The Weekly Wrap | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekly Wrap: A Legend Departs

One horse overshadowed all other news items of the past week as the bloodstock world came to terms with the death of Galileo (Ire) at the age of 23.

Fulsome tributes have been paid to him from across the globe with the overwhelming feeling being that we will never see his like again. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that many of us felt the same when his own extraordinary sire Sadler's Wells died 10 years ago. That colossus of the breeding world appeared in the third or fourth generation of four group winners at Newmarket's July meeting–Starman (GB), Snow Lantern (GB), Sir Ron Priestley (GB) and Sandrine (GB). That's just a snapshot of course, but it is indicative of how Sadler's Wells still shapes the modern-day Thoroughbred even a decade after his death, and often through that most effective of conduits, Galileo. The same will be true of Galileo in the decades to come.

As the suffixes of the above-named horses show, British breeders enjoyed a good week in Newmarket, with both Group 1 races falling to relatively small operations. David Ward's pride and joy Starman, a son of Dutch Art (GB), gave his breeder deserved compensation for having to miss Royal Ascot with both his intended Group 1 starters when the weather turned foul.

When interviewed by TDN in May, Ward outlined his hopes for a future stud career for the Ed Walker-trained Starman, whose sole defeat in six starts came in very soft ground on Champions Day last year. Swerving that soft ground again at the Royal Meeting was understandable, and Starman now has the Darley July Cup on his CV along with the G2 Duke Of York S.

Snow Lantern, who became the fifth Group 1 winner this year for Frankel (GB) when winning the Falmouth S., compensated for the narrow defeat in the same race as her Classic-winning mother Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) and become the first top-level winner for Ben and Martha Keswick's Rockliffe Stud. The Gloucestershire farm is home to their nine broodmares and Snow Lantern will presumably eventually return there herself, through encouragingly the Keswicks have expressed a wish for the loose-moving grey to race on at four.

The two Group 1 winners at the July meeting are also a feather in the cap of Ed Sackville, who is the bloodstock advisor for both Rockliffe Stud and David Ward, who keeps his mares at Whatton Manor Stud.

Bobby's Girl

The smartest of the juvenile fillies at this stage of the season is certainly Kirsten Rausing's homebred Sandrine (GB), who represents the fourth generation of Lanwades' Sushila (Ire) family. Just as the unbeaten Sandrine–who added the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S to her victory in the Group 3 win at Royal Ascot–is helping to raise the profile of her young sire Bobby's Kitten, so did Sushila's son Petoski (GB) for his sire Niniski.

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner of 1985, Petoski was a member of the first crop of Niniski, the first stallion stood by Rausing after her purchase of Lanwades Stud in 1980. Petoski's victory in the G2 Vintage S., along with the success of that season's champion 2-year-old Kala Dancer (GB), helped Niniski–winner of the Irish St Leger and Prix Royal-Oak–on his way to becoming the champion first-season sire of 1984. He was later succeeded at Lanwades by his Classic-winning son Hernando (Fr).

It would be fair to say that Rausing wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to her own stallions and, in a terrific season for runners bearing her famous white-and-green-hooped colours, it is a good bet that none has given her more satisfaction than Sandrine, who at this early stage is the ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas.

Her victory continued a real purple patch for Rausing, who the previous weekend had celebrated the success of Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G2 Lancashire Oaks. Rausing's most recent Group 1 victory came with Madame Chiang (GB) (Archipenko) in the British Champions Fillies & Mares S., and it would be no surprise to see Sandrine or Alpinista add to that tally before long.

Andrew Balding, who is also enjoying a fine season, indicated that he would like to give Sandrine a brief spell before tackling the G1 Cheveley Park S., a race the trainer won last year with Jeff Smith's Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never).

The latter, who has gone on to win the G1 Coronation S. this season, had to settle for third in the Falmouth behind Snow Lantern, but Smith's colours were spotted in the winner's enclosure on the July Course aboard Frankella (GB), the second foal of his talented but tiny G1 Juddmonte International winner Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

The maiden win for the juvenile filly was another example of Frankel working well with a Dubawi mare. The same cross has been season this season in Derby winner Adayar (Ire) and listed winner Mostahdaf (Ire), as well as Frankella's full-brother Spirit Mixer (GB). The 2019 G1 Jebel Hatta winner Dream Castle is also by Frankel and out of Dubawi's Group 2-winning daughter Sand Vixen (GB).

Brothers In Command

The draft of Shadwell fillies, mares and horses in training accounted for almost a sixth of the turnover at a very strong edition of the Tattersalls July Sale last week, and runners bred by the late Sheikh Hamdan also fared well on the track.

Vying for leading honours were the full-brothers Hukum (Ire) and Baaeed (GB), sons of Sea The Stars (Ire) and the listed winner Aghareed (Kingmambo) trained respectively by Owen Burrows and William Haggas.

Hukum, now four, was a star for Burrows last season, winning the King George V S. at Royal Ascot before landing the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. and finishing fifth in the St Leger. He has continued in similar vein this year with a listed win at Goodwood in May and now his second group win in York's John Smith's Silver Cup.

This came two days after his year-younger sibling Baaeed remained unbeaten when posting one of the most visually impressive wins of the meeting at Newmarket in the listed Sir Henry Cecil S. Baaeed looks capable of contesting bigger and better targets, and though his three wins have all come at a mile, he should be effective over further. His dam won the listed Prix de Liancourt over 10 furlongs for John Hammond, and she is out of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), herself a great grand-daughter of Height Of Fashion.

Another mare in line for top broodmare honours this year is Susan Hearn's Reckoning (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), though there were mixed fortunes for her two star offspring last week.

On the day that Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}) posted his third stakes win of the season after returning from a 571-day absence, it was revealed that his half-brother, the impressive Ascot Gold Cup winner Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), has suffered a leg injury and has been ruled out of running again this season, if not for good.

That regrettable news, particularly for Subjectivist's owner Dr Jim Walker, was partially softened by the latest hard-earned success of Paul Dean's Sir Ron Priestley, who ground out his second Group 2 win in the Princess of Wales's S. in utterly determined fashion over the strongly backed Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). We may see him next in the King George unless he is supplemented to take his brother's place in the Goodwood Cup.

Ireland On Tour

Aidan O'Brien would certainly have preferred to see Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) notch a double at Epsom, but instead their Derby and Oaks wins came in the New York version, with Ryan Moore in the saddle for both Grade 1 victories at Belmont Park. Santa Barbara's win is particularly noteworthy as she becomes the third consecutive Group/Grade 1 winner for her dam Senta's Dream (GB) (Danehill) after Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

The overseas runners from Ireland were rampant at the weekend with Ken Condon taking another Group 1 at Deauville in the Prix Jean Prat with Laws Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), who finished just a head in front of the Joseph O'Brien-trained Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). The latter, like Santa Barbara, was bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading.

They were backed up by the victory of the Jessica Harrington runner Loch Lein (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a homebred for Denis and Joan Brosnan of Crooom House Stud, in the listed Prix Amandine.

Laws Of Indices may well go down as the bargain buy of the year, though he has a rival in that department in Helvic Dream (Ire), who less than two months ago became the first Group 1 winner for their sire Power when defeating Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Helvic Dream was a €12,000 Tattersalls Ireland September yearling bought by Peter Nolan, while Laws Of Indices was bought for €8,000 by Dermot Farrington at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale.

Laws Of Indices had already proved himself a talented individual last season when beating Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to win the G2 Railway S. He is a fine advertisement for the ability of his trainer who also sent out last year's G2 Lowther S. winner Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}). The filly was another value buy as a £7,500 Ascot yearling after selling for just €1,000 as a foal.

They followed the 2019 G1 Prix Jacques le Marois victory of the Condon-trained Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who has just completed his first season at Haras de Bouquetot.

It was also a good week for Power's sire Oasis Dream (GB), who was represented by the winner of the G2 Superlative S., Native Trail (GB). The colt had been a decent pinhook by Norman Williamson, who bought him for 67,000gns through Mags O'Toole at Book 1 and resold him at Tattersalls in April at the Craven Breeze-up sale for 210,000gns to Godolphin. Native Trail, who is unbeaten in two starts, became the fourth winner of the Superlative S. For Charlie Appleby in the last six years following Boynton (GB), Quorto (Ire) and Master Of The Seas (Ire).

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The Weekly Wrap: Full Mark’s For Top Colt

A fortnight to go, apparently, until England casts aside all restrictions following the 16-month weirdness of the pandemic era. 'Freedom day', as it has been dubbed by those of Boris Johnson's government who are not currently serving time on the naughty step, has unfortunately not come in time for the regular 'July week' festivities in Newmarket. There will be racing with a reduced crowd and a sale taking place pretty much as normal, but without any of the parties and stallion parades that have become the staple of the town's midsummer highlight. As long as there's still an ice-cream stall at Tattersalls this week the bloodstock press bench will be happy.

It is fervently hoped that Ireland is granted similar freedom by its government before too long, for in our own small world the ongoing uncertainty regarding dates and locations of the yearling sales, in particular the Orby, is not helpful at all. The conflicting press releases of last week first clarified then muddied the situation and as much as it provides ongoing headaches for the sales companies, it can also be no fun for the consignors currently trying to line up staff for the season.

The past week's highlight came of course in the Coral-Eclipse, courtesy of the increasingly admirable St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Last season's champion 2-year-old and the second Classic winner bred by Bob Scarborough from the Galileo (Ire) mare Cabaret (Ire), the colt was apparently oblivious to the lofty, globetrotting reputations of Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) as he strode past them up the Sandown hill. A potential rematch in the Juddmonte International is a thrilling prospect, as is the potential battle between Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the Sussex S.

It seems crazy to think that up until this weekend there had been the pervading feeling that Aidan O'Brien was having something of a quiet season. He had by that stage won six European Classics, which is hardly slacking, but the overturning of talking horses High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the latter managing just seventh in the Derby as the lone Ballydoyle runner, exacerbated that impression.

We've come to expect the Ballydoyle colts to dominate, but so far this year the stable has been largely carried by the fillies. Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) made a sensational belated return at Royal Ascot and she is backed up by a strong Classic generation that includes the mightily impressive Oaks winner Snowfall (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), English and Irish 1000 Guineas winners Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and Prix de Diane heroine Joan Of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

That is, of course, apart from St Mark's Basilica, who emulated Shamardal, Lope De Vega (Ire) and Brametot (Ire) in winning both the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club since the latter was reduced in distance to 10.5 furlongs in 2005. Beating a pair of seasoned older horses, even in a small field for the Eclipse, puts him to the head of his generation for now, until we see how Poetic Flare fares at Goodwood and Adayar at Ascot, in what could be a King George for the ages.

Also of significance for St Mark's Basilica, whose future lies at Coolmore, will be the early stud careers of his aforementioned half-brother and of Sottsass (Fr), who is bred on the same Siyouni-Galileo cross.

Sweeping The Board

In the mix for the King George among the older brigade is the quiet achiever Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who secured a memorable international Group 1 double for Aidan O'Brien over the weekend when landing the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The 5-year-old, who became his sire's fourth Group 1 winner, has been a model of consistency this year, winning at each stakes level up to Group 1 since the opening day of the season, as well as being beaten a short-head when second in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and finishing runner-up to Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot.

While Australia's season is gathering a head of steam, credit must also be given to Broome's dam Sweepstake (Ire), who was a member of the first crop of Acclamation (GB) and became his second black-type winner in a matter of days when landing the listed National S at Sandown in May 2007.

Though she visited Galileo in 2012, her best results to date have come from her two matings with his son Australia, with Broome's full-brother Point Lonsdale (Ire) adding further lustre to the family by winning the listed Chesham S. The 2-year-old is also the most expensive of her yearlings to have passed through the sales. He was bought at Book 1 last year for 575,000gns, while the mare's 3-year-old Malathaat (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was a €500,000 purchase by Shadwell from breeder Croom House Stud at the previous year's Orby Sale.

Acclamation's first crop also included Dark Angel (Ire), who became his first group winner and has done more to enhance the line than any of his paternal half-brothers–though he may yet be challenged for that accolade by Mehmas (Ire).

While his male line is thriving, Acclamation is also enjoying a decent season as a broodmare sire. In this field he had three winners at Royal Ascot, with Point Lonsdale being joined by Perotto (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}), who is to be supplemented for Saturday's G1 Darley July Cup.

High On The Hill

The weekend's results also provided the second stakes winner of the season–in fact, in eight days–for Tiana (GB) (Diktat {GB}), the pride of Fiona and Mick Denniff's broodmare band.

Racing in Fiona's own colours, Tiana's 3-year-old daughter Auria (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) landed the listed Coral Distaff at Sandown the Saturday after her elder half-sister Chil Chil (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) had won the G3 Chipchase S. The latter will line up again this coming Saturday in the July Cup.

The pair are the second and third stakes winners for their dam following the hugely talented Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who notched five Group 2 wins as well as a Group 3 and listed success among his nine victories for Andrew Balding. He was also an important first group winner for his late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha of King Power Racing, who was then emboldened to give 500,000gns for Chil Chil at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Tiana was herself also bred by Denniff from the second mare she purchased, Hill Welcome (GB), back in 2001. The daughter of Most Welcome (GB) was bought as a 3-year-old at Doncaster having placed just once in seven starts for Barry Hills. Despite an underwhelming race record, she owned a decent pedigree as a half-sister to the G1 Middle Park S. winner Stalker (GB) (Kala Shikari {Fr}), but she was overlooked at the sale by all bar Denniff, who picked her up for just 3,000gns. The breeder will undoubtedly view that sum as money very well spent.

Hill Welcome went on to produce 10 winners from her 12 foals, with the Oh So Sharp S.-placed Tiana being one of three black-type performers along with the G3 Molecomb S. runner-up Mary Read (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and the 103-rated Aboyne N Beyond (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

Tiana is not the only daughter to have established her own successful branch at the Denniffs' Nottinghamshire farm as Mary Read's treble-winning daughter Dubai Bounty (GB) (Dubai Destination) is the dam of the late Kachy (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), whose nine wins included the G3 Molecomb S.

Now a black-type winner herself, Auria will be an exciting returnee to Denniff Farms eventually, but her next task looks likely to be the G3 Atalanta S. back at Sandown in August.

Tiana's current 2-year-old by Dubawi (Ire) could broaden the family's success as she is now in America having been bought last October by Mike Ryan. The agent is pleased with her progress and told TDN that she has been given some time to mature before she heads into training this autumn, most likely with Chad Brown.

Breakthrough Success For Isfahan

Sisfahan (Fr) may have been bred in France but he brought about a notable breakthrough for his German-based sire Isfahan (Ger) when emulating his father by winning the G1 Deutsches Derby on Sunday.

It was not only an important first-crop Classic winner for the Gestut Ohlerweierhof stallion but it also makes Isfahan the only one of the second-crop sires in Europe to have been represented by a Group 1 winner this season. Of that group, Mehmas was the only sire to achieve that feat last year.

Isfahan was bought by Holger Faust for owner Stefan Oschmann's Darius Racing for €35,000 at the BBAG Yearling Sale of 2014 and, following a racing career which saw him win the German Derby, G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Preis der Winterfavoriten, he was retired to stud by the owner. Oschmann has supported Isfahan not just with his own mares but also at the sales, and was last year rewarded with the stallion's first group winner, Isfahani (Ger), who landed the G3 Premio Guido Berardelli in Rome on debut.

Isfahan was the second-busiest stallion after Soldier Hollow (GB) in his first year at stud, but German covering numbers are significantly lower than those recorded by some stallions in Britain, Ireland and France. He covered 67 mares in 2018, followed by 46, then 35 in 2020.

Sisfahan, who is the first winner of Germany's most prized race for the country's champion trainer Henk Grewe, is also yet another feather in the cap of Guy Pariente's Haras de Colleville. Pariente is currently the leading breeder in France–ahead of such luminaries as Wertheimer & Frere and the Aga Khan–and so much of his success rests on his stallion Kendargent (Fr), the broodmare sire of Sisfahan.

Now 18, it is perhaps remarkable that Kendargent only notched a first Group 1 winner this season with Skalleti (Fr), who was also bred by Pariente, as was his Group 2-winning brother Skazino (Fr).

He had, however, already been represented with a top-flight winner as a broodmare sire when Sealiway (Fr) won last season's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. That result was doubly pleasing for Pariente as not only was the colt another Haras de Coleville graduate but he is by Kendargent's young stud-mate Galiway (GB).

In France this season, Pariente has already celebrated 38 wins from 65 starters bred at his Normandy farm, which has now also supplied the toast of Germany.

The post The Weekly Wrap: Full Mark’s For Top Colt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Weekly Wrap: Happy and Glorious

On each day of Royal Ascot, there was at least one result truly to savour, if not more. Moreover, the meeting in its entirety felt at last like a return to some sort of normality. Even the British weather played its typically quirky part: boiling one day, rain of biblical proportions the next.

One regrettable absence was the buzz of the crowd. The maximum number of 12,000 attendees per day is of course low by usual standards. With the late announcement that even this number would be permitted, not to mention the complications surrounding Covid-testing, it is perhaps no surprise that there was not a capacity crowd, but those who opted not to go missed out on an extremely special occasion.

One of the relatively few international visitors, Mariam Zerehi, the Californian part-owner of the G2 Queen Mary S. winner Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), perhaps summed it up best when she said, “We had Sharing last year in the Coronation Stakes and she placed second but none of us were able to be here to witness that so I am just happy to be here.

“This is a really big moment because we are in a very different place today than we were just a year ago. I think this Royal Ascot represents a lot of hope and optimism that we are all moving in the right direction, so that's special to be a part of–it's not just an ordinary Ascot for me.”

Indeed, ordinary it was not. For a start, Her Majesty the Queen did not make an appearance at her own racecourse until Saturday, but when she finally arrived–by car this time, rather than horse-drawn carriage–the reception she was given was properly rousing even with fewer people on course on normal. And after all, there can be no party without the host, especially one who has done more than most to ensure that Britain retains its reputation as the foremost racing nation, even though it is very much now a pauper compared to some of its ostentatiously rich neighbours.

Honours Even

There was a pleasingly egalitarian feel to the results of the week. The eight Group 1 contests went to eight different trainers, with John and Thady Gosden setting the tone in the first race of the meeting with a victory for the world's current top-rated horse, Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). The Gosdens would end the week as leading trainers–the first time that accolade has gone to a partnership but surely not the last. Their four winners equalled the tally of Andrew Balding but the Gosdens secured the title on countback for placed horses.

Balding and the Kingsclere team can look back on the week with immense satisfaction, however. As well as the victory of Alcohol Free (No Nay Never) in the G1 Coronation S there were two juvenile group-race winners in Berkshire Shadow (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Sandrine (GB). The latter provided a first group success for her sire Bobby's Kitten and the first winner at the Royal Meeting for her owner/breeder Kirsten Rausing, who also stands the stallion and has nurtured Sandrine's family for five generations since her purchase of the filly's fourth dam Sushila (Ire) (Petingo {GB}) in 1976.

It was particularly enjoyable to see Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) bounce back to form for Roger Teal, just as it was pleasing to see Sir Michael Stoute back in the winner's enclosure after a Group 1 race with the 7-year-old Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead), who had been beaten a head in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. in the past two seasons.

Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) continued Wesley Ward's love affair with Royal Ascot, albeit only after a fairly lengthy stewards' enquiry following interference from first-past-the-post Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}). The eventual winner continued an excellent season for her breeder Tally-Ho Stud, which also bred the G2 Norfolk S. winner Perfect Power (Ire), as well as his first-season sire Ardad (Ire), who, like Campanelle, is by their resident stallion Kodiac.

Without doubt, however, breeder of the season at this stage–and it's hard to see him being beaten–is Jim Bolger. Poetic Flare (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) may have won the Guineas by a short-head and lost the Irish Guineas by a short-head to his stable-mate Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) either side of his comparatively lacklustre French Guineas attempt, but his victory in the St James's Palace S. was nothing short of emphatic.

It is still rather extraordinary to think that we first saw Poetic Flare in public when he won the first 2-year-old race of the season in Ireland in 2020. This was also the final meeting before Irish racing went behind closed doors, and that is where it has remained. Fortunately, this brilliant colt has been tested far and wide beyond his own shores by his trainer/breeder who had the sense to know when to back off last season when Poetic Flare went through a growing spell. After winning his maiden on Mar. 23 we didn't see him again until the G1 Dewhurst S on Oct. 10. At the time his reappearance may have seemed as if Bolger was tilting at windmills, and his tenth-place finish behind the winner St Mark's Basilica (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) that day initially appeared to back that up. But time has taught us never to underestimate his trainer. Poetic Flare went to his winter quarters on the back of a Group 3 victory at Leopardstown just a week after the Dewhurst and he has since developed into the pre-eminent colt of his generation ahead of St Mark's Basilica, who has only enhanced his own reputation by taking both colts' Classics in France.

Lots To Love

The long-awaited comeback of last year's sensational 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) proved to be one of the highlights of Royal Ascot and, despite the defection of Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the G1 Prince of Wales's S. turned into a battle royal between Coolmore's golden girl and the returning GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

While Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) couldn't claw back the sweeping surge of Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) when taking second in the G2 Hardwicke S., his full-brother Point Lonsdale (Ire) backed up his impressive Curragh debut to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth win in the Chesham S. The trainer was polite enough to apologise in the post-race debrief for beating the Queen's Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) by half a length, but the 95-year-old monarch almost certainly knows by now how to take racing's rough with the smooth and will surely have been pleased with a second and a third from her runners on the day she attended the meeting.

The previous evening at Newmarket, her homebred Wink Of An Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) had won his second race in eight days, with William Haggas having increased his chances of becoming racing's next knight by saddling the 3-year-old to win his first race on what would have been the late Duke of Edinburgh's 100th birthday.

Pure Gold

The Queen had not been in attendance to present the Gold Cup on Thursday, as is her usual custom, but the great staying race nevertheless provided one of the best moments of the week.

Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was odds-on to win the race for a fourth time and to set a new record for five consecutive wins at the meeting, but instead we witnessed the coronation of a new staying king, Dr Jim Walker's Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Gratifyingly, it was a race that had everything: the reigning champion, the up-and-coming star, last year's Derby, Irish Derby and Melbourne Cup winners, and the remarkable Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}). The latter's jockey Joey Sheridan must be congratulated for riding an astutely tactical race, keeping the master tactician Frankie Dettori firmly in an unenviable position, and bringing the mare home in second. But it was Subjectivist's day, and it will be staggering if his dam Reckoning (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) is not Broodmare of the Year in Britain in 2021.

Third to Hukum (GB) in last year's King George V S., Subjectivist then won the listed Glasgow S. and the G3 March S. by a whopping 15 lengths before landing his first Group 1 in the Prix Royal Oak at Longchamp last October. A warm up in the desert in March in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup proved to be the perfect, if lengthy, lead in to his Gold Cup success.

Since his victory at Meydan, his half-brother Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}) returned from a 571-day absence to win first the listed Further Flight S. and then the G2 Jockey Club S., beating Pyledriver (GB) at Newmarket on Guineas weekend.

The brothers are both with Mark Johnston, as is their stakes-placed half-sister Alba Rose (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and the mare's 2-year-old, a full-sister to Sir Ron Priestley who was retained by her breeder Susan Hearn of Mascalls Stud.

This may have been a fourth Gold Cup victory for Johnston, following Double Trigger (GB) in 1995 and Royal Rebel (GB) in 2001 and 2002, but it was no less enjoyed by the team at Kingsley House Stables, especially the trainer's wife Deirdre, who still had tears in her eyes 48 hours later when recalling the round of applause given to Subjectivist as he appeared in the yard the following morning.

“It just meant so much to the whole team at home,” she said.

It was a memorable week for Deirdre Johnston as she is also the co-owner of the hugely promising eventer JL Dublin, who won the CCI4* at Bicton International Horse Trials with rider Nicola Wilson the previous weekend.

All The Young Dudes

Age is merely a number, as they say, but there was a youthful feel to plenty of the winning trainers and jockeys at Royal Ascot. Among those scoring a first-time success was the 40-year-old David Menuisier, whose Wonderful Tonight posted one of the most visually impressive performances of the week on her favoured soft ground and will surely be a force to be reckoned with again this autumn.

Gavin Cromwell is perhaps not the youngest of bucks but he is incredibly versatile and increasingly prominent as a trainer. In the last three months he has saddled the winner of the G1 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and now the smart juvenile Quick Suzy, who is arguably his standout Flat performer in a stable in which the jumpers outnumber the Flat horses three to one.

The filly, who became the first group winner for her first-season sire Profitable, also provided a Royal Ascot first for Gary Carroll. The Irish rider was joined in this regard by Cieren Fallon, Ben Coen, Hector Crouch and Clifford Lee, as well as Marco Ghiani and Laura Pearson, two of the most impressive apprentices riding at present in Britain.

The last tip of the top hat should go to Dave Evans, who is not young but is certainly a dude and arguably hugely underrated as a trainer. Rohaan (Ire), one of two Royal Ascot winners for the similarly underrated Cheveley Park Stud stallion Mayson (GB), was picked up by Evans at last year's Horses-in-Training Sale for 20,000gns having made two underwhelming starts as a 2-year-old. Awarded a rating of 55 after his first run for his new stable, he has progressed through the ranks, winning seven times since last December, including the G2 Sandy Lane S. and the Wokingham S.

The fact that he was gelded before he made his debut precluded Rohaan from running in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, but it will not stop him from attempting to emulate his sire in the G1 Darley July Cup on July 10. From 55-rated handicapper to Group 1 winner in the space of eight months would be quite something, and Evans would surely be vying with his son-in-law Adam Kirby for having provided the feelgood racing story of the season.

The post The Weekly Wrap: Happy and Glorious appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Weekly Wrap: Happy Days Are Here Again

To an extent, when Coolmore wins two of the weekend's premier Classics in Europe and Godolphin wins another, it feels like we are harking back to the glory days around the turn of the century, when the battle of the superpowers was epitomised by those back-to-back duels between Galileo (Ire) and Fantastic Light in the 'King George' and Irish Champion Stakes. Honours even.

And it was honours even at Epsom, with the dazzling victory of Ballydoyle's Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Cazoo Oaks, followed by the satisfying success of Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) for Godolphin in the Cazoo Derby.

Through those two decades, the dominance of Aidan O'Brien has only grown, and the Ballydoyle trainer now teeters on the brink of becoming the most successful trainer in British Classic history, with his 40 victories equalling the record of John Scott, who won seven runnings of the Oaks between 1836 and 1855 as part of his own Classic haul.

It is fair to say that the fortunes of Godolphin have waxed and waned since the days of Daylami (Ire), Kayf Tara (GB) and Fantastic Light, but since the appointment of Charlie Appleby as trainer in the aftermath of the sorriest episode in the operation's history, Godolphin's flag has again been flying high.

Following the Derby, in typically modest fashion Appleby immediately pointed to O'Brien's overwhelming record when he was congratulated on providing a second homebred winner of the blue riband for Sheikh Mohammed in the last four years.

The pedigrees of both Masar (Ire) (New Approach {GB}) and Adayar stretch back generations within the Darley/Godolphin operation–to the 1998 purchase of Melikah (Ire), the daughter of Lammtarra and Urban Sea, in the case of Masar, and right back to the very early days of Sheikh Mohammed's foundation of a major breeding empire in Europe to the import of German Oaks winner Anna Paola (Ger) to Britain in 1982. Her 1983 mating with Mill Reef–winner of the Derby 50 years ago——produced Anna Matrushka (GB), who features as Adayar's fourth dam and who has played her part in the establishment of a decent dynasty within the Godolphin ranks. Anna Matrushka's penultimate foal Accessories (GB) (Sinsgpiel {Ire}) was exported to Australia and has helped to spread the family throughout the global operation, with three of her sons–Helmet (Aus), Epaulette (Aus) and Bullbars (Aus)–ending up as Darley stallions. Helmet has subsequently returned to the country of his great grandam Anna Paola and now stands at Gestut Fahrhof.

Beyond his two Derby winners, Appleby was also responsible for the top-rated horse in the world last year in Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), as well as the previous season's European champion 2-year-old, Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal).

You don't really need to cap winning the Derby but just for good measure, some four hours later on the other side of the Atlantic, Appleby was represented by the first two home in the GI Just A Game S., Althiqa (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). The fillies were a precursor for an even bigger result in New York for Godolphin when the homebred Essential Quality (Tapit) prevailed in a thrilling stretch battle with Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GI Belmont S.

The champion 2-year-old in America last season following his GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile victory, the Brad Cox-trained Essential Quality has been beaten just once, when fourth in the Kentucky Derby, and he may yet be promoted to third following confirmation of the positive drug test from the B-sample of winner Medina Spirit (Protonico).

For Godolphin, the good days are no longer few and far between. The significant breeding operation behind the racing stables clearly plays its part, but much of the renaissance can be attributed to Appleby, who is not just an accomplished trainer but is also a reliable and helpful spokesman. His popularity as an everyman made good is similar to that of the Derby-winning jockey Adam Kirby, whose Epsom triumph was widely enjoyed, and together they made a beguiling duo in the winner's circle. Both men have got to where they are through their own had work and skill, and they can only be admired for the humility with which they accept their success.

Still Making An Impact

With Frankel's first Derby winner, and Kingman (GB) represented by a third Grade 1 success for Domestic Spending (GB) at Belmont, as well as the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. win of Parent's Prayer (Ire), it was a good weekend for the Juddmonte stallions. The pensioned Zamindar even made his presence felt as damsire of the Derby runner-up Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a son of the Juddmonte-bred Galley (GB), who is a half-sister to the dam of Arc winner Rail Link (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

St Mark's Basilica (Ire) notched a second Classic in the Prix du Jockey Club to the obvious delight of 'super-sub' Ioritz Mendizabal, who was himself winning the race for the second year in a row after standing in for David Egan on Mishriff (Ire) last year. It was also a second winner of the French Derby for Siyouni after Sottsass (Fr) became his first Group 1-winning colt in 2019 and then returned to win the Arc last year. He and St Mark's Basilica are both out of mares by Galileo (Ire) who have previously produced high-calibre individuals in Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) respectively.

The same star-strewn background was evident in Snowfall, who beat her 'aunt', the third-placed Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Oaks. Snowfall's grandam, the dual Group 1-winning miler Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab), has only ever been mated with Galileo, and she produced her tenth foal by the champion and her eighth filly on April 28. Red Evie's best offspring is unquestionably the Breeders' Cup Turf and Arc winner Found (Ire), who has already produced the G2 Vintage S. winner Battleground (War Front) as her first foal. Now Found's year-younger sister Best In The World (Ire) has a record-breaking Oaks winner to her name with her own first foal.

There will be plenty of anticipation ahead of the debut of Snowfall's full-brother, Newfoundland (Ire), from the penultimate crop of Japan's multiple champion sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence). The late Shadai kingpin also had the first two home in the GI Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo on Sunday, bringing his tally of top-level winners to 51 when outsider Danon Kingly (Jpn) narrowly denied favourite Gran Alegria (Jpn) from recording her second win in the race.

Deep Impact has only had 59 runners in Europe, and clearly those that have been bred by European-based outfits will be out of good mares, while those sent over to race here from Japan will have already proved themselves to be classy performers. Even so, his record of 19 stakes winners, including six Group 1 winners, five of which are Classic winners, is pretty damn good.

The six that have won at the top level are split evenly, three being out of mares from the Sadler's Wells line, and three from the Storm Cat line, with the young stallions Saxon Warrior (Jpn) representing the former and Study Of Man (Ire) the latter. It is fervently hoped that in time these two winners of the 2000 Guineas and Prix du Jockey Club in 2018 can continue the success of their sire in Europe.

Watch List

A sireline that has thrived in a stealthily successful way over the years is that of Acclamation (GB), who is now 22 and in his 18th season covering at Rathbarry Stud.

The old boy himself provided one of the most popular results of Derby day when his 8-year-old son Oh This Is Us (Ire) won his 16th race and first at group level when just outpointing 7-year-old Century Dream (Ire) in the G3 Diomed S.

This followed two fantastic results for Acclamation's late son Harbour Watch (Ire) on Friday when first Pyledriver posted a popular win in the G1 Coronation Cup for William Muir and Chris Grassick, backed up later that day in America by the GII Belmont Gold Cup triumph of the Joseph O'Brien-trained Baron Samedi (GB). Both are members of the penultimate of Harbour Watch's five crops conceived at Tweenhills before his retirement from covering in 2018 and death the following year.

On Nov. 29, 2017, the foals that would become known as Baron Samedi and Pyledriver were sent through the ring at Tattersalls 50 lots apart, both offered by the late Kevin Mercer's Usk Valley Stud. The first was bought by LECH Racing for 3,500gns, while Pyledriver was a 10,000gns buy-back by breeders Roger Devlin and Guy and Hugh Leach.

Mercer, who died not long after the foals were born at his Welsh farm, was the breeder of Baron Samedi and the advisor to Pyledriver's breeders when they retired their first mare to stud. He is much missed, but the two sons of Harbour Watch, in whom Mercer had a strong belief, paid him a great posthumous compliment on Saturday.

Acclamation's son Mehmas (Ire) is rarely far from the breeding headlines these days, and he was another to feature at Epsom via the listed Surrey S. Victor Mehmento (Ire), while another, Dark Angel, notched his eighth Group/Grade 1 winner with Althiqa in America.

Dark Angel also appeared as the broodmare sire of the admirable Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire), who is by Rathbarry's rising star Kodi Bear (Ire), and we'll be hearing more about her and her trainer George Boughey in Wednesday's TDN. Furthermore, Dark Angel's son Lethal Force (Ire) is the sire of Mokaatil (GB), winner of the most terrifying race to be run on a British track, the downhill Epsom Dash.

The Tin Man, All Heart

It was not such good news over the weekend for Acclamation's grandson The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), who was retired after fracturing a leg at exercise eight days before his planned resumption in the listed Cathedral S. at Salisbury.

The 9-year-old won nine of his 31 races for James Fanshawe and Fred Archer Racing, his three Group 1 victories coming at Royal Ascot, British Champions Day and in the Haydock Sprint Cup.

Fortunately, The Tin Man was swiftly and successfully operated on at Newmarket Equine Hospital, where he is currently recovering, and he will now spend his retirement with James and Jacko Fanshawe at Pegasus Stables.

“He's recovering well. James went see him today and I am hoping to see him tomorrow,” said Jacko Fanshawe on Monday. “He'll be in the hospital for about a week and then he will stay with us for good.”

The Fanshawe stable has enjoyed plenty of success with The Tin Man's family over the years. His half-brother Deacon Blues (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) previously won the QIPCO British Champions Sprint when it was still a Group 2 race, and he also notched a hat-trick of Group 3 wins among his seven victories. Another half-sibling, Indian Tygress (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}), won three races in 2018, while currently in the yard is the 3-year-old full-sister to The Tin Man, Persaria (GB), who has been placed twice this season and looks poised to win before too long.

The trainer's wife, who runs the Fred Archer Racing syndicate, added, “The Tin Man was due to run on Sunday. We weren't going to run him in such big races any more but he had been in such good form. He's been such a star and it's a huge relief that the surgery went well. We're looking forward to him coming home.”

The post The Weekly Wrap: Happy Days Are Here Again appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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