Tag: Shared News Europe

Lope De Vega Colt Earns TDN Rising Star in Chantilly Debut

Philippe Allaire's Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Enchanting Skies {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) landed  Tuesday's €50,000 Prix du Coq Chantant at Chantilly, the latest in France Galop's series of premium races for unraced 2-year-olds, earning in the process a 'TDN Rising Star' badge after posting an impressive 5 1/2-length triumph in the five-furlong dash.

Beauvatier broke from the outside stall and raced in rear while working his way across to the stands' side rail. Making smooth headway from halfway, the 23-10 second favourite cruised to the front on the bridle approaching the furlong marker and quickened again when changing leads inside the final 100 metres, surging clear in eyecatching fashion to mark his debut with a daylight success from Kumite (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

“He had not worked a lot before that, but he showed speed and a good attitude in his only serious piece of work so I decided to supplement him for this,” explained trainer Yann Barberot. “Obviously, he has the ability to handle testing ground and we will see how much he improves before deciding on his next race. He has the pedigree to stay further so there is no hurry.”

The February-foaled dark bay becomes the 12th Rising Star for his sire, whose list includes GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GI Just A Game heroine Newspaperofrecord (Ire), National Stud resident Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), who placed five times at the highest level, and another GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victrix in Aunt Pearl (Ire).

Allaire's wife Gitte spoke to TDN Europe on Tuesday, where she revealed that Christophe Soumillon called the couple after the race to compliment them on their bright prospect.

She said, “We are very excited about him. We bought him at the Arqana August Sale with Yann Barberot and he looked to be a very nice prospect. Yann picks out several horses for us at the sales to look at and we are happy to have found this one with him. 

“Of course, it is always very exciting to start a young horse after you invest and it's already been a nice return on investment for him after winning a race like that on debut.”

Allaire added, “He has a good pedigree and there was a lot to like about him at the sales. He has good conformation, is a great walker and was very powerful even as a yearling. Lope De Vega is an elite stallion and is very sought after. 

“It is the first time that Christophe Soumillon has called us after the race. He was so happy. I think that is a good sign. We have a saying in France that we are floating on a small cloud. We are enjoying the dream with this horse. It's so nice to dream.”

Pedigree Notes

Beauvatier, a €160,000 Arqana August purchase and kin to a yearling filly by Siyouni {Fr}), is the first of two foals produced by Listed Prix de Thiberville runner-up Enchanting Skies (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), herself a sale-topping €500,000 Baden-Baden September yearling when sold by Ronald Rauscher to Peter and Ross Doyle, on behalf of Mayfair Speculators, in 2016. His dam is one of four black-type performers out of Listed Kolner Fruhjahrs-Stuten-Preis third Estefania (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), the quartet headed by G1 Preis von Europa victor Empoli (Ger) (Halling). Estefania is out of a multiple-winning half to MG1SW G2 German 1000 Guineas and G2 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Elle Danzig (Ger) (Roi Danzig).

1st-Chantilly, €50,000, Mdn, 5-9, unraced 2yo, c/g, 5fT, 1:02.03, hy.
BEAUVATIER (FR), c, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Enchanting Skies (Ire) (SP-Fr), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Estefania (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
3rd Dam: Eirehill (Ire), by Danehill
(€160,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €25,000. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
O-Philippe Allaire; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock Ltd & Mme Barbara M Keller (FR); T-Yann Barberot; J-Christophe Soumillon.

 

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Hong Kong International Races Receive Substantial Boost

Prize money for the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) will be worth a record HK$118 million in 2023 and will again host the world's richest Group 1 turf races over 1200m, 1600m and 2000m, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) announced on Monday.

The G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup received a 5.9% increase to HK$36 million, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) has been boosted by 8.3% to HK$26 million, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m) will grow by 6.7% to HK$32 million and the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) received a 9.1% bump to HK$24 million.

Additionally, each of the city's 12 Group 1 races will rise by a minimum of HK$1 million for a combined HK$20 million as part of an overall prize money increase of 10%. Hong Kong's record prize money and incentive structure now stretches to an estimated HK$1.73 billion across the 2023/24 season. The world's richest Group 1 turf race over 1400m–the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup–offers HK$13 million in prize money, while the Club has also raised purses on Group 2 and Group 3 races to HK$5.35 million and HK$4.2 million, hikes of 7.0% and 7.7%, respectively.

Including substantial increases to the PP and PPG bonus scheme, Hong Kong's domestic racing prize money pool will increase by 8% alone next season – with an additional HK$94 million on offer – to HK$1.38 billion.

“The Longines Hong Kong International Races continue to be widely recognised as the 'Turf World Championships' and the HK$118 million total prize money on offer next season also underscores the Club's commitment to attracting and rewarding the world's best horses and their connections,” Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said. “With growing competition around the world, it is crucial that Hong Kong's two international race days-Longines Hong Kong International Races and FWD Champions Day–continue to be destinations of choice for owners, trainers and jockeys from around the world.”

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“She Looked Like A Moose At The Sales” – Group 1 Plans For 5k Purchase

Bloodstock agent Stephen Hillen has recalled how Sunday's G2 Dahlia S. winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) would not have won any beauty pageants as a yearling but revealed a certain amount of thinking-outside-of-the-box has led to him dreaming of big-race riches with the George Boughey-trained mare. 

Via Sistina couldn't have been more impressive at Newmarket on Sunday. She travelled into the race like a dream under Jamie Spencer, a good friend of Hillen's, and won going away by six lengths without having to be asked too many questions in the saddle. 

It was a performance that screamed quality and Hillen, who is better known for finding top-notch prospects for clients in his role as a bloodstock agent, is being rewarded for playing the long game with the horse he picked up for just 5,000gns at the December Yearling Sales in 2019. 

“She was a giant as a yearling,” Hillen recalled. “She is probably close to 17 hh at present. But she looked like a moose at the sales–big and backward. 

“Those Fastnet Rocks can be an acquired taste sometimes but she has grown into herself and you wouldn't call her an unattractive mare now.”

He added, “I often buy a filly one year and flip it the next and we've raced good fillies like Haggle (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) before. 

“There have been several fillies we have done the job with, in that we bought them without black-type and, once we got it, sold them on the following year. 

“Listen, I like to race them and, if I spot something I like and have no order to fill, I'll just buy it within reason.”

Via Sistina races in the colours of Hillen's wife Becky. Those purple and pink silks were also carried by Haggle, Four White Socks (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Banzari (GB) (Motivator {GB}), while Hillen has been involved with classy fillies Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and La  Dragontea (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) as well. 

Hillen is in little doubt that there is more to come from his latest runner and confirmed that Via Sistina will not be sold on until the end of this campaign at least. The G1 Pretty Polly S. awaits.

He said,  “Jamie was very positive about her but he's always loved that filly ever since he got on her. She'd been threatening to do something like that but you just don't expect it. Jamie even went to Toulouse to ride her last year. 

“Ordinarily, he wouldn't go all the way there for a Group 3, but I was just fearful if something went wrong and I really wanted to win a Group race with her. It was at the end of the year, too, which is why she may not have been as impressive as she can be that day, and she was also a bit keen on a tight track.”

Hillen added, “That was only her ninth start on Sunday-some horses run nine times in a year. We'll probably race her until the end of the year at least and then make a plan. We're going to try and have a bit of fun with her. If the ground is on the slow side, she'll probably go to the Pretty Polly. She's a Group 2 winner now so the natural step is to go and try and win a Group 1. It's exciting. It would be a dream to win a Group 1 with her.”

 

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Blow To Tony Mullins As Owner Paddy Kehoe Takes Princess Zoe Away

Trainer Tony Mullins has confirmed that Paddy Kehoe, owner of the Group 1-winning stayer Princess Zoe, has decided to move the mare to elsewhere.

The decision comes as a bitter blow to Mullins, who famously sourced Princess Zoe from Germany, and transformed her from being a middle-of-the-road-handicapper to being one of the best stayers in Europe.

Her career highlight for Mullins came when taking out the G1 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp in 2020 and she had achieved big-race success as recently as last season when landing the G3 Sagaro S. at Ascot.

However, a winter spent hurdling–where Princess Zoe enjoyed mixed fortunes–is said to be at the root of the disagreement between Mullins and his owner.

He told TDN Europe on Monday, “It's terribly, terribly disappointing–I will never forget the mare anyway. She is gone to another trainer. Paddy bought out the other shareholder who disagreed with the decision. I had a connection with that mare that I don't think I had with any other horse in my life.”

He added, “We'll have to live with it now. It's a tough one to take but I'll never forget her. Paddy was adamant about forging out a hurdling career with her and he thought that Danny [Mullins, jockey and Tony's son] didn't get on with her. I didn't agree with either thing.

“I thought that, if she came around, there might be another Flat race in her. But, for me, persisting at hurdling is not something I could agree with.”

Princess Zoe has won £428,676 in career earnings. She was offered at last year's December Mares Sale at Tattersalls but failed to meet her reserve and was bought back by connections for 300,000gns. 

Kehoe, who voiced his criticism about Danny Mullins on Twitter after Cheltenham in March, was contacted for comment by TDN Europe on Monday and confirmed that Princess Zoe had been taken away from her trainer but failed to elaborate further. 

He said, “There are other things involved here which I do not want to comment on. I have no doubt that Tony won't want to comment either.”

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