Two-Time Group 1 Winner Siskin To Target Breeders’ Cup Mile, Then Head To Stud In Japan

A Group 1 winner at both two and three, Juddmonte's Siskin could be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 7, reports racingpost.com. The sophomore son of First Defence will make the trip if he's doing well and the ground is expected to be relatively firm, according to trainer Ger Lyons.

Following the Breeders' Cup, Lyons indicated that Siskin will head to Japan to begin his stallion career in 2021.

“I'm delighted for him because he's going to get a quality book of mares that he probably wouldn't get in Ireland, but I'd have loved to have trained him at four,” Lyons told racingpost.com. “But it just goes to show you where we are in the industry when powerhouses like Juddmonte, Coolmore still sell their best horses and have to sell their best horses for economic reasons.”

Siskin won all four of his 2-year-old starts, including the G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes and the G2 Railway, both at the Curragh. He returned to the Curragh to begin his 3-year-old campaign, kicking off with a win in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas. Siskin then ran third in the G1 Sussex Stakes, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths, and was most recently fourth after missing the break in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.

Read more at racingpost.com.

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Siskin Targeting Breeders’ Cup

Khalid Abdullah’s Siskin (First Defence) is aiming at a run in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7, provided ground conditions suit.

“The Breeders’ Cup Mile is under serious consideration,” Juddmonte Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe told the TDN. “We’re concerned about two things: one is the amount of rain that’s fallen in Kentucky the last few days; we know he’s a horse that’s best on fast ground so that’s one concern. The other concern is if they continue to race on the turf track leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, if that will impact on the track adversely.

“Those are the main considerations but at the moment the horse is in good form and is aiming towards Keeneland.”

Siskin, the winner of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and the G1 Phoenix S., is trained by Ger Lyons, who indicated on Nick Luck’s Daily podcast on Wednesday that the horse would be retired at the end of this campaign and stand at stud in Japan. Grimthorpe declined to comment on stud plans. Siskin’s breeding rights were sold in June to an undisclosed group of breeders, with Juddmonte retaining racing rights.

From the immediate family of sires Xaar (GB) and Bated Breath (GB), Siskin was unbeaten in four starts at two last year. After his Curragh Classic score in June Siskin was third in the G1 Sussex S. and fourth in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp after missing the break in the latter.

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Siskin’s Sister Is First Winner For Flintshire

Talacre, a half-sister to this year’s G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Siskin (First Defence), is the first winner for five-time Grade/Group 1 winner Flintshire (GB), who stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale in Kentucky.

1st-Gowran, €15,500, Mdn, 9-19, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:42.50, gd.

TALACRE (f, 2, Flintshire {GB}–Bird Flown {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}), third last time over seven furlongs in The Curragh’s Loder Irish EBF Fillies Race on Aug. 14, raced behind the leaders on the rail throughout the early stages. Angled wide for her challenge at the top of the straight, the 11-4 second favourite hit the front passing the furlong pole and stayed on to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Eylara (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), the debutante half-sister to the five-times group winner and G1 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Hong Kong Vase-placed Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Talacre, a full-sister to the stable’s G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Phoenix S. hero Siskin (First Defence), MG1SW-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $546,021, becomes the first European winner for her Hill ‘N Dale Farms-based sire (by Dansili {GB}). Ger Lyons’ brother and assistant Shane said, “She’s after running into some good fillies before and she made the running the last day which wasn’t ideal. She’s like her brother Siskin, in that she likes to get a lead. It worked out brilliant today, but she still pricked her ears and wandered in front so there is a lot left in the tank for next year. It was a mile today and she wants a mile and a quarter next year. I’m not sure if there is anything left for her for black-type this year. If not it won’t be the end of the world to wait for next year. She’s always showed us a lot and she’s going the right way. Colin [Keane] said that ground is a bit dead which wouldn’t be ideal either.” The dam is a half-sister to the Listed Buckhounds S. winner and G2 Hardwicke S. runner-up Barsanti (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and to Rising Tornado (Storm Cat), who is responsible for the five-time Grade I-winning champion Close Hatches (First Defence) whose son is the GII Wood Memorial S. winner Tacitus (Tapit). The listed-placed second dam Silver Star (GB) (Zafonic) is a full-sister to the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Prix de la Salamandre-winning champion juvenile Xaar (GB) from the family of the GI United Nations H. hero Senure (Nureyev). Bird Flown’s yearling filly by Noble Mission (GB) is named Coccinella, while she also has a foal full-brother to the winner. Lifetime Record: 4-1-2-1, $23,192.

O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Ger Lyons.

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Siskin’s Next Start Up in the Air

Classic hero Siskin (First Defence), who lost his unbeaten tag with a third in last week’s G1 Qatar Sussex S., has emerged from that effort well, but his connections are not sure where he will start next. Trained by Ger Lyons for Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte operation, the homebred had scored an impressive victory in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas in his sophomore bow at The Curragh on June 12. The bay was unbeaten in four runs as a juvenile, including the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. and G2 GAIN Railway S.

“He’s come out of the race well,” said Abdullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “I’ve got to discuss with Prince Khalid what he would like to do. We’ll look at all the options, which are pretty straightforward really.”

Another Juddmonte colourbearer also received a positive update, as two-time G1 Prix de l’Arc heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) continues to shine after take the July 25 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot, her third win in the race. Second in the 2019 Arc ,the John Gosden trainee filled the same position in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. on July 5. She is pointing to either York’s Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks or Aug. 19 G1 Juddmonte International S., followed by another try in the Arc in France in October.

Added Grimthorpe, “All is good with Enable. She hasn’t done a lot since Ascot, but she came out of the race well and everybody is happy with her.”

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