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Bathrat Leon Takes Turf Sprint For Japan As Casa Creed Misses Out Again

Had the distance for the G3 1351 Turf Sprint Presented By STC been set just a few metres longer, Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) may well have been recording his second victory in the race for Bill Mott on Saturday, but it was the front-running Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) who clung on from the fast-finishing runner-up to open the floodgates for the Japanese raiders on Saudi Cup night.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, who would go on to win the Saudi Cup with Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Bathrat Leon was extremely brave under Ryusei Sakai in relegating Casa Creed to the runner-up spot for the second year in a row.

Successful in the G2 Godolphin Mile on dirt at the Dubai World Cup meeting last year, connections of Bathrat Leon suggested that the versatile 5-year-old would aim for a repeat success at Meydan next month.

Yahagi said, “Even as a trainer, I don't have the right answer if he is a turf horse or a dirt horse. I thought Bathrat Leon would suit the turf here and the distance. I think his best is seven furlongs, this is six-and-a-half furlongs.

“The jockey and I had the same opinion to go from the front. They get on very well. We won today, we have to have a discussion with the owner. He handles turf pretty well, but at the moment I would say we can look at the Godolphin Mile.”

It was a second major triumph in the last six days for the 25-year-old Sakai, who guided Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) to victory in the G1 February S. at Tokyo last Sunday.

He said, “I am very grateful to the owner and my boss Mr. Yahagi and the connections who gave me the chance to ride here. My horse had the best run, he had a great trip.”

Last year's winner Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) broke slowly and never recovered while Luis Saez, the rider of Casa Creed, was left ruing what might have been on the second.

He said, “He broke from there pretty well and I was in a good position. I thought we were going to get up to win but every time the winning horse just kept going and going and it was too late when we passed him. That's racing but I saw the line and I knew I was not in front in time. He tried pretty hard, it's just the winner was tough to catch. I thought we were going to get him.”

Prior to Saturday's winning effort, the 5-year-old ran fourth in the G2 Hanshin Cup on Christmas Eve.

 

Pedigree Notes

Kizuna is the sire of top-level winners Songline and Akai Ito (Jpn) among his 20 stakes winners. Although it is fairly early days yet for New Approach as a broodmare sire, his best are American champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and fellow top-tier winners Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) and Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh {Aus}).

One of three foals and the only winner out of the unplaced Bathrat Amal (Jpn) (New Approach {Ire}), Bathrat Leon is followed by the 3-year-old filly Letter My Heart (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). Two-time Group/Grade 1 winner Serious Attitude (Ire) (Mtoto {GB}) is a half-sister to Bathrat Amal, and she is the dam of triple group winner and G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) second Stiffelio (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}).

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
1351 TURF SPRINT PRESENTED BY STC-G3, $1,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-25, 4yo/up, 1351mT, 1:17.48, gd.
1–BATHRAT LEON (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Kizuna (Jpn)
1st Dam: Bathrat Amal (Jpn), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Zameyla (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
3rd Dam: Angelic Sounds (Ire), by The Noble Player
O-Hiroo Race Co., Ltd.; B-Mishima Bokujo; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; $900,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn & UAE, 19-5-0-3, $2,600,990. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Casa Creed, 126, h, 7, Jimmy Creed–Achalaya, by Bellamy  Road. ($15,000 Ylg '17 OBSJAN; $105,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-LRE Racing LLC & JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver Springs Stud, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Luis Saez; $300,000.
3–Raaed (Ire), 126, g, 6, Dark Angel (Ire)–Ambassadrice (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£90,000 Ylg '18 GOFAUG; 55,000gns HRA '20 TATOCT). O-Sharaf Mohammed S. Al Hariri; B-J. Hanly, A. Stroud & T. Stewart (Ire); T-Bedan Alsubaie; J-Ricardo Ferreira; $150,000.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 8.00, 5.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Happy Romance (Ire), Resistencia (Jpn), Lusail (Ire), Rozgar (Ire), Garrus (Ire), Lauda Sion (Jpn), Songline (Jpn), Pogo (Ire). VIDEO.

 

 

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Mostahdaf Makes It Look Easy For The Gosdens In Neom Turf Cup

George Boughey's Missed The Cut (Quality Road) may have fluffed his lines but still the G3 Neom Turf Cup Sponsored By Altanfeethi went for export with fellow Newmarket-based trainers John and Thady Gosden landing the $1.5-million contest with Arc also-ran Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) sprinting clear under Jim Crowley.

John Gosden suggested after the race that the G1 Dubai World Cup could be next for Mostahdaf, a horse the team at Clarehaven Stables thought good enough to run in Europe's showcase race last autumn.

But this was the day where Mostahdaf came good on his initial promise by carrying the famous Shadwell Estate colours to a seven-length victory over Saeed bin Suroor's Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Missed The Cut could only manage fourth after racing far too keenly.

Gosden said, “He did it perfectly. He had a nice draw and Jim used it. I think the track is quick and, if you are handy and have Mikael Barzalona [aboard Eagle's Flight (Ire) (Gleaneagles {Ire})] measuring the fractions, that's where you want to be; handy.”

He added, “Stunningly-good performance. We obviously know the family well and Sheikha Hissa has done wonderfully to keep these horses in training and her father would be so proud with what she has done with the stable. It's a Shadwell family and we have the sister and we have the brother who is a nice 3-year-old, so look, he's an improving horse and we're delighted with him.

“If he flies home in great form, obviously we came here with Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and then he went to Dubai, so he could run on Dubai World Cup night as well.”

Boughey was less sure where Missed The Cut would be off to next. The bitterly-disappointed trainer explained how the short-priced favourite was somewhat a victim of his own downfall after his early antics in the race.

“He probably did a little bit too much down the outside. It was no-one's fault and I think he might have travelled a little bit further than some of them. That's racing, isn't it. It's frustrating but he will be back.”

Boughey added, “He travelled down to post good and then was one who was throwing about. It didn't help him but, essentially, he's probably run a little bit below the form of his last race if you take the winner out of it.

“There's lots of different options for him but I was slightly hoping that we'd see a different horse today. We'll see how he is tomorrow and see where we go from there.”

A winner of the G3 Gordon Richards S. and G3 September S., Mostahdaf was unplaced in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

 

Pedigree Notes

Part of Frankel's 108 stakes winners (76 group), Mostahdaf is bred identically to With The Moonlight (Ire), who won the G2 Balanchine at Meydan on Friday; her full-brother, the late Group 1 winner Dream Castle (GB); 2022 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Homeless Songs (Ire); and G1 Derby/G1 King George hero Adayar (Ire), who are all out of Dubawi mares.

Listed winner Handassa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), herself a half-sister to GII San Gabriel S. hero and GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. second Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), is also the dam of the G1 Sun Chariot S. and G1 Falmouth S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the winning Dark Angel (Ire) 3-year-old Mostabshir (GB), a juvenile full-brother to the winner and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB).

Group 1 winners and sire full-brothers Pastoral Pursuits (GB) and Goodricke (GB), both by Bahamian Bounty (GB), are under the third dam.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
NEOM TURF CUP SPONSORED BY ALTANFEETHI-G3, $1,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-25, 4yo/up, 2100mT, 2:06.24, fm.
1–MOSTAHDAF (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Frankel (GB)
                1st Dam: Handassa (GB) (SW-Ire), by Dubawi
                2nd Dam: Starstone (GB), by Diktat (GB)
                3rd Dam: Star (GB), by Most Welcome (GB)
O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited; T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley; $900,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Eng, 13-8-2-0, $1,254,238. *1/2 to Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eur & Eng at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Eng, $409,959. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Dubai Future (GB), 126, g, 7, Dubawi (Ire)–Anjaz, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed Bin Suroor; J-Daniel Tudhope; $300,000.
3–Flying Visit (Ire), 126, g, 5, Pride Of Dubai (Aus)–Fionnuar (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). (28,000gns HRA '21 TATAUT). O-Alfathwa Stable; B-J S Bolger; T-Sami Al Harabi; J-Ricardo Ferreira; $150,000.
Margins: 7, 5 3/4, 1 3/4.Odds: 9-5, 8-1, 55-1.
Also Ran: Missed the Cut, Eagle's Flight (Ire), Castle (Ire), White Moonlight, Star of Wins, Sir Busker (Ire), Byline (GB). Scratched: Peter The Great (GB). VIDEO

 

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Golden Sixty, Romantic Warrior Clash In HK Gold Cup

It was a battle royale in last month's G1 Stewards' Cup, as Hong Kong's three top-rated gallopers–two emerging from victories at the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting in December–faced off. At the end of 1600 thrilling metres and having delivered excellent theatre as advertised, two-time reigning Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) showed there was still a fair bit of life left in the tyres when defeating G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup hero Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile victor California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). While the latter awaits next month's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, Romantic Warrior is likely to go favoured while stepping back out to his best gig in Sunday's 2000-metre G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup.

While Golden Sixty is a two-time winner going 10 furlongs, including this event in 2021–albeit by the skin of his teeth–Romantic Warrior is the jurisdiction's best over the trip, having won the BMW Hong Kong Derby and G1 FWD QE II Cup last preparation before adding the Hong Kong Cup at the end of December.

“He's [Romantic Warrior] good, he's happy–there's been no problems,” said trainer Danny Shum. “It all depends on the draw, but he should be able to sit third, fourth or fifth [in the run].”

Romantic Warrior has gate six in a field of seven.

As for Golden Sixty, his jockey Vincent Ho is actually of the opinion that the 7-year-old is just now close to being a furnished product.

“He's really matured mentally and he doesn't fight any more,” said Ho. “He used to fight a lot, but not anymore and when I ask him for the effort, he will give it to me straight away. He's been really good this season.

“Romantic Warrior obviously has proven very, very good at 2000 metres and he will be very hard to beat. He's one of the best horses in Hong Kong.”

Golden Sixty departs from the four hole Sunday.

The afternoon's co-featured event is the second leg of the local 4-year-old series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup over the 1800 metres.

Jamie Kah jets back in to renew her partnership with Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), who she rode a treat from the front to take out the Hong Kong Classic Mile Jan. 29. The Ricky Yiu trainee could be the speed of the speed again, but should get at least some pressure from the likes of Happy Valley specialist Encountered (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). That could help set things up a bit for Tuchel (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), the ride of Zac Purton, who was inconvenienced by the lack of pace when runner-up in the Classic Mile, while Super Sunny Sing (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) looms a threat with further improvement for Ho. He rides a three-race winning streak into the Classic Cup, including a convincing success going a mile in Class 3 Jan. 24.

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Lord North Returns In The Winter Derby

There is a faint scent of the approaching Flat season in the air on Saturday as the Gosdens' stalwart Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) enjoys his seasonal bow in Lingfield's G3 BetUK Winter Derby. Not seen since finishing a close fourth in the G1 Eclipse at Sandown in July, the 7-year-old is at the scene of his defeat in this 12 months ago warming up for a third consecutive G1 Dubai Turf.

Robert Havlin will be on board the consistent performer and he said, “Lord North seems really well. I have ridden him in his last two pieces of work and I think he is a little sharper than he was coming into the race last year. We are using this as a prep for the Dubai Turf again but I am hoping for a real big run. He just feels that bit more switched on than he was this time last year. He is the best horse in the race by far and hopefully he can show that.”

Also representing the Gosdens is the 2021 winner Forest Of Dean (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Harrovian (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {GB}) who races for Lord North's owner HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing. The former will be partnered by South African jockey Collen Storey, while Roger Varian pitches in Flaxman Stables' 2022 Easter Classic runner-up Tyrrhenian Sea (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

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