Belcarra a Black-Type First For Estidhkaar At Hannover

Ulrich Zerrath’s Belcarra (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) ran 2 1/2 lengths off Libre (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) when second going seven furlongs in her Oct. 4 debut at Hannover and exacted revenge on that reopposing rival to secure a first black-type success for her freshman sire (by Dark Angel {Ire}) in Sunday’s Listed Sea The Moon-Rennen over the same strip back at the Neue Bult venue.

more to follow…

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Zoe Sits Royal Oak Test

ParisLongchamp stages the G1 Prix Royal-Oak on Sunday, with the fillies and mares very much at centre stage. Fresh from a career-best success in the 2 1/2-mile G1 Prix du Cadran here on Oct. 3, Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) is partnered by Seamie Heffernan with regular rider Joey Sheridan suspended due to a whip ban handed out by these stewards on Arc Saturday. On the same day, The Aga Khan’s Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) took the G2 Prix Chaudenay in the manner of a filly going places and she is bound to have been prepared meticulously by Alain de Royer-Dupre.

If there is a colt capable of making an impact it is Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), who showed how much he appreciates testing ground and a staying trip when scoring by 15 lengths in Goodwood’s G3 March S. on Aug. 29.

Trainer Tony Mullins said of Princess Zoe, “Hopefully it’s not too quick a return. We wouldn’t be here if we saw any evidence that it was, but you’re not really going to know until the last 200 metres on Sunday–that will be the acid test. Everything has gone according to plan and we don’t see any problems at the moment. We think we’re in as good a form as we were the last day, if not better.”

“We see the Aga Khan filly and Mark Johnston’s horse as the two dangers,” he added. “I think more the Aga Khan filly, who is a possible improver. She’ll have to improve again, I think, but it’s very possible that she will.” Charlie Johnston said of Subjectivist, “If you had asked me a month ago where he was going to go, I would have said the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last weekend–that was Plan A, but then when Stradivarius turned up and Aidan declared everything he did, it looked a deeper field than we expected it to be so at the last minute we decided to give it a swerve and go for the Royal-Oak. Looking at it, I think it’s the right decision. The trip is a little bit of an unknown–you are always a little bit hesitant with him, because of his run style and how he likes to get on with things. Princess Zoe needed every yard of the two and a half miles last time and I would like to think over this trip we might have too much class for her. Our horse will handle the conditions and goes there with a good chance.”

In the 11-furlong G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris, Gestut Schlenderhan’s 3-year-old colt Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is running for the first time since making hard work of winning the Listed Prix de l’Avre over 12 furlongs at Chantilly on June 14. He faces the vastly-more experienced Nagano Gold (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) who will be hard to beat if able to reproduce the form of either his second in the June 28 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud or his third placing behind Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Prix Foy at this venue on Sept. 13.

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Teofilo’s Gear Up Game In the Criterium de Saint-Cloud

Bred by Jim Bolger and trained by a Brit who stands comparison in Mark Johnston, Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) had all the right credentials on a special afternoon for Redmondstown Stud and duly made all for G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud glory. Tough and resilient when successful in the seven-furlong G3 Acomb S. at York Aug. 19 before finishing fourth in Newmarket’s G2 Royal Lodge S. tackling a mile Sept. 26, the Teme Valley 2 syndicate’s €52,000 Goffs Orby bargain relished this step up to 10 furlongs in testing conditions as James Doyle executed a masterclass from the front. Shaking off the attentions of Ballydoyle’s TDN Rising Star Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) turning into the straight, the 27-1 shot saw off the non-staying G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) and Jessica Marcialis but that was not all. Tackled latterly by Godolphin’s Botanik (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), he had to dig deep to prevail but was equal to the task for a short-neck verdict from that rival, with the previously unbeaten 13-10 favourite Makaloun (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths behind in third. “It wasn’t necessarily the plan to make the running, but he was very comfortable there and Franny Norton told me that last time in the Royal Lodge they went very slow and he was caught for speed,” the winning rider explained. “He was still very green turning for home and tried to hang left most of the way up the straight, but it was only inside the last furlong that he was finding his best stride. He’s very tough and courageous, a typical Mark Johnston horse, and he stays well and has now won on all sorts of ground so hopefully he has a bright future.”

On a day when Godolphin just missed in two of the leading contests, the runner-up put up an improved performance and Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “Botanik ran a superb race and we are delighted with him. Mickael Barzalona said that he ran very nicely–he felt that Botanik was very honest and still slightly immature, so he should hopefully progress further next year.” Jean-Claude Rouget said of The Aga Khan’s impressive G3 Prix de Conde winner Makaloun, “It was a different race to what he is used to–he is normally closer to the pace or in front but this time because of the draw we waited and he finished well. He was bumped a few times, so nothing was ideal and as he has had five runs we’ll give him a long break and see where we start off next year.”

Gear Up is a full-brother to Bolger’s G3 Eyrefield S. winner Guaranteed (Ire), with the dam Gearanai (Toccet) being a half-sister to the Argentinian group 3 winner Plainswoman (Arg) (Zensational) and the dam of the G3 Anglesey S. and G3 Tyros S. runner-up Theobald (Ire) also by Teofilo. The third dam is the four-times grade I winner and Kentucky Oaks heroine Dispute (Danzig), whose descendants include the GII Golden Rod S. winner West Coast Belle (Tapit) and the G3 Round Tower S. scorer Maoineach (Congaree) whose 2-year-old colt New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) emulated her success in that Curragh contest this year. Dispute is a full-sister to the GI Champagne S. and GI Cowdin S.-winning sire Adjudicating and a half to the GI Flamingo S.-winning sire Time For a Change (Damascus). Gearanai’s yearling full-brother to the winner topped the recent Tattersalls Ireland September Yearlings Sale @ Newmarket when sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for £325,000, while she also has a colt foal by Parish Hall (Ire).

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €150,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-24, 2yo, c/f, 10fT, 2:21.99, hy.
1–GEAR UP (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Teofilo (Ire)
1st Dam: Gearanai, by Toccet
2nd Dam: Plaintiff, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Dispute, by Danzig
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€52,000 Ylg ’19 GOFOR). O-Teme Valley 2; B-Jim Bolger (IRE); T-Mark Johnston; J-James Doyle. €85,710. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 4-3-0-0, €123,234. *Full to Guaranteed (Ire), GSW-Ire, $170,221. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Botanik (Ire), 126, c, 2, Golden Horn (GB)–Autumn Lily, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €34,290.
3–Makaloun (Fr), 126, c, 2, Bated Breath (GB)–Makana (Fr), by Dalakhani (Ire). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan’s Studs SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €17,145.
Margins: SNK, 1 3/4, NO. Odds: 27.50, 16.00, 1.30.
Also Ran: Tiger Tanaka (Ire), Bolshoi Ballet (Ire), Sweet Lady (Fr), Best of Lips (Ire). Scratched: Belloccio (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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New Approach’s Mac Swiney Takes the Futurity Trophy

Saturday was unofficially Jim Bolger day, with his breeding operation excelling with two group 1 successes and a trio of pattern-race wins across three countries. Chief among them was Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who sported the family silks as he carried off an attritional renewal of Doncaster’s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. As the ground deteriorated on Town Moor, the race which has so often been a key pointer to the following season’s Classics lost a vital player with Ballydoyle withdrawing the likely favourite Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). What resulted was a survival-of-the-fittest encounter and the leading pugilist was one of Bolger’s already battle-hardened juveniles as Mac Swiney proved he had the requisite amount of class and stamina combined. Trading at 12-1 having run eighth in The Curragh’s G1 Vincent O’Brien National S. last time, the G2 Futurity S. winner tracked the G3 Autumn S. winner and 6-4 favourite One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as Cobh (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) pressed on at the front. Apparently booked for a place only as Baradar (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) took over travelling smoothly passing two out, the chestnut was only halfway through his day’s graft and his travails paid off as he wore down that rival inside the final 200 yards. At the line, he had 3/4 of a length to spare over One Ruler, with the non-staying Baradar fading to be 2 1/4 lengths back in third. “Go back to his Futurity win and put a line through his last run and he was a leading player,” winning rider Kevin Manning said. “When he won the Futurity it was soft, although not as testing at this, and the extra furlong was always going to suit him. He’s a real three-year-old in the making and I think when he steps up in trip next year with another winter under his belt you’ll see the real horse.”

In a feat of foresight which is hardly surprising given that we are talking about Irish racing’s talisman Jim Bolger, the homebred was coming to England to conquer the day before the 100th anniversary of the death by hunger strike of Irish playwright and politician Terence Macswiney. “I must have known he was good back in January when I called him Mac Swiney, as it wouldn’t have been good to name him after such an important Cork man if he wasn’t capable of delivering,” quipped his owner-breeder. “He was one of our outstanding patriots and I’m thrilled for his memory and for his extended family.” Introduced in the seven-furlong Curragh maiden won by TDN Rising Star Hudson River (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) June 28, Mac Swiney was fifth keeping smart company with Wembley ending up third. When they re-engaged over the same course and distance July 18, it was the Bolger representative who held the bragging rights as he dealt Wembley a 1 1/2-length defeat only to flop when ninth in the G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown Aug. 6. Getting the better of Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) when 28-1 for the Futurity back at The Curragh Aug. 22, he was again off piste in the National Sept. 13 but was back on his A-game on his first try at this trip that was always going to prove a perfect fit.

“To use the cliche, he ticks all the boxes and certainly does so after today,” added Bolger, who had just watched the juvenile he also bred but sold, Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), win the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. “I was hoping he could win, as he’s been improving steadily over the last six weeks and I thought he’d get through the ground today. I bought the third dam [Amoura (Northfields)] for $4,000 in America after both The Aga Khan and Khalid Abdullah had finished with her. I’ve been regarding him as my Derby horse since he first went to the races and I’m not about to change that opinion. Five minutes earlier, we had another group 1 winner at Saint-Cloud and it is down to the brilliant staff I have both at the farm and at the training centre.”

Inbred 2×3 to Galileo (Ire), Mac Swiney is out of the unraced Halla Na Saoire (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who is a full-sister to the G2 Derrinstown Derby Trial winner and G1 Irish Derby third Light Heavy (Ire) and a half to Halla Siamsa (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) who produced a trio of black-type performers by Teofilo headed by the surprise G1 Dewhurst S. hero Parish Hall (Ire). The aforementioned Amoura is also the ancestress of the Listed Curragh S. winner An Ghalanta (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who is in turn the dam of this year’s Listed Empress S. winner Time Scale (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). Halla Na Saoire’s as-yet unnamed yearling colt is by Vocalised.

Saturday, Doncater, Britain
VERTEM FUTURITY TROPHY S.-G1, £215,000, Doncaster, 10-24, 2yo, 8fT, 1:41.98, hy.
1–MAC SWINEY (IRE), 127, c, 2, by New Approach (Ire)
1st Dam: Halla Na Saoire (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Siamsa, by Quest for Fame (GB)
3rd Dam: Amoura, by Northfields
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger; J-Kevin Manning. £127,280. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 6-3-0-0, $243,958. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–One Ruler (Ire), 127, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Fintry (Ire), by Shamardal. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £48,139.
3–Baradar (Ire), 127, c, 2, Muhaarar (GB)–Go Lovely Rose (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). (260,000gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Knocktoran Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £24,059.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 12.00, 1.50, 9.00.
Also Ran: Cobh (Ire), State of Rest (Ire), Emperor Supreme (Ire), Megallan (GB), King Vega (GB). Scratched: Wembley (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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