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Kingman’s Epictetus Upsets Fellow TDN Rising Star Nostrum At Goodwood

George Strawbridge's homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Thistle Bird {GB}, by Selkirk) had finished of the board in his three latest starts and returned to form with a bang to deny fellow Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Friday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. at Goodwood.

Last term's G1 Futurity Trophy second, who annexed Epsom's Listed Blue Riband Trial on sophomore return, was swiftly into stride from the inside gate and raced under a firm hold in third through the early fractions as Nostrum set the tone up front. Nudged along soon after passing halfway, the 6-1 chance was ridden to go second approaching the final furlong and swept by that rival inside the final 100 yards to prevail by a length from the odds-on favourite in ultimately snug fashion. Charles Hills trainee and G1 2000 Guineas fourth and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas fifth Galeron (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) was best of the remainder and finished 1 1/2 lengths further adrift in third.

“Epictetus showed plenty of speed over a mile at two and we thought he was a horse who would progress to 10 furlongs this year, but that did not pan out,” explained Thady Gosden. “He has run good races, but not what we thought that he was capable of. It was a perfect ride from Frankie. He broke well, sat him on the fence and followed Ryan [Moore]. Nostrum is a very smart horse, but Frankie gave our horse a brilliant ride. Epictetus ran a very good race last year [in the Futurity Trophy] at Doncaster when second to a future Derby winner on soft ground. He rolls his knee a little bit and is bred to like a little bit of give in the ground. It is slightly less tacky today and a bit more good to soft.” Looking ahead, Gosden continued, “There is a mile race back here, the [G2] Celebration Mile, which fits in well.”

Dettori, who extended his winningmost record in the race to seven, added, “We tried Epictetus three times over 10 furlongs and we always had an excuse. John and Thady found this race over a mile and the favourite looked very hard to beat. I had a good passage and, once I got the gap [inside the final quarter-mile], it was up to me to do the rest. Ryan wasn't stopping and my horse showed a turn of foot. Now we've got the distance right, we can concentrate on mile races. He is ready to go up in grade and the Celebration Mile in three weeks springs to mind. There are lots of races in the autumn at Newmarket, and maybe over Arc weekend. He has beat a decent field today in style and we can make big plans.”

Reflecting on the performance of Nostrum, Sir Michael Stoute's assistant James Savage commented, “Ryan thought that he had the race in the perfect place four out, picked up the pace to the two and he thought the race was for us. He said that the last 100 yards felt like he had a puncture and the horse didn't get home. We have always thought that he would handle ease in the ground, but I think maybe that dead ground has just probably caught him out in the last stages. It is very different ground to the [Newmarket] July meeting. We just felt he didn't hit the line today, so we will give him a good check over and re-group. He is a very, very good horse and we are not going to lose any faith in him. He will have all the best entries and we will just have to get it right next time. He will be an even better horse next year.”

Pedigree Notes
Epictetus, the fifth foal of seven foals, is one of five winners produced by G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk), herself a half-sister to dual Group 3-winning G1 Cantala S. second McCreery (GB) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) out of the dual stakes-winning G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest third Dolma (Fr) (Marchand De Sable). Thistle Bird was a 750,000gns purchase, carrying Epictetus, at Tattersalls' 2019 December Mares fixture and has also produced last term's G3 Valiant S. victrix Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Burrito (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and a weanling colt by Frankel (GB). The May-foaled bay's stakes-placed third dam Young Manila (Manila) is kin to a trio of stakes performers headed by MGSW G2 Prix de Royallieu victrix Fabulous Hostess (Fabulous Dancer).

 

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 8-4, 3yo, 8fT, 1:41.04, sf.
1–EPICTETUS (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Thistle Bird (GB) (G1SW-Ire, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $577,634), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Dolma (Fr), by Marchand De Sable
3rd Dam: Young Manila, by Manila
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-George Strawbridge (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £56,710. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 8-3-2-0, $234,588. *1/2 to Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), GSW-Eng & GSP-Ire, $164,451; and Bullfinch (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), SP-Aus, $214,235. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Nostrum (GB), 129, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Mirror Lake (GB), by Dubai Destination. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £21,500.
3–Galeron (Ire), 129, c, 3, Camacho (GB)–Society Gal (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€45,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Teme Valley & Aura Racing; B-Gigginstown House Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £10,760.
Margins: 1, 1HF, NK. Odds: 6.00, 0.67, 14.00.
Also Ran: Knight (Ire), Bold Discovery, Docklands (GB), Montesilvano (Ire).

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Lake Forest Back To Novice Company At Newmarket

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. Friday's Observations features a group-placed son of No Nay Never.

17.45 Newmarket, Novice, £8,000, 2yo, 6fT
LAKE FOREST (GB) (No Nay Never) is handed a confidence-restoring outing by William Haggas at his local track at which he was second in the G2 July S. over this trip. Silver Racing's son of the G3 Sirenia S.-placed Lady Aquitaine (El Prado {Ire}) from the family of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Criterium International hero Roderic O'Connor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will be a warm order to win this race which for the last four years has boasted subsequent group-winning sprinters including Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) 12 months ago.

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Kavanagh: ‘To Be Associated With A Horse Like Vandeek Is Huge For Us’

Relief quickly turned to joy for Roderick Kavanagh on Thursday after Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), the highest profile horse to have graduated from his Glending Stables after fetching 625,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, confirmed himself a top-notch colt in the making when landing the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood. 

The joint top lot of that sale, Vandeek was knocked down to Anthony Stroud on behalf of KHK Racing Ltd and was making it two wins from as many starts for Simon and Ed Crisford at Goodwood. 

After Vandeek made a successful debut at Nottingham last month, Kavanagh admitted that relief was the overriding emotion that he experienced. 

However, with Group 1 targets put forward by connections after Thursday's triumph, the young operator explained that he was beginning to allow himself to enjoy the occasion and pointed to how special it is for his family to be associated with a colt who could now be bound for the Prix Morny in France. 

He said, “It's a great accolade for the horse to come out and be unbeaten in his first two starts on a racecourse and to win such a prestigious race as the Richmond. It's a testimony to what is a family run business here at home between Glending, Kildaragh Stud and Alice [Kavanagh's sister] with AK Thoroughbreds. I can remember the first day I got the leg up on Vandeek, Alice was holding on to him, and he was a fine, big and strapping colt. Having capable people in place to do the job right and produce them at the sales in the best possible shape is a huge asset.”

Kavanagh added, “Even my mum [Antoinette] in accounts who manages the logistics of everything and my Dad [Peter] who has been a great guide from day one, it's been a massive team effort. We have some key people on the farm here as well but for us as a family, being associated with a horse like Vandeek, it means a lot.”

Vandeek was bred by Maywood Stud, who sold him as a foal to Childwickbury Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 52,000gns. He was knocked down to Glending at the December Yearling Sale at Tattersalls for just 42,000gns before turning that mammoth profit less than six months later at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale, which has proved a major confidence booster for everyone at Glending, according to Kavanagh.

He explained, “We put in a new gallop at home and this year's two-year-olds were the first to come off it. I'm sure there are lots of other variables that make it work but the fact that the system is in place for producing horses for the breeze-ups and for them to go on and do the business on the track and continue to progress, it's very encouraging. We plan to go back and do something similar this year and results like this gives you the confidence to reinvest.”

Vandeek has already confirmed himself as one of the smartest juveniles in training in Britain but Kavanagh says that he is confident that the colt can be even better next year.

He said, “I know we are getting towards the back end of the season now but I didn't expect him to be doing it as he is. With Havana Grey, you'd be expecting precocity but I wasn't sure he was going to be as early as this. It's great to see him kicking on and getting to an international level of competition. The Morny will be the ultimate test but, at this stage, he has earned his place in the line-up in a Group 1.

“Cormac O'Flynn, who owned the horse in partnership with me, was talking about the Craven Stakes for the horse next year even before today. I was slagging him about that but it's looking like it could be a fair shout now. Hopefully he would be on course for races like that next season and, with his physical stature, you would be thinking that he can make up into a very good three-year-old.”

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“Her Top Drawer Form Is Over Five Furlongs” – Highfield Princess Sets King George Standard

Last terms's sprinting revelation Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) may have missed the target on her three outing so far in 2023, but a pure speed test on soft ground in Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. provides the ideal scenario for John Quinn's indomitable 6-year-old to get back on track on Friday. This was the time of the season that she grew wings last summer, rattling off a trio of Group 1 victories in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, Nunthorpe and Flying Five within the space of five weeks and her trainer is hoping she is blooming again despite the contrasting weather to last year.

Second in the G1 King's Stand S. and third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. on ground that was probably a touch too lively at the Royal meeting, she is at or very near the same level as 12 months ago. “She ran mighty races and we were thrilled with her to be placed in two Group 1s in five days,” Quinn said. “Last year we gave her a mid-season break, which she did seem to enjoy, and we have done the same this year but instead of going to Deauville we decided to go to Goodwood. There are no easy group races over any distance, but we thought possibly that the Goodwood race might be slightly easier than the Prix Maurice de Gheest.”

“Another factor is that the Prix Maurice de Gheest is six and a half furlongs. She is very versatile, but her top drawer form is over five furlongs so we thought we'd go to Goodwood and then all being well roll onto York,” he added. “All being well after Goodwood, we go to York for the Nunthorpe and then we would hope to go back to Ireland for the Flying Five. We had possibly thought about going to Australia for the Everest, but we don't know. I wouldn't rule out the Breeders' Cup again and, after the Breeders' Cup, there is the big Hong Kong Sprint in December.”

Perhaps the biggest danger to an on-song Highfield Princess is last year's G2 Sapphire S. winner Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}), whose last two efforts resulted in an authoritative win in the Listed Sole Power Sprint S. and a fourth in the latest edition of the Sapphire. Beaten all ends up there by Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), that is no disgrace as that Easterby marauder is seemingly unstoppable on his Irish raids and Mark Dobbin's filly probably still has upside.

 

Thoroughbred Stepping Stone For Nostrum

While there was talk of the G1 Sussex S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois after the smooth return win of TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Newmarket's Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at the July Festival, it is to the G3 Thoroughbred S. that Juddmonte's exciting homebred goes on Friday. This soft ground is not his bag, but there is potentially a class gulf to the likes of fellow TDN Rising Stars Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Knight (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and OTI Racing's Britannia H. winner Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}).

“Of course we gave the Sussex S. consideration, but Sir Michael rightly pointed out and the owners agreed, why go from second gear to fifth? Let's go through the gears, we're looking at longevity and we don't want to kill the horse off with one run,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “We're all thinking about stallions and commerciality, but it didn't do Baaeed any harm. He got to where he needed to get and if we can get there, we'll be happy. Ground-wise I don't think we're too concerned–a bit of cut in the ground will be fine for him.”

Later on the card, the Haggas's veteran Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) has perfect conditions for a sixth Group 3 success in the Glorious S., while the easy ground will probably also help George Strawbridge's filly Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as she bids to revive the form of her G2 Park Hill S. in September.

 

Little Big Bear Added To Maurice de Gheest

TDN Rising Star Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) has been supplemented for Sunday's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. Last seen finishing down the field in the G1 July Cup, he was one of 13 still in the mix for the 6 1/2-furlong contest. “We'll decide finally a little bit closer to the weekend, but the plan at the moment is to run,” Aidan O'Brien said. “The ground is testing over there at the moment, but it can dry up. He'd had the problem before Newmarket but since then he has been fine, no problems.”

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