William Buick | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dubawi’s Space Blues Takes The City Of York

Godolphin's Saturday at York had started in ideal fashion and got better as TDN Rising Star Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) came back to near his peak over his favoured trip in the seven-furlong G2 Sky Bet City of York S. Last year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero had needed his European return when fourth in Goodwood's G2 Lennox S. July 27 and was kept away from the frantic speed duel up ahead anchored towards the rear by William Buick. Making smooth progress wide to take control passing the two-furlong pole, the 11-8 favourite employed his superior speed from there to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), with another Godolphin runner in Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a neck away in third. “He settles well in his races nowadays, but the loose ground on top was a bit of an unknown–it's shifting a bit beneath the horses–and he was struggling with it early on,” Buick explained. “When he changed gear and lowered himself, he really found his stride. The Lennox didn't work out as we hoped it would and he was entitled to come on for that run. I think he is quick enough for six furlongs, but I'm not sure that he is at his best over that distance. A stiff six on good or softer ground might suit but, when you look through his form, the best of it is over six and a half and seven.”

Space Blues, whose record at this distance reads seven wins from 10 starts, had continued his winning sequence in Riyadh's 1351 Turf Sprint Feb. 20 but lost his sheen of invulnerability when only ninth in the six-furlong G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 27. Charlie Appleby was happy to see him back to his smooth-travelling best here and said, “We were very pleased with Space Blues, who went into the race as the one to beat and did it nicely. The aim now will be to go straight to the [Oct. 3] G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend. We have tried to get him to that race for the last couple of years, but hopefully we can get a clean run with him this time.”

The dam Miss Lucifer (Fr) (Noverre) was also at her best over seven furlongs, winning the G2 Challenge S. and Listed October S. at the trip. She is also responsible for the four times group-winning Shuruq (Elusive Quality), who is in turn the dam of the GIII The Very One S. winner and the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. runner-up Antoinette (Hard Spun) and the GIII Jimmy Durante S. runner-up Javanica (Medaglia d'Oro). This is the family of the G1 Premio Roma heroine High Hawk (Ire), who is renowned as the dam of the triple group 1-winning Breeders' Cup Turf hero and leading sire In the Wings (GB), the G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) and the G1 Matron S. heroine Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Miss Lucifer has the unraced 3-year-old filly Beautiful Future (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Dark Angel (Ire).

Saturday, York, Britain
SKY BET CITY OF YORK S.-G2, £213,000, York, 8-21, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:22.60, gd.
1–SPACE BLUES (IRE), 132, h, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Lucifer (Fr) (GSW-Eng, $193,403), by Noverre
2nd Dam: Devil's Imp (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: High Spirited (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £120,792. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Fr at 5-7f & G1SW-Fr, 17-9-3-1, $1,313,807. *1/2 to Shuruq (Elusive Quality), Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 7-9.5f, MGSW-UAE, GSW-Tur & GSP-Eng, $658,709. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Highfield Princess (Fr), 129, f, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill. (29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn. £45,795.
3–Glorious Journey (GB), 132, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Fallen For You (GB), by Dansili (GB). (2,600,000gns Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £22,919.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.38, 8.50, 8.50.
Also Ran: Sir Busker (Ire), Safe Voyage (Ire), Pogo (Ire), Fivethousandtoone (Ire), Primo Bacio (Ire), Lord of the Lodge (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Dubawi’s Space Blues Takes The City Of York appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Olivier Peslier to Ride Wonderful Tonight in the Arc

Former French champion jockey Olivier Peslier will ride multiple Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, her trainer David Menuisier announced on Tuesday. The regular rider of the bay is William Buick, who will most likely be aboard one of Godolphin's duo of Classic winners Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) or Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the ParisLongchamp cornerstone.

“I think he is one of the best in the business,” said Menuisier of the veteran Frenchman. “He has the experience on his side, and he's ridden the filly as a 2-year-old when he won on her at Saint-Cloud.

“The plan was to keep him on last year. But I think it was a fracture of the jaw that sidelined him, so when she went to Longchamp [initially for the Prix de Thiberville last July] I had to use somebody else.

“Tony Piccone rode her–and because he rode her well, we kept the continuity. But Tony Piccone has gone to Hong Kong, and won't be back until October–and we felt it would be better to use somebody who, first of all, won the Arc several times. He's also ridden [in France] all year, and knows Longchamp like the back of his hand.”

Added the trainer, who is hoping to use Peslier in Wonderful Tonight's Arc prep races too, “I've known Olivier for 10 years. He's a friend, and I trust him 110% to do the job. Who wouldn't be keen [to ride Wonderful Tonight]? She has a live chance–well, we feel she's a live chance, in the Arc. Obviously he's delighted to have been called up.”

The 4-year-old filly is riding a four-racing winning streak, having triumphed in the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. at Goodwood on July 31. Her winning thread started with a 1 1/4-length victory in the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Arc Day and continued in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. on Oct. 17. Resuming at Royal Ascot, Wonderful Tonight added the G2 Hardwicke S. to her haul on June 19.

Although her next targets have not been confirmed, the Aug. 19 G1 Yorkshire Oaks is a possibility and Peslier is likely to be aboard Menuisier's star pupil regardless of which contest is selected.

“It's part of the plan,” added Menuisier. “He's made himself available to ride the filly wherever she goes.

“Thinking of the big one down the line, I think it would be good if he could have sat on her at least once and, in an ideal world, twice before the Arc.

“I don't want the filly to have too many hard battles before the big day–so she'll get to the race as fresh as she can, knowing that we're not having a summer break.”

The post Olivier Peslier to Ride Wonderful Tonight in the Arc appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Buick and Balding Top Qatar Goodwood Festival

Jockey William Buick and trainer Andrew Balding were named the Qatar Goodwood Festival Leading Jockey and Leading Trainer, respectively, on Saturday.

Buick, who gets married on Sunday, had previously won the award in 2014. The 33-year-old's best rides of the week were Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire})'s win in the G2 King George Qatar S. and Saturday's G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. heroine Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Buick said, “I'm delighted to be leading jockey at Glorious Goodwood. I knew I had some good rides. It is always a week you look back on and think there are one or two races you would like to have a go at again but, all in all, it has been a great week.

“I am really pleased, Suesa and Wonderful Tonight being the highlights. I had some nice rides coming into the week and was quite positive.

“I've now got my wedding tomorrow. I'm a bit nervous now but it should be a brilliant day and we're getting married at a church opposite where we live. Now I have got to get my head into my speech–all week I have been focusing on my job, now I am going to focus on tomorrow! It should be a great day. James Doyle is my best man.”

Balding's horses won two races on Saturday, giving him a total of five wins at the meeting, good enough to take the trainers' title. The Kingsclere handler sent out Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) to scoop the G1 Qatar Sussex S. on Wednesday, the first time since Soviet Song (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) in 2004 a filly had won the iconic showpiece.

Balding said, “I thought we had a chance coming into today and we've had a couple of winners. We have targeted this meeting with the right horses. The ground suited most of them and it has been a good week.

“It was a special moment for us with Alcohol Free. She is a special filly and we really enjoyed it.”

At the conclusion of the five-day meeting, Jon Barnett, Goodwood Racecourse's Director, said, “We were delighted to have been the first major racing festival to welcome back full capacity crowds. The atmosphere on course has been fabulous throughout with a real buzz, particularly on Friday and Saturday where crowd levels were as good as we can remember with a sell-out capacity reached in a number of enclosures.

“The weather largely remained unsettled, but the racing stories and true 'Glorious Goodwood' experience shone through. Attendance for the week has reached 2019 levels, which was a fantastic year for us, with sales on food and beverage far higher than we would normally have anticipated as racegoers celebrated a return to the Festival.

“Finally, we must extend our sincere thanks to the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, who have been the headline sponsor for the seventh year. Without their support alongside our other official partners, including Unibet, this would not be possible.

The post Buick and Balding Top Qatar Goodwood Festival appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Le Havre’s Wonderful Tonight In Charge In The Lillie Langtry

After the rain missed Saturday's fast-ground G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., Goodwood had an abundance of it in the interim to ensure that things fell in the favour of the re-routed Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) ahead of Saturday's G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. Too keen early tracking the leader Makawee (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) on the soft going she needs, Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was eventually allowed to stride to the front by William Buick approaching three out. Crossing to the stand's rail, the 4-5 favourite was clear with quarter of a mile remaining but in the end had to work to score by two lengths from the vastly-improved Tribal Craft (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), with the smart Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) nine lengths away in third. “She is a lot stronger this year and has more speed, so this mile and six is the end of the world for her,” trainer David Menuisier said. “You have to break her stride the whole way, so you could probably get away with dropping down in trip to 10 furlongs now. She will probably have a run in the [Aug. 19 G1] Yorkshire Oaks, or maybe at Deauville in the [Aug. 22 G2 Prix de] Pomone, then likely the [G1 Prix] Vermeille [at ParisLongchamp Sept. 12] and of course the [Oct. 3] Arc.”

Buick echoed those sentiments and said, “I know she has won over this trip before in Paris last year, but I think she's a bit speedier now. She doesn't need to be running over this trip again. She's energetic and I was delighted to get a lead on her. We went slow and she took it up a fair way out, but has stuck on all the way to the line. She is a very good mover, so there is no real reason why she should want soft ground. Her form suggests she is better on it, but if it was good-to-soft or good ground, I wouldn't be worried. If the ground came up like this in the Arc, she is a class filly and you would have to give her a chance.” Oisin Murphy said of Tribal Craft, “It was a career-best and I am thrilled. Tribal Craft definitely improved for a change of tactics–being dropped in really suits her and she relishes these conditions.”

Wonderful Tonight, whose career trajectory took an upward turn when winning Deauville's 12 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Minerve on heavy ground last August, is a daughter of Salvation (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) who also produced the stakes winner Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}). The second dam is the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Birdie (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), who was responsible for three black-type performers headed by the GIII Providencia S. scorer Hostess (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). Birdie is kin to the listed-winning Fickle (GB) (Danehill), in turn the dam of the G3 Dahlia S. winner Tarfah (Kingmambo) who produced the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Epsom and Irish Derby hero and established sire Camelot (GB). Salvation's unraced 2-year-old colt Ak Ishan (Fr) (Recorder {GB}) was a €70,000 purchase at Arqana Deauville October by Haras de Montfort & Preaux, while she also has a yearling filly by the same sire.

Saturday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR LILLIE LANGTRY S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 3yo/up, f/m, 14fT, 3:13.05, sf.
1–WONDERFUL TONIGHT (FR), 135, f, 4, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Salvation (GB), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Birdie (GB), by Alhaarth (Ire)
3rd Dam: Fade (GB), by Persepolis (Fr)
(€40,000 Ylg '18 ARAUG). O-Christopher Wright; B-SARL Ecurie La Cauviniere (FR); T-David Menuisier; J-William Buick. £170,130. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 14f+, G1SW-Fr & Eng, 10-6-1-1, $832,231. *1/2 to Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}), SW-US, MSP-Fr, $376,306. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tribal Craft (GB), 132, m, 5, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Snoqualmie Star (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O-Mr J C Smith; B-Littleton Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £64,500.
3–Albaflora (GB), 132, f, 4, Muhaarar (GB)–Almiranta (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £32,280.
Margins: 2, 9, 5. Odds: 1.80, 16.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Divinely (Ire), Makawee (Ire), Believe In Love (Ire), Cabaletta (GB). Scratched: Golden Pass (GB), Traisha (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Le Havre’s Wonderful Tonight In Charge In The Lillie Langtry appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post