St Mark's Basilica (Fr) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Select Eclipse the Focus on Saturday

Tactical nuance will be the order of the day in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, with Sandown's prestige affair hosting a trio of male thoroughbreds who have been tested and proven internationally and just one other very much on the fringe. With the big three of Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) responsible for nine top-level victories between them in this country, France, Dubai and Australia, this renewal really does offer something different. All of them have a largely consistent profile with valid excuses for any rare dips in form and so the two imponderables that will dictate the outcome could be the way the race will be run on the day and whether the ever-contentious 10-pound weight-for-age differential in favour of Ballydoyle's 3-year-old is simply too much.

There is a sense that for all that St Mark's Basilica has now won three group 1 races in succession in the Dewhurst, Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club, he is still a work in progress whose ceiling has not been approached. The manner of his last two performances suggest he was going through the motions at ParisLongchamp May 16 and at Chantilly June 6, but he will be seriously tested here against two campaigners hardened by significant overseas challenges. In recent times, 3-year-olds with the equivalent level of form entering this “clash of the generations” have fared well, with the Kitten's Joy pair of Roaring Lion and Hawkbill and Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) bettering their elders. “We've been delighted with him this season, both his runs,” Aidan O'Brien said. “Everything went well before them and everything has gone well since. The ground is drying up and I'd imagine that the more it dries up the more it will suit him.”

Officially top-rated and three pounds clear of Mishriff, Addeybb has been places his opponents can only dream of at present with his increasing age apparently bringing increased potency. Having beaten Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the last two renewals of Randwick's G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and in Rosehill's G1 Ranvet S. last March, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 7-year-old also took care of France's star Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) on the extremely testing ground that suits him so well in the G1 Champion S. in October. He showed in the latest renewal of the Ranvet that he is not so ground-dependant as many believe and his presence here evokes memories of the owner's dual winner Mtoto (GB) in the 80's.

Like Addeybb, Mishriff is another who was not an obvious leading light at the outset but who continues to confound with his performances. Well-beaten when eighth in the Champion, the record of Prince Faisal's homebred is otherwise flawless of late and his 2021 successes on Riyadh's dirt in the Feb. 20 Saudi Cup and from a wide draw in the Mar. 27 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic mark him out as a rarity. The latter display confirmed his stamina for 12 furlongs, while he has an admirable attitude which is all there in the visuals of his running style so it will be a surprise if David Egan does not opt to attempt to dictate here. With his characteristic low head carriage, it is a case of how much he can draw the sting from his rivals who possess a greater turn of acceleration up Sandown's remorseless climb to the line.

This is a major moment in Egan's career and he is geared up for it. “I'm very excited to have a ride in a race like this and am looking forward to it,” he said on Friday. “To have the pace to follow two American horses over nine furlongs on the dirt and then be able to relax as well as he did over a mile and a half in Dubai a few weeks later is quite sensational and I can't think of another horse who could do that. He is very mature–he travelled to Riyadh for the Derby as a 3-year-old and then went to France twice, he was back out to Riyadh this year and back to England before Meydan so he enjoys the travelling. Looking at his coat and his physicality, he doesn't lose any condition and is always very fresh and well in himself. The team at home have done a very good job with him.”

At Haydock, the feature is the G2 Lancashire Oaks where Nick Bradley Racing's June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) faces Kirsten Rausing's 2020 G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and five other older fillies and mares. Trainer George Boughey said of the hard-grafting 3-year-old, “She's done very well since the Oaks and I don't think she's ever trained better. She's in super shape and her work has been good, so she's showing all the right signs. She gets a lot of weight and it's one of those things where it's quite hard to place against her own age, so you've got to take the older rivals on. There doesn't look to be a huge amount of pace in the race and it might just suit her–she's a big galloping filly who clearly stayed the mile and a half well in the Oaks in tricky ground and I think it looks the right spot for her.”

Back at Sandown, the G3 Coral Charge over five furlongs sees the June 15 G1 King's Stand S. runner-up Arecibo (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) attempt to build on that career-best performance against a clutch of tough sprinters and the fast-emerging 3-year-old Atalis Bay (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}). Successful in the course-and-distance Listed Scurry S. June 12, Scuderia Blueberry's bargain 800gns Tattersalls February purchase needs to improve to feature but trainer Marco Botti is hopeful he can. “It's a very good race and he needs to raise his game taking on the older horses. The ground I hope will dry out a little bit and he would not want it any softer than good,” he explained. “We are happy with him, but these are proper older horses he is taking on. It is a good draw he has in four and he has done nothing wrong this year and he has definitely improved. He has got 10 pounds to find with Arecibo, but he is relatively fresh and others have been to Royal Ascot so, hopefully, that can play into his hands.”

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Strong Field of Seven for Coral-Eclipse

Seven horses, five Group 1 winners, have stood their ground for the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown on July 3. Prince A. A. Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) is favoured, and enters off wins in the $20-million Saudi Cup in Riyadh in February and a neck victory over Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen victress Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 27.

The John and Thady Gosden trainee faces a stiff three-pronged entry from Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners' dual Classic hero St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who has scooped both the G1 French 2000 Guineas this spring, but also the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club on June 6. O'Brien's other two entries are the MG1SW Japan (GB) (Galileo {ire}) and the MGSW & MG1SP Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

The entries are completed by William Haggas's globetrotting MG1SW Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), Christopher Wright's Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) who won the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot on June 19, and the listed winner El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for Roger Varian and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid.

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St Mark’s Basilica Completes A Classic Double At Chantilly

As far as passages around Chantilly's circuit go in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) enjoyed one as perfect as is possible on Sunday as he toyed with his rivals in the 181st edition of the Classic. Hardly breaking sweat to become the fourth colt to complete the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-Prix du Jockey Club double since 2005, Ballydoyle's 14-5 favourite was slotted behind the pace-setting Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) from his ideal draw by Ioritz Mendizabal and saved ground against the rail the whole way. As the long-time leader drifted left in the straight, an ideal gap opened for him to slip through 300 metres from the finish and after receiving a whip surged away to settle the outcome in an instant. Flashing his tail late and pulling himself up in the clear, the dominant winner who becomes his stable's fifth Classic winner of 2021 and its first Jockey Club winner was in front by 1 3/4 lengths at the line from Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), with Millebosc (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) a short head away in third. “It is a thrill to ride again for Aidan O'Brien and there was no doubt I was riding the best horse in the race,” Mendizabal commented after completing back-to-back wins in the Classic following Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) 12 months ago. “The only concern was whether he would stay or not and although it was my opinion after the Poulains that he would, he had to confirm it and he did it in great style. I had a lovely run through the race and he did everything right. He's a true champion.”

It could be argued that this Classic was effectively decided when the draw was made, as the Rosegreen candidate already had enough of a class edge over his assembled peers without the addition of such a clear advantage in the post position. Neither keen nor lazy from the break, the bay was able to move forward and draft in a true “catbird seat” with the giant Normandy Bridge almost acting as shepherd in front. With the Rouget trio Cheshire Academy (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), Makaloun (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Saiydabad (Blame) effectively scuppered by their wide draws, they all became hopelessly detached from an early stage and the real action was all up front. Millebosc had tracked the eventual winner against the fence and he was able to enter contention in his own time, but in truth there was only Sealiway who at an insulting 53-1 could even remotely threaten inside the final two furlongs. That G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero briefly flattered before Mendizabal shot up the rail on St Mark's Basilica and was able to temporarily take a pull, such was his control of the race at that stage. As he had in ParisLongchamp's mile Classic three weeks earlier, the winner was in a different league once his acceleration had been employed and while the winning margin was not exaggerated, his superiority was.

Very few European Derby winners are able to win over six furlongs at two, but St Mark's Basilica is in that unique category having broken his maiden over that trip at The Curragh in August, just 13 days after running fifth in the G1 Phoenix S. over the same track and trip. Third to Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) over seven furlongs in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. back there in September, the bay took a step forward to reverse the form with that pair in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket on his 2-year-old finale in October. Whether he ends up a G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe contender remains to be seen, especially as the stable already has a cluster of horses for that showcase, and it is more likely that he will become another from Ballydoyle able to mix it between a mile and 10 furlongs.

“We are absolutely delighted–we thought he'd come forward from his first run at Longchamp, as they usually do and Ioritz gave him a brilliant ride,” his trainer said. “He's a great horseman and very intelligent–he takes all the information on board and when he rode for us at Deauville last year we were very impressed with him. When Frankie rode St Mark's Basilica last year in the Dewhurst, he said he'd have no problem with a mile and a quarter and he relaxes and quickens and is a very easy horse to manoeuvre–he's a very intelligent horse. We know the pace he has and it makes him very special–he has those qualities you need in France more than anywhere really. He was very impressive on his first run and did the same thing today–he puts a race to bed very quickly and very few can do that. He's out of a Galileo mare by Siyouni and he has the qualities of both. We'll see how he comes out of this and its possible he'll stay further, but when you have a horse who is able to quicken over mile like he can you don't know. We'll see what the lads want to do, but he's a very exciting horse.”

Frederic Rossi said of Sealiway, “He ran a bad race last time in the Poulains and that was my mistake, as I think I gave him too hard a race in the Fontainebleau first time this season. He was not quite ready for that and so paid the price in the Poulains, but he had given every sign that he was bouncing back in the mornings and we saw the Sealiway I know on the track this afternoon. There is no doubt that he was beaten by a better horse, but the result says that the European champion 2-year-old won and the French champion 2-year-old was second which says it all. We'll give him a break and bring him back for the [G2 Prix] Guillaume d'Ornano [at Deauville Aug. 14].”

Millebosc's trainer Stephanie Nigge said, “I'm still crying–it was a little bit too much pressure! I always said he was a nice one and he's run a superb race. Unfortunately, he had a few setbacks earlier in the season and we had to bring him back for the races late and he still needed the race in the Prix de Guiche last time. He had changed a lot and improved physically since. He'll probably stay further in the second half of the season and he's a top horse for the future.”

St. Mark's Basilica becomes the second Prix du Jockey Club hero for his sire and also gives his G3 Silver Flash S.-winning dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a third Classic after Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) took the 2019 G1 2000 Guineas. Cabaret is kin to the G3 Solario S. winner Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the Hong Kong stakes scorer Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) who was also runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. The third dam Fife (Ire) (Lomond), who was third in the Listed Lupe S., is also the second dam of the G3 Park S. winner and G1 Moyglare S. runner-up Ugo Fire (Ire) (Bluebird) and is a half-sister to Piffle (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}). She in turn is the dam of the GI Hollywood Turf Cup hero Frenchpark (GB) (Foolshome) and the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Cabaret's unraced 2-year-old full-brother to St Mark's Basilica is named Paris Lights (Ire), while she also has a colt foal by Kingman (GB).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-6, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:07.30, sf.
1–ST MARK'S BASILICA (FR), 128, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Cabaret (Ire) (GSW-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Witch of Fife, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Fife (Ire), by Lomond
(1,300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ioritz Mendizabal. €857,100. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, G1SW-Eng & G1SP-Ire, 7-4-1-1, €1,528,756. *1/2 to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $597,769. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sealiway (Fr), 128, c, 3, Galiway (GB)–Kensea (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€62,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Guy Pariente; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €342,900.
3–Millebosc (Fr), 128, c, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Mixed Intention (Ire), by Elusive City. O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Franklin Finance SA (FR); T-Stephanie Nigge. €171,450.
Margins: 1 3/4, SHD, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 53.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Saiydabad, Cheshire Academy (Fr), Pretty Tiger (Ire), Adhamo (Ire), Derab (GB), Makaloun (Fr), Van Gogh, Normandy Bridge (Fr), Megallan (GB), Fort Payne (Fr), Baby Rider (Fr), El Drama (Ire), Smile Makers (Fr), Ninth Titan (Ire), Royal Word (Fr), Policy of Truth (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Siyouni’s St Mark’s Basilica Prevails In the Poulains

St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) had sidestepped the G1 2000 Guineas in favour of ParisLongchamp's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the decision paid off handsomely on Sunday as the Ballydoyle colt made his mark in the testing conditions. Whether the ground put paid to the chance of the Newmarket Classic hero Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) is uncertain, but he appeared to be struggling some way out as Ioritz Mendizabal swooped to conquer on the G1 Dewhurst S. winner. Despite one moment when he was squeezed after the first two furlongs, the winner enjoyed an ideal trip wide out of trouble in mid-division and had dead aim at the leaders once straightened for home. Picking up to swamp the 80-1 outsider Colosseo (Street Boss) passing the furlong pole, the 4-1 shot readily asserted under hand riding before idling en route to a 1 3/4-length defeat of that rival, with Breizh Eagle (Fr) (Bow Creek {Ire}) a short neck away in third. Poetic Flare's Classic double dream had died halfway up the straight, but the Bolger homebred rallied to be sixth and was beaten only around two lengths in total. “I talked to Aidan this morning and he told me he thought the horse would stay as he has the [G1 Prix du] Jockey Club in mind,” Mendizabal said of the winner, who was bringing up a rare Classic double for the dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) following the exploits of his half-brother Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) at Newmarket in 2019. “He didn't break as fast as I expected, but he travelled well and quickened very nicely in the straight. There is no doubt in my mind that he will stay the Jockey Club trip. It's a great honour to win this for the Coolmore team–I have been blessed with spare rides like this.”

Bought for 1.3million gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale, St Mark's Basilica was introduced over six furlongs at The Curragh and caught the eye when second in late July. Back over the same course and distance for the G1 Phoenix S. a fortnight later, he attracted notable support into 7-2 favouritism despite his inexperience. While unable to meet such lofty expectations at that stage of his career, the bay was nevertheless a respectable fifth behind Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and went back over the same track and trip to shed his maiden tag on soft ground later that month. Third behind Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) upped a furlong for the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. back there in September, he again had his favoured cut underfoot when upstaging that duo in the Dewhurst in October.

Due to the turning nature of this Classic and the effect of the draw, there can sometimes be hard-luck stories but there was very little to suggest that St Mark's Basilica was not clear-best in this renewal with few excuses for the beaten horses in behind. Now that the first leg of the Poulains-Jockey Club double is in the bag, Aidan O'Brien could target the second at Chantilly June 6 but is also considering the June 15 G1 St James's Palace S. “He has an option to go to Ascot, or go back for the French Derby,” he said. “The original plan was that he would go there and back for the French Derby. He's been working lovely and you saw the way he progressed through last year. They all couldn't go to Newmarket and when he was to go to France last year, we said we'd stick that way.” Poetic Flare's jockey Kevin Manning was not entirely sure why the 5-2 favourite failed to fire and said, “I got a lovely position, but he just didn't pick up for whatever reason. Maybe it's ground-related, I don't know.”

Colosseo was the surprise package of the race, with the maiden's best form coming when second to Parchemin (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in Deauville's Listed Prix Isonomy in October and third in what has turned out to be a key course-and-distance conditions event won by Breizh Eagle last time Apr. 22. Trainer Gianluca Bietolini said, “I've always liked this horse, but he was not quite at ease on the all-weather this year and wasn't quite ready last time, still being a little bit too heavy. I was certain I had a great chance when I saw him in the paddock today, because he was fit and the ground was not as bad as I thought it would be. I just didn't know about the foreign horses, but it was a great performance especially considering he didn't quite stay the mile. He's a horse that likes very, very soft ground. He's an atypical US-bred! Seven or seven and a half would be better for him, so I'll talk to his owners and make a plan.”

The Senonnes-Pouance-based trainer Joel Boisnard said of Breizh Eagle, “He ran freely during the race, but ran a blinder despite his inexperience. He's a colt on an upward curve and one that is going to progress still. He needs to sharpen up and I think he will be kept to a mile. The ground didn't bother him, but he will certainly be even better on good ground. In his last piece of work at Senonnes, you could see that he was grinding away on those parts of the track which were soft.”

Picked up for 600,000gns out of the 2011 Tattersalls December Sale by BBA Ireland's Adrian Nicoll, Cabaret usually spends her time at Norelands Stud. However, the dual Classic producer is currently billeted at Hazelwood Stud where she foaled a Kingman (GB) colt this spring. She is back in foal to that Juddmonte resident.

As outlined, St Mark's Basilica is a half-brother to the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Futurity Trophy hero Magna Grecia, with the G3 Silver Flash S.-winning dam Cabaret a half to the G3 Solario S. scorer Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the stakes scorer Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) who was also runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. The third dam Fife (Ire) (Lomond), who was third in the Listed Lupe S., is also the second dam of the G3 Park S. winner and G1 Moyglare S. runner-up Ugo Fire (Ire) (Bluebird). This is the family of the GI Hollywood Turf Cup hero Frenchpark (GB) (Foolshome) and the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Cabaret's as-yet unraced 2-year-old full-brother to St Mark's Basilica is named Paris Lights (Ire), while she also has a colt foal by Kingman (GB).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-16, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:40.15, vsf.
1–ST MARK'S BASILICA (FR), 128, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Cabaret (Ire) (GSW-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Witch of Fife, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Fife (Ire), by Lomond
(1,300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ioritz Mendizabal. €342,840. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, G1SW-Eng & G1SP-Ire, 6-3-1-1, €671,656. *1/2 to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $597,769. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Colosseo, 128, c, 3, Street Boss–Alluvial Gold (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). ($52,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Albert Frassetto, John d'Amato & Richard Marini; B-T/C Stable LLC (KY); T-Gianluca Bietolini. €137,160.
3–Breizh Eagle (Fr), 128, c, 3, Bow Creek (Ire)–Breizh Touch (Fr), by Country Reel. O-Gerard Augustin-Normand, Mme Roland Perron & Haras des Evees; B-Haras des Evees & Daniel Cherdo (FR); T-Joel Boisnard. €68,580.
Margins: 1 3/4, SNK, HD. Odds: 4.10, 80.00, 13.00.
Also Ran: Policy of Truth (Fr), Parchemin (Ire), Poetic Flare (Ire), Normandy Bridge (Fr), Sealiway (Fr), Prince Lancelot (GB), Easter (Fr), Mehmento (Ire), Summiter (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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