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Nunthorpe Or Flying Five For Golden Pal

Last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint scorer Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) is on course for either the G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 20 or the G1 Flying Five S. at The Curragh on Sept. 12 after an eye-catching seasonal debut in Thursday's GIII Quick Call S. at Saratoga for trainer Wesley Ward. It was Golden Pal's first start for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg since being purchased privately from breeder Randall Lowe.

“[The Quick Call] was five and a half [furlongs], and the competition wasn't at the same level as what he would face in the Nunthorpe, but if you shorten that up [half a furlong], I think he could run with anything I've ever trained,” Ward said.

Golden Pal finished second in last year's G2 Norfolk S. before breaking his maiden at Saratoga and winning at the Breeders' Cup.

“Over five furlongs, he's a killer,” Ward added. “He's just so quick and agile, and mentally he's really coming around, more so this year than last year. He's always been able to run, but now the rider can contain him–and when he asks for that little burst, very few horses I've had have been able to do that.”

“The Nunthorpe has eluded me, but hopefully we'll get it done this year,” Ward added. “We've been having massive rainstorms over here, so there was quite a bit of give in the ground yesterday. He handled the ground well at Ascot last year as well, so he's got no issues with the ground being a little soft. The only issue would be, while he pulled up really good and sound, we'll see how his energy levels are in his works here in the next couple of weeks, and whether it warrants giving him an extra bit of time for the Flying Five. One of those two races is what he'll be in.”

Ward said G1 Commonwealth Cup and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) remains on course for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on Aug. 8.

“We're doing really well with her,” Ward said. “She had a breeze on the dirt for the first time since I've had her last week, and we're asking the powers that be for a breeze on the grass at Keeneland this week. She's on target for the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and leaves here on July 31. Like Golden Pal, she has no issues with softer ground. In fact, it might be better if it rains a little.”

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Breeders’ Cup Aim For Laws Of Indices

The GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6 is on the long-term radar for Laws Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), who earned a first Group 1 win in last weekend's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Trainer Ken Condon, however, has his sights set first on a return trip to Deauville for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest next month and the G1 Prix de la Foret on Oct 3 for the €8,000 Goffs Autumn yearling graduate.

“The Maurice de Gheest is on Aug. 8,” said Condon. “It's four weeks between both races. We'll see how he is in the next 10 days but that's where he could go next. Longer term, I'd say the Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend is the main target. I think seven furlongs is his optimum trip. If he does go to the Maurice de Gheest, I could see him having a little break and waiting for that race on Arc day. He'd have all the credentials you'd need to run in a Breeders' Cup Mile as well so that could also be the possibility but I'm sure the Foret is the prime target now.

“The owners are very brave. Their ambition has been rewarded. He's run in quite a few Group 1s and you don't do that unnecessarily and I think everything conspired on Sunday to give him his perfect set-up.”

Laws Of Indices broke his maiden in an Irish EBF Auction Maiden last June before winning the G2 Railway S., and Condon has also sung the praises of the auction series programme.

“It's extraordinary,” he said. “It shows you the strength in depth in Irish racing. There was an Irish EBF auction race run in Roscommon on a Monday evening two years ago now. The winner was Helvic Dream and four and a half lengths behind in second was Champers Elysees. So if you wanted any further proof of what we were talking about, there's two Group 1 winners.

“It's a credit to the Irish EBF. The proof is in the eating. It allows relatively cheaply-bought horses to get a chance to win some very good prizemoney but as we see, the quality is top- class as well. Group 1 winners are there to be found in these races.”

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Michel Confirmed For Shergar Cup

French jockey Mickaelle Michel will ride for the first time in next month's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot as part of the Ladies Team. The leading female rider in France in 2018, Michel then set a record for most wins by a foreign jockey on Japan's NAR circuit with 30 victories from 267 rides. The 26-year-old finished third in Japan's World All-Star Jockeys Championship in 2019, and last autumn she won the G2 Premio Jockey Club in Italy aboard Walderbe (Ger) (Maxios {GB}). The Covid-19 pandemic prevented her from returning to Japan this year, but she has registered 18 wins in France thus far this season.

Michel said, “I'm really excited to be riding in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup this year. It will be my first experience of riding in Britain and there is no better place to do it than Ascot. The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is a competition that all the top jockeys around the world want to ride in and I'm looking forward to being part of the Ladies Team and hopefully lifting the trophy.”

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Half to Novellist Debuts at Leopardstown

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. Thursday's Observations features a daughter of the late Galileo (Ire).

5:30 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 8fT
MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) debuts for Zhang Yuesheng and Jessie Harrington and is a 305,000gns Book 1-bought half-sister to the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero and sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). She meets Ballydoyle's Madonnadelrosario (Ire) (Caravaggio), a half-sister to the G1 Prix Morny and G2 Coventry S.-winning sire The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and to the G3 Naruo Kinen winner and G1 Takarazuka Kinen runner-up Unicorn Lion (Ire) (No Nay Never) who was fifth on debut here last month.

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