Donncha McCarthy, a graduate of both The Irish National Stud and the Godolphin Flying Start program and a familiar face at bloodstock sales in Europe and Australasia, is joining The Castlebridge Consignment as its Irish sales executive. McCarthy is just returning from the sales in Australia, where he worked for Bennett Racing.
“I worked a number of the sales for Castlebridge last year and whilst Bill Dwan knew I was keen to return to Australia for their yearling sales, it was agreed that I would come back to Castlebridge in Ireland this year to carry out a very similar role to Patrick Diamond, the Castlebridge sales executive based in Newmarket,” McCarthy said.
“I have also worked for Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock in the past and he's asked me to help him again at the breeze-up sales so I will be working those sales with Stuart over the next couple of months between working for Castlebridge. I've already started to make farm visits with Bill in Ireland and recently travelled to Newmarket to see Andrew Mead and the rest of the team who are based there. It's a very exciting role and I'm looking forward to the future with Castlebridge”.
Castlebridge director Andrew Mead commented, “We are pleased to have Donncha back on board, he was of considerable help last year and it's great to have two well-known young industry figures such as Patrick Diamond and Donncha representing the company”.
Fellow Director Bill Dwan added: “We expect Donncha to visit a lot of farms and stables in Ireland in the coming months and he will also be meeting plenty of people at the races. We recognise that this industry is all about personal contacts coupled with delivering a professional service to clients, so we believe in investing in young guys such as Donncha and Patrick.”
3.10 Windsor, Novice, £8,000, 3yo, 10fT APOLO (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is an eye-catching newcomer on the first of the regular Windsor Monday fixtures in 2023, with KHK Racing Ltd having paid 625,000gns at the 2021 Tattersalls Book 1 Sale for this fifth foal out of the four-times Group 1-winning 1000 Guineas heroine Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}). Already responsible for the high-class G1 Falmouth S. winner Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), her John and Thady Gosden-trained colt is fitted with a tongue tie and cheekpieces. The stable also sends out Normandie Stud's homebred Loving Feeling (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a son of the G3 Prix de Flore winner Loving Things (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), while Sir Michael Stoute introduces Juddmonte's Liable (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a full-brother to the G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer and G1 Prix Rothschild third Obligate (GB).
Juddmonte's 3-year-old colt Flight Leader (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Principal Role, by Empire Maker) was last seen graduating in an Oct. 12 nine-furlong maiden at Chantilly and put his hat into the ring for June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club back there after battling to a game victory on seasonal return in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The eventual winner, who had earlier posted a Sept. 1 debut ninth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at this venue, broke from the outside stall and found cover off the tempo in fifth after the initial strides. Coaxed along passing the quarter-mile marker, the 19-5 chance came under sterner urging entering the final furlong and was driven out in the latter stages to prevail by a short-neck from Harry Way (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in brave fashion. In a blanket finish, Fabrice Chappet nominee Fortune (Fr) (De Treville {GB}) was a neck adrift in third.
“When this horse first ran Andre Fabre had mentioned him as a potentially very good one, but unfortunately he missed out on debut,” said Juddmonte's on-course representative. “He won well second time out over nine furlongs, proving already that he stays, and he should be better on good ground. He will come on for the run and has made a step forward to the [June 4 G1] Prix du Jockey Club. Andre Fabre will discuss his programme with Barry Mahon and the [Abdullah] family. There are plenty of opportunities and the trainer knows how to handle these situations, so we have no worries.”
Flight Leader, who becomes the 79th pattern-race winner for his sire (by Galileo {Ire}), is the sixth of eight foals and one of four scorers produced by MSW G1 Nassau S. third Principal Role (Empire Maker). The March-foaled bay's dam, herself a daughter of GII La Prevoyante H. and GIII River Cities Budweiser Breeders' Cup S. victrix Interim (GB) (Sadler's Wells), is kin to GI Charles Whittingham Memorial-winning sire Midships (Mizzen Mast), GI San Juan Capistrano Invitational runner-up Staging Post (Pleasant Colony) and to the dam of G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern heroine Temida (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). Flight Leader is a half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old colt Rickshaw (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) and a weanling filly by Kingman (GB).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX NOAILLES-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-16, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.69, hy.
1–FLIGHT LEADER (GB), 128, c, 3, by Frankel (GB) 1st Dam: Principal Role {MSW & G1SP-Eng, MGSP-US, $238,766}, by Empire Maker 2nd Dam: Interim (GB), by Sadler's Wells 3rd Dam: Intermission (GB), by Stage Door Johnny 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ireland Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €53,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harry Way (Fr), 128, g, 3, Galiway (GB)–Miss Vinga (Fr), by High Rock (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Robert Bonaventure; B-Robert Bonaventure (FR); T-Nicolas Perret. €16,000.
3–Fortune (Fr), 128, c, 3, De Treville (GB)–February Sun (GB), by Monsun (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Rashit Shaykhutdinov (FR); T-Fabrice Chappet. €12,000.
Margins: SNK, NK, 3/4. Odds: 3.80, 3.00, 2.40.
Also Ran: Londoner (Ire), Rubis Vendome (GB), Prince De Paname (Fr), Mononof (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.
Just days after his first-crop son Equinox (Jpn) was named the world's highest-rated racehorse for his stunning victory in last month's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, successful young stallion Kitasan Black (Jpn) was represented by his first Japanese Classic winner when Sol Oriens (Jpn) came from a near-impossible position 400 metres from home to take Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) by a widening 1 1/4 lengths. Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) led into the final furlong, but was swamped late on, while favoured Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) won a photo for third.
Void of speed from the inside gate, the 21-5 second-elect drifted right back through the field and was guided a few paths off the rail to race fourth-last and three wide into the first bend as Granite (Jpn) (Danon Ballade {Jpn}) set what appeared to be solid fractions in the wet ground. Patiently handled down the back and up the rise approaching the 800-metre peg, Sol Oriens was shuffled back and raced last but one and a good 12 lengths off the lead on the second turn.
Moving nearly laterally when awkwardly switching his legs nearing the straight, Sol Oriens was steered out 10 or 11 wide and whooshed home down the soundest part of the racing surface to win in highly impressive fashion, while again swapping his leads in the final stages. His final three furlongs were covered in :35.5, remarkable given the underfoot conditions, and 0.9 seconds faster than any of his rivals. Tastiera also rallied well off the inside, while Phantom Thief was mostly one-paced in third.
Sol Oriens becomes the first horse in 80 years to win the Guineas with as few as two previous starts.
“He's still very green, especially at the turns, with only a short career coming into this race, but as he's already shown in his
previous start, I know first hand the power and speed which this colt possesses,” said winning jockey Takeshi Yokoyama, who piloted Efforia (Jpn) ( Epiphaneia {Jpn}) to win this race in 2021. “So, while we had a lot of ground to cover from way behind, I knew that if I could keep him in good rhythm up to the straight, he would be able to show his full potential to win this race.”
The Classic series continues with the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (2400 metres) at the headquarters of Japanese racing May 28.
Pedigree Notes:
While there were no members of the final crop of Deep Impact (Jpn) in the Satsuki Sho, there is something of a connection to the legendary sire, as Kitasan Black is a son of Deep Impact's year-younger full-brother Black Tide (Jpn).
A popular and accomplished galloper in his own right, Kitasan Black won 12 of his 20 career appearances, including the 2015 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger), back-to-back renewals of the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), a G1 Japan Cup and a career-closing victory in the G1 Arima Kinen. Now the sire of two elite-level scorers, the 11-year-old Shadai resident is also responsible for Group 2 winner Gaia Force (Jpn) from his first crop and for the Group 3-winning 3-year-old filly Ravel (Jpn).
Sol Oriens's dam was the upset winner of the 2011 G3 Prix Fille de l'Air for Carlos Laffon-Parias and was purchased by bloodstock agent Patrick Barbe for €320,000 in foal to Leroidesanimaux (Brz) from the Haras du Quesnay draft at the 2014 Arqana December Sale. Her second foal became the newly retired Vin de Garde (Jpn), a Group 2 winner at home and second and third, respectively, in the G1 Dubai Turf in 2021 and 2022. Skia's half-brother Tropaios (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}) was a listed winner in France for Laffon-Parias and went on to become a standout for the China Horse Club and trainer Michael Freedman in Singapore, where he was victorious in the Singapore Gold Cup. Motivator is also the broodmare sire of treble Japanese Group 1 winner and champion older horse Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).
Skia is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Deep Impact's son Kizuna (Jpn) and is due to Epiphaneia (Jpn) for her 2023 produce.
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥ 416,260,000, Nakayama, 4-16, 3yo, c/f, 2000mT, 2:00.60, yl.
1—SOL ORIENS (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Kitasan Black (Jpn) 1st Dam: Skia (Fr) (GSW-Fr, $163,904), by Motivator (GB) 2nd Dam: Light Quest, by Quest For Fame (GB) 3rd Dam: Gleam of Light (Ire), by Danehill 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse; B- Shadai Farm; T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Takeshi Yokoyama; ¥225,382,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥272,697,000. *1/2 to Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, MG1SP-UAE, $2,792,422. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Tastiera (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Satono Crown (Jpn)–Partitura (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; ¥87,252,000.
3–Phantom Thief (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Harbinger (GB)–Lupin, by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Turf Sport Inc; B-Tanikawa Farm; ¥53,626,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 4.20, 8.00, 2.80.
Also Ran: Metal Speed (Jpn), Shonan Bashitto (Jpn), Shazzan (Jpn), Top Knife (Jpn), Win Odin (Jpn), Hrimfaxi (Jpn), Bellagio Opera (Jpn), Gruner Green (Jpn), Granite (Jpn), Touch Wood (Jpn), Meiner Laulea (Jpn), One Direct (Jpn), Ras Hammel (Jpn), Ho O Biscuits (Jpn), Danon Touchdown (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart.
