Tag: Top News Europe

Extreme Heat Warning Forces Abandonment of Five Meetings

The heatwave forecast to hit parts of Britain on Monday and Tuesday has forced the abandonment of five race meetings across those two days.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed on Friday afternoon that Monday's fixtures at Beverley and Windsor, and Tuesday's meetings at Chelmsford City, Southwell and Wolverhampton would not take place in light of the unprecedented red warning for extreme heat issued by the Met Office. These five tracks all fall within or are close to the parts of southern, central and eastern England where the temperature could be as high as 40 degrees celsius.

“The BHA's number one priority in the staging of any meeting is the wellbeing of all involved, human and equine,” said the BHA's chief operating officer Richard Wayman. “Following the issuing of the first ever extreme heat warning by the Met Office, we are taking sensible precautions and have made a decision as soon as possible in order to provide certainly for those impacted.”

Arena Racing Company (ARC) owns three of the courses that will lose fixtures – Windsor, Wolverhampton and Southwell – and its managing director of the racing division, Mark Spincer, was supportive of the BHA's decision. 

He said, “We have been in close dialogue with colleagues at the BHA throughout this period of warmer weather and have been operating with a number of resources in place to assist horses and people working on our racecourses. Whilst we had taken steps to mitigate against the higher temperatures initially forecast for Monday and Tuesday, including moving Southwell's race times to earlier in the day, the latest updates from the Met Office and the alerts issued this morning made it clear that it was within the best interests of all concerned to abandon these fixtures.

“We will be in touch with all customers who had bookings to these race meetings shortly, and our thanks goes to the BHA team for acting swiftly in changing circumstances.”

Chelmsford City's racing director Neil Graham took a similar view. “As ever, our primary concern is for the welfare of everyone visiting Chelmsford City Racecourse, both human and equine, and, therefore, we fully support the BHA in making this decision in such extreme conditions,” he said. 

The abandoned meetings will not be rescheduled but the BHA has advised that it will potentially add races to the schedule in the coming days to compensate for those lost.

The heatwave across continental Europe has also meant a change to the start time for racing at Vichy, which holds its week-long festival starting from Monday. Tuesday's meeting has been moved from the afternoon to the evening and will get underway at 8.15pm. On Wednesday evening the course hosts the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy, which features the Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road (Quality Road) and is set to go off at 9.45pm local time.

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Emily Upjohn Ruled Out Of Irish Oaks Due To Travel Complications

An Emily Upjohn (GB)-shaped hole has been blown into the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks after John and Thady Gosden were forced to rule the daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) out of Saturday's Group 1 contest at the Curragh. As short as 2-5 with some betting firms, Emily Upjohn will miss the Curragh Classic after the Gosden team were faced with travel complications ahead of the journey across the Irish Sea.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo) has hardened into a general even-money favourite for the Irish Oaks in Emily Upjohn's absence. The shock news means that just seven fillies will line out for the race with Emily Upjohn now being aimed at the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot on July 23.

Thady Gosden said, “It is very frustrating. We thought all her bad luck had been used up at Epsom. The plane, which was going to be taking her to Ireland, they also use for Royal Mail. It was flying out of Edinburgh to pick her up and there was a bird strike. The plane that was meant to be taking her there now can't get her in time and they can't find another plane.”

He added, “Unfortunately, we are completely snookered. The King George is now obviously the option. Frustrating, especially when you train her for such a race.”

 

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Frankel’s Onesto Swoops In The Grand Prix De Paris

Unleashing his deadly acceleration to maximum effect at a ParisLongchamp blessed by evening sun, TDN Rising Star Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) stormed into the big time in Thursday's G1 Grand Prix de Paris. This type of performance had looked on the cards after his scintillating win in the 10 1/2-furlong G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud May 8 and highly commendable effort from a horror draw when dead-heating for fifth in the Prix du Jockey-Club and the Fabrice Chappet-trained chestnut was duly made the 10-3 favourite. Anchored last early by Stephane Pasquier having run freely to post, the first group 1 winner for his breeder Diamond Creek Farm who sported the colours of Gerard Augustin-Normand for the first time proved perfectly tractable in the race and saved energy tracking the other five. Producing the burst once straightened for home that is already his trademark over a 12-furlong trip that was certain to play to his strengths, he produced a 11.09 penultimate sectional to overhaul the long-time leader Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) a furlong from home. That rallying rival kept the winning margin to a neck only, with the Prix du Jockey-Club runner-up El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) adding context 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

 

Since the move of the Prix du Jockey-Club to 10 1/2 furlongs, the draw has become vital with the last winner to have come from a double-figure stall being one of the Chantilly Classic's better ones in the talented New Bay (GB) in 2015. Onesto had fared reasonably well in the original draw in nine, but after the well-documented error he was re-posted to 14 and lost all chance at the start. Still able to get within a respectable distance of the impressive winner Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), he emerged from the race as one of a few who could be upgraded significantly. This trip looked truly up his street, hailing from the family of Juddmonte's great blue hen Hasili (Ire) by the stamina influence Frankel, whose 25th group 1 winner he duly became. He was also able to mark the win with the added bonus of supplying Sea The Stars (Ire) with his first group 1 winner as a broodmare sire. It capped a memorable week for the breeders, who had supplied the Fasig-Tipton July Sale-topping Curlin colt.

“He can be slightly too keen and Stephane did well to rate him,” Chappet said. “In the race, he was slightly too cold but when he made his move between horses two out he was right there to produce his turn of foot. In fact it turned out to be the perfect race for him. He ran a great race in the Prix du Jockey Club, but he was out if it turning for home because of his bad draw. You can have regrets because there is only one Derby in the life of a horse, but take nothing away from the winner–I am not saying we would have won.”

Onesto's winning debut over a mile at Chantilly in September had enough x-factor to earn TDN Rising Star status, containing the colt Vagalame (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who would come to share fifth place with him when they re-engaged in the Jockey Club. Finding only Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) too strong on his other juvenile start in a 7 1/2-furlong conditions event on Deauville's Polytrack in October, he was again behind that rival when eighth as Vadeni was fifth in this track's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile Apr. 17. It was only when he got to the Greffulhe that he hit his stride and Chappet has the big one back over this course and distance in mind now. “He's got plenty of speed, he can win 10-furlong races and he won a mile maiden but now the future is to target the Arc and we will go with some ambition,” he added. “This was a good trial, wasn't it? He will first go for the [G2] Prix Niel.”

Of Simca Mille, trainer Stephane Wattel said, “He ran a huge race and it was a great performance, so we have to be proud and he doesn't stop improving. We will see how he comes out of it–the [G2] Grand Prix de Deauville at home could be a possibility.”

Onesto is the second of five foals and first runner out of the unraced Onshore (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was purchased by the aforementioned Diamond Creek Farm for 320,000gns at the 2016 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She is a half-sister to the G3 Easter Cup winner Jet Away (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), while their dam is another who failed to get to the track in Kalima (GB) (Kahyasi {Ire}).

Kalima's full-sibling Hasili needs no introduction as Juddmonte's legendary broodmare and there was already proof that Frankel works well in this dynasty. So far, he is responsible for the G1 Metropolitan winner Mirage Dancer (GB), a son of Hasili's GI Matriarch S.-winning Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert), the G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer Obligate (GB) and useful stayer Weekender (GB) who boast Hasili as a second dam. Kalima's half-sister Skiable (Ire) (Niniski) is the second dam of Frankel's G1 Fillies' Mile heroine and 1000 Guineas-placed Quadrilateral (GB). The dam's 2-year-old filly is by Australia (GB), she has a yearling filly by Gleneagles (Ire) and a filly foal by American Pharoah.

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France
GRAND PRIX DE PARIS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:27.76, g/s.
1–ONESTO (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Onshore (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Kalima (GB), by Kahyasi (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Kerali (GB), by High Line (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (185,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; $535,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand, Jean-Etienne Dubois, Ecurie Hunter Valley, Haras D'Etreham, Ecurie Billon, Ecurie Elag, Fabrice Chappet & Hubert Guy; B-Diamond Creek Farm LLC (IRE); T-Fabrice Chappet; J-Stephane Pasquier. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, €458,350. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Simca Mille (Ire), 129, c, 3, Tamayuz (GB)–Swertia (GB), by Pivotal (GB).
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€68,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Haras de la Perelle & Stephane Wattel; B-Haras de la Perelle (IRE); T-Stephane Wattel. €137,160.
3–El Bodegon (Ire), 129, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (70,000gns Ylg '20 TAOCT). O-Nas Syndicate & A F O'Callaghan; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-James Ferguson. €68,580.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 3.30, 5.10, 3.90.
Also Ran: Eldar Eldarov (GB), L'Astronome (GB), Piz Badile (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Frankel’s Raclette Edges Ahead In Thrilling Malleret

Fresh off a confidence-boosting triumph in last month's Listed Prix Melisande at ParisLongchamp, Juddmonte's homebred 3-year-old filly Raclette (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Emollient, by Empire Maker) continued her resurgence with a narrow victory, back at the Bois de Boulogne venue, in Thursday's G2 Prix de Malleret (Prix Le Bonbon) to set the stakes action rolling on Bastille Day. The April-foaled bay debuted with a 'TDN Rising Star' display at Deauville last August, closing her juvenile campaign with another win at Chantilly in September, but was off the board in her first two starts this term. She ran eighth in April's G3 Prix de la Grotte and fourth in May's Listed Prix Finlande, regaining her winning thread last time, and was usurped in the betting market as the holiday crowd marked G3 Prix de Royaumont victrix Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) as the 4-5 pick. The eventual winner found a smooth rhythm stalking the tempo in second after the initial exchanges of the 12-furlong contest. Nudged along to challenge passing the quarter-mile marker, Raclette gained a slender advantage entering the final furlong and was ridden out to bravely hold the challenges on both sides for a career high. At the line, she was a head too good for the fast-closing Listed Prix de Thiberville winner Lastotchka (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), with Baiykara contributing to a thriller and finishing a short neck adrift in third.

“The Family will be delighted with this result,” commented Juddmonte's on-course representative after the win elevated the old guard of Andre Fabre and Olivier Peslier to a combined tally of 16 in the contest, Fabre extending his record haul to a round 10 and Peslier collecting a sixth edition. “Raclette is a smart filly and we have to congratulate Andre Fabre for the fantastic job he has done with this filly. Ever since she ran that first day, he always said the further she went the better she would be and all has gone as he predicted. We will see how she comes out of the race and Mr Fabre will discuss the future with the Family and [racing manager] Barry Mahon. There are plenty of opportunities for her both in France and abroad.”

Pedigree Notes

The best foal of her four-time Grade I-winning dam Emollient, Raclette is a full-sister to the stakes-placed Licence (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and a half-sister to War Front filly Peace Charter (GB), who was second in the G3 Juvenile Fillies Sprint S. at Naas and third in the G2 Balanchine S. The 'TDN Rising Star's juvenile full-sister has been named Ardent and has yet to race. Emollient was barren to Quality Road last year and her 2022 Into Mischief foal died. She returned to Claiborne sire War Front this spring.

The Classic-placed Hofburg (Tapit) is under the second dam, while the third dam, Glia (A.P. Indy), is a daughter of the outstanding blue hen Coup de Genie (Mr. Prospector). Her black-type descendants are legion, with Group 1 winners Denebola (Storm Cat), Bago (Fr) (Nashwan) and Maxios (GB) part of her brood. The last two both found places at stud and currently make their homes in Japan and Ireland, respectively.

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE MALLERET (PRIX LE BONBON)-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:31.40, g/s.
1–RACLETTE (GB), 123, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Emollient (MGISW-US, $1,350,400), by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Soothing Touch, by Touch Gold
3rd Dam: Glia, by A.P. Indy
1ST GROUP WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Olivier Peslier. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, €137,600. *Full to Licence (GB), SP-Ire; and 1/2 to Peace Charter (GB) (War Front), MGSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lastotchka (Fr), 123, f, 3, Myboycharlie (Ire)–Muthla (Fr), by Muhtathir (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Ecurie Noel Forgeard, EARL Touchstone. Pierre Bonnier, Charles-Henri Bonnier & Philippe Stein; B-EARL Touchstone (FR); T-Jean-Marie Beguigne. €28,600.
3–Baiykara (Fr), 123, f, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Balankiyla (Fr), by Montjeu (Ire). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €13,650.
Margins: HD, SNK, 2. Odds: 2.40, 8.20, 0.80.
Also Ran: Zefania (Fr), *Fall In Love (Ire), *Whileuweresleeping (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
*Dead-heated for fifth.

 

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