Toronado Colt Leads Third Session at Arqana

DEAUVILLE, France–One last six-figure yearling was added to the list on Thursday when trainer Joel Boisnard went to €130,000 for a Toronado (Ire) colt from Haras de l'Hotellerie to top the third session of Arqana's October Yearling Sale.

A half-brother to two black-type performers, lot 434 is a son of the Prix de Diane place-getter Diyakalanie (Fr) (Ashkalani {Ire}) and was bred by Haras de Sainte Gauburge. Boisnard already trains two of his half-siblings, including Diyashal (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}), who was won over fences and hurdles since the catalogue was printed. 

Beyond that highlight, trade remained solid through the middle tier with the highest clearance rate of the week so far at 90%. Though Part 2 of the October Sale has been conducted alphabetically over the last two days and is not graded, the figures across other sectors took a dip from the first of these two sessions and was the first this week to be down from the previous year as well. Turnover dropped by 10% to €4,216,500 and the average was down to €26,687 (-21%). The consistency of the trade was evident in the median being not too far below that at €22,000.

For the sale as a whole so far, figures are holding up pretty well, with the overall clearance rate of 86% being particularly noteworthy, while trade is roughly in keeping with last year. 

Several of this year's freshman sires in France are heftily represented in the sale. The Haras d'Etreham duo of Persian King (Ire) and Hello Youmzain (Fr) have had 33 and 27 yearlings through the ring respectively across the three days, with Persian King's average being €48,515 and Hello Youmzain's at €54,650. The former French-trained Arc winner Sottsass (Fr), who now resides in Ireland at Coolmore, has had nine sold for an average of €56,222.

Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International, who bought Wednesday's top lot, a daughter of Without Parole (GB), to race for Madaket Group, has now signed for eight yearlings for the American-based owners.

The sale returns to action from 2pm on Friday, with one final session starting at 11am on Saturday. 

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Seven Days: And They’re (Almost) Off

Cheltenham is behind us and, yes, we still have Aintree and Punchestown to come of the major jumps fixtures but, with the clocks on the turn, really the only thing to think about now is the return of the Flat.

The turf season makes its staggered return in Ireland on Sunday, and in Britain the following Saturday. France is already racing ahead and packed in four stakes races at Saint-Cloud last Saturday, with the Listed Prix Omnium II providing the first TDN Rising Star on the European turf for 2023 in Malcolm Parrish's American Flag (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

Some people love Paris in the springtime but William Haggas prefers Sydney in the autumn. The trainer has a tremendous strike-rate with his Australian runners and he has already claimed two big prizes this year. He won the G3 Sky High S. on March 11 with Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who previously ran in the colours borne to glory by Constitution Hill (GB) last week at the Cheltenham Festival but has now been bought from Michael Buckley by Australian Bloodstock. A week later back at Rosehill the Haggas team was at it again, with Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) providing Ryan Moore with one half of his Group 1 double in last Saturday's G1 Ranvet S., a race Haggas also won in 2020 with Addeybb (Ire).

The latter went on to strike two years in a row at Sydney's Championships, each time winning the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., which is now the target for Dubai Honour on April 8.

Issuing an update to TDN on Monday, Haggas said of Dubai Honour, “We're really pleased with him. He lost two kilos, which means he was either very fit or he didn't exert himself. He was very fresh this morning and is obviously very happy. He's a better horse, in our opinion, than he was at any stage last year. His last three furlongs on Saturday were quicker than the last three furlongs of Anamoe [in the 1500m George Ryder S.] and the last three furlongs of the Golden Slipper, and I think that puts some merit into his performance.”

The 5-year-old gelding could well aim for a Queen Elizabeth double of a different kind, with Sha Tin's G1 QEII Cup on April 30 also under consideration.

“I've entered him this morning for Hong Kong and if all goes well he could take that in on the way home,” Haggas said. 

Not all has gone swimmingly for the four Haggas horses who made the trip to Australia as recent Kempton winner and last year's Ebor third Earl Of Tyrone (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. 

“Earl Of Tyrone was the one we were quite excited about but he has sadly damaged a tendon,” reported the trainer. “It's really sad and so disappointing. He did well at Kempton and we would have had to decide between going for the Tancred or the Sydney Cup, but that's all over now.”

Earl Of Tyrone was another bought last year by Australian Bloodstock, who could yet enjoy more success with Protagonist, who has several options in the coming weeks.

“Protagonist probably put up a career best when he won last weekend and we felt he would come on for that,” said Haggas. “He may go to the Tancred on Saturday, or the Doncaster on April 1, or the Queen Elizabeth against Dubai Honour, but I don't think he'd beat Dubai Honour. I think his connections are leaning towards the Doncaster, which is a very valuable mile handicap in which he's got a weight of 50kg, which is nothing. 

“I'm not convinced [dropping back in trip is] the right way forward but he has won over a mile and he does seem in good form, and he'll probably never get the opportunity again of running off such a light weight in such a valuable race.”

Haggas's regular jockey Tom Marquand missed out on riding Dubai Honour at the weekend as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury sustained in a fall at Randwick on February 11. However, he arrived back in Australia on Sunday night and is ready to resume riding.

Haggas said, “Tom has a couple of rides in trials tomorrow [Tuesday] and at Kensington on Wednesday. He says he feels great and he knows his body better than anyone. He was here last Wednesday [in Newmarket] and he could fully extend his arm. He can't ride Protagonist in the Doncaster because he can't do that weight but he will ride Dubai Honour and also Purplepay in the Queen of the Turf.”

The trainer will join Marquand and his team in Australia once he has overseen his runners on Lincoln day at Doncaster a week on Saturday.

The successes of Dubai Honour in Australia and the Japanese-trained Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G1 Saudi Cup last month have put the late Montjeu (Ire) in a strong position at the head of the broodmare sires' table in the early stages of this year. 

Toronado Blows Hot Down Under

Toronado (Ire) has not returned to Haras de Bouquetot for the 2023 covering season, remaining instead at Swettenham Stud in Australia, where he is likely a favourite of the farm's owner Adam Sangster, who bred Saturday's G1 Galaxy H winner Mariamia (Aus). The 6-year-old mare is a daughter of Toronado, who has now sired back-to-back Galaxy winners, following the success last year of Shelby Sixtysix (Aus).

Toronado has also been represented in Australia by the G1 William Reid S. winner Masked Crusader (Aus) and, like his sire High Chaparral (Ire), has enjoyed more notable success in the southern hemisphere than in Europe. 

The brilliantly tough High Chaparral shuttled to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand and it is in that country where his influence remains the most keenly felt. His son Redwood (GB) is currently third in the New Zealand general sires' table, and he is joined on that list by fellow High Chaparral sires So You Think (NZ), Dundeel (NZ), Contributer (Ire), Wrote (Ire) and Tivaci (Aus). In Europe the only sons of the dual Derby and Breeders' Cup winner at stud are Free Eagle (Ire) and Tai Chi (Ger).

Deep Impact's Influence Extends

Another shuttle stallion who looks a decent addition to the New Zealand ranks is Satono Aladdin (Jpn}, a Northern Farm-bred son of Deep Impact (Jpn) and winner of the G1 Yasuda Kinen.

From his first crop conceived at Rich Hill Stud hails Saturday's G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Pennyweka (NZ), who was bred by her trainer Jim Wallace with his brother Les. Satono Aladdin is also responsible for the Group 1-winning juvenile Tokyo Tycoon (NZ), and on Saturday he had the third home in the G2 Alister Clark S. at Moonee Valley. The latter result represented something of a triumph for Japanese sires, who filled the trifecta courtesy of the winner Bank Maur (Aus), a son of Shadai/Arrowfield shuttler Maurice (Jpn) and runner-up Suizuro (Aus), by Real Impact (Jpn).

A top-class miler, who, like so many Japanese gallopers, raced until he was six, Satono Aladdin stands at Hokkaido's Breeders Stallion Station when on duty in Japan. He is bred on the same Deep Impact/Storm Cat cross as Kizuna (Jpn), who was Japan's leading first-season sire of 2019 and ended last year in fourth place on the general sires' list behind the big-hitters Deep Impact, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) and Heart's Cry (Jpn).

That same cross is also found in Kizuna's fellow Shadai resident Real Steel (Jpn), who was second in the freshman sires' table last year, the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Loves Only You (Jpn), and the Lanwades stallion and Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man (Ire), who has his first runners in Europe this year.

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What’s in a Name: Mr Moliere

4th-Chantilly, $29,000, Debutantes, 2-6, 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT), 1:39.82, ft. MR MOLIERE (GB) (g, 3, Kingman {GB}–Armande {Ire} {GSW & G1SP-Fr, $222,116}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}). O-Baron Edouard de Rothschild & Lady O'Reilly; B-SC Ecurie de Meautry & Petra Bloodstock Agency Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-M. Guyon.

Horseracing is a game of old. Appropriately, there is so much from the 17th and 18th centuries in the pedigree of Chantilly demolition winner Mr Moliere (GB).

“Monsieur Moliere” for the French race commentator, evidemment.

Moliere was the stage name of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), the French playwright [and actor] dominating the theatre of the times of Louis XIV, who loved and protected him. Armande, the namesake of the dam of the Andre Fabre trainee, was the name of Moliere's young wife, also a famous practitioner of the stage in her own right. And not for nothing there is a full sister in the pipeline baptized Mlle Moliere, the very stage name of Armande Poquelin [1640-1700] and, supposedly, also a yearling filly by No Nay Never carrying the name of Mme de Pomadour, the famous lover of King Louis XV and royal mistress par excellence. All in the [very historical] family.

2nd-Pau, $19,400, 2-5, 5yo/up, 10f (AWT), 2:05.60, ft. MON OURAGAN (FR) (h, 7, Toronado {Ire}–Lady Of The House {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Lifetime Record: 27-10-5-0, $156,532. O-Laurent Dassault; B-Framont Limited, M Matthew & M Beaumont (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-J Eyquem.

The name of multiple French winner Mon Ouragan (Fr) appears to be the result of clever word-play across different languages. But… is it so?

Let's take a step back. Years ago, when I first realized that there was a Group 1-winning horse called Toronado (High Chaparral–Wana Doo, by Grand Slam), I thought that he had been named after the famous 1960s Oldsmobile model, the first U.S.-produced car with front-wheel drive. I was ill-informed. In fact, when I eventually inquired with one of the professionals connected with the Richard Hannon Sr. trainee, she told me that it was named after the horse of Zorro!

Twice true, confirmed Google: “Tornado (occasionally Toronado) is a horse ridden by the character Zorro in several films and books. Tornado is said to be intelligent and fast. His name is pronounced in the Spanish way, 'tor-NAH-do' (except in the 1998 movie The Mask of Zorro)”.

As it happens, tornado is also Spanish for “tornado” and ouragan is French for, “hurricane, tempest, storm.” You do not have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing and understand that the connection is there.

Moral of the story: although there is power in names, names' power depends heavily on how much or how little we know. Phenomenology (the supposed science of how things may present themselves to people) is not my favorite philosophy, but it does win this round.

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Tribhuvan Steals Fourth Straight Manhattan for Chad

Dismissed at more than twice his morning line to be off at 19-1, TRIBHUVAN (FR) (g, 6, Toronado {Ire}–Mahendra {Ger}, by Next Desert {Ire}) provided trainer Chad Brown with his third Grade I victory of the afternoon, and fourth of the weekend, while also capping an exacta for the barn in Belmont's GI Manhattan S. Having gotten away to an easy early lead, the bay blew the race apart on the home bend with a move reminiscent of Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})'s 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Turf victory and never looked back as he cruised home some 3 1/2 lengths clear. Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) completed an exacta for overlapping owners. The winner stopped the clock in 1:59.24, and earned an automatic spot in the starting gate for this year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf in the process. Second in this race last year to stablemate Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Tribhuvan took last July's GI United Nations S. and most recently finished fifth in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill on Derby day. Brown has now won the last four Manhattans, seven of the last nine and eight of the last 10 for a record number of victories in the event. Sales history: €30,000 Wlg '16 ARQDEC; €58,000 RNA Ylg '17 AROYRG. O-Dubb, Michael, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Caruso, Michael J. B-Jean Charles Haimet, Elza Petit & Hannah Petit (FR). T-Chad C. Brown.

Saturday, Belmont Park
RESORTS WORLD CASINO MANHATTAN S.-GI, $750,000, Belmont, 6-11, 4yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 1:59.54, fm.
1–TRIBHUVAN (FR), 122, g, 6, by Toronado (Ire)
                1st Dam: Mahendra (Ger), by Next Desert (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Minaccia (Ger), by Platini (Ger)
                3rd Dam: Maji (GB), by Shareef Dancer
(€30,000 Wlg '16 ARQDEC; €58,000 RNA Ylg '17 AROYRG).
O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables &
Michael J. Caruso; B-Jean Charles Haimet, Elza & Hannah Petit
(FR); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Manuel Franco. $400,000. Lifetime
Record: 23-6-3-3, $1,119,954. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Adhamo (Ire), 118, c, 4, Intello (Ger)–Foreign Tune (GB), by
Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€250,000 3yo '21 ARARC). O-Madaket
Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, & Louis Lazzinnaro LLC;
B-Wertheimer et Frere (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $140,000.
3–Gufo, 122, h, 5, Declaration of War–Floy, by Petionville.
O-Otter Bend Stables, LLC; B-John Little & Stephen Cainelli
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $75,000.
Margins: 3HF, 1, NK. Odds: 19.10, 4.40, 2.25.
Also Ran: Highland Chief (Ire), Rockemperor (Ire), Santin, L'Imperator (Fr), In Love (Brz), Channel Maker, Tokyo Gold (Fr).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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