The Curragh | Horse Racing Free Tips

No Nay Never Newcomer Wins Diminished First Flier

Four withdrawals marred The Curragh's Listed GAIN First Flier S., with the winners and likely favourites Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Noche Magica (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) among them, resulting in the bizarre circumstance of just five runners with two outings between them. In the event, it was the three newcomers who filled the frame with Ballydoyle's His Majesty (Ire) (No Nay Never–Czabo {GB}, by Sixties Icon {GB}) coming out on top to provide the stable with back-to-back renewals. Looking set to play a bit-part at best when caught flat-footed two out, the 5-2 second favourite picked up for Seamie Heffernan's whip to head the Adrian Murray-trained Valiant Force (Malibu Moon) inside the final 50 yards and score by 3/4 of a length, with 1 1/2 lengths back to the other Rosegreen runner and 15-8 favourite Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in third.

“He did it lovely, he's a lovely big sleepy horse,” Aidan O'Brien said. “Seamus said he had loads of speed but he was relaxed, he said when he clicked he found plenty. He's like a four-year-old, a big mature horse. You always try to get two runs before Ascot, but it's hard enough to do it here because there aren't many races.”

Czabo, who was successful in the G3 Park Express S. and Listed Prix des Lilas, produced as her first foal the useful Coill Avon (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) who beat St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in a maiden here three years ago. Out of the Listed Masaka S. runner-up Fiumicino (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) related to last year's G3 Prix Miesque winner Moon Ray (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), the descendant of the G1 Irish St Leger heroine Dark Lomond (Ire) (Lomond) also has a yearling full-brother to the winner.

Monday, Curragh, Ireland
GAIN FIRST FLIER S.-Listed, €40,000, Curragh, 5-1, 2yo, 5fT, 1:04.84, sf.
1–HIS MAJESTY (IRE), 131, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Czabo (GB) (GSW-Ire, SW-Fr, $128,990), by Sixties Icon (GB)
2nd Dam: Fiumicino (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
3rd Dam: Valhalla Moon, by Sadler's Wells
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. (325,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Smith,Magnier,Tabor,Westerberg,Brant; B-Newstead Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamie Heffernan. €24,000. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $26,514.
2–Valiant Force, 131, c, 2, Malibu Moon–Vigui's Heart, by Quality Road.
1ST BLACK TYPE. ($75,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $100,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Rachael O'Callaghan; B-Ramon Horta Rangel & Spendthrift Farm (KY); T-Adrian Murray. €8,000.
3–Unquestionable (Fr), 131, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Strawberry Lace (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€340,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Al Shaqab Racing,Coolmore,Westerberg; B-Camille Vitse Porin, Axelle Vitse, Valentine Vitse & G Vitse (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien. €4,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1HF, 3. Odds: 2.50, 7.00, 1.88.
Also Ran: Blame Thechampagne (Ire), Love Ya (Ire). Scratched: Bucanero Fuerte (GB), Noche Magica (Ire), Sturlasson (Ire), Vanity Pays (GB).

The post No Nay Never Newcomer Wins Diminished First Flier appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Australia’s Point Lonsdale Back With A Win In The Alleged

If there were any fitness doubts about TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}–Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) ahead of Sunday's G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh, they were answered categorically as Ballydoyle's almost-forgotten talent worked hard to prevail and get back on track on his comeback. Set a stiff task by the race-hardened Visualisation (Ire) (No Nay Never) as that Listed Devoy S. winner took no prisoners on the front end, the 2021 G2 Futurity S.-winning full-brother to stable stalwart Broome (Ire) was kept close by Wayne Lordan and only began to get on top inside the last 150 yards. At the line, the 6-4 favourite who was last seen finishing unplaced in the 2000 Guineas had 1 1/2 lengths to spare over that rival as they finished clear.

“I'm very happy with that on his first run back on that ground. He's going to stay further,” Aidan O'Brien said. “We thought as a two-year-old that he would get further than seven furlongs, but he never went any further because we had other horses. Then we ran him in the Guineas and he got injured. There was nowhere to hide today. Joseph's horse went a good gallop and none of the other horses were able to close.”

Where Point Lonsdale fits in remains to be seen, with the stable not short on big names among its older horses. “We have Luxembourg in the same sort of bracket,” the Ballydoyle conditioner added. “At the moment we are looking at the Ganay for him and, if not, the [G2] Mooresbridge. This horse could go for something like the [G1] Coronation Cup and take in another race before that.”

Pedigree Notes
Point Lonsdale's dam Sweepstake, who was successful in the Listed National S. and Bedanken S., runner-up in the GIII Appalachian S. and third in the G3 Princess Margaret S., has already excelled by producing the aforementioned seven-times group-winning Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Broome by Galileo's son Australia. Galileo is also responsible for the family's triple group-winning stayer Ernest Hemingway (Ire), while his son Frankel (GB) sired another G2 Futurity S. winner in Rostropovich (Ire), who went on to finish runner-up in the G1 Irish Derby, and the G3 Prix d'Aumale scorer Toulifaut (Ire).

This is also the dynasty of the stable's G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire Zoffany (Ire) and the G1 St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), as well as the G3 Bengough S. winner Projection (GB) who shares Acclamation as a sire with Sweepstake. Others of note from this Hesmonds Stud family include the G3 Fred Darling S. winner Bulaxie (GB) (Bustino {GB}), responsible for the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Claxon (GB) (Caerleon) whose GIII Hillsborough S.-winning and G1 Nassau S.-placed daughter Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) threw the aforementioned Ernest Hemingway. Sweepstake's 2-year-old colt by Frankel was unsurprisingly a 2.4million gns sensation when knocked down to M V Magnier and White Birch Farm as the second highest-priced lot at last year's Book 1 Sale.

Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
SP OR BETTER GUARANTEED WITH TOTE ALLEGED S.-G3, €55,000, Curragh, 4-16, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:24.79, hy.
1–POINT LONSDALE (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng, SW & GSP-US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €33,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 7-5-1-0, $272,429. *Full to Broome (Ire), G1SW-Fr, GSW-UAE, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng, GISP-US, $2,756,270. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Visualisation (Ire), 131, g, 5, No Nay Never–Roselita (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (£245,000 RNA HRA '21 GOFFLN). O-Harold John Millar; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €11,000.
3–Layfayette (Ire), 136, g, 6, French Navy (GB)–Scala Romana (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (€4,000 Ylg '18 TIRSEP; €54,000 2yo '19 TATGOR). O-Mrs Patricia Hunt; B-Matthew Duffy (IRE); T-Noel Meade. €5,500.
Margins: 1HF, 7, 5. Odds: 1.50, 2.25, 7.00.
Also Ran: Self Belief (Ire), Fastnet Crown (Ire). Scratched: Piz Badile (Ire).

https://twitter.com/i/status/1647605043393093637

The post Australia’s Point Lonsdale Back With A Win In The Alleged appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Goffs Million Transformed Into Goffs Two Million Series Beginning At 2023 Orby Sale

The Goffs Million, the richest 2-year-old race in Europe, will be rebranded as the Goffs Two Million Series at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale, the sales company announced on Friday.

In addition, the Orby and Sportsman's Sales will now be known as Orby Book 1 and Orby Book 2 and will be held from Sept. 26-29. The series is open to all yearlings catalogued in the 2023 Goffs Orby Book 1 and Book 2, and more than 1,000 yearlings will be offered across the two books. The 2023 seven-furlong Goffs Million is open to qualified graduates of the 2022 Orby Sale, will have a guaranteed minimum value of €1 million, and will be conducted at the Curragh on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The Goffs Two Million Series will incorporate:

The Goffs Million, contested over seven furlongs at the Curragh on the Saturday before the 2024 sale. With a guaranteed minimum prize fund of €1 million, and offer prize-money to 10th place.
The Goffs 500, contested over seven furlongs at The Curragh on the Saturday before the 2024 sale. With a guaranteed minimum prize fund of €500,000 and prize money to 10th place, it will be staged on the same day as the Goffs Million ensuring that at least €1.5 Million is open to Orby graduates on the eve of the 2024 Orby Sale.
The Goffs €50,000 Bonus Series which will see €50,000 Goffs Bonuses awarded to the winners of a series of 2-year-old maidens run throughout the 2024 season at various Irish racecourses when that winner is a qualified Orby graduate. A programme of diverse 2-year-old maidens carrying the unique Goffs €50,000 Bonus will be published with a total of €500,000 distributed to 10 winning connections between the start of the season and Million Day at the Curragh.

“The new Goffs Two Million Series takes the Million concept to a new level and seeks to make the Irish National Yearling Sale unmissable for both Irish breeders and international buyers,” Goffs Group Chief Executive Harry Beeby said. “The primary issue facing British and Irish racing is prize-money and this initiative confronts it head on as we evolve the idea and provide a huge pay day where the focus is on the owners and trainers that invest in Orby yearlings as well as spreading the rewards throughout the season and across the country.

“Orby Book 1 and Book 2 are designed to represent the best of Irish yearlings at all levels of the market and our call to Irish breeders is to support the Irish National Yearling Sale with your best as Goffs will deliver and exceed your expectations. Goffs will continue to invest in our global buyer attraction campaign that saw so many buyers at Kildare Paddocks last year and the only complaint was that they wanted more top tier yearlings as they have the orders and don't go elsewhere. This latest attraction will only drive more buyers to Orby to buy as their first choice.”

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive at The Curragh, added, “Goffs are a long and highly valued partner here at the Curragh and are a pleasure to work with. They are always innovating, and the new Goffs Two Million Series is a perfect example of this approach. It will provide a major incentive to owners who purchase yearlings at the Irish National Yearling Sale and create an enhanced race day experience at the Curragh the weekend before their sale. There was great excitement when Galeron (Ire) (Camacho {Ire}) took the first Million race here last September and the addition of the second race and the 2-year-old bonus series will bring this incentive to a higher level. Goffs also sponsor the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. on Irish Champions Weekend and their graduates regularly win our best races here at the Curragh. We greatly look forward to working with them on this new venture–the Goffs Two Million Series.”

The post Goffs Million Transformed Into Goffs Two Million Series Beginning At 2023 Orby Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Juddmonte And Keeneland Continue Their Curragh Race Sponsorship

Juddmonte and Keeneland have renewed their sponsorships of the Curragh's G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Phoenix S., respectively.

The feature race of the two-day Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend on Saturday, July 22, the Juddmonte Irish Oaks has been won three times by horses carrying the Juddmonte colours with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (2017), Bolas (GB) (Unfuwain) (1994) and Wemyss Bight (GB) (Dancing Brave) in 1993. Currently there are 87 first entries for the €500,000 summer Classic, including Juddmonte's debut winner Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}). Juddmonte started as the sponsor of the G2 Beresford S. in 1988; sponsored the G1 Pretty Polly S. in 2018, and began sponsoring the Irish Oaks in 2020.

Douglas Erskine-Crum, CEO of Juddmonte, said “Juddmonte is delighted to renew our sponsorship of the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. It is extremely important to Juddmonte to support Irish racing and breeding and appreciate its sizeable contribution to the wider industry; we feel the Irish Oaks and Curragh racecourse are perfectly placed to demonstrate this commitment.”

Brian Kavanagh, CEO Curragh Racecourse, Ltd., said “We are delighted to be able to announce the extension of Juddmonte's sponsorship of the Irish Oaks and look forward to a quality renewal as always in July. Juddmonte have been fantastic supporters of the Curragh and of the industry here in Ireland for many years as owners, breeders and sponsors and we greatly look forward to our continued partnership with them in this prestigious race. The Irish Oaks has been won by some wonderful fillies over the years, including the great Enable in 2017.”

Starting their sponsorship of the Phoenix S. in 2010, Keeneland will extend their commitment to the race for another three years. In 2022, Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) took the prize and was crowned Europe's Champion 2-Year-old with a mark of 124. Prize-money will increase to €350,000 in 2024 and then €400,000 in 2025.

Shannon Arvin, President and CEO of Keeneland, said, “Keeneland's close connection with the Irish bloodstock and racing industries goes back many decades and we are delighted to celebrate that ongoing bond with the continuation of this longstanding sponsorship.

“We witnessed Little Big Bear win one of the best renewals of the Keeneland Phoenix S. last season, with a performance that this week saw him crowned Europe's champion juvenile, and we look forward to working with the Curragh to continue to grow the race in future years.”

Added Kavanagh, “Keeneland have been a valued partner for the Curragh for many years and we are delighted to be able to announce this extension and enhancement of their sponsorship. They are a pleasure to deal with and the ties between Keeneland and the Irish racing and breeding industries have become stronger in recent years. Their commitment to increasing prize-money for the race over the next three years is most welcome and we greatly look forward to working with Keeneland on this sponsorship.”

The post Juddmonte And Keeneland Continue Their Curragh Race Sponsorship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post