Limited Spectators Allowed at French Racecourses

Spectators will be allowed to return to French racecourses in a limited fashion beginning on July 11, France Galop, LeTROT and the Federation Nationale des Courses Hippiques announced on Saturday. However, this decree applies only to racecourses that are not located in zones that are in a state of emergency due to COVID-19, and no more than 5,000 spectators, racing professionals and staff needed to run a race meeting combined may attend. Social distancing rules have to be observed, as well as mandatory face masks must be brought and worn by patrons and staff alike. For more information, please click here.

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Saeiqa Looks To Back Up Coventry Effort

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today’s Observations features a highly regarded maiden coming off a Royal Ascot placing.

1:15 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT
SAEIQA (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) comes back to competitive maiden company after a third placing in the G2 Coventry S. for Al Shaqab and John Gosden, with the relative of the G1 Middle Park S-winning sire First Trump (GB) (Primo Dominie {GB}) holding the edge on that evidence. Godolphin have won this four times in the last eight years and are represented by a trio headed by the Charlie Appleby-trained Magical Land (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a half-brother to the smart Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who was runner-up here when the operation’s first juvenile runner last month.

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Terebellum Takes Aim At The Falmouth

Having come off second best in one of Royal Ascot’s major tussles, Godolphin’s Terebellum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) seeks compensation in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket on Friday. Progressive last term, the 4-year-old captured the 10-furlong G2 Prix de la Nonette at Deauville and returned to add the G2 Dahlia S. to her tally also over that trip on June 6. Dropped to a mile for the June 16 G1 Queen Anne S., she came out of a tight finale on the wrong side of Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) but proved herself at home over this trip in the process. “Terebellum showed a great attitude at Royal Ascot and should have every chance of going one better in a fillies’ only race,” trainer John Gosden said.

While Terebellum has form over further than this mile, Lael Stable’s dual G1 Prix de la Foret heroine One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is yet to score over it having been campaigned mainly at shorter trips. Despite being second in Ascot’s G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S. over six furlongs on heavy ground in October, she proved that sprints were not her bag when sixth on her comeback in that venue’s G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on June 20. While her big days have come over seven, her form at a mile is generally top-class and she was unlucky to be caught too far back when a neck second to the enterprisingly-ridden Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in this race 12 months ago.

Alongside Terebellum, John Gosden also has Shadwell’s rapidly-improving Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who comes here on the back of a taking success in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. on the same Royal Ascot card as the Queen Anne. She was impressive in the June 3 Listed Snowdrop Fillies’ S. on Kempton’s Polytrack and may have more upside than the Duke of Cambridge runner-up Agincourt (Ire) (Declaration of War), but if it comes down to strict formlines she still has something to find with last year’s G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) who was carrying a penalty in the Snowdrop.

Nazeef’s prospects may have taken a knock with Thursday’s rain, but before that Shadwell’s Angus Gold was relishing the test ahead. “I was really impressed with her at Ascot and the way she put her head down to go and catch that leader,” he commented. “She’s as tough as she’s talented. Touch wood, she seems to have come out of it really well. John [Gosden] was delighted the way she took the race. The obvious next step is a Group 1. It’s a tougher grade again. She is a real professional and now we’ll see if we can go even higher with her.”

Also on the card is the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S., where the impressive June 19 G3 Albany S. winner Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) looks to become the latest juvenile to complete a Royal Ascot-Newmarket July meeting double. That form has been boosted by the Group 3 success of the third-placed Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and soft ground should theoretically hold no fears as she handled the Tapeta riding standard-to-slow at Newcastle on debut on June 2. Trainer Karl Burke is full of hope she can make her class tell again here. “Dandalla is in great form, I’m very happy with her. It’s an interesting race, there are two or three nice fillies in there, but if she runs like she did at Ascot she’s the one to beat,” he said.

Heading the opposition to Dandalla is Qatar Racing’s Time Scale (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), who was impressive when taking the June 28 Listed Empress Fillies’ S. over this trip on the Rowley Mile here. Trainer Ralph Beckett commented, “Time Scale bounced out of the Empress in good shape. She’s in good form at home and we’re very happy with her. She won at Chepstow on good-to-soft and the ground was quick at Newmarket, so she is versatile.” ‘TDN Rising Star’ More Beautiful (War Front) is at a more suitable trip than the five furlongs over which she made such a striking debut at Naas on June 8 and at which she was ninth when the even-money favourite in the June 20 G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot. Against her is the ground, as she looked out of the top drawer on a lively surface on her racecourse bow.

Sultan Ali’s Hala Hala Hala (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) beat Thursday’s Newmarket winner She’s So Nice (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) over this trip at Thirsk on June 22 and warrants respect from Kevin Ryan’s stable which generally houses a serious juvenile each year. “She’s a lovely filly, she’s always shown a high level of ability,” he said. “She won nicely first time out. Obviously Karl Burke’s filly is the bench mark, but you can’t run away from one horse. We think quite a lot of our filly and we’re looking forward to seeing her run.”

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Demand High At Restructured July Sale

NEWMARKET, UK—Broodmares led the way through the first session of the mixed Tattersalls July Sale, an auction which is usually broken into morning and evening sessions to allow for the excellent racing on offer down the road at the July Course. This year, however, the reduced crowd drawn to Park Paddocks dodged showers and caught the racing action on screens around the sales grounds while the only show in town with a controlled audience continued apace within the ring.

Direct comparisons to the regular July Sale are worthless. The traditional five sessions across three days have become two day-long sessions, and another mixed sale will take place at Tattersalls on Aug. 25 and 26 for the first time. The stand-out figure from Thursday’s returns was the 96% clearance rate: only eight of the 194 horses offered did not find a buyer. From the 186 sold, turnover of 4,172,000gns was recorded at an average of 22,430gns and a median price of 13,250gns.

Ballyhane Stud’s Prince Of Lir (Ire) has been in the news of late courtesy of his first-crop Group 2-winning son The Lir Jet (Ire) but it was his sister’s turn in the spotlight on Thursday when she became the first six-figure lot of the sale. Kalagia (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) won three races when in training with Mark Johnston and fetched 55,000gns when offered at the December Sale last year. Now five and carrying her first foal by Highclere Stud’s Land Force (Ire) she was sold by that same farm for 130,000gns to National Stud manager Tim Lane.

“I’ve bought her on behalf of a British breeder who is also a client of ours,” Lane said of lot 232. “She has a good commercial pedigree and Prince Of Lir has made a good start.”

Kalagia has another stakes performer as a half-sibling in Nitro Boost (Ire), a listed-winning daughter of Dandy Man (Ire) and the family’s speedy credentials are augmented by the G3 Champagne Sprint S. winner Resplendent Glory (Ire) (Namid {GB}), a half-brother to Kalagia’s dam Esuvia (Ire) (Whipper).

Drafts from major breeding operations Juddmonte, Shadwell, Cheveley Park Stud and Godolphin were among the first-day offerings and the first mare in the ring from Godolphin equalled the 130,000gns paid for Kalagia.

Tony Nerses, representing Blue Diamond Stud, was the buyer this time around of New Jazz, a 4-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy sold in foal to young Darley sire Harry Angel (Ire). Originally bought for $550,000 at Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale, New Jazz, who landed a mile maiden for John Gosden, is out of the listed winner Seanchai (English Channel). Next year she is already pencilled in to visit Blue Diamond’s Irish National Stud-based stallion Decorated Knight (GB).

“We always wanted a Scat Daddy and we saw her as a yearling but she was beyond our pocket then,” said Nerses of lot 251. “She is a lovely individual and we are glad to get her now. We hope to cover with our own stallion, she should suit him.”

Also in foal to Harry Angel was Gentlewoman, a 4-year-old daughter of Shamardal out of Satin Kiss (Seeking The Gold), a sister to G1 Middle Park S. winner Lujain. Trainer Roger Varian signed the ticket for the young mare (lot 393) at 125,000gns on behalf of an unnamed international breeder who had been unable to travel to the sale.

Bringing Them Home
Both David and Diane Nagle of Barronstown Stud and Fiona and Mick Denniff of Denniff Farms stepped in to be reunited with fillies bred and previously sold by them as yearlings.

For Nagle, his purchase of Monya (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) from Shadwell at 100,000gns was a small outlay compared to the 4-year-old’s Book 1 yearling price of 425,000gns. Since that time she has been in training with Charlie Hills and has placed twice in three starts. The grey filly (lot 321) is a half-sister to two classy performers who have helped to keep the Barronstown name in lights in recent years: last year’s G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. winner Royal Dornoch (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and the super tough German 1000 Guineas heroine Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), whose six victories include five Group/Graded wins in Europe and America.

Fiona Denniff went to 70,000gns to take home the 4-year-old winner Maximum Effect (GB), who again represents a family which had been very kind to the breeder of late. Sold as lot 367, the daughter of Iffraaj (GB) is a half-sister to the G3 Molecomb S. winner and G1 Commonwealth Cup runner-up Kachy (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) and to the 94-rated 3-year-old Gifted Ruler (GB) (Muhaarar {Ire}). She had been sold as a yearling for 120,000gns to Lady Bamford and finished in the first three in seven of her eight starts through her time in training with John Gosden.

Denniff, bidding outside in the rain with agent Mark McStay, said after securing the filly, “I’ve made a habit of selling my fillies and somebody else racing them, then I buy them back. I came down this morning in my lorry hoping to get her. She looks remarkably like her dam and I have her at home with a Harry Angel foal. I must admit this is way more than I was expecting to pay.”

Maximum Effect is a daughter of Dubai Bounty (GB) (Dubai Destination) and is from a family which also includes the fellow Denniff-bred Group 2-winning miler Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}).

“Dubai Bounty has a yearling colt by Showcasing. We will retain him, and Tom Dascombe thinks a lot of Gifted Ruler, too,” Denniff added.

Vega’s Baby
Vega’s Angel (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has had a busy start to 2020. The Cheveley Park Stud-owned 3-year-old made her racecourse debut on Jan. 20, broke her maiden at Lingfield on Feb. 21 and a month later was covered by the stud’s young stallion Ulysses (Ire). Offered in the Cheveley Park Stud draft as lot 382, she was bought by James Kelly of Linacre Stud in partnership with Normandy-based Haras du Mont Dit Mont in Normandy.

“She’s from a family I have been trying to get into for 20 years,” said Kelly of the daughter of the prolific racemare Lily’s Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), whose ten victories included the G3 Chartwell Fillies’ S. “We sell foals, so that will be the plan, and we will put a good cover on her and have some fun with her hopefully.”

Her family has been particularly successful for George Strawbridge for a number of years. The owner-breeder bought Vega’s Angel’s third dam Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {GB}) from the Wertheimer family back in 1997 and from her bred the Group 3 winner In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), who is in turn the dam of three Group 1 winners in We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Angel Delights
Highclere Stud was involved as vendor of the co-top lot of the day but it will also gain a new recruit to its paddocks in lot 366, Indigo Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who was offered on behalf of Rifa Mustang by the Castlebridge Consignment.

The sister to the young stallion and G2 July S. winner Alhebayeb (Ire) was sold in foal to the Tweenhills shuttler Zoustar (Aus) and brought the hammer down at 70,000gns.

“We are big fans of Dark Angel,” said Highclere’s Jake Warren. “She is in foal to Zoustar, a leading stallion in Australia, and we have liked the foals we have seen by him. She is also a full-sister to a top-class juvenile in Alhebayeb. She will come back to Highclere Stud for a partnership.”

Online Action
Continuing the facility brought in for the breeze-up sales, purchasers who have been prevented from visiting the sale in person under the current travel restrictions have been able to get involved online through the internet bidding platform. Forty-two individuals placed online bids on approximately 50 lots throughout Thursday’s session.

Among the five horses sold that way on Thursday was lot 406, Arabian Girl (Ire), a daughter of Shamardal and the G3 Ballyogan S. winner Majestic Queen (Ire) (Kheleyf), who fetched 75,000gns to final bid from a buyer listed under the name ‘Against All Odds’. The 3-year-old’s dam was purchased by Godolphin through the Goffs London Sale of 2015 for £825,000. Arabian Girl, who is unraced, was the mare’s first foal.

The final session of the July Sale takes place from 10am on Friday.

 

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