Tom Pennington | Horse Racing Free Tips

King Of Steel Will Bypass International And Point To Irish Champion Instead

Derby runner-up King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}), last seen when third in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. last month, will skip the Aug. 23 G1 Juddmonte International S. and instead target the G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. on Sept. 9.

“We didn't confirm him today for York,” said Tom Pennington, racing manager for owners, Amo Racing. “I know when you look at the prize-money and think it could be quite a small field, you might get a bit carried away, but we are going back to what was always Plan A and go to Ireland.

“We've been patient with him all the way along and I don't think another couple of weeks is going to do us any harm. He's in good form and he's on the right track, we're very happy with him.

“When you look at his size, touch wood, he should be even better again next year and we're playing the long game with him.”

The G2 King Edward VII S. hero, who is trained by Roger Varian, was due to face four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), G1 Prince Of Wales's S. hero Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and 2022 G1 Derby victor Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) among others in the York showpiece.

The post King Of Steel Will Bypass International And Point To Irish Champion Instead appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Group Schedule Outlined for Night Of Thunder’s Ornellaia

Ornellaia (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), winner last out at Goodwood Aug. 3, will target a series of group tests over the coming weeks, according to Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing. The Dominic Ffrench Davis-trained filly is slated to make her first foray into group company Saturday in the G2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville.

Prior to her seven-furlong score, the 2-year-old finished third behind Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})–subsequent G3 Princess Margaret S. winner–in a six-furlong Newmarket maiden July 13.

“We went to Newmarket on debut knowing she would benefit from the experience and we were encouraged when the winner went on to win the Princess Margaret,” said Pennington. “I was a bit disappointed to see the Godolphin filly that finished second [Dubai Treasure {Ire}, by Exceed and Excel {Aus}] get beat at Yarmouth [Aug. 9], but we knew our filly had a good deal of ability. We went to Goodwood pretty confident that she would get the job done at seven furlongs being by Night Of Thunder and with there being some cut in the ground. She went and did it nicely.”

As for her upcoming itinerary, he added, “She's in the Prix du Calvados at Deauville and that is on the radar at the minute, but she's also in a lot of nice races. She's in the [G1] Moyglare Stud S. [Curragh, Sept. 10], she could go to the [G3] Prestige [Fillies' S.] at Goodwood [Aug. 26] at the end of the month. She's potentially a very nice filly who we think is probably group class.”

The post Group Schedule Outlined for Night Of Thunder’s Ornellaia appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

G2 July S. Hero Persian Force Retired For Stallion Duty

Group 2 winner Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}–Vida Amorosa {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}), placed three times at the highest level, has been retired to stand at stud in 2023, Amo Racing's Tom Pennington confirmed to the TDN on Sunday morning. A stud farm and fee for the precocious juvenile will be announced in the very near future.

“Persian's done an incredible job, to be honest,” Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian told Nick Luck during Luck On Sunday. “He's done everything that Mehmas has done. Arguably, according to Richard Hannon, who trained both, he's a better-looking version of his father. And he's got a better pedigree.

“He has started in March, running [in] everything, from almost every Group 1 there was, coming second in most of them. He's never had a bad run. He's followed the footsteps of his dad from start to finish. His father retired at the end of his 2-year-old career. [Mehmas] has had a fantastic career as a stallion. His father will stand today at €60,000. [We looked at that] and thought he could follow in the footsteps of his father [at stud].”

Bred by Tom Lacy, the March foal was sold for €75,000 from Ringfort Stud to Tally-Ho Stud during the Goffs November Foal Sale in 2020. He entered the Amo Racing fold after hammering for €225,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2021. Sent to the yard of Richard Hannon, he ran out a 4 3/4-length debut winner at Doncaster in March. Also a winner at Newbury two months later, he was second in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, but returned to winning ways with a 1 1/2-length score in the G2 July S. at Newmarket on July 7. Second in the G1 Phoenix S. at the Curragh in August, he filled that role again in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville later that month. Third in the Sept. 24 G1 Middle Park S., Persian Force was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November and retires with a mark of 8-3-3-1 and $350,183 in earnings.

A full-brother to the G2 Richmond S. third Gubbass (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Persian Force hails from the family of dual Group 3 winner Garrus (Ire), by Mehmas's sire Acclamation (GB), as well as G1 Phoenix S. and G1 National S. hero Danehil Dancer (Ire) (Danehill), who became a successful sire.

The post G2 July S. Hero Persian Force Retired For Stallion Duty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post