Mehmas’s Lusail Wins The Gimcrack

Defying a three-pound penalty for his success in the G2 July S., Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) continued Al Shaqab Racing's purple patch with the juveniles in Friday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. at York. Always perfectly placed behind the pace-setters by Pat Dobbs, the 7-2 second favourite stayed on past Gis a Sub (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) just inside the final furlong en route to a 1 1/4-length success from that long-time leader, with Twilight Jet (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}) 3/4 of a length behind in third. “He's very babyish and we haven't got to the bottom of him yet,” the winning rider said. “I got to the front about half a furlong earlier than I wanted. He's quick enough for six, but seven is not a problem for him either and he's so laid-back. He's a nicer type of a horse than Mehmas with a lot more scope. This guy has everything you need.”

Trading at 28-1 when springing a surprise on his debut over this course and distance May 13, Lusail ran into two smart opponents in Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Khunan (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) when third behind the subsequent G2 Vintage S. winner and G2 Richmond S. runner-up over this trip on soft ground at Pontefract 15 days later. Making all over seven furlongs at Newmarket June 19, the bay returned to the latter venue to upstage Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) in the G2 July S. and after that rival took the G2 Richmond S. and the fourth Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) the G1 Phoenix S. the form of that July 8 contest was looking rock-solid. With the operation already boasting this stable's G3 Molecomb S. winner Armor (GB) (No Nay Never) and Ebro River, the hardest task may be keeping the trio apart from here.

Richard Hannon said, “He's never done much at home, but often I find they are the best 2-year-olds. He wasn't there in his coat even in the July Stakes and didn't look great that day, but that's just him. Of all our 2-year-olds, he is the one with the most scope and he's going to be a big powerful horse next year. He's already got seven and I'd love to take him to the [G1] Dewhurst [at Newmarket Oct. 9], but he's in the [G1] Middle Park [at Newmarket Sept. 25] and the [G1 Prix] Jean-Luc Lagardere [at ParisLongchamp Oct. 3] so they are all possibilities. He's done it both ways, as in the July he was up with two others who dropped out and he was the only one who kept going and today he had a lead. That's hugely encouraging and he's an amenable horse and lovely to have anything to do with. Him getting beaten at Pontefract might have been the making of him, as we didn't go to Royal Ascot on the back of that defeat but he won't go on soft at all. He didn't go to Goodwood for that reason and that was the right decision. The Guineas is the long-term objective and he's big and strong enough, so that's the end-game. He's doing this in spite of his size, as he's a big physical.”

A useful type for Alan Jarvis, Lusail's dam Diaminda (Ire) (Diamond Green {Fr}) was tried in the 2013 G1 1000 Guineas won by this stable's Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) but trailed in last and was retired with her best effort being a fourth in the Listed Dick Poole Fillies' S. over this trip. She is a half to Fayr Jag (Ire) (Fayruz {GB}), one of man-of-the-moment Tim Easterby's best as the winner of the G1 Golden Jubilee S., G3 Ridgewood Pearl S., G3 Chipchase S. and G3 Hackwood S. Her daughter of Kodiac (GB) is due to sell at the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, while she also has a filly foal by Cotai Glory (GB).

Friday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI GIMCRACK S.-G2, £150,000, York, 8-20, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:10.13, g/f.
1–LUSAIL (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Diaminda (Ire), by Diamond Green (Fr)
2nd Dam: Lominda (Ire), by Lomond
3rd Dam: Olinda, by Sassafras (Fr)
(160,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Pat Dobbs. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, $206,996. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gis A Sub (Ire), 126, c, 2, Acclamation (GB)–Monclaire (Ger), by Sholokhov (Ire). (£60,000 RNA Ylg '20 GOFOR; 140,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Steve Ryan; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-Kevin Ryan. £32,250.
3–Twilight Jet (Ire), 126, c, 2, Twilight Son (GB)–My Lucky Liz (Ire), by Exceed And Excel (Aus). (€28,000 Ylg '20 GOFFEB; £210,000 2yo '21 GOFTY). O/T-Michael O'Callaghan; B-Tom Radley (IRE). £16,140.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 3.50, 8.00, 18.00.
Also Ran: Fearby (Ire), Eldrickjones (Ire), Last Crusader (Ire), Berkshire Shadow (GB), Vintage Clarets (GB), American Star (Ire), Spitting Feathers (Ire), Orazio (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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No Doubting Stradivarius In The Lonsdale Cup

With the drying ground ruling out the G1 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), Friday's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York was teed up perfectly for Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) to register an inspiring third success in this marathon. Open to questioning following his fourth in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot June 17, Bjorn Nielsen's staying star was settled in second early by Frankie Dettori as The Grand Visir (GB) (Frankel {GB}) set off in isolation. Joined by Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) approaching two out as they loomed on the front end, William Buick had the upper hand for much of the rest of the distance and looked likely to prevail until the final yards. It was then that the 4-6 favourite was lifted by the crowd to give extra and outstay his chief rival for an 18th career and 16th pattern-race win by a head as The Grand Visir finished seven lengths adrift in third. “I'm feeling emotional,” Frankie said. “It was always going to be a messy race and I was using Richard [Kingscote on The Grand Visir] as a reference point, but Strad likes a target and so I pushed him close to William [Buick] and it worked–he only does enough and William would not go away, so it was a tremendous horse race. The reception he got–he's loved by everyone.”

One of the most consistent staying stars of all time, Stradivarius has drawn on his incredible constitution to maintain a level of ability that is still unattainable to much-younger rivals. Spanish Mission had shown when winning the G2 Yorkshire Cup and last year's G2 Doncaster Cup that he is a stayer of considerable merit and he held every chance of subduing the Gosden A-lister with everything to suit but ultimately came up short. With Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) out of action for now, Stradivarius has the opportunity to garner more of these before time is called.

Dettori thinks there is more to come from the 7-year-old. “Every time he's run here I've felt he is below-par–he fell in the last two times he won this for the bonus–and I feel he's much better at Ascot,” he said of the hero of two Yorkshire Cups and the 2018 and 2019 renewals of this race. “He's getting older, he's getting wiser. He got the job done and knows exactly what he's got to do.”

John Gosden added, “He's phenomenal. All those miles of racing. I always think flat horses are at their peak at five, but some of the great jumpers race on so we'll see how he is. He's a very happy horse and he's got a very good sense of humour as well. As long as he's happy, we can keep racing. He was a really angry chap when he came home from Goodwood and hadn't run. He used to sting like a butterfly and float like a bee, but he's a little more rope a dope now! He's still up for it and it was a proper race for everyone to watch between two fabulous horses. The [Sept. 10 G2] Doncaster Cup is a possibility and there is Champions Day, I hope it's decent ground but if it's bottomless we might have to reroute.”

Anna Lisa Balding said of the runner-up, who is bound for the G1 Melbourne Cup, “He's run a hell of a race and I actually thought we'd won when he went ahead. I thought we'd got him, but we didn't. We'll stick to Plan A, Australia here we come and let's hope he does his stuff out there.”
Stradivarius is the last foal out of Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), who was bought by Nielsen for 70,000gns at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She also produced the G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Furstenberg-Rennen scorer Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), the group-placed Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and the stakes-placed Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}). Like Peintre Celebre a descendant of the great Pawneese (Ire), who captured the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Prix de Diane, she is also connected to the G1 Melbourne Cup hero Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}).

Friday, York, Britain
WEATHERBYS HAMILTON LONSDALE CUP S.-G2, £150,000, York, 8-20, 3yo/up, 16f 56yT, 3:30.87, g/f.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 129, h, 7, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 3x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 14f+, MG1SW-Eng & GSP-Fr, 29-18-3-3, $3,906,991. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger})), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Ger, $121,198; Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-UAE, $167,081; and Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}), SP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Spanish Mission, 129, h, 5, Noble Mission (GB)–Limonar (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire). ($125,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; 60,000gns RNA 2yo '18 TATBRE). O-Team Valor LLC & Gary Barber; B-St Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Andrew Balding. £32,250.
3–The Grand Visir (GB), 129, g, 7, Frankel (GB)–Piping (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (€750,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG; 170,000gns 4yo '18 TATAHI; £40,000 6yo '20 GOFJAN). O-Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons; B-Qatar Bloodstock, Ecurie Monceaux & Skymarc (GB); T-Ian Williams. £16,140.
Margins: HD, 7, 13. Odds: 0.67, 1.88, 28.00.
Also Ran: Stratum (GB). Scratched: Trueshan (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Wootton Bassett’s Royal Patronage Makes All in the Acomb

Trading as the largely unconsidered 25-1 outsider-of-five for Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at York, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) turned that logic on its head with a command performance from the front. Coming off an impressive five-length success over this seven-furlong trip in an Epsom novice July 29, the bay was on his mettle at the break and a sharp getaway yielded immediate control. Unflustered on the lead down the centre of the track in the straight, he bore all the hallmarks of a typical Mark Johnston galloper to record an ultimately comfortable 2 1/4-length success from Imperial Fighter (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}), with TDN Rising Star and 7-4 favourite Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) two lengths further adrift in third with no excuses. “I was very confident of this lad, he gave me a nice feel at Epsom and the way he was travelling down the straight I thought it would take a good one to pass me,” winning jockey Jason Hart said. “For a two-year-old, he's a sort of push-button type of ride. He's all there. I think he's fine at seven for the time being, but I don't see any reason why he wouldn't get a mile.”

Royal Patronage, who was fifth on his debut over six furlongs here May 22 before finishing four-lengths second to the subsequent G2 Superlative S. winner Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in a Sandown maiden upped to this distance June 11, had looked a colt of above-average ability in a decent contest at Epsom last time. His starting price here may have had more to do with the reputations of the unexposed TDN Rising Stars Dubawi Legend and Ehraz (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), but there is no doubt that it was inflated given the nature of his display on the famed Downs. “We thought he deserved to be here, in hindsight it's easy to say 'it was no surprise',” Johnston said. “Anything that wins the Acomb is a potential Guineas horse. We had him over six furlongs the first time and that was probably a bit of a liberty, as he'll stay further in time.”

Royal Patronage is the first foal out of the Aga Khan cast-off Shaloushka (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who was bought by Blandford Bloodstock for €100,000 at the 2008 Arqana December Sale. She is a half-sister to the G1 Irish Derby third Shalapour (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and to the dam of the group 3-placed duo Shikarpour (Ire) (Dr Fong) and Shebella (Ire) (Dubai Destination) from the family of Shahrastani. Her 2021 colt is by Magna Grecia (Ire).

Wednesday, York, Britain
TATTERSALLS ACOMB S.-G3, £100,000, York, 8-18, 2yo, 7fT, 1:23.56, gd.
1–ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR), 127, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Shaloushka (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire)
2nd Dam: Shalama (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Shademah (Ire), by Thatch
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (62,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Woodland Walk); B-Emma Capon Bloodstock (FR); T-Mark Johnston; J-Jason Hart. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $88,272. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Imperial Fighter (Ire), 127, c, 2, The Gurkha (Ire)–Endure (Ire), by Green Desert. (£30,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Michael Blencowe; B-Lynn Lodge Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £21,500.
3–Dubawi Legend (Ire), 127, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Lovely Pass (Ire), by Raven's Pass. O-Dr Ali Ridha; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £10,760.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2, 1. Odds: 25.00, 5.50, 1.75.
Also Ran: Noble Truth (Fr), Ehraz (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Tattersalls Releases October Books 2, 3 & 4

Books 2, 3 & 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale are now available online. Book 2 features 808 yearlings and runs from Oct. 11 to 13 at Park Paddocks. Book 3 comprises 612 lots and will be held Oct. 14 and 15, while Book 4 has 98 yearlings to sell on the morning of Oct. 16.

Book 2 features siblings to 167 black-type winners including a colt from the first crop of Cracksman (GB) who is a half-brother to champion Al Kazeem (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 659); a Gleneagles (Ire) half-brother to Precieuse (Ire) (lot 1134); a Kingman (GB) half-brother to Group 1-winning 2-year-old Charming Thought (GB) (lot 1174); a Showcasing (GB) half-brother to G1 Queen Anne S. winner Accidental Agent (GB) (lot 911); and full-brothers to Group 1 winners Margot Did (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) (lot 997) and River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) (lot 1262). Current top 2-year-olds Sandrine and Asymmetric have half-brothers catalogued, as does dual Group 1-placed sprinter Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}). Group 1-winning mares Islington (Ire), Allegretto (GB), Dynaforce, and Voleuse de Coeurs (Ire) have yearlings catalogued. Kodiac (GB) is the leading sire by numbers with 42 catalogued, while Showcasing has 38. Overseas sires represented include Le Havre (Ire), Siyouni (Fr), Kitten's Joy, More Than Ready and Uncle Mo.

“Group 1 winners on the global stage as well as the current highest-rated 2-year-old in Europe, Ebro River, are the best possible advertisements for Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “The second week of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale is the focus for so many yearling buyers from throughout Europe and further afield and the demand for places has enabled us to assemble outstanding catalogues which, as ever, will showcase so many of the best British and Irish bred yearlings and will cater for all sectors of the market.”

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