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St. Mark’s Basilica Earns BC Turf Berth With Irish Champion Stakes Win

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor's St Mark's Basilica (FR) was an impressive winner of a thrilling Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, and earned an automatic berth into the $4 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 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 Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes was one of three Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races to take place at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin, Ireland today, alongside the Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes and Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2).

The Aidan O'Brien-trained St Mark's Basilica (FR) showed his brilliance when defeating 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf champion Tarnawa (IRE) and dual Group 1 winner Poetic Flare (IRE).

Winner of the Group 1 French 2000 Guineas, the Group 1 French Derby, and Group 1 Coral-Eclipse earlier this summer, the 3-year-old extended his unbeaten record this season and captured his fifth Group 1 success.

Patrick Sarsfield (FR), the outsider of the four-runner field, made the running until inside the final quarter-mile when the three Group 1 winners then struck for home. A tactical contest, St Mark's Basilica (FR) drifted right in the closing stages, taking Tarnawa (IRE) with him across the track, but the Ballydoyle stable star secured his victory by three-quarters of a length in the hands of Ryan Moore. On his first start over 10 furlongs, Poetic Flare (IRE) finished a nose behind Tarnawa (IRE) in third. A stewards' inquiry was called following the race but the results remained unchanged.

“It was great because it was tactical,” said winning trainer Aidan O'Brien. “They sprinted up the straight and he did well. One thing we know he does is quicken. He really quickens. His strong qualities are that he relaxes and can really turn it on. He has done that in every race.”

No decision has been taken over where St Mark's Basilica (IRE) will race next.

A son of Siyouni (FR) out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Cabaret (IRE), St Mark's Basilica (IRE) completed the 1 ¼ miles in 2:11.19 on a course rated as good.

No Speak Alexander Conquers in Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes

Charles O'Callaghan, Noel O'Callaghan, and Paul O'Callaghan's No Speak Alexander (IRE) was back to her best in a dramatic renewal of the G1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes. The victory securing the filly an automatic entry into the $2 million Grade 1 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley, No Speak Alexander (IRE) crossed a neck in front of Pearls Galore (IRE) in a tight finish and survived a stewards' inquiry to secure the 1-mile contest. Mother Earth (IRE), winner of the Group 1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Group 1 Prix Rothschild, suffered a luckless run to finish third under jockey Ryan Moore.

A 3-year-old daughter by Shalaa (IRE) out of the Dandy Man (IRE) mare Rapacity Alexander (IRE), No Speak Alexander (IRE) completed the contest in 1:41.98.

Winning trainer Harrington said: “That was absolutely fantastic. After she was third in the Irish [1000] Guineas [G1], we wanted to go the Group 1 route. We thought we'd go to Ascot, that didn't happen, and then we thought we'd go for the Falmouth, and that didn't happen either. We took her to France [10th in Prix Rothschild-G1] and she got very badly interfered with a furlong down, so it was a no race. We've ended up coming here and thank goodness we've got the result.”

Atomic Jones wins the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes

The Ger Lyons-trained Atomic Jones (FR) powered home from the back of the field to win the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes by a head in good style. The winner earning an automatic berth into this year's $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Settled near the rear of the 10-runner field under jockey Colin Keane, Atomic Jones struck for the line late to secure the victory by a head, with joint favorite Stone Age (IRE) finishing in second, and Absolute Ruler (USA) in third.

Atomic Jones, a son of Wootton Bassett (GB), completed the 1-mile contest in 1:42.75.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for all three winners 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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Shalaa’s No Speak Alexander Springs 25-1 Matron Upset

Jessica Harrington trainee No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) came back off a break to finish 10th behind the reopposing G1 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in last month's G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and stepped forward to shock a stellar field in Saturday's G1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron S. at Leopardstown. She had previously backed up a solid five-race juvenile campaign to snag The Curragh's May 3 Athasi S. on seasonal return and hit the board back there in the May 23 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas in her penultimate start. The 25-1 outsider was positioned along the rail in a forward third after the initial exchanges of the one-mile test. Scrubbed along at the top of the straight, she was ridden to the fore entering the final furlong and kept on in resolute fashion to hold the persistent threat of Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) by a neck for a career high. Coolmore's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Prix Rothschild heroine Mother Earth endured a nightmare passage in the straight and was allowed to coast home in the closing stages to finish 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

“I was worried because I could see a bit of interference, but we ended up keeping the race and, to me, that's the main thing,” commented Jessica Harrington. “After the Irish [1000] Guineas, we wanted to go the Group 1 route and we thought we'd go to [Royal] Ascot [for the G1 Coronation S.], but that didn't happen. We then thought we'd go for the [G1] Falmouth S. [at Newmarket] and that didn't happen. We took her to France, but she got very badly interfered with a furlong down and that was a no race for her. We ended up coming here and, thank goodness, we got the result. She's now a Group 1 winner, which is absolutely fantastic. She's a beautifully bred filly, it's lovely for all the O'Callaghans and she'll be a big asset to their stud. Her best form is with a bit of cut, but it's beautiful ground out there with a lovely covering of grass. It's totally fair ground for anyone and, if she can win on it, any horse can win on it.”

No Speak Alexander, who becomes the first top-level winner for her second-crop sire (by Invincible Spirit), is the first foal out of Listed Prix La Fleche victrix Rapacity Alexander (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), herself a full-sister to G1 Hong Kong Sprint victor Peniaphobia (Ire). The April-foaled bay is a half to the twice-placed 2-year-old filly Making Music (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). No Speak Alexander's fourth dam Quiet Harbour (Ire) (Mill Reef) is the dam of Listed Prix Right Royal victrix and stakes producer Cutting Reef (Ire) (Kris {GB}), the stakes-winning Jazz Ballet (Ire) (Jaazeiro) and G3 Premio Ambrosiano placegetter Guest Harbour (Ire) (Be My Guest). Guest Harbour, herself the dam of G1 Gran Premio di Milano hero Benvenue (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), is kin to five stakes winners headed by G1 Coronation Cup hero Quiet Fling (Nijinsky), whose full-sister De Stael produced four black-type winners headed by MGISW GI Matriarch S. heroine Wandesta (GB) (Nashwan).

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
COOLMORE AMERICA 'JUSTIFY' MATRON S.-G1, €300,000, Leopardstown, 9-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:41.98, gd.
1–NO SPEAK ALEXANDER (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Shalaa (Ire)
1st Dam: Rapacity Alexander (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Dandy Man (Ire)
2nd Dam: Umlani (Ire), by Great Commotion
3rd Dam: Travel Magic (Ire), by Henbit
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€190,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Charles O'Callaghan, Noel O'Callaghan & Paul O'Callaghan; B-Mount Armstrong Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €180,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-1-1, $346,893. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pearls Galore (Fr), 133, f, 4, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Pearl Banks (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (FR); T-Paddy Twomey. €60,000.
3–Mother Earth (Ire), 128, f, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Many Colours (GB), by Green Desert. (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €30,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 25.00, 7.00, 1.20.
Also Ran: Empress Josephine (Ire), Epona Plays (Ire), Champers Elysees (Ire), Acanella (GB), Belle Image (Ire), Pretty Gorgeous (Fr), Dreamloper (Ire), Shale (Ire), Flirting Bridge (Ire), Friendly (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Galileo’s Magical Lagoon Swoops For Flame of Tara Success

Zhang Yuesheng's 2-year-old filly Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who crossed the line first in a June 28 Dundalk barrier trial, shaped with promise on the front end when fourth to Albula (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) contesting an Aug. 2 one-mile maiden at Naas in her only official start and the Jessica Harrington trainee exacted revenge on that reopposing rival by swooping late for a career high in Friday's G3 Manguard Plus Irish EBF Flame of Tara S. over the same trip at The Curragh. The 9-2 chance made an alert exit from the inside stall and raced in a handy fourth through modest early fractions set by Kiss You Later (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Shuffled back to fifth and under pressure with three furlongs remaining, she regained fourth spot entering the final furlong and kept on relentlessly under a continued drive to deny 4-5 favourite Albula by 3/4-of-a-length in the dying strides. Curragh maiden winner She's Trouble (Ire) (Fracas {Ire}) kept on well to finish best of the remainder, two lengths further adrift in third.

“She was just a bit clueless the last day [at Naas], she needed the mile and stayed on very strongly,” said Jessica Harrington. “She was good today and will probably have just one more run this year. She's in the [Oct. 8 G1] Fillies' Mile [at Newmarket] and might just go for that. She's a lovely filly, she's going to be a mile-and-a-half filly next year and I'm delighted for Mr Zhang, who now has a Group-winning 2-year-old this year.”

Magical Lagoon, the latest of 13 foals, becomes the fifth black-type performer produced by G3 Preis der Winterkonigin victrix Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), herself a half-sister to MSW G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Night Tango (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and one of three black-type performers out of Listed Dusseldorf-Preis winner Nenuphar (Ire) (Night Shift). Thus, the April-foaled bay is a half-sister to MG1SW G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), German Group 3 second Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), Listed Derby-Trial second Nerud (Bernardini) and the stakes-placed Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk). Ninfea is the dam of last term's G2 Prix Chaudenay runner-up Nemean Lion (Ger) (Golden Horn {GB}) and the stakes-placed Nayala (GB) (Maxios {GB}).

Friday, Curragh, Ireland
MANGUARD PLUS IRISH EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND FLAME OF TARA S.-G3, €65,000, Curragh, 8-27, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:41.69, gd.
1–MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Night Lagoon (Ger) (Broodmare Of The Year-Ger, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ger & GSW-Ger), by Lagunas (GB)
2nd Dam: Nenuphar (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Narola (Ger), by Nebos (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (305,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Zhang Yuesheng; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €39,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $46,568. *1/2 to Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. Older Horse at 4-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ity at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng, Fr, Ger & Ity, $1,873,588; Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), GSP-Ger; Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk), SP-Ger; and Nerud (Bernardini), SP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Albula (Ire), 128, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Dawn Wall (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, D L O'Byrne & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore, Flaxman Stables & Arkle Bloodstock (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €13,000.
3–She's Trouble (Ire), 128, f, 2, Fracas (Ire)–Take Flight (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Mrs Marguerite Joyce & Mrs J S Bolger; B-Mrs Marguerite Joyce (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €6,500.
Margins: 3/4, 2, HD. Odds: 4.50, 0.80, 11.00.
Also Ran: Lullaby (Ire), Kiss You Later (Ire), Pink Fire Lilly (Ire), Gradulations (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Palace Pier, Poetic Flare To Clash For Breeders’ Cup Mile Berth In Deauville Group 1

The John & Thady Gosden-trained Palace Pier (GB) looks for back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville this Sunday. The winner of this race, which boasts five Group 1 winners, will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's $2 million Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

Unbeaten in three starts this season, Palace Pier, a son of Kingman (GB) secured his place in the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile on June 15 when capturing the “Win and You're In” Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

After bypassing the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes due to a blood disorder, the 4-year-old will face seven rivals in France, including Mrs. J. S. Bolger's two-time Group 1 winner Poetic Flare (IRE).

Winner of the Group 1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, Poetic Flare was last seen finishing second in the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes on testing ground on July 28. Trainer Jim Bolger believes his 3-year-old colt will improve from that performance.

“It was the ground at Goodwood,” Bolger said. “The filly [Alcohol Free (IRE)] was very good but it was a sub-par run for him. It was very tacky ground that day. He is so much better on good ground. This horse has all the class in the world, he's very quick, and any sort of a reasonably run race will suit him.”

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Mrs. A.M. O'Brien's Order of Australia (IRE), the defending G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile champion, has been entered by trainer Aidan O'Brien. The 4-year-old son of Australia (GB) finished fifth behind Poetic Flare in the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes.

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The 4-year-old filly Alpine Star (IRE), owned and bred by the Niarchos Family, will seek to go one better than last year. Runner-up behind Palace Pier in 2020, one of three occasions the 2020 Group 1 Coronation Stakes heroine placed second in Group 1 company, Alpine Star returns to Deauville after finishing second in her seasonal debut in the listed British Stallion Studs EBF Lyric Fillies' Stakes.

“It's a very good renewal of the race,” said her trainer, Jessica Harrington. “She's in good form and a stronger filly this year. Hopefully, it will be the slow side of good. Shane Foley takes the ride and I hope she will run a big race.”

Andre Fabre has won the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois more than any other trainer in its history with seven victories. He has entered the Godolphin-owned Victor Ludorum (GB) and Midtown (GB).

Winner of the Group 1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) over course and distance in June 2020, this year Victor Ludorum bounced back from two defeats to win the Group 3 Prix Messidor at Chantilly last time out on July 18. He is joined by his lightly raced stablemate Midtown, a 3-year-old son of Dubawi (IRE) out of a Diktat (GB) mare First City (GB), who was last seen finishing a credible third in only his third start in the Group 1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat.

Group 3 winner Ecrivain (FR), trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, and British challenger Chindit (IRE), trained by Richard Hannon, complete the field.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois winner to start in the G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at a mile on the Del Mar turf course. 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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