Inspiral to skip Irish 1,000 Guineas in favour of Royal Ascot

Leading Irish 1,000 Guineas fancy Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will not run at the Curragh on Sunday and will instead chart a path towards the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on June 17.

The decision was made after the filly was ridden in a key workout by Frankie Dettori over the weekend and the news was revealed by Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson on Monday.

Richardson said that it was the recommendation of joint-trainer John Gosden to go straight to Royal Ascot and bypass the Curragh this weekend.

He explained, “She's not going to Ireland. John's recommendation is let's go straight to Royal Ascot for the Coronation Stakes.”

Richardson added, “Frankie had a sit on her on Saturday and just felt we needed a little bit more time, so we'll give her that and hopefully have her cherry-ripe and spot on for the Royal meeting.”

Inspiral, unbeaten in four starts as a 2-year-old, with that brilliant juvenile campaign culminating with G1 Fillies' Mile glory at Newmarket, was also ruled out of the 1,000 Guineas last month with Richardson explaining at the time that the filly had not been “100 per cent straightforward” in the spring.

In her absence in Sunday's Irish equivalent, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Dermot Weld's Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), herself having skipped Newmarket and more recently ParisLongchamp, are general 5-2 joint-favourites.

The post Inspiral to skip Irish 1,000 Guineas in favour of Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

More Commonwealth Clues on Monday

   After Tiber Flow (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Twilight Jet (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}) advertised their claims for Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup this weekend, it is the turn of Al Shaqab Racing's Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) to put his name in the hat in Monday's G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly. The G1 Phoenix S. hero was a disappointing fifth on his return in the six-furlong G3 Abernant S. at Newmarket Apr. 13, but he has plenty in hand on his seven rivals on his best form. One who could make a jump is The Aga Khan's Apr. 27 Fontainebleau maiden winner Haziym (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a major eyecatcher on pedigree in a sprint as a Francis-Henri Graffard-trained relative of Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}).

The post More Commonwealth Clues on Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

No Nay Never’s Meditate Ascot Bound After G3 Fillies Sprint Success

Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unbeaten 2-year-old filly Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never–Pembina {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) impressed with a 3 1/4-length debut tally tackling five furlongs at the Curragh last month and was equally adept over the six-furlong strip at Naas to secure Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. en route to next month's G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot. Positioned in a close second after the initial strides, the 2-1 joint-favourite loomed large passing the quarter-mile marker and came under a late drive to assert superiority nearing the line for a career high on stakes bow. Joint-favourite Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) attempted to wire the field, but was swamped for the minors in the dying strides and ran fourth. Comhra (Ire) (Vocalised) closed with a rattle to finish 1 1/4 lengths off the winner in second, a neck ahead of It's Showtime Baby (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

“She's very laid back at home, so she's a hard filly to get a read on, and I'm delighted with her,” said Aidan O'Brien. “She won very nicely at the Curragh, she stepped up in distance here and Wayne [Lordan] was delighted with her today. The Sioux Nation filly [Matilda Picotte] went a good gallop, she was good at the Curragh, and we thought she was going to be a big danger. We were delighted that she was able to pick her up, but we weren't sure that would happen and six furlongs obviously suited her. We were hoping to come here and, if everything went well, then have a look at the [G3] Albany with her. We think that's what we'll do, obviously we'll talk to the lads, but I think that's the route she'll be going.”

Meditate, who becomes the 19th pattern-race winner for sire (by Scat Daddy), is the latest of four foals and one of two scorers for Pembina (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who is a winning daughter of Listed Prix Imprudence victrix Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill). Mahalia's eight winners include G3 Prix Quincey-winning sire Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and G3 Prix de Flore victrix Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Mahalia is kin to five black-type performers, headed by G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron victor Muroto (GB) (Busted {GB}), and to the stakes-placed dam of G2 Premio Ellington victor and G1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club third Ivan Luis (Fr) (Lycius). She is also the ancestress of G1 Criterium International and GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic hero Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), G1 St James's Palace S.-winning sire Most Improved (Ire) and the GSW trio of Lismore (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), Thikriyaat (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Daban (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).

Sunday, Naas, Ireland
COOLMORE STUD IRISH EBF FILLIES SPRINT S.-G3, €68,000, Naas, 5-15, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT, 1:11.41, gd.
1–MEDITATE (IRE), 128, f, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Pembina (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mahalia (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Maresca (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€360,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €40,800. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $54,032. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Comhra (Ire), 128, f, 2, Vocalised–Gold Mirage (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €13,600.
3–It's Showtime Baby (GB), 128, f, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Minoria (GB), by Harbour Watch (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP TYPE. (52,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Alpha Racing 2022; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Jessica Harrington. €6,800.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NK. Odds: 2.00, 3.50, 11.00.
Also Ran: Matilda Picotte (Ire), Treasure Trove (Ire), La Dolce Vita (Ire), Comanche Country (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post No Nay Never’s Meditate Ascot Bound After G3 Fillies Sprint Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

From The Breeders At ParisLongchamp

PARIS, France–When Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) beat Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) to give Godolphin a one-two in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, it was the perfect finishing order for the operation as breeders, with Coroebus representing three generations of Darley/Godolphin breeding. He is also out of a mare by Teofilo (Ire) and from a family which had already given Sheikh Mohammed a dual winner of his beloved Dubai World Cup.

In Paris on Sunday, another son of the Darley lynchpin Dubawi, Modern Games (Ire), added a French Classic to his success in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. His victory in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains brought the week to a resounding climax for his dam, the New Approach (Ire) mare Modern Ideals (GB). On Monday her 4-year-old son Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) won the Listed Fitzdares Royal Windsor S., followed on Saturday by the easy debut success of juvenile Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in a Newmarket novice contest.

Godolphin's stud director Liam O'Rourke was at Longchamp to welcome back the operation's most recent Classic victor. He said, “The family really came alive last year when this lad showed his colours, and he went on and won a Breeders' Cup and kept on improving. [Saturday] was a nice surprise as well. It didn't immediately look obvious as Mawj was the outsider of our three runners in the race, but there's nothing wrong with her. She's an Exceed And Excel and they love fast ground, and the mare is by New Approach so it's all homegrown. It's very satisfying.”

Modern Ideals, who was trained in France by Andre Fabre, ran only twice without winning, but she is a half-sister to Godolphin's former champion 2-year-old and young French-based stallion Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), the pair being out of Epitome (Ire) (Nahswan), who was bought by Sheikh Mohammed from the late owner/breeder Gerald Leigh.

New Approach, a long-term resident of Dalham Hall Stud along with Dubawi, has already provided Godolphin with Classic winners Masar (Ire) and Dawn Approach (Ire), and he is now branching out in the sphere of broodmare sire.

O'Rourke continued, “We've invested heavily in him, he's our version of Galileo (Ire) and he's really proving his worth now as a broodmare sire.

“And what more can you say about Dubawi? This is going to be his championship year, I hope, and he is well on how way to it. It's long overdue–and take nothing away from Galileo, who has been a wonderful sire forever–but hopefully now Dubawi's time has come.”

Of Godolphin's start to the season, he added, “We have to pinch ourselves. The team in Ireland deserve huge credit because Coroebus and Modern Games are both Irish-bred, but the team across the board plays its part. We're very proud of them, they work very hard, and now the results are coming.”

Two Studs Celebrate Success Of Mangoustine 

There was much to enjoy in the success of Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. A return to the big time for the classy double act of Mikel Delzangles and Gerard Mossé, and a first Classic winner for the 17-year-old Dark Angel (Ire), whose top-level success as a sire has hitherto predominantly been seen in the sprint division. 

There were Classic clues in the pedigree of Mangoustine, whose dam Zotilla (Ire) (Zamindar) is a half-sister to Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast), also trained by Delzangles and the winner of this same race nine years earlier. 

Mangoustine was another feather in the cap for Henri Bozo and his partners involved in Ecurie des Monceaux. In this particular case, the filly was bred by Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock, and Lordship Stud. The latter also feature as co-breeders of the Oaks prospect Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“It's amazing,” said Bozo, whose Ecurie des Monceaux has been responsible for such top-class names as Sottsass (Fr), Sistercharlie (Ire), Magic Wand (Ire) and Chicquita (Ire).  “She's a really good filly. She showed class at two but you never know how they will improve at three. Mikel was very confident that he had her right at home. It is fantastic to own her and have bred her in partnership–it's a good advertisement for racing.”

The Monceaux draft regularly tops the Arqana August Yearling Sale. The one in which Mangoustine appeared in 2020 was rebranded as the Deauville Select Sale when Covid forced it to be delayed by a month. Mangoustine was retained by the farm at €46,000 when failing to reach her reserve, and the team will obviously be relieved still to have her, not just because she is now a Classic winner, but also because her dam was sold later that year to Blue Diamond Stud at the Arqana December Sale for €75,000. 

“But we have Mangoustine and we are so happy to have her,” said a smiling Bozo.

Blue Diamond's owner Imad Al Sagar bought two mares that same day, the other being Manasarova (More Than Ready) from Haras de Saint Pair, and her daughter Sicilian Defense (Fr) also ran in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, finishing seventh, just over two lengths behind the winner.

Blue Diamond Stud's bloodstock and media advisor Nancy Sexton reported at Longchamp that Zotilla has a “very nice” Too Darn Hot (GB) filly foal and is now in foal to Dubawi. The mare's 2-year-old colt from the first European crop of Zoustar (Aus) was bought by Sam Sangster for 35,000gns at Tattersalls last October.

Al Sagar has a potential Classic star of his own to look forward to in the coming weeks following the impressive success at Newbury on Saturday of homebred Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

The post From The Breeders At ParisLongchamp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights