The Curragh | Horse Racing Free Tips

Gallinule Success For Zoffany’s Hannibal Barca

Last seen finishing a close-up fourth in Doncaster's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy in October, Ecurie Ama Zingteam's acquisition Hannibal Barca (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) made his debut for his owners and the Joseph O'Brien stable a successful one in Friday's G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule S. at The Curragh. Sent off the 7-4 favourite, the bay was keen under restraint early held up towards the rear by Shane Crosse before being angled out at the top of the straight. Reeling in Lyrical Poetry (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and hitting the front with 150 yards remaining, he asserted to beat that rival by a length as the luckless Boundless Ocean (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) wound up 1 3/4 lengths back in third having been stopped in his run at a crucial stage. “He was obviously a good two-year-old, we just had a little hold-up so we ended up starting today,” the winning trainer said. “I thought he did well, because I thought it set up for the horses closer to the speed. Coming here, I wasn't sure how far we would be going but looking at the race you'd be going further rather than shorter.”

Hannibal Barca, who was two lengths behind Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) at Doncaster having won a seven-furlong Salisbury novice in September, was a 500,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale. The dam Innocent Air (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was a dual listed scorer for Juddmonte and hails from the family of the top-level scorers Proportional (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), Folk Opera (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}), Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Mr Bailetti (Arg) (Exchange Rate). She has 2-year-old and yearling full-sisters to Hannibal Barca to come, with the former named Zoinnocent (Ire) having been bought by Eric Long for €210,000 at the Goffs Orby.

Friday, The Curragh, Ireland
HEIDER FAMILY STABLES GALLINULE S.-G3, €60,000, Curragh, 5-20, 3yo, 10fT, 2:09.94, g/y.
1–HANNIBAL BARCA (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Innocent Air (GB) (MSW-Eng), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Minskip, by The Minstrel
3rd Dam: Fabulous Native, by Le Fabuleux
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€16,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; £55,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR; 500,000gns 2yo '21 TATAHI). O-Ecurie Ama.Zing Team; B-Brittas House Stud (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Shane Crosse. €36,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $62,513. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lyrical Poetry (Ire), 128, f, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Luce (Ire), by Sadler's Wells.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Ballygallon Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Johnny Murtagh. €12,000.
3–Boundless Ocean (Ire), 131, c, 3, Teofilo (Ire)–Novel Approach (Ire), by New Approach (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€22,000 RNA Ylg '20 GOFOCT). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €6,000.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 1.75, 4.00, 2.75.
Also Ran: Seisai (Ire), Anchorage (Ire), Sussex, Manbehindthemoney (GB). Scratched: Global Energy (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas: Where Did They Come From?

The European champion 2-year-old of 2021, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is clearly the class act of the field as he bids to go one better than his runner-up finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Should he do so, he would give his trainer an unprecedented third European Guineas victory with three different horses in the same season. Also represented is last year's winning owner/breeder/trainer combination of Jim and Jackie Bolger, while, at 420,000gns, Amo Racing's Malex (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) was the most expensive of the field to have been sold at auction.

NATIVE TRAIL (GB), Oasis Dream (GB)–Needleleaf (GB) (Observatory)
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Le Haras d'Haspel
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Sales history: €50,000 Arqana December foal (Sam Sangster), 67,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale (Mags O'Toole/Oak Tree Farm), 210,000gns Tattersalls Crave Breeze-up Sale (Godolphin).
Pedigree notes: His unraced Juddmonte-bred dam is a sister to the top-class sprinter African Rose (GB) and Group 3-winning miler Helleborine (GB), both of whom are now stakes producers, the latter as the dam of Coolmore sire Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

ATOMIC JONES (FR), Wootton Bassett (GB)–Loyale (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire})
Owner: Beauty Stable
Breeder: Gestut Zur Kuste & Riviera Equine
Trainer: Ger Lyons
Sales history: €75,000 Arqana December foal (BBA Ireland), 95,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale (Gaelic Bloodstock).
Pedigree notes: His dam is a half-sister to four black-type performers from a Wildenstein family which has fared well on both sides of the Atlantic and includes the four-time Group 1 winner Bigstone (Ire) (Last Tycoon).

IVY LEAGUE (IRE), Galileo (Ire)–Timbuktu (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})
Owner: Westerberg, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith
Breeder: Coolmore
Trainer: Alan O'Brien
Pedigree notes: His full-brother Ontario (Ire) was runner-up in the G2 Royal Lodge S., while his dam is a half-sister to Chesham S. winner Tha'Ir (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and seven-furlong listed winner Flashing Colour (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}). The family traces back to the Meon Valley blue hen Reprocolor (GB), who is this colt's fourth dam.

BUCKAROO (GB), Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Roheryn (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Owner: Qatar Racing Ltd
Breeder: The Roheryn Partnership
Trainer: Joseph O'Brien
Pedigree notes: Dam Roheryn was a listed winner over 1 1/2 miles and is a daughter of the dual six-furlong Group 3 winner La Chunga (More Than Ready). Buckaroo's half-siblings by Kingman (GB) and Harbour Watch (Ire) have both won over 1 1/2 miles and one is a winning hurdler.

DUKE DE SESSA (IRE), Lope De Vega (Ire)–Dark Crusader (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire})
'TDN Rising Star'.
Owner/Breeder: Newtown Anner Stud
Trainer: Dermot Weld
Sales history: Bought back for €60,000 at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes: His dam was a Group 3-placed multiple winner over 1 3/8 miles to 1 3/4 miles and is a half-sister to the listed winner Naughty Or Nice (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}). Granddam Monty's Girl (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) is a three-parts-sister to the G2 King Edward VII S. and American Grade I winner Subtle Power (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

MALEX (GB), Kodiac (GB)–Trois Lunes (Fr) (Manduro {Ger})
Owner: Amo Racing Limited
Breeder: Haras de Saint Pair
Trainer: Michael O'Callaghan
Sales history: 420,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale.
Pedigree notes: A half-brother to Group 3 winner Trais Fluors (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), their dam won the nine-furlong G3 Prix Vanteaux and is out of the listed-winning miler Trip To The Moon (GB) (Fasliyev).

NEW ENERGY (IRE), New Bay (GB)–For Joy (GB) (Singspiel {Ire})
'TDN Rising Star'.
Owner: John Lavery
Breeder: Anne Hallinan & John O'Connor
Trainer: Sheila Lavery
Sales history: £65,000 Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale (Durcan Bloodstock/Sheila Lavery).
Pedigree notes: His half-sister Victoria Regina (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) won an Italian Group 3 over a mile, and their dam is a sister to the G3 Henry II S. winner Gloomy Sunday (Fr) and G3 Autumn S. winner Abjer (Fr).

WEXFORD NATIVE (IRE), Teofilo (Ire)–Yes Oh Yes (Gone West)
'TDN Rising Star'.
Owner: Jackie Bolger
Breeder/Trainer: Jim Bolger
Pedigree notes: Full-brother Theodorico (Ire) is a four-time winner over seven furlongs and their unraced dam is a half-sister to Aaroness (Distorted Humor), who was fourth in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Yes Oh Yes has also produced the six-furlong Naas maiden winner Western Dawn (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).

IMPERIAL FIGHTER (IRE), The Gurkha (Ire)–Endure (Ire) (Green Desert)
Owner: Michael Blencowe
Breeder: Lynn Lodge Stud
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Sales history: £30,000 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale (held in the UK, private sale to Andrew Balding).
Pedigree notes: Half-brother Bunker (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) won the Listed Prix Francois Boutin, beating future GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein), and he is one of nine winners and three black-type performers for their twice-raced dam, who has three listed-winning half-siblings, all by Alzao.

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Prendergast keen to keep going after Shadwell boost

Less than a fortnight after it was announced that legendary trainer Kevin Prendergast would remain on the Shadwell roster, the 89-year-old operator confirmed that he was not the retiring kind and spoke for the first time since Hamdan Al Maktoum's passing about his long and successful relationship with the hugely influential owner.

The Shadwell operation has been winding down gradually since Hamdan Al Maktoum passed away just over a year ago and, while major operators like Dermot Weld and Sir Michael Stoute will no longer train any of the horses on what has now become a much-reduced string, Prendergast has spoken of what it means to him to have been left on the training roster. Mark and Charlie Johnston, Ed Dunlop, Brian Meehan and Freddy Head were also axed during the restructuring process.

While Prendergast did not receive any Shadwell 2-year-olds this year, he will train up to five older horses for the team, along with roughly ten others for different owners, which according to the multiple Classic-winning trainer, is just enough to keep things ticking over.
“We only have 15 horses for the season, that's all, but we've enough,” Prendergast said. “We have had a good innings and we'll keep going until the man upstairs calls it all to a halt.”

Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) sent the Curragh into a tizzy when carrying the famous blue and white silks of Shadwell to victory in that memorable Irish 2,000 Guineas of 2016 and that, along with the gallant effort of Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) to finish second in the 2019 Derby, were put forward as the highlights by Prendergast in a relationship that spanned over three decades.

“We were together for over 30 years,” Prendergast said. “We had some great days. We won an Irish Guineas together with Awtaad and were probably a bit unlucky not to win the Derby with Madhmoon. They were the highlights but we had a long and successful relationship together-a lot of great days.

“It was disappointing that Madhmoon got a little setback after finishing second in the Derby. I had a lot of Group and Listed winners for him but, to be second in a Derby and to win an Irish Guineas, they were the highlights.

“He didn't go racing in Ireland, which was a pity, but he used to visit the yard two or three times a year. I don't think he came racing in Ireland for the past 20 years before he died.”

Prendergast added, “He was a proper gentleman. He was extremely modest, very easy to work for and he took the good news and the bad news just the same. If something went wrong, he just moved on from it and was very forgiving and appreciative of all the work everyone did.
“As he said himself, the good days were better than the bad days, but the bad days were made easier when you had him in your corner.”

Prendergast has yet to send out a winner from just 12 runners this season but has a number of entries over the coming days, including the 103-rated and Shadwell-owned Monaasib (GB) (Bobby's Kitten). Regardless of how this season goes, the trainer, who will be forever remembered for managing the career of the 1977 Guineas winner Nebbiolo (GB) (Yellow Gold {GB}) and many others, believes the last of his Shadwell string will leave his Friarstown base by the end of the campaign.

“I was the first trainer in Ireland to train for Hamdan Al Maktoum,” he reflected. “Dermot Weld got some horses more recently and, when they didn't have enough horses to go around, I was left with the horses that I had, which was very good.

“Most of them were sold off, but we were left with four or five and, by the end of this season I would imagine that they will be weeded out as well. We didn't get any two-year-olds.”

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Cotter: ‘Ascot-Bound Matilda Picotte Not For Sale At Any Price’

No amount of money will persuade the owners of impressive Curragh maiden winner Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) to give up on their dream of walking into the winner's enclosure at Royal Ascot, according to the filly's trainer Kieran Cotter, who said “everyone wants a slice” of the Queen Mary-bound speedster.

Matilda Picotte maintained the flying start of Coolmore's first-season sire Sioux Nation by making all to score on debut at the Curragh on Monday and, in doing so, she landed some hefty wagers.

The owners of the filly are not for selling, with Cotter revealing a number of potential suitors have already been turned away, and connections of Matilda Picotte are now keen to roll the dice with the classy prospect.

Cotter explained, “The phone has been hopping mad since Monday. Everyone is looking for a slice of her but she's not for sale at this point at least. The lads are going to sit quiet. There are a few lads involved in her so, if they were to sell her now, she would make a lot of money but, by the time you divided it all up, it wouldn't be a life-changing amount for everyone involved.

“As well as that, there a couple of lads involved who have had no luck with horses for years so, now that they have found one who is potentially smart enough to take them to Royal Ascot, they are prepared to roll the dice. This is the first turn they are after getting out of horses so I would say that they are in no hurry to cash in.”

Matilda Picotte is the fourth horse by Sioux Nation to have won its maiden at the first time of asking and it didn't come as a surprise to those closest to the filly given they backed her from odds as big as 40-1 down to a starting price of just 8-1.

Cotter said, “When you go to a Curragh maiden first time out, you know that you could bump into anything, but we thought it would take a very smart horse to beat her. She opened up at 40-1 and we backed her into 5-1 before she went back out to 8-1 on the off. We had a few quid on but, in hindsight, we should have had more on.”

He added, “Jim Ryan bred the filly and it was a bit of a coincidence that her half-sister Ginsburg (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) won an apprentices' handicap on the same day. She was working really well about a month ago and we said, half jokingly, Queen Mary here we come-we're going to Royal Ascot. Now it looks like it could be a reality.”

Before then, Matilda Picotte could be aimed at the Marble Hill S. at the Curragh on May 21, with Cotter making the wider point that these big-race ambitions wouldn't be possible if he were training over jumps in Ireland.

He explained, “We will go for the Marble Hill S. at the Curragh next and then hopefully it will be all systems go for Royal Ascot. The dream is alive.

“It's easier to get a good horse on the Flat in Ireland as the jumps is just monopolised by a handful of trainers. It's probably even more financially viable for owners to go and buy a horse on the Flat as well because there is a much quicker turnaround.”

He added, “None of our horses cost more than €20,000 or €30,000. You wouldn't get a third grade jumps horse at the store sales for that sort of money.”

“We've six 2-year-olds, two of which have won already, and with a bit of luck we'll have another few juvenile winners because they are a nice bunch. Most of our winners are in the speed category-five or six furlongs.”

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