Tag: Shared News Europe

Siyouni’s Narkez A New TDN Rising Star

It was only a matter of time before Andre Fabre unveiled a new bright prospect among his 2024 crop of 3-year-old Classic aspirants and it was during Tuesday's meeting at Saint-Cloud that the Chantilly maestro delivered one of the first. Producing a power-packed performance in testing conditions, Nurlan Bizakov's homebred colt Narkez (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}–Nazym {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status in the card's often-informative mile conditions event, the Prix Comrade, to prompt Prix du Jockey Club talk.

Sent off the 3-1 second favourite behind stablemate Supercooled (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the half-brother to the G3 Musidora S. winner Nausha (GB) (Kingman {GB}) who had got off the mark in impressive fashion at Clairefontaine in October was held up in third early by Mickael Barzalona. In front from the turn for home, the chestnut proved relentless as Supercooled arrived for a friendly tussle that was quickly settled. At the line, his margin was 6 1/2 lengths and going ever outwards, with the well-regarded Henri-Alex Pantall-trained course-and-distance winner Kiaro (Fr) (Guignol {Ger}) beaten 15 lengths in total in third.

Mathieu Le Forestier, racing-manager of Sumbe, said of the winner who was second to his owner-breeder's highly-touted Ramadan (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) at Chantilly in September, “He has clearly taken a big step forward during the winter–today the opposition was serious and he did it very well. He's a handy colt, professional and diligent and we'll have the choice of keeping him over this trip or lengthening him now. The options are now open, but we're going to take time to discuss them with the rest of the team. There's no reason why he shouldn't perform as well on good ground.”

Narkez, who becomes the 11th TDN Rising Star for Siyouni, represents the same cross as the heavyweights St Mark's Basilica (Fr) and Sottsass (Fr) and adds to the tally of the sire's former Rising Stars which include St Mark's Basilica himself, Paddington (GB) and Tahiyra (Ire). He is currently the last known foal out of the unraced dam, who alongside the aforementioned Nausha has also produced the strong-staying G3 March S. runner-up Nagano (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). She is a daughter of Brigid (Irish River {Fr}), whose line of top-class descendants include Sadler's Wells's group 1-winning juveniles Listen (Ire) and Sequoyah (Ire), as well as the sire Henrythenavigator and Galileo's Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) and Magician (Ire).

2nd-Saint-Cloud, €28,000, Cond, 3-26, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:50.20, hy.
NARKEZ (FR), c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
     1st Dam: Nazym (Ire), by Galileo (Ire) 
     2nd Dam: Brigid, by Irish River (Fr)
     3rd Dam: Luv Luvin', by Raise A Native
Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, €37,000. O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Sumbe (FR); T-Andre Fabre. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Siyouni’s Narkez A New TDN Rising Star appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Bumper Entry for Ballyhane Stakes

The fifth running of the valuable Irish EBF Ballyhane S., which is to be held at Naas on August 5, has attracted 322 entries.

Worth a total of €300,000, with €150,000 to the winner and prize-money down to tenth place, the race is for EBF-eligible two-year-olds by sires with a median auction sale price of €75,000 or less.

Hugo Palmer was the winning trainer in 2023 with Golden Trick (Ire) (Galileo Gold {Ire}) for the Bronte Collection, which also owned the runner-up Jungle Mate (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}). The Bronte Collection syndicate has 18 horses entered for this year's race. 

Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), who won the opening juvenile race of the Irish season, features among the entries, as does his runner-up Rowdy Yeats (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and the third-placed Monotone (Ire) (Verbal Dexterity {Ire}). Arizona Blaze is one of 14 entries for Amo Racing. 

British-based Irishman Richard Fahey trains 13 of the 119 entries from the UK. He said: “The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is a fantastic initiative but a bloody hard one to win. We've put 13 horses in it this year and even though it is early in the year it is a no-brainer to make these entries. The €250 entry for a €300,000 race is a massive incentive for owners and lets us all dream a little.

“We haven't managed to win the Ballyhane Stakes yet but we'll be trying desperately hard again this year to run a few in it because it is great prize-money and at a good time of the year for these juveniles.”

Joe Foley, who owns Ballyhane Stud and is chairman of the Irish EBF, added, “The race is now in its fifth year and it's fantastic to see such a strong number of entries from both home and abroad, and a big thank you to everyone who entered a horse. 

“With a massive pot of €300,000 on offer and prize-money down to tenth place it gives connections the chance to dream big at this time of year. We are looking forward to watching the upcoming juvenile races and seeing which horses come onto the radar for the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes in August.”

 

The post Bumper Entry for Ballyhane Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Juddmonte Nominate Early-Season Targets for Gosden Stars

Arrest (Ire), who filled the runner-up spot in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on his final start of 2023, is being prepared to make his return to action in the G3 John Porter S. at Newbury on Saturday, April 20.

Though no match for the high-class Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) on Town Moor, Arrest showed that he belongs at the top level with an admirable effort in defeat, having previously failed to give his running when sent off the 4/1 favourite for the G1 Derby at Epsom. The son of Frankel (GB) had put himself in the picture for the blue riband when running out a wide-margin winner of the G3 Chester Vase S. on the Roodee, while his runner-up finish in the St Leger was preceded by a second pattern-race victory when landing the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury.

A return to the last-named venue is now on the agenda for the John and Thady Gosden-trained Arrest as he embarks on what his connections hope will be a productive four-year-old campaign in the top middle-distance events.

“He was consistent all year apart from the Derby, which I think was our own fault,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte. “John, Thady and myself got wrapped up a little bit in it being the Derby and we probably shouldn't have run as the ground was a bit quick and the track obviously didn't suit.

“He showed his true form on his next couple of starts and has wintered very well. John and Thady were very happy with him when speaking to them last week and the current plan, all being well, is to start in the John Porter. I think we will start off at middle-distances and see how we go. If he shows us in the middle of the summer he wants a bit further, then we will try it. But I think he has shown enough class at a mile and a half to suggest he can be competitive in those top mile-and-a-half races throughout the year.”

Mahon also issued a positive update on fellow Gosden trainee Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has been on the sidelines since finishing down the field in last year's G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury. Beaten just once in four starts prior to that, when runner-up in the 2022 G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket, Laurel reportedly has the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot as her main target in the first part of the season.

“Laurel is back in training and John and Thady are happy with her,” Mahon added. “She's just having a slow preparation with a view to getting her to Royal Ascot later in the year, so we will probably just give her a prep run at the end of May or the beginning of June and then it will be straight to Royal Ascot if all is well with her. She is in good shape and seems to have got over her little injury, so with a bit of luck, if she stays injury free she could be an exciting prospect for the year.”

The post Juddmonte Nominate Early-Season Targets for Gosden Stars appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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TDN’s Ten Questions for Olivier Delloye, Now Back at Arqana

After seven years at the helm of France-Galop, the governing body of horse racing in France, Olivier Delloye arrived back at Arqana, and will take up the position of CEO upon the retirement of Eric Hoyeau on April 1.

For Delloye, it's a homecoming, as he served for 10 years as their managing director before leaving to fill the same role at France-Galop in 2016. As Delloye got started again at Arqana, we sat down with him to learn what it was like to be back in Normandy, and what differences the buying and selling public could expect to see this year and beyond.

TDN: First, what's it like to be back?

OD: I'm very happy to be back–both back here and in the sales business and connecting with the community of buyers and vendors alike. And I'm really looking forward to the next sale and of course, the August yearling sale, which is, and has always been, the highlight of the of the year.

TDN: What was the thing you missed the most about this job when you were at France-Galop?

OD: Definitely it was going to farms, inspecting yearlings in spring, meeting with vendors and breeders and driving back to the office thinking that you may have seen the future stars of the sale.

TDN: And what is it about France-Galop that you'll miss the most now that you're back at Arqana?

OD: It's all about people. So probably the great people I have had the chance to work with and who tolerated me for about eight years. Luckily, now that I'm back, I'm finding a great team here as well.

TDN: What is your ideal work-life balance?

OD: It's a very difficult question. I would say it's close to ideal when both your colleagues and clients on one side and your family and friends on the other side feel that you give them enough time and attention. That's when you're close to perfection. But it never happens.

TDN: What changes at Arqana can we expect this year and beyond?

OD: It's a little bit early to ask me that question. I'm just coming back now. But I am coming back at a time when the company is enjoying quite a great success, so there's no need for a big revolution in the very short term. Probably the first changes that will be implemented will be purely internal, in order to make the organization ever more efficient and enable the team to have a greater focus on the horses and the clients. I'm sure there are some areas in which we can improve upon the way we operate, in the processes that are in place, so that really people can focus on their main job and on our clients.

TDN: I see there is some work going on here.

OD: Yes. The first thing, which is good news for all the people attending the sales, is there will be a brand new WiFi system as of the breeze-up sale. Over the next few weeks, another thing we are undergoing is that we are renovating the main yard at Arqana in the sales complex. We are actually currently raising the roofs (on the stalls) of the main yard to just provide some more comfort to horses staying in these boxes during the sales. We will do that in three phases and the first phase will be completed by the summer.

TDN: How did your experience at France-Galop change or broaden your view of the overall industry?

OD: I was born in the horse world as my father was a trainer and then was more involved in the institution and the ruling of racing. And then I went to work for Arqana for 10 years. Going to France-Galop was definitely the right place to go to deal with all aspects of the industry, with France-Galop being the racing authority and the operator of the major racing in France as well. So dealing with gambling with the PMU, dealing with the ministries in charge of supervising racing, dealing with anti-doping control, dealing with riding schools, but also how to run big, big events, like we do at France-Galop with the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Prix Diane Longines and so on. So it was just a perfect place to learn so many things. And, during all those years, I also had the chance to be involved in the IFHA, working alongside with Louis Romanet first and then Winfriend Engelbrecht-Bresges and its leadership team. So it really opened new doors to me as well, being exposed to other racing jurisdictions and understanding the big issues that racing can face on a global scale.

 

TDN: What did you learn there that you can apply here?

OD: Event organization is something that I probably learned quite a lot about working at France-Galop. But above all, I would say that at France-Galop, because of all it has to run with a fairly limited number of employees-there are only 350 people working full-time. It operates five racecourses, three training centres, and is a racing authority in France. It has to be a pretty well-organized company. So I'm sure that in trying to replicate a bit of that know-how in terms of process and organization in a much smaller company like Arqana, I can help it be even faster and move more quickly and be more efficient.

TDN: Your successor-and predecessor–Eric Hoyeau–was known to take to the microphone. Do you have any intention of doing the same?

OD: You mean at the rostrum? No plan at all. I did ask myself this question years ago when I first worked with Arqana. Now, I'm not sure I have the right talent for the job. And I see my role as just making sure that we have the best people everywhere in the place, to offer the best possible service. So we'll try to, enhance the quality of our auctioneers, to better serve our clients. But, I'm not necessarily one of them.

TDN: Paris or Deauville?

OD: I couldn't answer. It's like choosing between my my sons or my my daughters.

TDN: Le Drakkar, or Le Buddha Bar?

OD: Le Drakkar. Definitely.

TDN: Bike ride in the Bois de Boulogne, or jogging on Les Planches?

OD: Jogging on Les Planches. But also a little further, because it's too short.

TDN: Traffic jam on the Peripherique or tractors blocking the A13?

OD: Traffic jam on the Peripherique. There is always an exit nearby to escape from it.

TDN: Is there anyone in the French government you feel you resemble?

OD: I've often heard people say I look a little bit like Emmanuel Macron. And I've always answered that my wife is much younger.

The post TDN’s Ten Questions for Olivier Delloye, Now Back at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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