Earthlight Camp Considers Sussex S.

Godolphin’s unbeaten Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), a winner of the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. as a juvenile, is a potential runner in the upcoming G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood on July 29. Although injury kept him from the G1 French 2000 Guineas, he resurfaced to take a listed race at ParisLongchamp the same day as Godolphin’s champion and MG1SW Pinatubo (GB) (Shamardal) claimed the G1 Prix Jean Prat. The one-mile feature is also the next likely target for G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Kameko (Kitten’s Joy), G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas victor Siskin (First Defence), MGSW Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), and Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won 2019’s G1 St James’s Palace S. and G1 Prix du Moulin, as well as this term’s G1 Queen Anne S.

“We haven’t totally decided yet,” said trainer Andre Fabre. “He could go to Goodwood, but if not he will go for the G1 Maurice de Gheest [on Aug. 9]. He’s very fast and looks a real sprinter, but I’m convinced that he can go further. I think it was a good decision to split him and Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) up last time and it will be up to Sheikh Mohammed where he runs.”

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Mehmas Colt A Summer Sale Highlight

An unnamed colt from the first crop of Mehmas (Ire) was the leading flat offering from Monday’s Arqana Summer Sale, with lot 13 hammered down to Nicky Bertran de Balanda for €100,000. Mehmas currently leads the European first-season sires table by winners with nine and he registered his first stakes winner on the weekend when Method (Ire) took the Listed Rose Bowl S. This colt’s dam is a half-sister to the dam of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Vale Of York (Ire). De Balanda said, “He’s a lovely colt. His sire was a good juvenile and his offspring seem to be following in his footsteps, with another good winner this weekend. He’ll go into training with Francis-Henri Graffard.”

The Mehmas colt is the first horse consigned by Laura Vanska. A Godolphin Flying Start graduate, Vanska served as an assistant to Nicolas Clement before starting her own breaking and pre-training operation in Chantilly less than two years ago.

“He arrived with us in November and has been working with our other horses,” Vanska said. “He’s a colt that has not stopped improving. We were meant to offer him at the Breeze-Up in May, but for logistical reasons, we waited for this sale. I was confident in his breeze, and thought he wouldn’t disappoint us. I’m really happy for all my team.”

The Summer Sale-typically a two-day affair but this year reduced to one-offered a mix of flat and National Hunt prospects. Leading trade overall was the 3-year-old gelding Prunay (Fr) (Prince Gibraltar {Ire}) (lot 142) a wildcard entry who was third in the G3 Prix Aguado on July 4 on his second start over jumps. He was bought by Toby Jones for €240,000 and is bound for Ireland.

“I’ve bought him for one of my long-standing clients,” Jones said. “He’ll go to Ireland. He really stood out–he’s a good-looking individual and is still a maiden that could go over fences. He really ticks all the boxes.”

The Wertheimer et Frere-bred 3-year-old filly Night And Day (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) also looks bound for the jumping sphere, having been bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for €90,000. Lot 212, whose second dam is the excellent producer Magnificient Style-dam of Group 1 winners Nathaniel (Ire), Playful Act (Ire) and Great Heavens (GB)-was beaten a short head when second at Angers on June 5.

Another 3-year-old filly from the Wertheimer draft that proved popular was Humble (GB) (Cacique {Ire}) (lot 74), a once-raced maiden bought by Arthur Hoyeau for €80,000. She is a half-sister to the G3 Prix Vanteaux winner Platane (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and a granddaughter of Gold Round, herself a half-sister to the great Goldikova (Ire).

While 257 horses were catalogued for the Summer Sale just 198 went through the ring. Of those, 152 (76.8%) were sold at an average of €19,030 and a median of €9,000. The aggregate was €2,892,500.

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Nunthorpe Next Port of Call for The Lir Jet

Royal Ascot hero The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), second by only a nose in the G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly on Sunday, will make his next start against elders in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. in August. Originally campaigned by Nick Bell and trained by Michel Bell, the bay sparkled on debut at Yarmouth on June 3 and was subsequently purchased privately by Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Racing. The acquisition proved a shrewd one, as The Lir Jet captured the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot on June 19, still in Bell’s care.

Bell said, “He’s back in the yard and seems none the worse for his exertions, thankfully. I’ve just been talking to Sheikh Fahad and I think we’re going to drop back to five furlongs for the Nunthorpe–that’s the thinking at the moment. Oisin [Murphy] is pretty emphatic that he’s better horse over five furlongs and the form book would suggest that, too.”

Facing the best European sprinters in the Nunthorpe, The Lir Jet will fortunately receive a hefty break in the weights.

“If the Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) we know turns up, he’ll be a worthy favourite, but if we don’t go there you’d be running somewhere carrying penalties, or running over six furlongs in the G1 Prix Morny, which would mean more travelling,” Bell added. “It’s not set in stone, but Sheikh Fahad’s view is you don’t succeed if you don’t try, which is a good attitude to have.”

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New Award Announced for TBA Flat Breeders’ Awards

The European Breeders’ Fund Stallion Special Merit Award, developed by the trustees and sponsored by the British European Breeders’ Fund (British EBF), was announced by the EBF on Monday. Celebrating a British-based stallion who has made significant impact during the previous Flat season, the award is a new avenue through which the British EBF thank domestic stallion owners and celebrate the achievements of their horses.

“The award was specifically designed not to be just another statistic driven accolade,” said British EBF Trustee and selection committee member James McHale. “It means stallions covering smaller numbers of mares, standing at lower fees and producing fantastic results despite having fewer runners can get the recognition they deserve for their achievements.

“There are a huge number of sires in Great Britain that far out-perform their covering fee or sales average and given that “leading sire awards” tend to focus on winners or prize money totals, meaning horses with the highest number of runners in any one season are at a perpetual advantage, this new award is a great platform through which stallions with fewer runners can be recognised.”

The EBF Stallion Special Merit Award Short List for 2019 consists of: Cable Bay (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Due Diligence (War Front), Farhh (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Night of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the winner will be announced on the day of the virtual TBA Flat Celebration event.

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