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No Nay Never’s Aesop’s Fables Powers To TDN Rising Stardom at Navan

Aidan O'Brien's juvenile band is approaching full swing and the trainer's latest representative to hit the track, Coolmore and Westerberg's Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never), earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with a taking debut display in Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Navan. The 5 3/4-furlong dash was annexed last year by subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. runner-up, G2 Coventry S. fourth and G2 Railway S. third Masseto (GB) (Territories}) and Royal Ascot options abound for the half-brother to that meeting's Listed Windsor Castle S. hero Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) following a 2 1/4-length defeat of Tanaiyla (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}). The 7-4 second favourite was sharply into stride from the outside stall to stalk the experienced 10-11 favourite Midnight Toker (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in a close-up second through the early fractions. Nudged along at halfway, he came under increased urging once quickening to challenge passing the quarter-mile marker and found an additional gear inside the final furlong to go comfortably clear of his rivals.

“He's a very smart horse and has done all his homework very nicely,” commented Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong. “Aidan [O'Brien] was very happy with him and Ryan [Moore] has sat on him a few times and was very happy with him. We'll try and give him one run before [Royal] Ascot. It will either be in the valuable winners' race at Naas or there's a winners-of-one at the Curragh on June 1st. Then hopefully on to Ascot. Fingers crossed he is a very smart horse going forward. He's obviously from the family of Washington DC, who was a precocious 2-year-old, he's got plenty of options and is one you would love to have in your stable.”

Aesop's Fables is the latest of eight foals and sixth winner from as many runners produced by Listed Land O' Burns Fillies' S. third How's She Cuttin' (Ire) (Shinko Forest {Ire}), herself the leading performer out of a half-sister to the stakes-placed Escape Plan (Ire) (Key of Luck) and to the unraced dam of G3 Firth of Clyde S. victrix and G1 Cheveley Park S. runner-up Aspen Darlin (Ire) (Indian Haven {GB}). Hailing from the family of MG1SW sire Grand Lodge (Chief's Crown), the February-foaled bay is a half to G3 Phoenix Sprint S. victor and MG1SP sire Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and G3 Chester vase runner-up Sandhurst (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

1st-Navan, €16,000, Mdn, 4-23, 2yo, 5f 164yT, 1:14.10, gd.
AESOP'S FABLES (IRE), c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: How's She Cuttin' (Ire) (SP-Eng, $111,446), by Shinko Forest (Ire)
2nd Dam: Magic Annemarie (Ire), by Dancing Dissident
3rd Dam: Magic Garter (GB), by Precocious (GB)
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $10,366. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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Freshman Sire Expert Eye Off The Mark At Leicester

Banstead Manor Stud's first-crop sire Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) notched his first winner when the Ralph Beckett-trained debutant Sunny Orange (Ire) raced to an ultimately snug victory in Saturday's Madri Excepcional Maiden S. over five furlongs at Leicester. Juddmonte's 70,000gns Tattersalls December Foals acquisition went postward as the well-backed 2-1 second choice for the straight dash and was well away from an outer gate to track the leaders in fifth through the initial fractions. Making smooth headway from halfway, he was ridden to launch his challenge approaching the final furlong and driven out in the latter stages to defeat Al Khazneh (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) by 1 1/4 lengths.

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GBB Passes £5-Million Mark

The impressive Sandown novice victory of Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) on Friday not only saw the Gosden-trained filly's odds slashed for the G1 Cazoo Oaks but also pushed the pay-out for the Great British Bonus Scheme (GBB) past £5 million.

The scheme, which rewards connections of British-bred fillies and mares, was launched in May 2020 and features bonuses of up to £20,0000 for eligible horses, who are able to compete for more than one bonus. The bonuses are split 65% for owners, 20% to breeders, 7.5% to trainers, 5% to jockeys and 2.5% to stable staff, and have so far been won in 372 races.

“The Great British Bonus has been truly embraced by the industry and is supporting not only owners, trainers and stable staff but, crucially, breeders too,” said GBB operations executive Charlie Newton.

“There is huge demand for GBB fillies and we're seeing clear evidence that the value of British- bred fillies is increasing in the sales ring. I am consistently told that GBB is making a difference and that there is no longer the worry and disappointment in the breeding sheds if you have a glut of fillies rather than colts.”

She added, “The small, private breeders who make up a large proportion of the sector are telling us that GBB is making breeding worthwhile, that they're buying another mare or that they're no longer giving up because GBB has been a game changer.

“To have paid out £5 million in under two years is fantastic news for the industry and we're truly grateful not only to the HBLB, who help fund the scheme and make it possible, but to all those breeders, owners and trainers who support it.”

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Sea the Stars’ Emily Upjohn a New Rising Star

The birds were hoarse about Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) ahead of her 3-year-old bow on a Sandown card that John Gosden takes very seriously and the major Oaks mover did not disappoint as she galloped to a 9 1/2-length success in Friday's Nordoff Robbins Charlie Watts Memorial Fillies' Novice S. Sent off the 5-4 favourite for the 10-furlong contest won in similarly devastating fashion by the stable's Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) in 2008, the bay who races for Tactful Finance stuck close to the leader Follow That Star (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}) throughout with Frankie Dettori full of horse at every step. Eventually allowed to steam ahead passing the three-furlong pole, the bay duly opened up to inflict the heavy defeat on that rival and the Haggas newcomer Remembering (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), both in receipt of seven pounds. Race Replay.

Emily Upjohn, who had earned her penalty when getting up late on debut over an extended nine furlongs on Wolverhampton's Tapeta in November, is understandably now hot property for the Epsom Classic won by the yard's Taghrooda (GB) in 2014. Interestingly, that stellar performer was also a daughter of Sea the Stars who had been due to run in the 10-furlong handicap on this card only to be scratched. When it is remembered that Gosden holds the record of Sandown Classic Trial winners at nine and has won the Gordon Richards four times since 2012 including Friday's renewal, it is clear that this fixture holds special import to Clarehaven and it will be no surprise if this filly becomes the latest luminary to emerge from it.

“I rode her the other day and thought wow. Not many horses take my breath away, but you like to see them do it in the afternoon,” Dettori said. “When I rode her the other morning, we just did routine work and didn't press any buttons but she gave me the right feel. We went quite slow in the race actually, nobody wanted to go a proper pace as they are all still learning, so I kicked way early because I knew that she's a lengthener and that the sprint would not suit me. I'm very confident she'll get a mile and a half and physique-wise she's very mature for a three-year-old. She's a big girl, but she's not slow so she's everything you want really. I'm overwhelmed and delighted and we can now pitch her up in a trial and see what happens. Enable was big and it never stopped her! If they're good, they go at Epsom.” Thady Gosden added, “The Musidora would be the obvious choice, York's a great track and it will be a hot race but she's done it well today.”

Emily Upjohn, a 60,000gns snip for Blandford Bloodstock at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, also shares with Taghrooda an Aga Khan heritage, being a granddaughter of the renowned owner-breeder's important mare Hazaradjat (Ire) (Darshaan (GB). The dam Hidden Brief (GB) (Barathea {Ire}), who was third in the Listed Prix Petite Etoile, is therefore a full-sister to the talented Hazarista (Ire) who captured the G3 Blue Wind S. and was third in the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks. One of her half-sisters Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), who took the G3 Athasi S., produced his G1 Epsom and Irish Derby hero Harzand (Ire) also by Sea the Stars, as well as three other stakes winners including Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who was also third in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Another, the Listed Finale S. winner Hazarafa (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}), is in turn the dam of Hazapour (Ire) (Shamardal) whose career exploits included wins in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and G3 Amethyst S.

This is one of the Aga Khan's strongest dynasties, also featuring the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Seal of Approval (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), last year's G1 Irish Derby, G1 St Leger S. and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the group scorers Hunaina (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Swashbuckling (Ire) (Raven's Pass), Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) and Hamariyna (Ire) by Sea the Stars' son Sea the Moon (Ger). Hidden Brief, who Lordship Stud sold to Gaelic Bloodstock for just 16,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, also has a yearling daughter of Cappella Sansevero (GB).

6th-Sandown, £11,000, Novice, 4-22, 3yo, f, 9f 209yT, 2:14.09, gd.
EMILY UPJOHN (GB), f, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Hidden Brief (GB) (SP-Fr), by Barathea (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hazaradjat (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Hazy Idea (GB), by Hethersett (GB)
(60,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $12,802. O-Tactful Finance & S Roden; B-Lordship Stud & Sunderland Holding Inc (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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