Derby Winner Desert Crown On Course For Juddmonte International

Dual Group 1 winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who won the Derby and King George in 2022, emerged from his Wednesday gallop in good order and is on target for the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 2.

“Desert Crown worked this morning, he worked nicely and everybody was happy with him,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail. “He's not a great worker, as has been stated before, but everyone was very happy with him this morning and everything went as well as expected.”

The Sir Michael Stoute trainee was due to run in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot, but was forced to miss the race due to a leg infection. Missing since last year's King George with an ankle injury, the 4-year-old finished second to subsequent King George hero Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. on May 25.

Added Raymond of the work, “William [Buick] didn't ride him. Ryan Moore rode him this morning. He's ridden him a lot of times at home and Sir Michael just sometimes likes a different opinion.

“One thing I can definitely tell you is this horse needed it badly at Sandown, it wasn't said at the time but Michael was quite surprised how much he was blowing afterwards. He had worked on the grass but nowhere near as much as we would have liked as it kept on pouring down.

“We're looking forward to next week. He's got to go somewhere and when you are in his class, there are only certain races you can run in.”

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Deadline Looms for Racing Fans to Choose Hall of Famer

Just ten days remain for racing fans to choose which of five nominated stayers–Ardross (GB) (Run the Gantlet), Le Moss (Ire) (Le Levanstell {GB}), Persian Punch (Ire) (Persian Heights {GB}), Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Yeats (Ire) (Sadler's Wells)–will join recent QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame inductees Sir Michael Stoute and Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}).

The horses on the list were selected by the Hall of Fame's eight-member judging panel comprised of experts from across the horse racing industry. It is now up to the public to choose which of the shortlist will enter the Hall of Fame.
Launched in 2021, the Hall of Fame immortalises Modern Greats of the sport, both human and equine, from 1970 onwards. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute and Sea The Stars became the first inductees of 2023 and officially recognised at Newmarket Racecourse earlier this year.

Ardross won the G1 Gold Cup in 1981 and 1982 and also was a two-time winner of the G2 Yorkshire Cup and G2 Geoffrey Freer S. Le Moss was the first horse to win the Stayers' Triple crown–the Gold Cup, G2 Goodwood Cup and G2 Doncaster Cup–on two occasions in 1978 and 1980. Persian Punch won 20 of his 63 races and was third twice in the G1 Melbourne Cup. He also recorded three wins in both the G3 Henry II Stakes and G3 Jockey Club Cup. Stradivarius retired in 2022 with a record of 18 European Group races wins, included three successive Gold Cup victories and four triumphs in the G1 Goodwood Cup. He also won the G2 Yorkshire Cup and G2 Lonsdale Cup on three occasions, plus two G2 Doncaster Cups and a G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup. Yeats is the only four-time winner of the Gold Cup (2006-2009) and also annexed the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, the Goodwood Cup two times, plus an G1 Irish St Leger and G1 Prix Royal-Oak.

“It was quite the task for the panel to agree upon the shortlist and this was the most engaged and animated debate we have had so far,” Rod Street, non-voting chair of the panel, said. “This reflects the great affection in which stayers are held as well as how greatness this is measured – either in terms of performance or impact on the sport – both of which are part of the Hall of Fame voting criteria.”

The public vote will close on Wednesday, July 26. To register a vote, visit the Hall of Fame website. Fans can also vote on interactive screens in the Hall of Fame exhibition within the Thompson Gallery at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket.

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Emily Upjohn Exits Eclipse Well, King George Still The Aim

Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who ran a strong second to Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Eclipse S. earlier this month, has emerged from the race in good order and will continue preparing for the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. on July 29, co-trainer John Gosden confirmed on Thursday.

The G1 British Champions Fillies And Mares S. winner, who won the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on her seasonal bow, was giving her rival seven pounds on the day.

Gosden, who trains with his son Thady, said, “After a race like that you take stock, but I couldn't be more thrilled. She's in great form with herself, I had to canter her again quickly.

“I'm very pleased with her and there's no reason at the minute why she wouldn't go to the King George.”

One of the filly's rivals, 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), is not certain for the race after recovering a setback which kept him out of the Royal Ascot meeting, and trainer Sir Michael Stoute said, “We don't know if we will get him ready in time [for the King George]. He is back in fast work, so we will decide closer to the time. It's a little bit tight time-wise.”

Gosden also confirmed plans for another of his stable stars in Mostahdaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who was ranked second in the world on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on Thursday. The 2023 G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero will point to the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York on Aug. 23.

“He goes to the International, he should enjoy York as he likes to play around before the races like Stradivarius used to,” he told Racing TV.

“We've had to space his races, he ran in the [G3] Neom Cup in Saudi which he won in February, he came back and then went to the [G1] Sheema Classic in March, in which he took on the world champion in Equinox (Jpn) and tried to race with him, which is a mistake.

“He came back to a mile and a quarter and showed us what he could do in the Prince of Wales's in which he was very impressive. He came out of it super, he's very full of himself every morning.”

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Kingman’s TDN Rising Star Nostrum Back With A Bang In The Henry Cecil

Thursday's Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at Newmarket looked every bit as strong as the card's group races and so it proved as Juddmonte's G3 Tattersalls S.-winning TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}–Mirror Lake {GB}, by Dubai Destination) put his season on track with a performance that confirmed him as another elite runner for the Sir Michael Stoute stable. Last seen finishing third in the G1 Dewhurst S. on the Rowley Mile, the 11-10 favourite took Ryan Moore straight to the lead and one by one broke the hearts of his highly-regarded rivals en route to a three-length success in a fast time. Second was Embesto (GB) (Roaring Lion), who had 2 1/4 lengths to spare over the fellow Roger Varian-trained New Endeavour (Ire) (New Bay {GB}).

“We've never made any bones about the fact that we think this is a very good horse and it was a frustrating start to the season, but this will hopefully be the springboard for the rest of the season,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “We probably could have been back for [Royal] Ascot, but it made more sense to wait and come here. This has been won by some good horses and it looked a deep renewal and a pretty tight race, so the way he went away from them he has to be a top-class horse. He's in everything, so we'll see how he comes out of it but hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later that he'll be back in group one company. This is a very special race for the Abdullah family to win and it makes it a poignant moment today.”

 

With fellow TDN Rising Stars Mostabshir (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) disappointing but well-beaten here, Nostrum's performance suggests a tilt at Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) et al in the Sussex is a live topic for conversation. Sir Michael Stoute was not dismissing the prospect immediately post-race. “He will tell us if he is ready to go back into group one company, but on today's evidence you would think he is,” he said, before adding, “We might get windy closer to the time!”

“He knocked a hind leg and needed a little time to get the infection out and to get moving again, but had been working very well,” Stoute explained. “He had been off for nine months and it looked a competitive field, so we weren't confident of winning but he was most impressive and I'm thrilled with him. We could go a mile and a quarter when we want, so we have just got to think about it. His two-year-old career was brimmed full of promise. Things didn't go right in the Dewhurst and he has come here today and won impressively. We can only be very happy, as he is a nice progressive horse.”

Roger Varian trained the second and third Embesto and New Endeavour and said, “Credit to the winner, he must be a very good horse because I think Embesto is very good. We had a lovely toe into the race and we couldn't run him down, but I'm very pleased with both horses and I think both have nice futures. Embesto is a pretty smart horse and he might be ready to step up to ten furlongs now. Let's see how they come out of it–they haven't won but they haven't lost much in defeat and I think the winner must be very good.”

Nostrum, whose success means that Kingman now has a dozen 3-year-old Northern Hemisphere stakes winners in 2023 and more than any other sire, is a half-brother to the G2 Ajax S. and G3 Gladness S. winner Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who was also runner-up in the G1 C F Orr S. The dual listed scorer and G3 Select S. runner-up Mirror Lake, who also produced another Australian stakes winner in Titus (GB) (Dansili {GB}), hails from the family of the G3 Criterion S. scorer Vortex (GB) (Danehill) and his G3 Prix Minerve-winning full-sister Danefair (GB) who was in turn responsible for the sire Trade Fair (GB) (Zafonic) who also took the Criterion here. Also connected to the four-times grade I-winning Ventura (Chester House), her unraced 2-year-old filly by Frankel (GB) is named Imitate (GB).

EDMONDSON HALL SOLICITORS SIR HENRY CECIL S.-Listed, £50,000, Newmarket, 7-13, 3yo, 8fT, 1:36.61, g/f.
1–NOSTRUM (GB), 131, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
     1st Dam: Mirror Lake (GB) (MSW & GSP-Eng, $113,061), by Dubai Destination
     2nd Dam: Reflections (GB), by Sadler's Wells
     3rd Dam: Roupala, by Vaguely Noble
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Ryan Moore. £28,355. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 4-3-0-1, $144,714. *1/2 to Titus (GB) (Dansili {GB}), SW-Aus, $224,937; 1/2 to Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), GSW & MG1SP-Aus, GSW-Ire, GSP-Ger, $516,263.
2–Embesto (GB), 131, c, 3, Roaring Lion–Dibajj (Fr), by Iffraaj (GB).
1ST BLACK TYPE. (130,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Deerfield Farm (GB); T-Roger Varian. £10,750.
3–New Endeavour (Ire), 131, g, 3, New Bay (GB)–Moody Blue (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE. (€68,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV; €200,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR; £260,000 HRA '23 GOFLO). O-Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott & Partners; B-Oghill House, Sledmere Stud & D Hyland (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £5,380.
Margins: 3, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 1.10, 6.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: Mostabshir (GB), Imperial Emperor (Ire), Wildfell (Ire).

 

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