“He Was Impressive” – Tower Of London All Class In Dubai Gold Cup

Class came to the fore in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup as Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ran out an authoritative winner for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

A brother to St Leger hero Capri (Ire), Tower Of London came into the Group 2 contest at Meydan off the back of a cheeky victory in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. in Saudi Arabia.

Tower Of London built on that victory to post a career best at odds of 2-1, storming home from the rear to run out two lengths too strong for 80-1 shot Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) just over a length further behind in third.

Moore said, “He was better again again. The pace slackened up down the back [straight] and I had to move him forward but he quickened up very well. He was impressive.”

Tower Of London's victory represented the perfect start at Meydan for O'Brien and Moore, who had Auguste Rodin to look forward to in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic later on the card.

All roads will lead to Royal Ascot for Tower Of London, according to O'Brien, who revealed the G2 Hardwick S. rather than the G1 Gold Cup could be the plan.

O'Brian said, “He's an Ascot-type horse, he could go for the Hardwicke–or something like the [G1] Coronation Cup. Ryan was very adamant he doesn't need to go two miles. I don't think Ryan thought he'd get the Gold Cup trip. He's classy.”

Pedigree Notes

Tower Of London's dam Dialafara (Fr) (Anabaa), who was a €175,000 purchase from The Aga Khan Studs' draft at the 2010 Arqana December Mixed Sale, was exclusively bred to Galileo until the giant's passing and now has a resulting 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB). She has proven remarkable value for that price tag, producing the G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire), the G3 Loughbrown S. winner Cypress Creek (Ire) and the G3 Stanerra S. winner Passion (Ire) who was also third in the G1 Irish Oaks, the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. Her daughter Sovereign Parade (Ire) is in turn responsible for the G1 Fillies Mile and G2 Rockfel S. heroine Commissioning (GB) (Kingman {GB}), while she also threw a Cheltenham Festival winner in Brazil (Ire) for good measure.

Dialafara is out of the G2 Prix de Malleret winner and G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Diamilina (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), a half-sister to the sire Diamond Green (Fr) (Green Desert) who was runner-up in the G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. She is also connected to the G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer (Ire) (Halling).

 

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI GOLD CUP SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G2, AED1,000,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo/up, 16fT, 3:17.29, gd.
1–TOWER OF LONDON (IRE), 122, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Dialafara (Fr), by Anabaa
                2nd Dam: Diamilina (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
                3rd Dam: Diamonaka, by Akarad (Fr)
   TDN Rising Star. O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier, M
Tabor,Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud (IRE);
T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. $580,000. Lifetime Record:
GSW-Sau, SW-Ire, GSP-Eng, 10-5-1-0, $2,869,593. *Full to
Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Euro at 14f+, Hwt. 3yo-Ire
at 11-14f & 14f+, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Eng
at 14f+, G1SW-Ire & Eng, G1SP-Fr, $2,067,692; Cypress Creek
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW-Ire, GSP-Eng, $102,373; and Passion
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), SW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $200,604. Click
   for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk
   Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Al Nayyir (GB), 128, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Bright Beacon (GB), by
Manduro (Ger). (UAE40,000 HRA '21 ERASEP). O-Elbashir
Salem AB Elhrari; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Georges Doleuze.
$200,000.
3–Trawlerman (Ire), 128, g, 6, Golden Horn (GB)–Tidespring
(Ire), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John & Thady
Gosden. $100,000.
Margins: 2, 1HF, SHD.
Also Ran: Siskany (GB), Giavellotto (Ire), Sevenna's Knight (Ire), Enemy (GB), Iron Barows (Jpn), Sober (Fr), Passion And Glory (Ire), Libyan Glass (Jpn), Coltrane (Ire), Roberto Escobarr (Ire), Daramethos (Ire), Sea Stone (Ire). Scratched: Eldar Eldarov (GB).
Click for the ERA chart & video.

 

All roads will lead to Royal Ascot for Tower Of London, according to O'Brien, who revealed the Hardwick rather than the Gold Cup could be the plan.

O'Brian said, “He's an Ascot-type horse, he could go for the Hardwicke–or something like the Coronation Cup. Ryan was very adamant he doesn't need to go two miles. I don't think Ryan thought he'd get the Gold Cup trip. He's classy.”

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Euros Here, There and Everywhere Tuesday At Meydan

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Headed by the first appearance from the seven World Cup night horses from the yard of Aidan O'Brien, there was a buzz of activity on both the dirt track and turf course Tuesday morning at Meydan proper as well as back on the Tapeta track a couple of furlongs down the road.

The Ballydoyle septet slowly ambled out of the tunnel near the 1600-metre starting point on the the dirt surface, led by G3 Red Sea Turf H. hero Tower of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}, G2 Dubai Gold Cup), with dual Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}, G1 Dubai Sheema Classic ) and Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}, G1 Dubai Turf) close in tow. They were followed next in line by Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}, Sheema Classic), the G2 UAE Derby-bound Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road, Dubai Turf) caboosing the group.

The seven made their way down the chute in front of the international press and did one circuit of the main tack in the wrong direction before then turning around to canter a lap. As can be the case on their first visit to the track, a few–including Auguste Rodin–appeared a bit warm under their saddle cloths on a morning that was equal parts muggy and breezy, with 'widespread dust' headlining the weather conditions at the time.

“They arrived early on Sunday and they're all in great form,” said Pat Keating, ever at the fore on foreign soil. “They just trotted a lap, then cantered for seven furlongs or so. They might go a little bit further as the week goes on but they're here healthy and well and that's the main thing.”

About the same time the Ballydoyle contingent was spotted, the three Andre Fabre participants jumped onto the turf course at about the 1400-metre marker. Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}), the somewhat surprising winner of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase and bound for the Sheema Classic led his longer-winded stable companions Sober (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) and Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in a light gallop. The latter pair go in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup over two miles.

Runners representing John and Thady Gosden did their Tuesday morning trackwork over the Tapeta track. Four-peat Dubai Turf seeker Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had steady canters, as did the Sheema Classic-bound Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Gold Cup entrant Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}).

Thady Gosden said: “They all got here about 2am on Sunday. They just had an easy day and we might bring them over to the main track on Thursday.

“Lord North is in good form, this is the fifth year–he's actually been over here, he also came in 2020–and he's won the race three times. He's travelled over well, he's an older horse and he's in good order.

“Nashwa had a great season and has done well during the winter. She seems in good form in what will be a competitive race.”

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Star-Studded Fields Announced For Dubai World Cup Meeting

Five returning champions and one previous champion highlight the prospective fields for the Dubai World Cup meeting to be held at sprawling Meydan Racecourse in Dubai Saturday, Mar. 30. The connections of 106 horses from no fewer than 12 racing jurisdictions have accepted invitations to the eight Thoroughbred races on a $30.5-million program that begins with the $1-million Dubai Kahayla Classic for the Purebred Arabians and concludes with the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup.

The main event has attracted a field of 15 that is led by its defending champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), one of 24 runners set to ship in from Japan for the meeting. Looking to become the first 7-year-old World Cup winner since Gloria de Campeao (Brz) back in 2010 and just the third overall, the recent G1 Saudi Cup runner-up is joined by three compatriots, including last year's G2 UAE Derby hero Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits). The American challenge numbers five and is topped by Saudi Cup upsetter Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) and GI Santa Anita H. hero Newgate (Into Mischief) for four-time World Cup winner Bob Baffert, while the exciting Kabirkhan (California Chrome) has been the talking horse of the Dubai International Racing Carnival and the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge victor will have his supporters to become a first World Cup winner for perennial leading trainer Doug Watson. Laurel River (Into Mischief) won the G3 Burj Nahaar over a mile on Super Saturday Mar. 2, but opts for the World Cup over the Godolphin Mile for trainer Bhupat Seemar.

The $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, won in imperious fashion by Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) last March, was the second highest-rated race in the world in 2023, and if the field assembled for this renewal is any indication, it could go one better. A likely field of 12 has been revealed, fully 10 of which have succeeded at Group 1 level, and features a mouth-watering clash between G1 Betfred Derby, G1 Irish Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Japanese Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Japan is also represented by 2022 Sheema Classic victor Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is set to make her first appearance beyond the borders of the UK and is one of four on the evening for John and Thady Gosden. Godolphin sends out Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), impressive in taking out the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar last month.

Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) also represents the Clarehaven operation as he goes in search of an unprecedented fourth victory in a row in the G1 Dubai Turf, where he squares off with G1 Arima Kinen hero Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), the would-be 2023 favourite who was scratched leading up to the race. Also in the field is Lord North's hard-knocking stable companion Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}); Godolphin's progressive G1 Jebel Hatta winner Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}); treble elite-level scorer Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) for Aidan O'Brien; and Hong Kong's Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), victorious in this year's G1 Stewards Cup at Sha Tin.

Godolphin's Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will look to avenge a tough defeat in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup, where he'll surely face a stiff challenge from recent G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. winner Tower of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and runner-up Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}); G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup conqueror Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}); and G2 Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {GB}).

Danyah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) proved a somewhat unlikely winner of the 2023 G1 Al Quoz Sprint for local trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri and will have to dig deep if he is to defend against the Jamie Osborne-trained veteran Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal), a recent winner in Qatar; the nails-tough US raider Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed); Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), so game up the rail to scoop the G2 1351 Turf Sprint Feb. 24; Hong Kong's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup winner California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}); and the 3-year-old fillies Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Frost At Dawn (Frosted).

America's Sibelius (Not This Time) will have Ryan Moore back in the saddle as he defends his title in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen against the likes of G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint winner Remake (Jpn) (Lani) and the locally trained Tuz (Oxbow), while Isolate (Mark Valeski) is certain to face a strong challenge from Saudi Cup close third-placegetter Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), who drops back in trip for the G2 Godolphin Mile.

The G2 UAE Derby features a budding star in the form of the Yoshito Yahagi-conditioned Forever Young (Jpn), a son of 2016 Dubai Turf hero Real Steel (Jpn), whose undefeated run includes a razor-thin victory in the 1600-metre G3 Saudi Derby Feb. 24. G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn) and Listed Al Bastakiya S. scorer Killer Collect (Collected) front the local challenge, while Ballydoyle is set to be represented by G3 Tyros S. winner Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never). The Derby offers 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Click here for the full fields.

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Seven Days: A Big, Big Moment

An unusually quiet Sunday on the European circuit allows a pause before the meeting that should only ever be referred to as Glorious Goodwood, and also some reflection on a truly special result at Ascot on Saturday afternoon. William Muir, a baby-faced veteran of the training ranks who now shares his licence with Chris Grassick, assessed the greatest win of his 30-year training career as “a big, big moment”, and he deserves to enjoy that moment for days and weeks to come. 

By now, the story of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) is a familiar one. Bred by brothers Guy and Hugh Leach with their friend Roger Devlin, and on the advice of the much-missed Kevin Mercer, at whose Usk Valley Stud the 5-year-old was born, Pyledriver has grafted his way into the public's affection. Buying him back at the foal sales for 10,000gns was in hindsight the best decision the owner-breeders have ever made as Pyledriver's earnings are now knocking on the door of £2 million.

Despite this being an industry wrought with financial interest and concerns, in many ways money can't buy that feeling of having a horse good enough to turn up on the big days and drag you joyously to the winner's circle on the wisps of his tail.

At Epsom, at York, and at Ascot, at the Royal Meeting and now the King George, the bonny, dark bay Pyledriver has taken his connections for spins on the merriest of merry-go-rounds, not to mention putting in some creditable performances in defeat overseas in Hong Kong and Dubai.

We are also the lucky ones to be able to see Pyledriver in action at the age of five. Of course thoughts turn to a stallion career after a race like the King George, and had Westover not pulled so hard and instead had seen out his race in the imperious manner in which he won the Irish Derby, few would now question his stallion credentials. Pyledriver will be a harder sell, and his connections are all too aware of this fact. At Epsom after his Coronation Cup win last year, Roger Devlin told the TDN, “We thought [Pyledriver] would improve as a 4-year-old. He's fairly modestly bred, like the owners, and we didn't think he had huge stallion potential so it was important for us to get the Group 1 on his CV. That's job done.”

That Pyledriver keeps doing his job so well is all that any of his team should focus on for now. Horses are a long time retired, and every moment of those precious few seasons on the track should be savoured, especially a big, big moment like winning the King George. 

Pyledriver's Not So Modest Origins

In one of the special 3-year-olds of the season, the Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse winner Vadeni (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), we have seen how the Aga Khan Studs reaped the benefit of the purchase and gradual assimilation of the stock of Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2005. 

Roger Devlin may have jokingly referred to Pyledriver as being “modestly bred like his owners” but he too has roots in the Aga Khan's breeding operation through another of the operation's key purchases, in this case the 144 horses acquired from the breeding empire of Marcel Boussac in 1978.

Pyledriver's sixth dam Licara (Fr) (Caro {Ire}) was among that group as a yearling and, more than 40 years later, her descendants continue to be successful for a range of breeders. Sylvain Vidal bought Pyledriver's Aga Khan-bred grand-dam Lidana (Ire) (King's Best) for Gerard Augustin-Normand for 140,000gns as a 4-year-old at Tattersalls. For Augustin-Normand she produced the Group 1 winner Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}) and Listed winner Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who went on to win the G3 Park Express S. for Ballylinch Stud and is now in their broodmare band, with her eldest offspring being a 2-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega (Ire).

Le Havre, a great grandson of Blushing Groom, sadly died earlier this year, but he really does have the potential to become a posthumous force as a broodmare sire. Normandel has yet to prove herself but her full-sister La Pyle (Fr), the dam of Pyledriver, is well on her way. She won twice on the Flat and was then tried unsuccessfully over hurdles before retiring to Usk Valley Stud. Now 11, she has three winners from her three runners, with the amusingly named juvenile Shagpyle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) still to race for her from the same stable as Pyledriver. 

Another of Lidana's daughters, Lillebonne (Fr) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), whom she has been carrying when bought by Vidal, won twice in the French provinces and is also now enjoying a fruitful broodmare career as the dam of six winners from six runners, including three black-type performers. They include Isaac Souede and Simon Munir's recent Group 2 runner-up, the 3-year-old Seisai (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), while the mare's 2-year-old Thornbrook (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), bred by Peter Henley, John Connolly and Pattern Bloodstock, won well on debut earlier this month. 

Clearly it is a family still full of running, exemplified in fine fashion by Pyledriver's emphatic win over the Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and a classy supporting cast at Ascot.

Godolphin's Next Classic Contenders? 

The dust has not quite settled on the current Classic season, with the St Leger still to be run, but thoughts and bookmakers' quotes are already turning to next spring. Earlier this season Charlie Appleby would have hoped to have been at Ascot on Saturday with Adayar (Ire) to defend his King George crown, and perhaps to have been double-handed in the race with Hurricane Lane (Ire). With one sidelined and the other having a lacklustre season so far, the Godolphin trainer could instead look to the future with a pair of colts posting performances on Saturday that could see them step into the illustrious Classic shoes of that pair, or of this year's stars Coroebus (Ire), Native Trail (GB) and Modern Games (Ire).

Appleby won last year's Listed Pat Eddery S. with Modern Science (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who had subsequent Group 1 winners Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) behind him that day. This year the race was won easily by Godolphin homebred Naval Power (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is now unbeaten in three starts. Earlier at Newmarket, the Appleby-trained Highbank (GB) (Kingman {GB}), bred by Lynch-Bages and Camas Park Stud, became the latest TDN Rising Star with his similarly eye-catching debut. 

The name Blandford Bloodstock can be found against the purchases of the dams of both Naval Power and Highbank but in quite contrasting circumstances. Highbank's dam Bristol Bay (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) was bought for 400,000gns from Ballylinch Stud/Gestut Ammerland when carrying a full-sister to her Ammerland-bred Listed winner Bay Of Poets (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Naval Power's dam Emirates Rewards (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) went through the ring last November at Goffs and was bought by Richard Brown on behalf of Simon Sweeting's Overbury Stud for €18,000. She is now in foal to Overbury's young sire Ardad (Ire).

An even bigger bargain was found just two weeks ago at Tattersalls when Naval Power's 4-year-old half-sister Late Morning (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) was sold to Sami Racing for 2,200gns. There could well be further black-type updates to come. 

Young Guard in the Vanguard

While Ralph Beckett would have been disappointed with Westover's run in the King George, his stable started the day well at Ascot on Saturday when emerging star Lezoo (GB) got back on the winning trail in the G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. She has now won three of her four starts for Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen, and arguably should be unbeaten, having been hampered in the closing stages of the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. by the eventual winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

Importantly now Lezoo is a group winner, having become the first northern hemisphere stakes winner for her sire Zoustar {Aus}) at Newmarket in June. The race also provided another boost in a good season for Chasemore Farm, who bred Lezoo, and also had their own colours carried to third place on the homebred Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). 

It was a good week for a number of freshman sires. Havana Grey (GB), still romping ahead and now on 28 individual winners, including three on Saturday, notched his first listed winner. That came via the enterprising young trainer Alice Haynes, who took Lady Hollywood (GB) to Naas to plunder the Marwell S., the filly's third win in a row from five starts. Compiling a similarly impressive strike-rate is Havana Grey's Star Of Lady M (GB), who won her fourth race in six starts at Musselburgh last week. Their sire is not just top of the freshman sires but is currently the leading sire of juveniles in Europe ahead of No Nay Never, who is enjoying his own good season. Admittedly, Eddie's Boy's pot for winning the Weatherbys Super Sprint has helped to push Havana Grey narrowly ahead on prize-money, but his nearest challenger on individual winners is Kodiac (GB) on 20. And it is easy to see where this brand of hardy precocity comes from because by the time Havana Grey arrived at Goodwood this week five years ago to win the G3 Molecomb S. on a relentlessly rainy day, he had already run five times and bagged two Listed victories as well as a novice success. 

Cracksman (GB) continues to be the delight of the freshman sire ranks (to this observer at least) and his highly promising start of eight winners from just 12 winners was augmented on Thursday by the victory of the unbeaten Dance In The Grass (GB) in the Listed Star S. at Sandown. She was bought at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale from her breeders Anne Dalgety and Willie Carson for 57,000gns by trainers Charlie and Mark Johnston. And in case you missed Brian Sheerin's fascinating interview in last week's TDN with Mark Johnston on his approach to buying yearlings and more, it is worth pouring yourself another cup of coffee, clicking this link, and having a good read. 

Dance In The Grass continues a good run for the family of Shadow Dancing (GB) (Unfuwain), who was also bred by Carson with his former boss Major Dick Hern, who died just a month before she finished third in the Oaks of 2002, trained by his former assistant Marcus Tregoning and running for a syndicate led by Anne Dalgety. Shadow Dancing is now the dam of five winners, the best of them being Dance In The Grass's dam Dance The Dream (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}). But in another division the family has also been represented by one of the stand-out juvenile hurdlers of last season, the Aintree Grade 1 winner Knight Salute (GB), who is Dance The Dream's full-brother. 

Good News First, Then The Bad News

In this column, we prefer to reflect on all that is good about racing, particularly cheering the winning breeders for whom a big-race success can often be earned on the back of hard-luck stories and heartbreak along the way. A winner, however small, can do so much to lift the spirits and protect one to a degree from the bad news that we know will be lurking round a corner  wherever horses are concerned. 

In the realms of the big breeders, we can enjoy the fact that dear old Galileo (Ire) potentially has at least a couple of corkers for the 2023 Classic season in the form of G3 Tyros S. winner Proud And Regal (Ire) and the well-related Tower Of London (Ire), who had my discerning colleague Tom Frary conjuring up comparisons to Camelot (GB) when awarding the full-brother to Capri (Ire) a TDN Rising Star. 

Incidentally, I'm not sure if it has been done before, but Ryan Moore rode two Rising Stars in two countries on Thursday as five hours earlier at Sandown he had been aboard the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Juddmonte homebred Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}). If people still used notebooks then his name would have been writ large in many, and on the same page as Coolmore's Tower Of London.

Now, having acknowledged the good stuff (and there has been much, much more on that front that should have been mentioned), I am afraid that this column has to end on a more negative vibe.

Last week we touched on the comments by American trainer Phil D'Amato, notably his view that the bloodstock market in this part of the world is “ripe for plunder”. That same weekend Chad Brown won the GI Diana S. with In Italian (GB), one of five European-bred runners in a field of six.

On Saturday night, D'Amato's words echoed across Del Mar, where he won the GII San Clemente S. with Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), who was bought privately from Jessica Harrington's stable with a mark of 83 following a nursery handicap win at Naas last autumn. In California, Bellabel led home an Irish-bred trifecta, and five other British- and Irish-bred horses featured among the 12 runners. 

There is no doubt that international buyers are a vitally important aspect of our bloodstock market, and British and Irish breeders can rightly pride themselves on the fact that our horses are among the most coveted and successful in the world. But, fewer breeders now ever intend to put a saddle on a horse's back in this part of the world unless they absolutely have to, preferring instead to play the equine stock market in the sale ring. And that comes down to one thing: poor prize-money. 

It is now of the utmost importance that the racecourses and bookmakers who benefit financially from the important standing which British racing especially still enjoys internationally, start putting their hands deeper into their pockets to ensure that that is not lost. Currently, away from those high days provided by the likes of the plucky Pyledriver, it is hard to look upon the sport without an encroaching sense of doom. 

While we stagnate, other nations without the solid breeding programmes behind them that we have, are increasing their racing programmes hand in hand with the offer of lucrative prize-money. This only drives the demand for horses from this part of the world, with even moderate maiden winners now subject to rapid offers from abroad. When their owners look at what they could continue to win in Britain, it is hard to turn those offers down, and though that money may well be ploughed back into buying more horses, how long can we continue selling our own dreams?

Presently, every thoroughbred that leaves these shores is contributing to the crumbling of the foundations of a great racing nation that will eventually topple. That we have a governing body seemingly content to fiddle with side projects while the only topic that truly matters to the future of British racing is left consistently unaddressed is a cause for deep concern. 

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