Auguste Rodin Heads Betfred Derby 14, Marhaba Ya Sanafi One Of Prix du Jockey Club 11

Following a draw conducted live in Epsom's hallowed circle, a final field of 14 has been confirmed for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby. Ballydoyle number one Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has pulled “lucky” stall 10, still the most beneficial draw in Derby history having housed Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Galileo (Ire), Sir Percy (GB), Ruler of the World (Ire) and Masar (Ire). Chief market rival Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will exit from next door in nine, while leading contenders Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) and White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) have drawn boxes seven and two respectively.

Meanwhile, in France, a final field of 11 has been declared for Sunday's €1,500,000 G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. The cast is headed by Jaber Abdullah's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who has drawn post four. TDN Rising Star and supplementary entry Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has been allocated stall six. There was good news for connections of likely favourite Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), with Yeguada Centurion's homebred sensation drawn in two.

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Churchill’s The Foxes Best In The Dante

There was as much uncertainty as to what would start favourite for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. than what would emerge on top in York's time-honoured Derby trial, but in the end it was one of the benchmark horses The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}–Tanaghum {GB}, by Darshaan {GB}) who held the bragging rights. King Power Racing's G2 Royal Lodge S. winner had been undone by Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket last month but appreciated this step up to an extended 10 furlongs and travelled sweetly under cover on the rail for Oisin Murphy throughout the early stages. Arriving on the front end passing the furlong pole, the Andrew Balding-trained 6-1 shot veered right but held the slow-starting White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) to score by a neck, with 1 1/4 lengths back to the slightly unlucky 9-2 market-leader Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) and Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) who shared third.

“He did a bit of meandering across the track, but he's a very good horse and it looked a deep Dante,” Balding said. “He's very professional, he was the most beautiful yearling and he's been a star to train so far. You'd have to think Epsom is the next step as long as you take the usual caveats into account, it comes close enough for example, but if he comes out of it well I think we'd have to give it a go. I think the main thing is he'd give himself every chance of staying because of his demeanour.”

The Foxes, whose juvenile form also included a maiden win at tricky Goodwood, has his trainer full of hope heading to the Blue Riband. “We've gone close in the Derby a few times, but I think he'd be the best chance we've had going there as both [runners-up] Hoo Ya Mal and Khalifa Sat were big prices,” he added. “His half-brother Bangkok went there after winning this well-fancied, but he ran poorly. We always thought he'd stay, but he was a real 10-furlong horse. I think he'll stay, as his dam got a mile and a half well.”

John Murphy's son and assistant George said of the G3 Ballysax S. winner White Birch, who was compromised by missing the break, “He ran a super race, quickened up really well and just bumped into one on the day, but we couldn't be happier with the run. He's a super mover and a big, powerful horse–ground doesn't seem to bother him. We'll take him home and see how he comes out of it, but I think he's more entitled to take his chance in the Derby now. If the owners are happy to go there and he comes out of it well, I think he definitely deserves a crack at it.”

Also set for Epsom is the unexposed Wood Ditton winner Passenger, who was stopped in his run inside the final two furlongs. After jockey Richard Kingscote stated, “It was my fault, I couldn't get him a run. It's very frustrating,” Sir Michael Stoute's assistant James Savage added, “It was a bit of a hard-luck story. He was in the stalls a long time, he jumped well and did everything brilliantly for a horse having only his second start after running on a straight mile at Newmarket. There are a lot of positives to be taken out of the race. It didn't happen for Richard up the straight, but that's just one of those things.”

The Niarchos Family's racing manager Alan Cooper also said of the third, who was the subject of a significant late gamble and who would need to be supplemented for the Derby at a cost of £85,000, “He's shown that he's a good horse on only his second start. Let's regroup. The family will follow Sir Michael's advice.”

Pedigree Notes
The Foxes is one of six black-type winners for Tanaghum including the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 scorer Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass), the aforementioned G2 York S. winner Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the G3 Curragh Cup winner Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells). She is also the second dam of the four-times group 1-winning star miler and sire Ribchester (Ire), last year's G2 Vintage S. scorer Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the G3 Ballycorus S. winner Convergence (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}).

Tanaghum is out of Mehthaaf (Nureyev), who captured the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and is kin to Danzig's G1 July Cup hero and sire Elnadim and the Lyphard mare Only Seule, who went on to prove an important broodmare for the Wertheimers by producing the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and G1 Prix de la Foret heroine Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}) whose own progeny list is headed by the GI Arlington Million hero Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and who is the second dam of Galileo's G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning sire Intello (Ger). Tanaghum's yearling is a full-sister to The Foxes.

Thursday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE S.-G2, £192,250, York, 5-18, 3yo, 10f 56yT, 2:05.84, g/f.
1–THE FOXES (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Tanaghum (GB) (SP-Eng), by Darshaan (GB)
2nd Dam: Mehthaaf, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Elle Seule, by Exclusive Native
(440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £109,025. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, $253,979. *Full to Perotan (Ire), SW-Ire; and 1/2 to Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass), G1SW-UAE, SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Ire, $780,089; Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}), MGSW-Eng, SP-Qat, $926,107; Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells), GSW-Ire, SW & GSP-Eng, $142,213; Yaazy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Fr; and Zahoo (Ire) (Nayef), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–White Birch (GB), 128, c, 3, Ulysses (Ire)–Diagnostic (GB), by Dutch Art (GB). (75,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 48,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-John Joseph Murphy. £41,334.
3(DH)–Continuous (Jpn), 128, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Fluff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (JPN); T-Aidan O'Brien. £20,686.
3(DH)–Passenger, 128, c, 3, Ulysses (Ire)–Dilmun, by War Front1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; B-Flaxman Holdings Ltd (KY); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £20,686.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, DHT. Odds: 6.00, 9.00, 6.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Epictetus (Ire), Killybegs Warrior (Ire), Liberty Lane (Ire), Dear My Friend (GB). Scratched: King Of Steel.

 

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Kodiac’s Indestructible Continues Amo’s Flying Start In The Craven

Beaten twice by Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at two but evidently unbowed, the aptly-named Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}–Shareva {Ire}, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) marked his debut for the Karl Burke stable with a win in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. to continue Amo Racing's strong start to the current campaign on Thursday. Able to get into some kind of fight with Andrew Balding's leading 2000 Guineas hope in York's G3 Acomb S., he was put in his place when last seen in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster in September but re-emerged to underline the strength of that peer and further his own case for the imminent course-and-distance Classic.

Keen early for Kevin Stott, the 8-1 shot who was trained by Michael O'Callaghan as a juvenile pulled his way to the front after the first two furlongs with another Balding runner in The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) tracking his every move away from the remainder. Tackled by that G2 Royal Lodge S. winner heading towards the dip, the bay pulled out more to gain the upper hand in the last 150 yards and score by 1 1/4 lengths, with Dancing Magic (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths further behind in third and Godolphin's 15-8 favourite Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) a disappointing last of the seven.

“This is a lovely, scopey horse,” Burke said. “I got a phone call just before Christmas asking if we'd take him and I'm not going to turn down horses like him. We had a couple of niggles with him physically after he arrived, nothing major, but because of those niggles I'm sure he's having a good blow today and he'll improve. I'd say I'd have to fight Kia [Joorabchian] now not to come back here in two weeks' time. He deserves his chance, I'm sure.”

King Power's racing manager Alistair Donald said of The Foxes, “This was always going to be a prep for the Dante and the Derby is the main focus. Today he's travelled great, looked like he was going to win the race and just got tired. I think he was a bit lonely out in front there as well. It's quite exciting and we're perfectly on track for the plan.”

Pedigree Notes

Indestructible's dam Shareva was a fairly fast maiden herself, although her Aga Khan family offers the usual element of stamina to complement the speed influence of Kodiac. She is a daughter of Shareen (Ire) (Bahri), who was successful in the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. before producing the dual G2 Blandford S. scorer Shamreen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who is in turn the dam of last year's G2 Railway S. winner and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Phoenix S. third Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Shareva, who is also a half to the G3 Singspiel S. scorer Shahroze (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), has a 2-year-old full-sister to the winner who was sold for 320,000gns to Cheveley Park Stud at the Book 2 Sale and is now named Summit (Ire), while her yearling filly is by Ghaiyyath (Ire).

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 CRAVEN S.-G3, £80,000, Newmarket, 4-20, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:39.78, gd.
1–INDESTRUCTIBLE (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
                1st Dam: Shareva (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Shareen (Ire), by Bahri
                3rd Dam: Sharesha (Ire), by Ashkalani (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (55,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT; €150,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Amo Racing Limited; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Kevin Stott. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $135,087. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Foxes (Ire), 128, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £17,200.
3–Dancing Magic (Ire), 128, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Poisson d'Or (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire).
1ST GROUP TYPE. O-Fishdance Ltd; B-Fishdance (IRE); T-Roger Teal. £8,608.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 8.00, 2.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Ancestral Land (GB), Mostabshir (GB), Mr Mistoffelees (Ire), Mysterious Night (Ire). Scratched: Naval Power (GB). VIDEO.

 

 

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 CRAVEN S.-G3, £80,000, Newmarket, 4-20, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:39.78, gd.
1–INDESTRUCTIBLE (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
     1st Dam: Shareva (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Shareen (Ire), by Bahri
     3rd Dam: Sharesha (Ire), by Ashkalani (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (55,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT; €150,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Amo Racing Limited; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Kevin Stott. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $135,087. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Foxes (Ire), 128, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £17,200.
3–Dancing Magic (Ire), 128, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Poisson d'Or (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire).
1ST GROUP TYPE. O-Fishdance Ltd; B-Fishdance (IRE); T-Roger Teal. £8,608.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 8.00, 2.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Ancestral Land (GB), Mostabshir (GB), Mr Mistoffelees (Ire), Mysterious Night (Ire). Scratched: Naval Power (GB).

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Aidan O’Brien Dominates Derby Nominations At Latest Entry Stage

After the Mar. 7 scratching stage, 83 horses remain signed on for the 2023 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3. Worth £1.5 million, the 1 1/2-mile contest is the richest race in Britain.

Of the 83, 45 are trained in Ireland and of that number, a colossal 31 are trained by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien for various Coolmore partnerships. Top of the heap are Deep Impact (Jpn)'s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy hero Auguste Rodin (Jpn) and the late Shadai kingpin's son's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). The last-named won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in November. The winning duo of Alfred Munnings (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are other potential Classic stars-in-waiting.

O'Brien's sons, Joseph and Donnacha, field eight between them, led by Group 1 winners Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for the latter, and Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for the former.

There are also three chances for His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort to scoop the Blue Riband this year, with the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas-nominated winner Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) trained by John and Thady Gosden, the William Haggas-trained group-placed Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the winning Sir Michael Stoute charge Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}) all nominated. Stoute claimed the 2022 Derby with Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), and he also entered Crystal Mariner (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Robert Ng.

The Gosdens have the largest UK Derby arsenal with 15 colts nominated. Anchoring their brigade is George Strawbridge's 'TDN Rising Star' Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who was second in the Vertem Futurity Trophy S. behind the aforementioned Auguste Rodin.

Of Andrew Balding's quartet, three bear the colours of King Power Racing led by G2 Royal Lodge S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

The second entry stage is set for Tuesday, Apr. 4.

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