Tag: Top News Europe

De Sousa, Marquand Share Longines IJC Title

Coronavirus dictated that it wasn't exactly business at usual at Happy Valley Racecourse for the staging of Wednesday's Longines International Jockeys' Championship. But there was a return to at least some semblance of normalcy, as a crowd of about 11,000 fans filed into the stands and into the beer garden to watch Silvestre de Sousa finish level with Tom Marquand to cause a dead heat for just the third time in the history of the event. The duo shared HK$700,000 (£73,544) in prize money.

COVID-19 had already resulted original IJC invitees Yuga Kawada and Jye McNeil being sidelined for the meeting, and the virus claimed a third would-be participant Wednesday when France's Mickael Barzalona tested positive. Zac Purton was a warm favourite to bag a third IJC, but at the end of the day, he struck out, and the competition saw a different jockey win each of the four legs, forcing a countback to decide the winner–or, in this case, winners.

Vincent Ho, who will team up with Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) for a three-peat attempt in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, struck in the first leg of the sequence driving the 8-1 chance Handsome Rebel (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) to a narrow victory over Faribault (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) (video) for trainer Jamie Richards.

Derek Leung took Barzalona's place in the IJC and made the most of the opportunity in the second leg, scoring by a short head astride 135-pound topweight Win Win Fighter (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) after favoured Royal Pride (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) slashed through one off the fence and looked on his way to victory (video) for McNeil's replacement Hugh Bowman. In was another feather in the cap for the homegrown Leung, whose previous crowning moment came aboard Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) in the 2017 Hong Kong Mile.

Neither Marquand nor De Sousa had pointed heading into the third of the IJC races, but that changed when Marquand's 11-1 chance Winning Dragon (Chi) (Ivan Denisovich) pegged back longshot Red Majesty (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}), who was well-rated from the front by Lyle Hewitson–subbing for Kawada–but just failed to see it out at nearly 40-1 (video).

With as many as nine chances heading into the finale, it was De Sousa who capitalized from close range on Adios (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), just holding off a late surge from Red Lion (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) (video), a two-time winner and seventh in the Brittania H. at Royal Ascot this year for trainer Andrew Slattery when racing as Finach McHugh (Ire). Red Lion would have made Australia's Jamie Kah–who took a Class 3 handicap earlier in the evening for Douglas Whyte–the outright winner on the occasion of her 27th birthday, but the event was declared a tie, as both Marquand and De Sousa posted fourths in other legs of the series. Ho's best finish outside of his was a fifth-place effort, while Leung's next best was a sixth.

“To finish joint-top with Silvestre is pretty epic,” said Marquand, who finished tied for second behind Zac Purton here 12 months ago. “He's been champion jockey back home, he works so hard and is someone you look up to in the weighing room. It's a huge honour and sometimes you have to pinch yourself that these things are happening.”

Marquand's wife Hollie Doyle, third in the final IJC race after being under a COVID cloud until she was cleared to participate Tuesday, closed the Happy Valley meeting with a 9-1 upset of the Class 2 United Kingdom H. (1800m) on Spirited Express (Aus) (No Nay Never).

De Sousa, winner of the 2018 IJC, said: “I'm just delighted. It's my second time winning and I finished placed another time. In the last leg I just felt the crowd and although it was a long last half furlong, thank God he got his head down and we gave it everything.”

 

 

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Frankel Filly Tops Final Day Of Record-Breaking Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale

Indices remained above average, as a record-breaking Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale concluded in Deauville on Tuesday. Despite more horses on offer, demand remained strong at 80% with 740 head sold of 926 offered. The gross breached the €50-million mark for the first time, totaling €56,800,500. The overall average of €76,757 was up 27%, and the median increased 15% to €17,250.

Tuesday's session posted a clearance rate of 83.5%, as 127 sold from 152 for an aggregate of €714,500. The median was unchanged at €3,500, and the average improved 23% to €5,626.

Lot 866, the 3-year-old Save The World (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), was knocked down for €52,000 to BBA Ireland. Part of the Haras d'Ombreville draft, the bay is unraced and out of the G3 Fred Darling S. second Jellicle Ball (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Her dam is a half-sister to G1 Prix Marcel Boussac bridesmaid Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who sold for 1 million gns during the Sceptre Sessions of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale also to BBA Ireland.

Jeremy Brummitt shelled out €50,000 for Theoricienne (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}) (lot 951) in foal to Intello (Ger). A dual winner, the 16-year-old from the Haras du Quesnay dispersal has foaled two stakes winners–G2 Prix du Gros-Chene hero Tour To Paris (Fr) (Fuisse {Fr}) and three-time black-type earner She's My Type (Fr) (Dunkerque {Fr}).

Just three lots later, Brummitt also signed the ticket on Theoricienne's draftmate Treasure (Fr) (Anabaa) (lot 954) at €32,000. A trio of stakes horses claim the French listed winner and G3 Prix d'Arenberg third as their dam, including Listed Prix Urban Sea heroine Tresorerie (Fr) (Intello {Ger}).

Forty-seven of the 48-lot Quesnay dispersal changed hands for a gross of €2,185,500. Lot 166, a Quesnay-consigned Le Havre (Ire) half-sister to dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), topped all foals offered during the four-day stand at €675,000 to Juddmonte. She was also well clear of Quesnay's most expensive mare, the €350,000 Perle d'Auge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) (lot 31), who sold to Jill Lamb Bloodstock and is from the same family as this year's G1 Matron S. heroine Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Ecurie des Monceaux sold 30 lots for €9,959,000 to take leading consignor honours, while the BBA Ireland buying spree continued with 46 head purchased for €9,211,000, making them the leading buyers.

Eric Hoyeau, President of Arqana and Freddy Powell, Executive Director, said, “The sales season is coming to a close on an excellent note after four incredible days. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all the vendors who have entrusted us with mares, fillies and foals of exceptional quality. Deauville was particularly cosmopolitan, welcoming buyers from all over Europe but also from the United States, Australia, Japan, India and Turkey, the result of the prospecting work of our bloodstock team and our representatives abroad.

“A big congratulations also to the stud staff and our team in the yards, who gave their best despite the cold and the intense days, throughout this great marathon that is the Vente d'Elevage. These record results are the result of a real team effort, both among our sales staff and in our offices. We will now focus on the last sale of the year, which will take place online next Thursday, and we wish everyone a happy holiday season.”

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Doyle Gets All-Clear For Third Go at Longines IJC

Hollie Doyle may be the roughest chance in the field of 12 for Wednesday evening's Longines International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) at Hong Kong iconic 'city track' at Happy Valley Racecourse, but she'd be considering herself fortunate to take her chances at all.

The 26-year-old, who returned an 'indifferent' COVID test upon her arrival from Japan, was given the green light to compete Tuesday after the chief medical officer for the Hong Kong Jockey Club confirmed that the original result was a 're-positive' case, per a release.

“After careful clinical and laboratory assessments with the results having been communicated to the Government, the CMO is satisfied that Jockey Doyle is medically fit to fulfil her race riding engagements at the Happy Valley Racemeeting to be conducted on Wednesday, 7 December 2022,” the statement read.

Doyle became the first woman to record a victory in one of the four legs of the IJC in 2020 and has reached the podium in both her previous appearances, finishing in a tie for second that year and a joint-third in 2021.

Japan's Yuga Kawada misses the IJC after returning a positive test prior to his departure, while Jye McNeil is also sidelined on similar grounds. Lyle Hewitson takes Kawada's rides and Hugh Bowman, the 2016 IJC winner, slides in for his fellow Australian McNeil.

Over the last several years, the allotment of rides for the IJC has been altered to level the playing field, but, as luck would have it, two-time defending champion Zac Purton has been handed a strong book and is the $3.20 (11-5) favourite to take home the winner's share of HK$800,000 yet again. But he is taking nothing for granted.

“These are the best jockeys from around the world and they've had the most success in recent times as well,” said Purton, who currently sits on 54 winners, 32 clear of fellow IJC competitor Vincent Ho. “They're all in good form and it creates an element of interest for everyone.

“These are the biggest stars in our sport so to be able to compete with them on a night like this is an opportunity I appreciate. I enjoy having them in town and catching up with them as friends too, so it's good to see some familiar faces.”

Making her first IJC appearance is Australia's history-making Jamie Kah, the leading jockey in Melbourne in 2020/2021 and first to post 100 winners in a Melbourne metropolitan season.

“It's always been a dream of mine to ride in Hong Kong,” said Kah, “And this is my first time here. I literally had a stopover once but didn't set foot outside the airport. It's a buzz to be part of this IJC and The Hong Kong Jockey Club has looked after me amazingly well.”

Kah is rated an $18 chance for the IJC.

Along with Purton and Bowman, other past IJC winners looking to add to their totals include Silvestre de Sousa, who won it in 2018, and Ryan Moore, who shared the spoils with Christophe Lemaire and John Murtagh in 2009 before winning outright the following year.

The field is completed by Doyle's husband Tom Marquand, Mickael Barzalona, James McDonald and Matthew Chadwick.

The IJC kicks off with race four at 12:10pm BST (7:10 a.m. US Eastern Time) and features two Class Four (1000m, 1650m) and two Class 3 handicaps (1650m, 1200m).

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Mullins Considers Hurdles Option for Princess Zoe

Trainer Tony Mullins has revealed that Group 1-winning stayer Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) could now be sent hurdling after failing to reach her reserve at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale last week.

The 7-year-old mare, who won the G1 Prix du Cadran in 2020 and was runner-up in last year's G1 Gold Cup at Ascot, was bought back by her owners Patrick Kehoe and Philomena Crampton at 300,000gns.

“We had a few enquiries [after the sale] and we felt we weren't getting what we stated before we left,” explained Mullins. “We said if we got 300,000gns, we'd take it and we had a few enquiries just under it, but we said we were keeping her if we didn't get it.”

He continued, “Paddy loves jump racing and he has been asking me. I said we'd start riding her out again and we will school her and see. But we have no decision made. If she jumps well and if she takes to it, we'll see.

“That is what she was bought to do in the first place. Then she just turned out she was a better filly than we thought. I will get her riding out now and we will probably have her jumping by Christmas.”

Princess Zoe has won eight of her 34 races on the level, including this season's G3 Sagar S., and she has raced in Ireland, Britain, France and Saudi Arabia, as well as her native Germany. Her trainer was the regular rider of arguably the greatest jumping mare of all time, Dawn Run (Ire), who was trained by his father Paddy Mullins.

Mullins added of his own stable star, “The fun we had with her will never be equalled. If she takes to jumping, I've no worries about trips. We could do with a few more horses who could run as fast as her.”

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