Wandering Eyes

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) entered Saturday’s G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp returning off a Sept. 15 handicap score at Doncaster and benefitted from an enterprising ride by Andrea Atzeni to secure a career high tackling the same one-mile trip. The homebred chestnut emerged from four straight runner-up finishes in the novice grades to secure a May 17 handicap score at Newmarket, and another in Royal Ascot’s June 21 Britannia H., and ran second once more in Glorious Goodwood’s Aug. 3 G3 Thoroughbred S. in his penultimate outing. Tanking to the fore to upgrade the tempo after the opening exchanges, the 28-5 chance maintained control until coming under pressure when sent to the centre of the track off the home turn and he kept on relentlessly under a continued drive to lead home a British-trained trifecta. At the line, he was 1 3/4 lengths the good on Oh This Is Us (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) with a half length back to Hey Gaman (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in third. “He’s not stopped improving throughout the season and we are really delighted with that result,” said assistant trainer Edward Crisford. “He won the Britannia in good style at Royal Ascot and to see him win this further proof of his progress. He’s a natural frontrunner, who travels well on the bridle, and he settles well although it may appear he’s doing too much in front. We thought that he’d adapt to the track and if he could jump and do his own thing then he’d have a good shot at it. Andrea [Atzeni] gave him a brilliant ride. He’s now through for the season and we’ll put him away for ther winter. We’ll bring him back next year with some ambitious targets.” OSTILIO (GB), c, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Reem Three (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 9-4-5-0, €254,500. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; T-Simon Crisford; J-Andrea Atzeni. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Whereas the arguably superior Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has been and gone, John Dance’s Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is still churning out wins at the highest level and there was a fifth to celebrate in that category as the 11-4 favourite made all in Saturday’s G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket. Kept close company throughout by last year’s G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 11-4 favourite who had won a battle in Leopardstown’s G1 Matron S. Sept. 15 was the last off the bridle but needed the line as that Ballydoyle trainee pressed her all the way there. A head to the good at the finish, she had comfortably seen off all other rivals with Altyn Orda (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}) 2 1/4 lengths further back in third. “She was a bit fresh today and I was just a passenger for the first half of the race,” jockey Danny Tudhope explained. “I was trying to hang on to her as much as I could and she has some stride on her–I didn’t want to break that and so I let her enjoy herself. The line came just in time, it wasn’t easy but we got there. I think she was always doing a bit too much, but she’s very tough and when the second horse came she battled.” Trainer Karl Burke added, “She’s a superb filly and deserves her status. Hopefully, she’ll get the praise she deserves now. John [Dance] is happy to supplement for the [Oct. 20 G1] QEII if that’s what we want to do and I think we’ll stick at a mile now. She’s also in the Breeders’ Cup as well, but the main thing is to get her home and see how she comes out of this.” 1–LAURENS (FR), 126, f, 3, by Siyouni (Fr) 1st Dam: Recambe (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire) 2nd Dam: Razana (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire) 3rd Dam: Raysiya (Ire), by Cure the Blues (£220,000 Ylg ’16 GOUKPR). O-John Dance; B-Bloodstock Agency Ltd (FR); T-Karl Burke; J-Daniel Tudhope. £151,345. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Fr & G1SW-Ire, 10-7-2-0, £1,466,718. View the full article

The Australian High Commission in London will host a drought relief fundraiser on Oct. 9. All monies raised from ticket sales and live and silent auctions will be donated to Buy A Bale. The fundraiser, organized by Australian ex-pat Emma Montague, will include auction items from the likes of Qantas, RM Williams, Aesop and Dinosaur Designs. Godolphin is donating a prize for two people to enjoy a tour of Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket followed by an afternoon’s racing at Newmarket as guests of Godolphin. Click here to purchase tickets. View the full article

Blessed with an industrious nature, a willing attitude and a fair amount of class, Princess Haya of Jordan’s Turgenev (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was able to turn back some bluebloods and defy a six-pound penalty to earn TDN Rising Star status in Saturday’s British EBF Crown At Stowupland Novice S. over a mile at Newmarket. Runner-up to Godolphin’s G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere contender Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) on debut over seven furlongs at Doncaster Sept. 14, the first foal out of Godolphin’s triple group-winning stalwart Tasaday (Nayef) was off the mark with a minimum of effort on Newcastle’s Tapeta 10 days later. Out again just 12 days after that, the 10-11 favourite travelled with enthusiasm behind the leading trio and after tanking his way to the head of affairs with 2 1/2 furlongs remaining stretched away from Ballydoyle’s Il Paradiso (Galileo {Ire}), who had caught the eye last month at Gowran. At the line, Turgenev was heavily eased to record a 1 1/2-length success, with Il Paradiso in turn six lengths clear of the winner’s unraced stablemate Franz Kafka (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in third. “He did it well and has improved a lot from his first two races,” trainer John Gosden said. “We took him to Newcastle because the straight mile there is very fair and it’s a good surface. It takes a little bit of getting and the races are usually truly-run. He’s given six pounds here and done it in good style–Aidan’s horse was second and wouldn’t have been here just for the air and the third horse is one we like as well. Turgenev is in the [Oct. 27 G1] Futurity [at Doncaster] and we’ll see how he is in the next ten days and decide, as these two-year-olds can change at this time of year.” Tasaday, who began her career with Andre Fabre, captured the G2 Prix de la Nonette and was second in the G1 Prix de l’Opera and third in the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Yorkshire Oaks. She is a daughter of Tashelka (Fr) (Mujahid), who also took the Nonette when it was a group 3 and the G3 Prix Fille de l’Air. She is also the dam of the G3 Desmond S. scorer Tribal Beat (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}). She also has a colt foal by Sea the Stars (Ire). TURGENEV (GB) (c, 2, Dubawi {Ire}–Tasaday {Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 9 1/2-11f, SW & G1SP-Eng, MGSW & MG1SP-Fr, SW-UAE, $817,731}, by Nayef) Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, £13,109. O-H. R. H. Princess Haya of Jordan; B-Godolphin (GB); T-John Gosden. View the full article

The 2018 sales season in Japan has come to an end with the three-day Hokkaido Autumn Sale Oct. 1 to 3. The first two days of the sale offered up horses going through the ring for the first time while the third day was filled with horses who had been withdrawn or bought back at earlier sales throughout the summer. While the overall clearance rate of 71.7% was a slight decrease from 75.1% last year, there were small gains otherwise across the board. The sale grossed ¥1,757,376,000 ($15,456,253/€13,397,098/£11,778,100) and averaged ¥3,479,952 ($30,606/€26,528/£23,322) this year, only a 0.15% and 0.54% increase over 2017, but the median of ¥2,916,000 ($25,646/€22,229/£19,543) was a 3.85% increase and the lowest price was twice as high as last year. The sale topper came during the first day of the dale when lot 198, a Daiwa Major (Jpn) colt out of Agnes Raspberry (Jpn), went to Shoji Hagiwara for ¥27,000,000 ($237,467/€205,830/£180,956). The Autumn Sale is the last of the five sales held by the Hokkaido Sales company each year. This year 2,527 lots were cataloged between the Training Sale, Selection Sale, Summer Premium Sale, Summer Sale, and Autumn Sale. Those sales cumulatively held steady at 71.2% clearance–a 6.3% decrease from the huge industry spike felt in 2017. The five sales grossed ¥10,394,200,000 ($91,397,759/€79,238,658/£69,662,915), this year with a cumulative average of ¥5,777,765 ($50,815/€44,045/£38,723). Last year was a very strong year with unprecedented gains across the board, so a slight correction this year reflects a still-strong market. View the full article

Brundtland (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) entered Saturday’s G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay at ParisLongchamp with a perfect three-for-three record and emerged with his resume unblemished, but was forced to dig deep to outpoint fellow Godolphin colourbearer Lillian Russell (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the opening event of the Bois de Boulogne venue’s Arc weekend. The bay opened his account tackling 10 furlongs at Newmarket in his lone juvenile start and returned this term to garner the Aug. 23 Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine before posting a career high in the Sept. 16 G2 Prix Niel last time. In front and unflustered for most of this marathon, the 1-2 favourite was under pressure when headed by Lillian Russell with 300 metres remaining, but found plenty in reserve when asked to run out an ultimately comfortable half-length winner. “He is obviously a very good horse and could be an Arc contender in time, but that race wasn’t for him this year as he’s still a bit immature,” explained trainer Charlie Appleby. “We brought him here for this as we thought it’d build him up for next year when he will be stronger. William [Buick] told me he stayed well, but reverting back to a mile-and-a-half next year will not be a problem. He is now finished for the season and will not go to Dubai as he’ll spend the winter in Britain.” Alex Pantall was delighted with the effort of runner-up Lillian Russell and added, “I thought she had the race woin when she hit the front, but she’s not quite there yet and the winner is a very good horse. We will see if something comes up, but we have no plans at this stage and there is a possibility she may remain in training next year.” Brundtland, kin to a filly foal by Dark Angel (Ire), is the first foal and lone performer produced by G3 Desmond S. victress Future Generation (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), herself kin to G3 Fairy Bridge S. third Rasmeyaa (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and three-time stakes placegetter Dancing Breeze (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). His Listed Prix La Sorellina-winning third dam Persian Secret (Fr) (Persian Heights {GB}) is a half-sister to MG1SP sire Verglas (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and MGSW G1 July Cup runner-up Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), herself the dam of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Halfway to Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who in turn produced three black-type winners headed by MG1SW Irish highweight Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France QATAR PRIX CHAUDENAY-G2, €200,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-6, 3yo, 15fT, 3:17.64, g/s. 1–BRUNDTLAND (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire) 1st Dam: Future Generation (Ire), by Hurricane Run (Ire) 2nd Dam: Posterity (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire) 3rd Dam: Persian Secret (Fr), by Persian Heights (GB) O-Godolphin; B-J F Hanly (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. €114,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, €223,155. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Lillian Russell (Ire), 125, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Be Fabulous (Ger), by Samum (Ger). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Henri-Alex Pantall. €44,000. 3–My Swashbuckler (Ire), 128, c, 3, Pour Moi (Ire)–Avventura, by Johannesburg. (€25,000 Ylg ’16 ARAUG). O-Couetil Elevage; B-Claudio Marzocco & Luca Marzocco (IRE); T-Alain Couetil. €21,000. Margins: HF, 1HF, 1HF. Odds: 0.50, 10.00, 40.00. Also Ran: Ziyad (GB), Bartaba (Fr), Boulevard (Ire), Mystic Sunshine (Ger), Silver Flight (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Victor Wong Chun will be out to gain bragging rights over his fellow apprentices on Sunday with a three-way logjam unable to split them near the top of the jockeys table. Wong, Matthew Poon Ming-fai and Dylan Mo Hin-tung have all enjoyed a strong start to the season with five wins each, but it is Wong who looks to of secured the strongest book of rides for Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting, picking up rides on King Genki, Red Horse and Dutch Windmill. Wong said he did not want to overcomplicate... View the full article

Australia may have the “the race that stops the nation” in the Melbourne Cup but the “Arc” is the race that stops Europe! The race was first run in 1920 and is now the richest turf race in Europe and is run at Longchamp over the 1-mile four-furlong trip. It’s the defining race in many horses careers down through the years, with some equine greats on the honours roll. Chief among these names are Mill Reef (1971), Urban Sea (1993), Montjeu (1999) and Treve (2013 & 2014). Top of the list to add their name to this illustrious list for the second consecutive season is Enable. John Gosden’s stable star was a snug winner of this last season from Cloth Of Stars who re-opposes here. Every racing fan felt a combination of relief and joy seeing this fantastic filly skip clear of her rivals, primarily the high-class Crystal Ocean in the September Stakes at Kempton last month. She was a good winner of the race last year and she ought to have improved considering her imposing frame and the way she strengthened up since last years success. Obviously, the issues with her knees will continue to be a worry but if John Gosden has her spot on for this, then there is no reason she won’t land back to back Arcs. If she does achieve this amazing feat then RaceBets will give money back on all losers, check out this offer here. Another filly that will be top of many punters list’s will be the William Haggas trained Sea Of Class who’s unbeaten in her last four starts. She has shown an incredible upward curve in her illustrious if brief career. The daughter of Sea The Stars scored an Oaks double in recent months taking in the Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. This will be the first time Sea Of Class races against the boys and oh what a baptism of fire it will be. The Arc has been won by fillies on four of the last five years which proves it can easily be done but perhaps she may not have the class to beat Enable. The main hope for the home contingent is Waldgeist, who has had a fantastic season winning his last five starts. Pierre Charles Boudot who has partnered Waldgeist in all bar one of his starts said in a recent interview with RaceBets: “He had the perfect prep race for the Arc, in my opinion. The horse showed he has everything’s that’s needed for the Arc and he has twice won over course and distance. I am confident he will show his best in the race.” It must be a concern that the son of Galileo’s best form has come with an ease in the ground, which he won’t get at Longchamp. He looks sure to run well but he may well come up short against some classier rivals. Aidan O’Brien’s best chance of victory is Kew Gardens who was a course and distance winner this season in the Grand Prix de Paris and most recently was an impressive winner of the St Leger at Doncaster. Three-year-olds have a fantastic record in the race and Kew Gardens looks like the most solid each-way option in the race but the exertions of winning a St Leger en-route to the Arc has proved too much for some of Aidan’s previous hopes such as Leading Light, Scorpion and Capri. Of the bigger priced runners I like the look of Magical who is only running over a trip longer than a mile for the second time. She has won her only run at the 1 mile 1-furlong trip once in a Group 2 at the Curragh where she beat I’m So Fancy and if she improves again for the extra 3-furlong trip then she may just be the surprise package at 40/1. Selection: Kew Gardens Don’t forget RaceBets are giving money back if Enable wins, make sure to avail of this fantastic offer. The post Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

A leading bloodstock agent, making one of the more imperative farm visits before the Tattersalls October Sale, is scribbling notes on a fabulous yearling colt. He shakes his head and smiles. “It’s almost enough to make you believe in genetics,” he says. But it is not just a regal page that favours this colt. It would be hard for any Thoroughbred not to sparkle on such a day, in such a setting: this remote Hampshire valley enclosed by blue sky and hazy hills, their shadow creeping down towards the gleaming pasture, with trees peering over the tiles of an intimate stableyard to admire the young horses on parade. Timeless as the scene is, however, recent events have conspired to make this particular colt, lot 325, the ‘now’ horse of Book 1. For he is the latest off the conveyor belt for Watership Down Stud’s Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and her regular beau, Dubawi (Ire), and, as such, the beneficiary of the most important update in the catalogue. For what is already one of its richest pages lists a brother as merely a 2016 colt, ‘in training’. But this has proved to be none other than Too Darn Hot (GB), who has so quickly emerged as the most exciting juvenile colt in the land. Flamboyant winner of all three starts, notably the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster last month, he is hot favourite to crown a huge week for Watership Down in the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. just down the road from Tattersalls on the Rowley Mile on Saturday. Moreover the catalogue also records another sibling, Lah Ti Dar (GB), merely as winner of her first two starts, albeit these included the Listed Pretty Polly S. back in the spring. That performance qualified her as favourite for the Oaks, but she then shared a similar misfortune to that experienced two years previously by So Mi Dar (GB)—the result of Dar Re Mi’s first tryst with Dubawi, and herself fancied for the same Classic after winning the G3 Musidora S. Both had to miss Epsom after setbacks. But just as So Mi Dar came back in the autumn to prove her Group 1 calibre, beaten half a length in the Prix de l’Opera, so has Lah Ti Dar finished runner-up in the G1 St Leger since the publication of the catalogue. Little wonder, then, if the drums have been beating about a colt who, although an April foal, can only have impressed those who have been pulling him out of his stall at the Highflyer Paddock all weekend. On the afternoon of TDN’s visit, however, Simon Marsh—who supervises Watership Down for owners Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber—was anxious that one potential star should not detract from what he regards as a team of immense and consistent quality overall. In a 20-strong Book 1 draft, after all, Too Darn Hot’s brother is one of only four to have graduated from the farm’s boutique home-breeding programme. The rest are prepared on behalf of valued clients such as Bjorn Nielsen, Andrew Rosen and Trevor Harris, their number now increased by the support of Philippa Cooper, Al Wasmiyah Farm and Robin Geffen. “When we started [in 1992], the idea was that we would sell our colts, race the fillies and try to build a very small, select broodmare band,” Marsh explains. “And we’ve never wavered from that. Though Andrew supports the stud fantastically, he has always said that it must stand on its own two feet.” Marsh is fiercely determined to reject any inference that this self-sufficiency has been achieved by anything other than plain luck. But even he accepts that this particular colt’s family turned on a moment that could easily have played out differently, had those involved not shown exceptional perseverance. True, it had not required genius to perceive the eligibility of Darara (Ire) (Top Ville {Ire}) as a foundation mare. She was a Group 1-winning half-sister to that outstanding broodmare sire Darshaan (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}). And, yes, Marsh still feels very lucky that she fell within reach, at Ir£470,000 at Goffs in 1994. “When we bought her, she had a Sadler’s Wells yearling who ended up being [G1 Ranvet S. winner] Darazari (Ire),” Marsh recalls. “And she had [G2 King Edward VII S. runner-up] Kilimanjaro (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) in utero. And then came the horse that made 3.4 million guineas, Diaghilev (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) [subsequently winner of the G1 QEII Cup in Hong Kong]. So when we bought her, none of this was there. She produced four Group 1 winners subsequent to us buying her. But although we had this fantastic success, selling out of her, she was then barren for four years in a row. And, at that stage, we didn’t have a filly out of her.” Here, however reluctantly, is where Marsh and his employer need to take some credit. Because those four barren years took the mare into her twenties, and it would have been the easiest thing in the world to wave the white flag and retire her. As it was, determined to eke out any last chance to get Darara an heiress, Marsh phoned Professor Twink Allen at the Animal Health Trust to see whether he might have any inspiration. “And he told me he’d been doing some research on some non-Thoroughbred mares, leading to something that could possibly work in this instance,” Marsh recalls. “So Twink and Huw Neal performed this procedure on her, flushing her fallopian tubes, the first time it had ever been done with a Thoroughbred.” The mare was sent to Selkirk, who was noted for his fertility; was immediately confirmed in foal; and rewarded everyone with a filly. But the same dividend would prove rather more momentous after a mating with Singspiel the following year. “We chose him because we wanted her to remain in Newmarket under the watchful eye of Huw Neal, while also going back into the Sadler’s Wells line,” Marsh explains. “And that resulted in Dar Re Mi. We did cover Darara one more time, after that—and she had Rewilding (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ger}), who was born when she was 24. So it is a remarkable story: the fact that she came up with Dar Re Mi so late in her life, and then Rewilding, who was probably the best of all her produce. I do think a lot of people would long since have given up. For Dar Re Mi then to go on and do what she did on the track, and then to become such an amazing producer herself, it’s incredible.” A triple Group 1 winner herself, Dar Re Mi has plainly imparted class to her progeny. But does the family have any more specific traits? “I think they all want to get on with it,” Marsh reflects. “Darara herself wasn’t a big mare, but she was quite feisty. Interestingly Dar Re Mi seems to have been throwing foals either to Darara or herself. Darara was a neater mare, probably only 15.3, with a lovely head and eye on her, very much like Darshaan; Dar Re Mi is very attractive too but a bigger mare. So a filly like Lah Ti Dar is very much a product of the mare; whereas Too Darn Hot looks more like Darara. But Dar Re Mi is throwing the most incredible individuals, one after the other.” Though Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Oasis Dream (GB) (Green Desert) were granted their turn, Dar Re Mi has produced such knockouts with Dubawi that they would now seem to be together for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. “The nick seems to work so well, why would you change it?” asks Marsh. “We’re very lucky: she’s got a filly on the ground, and we believe she’s carrying another one. So hopefully we’ll have four full sisters to go forward with.” As a rule, of course, Too Darn Hot would himself have been sent into the ring this time last year. “But he had a minor problem that we were advised would mean he wouldn’t pass a sales vet,” Marsh explains. “Otherwise, he’d have been sold and would now belong to somebody else. His precocity hasn’t really been a major family trait. They’ve tended to take their time. De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) actually ran as early as June but Dar Re Mi herself ran once as a 2-year-old, So Mi Dar the same, Lah Ti Da not at all. But Too Darn Hot has always been quite precocious, ever since he went to be broken. In fact we didn’t even send him in to John Gosden’s until beginning of July, and yet he came out and won on August 9.” Marsh gives credit to the skills of Malcom Bastard and his team, in their pre-training role, but it can only be auspicious that the colt going under the hammer on Wednesday should bear such a strong resemblance to his sibling. “Again, he’s an absolutely magnificent horse,” Marsh enthuses. “He’s very like his brother. He may be a little bit bigger but he’s very much the same model: extremely strong; a beautiful head and eye; great hindleg; very good bone. There’s very little not to like about him.” But if Watership Down is to extend its remarkable record as a top ten Book 1 consignor since 2004, it will be because the quality stretches across the draft. And if they have been showing themselves in Park Paddocks as they did at home, then this colt might not even prove your top pick. For one thing, there’s a “really nice, big, scopey” Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) filly [360] out of Evita (GB)—the daughter of Selkirk delivered by Darara after her fertility therapy. But while Marsh can hardly do justice to the whole draft, in the time and space available, he offers a few signposts. “We’ve another very nice Dubawi, for instance, a colt out of J Wonder (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) [421],” he says. “He’s a really nice, typical Dubawi, with a lot of presence and a great pedigree.” Indeed, the dam is a dual Group-winning sister to Group 1 winner Chachamaidee (Ire) out of a half-sister to 1,000 Guineas winner Virginia Waters (Sadler’s Wells). A useful Pivotal mare, equally, is always a start in life and Marsh very much likes the Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) colt out of Wannabe Loved (GB) bred by Normandie Stud [190]. “This horse has done exceptionally well during prep,” he enthuses. “He has great bone and presence about him. They also have a really good-looking Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) filly out of [Listed winner] Gale Force (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) [382]; not too big, just a neat filly that goes very well; and an exceptional Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre) colt [138]. He’s a beautiful horse and I’m a big fan of the sire. I feel everything’s in front of him at the moment, he has some really good crops to come through.” Another exciting French sire with two colts in the draft is Siyouni—who has, incidentally, been favoured with Watership Down’s top-class racemare The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) after she started with three visits to Dubawi producing two fillies and, this year, a colt. The first of the fillies is with Gosden, who trained The Fugue to win four Group 1 prizes, and—as “an absolute spitting image of her mother”—is likely to be given a debut towards the backend. “What I love about Siyouni is that he seems to be really stamping his stock, they’re incredibly good-looking horses,” Marsh says. “The colt out of [Group 2 runner-up] Phiz (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) [34] is a really nice type; and so, too, is the other one [140] out of Stirring Ballad (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), a very strong powerful horse with a great walk on him, from a really good, fast Oppenheimer family. “We’ve also got two Dark Angel (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) colts. One [148] is out of Swiss Diva (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a really good-looking, good-walking son of the sire from that very fast Lordship Stud family. He should go down really well at the sales. The other [291] is again he’s a really, good solid type, a half to two stakes winners, with great bone.” Likewise doubly represented, this time among the fillies, is Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal). “One [200] is from the Niarchos family of Whakilyric (Miswaki) and Hernando (Fr) (Niniski), out of a half-sister to a very good horse in Curtain Call (Fr) (Sadler’s Wells),” Marsh says. “The other, out of Crysdal (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) [315], is again very attractive filly with a great walk.” Running through some of the other fillies, Marsh continues: “We’ve an exceptional Galileo filly out of Bufera (Ire) (King’s Best) [277], bred and raised at our farm in Ireland. The mare has a filly on the ground by Galileo and is back in foal to him. Bjorn [Nielsen] also has a Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) filly [64], a half-sister to Biographer (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}); again a really strong, good-looking filly from the family of Bosra Sham (Woodman), a fantastic family, very few better in the Stud Book. “Another filly from a really good family is a very good-looking, neat sister to War Decree (War Front) [79], who looked the real deal when he won the [Group 2] Vintage S. They’re out of a Street Cry (Ire) (Machiavellian) mare—and he’s proving to be a fantastic broodmare sire.” Marsh is eager to credit stud manager Terry Doherty for its excellent record at this sale. “Terry has been here since we started the farm, we didn’t even have post and rail, it was a completely blank canvas,” he says. “He’s just a brilliant horseman, and his eye and expertise in preparing these yearlings is second to none. We’ve a fantastic team, both here and at Kiltinan. The one thing we’ve always had is consistency of personnel. People have been with us for a long time, and I think that’s been really important.” Charlie Gordon-Watson and Michael Youngs have also made a valued contribution throughout to an operation that has punched well above its weight on the track. “But that’s also because we’ve had a lot of luck,” Marsh underlines. “We’ve a few mares in partnership, but this year bred only 12 that belong 100 per cent to Watership Down. Right now we’ve just six horses in training. People have said we’ve been unlucky, to have these Oaks favourites from the same family missing the race. But I would say that we’ve been incredibly lucky to have horses able to be Oaks favourite in the first place. “And we’ve so much to look forward to. We know Dar Re Mi is carrying a filly. So Mi Dar is in foal to Galileo. Lah Ti Dar is staying in training. For these horses to have been able to play at the top table is extraordinary—and a testament to so many people involved in getting these horses from conception to the racecourse. Because it’s the people who are really important.” View the full article

The task of taking down superstar filly Enable and “Lionel Messi” in Sunday’s Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe (2,400m) has been likened to tackling football giants Barcelona and Manchester City at the same time. John Gosden’s four-year-old is chasing back-to-back victories in the prestigious Group One and is hot favourite to do just that, leaving master French trainer Andre Fabre, who saddles up three runners, scratching his head as he chases his eighth victory in the... View the full article

Rising star Glorious Forever has work to do before comparisons can be drawn to his full brother Time Warp, champion jockey Zac Purton has declared. Purton, who is the sitting rider for both horses, trialled Glorious Forever at Happy Valley on Saturday and said he had a “bad tendency”of not being able to settle into the run. The Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained galloper turned heads towards the end of last season after he reeled off a 1:59.53 in a 2,000m Class Two race, shaving nearly... View the full article

He may be stranded without a winner for the season, but rookie Hong Kong hoop Callan Murray knows as well as anyone there is no point panicking yet. The 22-year-old South African enjoyed success during a three-month trial stint in Hong Kong towards the back end of the 2016-17 season, riding four winners, including two Group Three victories, the Sha Tin Vase and the Premier Plate, which was better remembered as the infamous “Pakistan Stop” race. Since returning as a full-time rider... View the full article

SHE’S done it again. View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables' Restless Rider seized the lead off the far turn and quickly opened a clear advantage on her way to a commanding win in the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) Oct. 5 at Keeneland. View the full article

With the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover currently underway at the Kentucky Horse Park, the Ocala Jockey Club is sponsoring the Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction. The auction was organized to raise funds for the production of the 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover and has a stated financial goal of raising $20,000. Offering memorabilia such as a halter worn by Triple Crown winner Justify and experiences like tickets to the 2019 GI Belmont S., as well as a number of other unique items, the auction will close Saturday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. ET. “As breeders and owners of racehorses, we believe in the Retired Racehorse Project’s charitable mission to increase demand for Thoroughbred ex-racehorses in second careers as sport or pleasure horses,” said Pavla Nygaard, president of the Ocala Jockey Club. “We work on the same mission by providing $15,000 in extra prize money to Thoroughbreds competing in the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event to be run on our farm Nov. 15-18.” She continued, “We are excited to lend our support to the Thoroughbred Makeover by adding this silent auction to their event this year. We encourage everyone to visit the auction booth during the Makeover and to bid through the auction website. We are cheering on this effort to raise funds for the RRP and the Makeover.” To see the items or to bid, visit https://www.32auctions.com/2018TBMakeover. View the full article

Jockey Manny Franco piloted his 1,000th career winner in Race 8 Friday at Belmont Park, riding New York-bred Courageous Bet ($14.60) to a 1 1/4-length victory in a six-furlong starter allowance on the inner turf for trainer Gary Contessa. View the full article

Ever since the first GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff was won by GI Spinster S. winner Princess Rooney, Keeneland’s signature fall filly and mare race has regularly had an impact on the Breeders’ Cup. The Spinster is now part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, giving the winner an automatic berth in the Distaff. A granddaughter of GI Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}), Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve) is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in this first attempt versus her elders. The sophomore has knocked heads with the best of her division throughout the year and was second to division leader Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Ashland S. here Apr. 7. After fourth-place finishes in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 4 and GI CCA Oaks July 22, Eskimo Kisses finally broke through with a dominating win in the Aug. 18 GI Alabama S. by 6 1/2 lengths. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Talk Veuve to Me (Violence) is also coming out of the Alabama and, while she didn’t impact the finish that day, she is a frontrunning threat who has put in four consecutive works at Keeneland, including a bullet, in the last month. Prior to that fourth-place finish after setting a scorching pace in the Alabama, she had never been worse than second, including a win in the GIII Indiana Oaks July 14 and a second-place finish in the GI Acorn S. June 9. Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize), a Group 1 winner in her native country, seeks her first win at the highest level on these shores. Trained by Ignacio Correas, she’s riding a two-race win streak, having captured the June 16 GII Fleur de Lis H. and Sept. 15 GIII Locust Grove S., both at Churchill Downs. She was third in this race last year. View the full article

Promises Fulfilled will roll into the Breeders' Cup World Championships after registering a gutsy, front-end victory in the $245,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) Oct. 5 at Keeneland, his third straight graded stakes score. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Restless Rider (Distorted Humor) took advantage of her low draw in Friday’s GI Darley Alcibiades S. to sit the box-seat trip and pulled away through the short Keeneland stretch to post a convincing three-length victory and earn a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 29 days’ time. Drawn three and adding Lasix after suffering her first loss in three starts at the hands of Sippican Harbor (Orb) in the Sept. 1 GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga, Restless Rider was part of the early pace before coming back nicely to Brian Hernandez, Jr., who settled the filly in third with cover behind pacesetting Meadow Dance (Jimmy Creed), a latest third behind Into Trouble (Into Mischief) in the Arlington-Washington Lassie S. Given a bit of rein to take closer order entering the second turn, Restless Rider was guided to the outside of Meadow Dance midway on the bend, kicked into a clear lead and was in hand the final 40 yards. Reflect (Trappe Shot) sat a ground-saving trip beneath James Graham and came with a mild close to finish a clear second, while Meadow Dance held for third. Chocolate Kisses (Candy Ride {Arg}) closed from last to be fourth, albeit well-beaten. Restless Rider becomes the 17th Grade I winner for her sire and 18th as a broodmare sire for Unbridled’s Song. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0. O-Three Chimneys Farm LLC & Fern Circle Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Ken McPeek. View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm's and Fern Circle Stables' Restless Rider seized the lead off the far turn and quickly opened a clear advantage on her way to a commanding win in the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) Oct. 5 at Keeneland. View the full article

Since 2010, three sophomores had managed to defeat older sprinters in the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S., including the 2015 winner Runhappy (Super Saver), who came into the race off a victory in the GI King’s Bishop S. and who used the Phoenix as a steppingstone to an impressive score in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint over the same course and trip. Sent off at 70 cents on the dollar and exiting a game tally in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S., Robert Baron’s Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford) earned himself a dues-paid berth into this year’s Sprint with a determined defeat of defending champion Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) Friday afternoon. Ridden for speed from the inside stall, the $37,000 Keeneland September graduate was quickly in front, but soon had company in the form of longshot Heartwood (Tapit). Whitmore drafted in behind the top two, while Limousine Liberal (Successful Appeal) dropped out to the tail, albeit not too far in arrears. Promises Fulfilled carried a narrow lead into the lane after a half-mile in :45.09 and while he put away Heartwood in upper stretch, Whitmore popped out to emerge a fresh challenge. Promises Fulfilled looked in deep water entering the final eighth of a mile, but he called on his class and would not allow Whitmore to get past. Jose Ortiz aboard Limousine Liberal looked to be contemplating a rails run inside of the chalk, but he abandoned that plan and was subsequently short of room when trying to split the eventual top two inside the furlong marker. Still full of run, he dove back down to the inside, but too late, and was forced to settle for third for a second consecutive year. Lifetime Record: 10-6-0-2. O-Robert Baron; B-David Jacobs (KY); T-Dale Romans. Friday, Keeneland STOLL KEENON OGDEN PHOENIX S.-GII, $245,000, Keeneland, 10-5, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.05, ft. 1–PROMISES FULFILLED, 122, c, 3, by Shackleford 1st Dam: Marquee Delivery (MGSP, $264,901), by Marquetry 2nd Dam: Fast Delivery, by Little Missouri 3rd Dam: Copelan’s Girl, by Copelan ($37,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-Robert J. Baron; B-David Jacobs (KY); T-Dale L. Romans; J-Luis Saez. $150,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 10-6-0-2, $920,280. *1/2 to Marquee Miss (Cowboy Cal), MSW & GSP, $371,608; and Marquee Cal Gal (Cowboy Cal), MSP, $249,209. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Whitmore, 124, g, 5, Pleasantly Perfect–Melody’s Spirit, by Scat Daddy. O-Robert V. LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables and Head of Plains Partners LLC; B-John Liviakis (KY); T-Ron Moquett. $50,000. 3–Limousine Liberal, 122, g, 6, Successful Appeal–Gift of Gab, by In Excess (Ire). O-Katherine G. Ball; B-Mike & Katherine Ball (KY); T-Ben Colebrook. $25,000. Margins: HD, HF, 3. Odds: 0.70, 2.50, 2.50. Also Ran: Heartwood, Dalmore. Scratched: Distinctive B. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

With Keeneland back in full swing for the fall meet, 10 fillies and mares go to post in Saturday’s GII Thoroughbred Club of America S., a Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint ‘Win and You’re In’ race. Perhaps none is more intriguing than Miss Sunset (Into Mischief). She won the GII Lexus Raven Run S. here last fall, then just missed by a nose to Finley’sluckycharm (Twirling Candy) in the GI Madison S. in Lexington Apr. 7. Miss Sunset has won three of her six starts this year, including a last-out victory in the restricted C.E.R.F. S. at Del Mar Sept. 3 after a three-month break. Golden Mischief (Into Mischief) makes her Keeneland debut, but doesn’t need to carry her track with her as she has competed at 10 other venues with success at most. She hasn’t won a graded event yet, but she has five blacktype wins under her belt, including in her last two efforts–the Saylorville S. July 5 at Prairie Meadows and the West Virginia Secretary of State S. Aug. 4 at Mountaineer, both by open daylight. Vertical Oak (Giant Oak), a two-time graded winner in 2017, has taken two listed stakes this year. Last seen winning the Sept. 15 Open Mind S. at Churchill Downs, she hasn’t been out of the money in five starts these past six months. View the full article

Those seeking a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ berth need not look beyond Saturday’s GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. In Southern California’s typically prolific sprinter division, which has supplied so many GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint winners over the past 34 years, only five will contest the six-furlong event at Santa Anita. Ransom the Moon (Malibu Moon) and Roy H (More Than Ready) are familiar, battle-tested rivals and the only surprise would be if one of them didn’t win. The Phil D’Amato-trained Ransom the Moon may have the slight edge here based solely on their most recent meeting, when he won Del Mar’s GI Bing Crosby S. July 28 by 2 1/4 lengths over Roy H in spite of his rider losing his whip. It was the same result (minus the whip incident) in last year’s Bing Crosby. Ransom the Moon, winner of Santa Anita’s GII Kona Gold S. last spring and second in this year’s renewal Apr. 21, was fourth behind Roy H in this same race last year. Roy H may not have won his most recent meeting with Ransom the Moon, but he won their two prior: the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar last fall and this race last year. He also has only made three starts this year, including a win in the GII Palos Verdes S. Feb. 3 at this track and a third-place finish in Meydan’s G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday’s Observations features a son of Arc heroine Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}). 2.40 Newmarket, race type, purse, age, distance TURGENEV (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks to defy a six-pound penalty for his easy Newcastle novice success last month for Princess Haya of Jordan and John Gosden. The first foal out of Godolphin’s triple group winner Tasaday (Nayef), he faces a field of fascinating maidens including Shadwell’s newcomer Faylaq (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a William Haggas-trained son of the Arc and King George heroine Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) who cost 1.5million gns at Tattersalls October Book 1. View the full article

After scratching out of the Sept. 29 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), La Providencia's multiple graded stakes winner Hi Happy will now headline the $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes (G2T) on the Oct. 8 Columbus Day card at Belmont Park. View the full article