mare Alpha Lupi (IRE), Discoveries (IRE) completed the contest in 1:27.10.

Winning trainer Harrington said: “This filly was green first time she ran and then she won her maiden. We hoped she'd win the Alpha Centauri Debutante, but the ground came up soft that day and she goes on top of the ground.”

A full sister to Group 1-winning miler Alpha Centauri (IRE) and a half-sister to Group 1 winning-miler Alpine Star (IRE), Discoveries (IRE) will step up to that distance according to her trainer, though no immediate targets have been decided. Harrington said, “We think she'll improve again, but today is the day. She'll get a mile no doubt.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for both Romantic Proposal and Discoveries to start 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.

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Alpha Centauri’s Sister Discoveries Wins The Moyglare

The Curragh's G2 Debutante S. is always a key pointer to the course-and-distance G1 Moyglare Stud S. and Sunday proved no exception as the one-two-three again filled those places headed by the Niarchos Family's Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Only third to Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) in that seven-furlong precedent Aug. 21, the Jessica Harrington trainee has abundant room for improvement within as a full-sister to Alpha Centauri (Ire) and half to Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and was able to turn that around on this slicker surface. Sent up to track Agartha closely from the outset, Shane Foley never allowed that leader more than 1 1/2 lengths margin and when the pressure was applied the 17-2 shot overhauled her passing the furlong pole en route to a 3/4-of-a-length success. There was a further two lengths back to the Debutante runner-up Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}) in third, with the well-supported 85-40 favourite Cairde Go Deo (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) dropping out to finish sixth. Harrington, whose No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) kicked off a Saturday Leopardstown treble for the stable in the G1 Matron S., was not surprised by the turnaround. “The ground was soft for the Debutante and we knew that like her sister she will only go on quick,” she explained. “This is lovely fast ground with lots of grass and that made the difference, plus maybe the three weeks in between which allowed her to strengthen up and come forward. We thought she'd improve with better ground and she'd done a good bit of work earlier in the week.”

Discoveries followed a debut fourth in a Leopardstown maiden over this trip June 3 with a short-head defeat of Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Ballydoyle's full-sister to the Classic heroines Minding (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire), at this venue June 25. Showing steady progression with each outing, she was in front of the country's leading fillies to have raced so far here and for now has the bragging rights having taken this “win-and-you're-in” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup. Her trainer admits she has no firm schedule for the remainder of 2021. “I don't know where we go, as today was the plan,” she said.

“She's a lovely, lovely filly and is completely different to Alpha Centauri, who was a big grey filly. This filly was not as big, but she has done a lot of growing,” Harrington added. “She has a lovely temperament and is not as feisty as Alpha. Alpine Star looked completely different again. She was long and low, not very big. This is what we work towards and to have two group 1 winners this weekend is amazing. She will definitely step up to a mile in time. We never got the chance to step Alpha Centauri beyond a mile, but we might have done had she not been injured.”

Discoveries is already ahead of Alpha Centauri at this juncture of their careers, with that G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S., G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine finishing only fifth in this four years ago. While Alpine Star took the Debutante as a 2-year-old, she missed this race with her next race after that being the G1 Coronation S. which she duly won before finishing second in the Jacques le Marois, the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix de l'Opera. The dam Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy), whose son Tenth Star (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) was the Listed Golden Fleece S. scorer who was also placed in the G2 Royal Lodge S. and G3 Tyros S., is a daughter of another Jacques le Marois heroine in East of the Moon (Private Account). She also completed the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-G1 Prix de Diane double and is a daughter of the Niarchos luminary Miesque (Nureyev). This is the esteemed family of Kingmambo, another Moyglare Stud S. heroine in Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill), Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein). Alpha Lupi's yearling is a full-brother to Discoveries and Alpha Centauri, while she also has a colt foal by Magna Grecia (Ire).

Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
MOYGLARE STUD S.-G1, €336,000, Curragh, 9-12, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:27.10, gd.
1–DISCOVERIES (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Mastercraftsman (Ire)
1st Dam: Alpha Lupi (Ire), by Rahy
2nd Dam: East of the Moon, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Miesque, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-The Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €180,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $235,553. *Full to Alpha Centauri (Ire), Hwt. 3yo-Eng at 7-9 1/2f, Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 7-9 1/2f, Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 7-9 1/2f, Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9 1/2f, G1SW-Fr, G1SW-Ire, MG1SW-Eng, $1,639,990; 1/2 to Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}), G1SW-Eng, GSW-Ire, MG1SP-Fr, $734,558; 1/2 to Tenth Star (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), SW & GSP-Ire, GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Agartha (Ire), 128, f, 2, Caravaggio–Arya Tara (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire). O-Scott C Heider; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €60,000.
3–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. €30,000.
Margins: 3/4, 2, 1. Odds: 8.50, 3.30, 12.00.
Also Ran: Concert Hall (Ire), Homeless Songs (Ire), Cairde Go Deo (Fr), Prettiest, Missing Matron (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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