Wertheimer et Frere | Horse Racing Free Tips

Godolphin Named Leading French Owner in 2020

Godolphin has been named the leading owner in France for 2020 by France Galop. Their 77-strong French string, trained primarily by Andrew Fabre and Alex Pantall ran 281 times with 60 wins. They earned $2,235,078, just $1,707 more than White Birch Farm at €2,233,371. Godolphin's British string's French successes of over €600,000 are not included in these totals.

Peter Brant's White Birch Farm celebrated a win in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) last season. Third on the list is His Highness The Aga Khan with 59 wins and €1.8 million in prizemoney, and those green and red silks would be on top if earnings plus owners' premiums were taken into account. Fourth is Wertheimer et Frere at €1.5 million.

The post Godolphin Named Leading French Owner in 2020 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Global Superstar Goldikova Dies At Age 16

Goldikova, one of the world's top racehorses of any sex or surface preference over the past decade and a half, has died at age 16, Racing Post and the French publication Jour de Galop report.

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for Goldikova's owner and breeder Wertheimer et Frere, made the announcement via text to Jour de Galop on Wednesday morning, which read after translation; “It is with immense sadness that we inform you of the death of our champion Goldikova on Jan. 5, 2021. Goldikova will be remembered as the best racing mare on the team with her 14 Group 1 victories, including a splendid Prix Jacques le Marois in 2009 and her historic treble in the Breeders' Cup Mile. ”

Goldikova was nothing short of a dominant force over the course of her five seasons on the racetrack, winning 17 of 27 starts for earnings of $7,176,551. She was trained by Freddy Head.

After winning her first two starts as a juvenile at Deauville in France, the daughter of Anabaa soon climbed up the ranks at three, finishing second in the Group 1 French 1,000 Guineas and third in the G1 French Oaks. She earned her first taste of group stakes success in the Group 3 Prix Chloe, which kicked off a four-race winning streak in major races that included Group 1 scores in the Prix Rothschild and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp before making her first international start in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park, where she bested male competition by 1 1/4 lengths.

Goldikova's 3-year-old campaign was just a taste of what the Irish-born filly had to offer, and that was proven the following season, when she locked down Europe's champion older horse honors with four Group 1 wins in France, England, and the U.S., capped off by her second Breeders' Cup Mile score, once again at Santa Anita. Though she only made one start in the U.S. that year, her campaign wowed voters enough to give her the Eclipse Award as champion turf female.

The mare's 5-year-old campaign saw more of the same, once again earning Europe's championship as champion grass mare, and the Eclipse in the same category. What made this campaign unique was her debut at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet, where she conquered the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, adding to her five total Group 1 victories that season. Once again, the season finished in the Breeders' Cup winner's circle, this time 1 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs.

Goldikova's final season came during her 6-year-old campaign, which saw her win her fourth edition of the G1 Prix Rothschild and her second renewal of the G1 Prix d'Ispahan, both in France. She finished second in that season's Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, and her chase for a fourth consecutive Breeders' Cup Mile in her career finale came up short, finishing third to massive upset Court Vision at Churchill Downs.

Her legacy in the U.S. is apparent by the mark she left in the Breeders' Cup. Her $3,508,200 in Breeders' Cup earnings ranks fifth all-time, and the most by a horse to have never won the Classic. She was third on the all-time earnings list when she retired.

Additionally, Goldikova is the only horse in the event's history to win the same race three times, and only champion Beholder joins her as three-time Breeders' Cup winners, with the latter having taken the Juvenile Fillies before winning two editions of the Distaff.

Those Breeders' Cup efforts, paired with her outstanding global resume, earned Goldikova admission into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 2017.

Goldikova was retired to the Wertheimer broodmare band in Ireland, where she produced six foals. She was not pregnant at the time of her death.

She has had two winners from four starters as a broodmare, highlighted by the Galileo filly Terrakova, who won the G3 Prix Cleopatre and finished third in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines, both in France.

Breeders’ Cup Heroine Goldikova Dead at 16

Wertheimer et Frere’s 14-time Group 1-winning mare Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa-Born Gold, by Blushing Groom {Fr}), the only horse to win the same race three times at the Breeders’ Cup, has died aged 16.

“It is with immense sadness that we inform you of the death of champion Goldikova on Jan. 5, 2021,” Wertheimer et Frere Racing Manager Pierre-Yves Bureau told Jour de Galop. “Goldikova will remain in our memories as our best racemare with her 14 Group 1 wins, among which was a splendid Prix Jacques le Marois in 2009 and her historic triple in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”

Bred by Wertheimer et Frere out of their excellent producer Born Gold, Goldikova joined the yard of trainer Freddy Head in 2007 and was an immediate hit, winning her two juvenile outings with ease. She lost her unbeaten record on her 3-year-old debut when third in Longchamp’s Prix du Louvre, and found the great Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) too good in both the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane; she was second in the former, with Coolmore’s now-great producer Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) back in third, and third in the Diane, with she and Zarkava split by Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), a half-sister to Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Goldikova returned to the winner’s enclosure next out in the G3 Prix Chloe and went unbeaten the remainder of the season, taking in the G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix du Moulin before her first score in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, where she made Head the first individual to have ridden and trained a winner at the great meeting. He has since been joined by Joseph O’Brien.

Goldikova began her 4-year-old season with an uncharacteristically dull seventh in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan over the soft ground, but bounced back to win three consecutive Group 1s: the Falmouth S., Rothschild and the Prix Jacques le Marois by six lengths in what is credited as her best performance with an official rating of 131. Third when dropped back to seven furlongs in the G1 Prix de la Foret, Goldikova justified favouritism once again to defend her Breeders’ Cup Mile title back at Santa Anita, equaling the feat that Head had achieved aboard the great Miesque 21 years earlier in winning back-to-back Miles, a feat also accomplished by Lure in 1992 and 1993. Wise Dan won the race back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. Da Hoss had won non-consecutive Miles in 1996 and 1998. Goldikova was at the time one of 10 horses to win twice at the Breeders’ Cup, with Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) interestingly having also accomplished the feat in the 2008 and 2009 Breeders’ Cups at Santa Anita. A further nine horses have since won twice at the Breeders’ Cup.

Redeeming herself in the d’Ispahan with a half-length score to kick off her 5-year-old campaign in 2010, Goldikova traveled to Royal Ascot for the first time to take the G1 Queen Anne S. before winning a third Rothschild. She was second to the Guineas winner Makfi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) while attempting to defend her Marois title, but bounced back next out to go one better in the Foret before clinching a historic third Breeders’ Cup Mile win at Churchill Downs over the American champion Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat). That feat has not been matched since.

Returned to training at six, Goldikova bested Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) to win a second d’Ispahan before finishing second to Canford Cliffs (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) in the Queen Anne. In what would prove to be her final victory, she won a fourth straight Rothschild before finishing second in the Marois and the Foret to Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}), respectively. Favoured for a fourth tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Goldikova looked to be sitting a dream trip stalking the pace on the rail and hit the lead a furlong from home, but lacked the necessary late kick to hold off the Woodbine Mile winners Court Vision (Gulch) and Turallure (Wando). Goldikova retired to the illustrious Wertheimer broodmare band thereafter with 17 wins from 27 starts, and just one off the board finish, and £4,364,886 in the bank. Goldikova earned three Cartier Awards (Horse of the Year in 2010 and Older Horse in 2009 and 2010), was the American champion female turf horse in 2009 and 2010 and was in 2017 inducted into the American racing Hall of Fame.

Peslier, who was in the saddle for all 27 of Goldikova’s starts, paid tribute to his former partner on Wednesday, saying, “It’s very sad that she has passed away. She was a champion and an amazing filly. We travelled all over the world together, going to America and winning three times at the Breeders’ Cup. We went to Royal Ascot and won and won many races in France as well, of course.

“It’s very similar to Frankie Dettori and Enable–when you ride an amazing filly like that, she will be in your life forever. We have both ridden many winners and many Group 1 winners, but a filly like this–winning 14 Group 1–it’s different. The owners were fantastic to keep her in training for as long as they did. She could have been retired, but the owners were like fans and they wanted to see her run.”

Goldikova was, somewhat remarkably, the ninth foal out of Born Gold, and the mare did her best producing in the twilight of her broodmare career, with Goldikova followed by the G1 Prix Vermeille scorer and Prix de Diane second Galikova (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), the G1 Prix Paul de Moussac scorer and the five-times Group 1-placed Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa) and the G3 Prix Vanteaux victress Gold Luck (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}). Goldikova is also a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Gold Sound (Fr) (Green Tune) and Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon), and the latter is the best producer out of Born Gold, having left behind five stakes horses including the G3 Prix Minerve scorer Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Gold Round is also the second dam of Prix Vanteaux winner Platane (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Goldikova produced a pattern race winner in her second foal, the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner and Prix de Diane third Terrakova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and from her four other foals of racing age just the filly Goldika (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) is a winner. Her newly turned 3-year-old is the Dubawi (Ire) filly Goldistyle (Ire) and she has a 2-year-old colt by Galileo (Ire) named Lehman (GB), both in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias. Goldikova was not in foal for 2021.

The post Breeders’ Cup Heroine Goldikova Dead at 16 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

New Sire Power For Yeomanstown

Shaman (Ire) represents the first of his sire line to stand at Yeomanstown Stud, being a son of the late Shamardal. The Group 2 winner and Classic-placed 3-year-old was raced by his owner/breeders Wertheimer et Frere, and Robert O’Callaghan of Yeomanstown tells TDN why he is an exciting acquisition for the Irish stud.

TDN: Robert, Shaman is the first son of Shamardal to stand at Yeomanstown Stud. Why was it important for you to have a son of his join the roster?

ROC: Shamardal has been such a sensational sire for a number of years and obviously has some very good sire sons like Lope de Vega (Ire). We have been trying hard for a number of years to acquire a son of Shamardal, but it hasn’t been easy. That’s why we are extremely excited to get Shaman. The sire line is just so prolific.

TDN: He was a sound, tough racehorse. What were some of his best races?

ROC: He was a top-class performer at two, three and four. He won his debut at two and was third in a Group 3 before running a credible race in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. As a 3-year-old he won two Guineas trials, including the G3 Prix la Force. That was when he really caught our attention. He went on to finish second in the [Poule d’Essai des Poulains]–which is a real stallion-making race–behind Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). It was a huge turning point and really made us try hard to acquire the horse.

At four, he got even better again, with a win in the G2 Prix d’Harcourt, beating future Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). He was a very consistent racehorse, running at the highest level and running with credit in every race.

TDN: How has he settled in at Yeomanstown and what can you tell us about his conformation?

ROC: He is settling in great and he is so easy to deal with. He hasn’t put a foot wrong since he came, nothing fazes him. He’s getting to know his new stablemates, Dark Angel (Ire), Camacho (GB), El Kabeir and Invincible Army (Ire). He walks like a pure champion and he is a beautiful-looking horse. He’s just shy of 16.2hh. He is very correct, has a great shape and great hindquarter to him. If he breeds them like himself, it will make life very easy for us.

TDN: How do you think he fits into the Irish stallion ranks?

ROC: I think he fits in very well to the Irish stallion ranks. He is well priced at €6,000 which gives all breeders a chance to use him. Everyone loves Shamardal and wants to use a son of his and add to that Shaman’s exceptional pedigree and I think he is probably Shamardal’s best value son out there.

TDN: What support have you had from breeders so far?

ROC: He has been going down really well. There are a lot of breeders across Europe keen to use him, with a lot of French breeders booking nominations to him already. A number of high-profile Irish breeders have bought breeding rights in the horse and they’re all very excited to use him. We have a strong broodmare band here too and we will support him strongly with some good mares. We have acquired a few more mares from the sales in the last couple of weeks which will visit him also. Wertheimer et Frere have kept a percentage in the horse and will support him. They’ve got some of the best broodmares in the world and it is a huge advantage for a young stallion going to stud to have their support. Naturally, we are very excited for the season ahead.

The post New Sire Power For Yeomanstown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post