Tag: Shared News Europe

The King’s Desert Hero Notches Gordon Success At Goodwood

King Charles III's 'TDN Rising Star' Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Desert Breeze {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) represents the last chance of a Classic winner for His Majesty in the inaugural year of his reign and the William Haggas trainee went some way to making that a reality with a narrow verdict in Thursday's G3 John Pearce Racing Gordon S. at Goodwood.

Positioned at the tail of the six-runner field through halfway in this staging post for next month's G1 St Leger, the 7-1 chance was shaken up to go second approaching the final furlong and stayed on strongly under a late drive to deny Godolphin's Listed Glasgow S. scorer Chesspiece (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by a neck in the dying strides. The latter, in turn, finished three lengths clear of Listed Feilden S. victor Canberra Legend (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in third.

“It was not the easiest watch, but Tom [Marquand] said he always thought he was going to win,” revealed Maureen Haggas. “The important thing with this horse is getting him switched off early, which he did really well, and I think if you can do that, you can let the rest of the race unfold. Desert Hero has guts, he wants to win and that counts for a lot. Desert Hero could go further and the obvious aim would be the [G1] St Leger. You never really know until you try, but there's no reason not to try. We are so lucky to be training for The King and Queen and to have a horse as good as this, and I am sure they will be enjoying it and good luck to them.”

John Warren, racing manager to Their Majesties The King and Queen, added, “It is remarkable and so lovely to have a horse in the stable that is so committed. Royal Ascot was wonderful when he cut through horses [to win the King George V H.] and so wanted the race. Desert Hero is an incredible horse, so for The King and Queen to have a horse of this calibre in their first year, taking on from The Queen and with a horse that was bred by her, is a dream come true. They are so excited and so thrilled. The King told me many years ago that he was always going to be committed to taking on the bloodstock portfolio [from his mother] and, true to his word, he has been fascinated by it because now it is on his watch. The story is wonderful for racing in particular because The Queen [Camilla] is so interested and they get such pleasure together out of it.”

Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Chesspiece, trainer Simon Crisford said, “Chesspiece wants a mile-and-six [furlongs] and we just got outpaced at a crucial moment. He loved the ground and ran his heart out and the [G1] St Leger dream is still alive.”

Pedigree Notes

Desert Hero, half-brother to a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock (Aus) and a weanling colt by Kingman {GB}, is the first of three foals out of an unraced full-sister to multiple Group-winning GI Canadian International runner-up and G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. third Dartmouth (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The January-foaled chesnut's dam Desert Breeze (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is also kin to dual Group 2 winner Manatee (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), Listed Prix du Carrousel victrix Gaterie (Dubai Destination) and to the dam of dual stakes-winning GIII Red Sea Turf H. third Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). His fourth dam is the G2 Prix de l'Opera-placed matriarch Albertine (Fr) (Irish River {Fr}), whose swathe of stakes descendants is headed by GI Breeders' Cup Classic and G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}).

 

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
JOHN PEARCE RACING GORDON S.-G3, £200,000, Goodwood, 8-3, 3yo, 11f 218yT, 2:43.86, sf.
1–DESERT HERO (GB), 129, c, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Desert Breeze (GB), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Galatee (Fr), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Altana, by Mountain Cat
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-HM The King & HM The Queen; B-The Queen (GB); T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-1, $229,069. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chesspiece (GB), 129, c, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Royal Solitaire (Ire), by Shamardal. (€100,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). O-Godolphin; B-Ammerland Gmbh & Co KG (GB); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. £43,000.
3–Canberra Legend (Ire), 129, c, 3, Australia (GB)–Rocana (GB), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (125,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 350,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Ringfort Stud & Paul Hancock (IRE); T-James Ferguson. £21,520.
Margins: NK, 3, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.00, 3.50, 7.00.
Also Ran: Artistic Star (Ire), Burdett Road (GB), Espionage (Ire).

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Havana Grey’s Craven Breeze Up Star Vandeek Takes The Richmond

Impressing with his debut success over six furlongs at Nottingham last month, KHK Racing Ltd's Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}–Mosa Mine {GB}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) stamped his class on Thursday's G2 Markel Richmond S. at Goodwood. As the 625,000gns joint-topper at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained relative of Anabaa and Key Of Luck travelled ominously well following the pace before taking command with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Soon clear under Andrea Atzeni, the 11-8 favourite had a length to spare over Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) at the line as he in turn pulled five lengths clear of the G2 July S. third Toca Madera (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}).

This renewal lost some lustre after the withdrawals of the G2 July S. winner Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and the G2 Railway S. runner-up and TDN Rising Star Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), but in Vandeek it was showcasing a genuine talent for the operation that had enjoyed success at this level last season with another juvenile sensation Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Vandeek had blown the start at Nottingham, but showed an abundance of class to easily overcome that disadvantage and he was nobody's secret here.

“He looked pretty special when he won first time out at Nottingham,” Atzeni said. “He's got a bit of a pedigree, he's obviously improved since Nottingham and he showed today how good he is.” Simon Crisford added, “Nothing really took him into the race for as long as we would like today, he was in front too soon and he sorted of idled. I think there's tons of improvement to come and I think we'll head for the Prix Morny on Aug. 19. Obviously that is dependent on Sheikh Khalid's wishes, but he likes to be bold and brave and I'm sure he will want to go for the Group 1. Stamina-wise, he's of out an Exceed And Excel mare, there's tons of speed in his pedigree but he strikes us at home like he will go further. He's big, scopey, he stands over a lot of daylight–he will stay.”

Ballymount Boy's trainer Adrian Keatley said, “He didn't help himself early on–he was a bit slow away and slow to get into his stride, but he's a fair horse and we were expecting that kind of run from him. We'll see where we go with him next, but we might contemplate going seven furlongs.”

Pedigree Notes

   Vandeek's third dam Bamieres (Fr) (Riverman) was responsible for Balbonella (Fr) (Gay Mecene), who captured the Prix Robert Papin when it carried Group 1 status before producing a trio of high-class individuals. They were the aforementioned Anabaa who was successful in the G1 July Cup S. and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, Key Of Luck who also became an notable sire having finished runner-up in the GI Pimlico Special and Always Loyal (Zilzal), heroine of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

   Always Loyal is the second dam of the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies-winning champion Shonan Adela (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while another of Balbonella's progeny was the G3 Prix de la Grotte-placed Country Belle (Seattle Slew) who was the dam of the G2 Gimcrack S.-winning sire Country Reel (Danzig). Also connected to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Baine (Fr) by Country Reel, Mosa Mine's colt foal is by Starspangledbanner (Aus).

 

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
MARKEL RICHMOND S.-G2, £175,000, Goodwood, 8-3, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:13.45, sf.
1–VANDEEK (GB), 128, c, 2, by Havana Grey (GB)
                1st Dam: Mosa Mine (GB), by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
                2nd Dam: Baldemosa (Fr), by Lead On Time
                3rd Dam: Bamieres (Fr), by Riverman
   1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (52,000gns Wlg '21
TADEWE; 42,000gns Ylg '22 TADEY; 625,000gns 2yo '23
TATBRE). O-KHK Racing; B-Maywood Stud (GB); T-Simon & Ed
Crisford; J-Andrea Atzeni. £99,243. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$130,900. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ballymount Boy (Ire), 128, c, 2, Camacho (GB)–Kasalla (Ire),
by Footstepsinthesand (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP
   BLACK TYPE. (€8,000 Ylg '22 TATIRY; €110,000 2yo '23
TATGOR). O-Keatley Racing Owners Group & D Moore;
B-Fontstown Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Adrian Keatley. £37,625.
3–Toca Madera (Ire), 128, g, 2, Bated Breath (GB)–Hala Hala
(Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€40,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1;
£45,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Family Amusements Ltd & Mr J
Botton; B-Tinnakill Bloodstock (IRE); T-Brian Meehan. £18,830.
Margins: 1, 5, 2. Odds: 1.38, 25.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Hala Emaraaty (Ire), Bobsleigh (Ire), Sketch (Ire), Nazalan (Ire). Scratched: Asadna (Ire), Emperor's Son (Ire), Jasour (GB), Unquestionable (Fr), Watch My Tracer (Ire). VIDEO.

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Arqana May Breeze-Up Sensation Debuts At Goodwood

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. Thursday's Observations features a half-sister to a triple Group 1 winner.

17.20 Goodwood, Mdn, £60,000, 2yo f, 7fT
CLASSICAL SONG (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was a big deal at the Arqana May Breeze Up as the fourth highest-priced filly and now starts out in the colours of Doreen Tabor for this maiden won in recent times by Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Ralph Beckett has charge of the half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Dylan Mouth (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), whose peers include Michael Blencowe's similarly-unraced Imperial Express (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), an Andrew Balding-trained half-sister to the G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}).

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Goodwood: “I Can’t Wait To Get Into It.” Head Relishing Blue Rose Cen’s Nassau Test

So far at Goodwood this week, the front end has been the place to be in the races that matter most and that is good news for connections of Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) as she prepares to battle her elders for the first time in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. They include the gilt-edged 4-year-old Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), but Hollie Doyle no doubt has a far greater tactical task than Aurelien Lemaitre on the French raider who is even drawn in one to add more bolster to her cause.

Yeguada Centurion's homebred is admirably straightforward, as she proved on her last three Group 1 starts which included the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane and that is always an advantage on this notoriously difficult track. “I think it is a very tactical racetrack and a very interesting one,” trainer Christopher Head said. “She has had a brilliant preparation and we are very happy with her and we can't wait to get to Goodwood races. She is a wonderful filly, the filly of my life for now, and I'm really happy to have the luck to train her. I can't wait to get into it, because there is such a good atmosphere at the races in the UK and it is really a unique feeling when you run a horse there.”

“The ground should not be any issue for her,” he added. “She has already encountered various tracks and there is no problem at any of them. We will need to see her run, but there is a project about seeing what she is capable of doing in a staying capacity, such as the Vermeille, just to see if she is capable of going further. We don't have the limit of the filly now–she looks like she can do everything! For now, she has the benefit of choice.”

Nashwa, who excelled on a contrastingly fast surface 12 months ago, was back to her excellent best last time in the G1 Falmouth S. but this is no doubt as far as she wants to go these days and the ground will only serve to make it a genuine test. Imad Al Sagar's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe is hoping the Newmarket run will serve as a relaunch of the filly in 2023. “I think it was so encouraging the way she did it at Newmarket,” he said. “Everybody's faith has been repaid, as it were. She looked good and had done well over the winter and, if anything, might have done a bit too well.”

“She is a big, scopey filly and sometimes they just take a little while to come to themselves,” Grimthorpe added. “It was never that she worked badly, she was always going nicely, but I think after Newcastle it looked like she suddenly began to take hold of the bridle. It is a very interesting race and the French filly looks exceptional. We are always hopeful, but the good thing is she is going into the race how we'd want her to.”

With the French challenger new to this kind of test and Nashwa not certain to perform to last year's standard, the way could be open to either Shadwell's fast-improving G3 Hoppings S. winner Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) or to last year's G1 Prix Saint-Alary-winning TDN Rising Star Above The Curve (American Pharoah). Both have had Nashwa behind this season and if the latter is allowed an easy time in front she will be dangerous as she proved in the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud in May.

 

 

Is Vandeek The Answer In Beleaguered Richmond?

With Clive Cox withdrawing the G2 July S. winner and likely hot favourite Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and Aidan O'Brien also opting to leave TDN Rising Star Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at home, Goodwood's G2 Markel Richmond S. has become much more open on Thursday. KHK Racing Ltd's 625,000gns joint-topper at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) made the ideal start to his career over this six-furlong trip at Nottingham last month and has all the upside that is required for one of these.

“He looked a bit inexperienced at Nottingham and just fell out the stalls, but with the ground the way it is–it was soft when he won there–it will help,” Ed Crisford said. “He seems to have come on for that mentally for the last few weeks, so we thought we'd take a chance. If he can take a step forward from his maiden win, we'll be pleased. He is one for the future and it is not all about this.”

That also applies to Manton Park Racing's five-length Newbury novice winner Sketch (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) from the Freddie and Martyn Meade stable. The dam, by Siyouni (Fr), is kin to Prolific (Ire) (Compton Place {GB}) who took this on good-to-firm in 2008. “Obviously it is quite a quick turnaround, but he was a true professional at Newbury,” Freddie said. “It looks a tough renewal, but I think he showed he's entitled to be there and he is a big, strong horse and it is not all about this season. Not many can do what he did first time out and the sectional times were good if you compare them to the Hackwood.”

 

I Spy A Leger Horse?

Goodwood's G3 John Pearce Racing Gordon S. is all about St Leger prospects, with the mile-and-a-half contest attracting Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Last year's G1 Criterium International runner-up was up to near this trip for the first time when making a belated start to the season in Roscommon's Listed Lenebane S. and is on that familiar upward curve that the Rosegreen runners do so well. Also here is The King's last chance of a Classic winner in his inaugural year as owner of the Royal runners, the King George V H.-winning fellow TDN Rising Star Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), while Godolphin's Listed Glasgow S. scorer Chesspiece (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) looks the type to relish the deep ground.

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