‘It Was Mighty Stuff’ – Waipiro’s Breeder Molan Getting Used To The Spotlight

When the first horse Shane Molan bred in his own name turned out to be the multiple Group 1-winning star Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), he didn't dream the achievement would ever be topped. 

But Waikuku's dam London Plane (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who Molan famously bought for just €13,500 from Hyde Park Stud at the Goffs February Sale back in 2013, has proved herself to be anything but a one-hit wonder. 

Nor is the 37-year-old breeder who operates from the family base in Limerick at Riversfield Stud, which was once again put in the spotlight when Derby sixth Waipiro (Ire) (Australia {GB}), a half-brother to the horse who put Molan on the map, stormed to Royal Ascot success. 

Like Waikuku, Waipiro carried the familiar red and black-striped silks of Hong Kong-based owner Siu Pak-Kwan, to victory in the G3 Hampton Court S. at Ascot. While Molan says that the horse is likely to continue his career in that part of the world eventually, he stated how he believes there could be more to come from Ed Walker's charge in Britain first. 

He said, “Last week was mighty stuff. The mare is actually just scanned back in foal to Night Of Thunder (Ire) so hopefully all goes well there. She has a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly foal on the ground and we're very happy with her.”

Molan added, “I suppose connections could have one eye on the Hong Kong Derby but I'd love to see him continue progressing in Britain for now anyway and see where he can go. 

“He seems to have plenty of speed and plenty of ability as well. He showed a lovely turn of foot to come through the gap and put the race to bed quite easily. Hopefully he can keep on climbing the ranks.”

Riversfield Stud may be a small operation in terms of the number of mares residing at the Limerick outfit but this is a farm that has continuously punched well above its weight. Molan's father Tom bred Harbour Watch (Ire) while the father-and-son duo combined to produce Bright Diamond (Ire) (El Kabeir), who finished fifth in this year's Oaks.

While the temptation for similarly small outfits would be to produce speedier types that will ultimately prove to be more commercial, Molan has explained how playing the long game in producing horses for the track rather than the sales ring in beginning to bear fruit. 

He said, “Over the years, we would have kept seven or eight mares but we're back to just six mares on the farm now. It's a small operation. When we had the extra few mares, we were breeding them more commercially and we were getting winners but nothing of Waipiro's calibre. 

“We probably breed for the track more so than the sales ring to a point and that's paying off now. It is a balancing act, though, because you need to be able to pay your bills. We try to breed the mares as best we can on paper and on budget and then just hope for the best.”

Off the back of Waikuku's success in Hong Kong, BBA Ireland's Richie Fitzsimons contacted Molan on behalf of bloodstock agent Alastair Donald, who looks after the interests of Siu, to see if the breeder would be interested in selling the younger brother. A deal was brokered after Fitzsimons saw Waipiro at Molan's base in Limerick and both parties can count themselves pleased with how things have worked out since.

Molan recalled, “John Oxx bought Waikuku from me at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale in 2016 [for €33,000] and then Alastair Donald bought the horse privately after he won his maiden at Leopardstown. 

“It was a couple of years back when Richie Fitzsimons of BBA Ireland contacted me asking if I would be interested in selling Waipiro privately. That was through Alistair Donald again on behalf of the same owners as Waikuku so it's brilliant for them. 

“Waikuku won close to €5 million in prize-money for the Sui family and Waipiro has won at Royal Ascot for them and is still progressing. I'd imagine he will head to Hong Kong at some stage and, if he settles in there, you would hope that he will win a lot of prize-money.”

On the reasoning behind sending the mare to Australia, he added, “When I bred Waipiro, Waikuku had only just won his maiden and I didn't have a massive budget to play with. Australia was holding his own and it was just the Danehill and Galileo (Ire) cross that was on my mind when I decided to go to him.”

Molan may not have had to bring Waipiro to the sales but revealed that sending the colt's dam London Plane to one of the boutique mares sales at the end of the year is coming under strong consideration.

He said, “It has crossed my mind. I've had two daughters of the mare in training. The two-year-old is by Acclamation (GB) and is in training with Ken Condon and then I have Dancing Rebel (Ire), who is by Highland Reel (Ire) and won over five furlongs at the Curragh. She's in foal to Blue Point (Ire). So it actually crossed my mind to sell London Plane given I have two of her daughters coming through. If Waipiro was to go and pick up a Group 2 or be competitive in Group 1s, well then the mare becomes a lot more attractive to prospective buyers.”

What the Molans have achieved with their small but successful broodmare band was there for everyone to see at Epsom earlier this month when Riversfield Stud graduates Waipiro and Bright Diamond ran solid races in the Derby and Oaks respectively.

Molan said, “I'm not in the game a very long time but I'm in it long enough to know that there are plenty of bad days. It has a habit of levelling you so you have to enjoy the good moments. 

“Dad and I will have to split Bright Diamond as well. Dad owned her granddam, Devious Diva (Ire) (Dr Devious {Ire}), who produced Starlite Sienna (Ire) (Elusive Pimpernel). We sold her as a yearling before buying her back at the July Sale and then I chose to go to El Kabeir with her. I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing! But it was just the Scat Daddy line that I was keen to get into as I'd spotted that No Nay Never was out of an Elusive Quality mare as well. That's the line I followed there.”

He added, “I was at Epsom and it was lovely to be there. I actually thought Bright Diamond ran well in the Oaks and I'd like to see her run in the Irish Oaks now. 

“It is hard to get your head around the fact we bred a runner in the Oaks and the Derby because, not only are we breeding five or six foals a year, but we're up against some of the biggest breeding operations in the world. 

“Like, Coolmore sent Rhododendron (Ire) off to Japan to be covered by Deep Impact (Jpn) and there we are up against Auguste Rodin (Ire) with our Australia colt out of our €13,500 mare. On paper, we shouldn't be there at all, so it was an unbelievable achievement.”

The post ‘It Was Mighty Stuff’ – Waipiro’s Breeder Molan Getting Used To The Spotlight appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Size’-ing Up a Fourth Derby

Hong Kong's 4-year-old Classic series concludes with the running of the HK$24-million BMW Hong Kong Derby Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, and while no one will confuse any of the 14 runners signed on for Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who became the second to sweep the series in 2020, or last year's winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who has gone on to multiple Group 1 victories in unrestricted company, it is a race that–in theory–is wide open.

Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) was the front-running winner of the first leg of the series, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, as Jamie Kah lulled them to sleep, but, as commentator Mark McNamara put it, 'the Bubble burst' 300 metres from the wire in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) when he capitulated readily and Super Sunny Sing (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) whistled home down the centre for Golden Sixty's jockey Vincent Ho. Neither of those gallopers will be fancied to add a second leg in the Derby, but rather Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) is the likely favourite despite making his Classic series debut. Zac Purton, who won the 2015 Derby aboard Luger (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}), rides from gate seven for the latter's trainer John Size. The perennial leading conditioner is in search of a fourth victory in the domestic centrepiece, all since 2012.

“I think it's fine,” Size said of the draw. “Zac has options from there and I'm sure that he'll have a better idea of what he wants to do according to who's drawn around him, but I think seven is fine. It wouldn't seem like it's any great disadvantage.”

Super Sunny Sing will rightfully have his fair share of admirers off a fast-finishing victory over Sword Point (Aus) (American Pharoah) in the Classic Cup, while Galaxy Witness (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}) also got home strongly from the back of the field to be third three weekends ago.

Click here for our special BMW Hong Kong Derby insert.

The nominal Sunday co-feature is the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup over seven furlongs, where G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile victor California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) figures a strong favourite against the two most recent winners of the race–Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in 2021 and last year's victor Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}).

The post ‘Size’-ing Up a Fourth Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Golden Sixty Looking To Bounce Back in Gold Cup Defence

Having suffered a shock defeat when last seen in the G1 Stewards' Cup–his first in over 30 months–Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will have atonement on his mind when he goes in search of back-to-back victories in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000mT) Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse.

There was plenty to play for in the Stewards', as Golden Sixty had taken his winning streak to 16 with a second consecutive success in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December and had the chance to draw even with the legendary Silent Witness (Aus)'s consecutive streak. It wasn't to be, however, as the 6-year-old got too far out of his ground in a paceless race and he was unable to bridge the gap late with Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}). In a sense, that renders Sunday's race a less-stressful affair, and connections anticipate Golden Sixty to be back to his best.

“He felt good, he was really relaxed and he feels nice and strong,” said jockey Vincent Ho after Golden Sixty capped off 1200 metres of work with a final quarter-mile in :22.5 Feb. 15.

In addition to last year's Gold Cup, Golden Sixty defeated the now-retired fellow BMW Hong Kong Derby hero Furore (NZ) (Pierro {Aus}) and looks to stay perfect in three tries at the 10-furlong distance.

Those looking to make life difficult on the reigning Horse of the Year include 2021 Hong Kong Derby winner Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), who returns to the 2000 metres for the first time since, and Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), third in last year's Derby and an excellent third over an insufficient trip in the Stewards' Cup last time.

Waikuku lines up in the 1400-metre G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup as he goes in defence of his crown. His seven rivals include G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint victor Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}); Chairman's Sprint Prize winner Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}), who has viable excuses for his last two runs; and the sneaky Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}), whose two victories from four tries at the metric seven furlongs includes a neck decision over Lucky Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) with 132 pounds on his back in the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup H. on New Year's Day.

The post Golden Sixty Looking To Bounce Back in Gold Cup Defence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Waikuku Stuns The World In Stewards’ Cup

The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 pandemic dictated that there would be no one on hand Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse to 'witness' the running of the G1 Stewards' Cup. But there was a collective 'silence' right round the world when Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) crossed the wire three-parts of a length to the good of the virtually unbeatable Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who saw his attempt to equal the winning streak of Silent Witness (Aus) go by the wayside while tasting defeat for just the second time in his 21-race career.

For the record, Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was an eye-catching third over an insufficient trip, but all eyes were on the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty, who jumped brilliantly from gate one, but then eased back to take up his customary position at the back, a few lengths less handy than last time in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) lobbed them along up front, but Zac Purton had Waikuku right at his flank through an opening 800 metres in :49.47, some eight to nine lengths off standard time, as Golden Sixty raced keenly and tactically disadvantaged beneath Vincent Ho.

Steered out and around Hong Kong Mile runner-up More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) at the three-furlong pole, having continued to race freely, and losing crucial ground in the process, Golden Sixty had clear sailing into the stretch, but Waikuku raced to the front with a bit more than 300 metres to travel and the alarm bells would have been sounded. Though he was able to produce his typical barnstorming finish, with a final quarter-mile in :21.95, Golden Sixty had simply been set a task too tall. Unlike when he managed to scrape home in the 2020 Hong Kong Derby off a similarly slow tempo, he could not do so this time, and Waikuku was able to cause the upset. It was a seventh Stewards' Cup for trainer John Size.

“I was really happy with the way the race was run, I was in a lovely rhythm and I knew he was going to give me a kick but with Golden Sixty in the race, you're never home until you pass the post,” said Purton, who only recently returned from injuries suffered in that horror fall in the Hong Kong Sprint six weeks ago. “He's run many horses down the last few years, he's a champion and obviously the race wasn't run to suit him today.”

Golden Sixty was tasting defeat for the first time in 30 months.

“The horse is OK–he appears to have pulled up well,” trainer Francis Lui said. “It was just the draw. The way the race was run, he needed to be closer but, from the inside, it wasn't possible today.”

Winner of this race in 2020 when favoured at 1-2, the 2019 Derby runner-up was exiting a three-lengths' seventh to Golden Sixty in the international Mile Dec. 12, having previously run second to him in the G2 Jockey Club Mile Nov. 20.

Pedigree Notes:

Waikuku is one of two top-level scorers for the late Harbour Watch (Ire), the other being G1 Coronation Cup hero Pyledriver (GB), a latest second in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase last month.

London Plane is also the dam of breeder Shane Molan's Dancing Rebel (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}), who broke his maiden over five furlongs at the Curragh Oct. 14, a newly turned 2-year-old colt by Australia (GB) and a yearling filly by Harbour Watch's sire Acclamation (GB).

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STEWARDS' CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,137,224/€1,358,861/
A$2,147,623/US$1,541,185), Sha Tin, 1-23, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:34:82, gd.
1–WAIKUKU (IRE), 126, g, 7, by Harbour Watch (Ire)
1st Dam: London Plane (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Aunt Julia (GB), by In the Wings (GB)
3rd Dam: Original (GB), by Caerleon
(€33,000 Ylg '16 TISEP). O-Jocelyn Siu Yang Hin Tang; B-Shane Molan; T-John Size; J-Zac Purton; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 25-9-5-2, HK$43,807,450. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Golden Sixty (Aus), 126, g, 6, Medaglia d'Oro–Gaudeamus, by Distorted Humor. (A$120,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo '17 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd (Qld); T-Francis Lui Kin-wai; J-Vincent Ho Chak-yiu; HK$2,640,000.
3–Russian Emperor (Ire), 126, g, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Atlantic Jewel (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Mike Cheung Shun Ching; B-Coolmore, Lauri Macri & Partners; T-Douglas Whyte; J-Blake Shinn; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 14-1, 0.05, 24-1.
Also Ran: More Than This (GB), Sky Darci (NZ), Healthy Happy (Aus), Kings Shield. Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

 

 

Stronger Gives Whyte First Group 1 As a Trainer…

The rare entire horse in Hong Kong, A$1.05 Inglis Easter graduate Stronger (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) rallied from the back of the field and just outfinished G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) to give former jockey Douglas Whyte his first Group 1 success as a conditioner in Sunday's Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin.

Away alertly for Vincent Ho, Stronger allowed the speedier early types to go on with it and raced with only Sky Field behind him, as Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) went a solid gallop up front. Eased out into about the six path as the field hit the straight, with Sky Field now alongside, Stronger (1098 pounds) was roused to the front inside the furlong marker and managed to hold the physically more imposing and similarly colored Sky Field (1205 pounds) in the run to the line.

A Group 3 winner in Australia for Peter and Paul Snowden, Stronger won one of nine starts for trainer John Moore in 2019/2020 and joined the Whyte yard upon the latter's compulsory retirement last season. Stronger scored in his first run for the barn in November 2020, and though he had dropped his last 13 races, posted board finishes four times at group level, earning the right to soldier on. He was most recently fifth in the Sprint Dec. 12.

Pedigree Notes:

Stronger becomes the 16th Group 1 winner for the pensioned Not A Single Doubt (Aus) and his second in Hong Kong, joining the recently retired G1 Champions Mile hero and multiple Stewards' Cup placegetter Southern Legend (Aus).

Stronger is out of a winning daughter of three-time listed winner and Group 1-placed Ain't Seen Nothin, dam of Singapore Horse of the Year Stepitup (Aus) (Hussonet); GSW Bachman (Aus) (All American {Aus}); and Ain'tnofallenstar (NZ) (Starcraft {NZ}), herself responsible for SW Ain'tnodeeldun (Aus) (Dundeel {NZ}).

Star Pupil is the dam of a yearling filly by Pariah (Aus), a filly foal by Snitzel (Aus) and visited the latter again last November.

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
CENTENARY SPRINT CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000 (£1,137,224/
€1,358,861/A$2,147,623/US$1,541,185), Sha Tin, 1-23, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.78, gd.
1–STRONGER (AUS), 126, h, 5, by Not A Single Doubt (Aus)
1st Dam: Star Pupil (Aus), by Starcraft (NZ)
2nd Dam: Ain't Seen Nothin' (Aus), by Nothin' Leica Dane (Aus)
3rd Dam: Icecapade (Aus), by Genghiz
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$1,050,000 Ylg '18 INGEAS). O-Cheung Hon Kit, Joanna Cheung Wai Sze & Jonathan Cheung Yu Shing; B-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd & Planette Thoroughbred (NSW); T-Douglas Whyte; J-Vincent Ho Chak-yiu; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Aus, 31-6-7-3, HK$17,281,510. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sky Field (Aus), 126, g, 5, Deep Field (Aus)–Laravissante (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ). (NZ$175,000 Ylg '18 NZBJAN). O-Kwan Shiu Man, Jessica Kwan Mun Hang & Jeffrey Kwan Chun Ming; B-M Ryan (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Blake Shinn; HK$2,640,000.
3–Hot King Prawn (Aus), 126, g, 7, Denman (Aus)–De Chorus (Aus), by Unbridled's Song. (A$90,000 Ylg '16 INGFEB). O-Lak Sau Hong; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-John Size; J-Zac Purton; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: HD, HF, HF. Odds: 17-1, 31-10, 67-10.
Also Ran: Wellington (Aus), Super Wealthy (Aus), Courier Wonder (NZ), Master Eight (Aus), Computer Patch (Aus). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

 

The post Waikuku Stuns The World In Stewards’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights