Tag: William Haggas

Sea Silk Road Too Good For Royallieu Rivals

Sunderland Holding's G1 Yorkshire Oaks fifth and G1 Prix Vermeille third Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Oriental Magic {Ger}, by Doyen {Ire}) added to her victory in June's G3 Pinnacle S. with a decisive three-length triumph for a career high in Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp.

Employing patient tactics off the tempo in rear for most of the 14-furlong stamina test, the 38-5 chance made smooth headway on the bridle in the straight to seize control entering the final furlong and powered clear of toiling rivals thereafter to easily outpoint 97-1 outsider Diva Donna (Fr) (Cima De Triomphe {Ire}) by open water. La Mehana (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}) was best of the remainder and finished 1 1/2 lengths adrift in third. Connections also won this contest last year with Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“[Owner] Mrs Tsui decided to keep her in training this year and she was right to do so as the filly is having a magnificent season,” said Maureen Haggas. “Last year, she was still very immature, but she has made big strides forward this season. She has strengthened up, won a Group 3 race before being placed in a Group 1, and today she has won her Group 1. She really picked up at the finish, but has sometimes tended to prick her ears and idle once she hits the front. We're going to discuss the next step together, but I suppose she could be retired to stud. You can't improve on a Group 1 win. It's very emotional because she was bought as a yearling by John Clarke, who passed away this year. This win is dedicated to his memory and we're all very emotional.”

Julien Carayon was delighted with the performance of runner-up Diva Donna and commented, “You had to take a leap of faith and she put in a very, very good performance. Nobody wanted her when she came up for sale this summer [her owners bought her back for €55,000]. People don't look at performances, they focus too much on pedigrees. She's a very good mare and we're now going to head to the [Oct. 29 G1] Prix Royal-Oak [back here].”

Reflecting on the effort of third-place finisher La Mehana, Jean-Claude Rouget added, “We're pleased because we were backing her up again following a two week interval and my horses aren't used to that. However, La Mehana had come out of her previous race in very good order and we knew that good ground was the order of the day. Despite the soft ground in the [G2] Prix de Pomone at Deauville last time, the filly still managed to finished fifth against the same opposition. We reasoned that a place was within her compass and she proved very brave in a race in which no quarter was asked for or given. She helped set the race up by racing prominently, but she likes to run that way and dominate. She's a really good filly.”

Pedigree Notes
Sea Silk Road, who becomes the 20th Group 1 winner for her sire, is one of three winners from as many runners produced by Listed Winterkonigin-Trial and G3 Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg third Oriental Magic (Ger) (Doyen {Ire}). Oriental Magic is kin to G2 Gerling-Preis and G3 Deutsches St Leger victor Oriental Eagle (Ger) (Campanologist) and MGSP G2 Prix Kergorlay second Oriental Fox (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}). The March-foaled bay's stakes-winning second dam Oriental Pearl (Ger) (Big Shuffle) is kin to three black-type performers and a full-sister to the dam of MGSW G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden placegetter Oriental Tiger (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}). Oriental Magic has the unraced 2-year-old filly Next Trick (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) and a yearling full-sister to Sea Silk Road to come.

 

Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE ROYALLIEU-G1, €300,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 14fT, 2:57.06, g/s.
1–SEA SILK ROAD (IRE), 131, f, 4, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
      1st Dam: Oriental Magic (Ger) (SW & GSP-Ger, SP-Fr), by Doyen (Ire)
      2nd Dam: Oriental Pearl (Ger), by Big Shuffle
      3rd Dam: Orange Bowl (Ire), by General Assembly
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (190,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €171,429. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 12-4-2-2, €446,004. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Diva Donna (Fr), 131, m, 5, Cima De Triomphe (Ire)–Grande Synthe (Fr), by Dunkerque (Fr). GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Julien Carayon & Mme Marielle Alexandre; B-GFA Du Pont Rouge (FR); T-Julien Carayon. €68,580.
3–La Mehana (Fr), 131, f, 4, Al Wukair (Ire)–Oceanie (Fr), by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€55,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Mlle Selina Fernandez-Shaw Alvarez & Noir Et Or Elevage SA; B-Noir Et Or Elevage SA (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €34,290.
Margins: 3, 1HF, SNK. Odds: 7.60, 97.00, 19.00.
Also Ran: Rue Boissonade (Fr), Mimikyu (GB), Alpenblume (GB), Shamida (Ire), Melo Melo (GB), Poptronic (GB), Ottery (GB), Thunder Roll (Ire), Baiykara (Fr), Library (Ire), Sumo Sam (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Gimcrack Hero Lake Forest Part Of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Catalogue

The smart G2 Gimcrack S. winner Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) (lot 726) is one of the highlights of the five-day Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Park Paddocks in Newmarket from Oct. 23-27.

Part of a 1,750-strong catalogue, the juvenile is rated 109 and will be consigned by William Haggas's Somerville Lodge. He currently holds an entry in the G1 Middle Park S. on Sept. 30.

Some of the other notable lots include G1 Criterium International victor Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 674) from Coolmore; a pair of group winners consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment–Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 1057) and Lord Massusus (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) (lot 663); and Juddmonte's G2 Prix Niel third Bravais (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 1076).

In 2022, I'm A Gambler (Ire) (No Nay Never) topped the sale at 850,000gns when sold to Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal prior to becoming stakes-placed in the U.S. From a smaller four-day catalogue, 1,006 horses sold for 36,164,500gns. The average was 35,949gns and the median was 16,000gns.

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Every year we see horses purchased at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale winning at the highest level, with no less than 83 individual group/listed winners since 2020 bought at the sale including seven Group/Grade 1 winners. That continued success is the key to the sale's enduring appeal and this year's catalogue looks set to cater to both domestic and international demand.”

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No Royal Runner In The Melbourne Cup, As Desert Hero Ruled Out

Group 3 winner and Classic-placed Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who races for The King and The Queen, will not travel to Australia and contest the G1 Melbourne Cup in November. Instead, he will be given a break and will return as a 4-year-old.

Trained by William Haggas, the son of Desert Breeze (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) won the G3 Gordon S. in August and was third to Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on Sept. 16.

John Warren, racing adviser to the King and Queen, said, “After giving it plenty of thought we have decided that Desert Hero won't head to the Melbourne Cup this year.

“It is obviously a world-class race and it was very tempting, but he is still a young horse and we will give him more time to mature.

“He will now have a good break and William will work out a plan for next year.”

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The Curragh: O’Brien Prepares Beresford Assault

It is the time of year when ideas begin to form about the following season's Classics and with Derbys in mind, Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh offers food for thought. Aidan O'Brien's record in this mile staging post is plain remarkable, even by his standards, with a tally of 21 winners including St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Japan (GB) and Luxembourg (Ire) and the fact that he has a trio engaged in the race he missed out in 12 months ago for the first time since 2010 suggests he is looking to resume normal procedure.

With Ryan Moore in Australia, Frankie Dettori flies in to partner Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and full-brother to Never Ending Story (Ire) who put a debut fifth at Killarney behind him when scoring over an extended mile on heavy ground at the Galway festival in August. Colin Keane rides Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) who also won over that same course and distance this month, while the mile Leopardstown maiden winner Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the mount of Gavin Ryan.

“Chief Little Rock came forward nicely to win at Leopardstown but he only just won, we thought he'd win easier than he did,” O'Brien said. “He's in good form and we think he's a horse who is going to progress more. He's got a stout pedigree and will be staying well next year. Grosvenor Square won nicely at Galway, that was only 11 days ago. He's a lovely, big horse but he was babyish and green there, so we think the experience will do him well. He's another with plenty of stamina in his pedigree. Frankie is riding Navy Seal for us. He won nicely at Galway the last day, but he was a little but green. He ended up winning nicely at the end and we think he's ready to go again. The first day we were a bit disappointed, we expected him to run better but he was very green. He was still green the last day, so we're just hoping that he keeps coming forward.”

Joseph O'Brien attempts to stem the tide of Ballydoyle winners in this with Teme Valley Racing's Stromberg (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who steps up from seven furlongs for the first time having a Galway maiden and Roscommon conditions race by a total of 17 lengths, while Vimal Khosla's Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) brings the form of the Leopardstown's G2 Champions Juvenile S. into focus having been four-lengths fourth behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Mister Sketch In Mill Reef Test…

Newbury's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. is the other juvenile feature on Saturday, with speed as the contrast for the six-furlong feature of the card. Wathnan Racing's acquisition Mister Sketch (GB) (Territories {Ire}) won by 9 1/2 lengths over this trip at Salisbury last month and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is hoping he can cope with this easy ground. “It's not ideal ground for him, but it's the same for everyone and I think he'll run a big race,” she said. “He's a lovely, strong horse, so I hope he'll be able to handle the ground.”

This renewal is dominated by those who have danced a few dances already and with conditions demanding toughness, that could play into the hands of the G3 Sirenia S. second and third Seven Questions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Array (Ire) (No Nay Never). The latter is a relative of Frankel (GB), so this is a big opportunity for the Juddmonte homebred. “I think the ground won't be an issue for him, Andrew [Balding] always felt he'd go with a bit of ease in the ground and obviously he ran well at Goodwood on desperate ground,” Barry Mahon said. “He's a nice horse who probably hasn't been the luckiest, but he looked good winning his maiden and he's shown a good level of form to partake in such a race.”

Sense Of Duty Returns…

In the five-furlong G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy at Newbury, St Albans Bloodstock's exciting filly Sense Of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is back in action having been absent since her impressive 4 1/2-length success in Newcastle's G3 Chipchase S. last June. This looks an ideal starting point for the William Haggas-trained 4-year-old, who has a class edge over her four rivals if retaining her ability.

“She's never run over five furlongs, but she has to run somewhere with as big a gap as possible between Champions Day,” Haggas said. “She will need the run, but she's pretty useful. She was very good the day she won the Chipchase at Newcastle. I think she'll enjoy the ground.”

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