Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a latest runner-up in the Oct. 19 Listed Prix Vulcain for the Aga Khan and Francis-Henri Graffard, was knocked down to Nicolas Lefevre's Equos Racing on the phone with Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer for €600,000 during Monday's horses-in-training session of the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville. The 3-year-old gelding is a winner of three of his six lifetime appearances. “I bought it with my former boss, Louis Le Metayer, for one of his Australian clients,” commented Lefevre. “It's been four years since we bought together, there is a lot of competition on horses with profile like his. We had been following him for a long time. We are thrilled that the story will continue with him.”
Better than 30 stallion farms in Ireland are set to greet the public during Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM)'s Irish Stallion Trail, to be staged Friday and Saturday, Jan. 13 and 14, 2023. The Trail was limited to the breeding industry only in 2022 due to COVID-19, but will offer breeders, racing professionals, and racing fans the opportunity to view some of the world's leading Flat and National Hunt stallions at Ireland's outstanding thoroughbred breeding facilities free of any restrictions.
“We are delighted that the ITM Irish Stallion Trail will once again be able to operate without any restrictions in 2023,” said ITM's Charles O'Neill. “From Cheltenham to Royal Ascot or the Breeders' Cup, Irish-bred horses have again flown the flag for our world-class industry in 2022.
“A great deal of this success can be traced back to Ireland's stellar stallions and the farms that handle them so expertly. We encourage breeders and other interested parties to get the Trail dates in the diary and support our hugely valuable thoroughbred breeding industry.”
Free to the public, visitors are requested to register which studs they intend to visit via the ITM website. Due to demand, it is imperative to register for a specific date and time slot if visiting Coolmore.
Click here for further information and to register. Further farms wishing to participate in the Stallion Trail may contact Alex Cairns at acairns@itm.ie or by phone on +353 (0) 877915690.
A field of 12 was declared Sunday for the fourth running of the £600,000 G3 Bahrain International Trophy to be run over the 2000 metres Friday, Nov. 19, at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club.
Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) was beaten less than one length into third behind the since-retired Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) in last year's main event, and the US-bred galloper could be one of as many of four entrants this time around. The seven-year-old was victorious in the G3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud in 2021, but was well-beaten in this year's G1 Saudi Cup and the G1 Dubai World Cup, in which he was third in 2021. Given a lengthy spell, the Andre Fabre trainee prepped for this challenge with a three-length victory over the all-weather track at Chantilly Oct. 8. He could be joined by Meydan listed winner Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), eighth here last year, and Passion And Glory (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) from Saeed bin Suroor; and by the Charlie Appleby-conditioned G3 Dubai Millennium S. hero Royal Fleet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Shadwell's Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) comes into the Bahrain Trophy in top form, having won the G3 Strensall S. at York Aug. 20 and the Oct. 8 G3 Darley S. at Newmarket in his last two outings.
“I've been really, really pleased with him since Newmarket,” trainer Owen Burrows told the Bahrain Turf Club. “He has come out of the race well. He looks great and although we're coming towards the end of the year, he's showing me no signs that he has had a hard season. He's really well.”
The Aga Khan-bred Simsir (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) took the 2020 renewal of this race for Victorious and trainer Fawzi Nass, and Dilawar (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will try to see that lightning strikes twice for the same connections. Previously trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the five-year-old won the 2021 G3 Prix Quincey in the Aga Khan colours and was only narrowly beaten in this year's G2 Prix du Muguet and G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines. He was acquired for €500,000 at last month's Arqana Arc Sale with this race in mind.
Between them, Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) and Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) accounted for three Horse of the Year titles in Japan, 13 Group 1 races–including four overseas–and the better part of $28 million in prizemoney. There is no such thing as a sure thing in the business of breeding horses, but Geraldina (Jpn) went some ways in cementing the accomplishments of mom and dad in their second careers with a tough-trip victory in Sunday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Hanshin Racecourse.
Drawn widest in the field of 18, Geraldina was away without incident, but Cristian Demuro was left with no real option but to attempt to slot his mount in towards the back of the pack, as 82-1 Rosa Noir (Jpn) (Manhattan Cafe {Jpn}) made the running in advance of G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Demuro had Geraldina positioned in the latter third of the field over a rain-affected course and raced as many as six paths off the inside, covering the well-bet G1 Shuka Sho runner-up Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) while racing with the benefit of cover on the back of longshot Terzetto (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Improving her position as they hit the final turn, Geraldina was pulled out six or seven deep nearing the straight and had dead aim on Win Marilyn (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}), who overhauled Rosa Noir approaching the furlong pole. The two dueled for a stride or two, but Geraldina–a spitting image of her sire and dam–kicked on strongly despite the wide passage and proved a much-the-best winner. Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) was up on the wire to dead-heat for second, while defending champion Akai Ito (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) closed off well for fourth. Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) was only sixth as a somewhat suspect favourite. It was a third QE II win in four years for Sunday Racing, who were represented by Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in 2019 and 2020.
“I'm very happy I was able to win another Group 1 race,” said Demuro, whose brother Mirco was aboard Lilac. “The filly was traveling very well in the last corner, came out and gave a good turn of foot. The last time when she won [G2 Sankei Sho All Comers S. Sept. 25], it was a good race, so I was pretty confident with her. Gentildonna was a good filly and I think Geraldina can be like her dam.”
Demuro also carried the Sunday Racing colours aboard Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in this year's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.
Magical Lagoon, who was a bit uncooperative pre-start, raced handy to the pace, but began to struggle a half-mile from home and was effectively eased up in the final furlong with a clear alibi.
“We were able to race in a good position, but she likes quick ground and the rain, unfortunately, took her chance away,” said jockey Shane Foley. “I urged her to go from the third corner, but she didn't respond. I don't know why she didn't want to go into the gate because she's usually really good.”
Pedigree Notes:
Geraldina is the fourth Group 1 winner overall for Maurice and his second in Japan, joining Sprinters' S. hero Pixie Knight (Jpn). He has also been represented by Australian Derby hero Hitotsu (Aus) and Doomben 10,000 S. winner Mazu (Aus) from his shuttle missions to Arrowfield Stud.
Gentildonna is the second foal out of Donna Blini, who cost a mere £20,000 at the 2004 Doncaster St Leger yearling sale, but was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida just over two years later for 500,000gns ($1,014,038) owing to the filly's 12-1 upset in the G1 Cheveley Park S. for trainer Brian Meehan in 2005. Donna Blini was off to a flyer in the breeding shed, producing future MGSW & MG1SP Donau Blue (Jpn) to the cover of Deep Impact in 2008 and Gentildonna in 2009.
Winner of the Japanese Filly Triple Crown in 2012, Gentildonna defeated Orfevre in an epic renewal of the G1 Japan Cup that fall before successfully defending her title 12 months later. She carried Ryan Moore to a famous victory over Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic when kept in training at five and closed her career with 7-1 score in the 2014 G1 Arima Kinen.
Gentildonna is also the dam of three-time maiden Marina Donna (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and a yearling full-sister to Geraldina. She was barren to Epiphaneia (Jpn) for 2022.
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan QUEEN ELIZABETH II CUP-G1, ¥ 253,400,000, Hanshin, 11-13, 3yo/up, f/m, 2200mT, 2:13, yl.
1–GERALDINA (JPN), 123, f, 4, by Maurice (Jpn) 1st Dam: Gentildonna (Jpn) (2x Horse of the Year, 2x Ch. Older Mare, Ch. 3yo Filly & MG1SW-Jpn, Hwt. Older Mare at 11-14f & G1SW-UAE, $18,468,392), by Deep Impact (Jpn) 2nd Dam: Donna Blini (GB), by Bertolini 3rd Dam: Cal Norma's Lady (Ire), by Lyphard's Special 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; T-Takashi Saito; J-Cristian Demuro; ¥133,780,000. Lifetime Record: 16-6-2-2, ¥298,967,000. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. (DH)-2–Win Marilyn (Jpn), 123, m, 5, Screen Hero (Jpn)–Cosmo Cielo (Aus), by Fusaichi Pegasus. O-Win Inc; B-Cosmo View Farm; ¥43,310,000. (DH)-2–Lilac (Jpn), 119, f, 3, Gold Ship (Jpn)–Viva Bouquet (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Seiichi Serizawa; B-Kineusu Farm; ¥43,310,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, (DH), 2HF. Odds: 7.10, (9.10, 51.90).
Also Ran: Akai Ito (Jpn), Namur (Jpn), Daring Tact (Jpn), Ho O Emmy's (Jpn), Ruby Casablanca (Jpn), Pin High (Jpn), Izu Jo no Kiseki (Jpn), Kurino Premium (Jpn), Terzetto (Jpn), Rosa Noir (Jpn), Stunning Rose (Jpn), Win Kiitos (Jpn), Win Mighty (Jpn), Andvaranaut (Jpn), Magical Lagoon (Ire). Click for the JRA chart.
