Tag: Top News Europe

Savethelastdance Routs Cheshire Oaks Rivals

Aidan O'Brien trainee Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Daddys Lil Darling, by Scat Daddy) shed maiden status with a game frontrunning display over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown last month and stormed to the head of ante-post betting lists for Epsom's G1 Oaks after unleashing a spectacular performance in Wednesday's Listed Weatherbys Digital Solutions Cheshire Oaks at Chester.

The 8-11 favourite's only moment of worry came at the break, when hampered as the gates opened, and she was bustled along early to retain contact with the main cluster. Inching forward inside the last half-mile, she powered to the front rounding the home turn and surged ever clear into another county in the straight, hitting the line with a scarcely believable 22-length margin in hand on There's The Door (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Ermesinde (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) ran on to finish 3 1/4 lengths further adrift in third. Savethelastdance's victory was a record-breaking eighth Robert Sangster Memorial Cup for O'Brien, a contest won in recent years by subsequent Oaks winners Light Shift (Kingmambo) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

“I was very impressed and you can only be impressed by what she's done there,” said Ryan Moore after annexing a sixth edition of the contest. “They kind of all gave up with a half-mile to go and she was just getting going, but she gave me a very good feel. She's probably given me as good a feel in this race as the ones I've ridden in it before. She stepped a little slow, but they went very hard early on and she just relaxed and followed them round. I thought I'd just make sure she knew what she had to do and she stretched all the way to the line and ran right through the line.”

Pedigree Notes
Savethelastdance is the first of three reported foals produced by GI American Oaks victrix Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), herself a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint hero Mongolian Saturday (Any Given Saturday). The March-foaled chestnut is a full-sister to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Mr Hampstead and half to a weanling filly by Into Mischief. Daddys Lil Darling, of course, won infamy when sent over from the States by Ken McPeek to contest Enable's 2017 G1 Oaks and was scratched in a thunderstorm after unshipping Olivier Peslier in the preliminaries and bolting to the start.

Wednesday, Chester, Britain
WEATHERBYS DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CHESHIRE OAKS (FOR THE ROBERT SANGSTER MEMORIAL CUP)-Listed, £100,000, Chester, 5-10, 3yo, f, 11f 75yT, 2:36.64, sf.
1–SAVETHELASTDANCE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Daddys Lil Darling (GISW-US, $1,335,305), by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Miss Hot Salsa, by Houston
3rd Dam: Miss High Blade, by Highland Blade
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Daddys Lil Darling Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £56,020. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $80,696.
2–There's The Door (Ire), 128, f, 3, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Callisto Star (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€80,000 Ylg '21 GOAUTY). O-Paul & Clare Rooney; B-Kevin J Molloy (IRE); T-David Evans. £21,330.
3–Ermesinde (Ire), 128, f, 3, Golden Horn (GB)–Eye Witness (Ger), by Adlerflug (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€45,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV; €58,000 RNA Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Venice Consulting, d'Ascanio & Gambini; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-Kevin Philppart De Foy. £10,680.
Margins: 22, 3 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.73, 6.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Sirona (Ger), Ashtanga (GB), Cite D'Or (Fr), Wintercrack (GB). Scratched: Luckin Brew (Ire).

 

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French 2,000 Guineas Fancy Isaac Shelby Sold To Wathnan Racing

Leading French 2,000 Guineas fancy Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) has been sold to the Qatari-based Wathnan Racing in a deal that was brokered by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock. 

Isaac Shelby won the G3 Greenham S. in the colours of Manton Thoroughbreds on his reappearance at Newbury last month, after which, his trainer Brian Meehan revealed that he would sidestep Newmarket in favour of the French Classic at ParisLongchamp. 

The colt remains firmly on course for Sunday's race and will represent an exciting first European runner for Wathnan Racing, which was crowned the leading stable in Qatar last season following heavy investment at the autumn horses-in-training sales in Britain and France. 

A tight-lipped Brown commented on Wednesday, “Isaac Shelby is a very exciting colt. He has displayed a very high level of ability with the obvious highlight his comfortable win in the Greenham at Newbury last time. He is a lovely-looking individual with plenty of scope and class–he displays the best attributes of his sire.”

Isaac Shelby's Greenham S. victory was achieved in dramatic circumstances as short-priced favourite and subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) dislodged Frankie Dettori upon leaving the stalls.

But Isaac Shelby could not have been more impressive in pulling three lengths clear from his nearest rival on the day and is expected to be sent off one of the leading fancies in the market on Sunday.

TDN Europe understands that Sean Levey, who has ridden Isaac Shelby in all four of his races to date, will retain the ride.

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Royal Ascot Next for Chaldean

Juddmonte's Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has emerged from his win in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in good order, and a start in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot is his next target, according to the organisation's racing manager Barry Mahon.

“He's taken it well, he's good,” said Mahon. “Andrew [Balding, trainer] was happy with him when I spoke to him yesterday. He said he was quite tired on Sunday, but he said yesterday morning he was in good form again.

“The ground was very soft, yet on the Friday meeting, it was good to firm. They watered the ground in case the showers missed.

“I stayed the far side of the town and on Friday night, I promise you, there was a monsoon. But he handled the ground, although it wouldn't be his ideal conditions.”

A winner of the G3 Acomb S., G2 Champagne S., and G1 Dewhurst S. in succession at two, Chaldean parted ways with regular jockey Frankie Dettori at the start of the G3 Greenham S. on his intended seasonal debut.

 

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Five Irish Tracks Reject Media Rights Deal

For the first time in history, Irish racing looks set to have two separate providers of pictures after five racecourses rejected a media rights deal on Tuesday.

At a groundbreaking general meeting of the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) held at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, the five members of the United Irish Racecourses (UIR) voted against the five-year deal worth €47 million.

That means that the five tracks–Kilbeggan, Limerick, Roscommon, Sligo and Thurles–are now free to negotiate their own separate deal, presumably with Arena Racing Company, which could pave the way for Irish racing to return to Sky Sports Racing in 2024. 

The current deal, which is due to expire at the end of this year, is with Sports Information Services [SIS] and Racecourse Media Group, which sees all Irish racing broadcast on RTV. 

It is understood that UIR received “an unsolicited offer” of €100,000 per fixture from Arc last year, but the five tracks now have to request HRI's media rights committee to negotiate another contract for them 

The new deal with SIS and RMG was given “preferred bidder” status last year by the Media Rights Committee, which consists of five executives from AIR and Horse Racing Ireland. 

However, the five tracks expressed their dissatisfaction with the deal back in January and formed UIR. The discontent stems from how the media rights are distributed by HRI and how the funding model favours the bigger tracks. 

Conor O'Neill, chairman of HRI's media rights committee, focused on the positives of the deal on Tuesday.

He said, “It's a fantastic deal and I'm delighted for the 21 racecourses who have signed up to secure it today. I would like to thank the board of AIR and our CEO Paul Hensey for their hard work and support. I would also like to especially thank our former CEO Paddy Walsh who has worked tirelessly on achieving the best possible deal for our members and the HRI media rights committee whose commitment has been extraordinary throughout the entire process.”

O'Neill added, “Although it's disappointing that it was not approved by all, today is a very positive day for the future of Irish racing, let's not take away from that. I look forward to continuing our partnership with SIS and RMG for the overwhelming majority of Irish racecourses, subject to the approval by the HRI board on Friday.”

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