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Bouncing back from a forgettable effort in the July Cup, Shadwell's Almeraq (Dark Angel) turned Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup into a procession with soft ground to suit on Saturday. Always travelling with supreme ease as Tom Marquand had the anchor down throughout the early stages, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes hero cut through the pack with minimal urging and brushed aside Paborus (Recoletos) approaching the furlong pole. From there, it was only a case of how far as the 9-4 favourite opened up and at the death it was 4 1/4 lengths without telling the whole story, with Paborus in turn 4 3/4 lengths ahead of last year's winner Big Mojo (Mohaather) in third. “That was pretty impressive stuff,” Marquand said of the William Haggas-trained four-year-old, whose fall at York last year ended the career of Jim Crowley. “The ground let him down at Newmarket and he's a hugely exciting horse. The plan was to ride him conservatively and he stepped up so easily, he was straight up into the race on that ground.” The trainer was looking on at Ascot. “He looked very good,” he said. “I thought it the ground would make a big difference and he clearly looked to enjoy it. He travelled easily and he's a good horse. Now he's got his conditions and its onwards to Ascot.” The post ‘That Was Impressive Stuff’: Marquand A Passenger On Sprint Cup Hero Almeraq appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ahmad Alkhallafi's homebred Moonrise (Churchill) made light work of a three-pound penalty for annexing July's G3 Princess Margaret Stakes and the Listed Windsor Castle runner-up led from pillar to post, doubling her Group-race tally, in Saturday's G3 William Hill Sirenia Stakes at Kempton. Sent forward from her outside stall to claim an early advantage, the 11-4 second favourite kicked clear of toiling rivals inside the final quarter-mile and kept on powerfully to easily account for Shimmering Sun (Havana Grey) and Social Symbol (Violence) by 3 3/4 lengths and a neck.   Pedigree Notes Moonrise, half-sister to a yearling colt by Ghaiyyath, is the third of four foals and leading performer from two winners out of a multiple-winning half-sister to Listed Winkfield Stakes runner-up Strictly Silca (Danehill Dancer). Her second dam, G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up and G1 Cheveley Park Stakes third Silca Chiave (Pivotal), is kin to five black-type performers headed by G1 Prix Morny heroine Silca's Sister (Inchinor) and the multiple Group 1-placed dual Group 2 winner Golden Silca (Inchinor).   The post Moonrise Makes All For Impressive Sirenia Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With hot temperatures in Louisville's forecast, trainer Mark Casse has decided that champion Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) should skip the Sept. 12 running of the  GII Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs and instead ship to Belmont Park. The news was first reported on X by David Grening of the Daily Racing Form. Grening said in the post that several options were on the table, including either the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Sept. 18 or the GII Beldame Stakes Sept. 25–both at Belmont Park. Also under consideration is the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 4. Nitrogen's campaign at Saratoga this summer was marked by a victory in the GI Odgen Phipps Stakes June 5 and a runner-up finish in the GI Whitney Stakes Aug. 8. The Whitney champ Sovereignty (Into Mischief) developed an abscess in his hind foot and was forced to miss his Saturday work. It is unknown at this point if the Horse of the Year will be out of the Jockey Club Gold Cup. This story will be updated. The post Nitrogen To Skip Locust Grove At Churchill Due To Heat, Heads To Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin's 1-million guineas Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate First Law (Too Darn Hot), a G1 Dewhurst entry, backed up a debut victory at Sandown last month with a black-type breakthrough in Saturday's Listed Betfair Celebrates Bow Echo Ascendant Stakes at Haydock. “He is in the [G1] Dewhurst and the [G2] Royal Lodge, but possibly something like the [G3] Autumn Stakes over a mile at Newmarket would suit,” said William Buick. “That is a race Charlie [Appleby] has brought some of his nicer two-year-olds to. He is raw and learning on the job, but that was very much what I expected coming here today. I was hoping we wouldn't have to make our own running, but it is what it is. He wasn't improved for the ground, but it is a good learning curve for him. I like the way he finished off the last half of the race. It is never ideal going that slow because you don't want to quicken too quickly too far out. I thought he did very well and he is a lovely big horse.” Leading throughout the one-mile test, the 6-4 favourite was rousted along for a few strides on the home turn and found plenty when tackled by 15-8 market rival Rocket Boy (Soldier's Call) approaching the quarter-mile marker and was ridden out in the closing stages to withstand the persistent threat of that rival by 3/4-of-a-length. Denford Stud's two-race maiden Arthurian (Camelot) ran on well at the business end and finished a half-length adrift in third.     Pedigree Notes First Law is the eighth of nine foals and fifth stakes performer, from five winners, out of a winning half-sister to G1 Dewhurst-winning sire Intense Focus (Giant's Causeway) and G2 Premio Roma third Angel's Trumpet (Dark Angel). He is kin to G1 Moyglare heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), Listed-winning G2 Superlative second Victory Dance (Dubawi), the multiple Group 3-placed Listed Fortune Stakes victrix Skellet (Kingman) and GIII Jimmy Durante runner-up Data Dependent (More Than Ready). Skitter Scatter is the dam of Listed Bosra Sham third, while Data Dependent produced GI Belmont Oaks Invitational heroine Aspen Grove (Justify). First Law's yearling half-brother by Kingman is slated to sell at this month's Goffs Orby Book 1 sale. The post Book 1 Millionaire First Law Makes Stakes Breakthrough at Haydock appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hungary's Kincsem Park hosts its major international festival this Sunday which is headlined by the Kincsem Stakes, the most prestigious race run in the country. Returning to defend his crown in the big race is Jane Chapple-Hyam's Claymore (New Bay), the well travelled seven-year-old who has raced in six different countries  and whose wins include the G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2022. He will face opposition from his home town of Newmarket in the Dylan Cunha-trained Asgard's Captain (Make Believe). The 95-rated six-year-old has won 11 of his 46 starts and defeated Claymore when winning the Shergar Cup Challenge on his most recent start on August 8. He will be partnered by Marco Ghiani, while Saffie Osborne also makes the trip to Hungary to ride Claymore.  The latter's owner and trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam said on Saturday, “Claymore travelled out well and he looks bright and alert. It took three days with two night stops but he ate and drank all the way. He went for a gentle jog this morning on the all-weather track and I'm very pleased with him. Saffie Osborne is in great order and rode a double yesterday.” She continued, “It does mean a lot to me to have won this, especially as it was the 100th year last year of the Kincsem Stakes. It's great to have come back to try to retain our crown. He loves travelling – he thrives on it.” Chapple-Hyam is expecting the ground to be good to firm for the 2,400m contest. She added, “Claymore had a bit of an excuse for his poor showing in the Shergar Cup as he came back with a fractured tooth and an abscess in his mouth, so we will put a line through the last start and let's hope he can run well. It will be tough competition against Asgard's Captain – he's a good horse on firm ground and I respect him very much. If I finish second to him I will know that my boy has run a solid race. They are stabled opposite each other and all we ask is that both horses come back sound.” Nine horses will face the judge for the Kincsem Stakes, a domestic Grade 1 for Hungary worth 40 million Ft (approximately €110,500). The line-up is set to include the Czech-trained Gasparini (Eagle Top) as well as Kosakenzipfel (Reliable Man), who is trained in Germany by Sarah Steinberg. The card also features three local Grade 2 contests, including the Tattersalls Ireland-sponsored Overdose Stakes, run over 1,000m and named in honour of the top sprinter nicknamed 'The Budapest Bullet'.   The post Claymore Back for More on Hungary’s Big Day at Kincsem Park  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article