‘He Has Pride of Place Here’: All Hail Teofilo, the Cups King

Seventeen years have passed since Teofilo (Ire), a member of the second crop of Galileo (Ire), blazed a trail through his unbeaten juvenile season, ending the year as champion two-year-old after beating Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) in the G1 National and G1 Dewhurst S.

Jim Bolger's homebred raced solely at seven furlongs that year, and his subsequent injury in the spring of 2007 meant that we could only guess at what he might have achieved at three and beyond. By that August he had been retired without ever returning to the track. His racing career may have been cut short, but his stud career has dropped plenty of hints as to what his profile may have been had he raced on.

Teofilo has been far from a one-dimensional stallion in his 16 years spent continuously at Kidangan Stud. This week, he has been back in the news courtesy of his third Melbourne Cup winner in the last six years, Without A Fight (Ire) having followed Cross Counter (Ire) and Twilight Payment (Ire) onto that particular roll of honour. While there are a good number of stayers among Teofilo's top runners – the Gold Cup winner Subjectivist (GB) and Prix du Cadran winner Quest For More (Ire) included – this is by no means his hallmark. If anything is, it's his versatility.

In his first crop Teofilo sired the Dewhurst winner Parish Hall (Ire), and if he looked like the second coming it was perhaps no surprise, as the colt, inbred 3×3 to Sadler's Wells, raced in the same familiar colours of Jackie Bolger, having been bred by her husband Jim, the man born on Christmas Day who masterminded Teofilo's own racing career and has bred a number of his best offspring.

The Irish St Leger winner Voleuse De Coeurs (Ire) was another member of that first crop, and since then Teofilo has been represented by a Group 1 winner from every year of production through to his current crop of four-year-olds, including Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire), Irish 1,000 Guineas and Yorkshire Oaks winner Pleascach (Ire) and the Prix Jean Prat winner Havana Gold (Ire). The latter is of course the sire of the G1 Flying Five winner and rising young sire Havana Grey (GB), giving the line an extra speedy dimension. Among this season's three-year-olds has been the GII Sands Point S. winner Eternal Point (Ire), who has won two graded stakes races this autumn.

About to turn 20, Teofilo is at that stage where, if his influence is strong enough, he should be appearing as the broodmare sire of top winners, and this he has started to do with regularity. Last season's 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire) and Coroebus (Ire) were both out of Teofilo mares, giving him a notable Classic double. A son of Dubawi (Ire), the ill-fated Coroebus was bred on the reserve cross to that which produced Without A Fight.

Teofilo's run in this sphere is extended by last season's G1 Preis der Diana winner Toskana Belle (Fr) (Shamalgan  {Fr}) and by the previous year's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), while the dual Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is also out of one of his daughters.

Given his location, it is no surprise that Teofilo has ended up covering a number of Dubawi mares, and there are now seven stakes winners bred on this cross from 49 named foals. His 24th Group 1 winner, Without A Fight, who started his career with Simon and Ed Crisford before staying permanently in Australia with Anthony and Sam Freedman, was bred by Dubawi's owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. His dam Khor Sheed was bought for the sheikh as a yearling for 42,000gns by Luca Cumani. The half-sister to the Group 1 winner Prince Kirk (Fr) (Selkirk) had already passed through the Tattersalls sale ring as a foal, where she was signed for by Joe Foley at 22,000gns.

Khor Sheed, later trained by Cumani, won the Listed Empress S. at Newmarket on only her second start at two, and the following year claimed another Listed win as well as the G3 Premio Sergio Cumani, named in honour of the trainer's father. She has produced four winners to date, Without A Fight being way out in front on the list with an impressive 11 wins from his 23 starts. He became only the twelfth horse to win both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, and he has won a further two group races in Australia this year, as well as the G3 John Smith's Silver Cup and two Listed contests in England.

The December before Without A Fight made his debut, Khor Sheed returned to Tattersalls and was bought from Godolphin by Harry Dutfield for 26,000gns.  The Havana Gold foal she was carrying was born dead and she produced two subsequent fillies for Dutfield before being returned barren to the Tattersalls February Sale this year. By this stage, Without A Fight was a Group 3 winner and the mare's first foal, the unraced Sharja Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), had produced the Grade II winner Avenue De France (GB) (Cityscape {GB}).

Mick Donohoe signed for Khor Sheed on her fourth visit to the sale ring, buying the 15-year-old on behalf of Yulong for 28,000gns.

“She is in foal to Lucky Vega so that was a nice little update,” Donohoe confirmed. “She's a stakes-winning Dubawi mare and she had bred a stakes winner, and one of her daughters had bred a stakes winner, too.”

He added, “Harry Dutfield was very forthcoming with a genuine reason why she was barren, so she just made sense, and obviously the Teofilo horse was a good horse anyway, so it all worked out.”

On Wednesday, it was announced that Subjectivist, the aforementioned Royal Ascot winner, who also won the G1 Prix Royal Oak and G2 Dubai Gold Cup along with the most coveted staying prize of them all, would be standing at Alne Park Stud next year.  Havana Gold sadly died earlier this year, leaving only Massaat (Ire) and Parish Hall (Ire) of Teofilo's sons at stud, through it is easy to imagine the line continuing, at least in the immediate future, through his grandson Havana Grey.

As for Teofilo himself, he is reported to be in rude health ahead of his 17th covering season at Darley's Kildangan Stud, where his fee remains at €30,000. Unlike some, it hasn't fluctuated that much over the years. He started out at €40,000 and dipped to €15,000 in 'that difficult fourth season' that so frustrates stallion owners, and reached a high point of €50,000 in 2014.

Understandably, Kildangan's nominations manager Eamon Moloney is a big fan of Teofilo, having worked with him for years. He told TDN, “He's the most extraordinary horse and I just wish he got the credit he deserves.

“We make no secret of the fact that his fertility has slipped slightly through the years as he's got older, so he's been covering 80 mares per year and at that we can keep his fertility to a very high level.

“He's a very important member of Kildangan. Once Teo has started then the lads can start up the rest of the day. He's a big, substantial horse and he charges out to his paddock. He's a tough sort of a horse, but there's a gentle giant behind it.”

Moloney added, “He's in great health at 19, rising 20, and he very much has pride of place here.”

 

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Classy Sprinters Head Tuesday’s Goffs HIT Sale

One of the main attractions of the Goffs Autumn Horses In Training Sale on Tuesday is Gustavus Weston (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}), the four-time winner whose career highlight came when he landed the G2 Greenlands S. at the Curragh last year. 

On that occasion, Joe Murphy's charge was chased home by Make A Challenge (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a 10-time winner for Denis Hogan, who is also in the sale. 

Hogan said of his eight-strong draft, “We've a nice draft of horses going to Goffs. We'll be sorry to see some of them go. We've eight going and Ransom (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who won just the other night at Dundalk, is in there. 

“So is Florence Thompson (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who has placed about 20 times for us. There's some of them we'd love to keep and, if some owners were to express an interest, we could look at doing that.”

Those classy sprinters will be joined by a much-reduced but quality trio from the Aga Khan Studs. It features Riyami (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), rated 66 and winless in five starts for Michael Halford, the 77-rated Karakoul (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), who has placed three times, and 1m4f winner Shajak (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}), both of whom are trained by Johnny Murtagh.

The supplementary lots for the sale are well worth checking out as well. Listed as lots 136 to 144, they are headed by the Group 3-placed Strong Johnson (Ire) (Le Cadre Noi {Ire}) from Beechcourt Stables.

Graduates from this sale have made an impact all over the world, none more so than Melbourne Cup winner and Irish St. Leger runner-up Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was bought Glebe House Stables by Kerr & Co Ltd for €200,000 in 2018.

Saltonstall is another high-profile graduate. Sold by Michael Halford's Copper Beech Stables in  2018 for €44,000 to Shamrock TB/Compas Equine, Saltonstall (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) has proved to be a money-spinner for the Ado McGuinness stable and notched his ninth career success last month at Leopardstown.

Hot on the heels of the horses-in-training sale is two days of yearling sales at Goffs on Wednesday and Thursday. The Autumn Yearling Sale has punched above its weight in recent years with Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) a notable graduate.

Quick Suzy was snapped up by Aoife Dunphy for just €20,000 when this sale took place online in 2020. She went on to win the Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot for Gavin Cromwell and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. 

The Autumn Horses In Training Sale kicks off at 12pm on Tuesday while the Autumn Yearling Sale begins at 10am on Wednesday and Thursday. 

 

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Twilight Payment Among Horses Entering Quarantine For Australia

Defending G1 Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB})'s full-brother Sir Lucan (Ire) and G1 Goodwood Cup runner-up Away He Goes (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) have entered quarantine for trips to the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

The Joseph-O'Brien-trained Twilight Payment won the G3 Irish St Leger Trial on Aug. 13 and finished second in the G1 Irish St Leger two weeks ago, and he will pre-quarantine in Ireland for two weeks before shipping Down Under. Sir Lucan, who will remain in Australia and join Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Away He Goes, who will be the first runner at the carnival for trainer Ismail Mohammed, have joined Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) at Sidehill Stud in Newmarket. The Andrew Balding-trained Spanish Mission had been intended for a multi-race campaign in Melbourne, but his export was delayed this week after he experienced muscle spasms.

Twilight Payment's Grade I-winning stablemate State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and the French Group 2 winner Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) have already touched down in Australia, and both are targeting the Oct. 23 G1 Cox Plate. As part of the new requirements for international participants in the carnival, both horses will undergo a standing CT scan before being given the final stamp of approval for the Cox Plate.

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Irish Leger Success For Sonnyboyliston

Underlining the strength of York's revamped Ebor H., the Kildare Racing Club's Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}) bounced out of his success in that prestigious affair to bring up a notable double in Sunday's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger at The Curragh. With the dual winner Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) unable to make an impact this time, the Johnny Murtagh-trained 4-year-old had the Joseph O'Brien pair Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) to contend with and proved toughest to carry off the prize. Settled fifth off the gruelling pace which strung the field out, the 4-1 second favourite mastered Twilight Payment approaching the furlong pole and battled to a 3/4-of-a-length verdict over that rival, with Baron Samedi 1 1/2 lengths away in third. “I couldn't have asked it to go any better, we jumped and he got a lovely tow into the race,” Coen said. “They turned it into a real staying race and this lad keeps improving and keeps finding a way to win. This is my first proper year as number one jockey to Johnny and we've had a few good spins in England, but I really wanted to get this group 1 winner. For it to be a Classic and for Johnny is unbelievable.”

It was on this card 12 months ago that Sonnyboyliston burst onto the scene with a 4 1/4-length success in the 10-furlong “Northfields” H., where the subsequent G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup hero Helvic Dream (Ire) (Power {GB}) was back in third. That followed a narrow verdict over Thundering Nights (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) over the same course and distance in July and the eventual exploits of that filly now show that performance in a positive light. Starting this term with third placings behind the Ballydoyle duo Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Listed Devoy S. at Naas Mar. 28 and the May 6 G3 Ormonde S. at Chester respectively, the chestnut took Limerick's Listed Martin Molony S. over 12 1/2 furlongs June 18 before finishing sixth over the Ebor track and trip in the July 10 G3 Silver Cup.

Coming out on top in his battle with the talented Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who has also come out to score subsequently in dramatic style in a conditions race at Salisbury, Sonnyboyliston had every bit of resilience tested here with the G2 Curragh Cup winner Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) storming off in front. Twilight Payment attacked first in the straight and at first glance he looked to be travelling sweeter than the Murtagh stalwart in behind, but as soon as it became a true grind the winner came into his own to give the best time performance of the day. Search For a Song, who was sent off the 10-3 favourite, flattered briefly in the straight but was unable to get involved in the fight and ended up sixth.

Murtagh was keen to deflect praise afterwards. “I'm just a front man to a lot of people who do a lot of hard work,” he said. “I'm so proud of everybody behind the scenes and my family also. It means a lot to win a Classic on your local track. This horse never disappoints and I thought he did very well to win today. It looked like a proper race and he had a good position all the way. He comes off the bridle, but I thought from two furlongs out Ben looked confident on him. He got into a battle, but he never lacks in a battle. I can't say enough about the horse and enough about Liam Clarke and the Kildare Racing Club. They have been great supporters of mine from the word go. It would take a fair offer to take him away from the owners now, but the Melbourne Cup is worth €2.5million. It mightn't be for him this year, but he's only four and could end up down there for us sometime yet.”

Sonnyboyliston's seven-times-winning dam Miss Macnamara (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is a half to the Argentinian group 3 winner Karamela (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and the Listed Silken Glider S. winner and G3 Park Express S. runner-up Gemstone (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The latter is the dam of the Listed Newmarket S. scorer UAE Jewel (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), while the family also features the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Bachelor Duke (Miswaki) and the GI Shoemaker Mile S. winner Talco (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}). Miss Macnamara's 2-year-old filly is by Starspangledbanner (Aus), while she also has a filly foal by Gleneagles (Ire).

Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER-G1, €560,000, Curragh, 9-12, 3yo/up, 14fT, 3:02.05, gd.
1–SONNYBOYLISTON (IRE), 137, g, 4, by Power (GB)
     1st Dam: Miss Macnamara (Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Kincob, by Kingmambo
     3rd Dam: Gossamer, by Seattle Slew
1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€26,000 Ylg '18 TIRSEP). O-Kildare Racing Club; B-Diane O'Neill (IRE); T-Johnny Murtagh; J-Ben Coen. €290,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 14-6-0-3, $906,133. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Twilight Payment (Ire), 137, g, 8, Teofilo (Ire)–Dream On Buddy (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). (€200,000 HRA '18 GOFHIT). O-Lloyd J Williams Syndicate; B-J. S. Bolger (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €100,000.
3–Baron Samedi (GB), 137, g, 4, Harbour Watch (Ire)–Dame Shirley (GB), by Haafhd (GB). (3,500gns Wlg '17 TATFOA). O-LECH Racing Limited; B-Usk Valley Stud (GB); T-Joseph O'Brien. €50,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 4.00, 4.50, 6.00.
Also Ran: King of the Castle (Ire), Emperor of the Sun (Ire), Search For a Song (Ire), Carlisle Bay (Ire), Aircraft Carrier (Ire), Seattle Creek (GB), Barbados (Ire), Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire), Passion (Ire), Master of Reality (Ire). Scratched: Barrington Court (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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