Tag: The Curragh

Godolphin Guineas Treble Complete As Native Trail Strikes

With Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) setting it up for him, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) carried the heavy burden of hope into Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh but with William Buick at his coolest the trinity of Guineas victories was completed with a degree of comfort. While the winning performance was not much more than workmanlike as the champion juvenile of 2021 grafted to deny the outsiders New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Imperial Fighter (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}), the take-out was the unprecedented achievement of Charlie Appleby collecting the three group 1 2000 Guineas of Europe in England, France and Ireland with three different colts. “Coming into today as calm and collected as you try to be, I knew what we were trying to achieve,” his trainer said. “Firstly trying to win a Guineas but, dare I say, trying to make history. That's what this horse has done for the whole team today.”

Imperious when winning the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. here in September, Native Trail was flying high by the time he hit the lids for the 2000 Guineas with Newmarket's G1 Dewhurst S. and G3 Craven S. also in the satchel. It can be argued now that all three of those contests have suffered from knocks to the form, but in the instant that he could only split Coroebus and Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Apr. 30 Classic there was an air of deflation surrounding fans of the giant-striding bay. Connections refused to lose any faith and with the 2000 Guineas-Poulains-Irish 2000 Guineas masterplan laid out at Moulton Paddocks the wave of positivity seemed sufficient to carry Native Trail to glory here.

Any fears that Buick might be prisoner to tactics were certainly not troubling the man himself, whose career has taken another trajectory this season and who rode here with the calm of one of the all-time greats. Staying behind and on the rail, he kept the favourite in his own rhythm with main market rivals Ivy League (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) to his outer and the 100-1 shot Malex (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) taking up front-running duties. There was a point three out when Ryan Moore on Ivy League looked as if he might be able to keep him pinned in, but Native Trail is an imposing prospect at the best of times and was coming out no matter what.

As TDN Rising Star Wexford Native (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) stretched on with Kevin Manning looking to escape, it was fellow TDN Rising Star New Energy who loomed as a genuine danger in the slipstream of Native Trail and despite the much-improved effort of the runner-up he found that giving a headstart to the winner was always a losing battle. “He is an exceptional horse and a joy to ride–he's uncomplicated and is there when you need him,” Buick said. “I knew from a fair way out I would be having to work my way out, but I had the horse to do it as he's got plenty of size and it was actually very straightforward. On faster ground, you might have seen a more explosive performance as this ground blunted his turn of foot a bit. He will get a mile and a quarter.”

Appleby was not ruling out another stand-off between the stable's Newmarket one-two in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. “In all sports, you like to see the best two take each other on, whether it be tennis or football teams. At the moment these colts are the best around over a mile, so you'd like to see them have a crack at each other,” he said. “He lost nothing in defeat at Newmarket–Coroebus is a horse we thought highly of and had they be drawn together it could have been a closer contest. We'll never know that, but this horse doesn't have to prove himself any more. We all know that the St James's Palace is a fantastic race and the last chance for these three-year-olds over a mile to compete against each other.”

In his customary humble manner, Appleby was keen to share around the praise for the feat. “When I saw him cross the line today, I have to say it was a sigh of relief to say he's got the job done,” he added. “It's amazing–the team at Moulton Paddocks have done a fantastic job all winter and this horse has never missed a beat. I was confident in William, as he knows him so well and has rode him all of his racing career and plenty at home. He knows what this horse can do.”

Whether Native Trail lines up at Royal Ascot, New Energy who is like the winner a breeze-up purchase is likely to be there according to trainer Sheila Lavery. “We could always have dropped back to the Jersey, but we put him in the St James's Palace so why not live the dream,” she said. “I'm delighted for John [Lavery, owner and brother], who has put so much money into it and faith in me. Billy [Lee] gave him a beautiful ride and the only thing is my heart goes out to Robbie Colgan, who would have been on him except that he got injured off a horse at my place a couple of weeks ago. I was really looking forward to running him, he has run four times, won his maiden here first time but in the other races he hasn't been able to get a proper lead. In the Tetrarch he had to lead and we weren't quite sure exactly what we had. Billy thinks he's still going to improve from that, because he'll have learned from that.”

Andrew Balding said of Imperial Fighter, who was recording a career-best, “He probably, ideally, could have done with the ground even softer, but he is fairly versatile,” he commented. “I was thinking we could go a mile and a quarter in the [G3] Hampton Court, but it depends. If Ben [Coen] says a mile is his trip, he won't be going there.”

A triumph for the Breeze-Ups, Native Trail who was in hindsight a bargain 210,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls Craven Sale is the first runner for the unraced Juddmonte cast-off Needleleaf (GB) (Observatory) who was bought by the MAB Agency for only 60,000gns at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She is a full-sister to the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose (GB) and the G3 Prix d'Aumale winner and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Helleborine (GB), who was in turn responsible for the G2 Coventry S.-winning sire Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}). African Rose also became a stakes producer herself, throwing the talented G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Fair Eva (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

The second dam New Orchid (Quest For Fame {GB}), who was third in the G3 Lancashire Oaks, is a daughter of Musicanti (Nijinsky II) who also produced the 1999 Dewhurst hero and sire Distant Music from a mating with Observatory's sire Distant View. Musicanti is kin to the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, GI Washington D.C. International and GI Suburban H.-winning champion Vanlandingham (Cox's Ridge) and to the dams of the GII Keeneland Turf Mile and G2 Prix Eugene Adam-winning sire Kirkwall (GB) (Selkirk) and to the GI American Oaks heroine Funny Moon (Malibu Moon). From the family of the GI Belmont S. hero and sire Temperence Hill, Needleleaf's 2-year-old filly Tranquil Rose (Fr) by Calyx's sire Kingman was bought by Godolphin for €950,000 at the Arqana Deauville August Sale. She also has a yearling filly by Siyouni (Fr).

Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS-G1, €500,000, Curragh, 5-21, 3yo, 8fT, 1:39.28, g/y.
1–NATIVE TRAIL (GB), 128, c, 3, by Oasis Dream (GB)
     1st Dam: Needleleaf (GB), by Observatory
     2nd Dam: New Orchid, by Quest for Fame (GB)
     3rd Dam: Musicanti, by Nijinsky II
(€50,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 67,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; 210,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Godolphin; B-Le Haras d'Haspel (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. €290,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, Eng & Ire, G1SW-Eng, 7-6-1-0, $1,192,955. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–New Energy (Ire), 128, c, 3, New Bay (GB)–For Joy (GB), by Singspiel (Ire).
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£65,000 2yo '21 TATGOR). O-John Lavery; B-Anne Hallinan & John O'Connor (IRE); T-Sheila Lavery. €100,000.
3–Imperial Fighter (Ire), 128, c, 3, The Gurkha (Ire)–Endure (Ire), by Green Desert.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£30,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Michael Blencowe; B-Lynn Lodge Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. €50,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.40, 40.00, 28.00.
Also Ran: Wexford Native (Ire), Duke de Sessa (Ire), Buckaroo (GB), Ivy League (Ire), Malex (GB), Atomic Jones (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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No Nay Never’s Blackbeard In Command In The Marble Hill

Already a dual winner prior to Saturday's G3 GAIN Marble Hill S. at The Curragh, Ballydoyle's Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) was the picture of professionalism as he made all under Ryan Moore to assume the mantle of generation leader. Already hardened by the experience of battle in this track's May 2 Listed First Flier S., the 5-2 second favourite set out to dictate on this first foray over six furlongs and relished the extra distance as he shook off the even-money market-leader Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to stretch to a 3 1/2-length success.

“We weren't exactly sure that he would get six, but Ryan thought the last day that he would and obviously he got it very well,” Aidan O'Brien said. “He relaxed very well and quickened very well, that's what you'd really love about him. No Nay Never is usually an influence for speed, which is good, but some of them don't get beyond sprinting distances. Looking at this horse, there is every chance that he could. We thought he'd be either a Norfolk or Coventry horse and he can go either way I think, but you'd have to say he's a Coventry type. We ran him today to see and you couldn't say he didn't pass that test.”

Blackbeard, who also scored at Dundalk Apr. 8, is the first foal out of Muirin (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), who was fourth in the 2017 G1 Moyglare Stud S. on only her second start. She is a daughter of the Curragh specialist Girouette (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who captured the G3 Phoenix Sprint S. and Listed Sweet Mimosa S. and was runner-up in the G3 Renaissance S. and third in the G3 Athasi S. here. From the family of the G3 Zetland S. and G3 John Porter S. scorer Max Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the G2 Curragh Cup-placed Camphor (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Muirin's yearling is a full-sister to Blackbeard.

Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
GAIN MARBLE HILL S.-G3, €60,000, Curragh, 5-21, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.72, g/y.
1–BLACKBEARD (IRE), 131, c, 2, by No Nay Never
     1st Dam: Muirin (Ire), by Born To Sea (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Girouette (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
     3rd Dam: Vassiana (Fr), by Anabaa
1ST GROUP WIN. (270,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,Westerberg; B-Newstead Breeding (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €36,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $72,549. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tough Talk (Ire), 131, c, 2, Kingman (GB)–Terrific (Ire), by Galileo (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €12,000.
3–Mehmar (Ire), 131, c, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–She's Different (Ire), by Epaulette (Aus).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (42,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; £200,000 2yo '22 GOFTY). O/T-Michael O'Callaghan; B-Tony Killoran (IRE). €6,000.
Margins: 3HF, 2 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 2.50, Evens, 5.00.
Also Ran: Ocean Vision (Ire), Deneuve (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Congo River Catches The Eye On Curragh Debut

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a pricy Mendelssohn half-brother to stakes winner Jo Jo Air (Scat Daddy).

1.35 Curragh, Mdn, €20,000, 2yo, c/g, 6fT
CONGO RIVER (Mendelssohn) is the choice of Ryan Moore of the Ballydoyle duo in the maiden won two years ago by Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never). A $400,000 Keeneland September graduate, the April-foaled half-brother to Scat Daddy's stakes winner Jo Jo Air from the family of the dual Grade I winner Switch (Quiet American) is joined by the Naas second Age of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), the 1.1 million gns Book 1 purchase whose dam is the G2 May Hill S. winner Turret Rocks (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

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Trail Leads Back To The Curragh

The emphasis is on speed on Saturday, with a quartet of Europe's six pattern races being sprints and only one taking place beyond a mile. Glinting in the midst of them is the jewel that is the first of the Curragh's 2022 Classics, the €500,000 G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. With a distinct form edge, it seems on paper to be simply be a case of going through the motions for Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) with Godolphin's Guineas treble hanging tantalisingly within reach. However, this is a tough race to dominate on that basis alone as the experience of the likes of Too Darn Hot (Dubawi {Ire}) and Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) testify in recent times. On the sacred Kidare turf you can be king for a day but then you have to go and prove it time and again as the opposition ramps up in response. Where there is a son of Galileo (Ire) from Ballydoyle there is always danger, regardless of the deficit that Ivy League (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has to overcome, and that is not mentioning the power of Jim Bolger with his still-unexposed 'TDN Rising Star' Wexford Native (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and the colt that blitzed him in the May 2 Listed Tetrarch S., Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

 

Backers Beware

Drawn in one, Native Trail appears to have a lot of boxes ticked but with his racing style it might be that he needs some luck in a tactical affair with no obvious pace provider. Unless William Buick sends him on from the outset and uses his advantage which is his huge stride, there is the chance that he could get pinned on the fence at a crucial stage. Is his form so superior that he can justifiably be long odds-on here? Joseph O'Brien has a line through the Appleby runner via Ultramarine (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), a maiden still after nine starts who was beaten just six lengths by the favourite in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. here in September. There is a fair chance that Buckaroo is much better than that and the way he operated in the Tetrarch over this course and distance means that Native Trail might need to have improved from his 2000 Guineas effort and his juvenile form.

 

Royal Clues At Haydock

Haydock stage a crucial pair of Group 2 sprints, the six-furlong Cazoo Sandy Lane S. and Temple S. over five, with last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) the star turn in the latter. King Power Racing's racing manager Alastair Donald said, “She's a very quick filly and it's almost about reining in the speed sometimes–a few times she's ran with the choke out a little bit. But I think in the slower ground it might just be able to keep her in a good rhythm early on, rather than going too quick. Tim [Easterby] is very pleased with her and says she's bigger and stronger now, so fingers crossed we can look forward to getting her back to her best.” At the Curragh, another top-level winner is in action in Gary Devlin's Prix de l'Abbaye and Al Quoz Sprint hero A Case of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}), who takes in the G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands S.

 

From The Horse's Mouth

   A fascinating Sandy Lane sees the improving El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) tackle some likely lads among the Commonwealth Cup hopefuls, none more so than the proven Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}). What makes El Caballo interesting is the fact that he is on a winning streak which shows no sign of arresting despite most of it coming on the all-weather. His defeat of Tiber Flow (Ire) (Caravaggio) in Newcastle's 3-Year-Old All-Weather Championships Conditions S. Apr. 15 was boosted by the subsequent Listed Carnarvon S. success of the runner-up and trainer Karl Burke is bullish. “I don't think we've got to the bottom of him yet,” he said. “It's a very strong race and it will be a very truly-run race as well, so we'll know how good he is after Saturday. He has a different action to [former Commonwealth Cup winner] Quiet Reflection and I'd say he probably has more scope than her too. She loved heavy ground, whereas I'm not so sure this fella would want it to be extremely slow–good, good-to-soft should be perfect for him.”

 

Tough Talk Poised For Marble Hill

Also at the Curragh, the 2-year-olds have their Royal Ascot credentials put to the test in the six-furlong G3 GAIN Marble Hill S., where Moyglare Stud Farm's Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) carries gravitas having beaten the subsequent winners Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) on debut over this course and distance Apr. 10. Ryan Moore has opted for Ballydoyle's unbeaten colt Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) over the stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Deneuve (Ire) (No Nay Never), who could make a leap forward from her narrow winning debut over this trip at Naas Apr. 25. At Goodwood, the 12-furlong Listed William Hill Tapster S. sees the return of last year's G1 Irish Derby runner-up Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

 

Fourteen Set For Irish 1000 Guineas

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh has attracted a final field for 14, with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only withdrawal on Friday. Coolmore and Westerberg's May 1 G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth-straight renewal and the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. She has drawn stall three, with Ryan Moore set to ride her having chosen elsewhere in the Guineas. Ballydoyle also have strong claims with the May 8 G3 Cornelscourt S. winner History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will be partnered by Seamie Heffernan, and the Apr. 23 Listed Salsabil S. winner Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who is ridden by Wayne Lordan with the Rosegreen trio drawn three, four and five respectively. Moyglare Stud's Apr. 2 G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will depart from stall 11, while the G1 Criterium International third Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was knocked down to Lael Stable for €2 million at Arqana's December sale, is set to make her first start for trainer William Haggas from stall seven.

Click here for the group fields.

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