Wandering Eyes

Godolphin’s royal blue was the colour at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, with the unbeaten filly Castle Lady (Ire) (Shamardal) adding to the earlier Classic success of Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) when shading the G1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Not much had been gleaned from her decisive wins on Chantilly’s Polytrack Mar. 14 and the G3 Prix de la Grotte over this track and trip a month later other than the fact that she possessed class. That was confirmed here, along with an as-yet undiscovered tenacity as this came down to a bare-knuckled fight to the line. Doing too much trapped wide without cover for at least the first three furlongs, the 5-2 favourite was held together by Mickael Barzalona and had enough in reserve to kick to the lead just before the furlong marker. Set upon by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Commes (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) soon after, the homebred rallied gamely to hang on by a nose, with the British runner East (GB) (Frankel {GB}) putting up a taking G1 Prix de Diane trial 1 1/2 lengths away in third. “She’s a lovely filly, but still lacks experience as this was only her third run,” commented trainer Henri-Alex Pantall, who was gaining a deserved slice of the action as one of Sheikh Mohammed’s long-serving faithful. “I feel she won more safely than the margin suggests. I think she idled a bit in front because of that lack of experience and she hadn’t had one take her on before now. I was already thinking of this before the Prix de la Grotte and while I was not worried about the ground, I was more maybe about the trip which is her limit. She’s not in the Diane and anyway I don’t think she’ll stay that trip but she is entered at Royal Ascot in the [June 21 G1] Coronation S., so that’s most probably where she will go next.” Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France THE EMIRATES POULE D’ESSAI DES POULICHES-G1, €500,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-12, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:40.91, hy. 1–CASTLE LADY (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Shamardal 1st Dam: Windsor County, by Elusive Quality 2nd Dam: Ascutney, by Lord At War (Arg) 3rd Dam: Right Word, by Verbatim 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Henri-Alex Pantall; J-Mickael Barzalona. €285,700. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €338,200. *1/2 to Top Score (GB) (Hard Spun), SW-UAE, SP-Eng & Tur, $422,848. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Commes (Fr), 126, f, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Leaupartie (Ire), by Stormy River (Fr). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Franklin Finance SA (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €114,300. 3–East (GB), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Vital Statistics (GB), by Indian Ridge (Ire). (€315,000 2yo ’18 GBMBR). O-East Partners; B-Mitaab Abdullah (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. €57,150. Margins: NO, 1HF, HF. Odds: 2.50, 10.00, 4.10. Also Ran: Imperial Charm (GB), Matematica (Ger), Watch Me (Fr), Rocques (Fr), Coral Beach (Ire), Suphala (Fr), Silva (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post More Classic Joy For the Boys In Blue As Shamardal’s Castle Lady Takes the Pouliches appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Testing conditions at ParisLongchamp on Sunday created by a deluge of rain meant that equine pyrotechnics were unlikely despite the presence of Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). The G1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains’ hot favourite duly won, but it was more a case of a thankless task being carried out in professional manner as Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd’s TDN Rising Star delivered a first Classic success for his exhilarating sire. Patiently ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot in a share of fourth on the rail, the imposing bay who was hammered into 1-2 favouritism was sent up the inner as the cutaway came in the straight. Sinking into the ground to a degree as he earned the lead with 250 metres remaining, he nevertheless kept on strongly and willingly to the line to score by a length from the similarly game Wertheimer representative Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal), with the British raider and 28-1 outsider San Donato (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) a head away in third. “The ground didn’t help, as he has a beautiful action but he showed courage,” commented Andre Fabre, who was collecting a seventh edition.” On top of his ability and consistency, he’s also a game horse built more for Cheltenham! He’s in all those big races, but the [June 2 G1 Prix du] Jockey Club [at Chantilly] is very tempting. It looks like he’ll stay another quarter of a mile.” Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France THE EMIRATES POULE D’ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-12, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:38.98, hy. 1–PERSIAN KING (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Kingman (GB) 1st Dam: Pretty Please (Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire) 2nd Dam: Plante Rare (Ire), by Giant’s Causeway 3rd Dam: Palmeraie, by Lear Fan 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Godolphin & Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd; B-Dayton Investments (Breeding) Ltd (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €342,840. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 6-5-1-0, €462,092. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Shaman (Ire), 128, c, 3, Shamardal–Only Green (Ire), by Green Desert. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €137,160. 3–San Donato (Ire), 128, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Boston Rocker (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (500,000gns Ylg ’17 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-J Hanly, A Stroud & Skymarc Farm (IRE); T-Roger Varian. €68,580. Margins: 1, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.50, 6.40, 28.00. Also Ran: Graignes (Fr), Duke of Hazzard (Fr), Van Beethoven, Anodor (Fr), Senza Limiti (Ire), Munitions, Simply Striking (Fr). Scratched: No Needs Never (Ire), Never No More (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post First Classic Victory For Kingman as Persian King Prevails appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

... View the full article

Twenty-year-old apprentice jockey Hazel Schofer will have fond memories of her raceday debut after kicking home a pair of winners on her home track at New Plymouth on Saturday. Indentured to local trainer Allan Sharrock, the softly spoken Schofer produced a confident display aboard Tavi Mac to record her inaugural win at just her first ride on a raceday before bringing up a double when scoring on Collinstreet in the last race of the day. In between times she finished second on class mare Art Dec... View the full article

Ardmore trainer Nick Bishara’s year just keeps on getting better after promising stayer Verry Flash returned to winning form with a victory at Rotorua on the weekend. Four-year-old Zed gelding Verry Flash started the golden run for Bishara and his co-owner and breeder Don Goodwin, when he broke his maiden status at Avondale just over 12 months ago. He went on to win three of his next four starts during the winter to stamp himself as a horse with real potential. Shortly after Verry Flash won hi... View the full article

Trainer Tony Pike had a feeling his class sprinter, The Bostonian, was in the sort of form to run the race of his life in Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m). A strong final gallop in the hands of raceday rider Michael Cahill during the week suggested the Jimmy Choux four-year-old was back to his best and so it proved as he defied race favourite Osborne Bulls. “He seems to really come right at this time of the year and Michael said his work on Tuesday was simply sensational,” Pike said.... View the full article

Mr. Amore Stable's homebred Firenze Fire improved his Belmont Park record May 11 when he rolled home a clear winner in the six-furlong, $150,000 Runhappy Stakes. View the full article

Mr. Amore Stable's homebred Firenze Fire improved his Belmont Park record May 11 when he rolled home a clear winner in the six-furlong, $150,000 Runhappy Stakes. View the full article

Mr Amore Stable's homebred Firenze Fire improved his Belmont Park record May 11 when he rolled home a clear winner in the six-furlong, $150,000 Runhappy Stakes. View the full article

Oakview Stable's Lanier entered the $100,000 Hanshin Cup (G3) at Arlington Park May 11 with four runner-up stakes efforts on his resume, and Saturday he finally notched his first stakes score with a clear run down the middle of the all weather track. View the full article

Bruton Street-US’s Scorpiancer (Ire) (Scorpion {Ire}) is back. He’s back at the top level, and on Saturday he returned to the winner’s circle after prevailing in the G1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Steeplechase S. for the second time in three years. A world of difference separated those two efforts, though. He all but danced over the finish line in 2017 and was throttled down to win by 16 lengths. On the strength of that victory and a prior win in the G2 Temple Gwathmey Handicap, he was voted the year’s Eclipse Award as steeplechase champion. Scorpiancer sat out the rest of the 2017 season, and all of 2018. His trainer, Jack Fisher, sent him out for the Temple Gwathmey on Apr. 20, and the now 10-year-old was pulled up, a tired horse. Maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have the old fire. On Saturday, however, under muggy and occasionally rainy skies at Nashville’s Percy Warner Park, Scorpiancer proved that the fire still burns brightly. Unlike in 2017, this time Scorpiancer and jockey Sean McDermott had to dig deep down to get past a dead-game Surprising Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) and win by one gritty length. Bruton Street-US’s Moscato (Fr) (Hernando {Fr}), the impressive Temple Gwathmey winner after also missing the 2018 season, finished a hard-closing third, a head behind Wendy Hendriks’ Surprising Soul. Buttonwood Farm’s All the Way Jose (Senor Swinger) finished fourth in a field of six. Scorpiancer ran the Calvin Houghland Iroquois’ three miles–America’s longest hurdle stakes race–in 5:43.80 on turf rated as good. Bruton Street’s third starter, Jaleo (Ger) (New Approach {Ire}), went out at the break, but All the Way Jose wanted the lead more and seized the front end after the first few fences. He led by as many as six lengths as the field passed under the finish line for the first time, with Surprising Soul and jockey Ross Geraghty shadowing him. Scorpiancer and Moscato were at the back as the field turned into the backstretch run the final time, and McDermott moved his mount to the outside while reducing All the Way Jose’s advantage slightly. The serious running began on the uphill run to the stretch. As All the Way Jose began to tire ever so slightly, Surprising Soul gained the lead in the stretch, and Geraghty pressed him over the last two fences. Scorpiancer advanced on the outside, came into close contention two out, and was on even terms with Surprising Soul over the last. They battled for several strides until Scorpiancer edged away from his game opponent and proved that he was back to the top level of jump racing. CALVIN HOUGHLAND IROQUOIS HURDLE S., (NB) $150,000, Percy Warner, 5-11, 4yo/up, 3mT, 5:43.80, gd. 1–SCORPIANCER (IRE), 158, g, 10, Scorpion (Ire)–Janebailey (GB), by Silver Patriarch (Ire). (€26,000 3yo ’12 GOJUN). O-Bruton Street-US; B-Mrs Mary O’Connor (IRE); T-Jack O. Fisher; J-Sean McDermott. $90,000. Lifetime Record: Champion steeplechaser, 20-7-5-4, $545,360. 2–Surprising Soul, 158, g, 7, Perfect Soul (Ire)–Elusive Surprise, by Elusive Quality. ($9,000 4yo ’16 FTKFEB). O-Wendy W. Hendriks; B-Charles Fipke (ON); T-Richard J. Hendriks. $27,000. 3–Moscato (GB), 158, g, 8, Hernando (Fr)–Alba Stella (GB), by Nashwan. (€42,000 Ylg ’12 GOFORB). O-Bruton Street-US; B-Miss K. Rausing (GB); T-Jack O. Fisher. $15,000. Margins: 1, HD, 13HF. Odds: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00. Also Ran: All the Way Jose, Jaleo (Ger), Gibralfaro (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart. The post Scorpiancer Scores Second Calvin Houghland Iroquois Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Van der Merwe, WH Kok suspended View the full article

Grand Koonta blitzes rivals View the full article

Pick-up ride reunites Powell and Walker for shades of Rio View the full article

Elastic bands help Miss Dusty sling shot back to victory View the full article

Meagher puts Rehaizat on another winner View the full article

Early treble shows who's the Boss View the full article

Horses' body weights May 12 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings May 12 View the full article

Early scratchings May 12 View the full article

Scorpiancer had to battle for every inch of his one-length score over a game Surprising Soul in the National Steeplechase Association's richest spring race. View the full article

Mr Amore Stable's homebred Firenze Fire improved his Belmont Park record May 11 when he rolled home a clear winner in the six-furlong, $150,000 Runhappy Stakes to kick off his 4-year-old campaign. View the full article

After finishing just a half-length behind Queen Blossom in last year's renewal of the $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park, Causeforcommotion returned to the downhill turf course May 11 looking to score. View the full article

Making her first start on North American turf for owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown, Homerique put in a late-running effort down the center of the Belmont Park inner turf to take the May 11 $200,000 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) by a half-length. View the full article

A late rally took Channel Maker straight to victory May 11 in the $700,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. View the full article