Tag: Shared News Europe

Adlerflug’s Torquator Tasso Nabs Hamburg Feature

Last term's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}–Tijuana {Ger}, by Toylsome {GB}) could manage only sixth when contesting Baden-Baden's May 29 G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft on seasonal return last time and bounced back in style to claim a second straight edition of Saturday's G2 wettstar.de Grosser Hansa-Preis at Hamburg. The 13-10 favourite raced third passing the judge first time and remained in that slot for the most part. Sent forward on the turn to go second into the home straight, he drifted wide towards the stands' side rail to seize control approaching the final furlong and was ridden clear of overmatched rivals for a clear-cut success. Gestut Auenquelle's 5-year-old hit the line 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Northern Ruler (Ger) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}), with Auenquelle's homebred Virginia Storm (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third.

“We agreed to completely forget his last run at Baden-Baden,” rider Rene Piechulek told GaloppOnline. “You can tell straight away when he's in a good mood and he gave me a much better feeling before the race today.” Trainer Marcel Weiss added, “That really was a huge relief. The start of the year was not so good, but that's his biorhythm and you just have to accept it. I'm very satisfied with today's run and everything is now back on track. We will discuss with the owners how to proceed in the coming days.” Gestut Auenquelle's Peter Michael Endres has a more definite plan in mind. “We're going to Ascot for the [G1] King George,” he said. “He'll then go to Baden-Baden [for the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden] and then to the [G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe]. It is certain that he will become a stallion at Auenquelle next year.”

Torquator Tasso is the second of seven foals out of Tijuana (Ger) (Toylsome {GB}), herself a half-sister to three stakes performers headed by G2 Diana-Trial victrix Tusked Wings (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}). His stakes-placed third dam Turbaine (Trempolino) is a half-sister to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-winning matriarch Urban Sea (Miswaki), whose progeny list is headed by MG1SW sires Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Sea the Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Urban Sea, of course, is a daughter of legendary blue hen Allegretta (GB) (Lombard {GB}), herself full to Adlerflug's second dam Alya (Ger), which means Allegretta's dual stakes-placed dam Anatevka (Ger) (Espresso {GB}) features 4×5 in Torquator Tasso's pedigree. Tijuana, who has also thrown G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen victor Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), has the unraced 2-year-old filly Tiara Hilleshage (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), a yearling colt by Adlerflug (Ger) and a weanling filly by Guiliani (Ire) to come.

Saturday, Hamburg, Germany
WETTSTAR.DE – GROSSER HANSA-PREIS – 200 JAHRE DEUTSCHER GALOPP-G2, €70,000, Hamburg, 7-2, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:40.43, g/s.
1–TORQUATOR TASSO (GER), 132, h, 5, by Adlerflug (Ger)
1st Dam: Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB)
2nd Dam: Tucana (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
3rd Dam: Turbaine, by Trempolino
(€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss; J-Rene Piechulek. €40,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 11-14f, MGSW-Ger & G1SW-Fr, 13-6-3-1, €3,288,800. *1/2 to Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), GSW-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Northern Ruler (Ger), 132, c, 4, Ruler Of The World (Ire)–North Sun (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall Ullmann (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €15,500.
3–Virginia Storm (Ger), 132, c, 4, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Virginia Sun (Ger), by Doyen (Ire). O/B-Gestut Auenquelle (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €8,000.
Margins: 3HF, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.30, 10.00, 12.50.
Also Ran: Best Of Lips (Ire), Alter Adler (Ger), Nacido (Ger). free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Auguste Rodin Heads To Naas

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. Saturday's Observations features a son of
Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

4.18 Naas, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 7fT
AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Ballydoyle's exciting son of the triple Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was a possibly unlucky runner-up at the Curragh at the start of last month, is expected back in action following his withdrawal from an often-important maiden as the ground turned yielding there on Sunday. Already favourite for the 2000 Guineas in some ante-post lists, the January-foaled bay is poised for an assessment from Seamie Heffernan as he tackles a smart-looking field including Yuesheng Zhang's re-opposing Dubawi Spectre (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Jessie Harrington-trained 410,000gns Book 1 graduate out of the G3 Prix Imprudence winner Spectre (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who was fourth behind him in that Curragh maiden.

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Vadeni Poised To Deliver In Eclipse

In the centennial year of The Aga Khan's Studs, the operation's latest flame Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) could present his owner-breeder with a present of particular value in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S. While The Aga Khan has won most of Europe's major middle distance prizes, Sandown's much-coveted contest has so far eluded him with Kalanisi (Ire) coming closest in his epic encounter with Giant's Causeway in the millennium edition. With weight-for-age tipping the balance very much in his favour, Jean-Claude Rouget's first runner at the Esher venue is ideally positioned to become the second consecutive G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero to double up here and to provide Christophe Soumillon with a first winner at the track. He also has French pride riding on his back, with a yawning gap back to the last of the country's Eclipse heroes in Javelot (Fr) in 1960.

 

Marking The Occasion

If Vadeni is to reward his supplementary entry with victory, he will also be bridging a 70-year gap since The Aga Khan III registered the third of his three successes with the brilliant Tulyar. There is a sense that the unorthodox move from connections has been orchestrated due partly to this landmark year but mostly as a result of the colt's raw material. Still a work in progress, we might not have seen the best of the homebred whose relatives include the English Group 1 winner Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino) and the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Val Royal (Fr) (Royal Academy).

Georges Rimaud, Racing Manager to The Aga Khan, said, “We are celebrating 100 years of the Aga Khan Studs and have a few things planned later in the year. It is an honour to be able to celebrate this and if we have some good winners this year it would be great. It takes a lot of commitment from the owner and I know that His Highness is obviously very pleased with how things are going.”

 

The Haggas Factor

William Haggas's stable is bursting with good health and has continued to thrive this week and defy the logic that their early-summer purple patch must come to an end. In M M Stables' 4-year-old Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), the yard have a strong contender in this renewal with his recent record boasting a defeat of the Prince of Wales's hero State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Hardwicke hero Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in The Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup May 22. Add to that the fact that he was the winner of a vintage renewal of the course-and-distance G3 Sandown Classic Trial last April and showed impressive pace when putting Lord North to the sword in the Feb. 22 G3 Winter Derby and it is clear he is a genuine player here.

Speaking at Sandown on Friday, Maureen Haggas was playing down his chance. “He ran a brilliant race in Ireland, but he likes dig in the ground and a mile and a quarter on soft is the ideal,” she said. “He is an absolute star and is as tough as old boots–he'll give his all, as he always does, but on this ground it is a big ask.” William seemed to be more confident as he said, “He beat a [G1] Derby winner and a Breeders' Cup winner the last time he went to Sandown and he won the Tattersalls Gold Cup, beating a [G1] Cox Plate and [G1] Prince of Wales's winner. Some may think he's an outsider, but I don't–he's a good horse.”

 

A Proven Trail

Even before Charlie Appleby took off, he was saddling the 3-year-old Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) to cause a minor upset as his first runner in the Eclipse in 2016. Hawkbill was fourth two years later as his second representative, while his third was the 2020 winner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). That is some tally, so the pressure is on last year's champion juvenile and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) to uphold the stable's enviable record. Impressive on his sole visit here when handing a four-length beating to Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on his debut last June, his subsequent tally of three Group 1 wins means that he enters his first battle with the older horses as one the race's most accomplished in that sphere. His stamina has to be taken on trust, however, with Distant Music (Distant View) being the only true middle-distance performer relatively close-up on the dam's side.

Appleby is not entirely convinced he will see out this tough mile and a quarter. “The question mark is the mile and a quarter trip, but you can take a few pieces out of his pedigree which suggest he has a chance of staying,” he said. “At the end of the day, in the Irish Guineas he was doing his best work in the last 200 yards, so we are confident within ourselves he can go the mile and a quarter. More importantly, he is a strong 3-year-old who won't look out of place against his elders.”

 

Free Pass

At Haydock on Saturday, the G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks looks a strong contest with George Strawbridge's impressive G2 Park Hill S. winner Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making her seasonal bow on her first start since that seven-length success at Doncaster's St Leger meeting. John Gosden has won this five times since 2011 and holds the record of eight wins, so it is fair to say he knows what it takes and the exciting homebred 4-year-old has genuine talent. Clarehaven's representatives usually require a run to get up to speed, even if Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) proved the exception to the rule last month, so a win on this reintroduction will augur well for her prospects this term. Last year's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. winner Eshaada (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) has had a pipe-opener in 2022, while Sunderland Holdings' Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) comes into this on the back of success in the course-and-distance G3 Pinnacle S. May 28.

 

Alert And Ready

While 3-year-old representation in this has been numerically small in recent years and the ones that have been pitched into battle have hardly been the cream of the Classic crop, it is notable that since 2012 all of that age that have tried have not succeeded and most have been soundly beaten. Looking to buck the trend and exploit a generous 12-pound weight-for-age allowance this time are Kirsten Rausing's Oaks fifth Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) and Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib's June 9 Listed Abingdon S. scorer Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), with the latter sure to appreciate the step up in trip.

“I think it is competitive enough and there is a strong group of older horses,” the latter's trainer Hughie Morrison said. “The exciting thing she showed at Newbury was she had a turn of foot. She can only get better over time and she has had quite a busy year. Whatever she achieves now through the rest of the year is going to be great, but she will be serious next year. Martyn Arbib is not getting any younger and he wants to have a go at the St Leger-we can pretend and dream about it, can't we?”

 

What Next From Torquator Tasso?

Hamburg's Derby meeting on Saturday sees the second outing in 2022 of Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), with Marcel Weiss hoping that Gestut Auenquelle's reigning Arc hero shows much more of his sparkle in the G2 wettstar.de Grosser Hansa-Preis. A shadow of the performer that turned up at ParisLongchamp in October when sixth behind the re-opposing Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the May 29 G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft, he has some serious ground to cover if he is to return to his pomp.

 

Hurricane Blows In

As far as the Arc is concerned, Sunday is a big day with the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud attracting a star cast headed by Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Tackling Kirsten Rausing's triple Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Ballydoyle's High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm's Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Gestut Schlenderhan's Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}), this is no easy second step for Godolphin's Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger hero.

“There's a bit of rain forecast, so it looks like being on the slower side of good for sure. Any quicker and it might have raised concerns,” Charlie Appleby said on Friday. “He'll have one more prep run before the Arc and whether that will be in Ireland, England or France, we'll make that decision closer to the time.”

Click here for the group fields.

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BBA Ireland Buys Txope For €1.2 Million On Behalf Of Yulong At Arqana

Demand for horses-in-training under both codes and breeding stock was at a premium in Deauville, as the Arqana Summer Sale wrapped its two-day stand on Friday. Towering over the proceedings was the €1.2-million purchase Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 421), who caught the eye of BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe acting on behalf of Yulong Investments.

The daughter of three-time French listed-placed mare Power of The Moon (Ire) (Acclamation {GB) was bred by Haras Voltaire and consigned by trainer Philippe Decouz. Formerly an Ecurie Griezmann colourbearer, the relative of dual group winner Zinziberine (Zieten) captured the G2 German 1000 Guineas earlier this year. She cost Broadhurst Agency €310,000 when selling in this ring during the 2020 September Yearling Sale.

Donohoe said, “We can't wait to see her run – it is possible that we might send her over for the Del Mar Oaks in California in August but nothing is decided yet, we can't wait to discuss options. She's a racing prospect and a breeding prospect, and she will be a lovely broodmare in Australia.”

 

Txope was not the only filly to join the Yulong Investments fold Friday, as BBA Ireland also snapped up lot 240, the juvenile winner Kesariya (Fr) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) from The Aga Khan Studs, for €150,000, as well as Follow The Rainbow (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 316) for just €56,000 from La Riviere. The former is out of the Listed Prix Hampton winner Kerasona (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who is a half-sister to G3 Prix du Bois victress Keratiya (Fr) (Iron Mask). A daughter of Arch Of Colours (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), Follow The Rainbow is from the same family as G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Signs Of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

“We'll decide on her next steps in the coming weeks,” said Sam Fairgray of Kesariya. “She could stay to be bred in the Northern Hemisphere or come to Australia.

Havana Grey (GB) has gotten off to a bright start with his first juveniles and the Whitsbury Manor Stud resident leads all European first-season sires by winners with 20. One of those, the Group 3-placed Havana Angel (Ire) (lot 471), was offered by Amy Murphy and proved popular on Friday. Out of the winning Claramara (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}), who is a half-sister to listed winner Sweet Cecily (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the grey hammered to Narvick International Inc. for €320,000. A €10,000 Goffs November foal turned €20,000 Goffs Sportsman's Sale yearling, Havana Angel is a member of the same family as GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. hero Brody's Cause (Giant's Causeway).

“She'll come back to California,” said Emmanuel de Seroux of Narvick International. “I've bought her for Marsha Naify. I saw her at Chantilly and was impressed by her race. She also ran very well at Dieppe just beforehand. We think she has a lot of talent. The choice of trainer is up to her owner but there is a big chance that it will be Leonard Powell.”

In foal to Victor Ludorum (GB), Lyra Star (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 247) was the priciest broodmare on Friday, with MAB Agency signing for the 4-year-old at €135,000. Her dam, the G3 Prix de Psyche third Light The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), is a half-sister to standout sire and Classic winner Lope de Vega (Ire) (Shamardal), as well as three other black-type winners.

 

Not to be outdone by their Flat brethren, jumps trainers were also out in force during the second session and Willie Mullins, buying with Harold Kirk and Pierre Boulard, shelled out €360,000 for the gelded Spanish Harlem (Fr) (Spanish Moon) (lot 493) from Gabriel Leenders. A winner of his only start at Auteuil, the 4-year-old's dam is a half-sister to Grade 2 chase winner Roi des Francs (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}).

The same buying trio also gave €260,000 for lot 473, the Fastnet Rock (Aus) gelding Absurde (Fr), who was multiple stakes-placed from Wertheimer & Free; and €210,000 for Nicolas Clement representative Daddy Long Legs (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) (lot 443), who was placed from his only start to date.

“We've bought him [Absurde] for clients of Willie Mullins that like dual-purpose horses that can go over jumps or over long distances on the flat, and Absurde really fits this profile,” explained Pierre Boulard.

 

Tom Malone and Paul Nichols put up €255,000 for lot 444, the Camelot (GB) gelding Afadil (Fr). Consigned by The Aga Khan Studs, the bay has a win and a placed effort from three starts. His dam is a half-sister to the stakes winner Ashiyla (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).

Mombasa (Fr) (Martaline {GB}) (lot 500) and Zertakt (Fr) (Walzertakt {Ger}) (lot 502) were both snapped up by Guy Petite for €250,000 and €195,000, respectively. Undefeated over obstacles, Mombasa was consigned by Francois Nicolle. His granddam is the listed winner Monika (Fr) (Dernier Empereur), responsible for three black-type winners, among them G1 Prix Renaud du Vivier winner Moises Has (Fr) (Martaline {GB}). Thrice a winner over fences, the Lageneste & Macaire-consigned Zertakt last won an Auteuil 3600-metre race on June 16.

At the close of trade, 212 sold from 235 offered for a gross of €7,563,300. The average rose to €35,676 (+70.4%) and the median also ticked up to €11,000 (+57%). Overall, 380 horses found new homes for a clearance rate of 86.4%. Grossing €13,091,300, the average over two days was €34,451 (+65.3%), while the median was €16,000 (+60%).

Eric Hoyeau, Chairman of Arqana and Freddy Powell, Executive Director, commented following the sale, “The figures speak for themselves, we have just experienced an outstanding sale. We are obviously grateful to our vendors without whom this would not have been possible and to our buyers who stayed to the end. The percentage of horses sold is a testament to the strong market in all segments over the two days of the sale and the international demand. We are now looking forward to August!”

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