Wandering Eyes

The next opportunity for William Lawrence's Analyze It to bolster the already high regards his connections have for him comes June 2 when he faces seven challengers in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. View the full article

“Dark Horses,” a documentary featuring the rivalry between Easy Goer (Alydar) and Sunday Silence (Halo) during the 1989 Triple Crown and beyond, will debut this Saturday, June 2, at 5 p.m. Eastern time on NBC. During the 60-minute documentary, narrated by Kentucky native Ashley Judd, “Dark Horses” chronicles the rivalry between the impeccably bred Easy Goer and Sunday Silence, the horse “nobody wanted” and was led out unsold at Keeneland July on a bid of just $17,000. The documentary includes interviews with Sunday Silence owner Arthur Hancock; Al Michaels, at the time a host with ABC; announcer Tom Durkin; Sunday Silence’s jockey Pat Valenzuela; Pat Day, rider of Easy Goer; Chris McCarron, who rode Sunday Silence to a heart-stopping victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic; and Shug McGaughey, trainer of Easy Goer. Encore presentations of “Dark Horses” will air on NBC Sports Network Wednesday, June 6, at 8 p.m. ET; and Saturday, June 9, at 8 a.m. ET. Click here for a preview of “Dark Horses.” View the full article

The next opportunity for William Lawrence's Analyze It to bolster the already high regards his connections hold him in comes June 2 when he faces seven challengers in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. View the full article

There is not much you can tell Dr Bridget Drew about herd mentality. It was for her work with cattle, after all, that she earned an OBE. As director of a veterinary research centre in Hampshire, she supervised 700 cows with the highest milk yield in the land. But it may yet turn out that she has never witnessed more bovine behaviour than on the October evening in 2016 when Lot 1795 entered the ring in Book 3 at Tattersalls. For the mob of professional prospectors-the agents, the trainers, the pinhookers-had long dispersed, seemingly unanimous in the assumption that the high points of the sale were behind them. Martin Percival of Boyce Bloodstock had brought the filly to Drew’s attention: a daughter of Nathaniel, whose first runners had made no more precocious an impression that season than might be sensibly expected. (Albeit a filly named Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) would give some indication of their scope to progress with maturity when making her debut at Newcastle the following month.) This filly was scheduled to sell just three lots from the end of the second day, and might very well slip through the net. Drew loved her, and rang one of her principal trainers, Clive Cox. “Are you still here?” she asked. “No, I’m halfway out of Newmarket. Why?” “There’s a filly here I’d like you to look at.” “Well I’ll come back then.” And Cox loved her too. Most importantly, the page matched the singular and exacting standards Drew has developed to sieve value from that tier of the market neglected by-well, by the herd. These focus on the racetrack record of the family, though one of her other criteria is that if the dam has been sold, she must have made six figures. “On the basis that somebody knew what I couldn’t, and that she must be quite a nice lady to pay that,” Drew says, sitting in the office of her stud a few miles south of Newbury. Catalogues line the shelves; framed pedigrees hang on the walls; through the windows, the woodland and pasture of Hampshire exhale mistily into a steady rain. “And I use the same criteria for the stallion. Because it’s amazing how many of them are one-offs; how many whose dams’ progeny have an average rating-including the stallion-that doesn’t make 90 plus. That is just a simple rule of thumb, really. And I tend not to pay more than about £25,000.” She stretched a point for this filly, and bought her with a single bid for 30,000gns. After winning both her starts, a maiden at Nottingham last August and the Lingfield Oaks Trial on her reappearance, Perfect Clarity (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) already looks remarkably well bought. And, on Friday, she will start as one of the leading fancies for the Investec Oaks itself. “We just couldn’t believe it,” Drew says, recalling the sale. “There was quite a bit of black type on the page-and nobody went to look at her. They must have thought there was something wrong with her. Nathaniel wasn’t flavour of the month then, anyway. But nobody stays, they all go home.” So far as Drew’s checklist was concerned, Perfect Clarity qualified on all counts. The dam, Clarietta (GB) (Shamardal), was a dual winner at two who proceeded to be placed twice in listed company; and both the next two dams had run in the Oaks after winning the Lupe S. at Goodwood. Clarietta’s mother Claxon finished fifth in 1999 and ended up winning the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio; going one better than her own mother Bulaxie, who had started favourite when only seventh to Balanchine at Epsom in 1994 and went down by just three-quarters of a length in the Italian race. This, then, will resonate with many as a very good Hesmonds family. Claxon, moreover, had meanwhile deepened the Oaks seam by producing Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}), disappointing in the 2005 Oaks after a runaway win in the same Lingfield trial won by Perfect Clarity, but subsequently second in the G1 Nassau S. (She has since produced two group winners.) And the family continues to thrive. Bulaxie’s half-sister Dust Dancer (GB) (Suave Dancer), for instance, produced the dam not only of Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) but also of Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB})-who goes for the Investec Derby on Saturday after his impressive win at Chester. But it is not as though Perfect Clarity represents any kind of aberration, in terms of the efficacy of Drew’s methods. The previous year, for instance, she had found Perfect Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Book 2, knocked down to her other main trainer, Andrew Balding, for 17,000gns; the MGSP filly, runner-up to Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G2 Mill Reef S., was bought in for 290,000gns when one of the shares needed valuation in the same ring last December. In all, 76% of the horses she has sent into training have won. Yet as recently as 2002 she did not know the first thing about bloodstock. Her husband John, himself a veterinarian in Winchester, had been diagnosed with a progressive brain disease. It finally claimed him in 2017, but the happy inspiration of buying him a racehorse that Christmas animated his final years beyond all expectation. “I gave up the day job, we sold the practice, and bought a Mark Johnston cast-off for four grand,” Drew recalls. “She won a couple of races for James Toller and my husband really did enjoy it, became quite passionate actually. And after a while friends started saying they wouldn’t mind a share in a horse. So we bought another couple-and now we’ve a total of 50 to 60.” If Drew had set out with no ambition to build a business on such a scale, few novices can have entered the game with such informed instincts. So how did cattle help her see things, as an outsider, that might elude those schooled in the conventions of bloodstock? One lesson she had learned was that bulls must earn their stripes by results sampled on a reliable scale. Young bulls have to cover enough cows to get 200 progeny to a first lactation; in the meantime, they are laid off for three years. Only those with stock performing to a high enough standard will then be brought back to breeding. So Drew will never be misled by flash-in-the-pan dividends for a sire; and will always seek runs on the board, or solid breeding, from both sides of a family tree. Unsurprisingly, since she started breeding Thoroughbreds in 2007, that has sometimes led her to unfashionable sires. And, if adequate numbers clearly can’t be available for new or unproven sires, then quality control on their own families has enabled Drew to get aboard on the ground floor with the likes of Invincible Spirit and Dubawi. From an Invincible Spirit mare she had bought for 15,000gns, indeed, Dubawi promptly came up with Perfect Tribute (GB), who set two track records within a fortnight in 2011 when winning a listed race over six furlongs at Ascot and then the G3 Chartwell S. over seven furlongs at Lingfield. Perfect Tribute’s half-sister by Poet’s Voice (GB), himself picked out as a rookie, then realised 700,000gns in Book 1. A second lesson learned with cattle is more specific-and absolutely seizes you by the lapels as something worth thinking about. “I found from a large study I undertook with 2,000 dairy heifers that if they went through a period of very rapid growth, future milk production was jeopardised,” Drew explains. “My advice to my farming clients was to sell the biggest heifers, as they will make you the most money at the sales-everyone wants big heifers-and will yield less milk. I do not know if the same applies to horses but have been told that ‘there are sales horses and racehorses, and the two are not always compatible’. I am convinced that some yearlings are overfed during [sales] prep, which could well be jeopardising future athletic performance. [So] I am never afraid to buy a small yearling, providing my criteria are met and she is athletic.” Going against the herd, then, Drew has now had over 100 winners and realised nearly £1-million in prizemoney. And she has meanwhile developed a mechanism to make each new cycle sustainable-dividing her operation into Mildmay Farm and Stud, and Mildmay Bloodstock. The latter serves primarily as a vehicle to part-lease yearlings for their racing careers. Perfect Clarity herself was a case in point. She is owned by Drew, her son Nick and her daughter Pippa. David Keast, who boards four horses at Mildmay, leased a half-share; and otherwise there was just one lucky investor who punted £3,750 per season to lease an eighth of the filly for two years. (For the initial period of which, incidentally, Perfect Clarity was readied for Cox by Patrick Chamings.) While the leaseholders have no equity in the filly, they stand to bank their share of a Classic purse, along with any other prizemoney the filly earns this year. Drew is reconciled to the likelihood that retaining Perfect Clarity for the broodmare band will prove an unaffordable luxury. It has, after all, become a major enterprise: up to 15 in training every year, plus 10 or 12 broodmares, and sundry foals and yearlings. It wasn’t planned that way, and Drew has needed moments of luck like everyone else. Perfect Tribute, for instance, was a foal-share until Drew bought out Darley for just £3,000 after she had been kicked in a Newmarket paddock. After setting her two track records, she was ultimately sold for 340,000gns. And Drew has no doubt that Perfect Clarity would never have fallen within reach had she been presented in Book 2, as her pedigree might have warranted. But much of the impetus, equally, Drew has generated herself-with her curiosity, her educated instinct, her ability to give fresh answers to fresh questions. “Well I do everything in a business-like way, or like to think I do,” she shrugs. “Even at my age, I tend to take the attitude you either go forwards or backwards; you don’t stand still. We’ve just put in an aqua-treadmill, for instance, to help the horses fill their top line.” “I only get pleasure from it all-enormous pleasure-because I’ve done it myself. I didn’t want to rely on others. When I didn’t know anything at all about it, I came up with those criteria. Horses related to other good ones, rather than one-offs. I don’t know how I came to it, but it seemed to work quite well. So we’ve stuck with it.” “Last year was a really, really bad year. I lost my husband, two dogs and four horses. But this year, so far, has been much better-and hopefully it will stay that way on Friday.” View the full article

Catherine Donovan and Tom Reynolds have joined the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF) Board of Directors, it was announced Wednesday. The pair will assist the organization in its strategic planning, governance, and marketing initiatives. Donovan is a retired NY attorney who has been involved in Thoroughbred breeding and racing for over 20 years. She has worked with SF Bloodstock, as well as Newgate Farm and Amarina Farm in Australia. Reynolds has over 30 years of consumer products sales and marketing experience for companies such as PepsiCo and Quaker Oats. All the while, Reynolds has been an avid follower of horse racing as a handicapper, and he most recently has become a horse owner through his involvement with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The full TIF Board of Directors is: Craig Bernick, Catherine Donovan, Lesley Howard, Corey Johnsen, Paul Matties, Justin Nicholson, Tom Reynolds, Gary Stevens and Jack Wolf. View the full article

The next opportunity for William Lawrence's Analyze It to further bolster the already high-regards his connections hold him in comes June 2 when he faces a seven challengers in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. View the full article

Friday’s G1 Investec Oaks has changed shape with the news that Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will sidestep the race due to Tuesday’s setback and the ground is now riding officially “soft” after a torrent struck Epsom on Tuesday night. That shift in conditions also led to the withdrawal of Sunderland Holdings’ Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial S. winner Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), leaving nine to go post for the fillies’ Classic. Magical was found to have filling on the inside of a joint, which means that Ryan Moore will now partner the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of five trained at Ballydoyle. Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said on Wednesday morning, “I don’t think anywhere was predicted 20mm in our neck of the woods yesterday. Probably our latest forecast had been suggesting five or six. It’s the volumes you might get that is the uncertainty. If it can be from five to 25 millimetres you can’t judge it. Rain started 10:30 in the morning yesterday when we had about four or five millimetres. After a lull, it did pep up and kicked in about 5 p.m. By the end of the night we had 21 millimetres in the day as a whole. The bulk of that was in the late afternoon.” Cooper is expecting the Derby festival to be staged on ground with at least some ease and added, “It’s been dry since midnight. It’s been overcast this morning and should stay dry. It might brighten up later on. There’s definitely a risk of showers tomorrow and some could be heavy. After that it looks dry for Friday and Saturday. Temperatures will be in the low to mid-20s so hopefully a couple of quite pleasant days. It’s definitely soft ground. Any appreciable rain tomorrow and we’d be staying soft. If we get the lower end of it, we will very slowly be drying out back towards good-to-soft. While there is rain in the forecast, so the likelihood is we will go into Friday on soft ground. The best you’d be looking at would be good-to-soft at the end of the week.” It is the same situation across the sea at Chantilly, where Sunday’s G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club will have an extra player after Godolphin’s Key Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was supplemented on Wednesday. The going was measured at 3.7, or soft, on Wednesday morning after 28 millimetres of rain in 48 hours. View the full article

Tony Millard believes Shimmer And Shine “could be a special horse” after the talented three-year-old showed some ticker to string together back-to-back wins at Sha Tin on Wednesday night. While the nip and tuck in the jockeys’ championship continued at the all-dirt meeting, the two-win margin remains with both Joao Moreira and Zac Purton going home with a double, so it was Millard’s youngster who created the biggest impression. Fresh off a victory down the Sha Tin... View the full article

On Saturday, Roaring Lion will attempt to become the first American-bred Epsom Derby winner in 15 years. Lucas Marquardt sat down with Taylor Made’s Vice President of Sales and Operations, Mark Taylor, who raised and sold Roaring Lion, about what he was like as a young horse and if the American-breds-abroad trend figures to continue and grow stronger. LM: What do you remember about Roaring Lion as a young horse? MT: Roaring Lion was born here on Taylor Made and grew up here the whole time, and we ended up consigning him for Jan Naify of RanJan Racing at the September sale, and he was picked out by David Redvers for Qatari Racing. But, my recollection of Roaring Lion was that he was always a beautiful mover. That was kind of his claim to fame. He was a well-balanced horse, well-made, had a lot of quality. And he’s another horse that we’ve had here just for great breeders that we’ve been blessed to represent. That’s the main thing that keeps Taylor Made going, is just we represent a lot of really great breeders, and I think Jan Naify is one of those. And right from this family, a lot of good horses. So it was a pleasure to have him here and it’s really fun looking back and just remembering these horses. They were right here in your care and then they’re going on to compete on the world stage. So it’s pretty neat. LM: Can you describe him physically? MT: I would describe Roaring Lion as kind of a typical Kitten’s Joy. He didn’t have overly bulky muscle to him, but he was very well put together. He had good length of neck, good shoulder. I actually looked up all of our notes on him, and they were very consistent throughout his whole life. My brother, Frank, dealt with him a lot more when he was a young baby, and then I kind of picked up once he was a yearling looking at him more often. But he had a beautiful frame to him. Not overly bulky. He was pretty correct. He wanted toe in just a touch. All of our notes said, “Just toes in a touch on one front,” but it was inconsequential. But just beautiful flowing walk, a lot of class. On our scale, like a B+ is a very nice horse. Like, you’ve gotta be … to get an A, it’s a rare thing. So he was a B+ almost the whole way through. He didn’t really go through a lot of dips or low points or whatever, just always very straightforward. I was actually disappointed that he didn’t bring more money. And I credit David Redvers for finding value at $160,000. But it goes to show you; he was by Kitten’s Joy. Some American trainers kind of stereotype them as turf. And then, he was out a Street Sense mare, and I think on the surface, maybe a lot of Europeans thought, “Oh, that’s got a little too much dirt to it.” Actually, if you dig deeper-and maybe that’s what David saw–there is a lot of grass quality. But I think he was kind of one of those tweener horses that if you would’ve had that exact same physical and he would’ve been by an American dirt horse, he might have brought twice as much money. That’s just kind of my gut feeling. I was a little bit surprised by his precocity. He never struck me as a horse, growing up, that I thought was gonna be a real early developer. He didn’t look like he was going to be immature or anything like that, but I thought he might need a little more time. Just Kitten’s Joy, the bottomside just kind of screams it’s gonna be better three-year-old. So I was very impressed that he was a Group 2 winner at 2. I mean, he came out of the box. Won first time out (video), he looked really good. LM: Why do you think there seems to be this current trend towards more international participation on the part of American-bred and -sold horses. MT: I think we’re in a really great time right now in international racing. With just the way transporting horses has become more efficient and easier, and horses can run in different places, I think it’s opening up people’s eyes to racing around the world and people wanting to participate more. And I think that’s really true with American owners right now. You’ve seen a lot more American owners wanting to go over and run at Ascot, to try to take on the Europeans on their home turf. I think the pendulum’s always swinging with the international thoroughbred, and that’s one of the most fascinating things about it. When I was young, my father was working for John Gaines at Gainesway, and that was their bread and butter. They had horses like Lyphard, Riverman, Blushing Groom, Vaguely Noble, Green Dancer. And they were great European horses, great turf sires, that were also very commercially popular in America. And that was just the norm. In fact, that was the main thing that was happening is the Europeans would come here to buy the yearlings, buy these world-class turf stallions. But you saw horses like Blushing Groom, his first crop in America, he has a Kentucky Oaks winner. And he came up with all kinds of good dirt horses and had been a huge dirt influence. And so that’s what I think we need more of, is that interchange of bloodlines. You look at Scat Daddy now. He was a son of Johannesburg that didn’t work out here in America, and he raced in America, but then he starts standing here and he ends up becoming this awesome international stallion. War Front’s the same way. So I think now you’re starting to see more American owners going to Europe, even going to Australia, buying horses, participating in the sales, participating in the racing. I think it’s really a healthy thing. But it’s all predicated on getting stallions that can compete in those places. For a lot of reasons, economic and otherwise, we really didn’t get a lot of good turf prospects over here for several decades. Now we’re starting to get some of those, and Scat Daddy’s the number one, but you look at Kitten’s Joy, and Roaring Lion’s a prime example. Kitten’s Joy is an incredible turf stallion. He’s a great stallion in general. But now we’re starting to get some horses over here. It was a tragedy we lost Scat Daddy, but we’re gonna develop more of those. There’s gonna be more of those horses coming down the pike, and I think it’s really a great thing for everybody involved, Europeans, Americans, and all over the world just sharing the bloodlines and competing. Sometimes they get stereotyped, “Oh, that’s just dirt.” Well, go try him on grass and see what happens. LM: It feels like just a few years ago, people were saying the American product was broken. Do you have the sense that’s changing? MT: Well, the international opinion of the American thoroughbred I think has always been very strong, and I think that we’re known as the number one-source of quality speed around the world. But I think we have taken a black eye because of the medication policies, and you know, I think some of that is justified, some of it isn’t. And that is such a complicated issue, that it’s hard to dissect it completely. But if you notice, I think when we started to really get bludgeoned by the foreign media, in a certain way that’s what triggered our owners to want to go over there and compete and say, well, maybe we need to find out. And when they did that, they’ve had a ton of success. So I think that if you’re competing here in America, and Lasix for instance, is legal, then you’re going to run on Lasix because you want it to be a level playing field. But if you take our horses out of that scenario and go run in Europe, as long as we have a level playing field there, then I think we can compete. And we’re trying to work our way through the medication issue, and I think eventually we’re going to get there. But I think that at the end of the day, everybody knows that of all the places you can raise and produce a Thoroughbred racehorse, central Kentucky is right at the very top. That’s not to disparage any place else in the world, there are lots of good places. But if you look at just the success we’ve had here recently, we’ve got about 100-acre patch of land that Ashado was raised on, Speightstown was raised on, Acapulco was raised on, Roaring Lion was raised on. The list just goes on and on. And it’s a lot of good horsemen around this area, really good land, and great bloodstock. So that’s been going on for a long, long time, and it’s going to continue. We’ve got t continue to get better, make our product more appealing to the international market all the time. But we’ve got a very strong heritage here, and it’s just something we’re trying to build upon. View the full article

Group 1-winning sprinter Russian Revolution (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) will be among the most exciting stallions to retire in Australia this year, and Wednesday’s two seven-figure lots at the second session of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale could both be part of his inaugural book. “We have a strong interest in Russian Revolution so he would be seriously considered for her going forward, and you’ve got the champion stallions like Snitzel and I Am Invincible who would be in the mix for her,” said China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace after signing for the session-topping Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) (lot 1007) in foal to Vancouver (Aus) for A$1.7-million. Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock signed for the other breakout mare of the day, Heatherly (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) (lot 1098), in foal to Written Tycoon (Aus) for A$1.6-million, and Go Bloodstock Manager Geoff Roan confirmed, “She will go to Russian Revolution–it will be a perfect mating.” Due to changes in the sale format, full comparative statistics will be published upon conclusion of the sale on Friday. After two days’ trade, the cumulative total stands at A$66,156,000 for 422 fillies and mares sold. Moving from fillies and mares off the track on opening day to broodmares on Wednesday, the clearance rate and average held largely steady at 84% and A$156,768. The median improved to A$65,000. “It was a sensational day’s trade,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “It was probably one of the strongest days of selling we’ve had here.” “Vendors are delighted with the way the sale went and buyers as a whole have been very confident in the market, they’ve bid strong and we’re pleased with where we’re at. I was a little cautious today how the mares in foal would go, having a big catalogue of them. But it’s a very solid sale. To be clearing some 84% and for the average to be holding up somewhere near what it was [Tuesday] is sensational.” Click here for a video review of the session. Diademe Back In The Limelight… Diademe had already enjoyed the spotlight on the Gold Coast to a degree last week when her second foal, a colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus), made A$650,000 from Boomer Bloodstock to be the second-highest priced lot at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale. He follows a full-brother who sold for NZ$1-million at Karaka two years ago, and both the foal and mare were offered by Coolmore to dissolve the partnership of Coolmore and China Horse Club, who had bought Diademe from Attunga Stud for A$740,000 at this sale three years ago less than two months after she had won the G1 Breeders S. “Obviously she is a Group 1-winning mare by Savabeel,” said China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace of the mare who is also a full-sister to G1 Two Thousand Guineas winner Embellish (NZ). “She’s put down two wonderful foals with her first two foals and she’s a Grade A specimen physically. She’s got everything going for her. It’s been well-documented the ownership that was involved with her, so it was good to get that tidied up and move along with a nice mare.” Barrie and Midge Griffiths picked up the Lonhro filly they would name Heatherly for A$90,000 at Inglis’s Easter Yearling Sale in 2014, and that was made to look like a very shrewd purchase on Wednesday when the 5-year-old, carrying her first foal to Victoria’s best sire Written Tycoon (Aus), made A$1.6-million from Go Bloodstock and Paul Moroney Bloodstock. Heatherly had, of course, done her part in the interim four years by winning three black-type contests in addition to placings in both the G1 Moir S. and G1 Oakleigh Plate, and Go Bloodstock’s Geoff Roan said his team had had their eyes on the mare, who is out of a half-sister to G1 Stradbroke H. winner Linton (Aus) (Galileo {Ire}), for a while. “We’ve had a go at a couple of others and missed,” Roan said. “It’s a really strong sale.” “We picked her out really early as one we would target. We didn’t expect her to go to that level but she was one we thought we’d really like to have for Sir Owen Glenn. We have followed her for a while and always liked her. We thought she had such good strength and physicality. Sir Owen loves that high quality and he just said to me, ‘don’t get beat!'” Guy Goes For Gold… Being a multiple stakes-winning Dubawi (Ire) mare in foal to Snitzel (Aus) certainly isn’t going to hurt in a sales ring, but Paul Guy of Heritage Bloodstock said after signing the ticket for Arabian Gold (Aus) (lot 867) at A$900,000 that it was the 7-year-old’s toughness that was her greatest trait. Indeed, Arabian Gold won four stakes races, three of those group races, across a busy 3-year-old campaign in which she was also second in the G1 Queensland Oaks. She would go on to win again at Group 3 level at four. Arabian Gold was sold carrying her second foal; she produced a filly by Snitzel’s sire Redoute’s Choice (Aus) two years ago and slipped last year. “She’s a good style of mare,” Guy said. “She’s a typical Dubawi–he’s just been such a wonderful sire worldwide and she was such an exceptional racemare. She was tough and genuine with great ability and that’s what we were ultimately looking for.” Arabian Gold had been bought by Josh Hutchins for A$800,000 at this sale in 2015 in the midst of her racing career, and she was sold on Wednesday by the Hutchins family’s Element Hill Farm, a boutique Queensland nursery. Proven Sires Prominent… With the exception of Diademe, Wednesday’s top sellers were each in foal to a different Australian champion sire: Written Tycoon was champion first-season sire and champion 2-year-old sire; Snitzel is the reigning record-breaking champion general sire and two others that have held that title were also prominent on Wednesday: Fastnet Rock (Aus) and Exceed and Excel (Aus). Mark Pilkington and Tom Magnier signed in conjunction for the 12-year-old mare Fiorentina (Aus) (Dubai Destination) (lot 1066)-a half-sister to G1 Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})-in foal to Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock for A$850,000 the day after her Group 1-winning daughter Silent Sedition (Aus) (War Chant) had sold to Katsumi Yoshida for A$1.5-million. Peter Ford swooped at A$750,000 for the unraced 4-year-old Frankel (GB) filly Dream In Colour (GB) in foal to Exceed and Excel. That one proved a monumental pinhook, having been purchased off the track from the Godolphin consignment at Tattersalls February last year by Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock for 75,000gns. Dream In Colour comes from a very prolific Australian line, her third dam True Blonde (Aus) being a half-sister to excellent sire Snippets (Aus) and the dam of Not A Single Doubt (Aus), and True Blonde is also the second dam of the G1 Golden Slipper winner Forensics (Aus). It therefore shouldn’t have come as a surprise to see Dream In Colour immediately expatriated, and her cause was helped further by the win of Derryn (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}), who appears under her second dam, in last April’s G2 Arrowfield Sprint at The Championships. Former champion first-season sire I Am Invincible (Aus), who is currently chasing just Snitzel in the general sires’ premiership, was the covering sire of Newgate’s Gold and Diamonds (NZ) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 1078), who was scooped up by Yu Long Investments for A$800,000. Yu Long, which is currently growing its profile globally, had two winners on the Irish 2000 Guineas card at The Curragh last Saturday and had also made its presence felt at Inglis’s Chairman’s sale, signing for three broodmares over the half-million mark. Yu Long has about 70 mares in Australia and 20 in New Zealand, and that is where Gold and Diamonds’s pedigree most resonates. She traces back to the legendary producer Eight Carat, whose line also includes the champion racehorse and sire Octagonal (NZ) and Darley’s late prolific sire Commands (Aus). Australian Pharoahs… The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale features the first Southern Hemisphere mares in foal to American Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and Yu Long also swooped at A$750,000 to secure one of them, the Flying Spur (Aus) mare Better Alternative (Aus) (lot 911). Yu Long is already plenty familiar with her offspring, being a shareholder in her champion son Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), winner of the Group 1 Victoria Derby, The BMW, Australian Cup and Turnbull S. Better Alternative has also left the G3 South Australian Fillies Classic winner Rezoned (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). There were three total mares offered in foal to American Pharoah on the day; while one was a A$75,000 buyback, the others were sold for A$200,000 and A$140,000, respectively. American Pharoah stands in Australia for A$66,000. Arrowfield Reveals Mating Plans… Arrowfield, in conjunction with different partners, was busy on day one of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, signing for three mares in excess of A$1-million, and the Stud has revealed the mating plans for those mares. Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer, in partnership with Dean Hawthorne, agent for Jonathan Munz of Pinecliff Racing, signed for Group 2 winner Omei Sword (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) for A$1.7-million and Group 1 winner Abbey Marie (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) for A$1.4-million. Both mares will be sent to Japan for a date with that country’s champion sire Deep Impact (Jpn). Arrowfield has been instrumental in the cross pollination of Japanese and Australian blood, having long sent it owns mares to be covered by Shadai stallions, as well as more recently shuttling some of that operation’s young sires to the Hunter Valley. Arrowfield, in its joint venture with Northern Farm’s Katsumi Yoshida, bought Silent Sedition for A$1.5-million on Tuesday, and she will this year visit Snitzel, the same sire that provided Arrowfield and Northern Farm, as breeder, with this year’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab (Aus), out of Response (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}), who was also a Magic Millions National sale purchase. View the full article

G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is headed toward Royal Ascot, where, all being well, he will contest the G1 St. James’s Palace S. on June 19. The Robert Ng colourbearer signed off with a runner-up performance in the G3 Solario S. at Sandown in September before running sixth in his sophomore bow, the Listed Tetrarch S. on May 7 prior to his May 26 Classic score. “Romanised is in great form following his victory in the Irish 2000 Guineas and has come out of the race really well,” said Co. Kildare-based trainer Ken Condon to the Goodwood notes team. “I need to talk to the owners, but Romanised delighted us at the weekend and we are thinking about running him next in the St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot. It would be a nice race to target and it fits in really well in the calendar. After that, the [G1] Sussex S. [on Aug. 1] is the race we will consider heading for.” Romanised is one of 46 horses nominated for Goodwood’s Qatar Sussex S., part of the five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival. Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who won the G1 English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in the beginning of May and Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War), who won the French equivalent, are also nominated to the £1-million one-mile event. Said Condon, “The Qatar Sussex S. is a race we have on our minds at the minute. He would have to improve again but, with natural progression, you would think he can. It is not a purely speculative entry and is a race that carries great prestige. He is a horse that needs a good, strong gallop and that is something we might get at Goodwood. His Irish 2000 Guineas win was brilliant. He is a horse that isn’t short of talent and he just needed it to come together in his races.” View the full article

Undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Justify (Scat Daddy), who wore the silks of their major shareholder WinStar Farm in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will wear the red-and-yellow silks of the China Horse Club in the Belmont Stakes, according to Eden Harrington, the Vice President of the China Horse Club. “The China Horse Club and WinStar Farm share the use of colors on the horses we race in partnership,” said Harrington. “Every fourth start, a horse will race in China Horse Club silks. The sharing of silks ensures both the WinStar brand and China Horse Club brand are promoted. As an ownership group, we are very tight-knit. The credit for the quality of our relationship rests with Mr. Kenny Troutt and Mr. Teo Ah Khing. Regardless of the colors that are worn on our horses, we all cheer passionately; we all cheer as one. As a club, we are very fortunate that the rotation will see Justify race in China Horse Club silks in the Belmont Stakes. It will be the second time Justify has raced in them having worn them at his second career start. Win, lose or draw he will do us all proud in them.” Justify debuted in WinStar silks on Feb. 18 at Santa Anita, but followed that up with a second-time out win March 11 in the China Horse Club’s silks (video). Per the rotation, starts three (Santa Anita Derby), four (Kentucky Derby) and five (Preakness) were in WinStar’s silks, making the Belmont Stakes the CHC’s turn. “In our short history as a club we have been very fortunate to have our silks carried in some very big races and at some very big race days,” said Harrington. “But the importance of having our red-and-yellow silks worn by Mike Smith as he rides Justify in the Belmont Stakes for a tilt at the Triple Crown will undoubtedly be the most important. Its significance cannot be quantified. Not only will all of America be watching, the world will be watching. And for all the Chinese fans who are new to horse racing, seeing the colors of Chinese owners on Justify on the biggest of stages this year carries immense resonance. America has been and remains the standard of excellence in so many industries including many sports, so for Chinese to be seen by their countrymen and women as having reached the pinnacle of this sport in America by having their colors represented on such a big occasion will bring a great deal of pride. It could be the catalyst for an influx of new participants in the sport internationally. It will almost certainly have a positive impact across myriad areas of China’s fast emerging domestic thoroughbred industry.” View the full article

Scooby Dooby Doo to show Saimee where she is in second Leg View the full article

Kok launches sole Assault on 2YO series View the full article

Burridge keeps fingers crossed for Nimitz View the full article

While the stopwatch told an impressive tale May 29, it was how dual classic winner Justify had just whipped through the motions that was the real eye-opener during his half-mile breeze in :46 4/5 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Reigning 2-year-old champion filly Caledonia Road continues to progress in her journey back to top-level company, having emerged from a May 26 bullet work in good order in advance of the June 6 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. View the full article

Just as the popularity of turf racing in America has increased markedly in the past two decades, so has the arrival of imported runners from overseas who often possess a class edge and a unique training foundation. In recent years, Southern California has particularly become a hotbed for European-bred imports achieving graded stakes success on the lawn. Various ownership groups and syndicates have become increasingly attuned to identifying horses who can move forward over the firm local turf and reach the highest level–a trend that was on full display over Memorial Day weekend, where all four graded stakes races contested over the Santa Anita turf were captured by horses who began their careers competing in Europe. Saturday’s GI Gamely S. served as a case in point, as six of the eight original entrants were European-breds. When all was said and done, D P Racing’s Sophie P (GB) (Bushranger {Ire}) notched a nose victory over Slam Dunk Racing’s Madam Dancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}). In the aftermath of Sophie P’s breakthrough score, trainer Jim Cassidy–who has conditioned numerous other European-bred graded stakes performers–reflected on the process of adapting a horse to American training and racing. “There are a lot of adjustments you have to make, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get along with most of them,” Cassidy said. “One thing I’ve seen with Europeans that I haven’t seen with American horses is that they don’t work much, or on the slow side. You kind of question yourself, ‘Did I buy one that just can’t run?’ But then you go over there and put the tack on them in the afternoon and the ears come up and the eyes brighten up. They know what it’s all about.” The entirety of the three-day weekend seemed to confirm the exceptional turf ability of European-breds, with Itsinthepost (Fr) (American Post {GB})’s Saturday win in the GII Charlie Whittingham S. and Hunt (Ire)‘s hard-fought GI Shoemaker Mile S. victory added to the list Monday. The final graded stake of the weekend, the GII Monrovia S. at 6 1/2 furlongs over Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, was captured by Team Valor International and Gary Barber’s English import Belvoir Bay (GB) (Equiano {Fr}). Team Valor founder and CEO Barry Irwin, who has enjoyed Grade I success in America with imported European turfers such as Euro Charline (GB) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and Becrux (Ity) (Glen Jordan {GB}), said he believes that European horses have a superior foundation that allows them to excel upon their arrival on American shores. “Those guys just know how to train better than us,” Irwin said bluntly, adding that he firmly believes that English racing has the best overall form in the world. “They know how to develop horses from a young age. I would rather have any grass horse I can buy in Europe as opposed to buying a domestic one. We don’t have the facilities or the horsemanship they have over there–that’s their game and their specialty. I’ve always thought the best way to win over here with a grass horse is to tap into the source.” Belvoir Bay made five starts in England as a 2-year-old in 2015, with Team Valor acquiring the filly after her fourth appearance. She was subsequently shipped across the Atlantic and ran away with Santa Anita’s one-mile Blue Norther S. in her second stateside race in December 2015. Over the past 2 1/2 years, the four-time graded stakes winner has found her niche in turf sprints, most recently reeling off a pair of wins in the Apr. 29 GIII San Simeon S. and Monday’s Monrovia. “It’s hard to find a horse that’s under the radar–the trick is to find one that’s not exposed yet,” Irwin continued. “To buy a proven horse over there, it’s very expensive. The other huge edge that’s been proven over the years–by people like Whittingham and [Bobby] Frankel–is that the horses that come from over there are much fitter than our horses. They have better facilities to train them on and they can let them down in training. It’s very difficult for an American trainer to let a horse down on the grass, fully. We’re always training around soundness. In Europe, they have soundness issues, but it’s not a daily thing they worry about.” To that point, Irwin suggested that the greatest challenge in managing an imported European turf horse is to find a way to maintain their initial fitness edge. A dearth of turf courses dedicated specifically to training in America stands in sharp contrast to European facilities in Chantilly, Newmarket and Ballydoyle, where horses can work out over fresh, perfectly maintained gallops. In Southern California, according to Irwin, the situation becomes even trickier because turf workouts are not permitted at Santa Anita. Belvoir Bay, nevertheless, has been able to maintain her form over a longer period of time competing primarily in sprints for trainer Peter Miller. “I’ve seen horses come here from over there and win first time out like a freak. And the second time, they do it again, but not as impressively,” Irwin added. “Those guys deserve a lot of credit in Southern California for being able to train grass horses out there–they’re behind the eight ball. We don’t have the luxury of having any extra grass anywhere [to exclusively train on].” While acknowledging that each European import requires a different approach depending on their temperament and willingness, Cassidy explained that his training often allows horses to produce a top effort in their second or third start in the States. “Personally, I take it quiet with them and give them plenty of time to acclimate when they get here,” Cassidy said. “I probably walk them two or three weeks before I even take them to the track. I start from the bottom, much like I would with a horse who just got into training. I usually give them a race, and then second or third time out, they usually show you what they’re about.” Cassidy reeled off a lengthy list of American training components that European horses must learn to incorporate–anything from walking with a chain over their nose to adjusting the sights and sounds of the Santa Anita backstretch. Half the battle, according to the veteran trainer, is keeping them healthy and on a gradually adjusted feed program. In any case, Cassidy agreed that older horses naturally have a ready-made fitness edge. “With horses that have run before, it’s easier to get them fit again, rather than a horse who’s never had any training,” Cassidy said. “What I’ve noticed in the past is that some people go to Europe, buy horses and go right to training them–just like they would with an American horse. That usually doesn’t work out. It blows their mind.” View the full article

While the stopwatch told an impressive tale, it was how dual classic winner Justify had just whipped through the motions that was the real eye-opener during his half-mile breeze in :46 4/5 over the Churchill Downs track May 29. View the full article

As the dust settles on Ireland’s first Classic weekend, we take a look back at the highs, lows and key talking points from some stellar action. There are plenty pointers to be taken for the season from a new Australian sprinter to a pair of surprise Guineas winners. Shock Guineas Winners Romanised sprung a 25/1 shock in the 2000 Guineas for Ken Condon and in process entered Condon into the exclusive “classic winning trainer” club! The Holy Roman Emperor colt came from the back of the field in a strongly run contest to collar long-time leader U S Navy Flag In the final 100 yards. After the race Condon said: “I’m in a bit of shock and it will be a few days before it sinks in. It’s just amazing to win a classic. It’s all I wanted to do when I entered racing.” Romanised starting price would indicate that the colt held very little chance of triumphing over some very well touted rivals but a quick glance in the form book will show a second place finish behind Masar in the Group Three Solario Stakes on his final start last season. This run would have undoubtedly given Ken Condon and his owner Robert Ng high hopes of having a productive three-year-old campaign but did they really harbour hopes of Guineas glory? It would seem the jockey did, during the post-race interview, you could have been forgiven for thinking that Shane “Dusty” Foley had just won the 2000 Guineas on a 6/4 favourite. He was beaming from ear to ear with delight and if you listened you could hear him shout: “I told you he’d win!” A trip to Royal Ascot for the St James Palace Stakes is next on the agenda where a re-match with U S Navy Flag looks on the card. After a surprise winner on Saturday, the 1000 Guineas looked relatively simple, Aidan had two major fancies in the form of Happily and Clemmie. Oh but that would have been far too easy instead, we saw a mini gamble landed on the big imposing filly Alpha Centauri. The Mastercraftsman Filly came fast and late to beat another Aidan O’Brien trained filly Could It Be Love. This success provided Jessica Harrington with a first classic success, while jockey Colm Donoghue who is no stranger to Classic winners was in the saddle. Alpha Centauri was one of last season’s leading two-year-olds, with a neck defeat to Different League in the Albany at Royal Ascot the undoubtedly the highlight. Following a disappointing run on seasonal debut when ground conditions were far from ideal the Niarchos family owned filly really appreciated the quicker underfoot surface at the Curragh to win going away. This gorgeous filly now looks Royal Ascot-bound for a tilt at the Coronation Stakes with Jessica Harrington saying in the aftermath: “The plan is to go to Ascot for the Coronation Stakes and take it from there. She might stay longer but that is the current plan. Let’s hope for good weather and she gets there in one piece.” Battaash breaks a sweat in Temple Stakes At Haydock last season’s runaway Prix De L’Abbaye winner, Battaash was made to work all the way to the line in the Group Two Temple Stakes. Battaash was having his first run since that win at Chantilly and perhaps he was showing this race rustiness by dwelling in the stalls and then hanging left inside the final furlong. These sentiments were ones shared by Charlie Hills, with him commenting afterwards: “He got a bit tired in the last half-furlong, but we’ve left a bit to work on and this was always a prep. It was his first run and he hasn’t even come in his coat yet. Giving 5lb to some very good horses was always going to be hard.” This run looks sure to have put Battaash in good shape prior to a crack at the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot for which he currently favourite. Other performances to note There were three other horses this weekend that really caught the eye. Firstly European racegoers got a first glimpse of the Australian sprinter Merchant Navy. The Fastnet Rock colt was having his first run for Aidan O’Brien in the Group Two Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh having previously won a Group One over 6f in Australia. Merchant Navy was worryingly weak in the market but this worry was ill placed as he disposed of his 8 rivals with a modicum of ease. Royal Ascot was always to the fore of Coolmore’s mind when deciding to move the colt across continents and after his display at the weekend it so no surprise to see him at the fore of the Diamond Jubilee market. Karl Burke had intended on Guineas runner-up Laurens taking up her engagement in the Irish 1000 Guineas but quick ground ruled out plan A. Longchamp proved to be a good plan B with the filly coming out the right side of a photo, picking up her second Group One victory and first of the current campaign. Mark Johnston was understandably disappointed following Elarqam very poor display in the 2000 Guineas, the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum owned three old never really looked comfortable on Saturday fading into sixth place up the straight. However, there was compensation for Johnston in Dusseldorf as Nyaleti justified her 13/8 starting price when claiming the German 1000 Guineas under Joe Fanning. This was the Nyaleti’s second win this season having won a listed race at Goodwood on her penultimate start. Plenty can be taken from this weekend with the key horse going to Royal Ascot being Merchant Navy, the Australian import has big boots to fill following the likes of Black Caviar and Choisir but he looks like a horse to stay on the right side of for the season. The post Racing Rewind – Irish Guineas appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Albaugh Family Stables’ Grade I winner Free Drop Billy (Union Rags) has been confirmed for a start in the GI Belmont S., co-owner Jason Loutsch told the NYRA notes team Tuesday. Winner of the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity last fall, the Dale Romans trainee most recently finished 16th in the GI Kentucky Derby and worked five furlongs in :59 3/5 (2/25) Monday at his Churchill Downs base. “I guess our main thing coming out of the Kentucky Derby was, obviously, we were really disappointed,” Loutsch said. “We feel he’s a better horse than that, and we’re going to cross that one off. We wanted to see how he bounced back after that race, and yesterday he showed us he has a lot of energy and is a happy horse. He galloped out really strong, and Dale’s been really happy with his training. This is a huge race, a big stage, and this is what we’re in the game for: to run in big races. This is a great opportunity. We know it’s going to be a very tough challenge. But if we can get a piece of it, even hitting the board is a huge accomplishment, and we’re excited for the opportunity.” Loutsch made the decision in conjunction with his father-in-law and co-owner Dennis Albaugh in part because they believe that Free Drop Billy’s breeding suggests he’ll appreciate the 1 1/2 miles of the “Test of the Champion.” “His dad was a Belmont winner, and he’s out of a Giant’s Causeway mare,” Loutsch said. “He’s bred to go the distance. We just hope he runs to his breeding.” View the full article

Add the connections of grade 1 winner Free Drop Billy to the list of those hoping to pull off a shocker at Belmont Park June 9. View the full article

When Lancaster Bomber (War Front) won the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh on the weekend, it was the 4-year-old’s first stakes victory and also his first win since he broke his maiden at Leopardstown just under two years ago. Despite not being a serial winner, the Coolmore colt had racked up just short of €1-million in prizemoney prior to his much-deserved success last Sunday courtesy of some honorable placed efforts in top company, when he was often deployed as a pacemaker for a more illustrious stablemate. Five runner-up slots in Group or Grade 1 races, including at two at the Breeders’ Cup and a more recent third to Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S., serve notice as to the massive talent the colt possesses. Even more interesting is the tale behind his dam Sun Shower (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) and his half-sister Rainfall Radar (Rebuttal), two horses who have clocked up thousands of airmiles before finding their current respective homes. Bloodstock agent and breeder Hugo Merry is the man who binds the whole story together, and when Lancaster Bomber won last Sunday he became the second Group 1 winner for his dam Sun Shower, who Merry purchased for Indian clients for €10,000 at Goffs in 2008. She was carrying to Strategic Prince (GB) at the time, but had left behind a 2008-born Exceed And Excel (Aus) colt who would later be known as Excelebration (Ire), a regular follower of Frankel (GB) who eventually was rewarded for his class and consistency when winning the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and the G1 QEII S. at Ascot before retiring to the Coolmore roster. “I bought Sun Shower in Goffs for Nirmal Singh of Hazara Stud in India,” Merry told the TDN. “She is from a great Ballymacoll family, so we sent her to India and then a couple of years later up pops Excelebration. Obviously she then became quite a valuable commodity, so I bought her back for many multiples of what we paid for her on behalf of the Coolmore partners and she went straight from India to America, where she was bred to War Front. That is how Lancaster Bomber came about.” He continued, “Obviously I have been following Lancaster Bomber since he began racing and it was great to see him finally getting his turn on Sunday. You couldn’t have a more durable, brave horse than him, I would think, and he thoroughly deserved it.” At the time of her purchase by Coolmore, Sun Shower was in foal to the Indian-based stallion Rebuttal (Mr. Greeley), and part of the deal was that Merry and his Indian partners would retain ownership of the foal in utero whenever that was born. “I actually also bought Rebuttal as a breeze-up horse. Brian Meehan trained him and he was just beaten in the [G1] Middle Park S., but he got injured after and was never quite the same again. He turned out to be a very successful stallion in India but died prematurely, unfortunately.” When Sun Shower produced a filly by Rebuttal, Merry and his partners were delighted to have a half-sister to such a prominent, high-class horse in Excelebration, who was about to embark on his first season under the tutelage of Aidan O’Brien, having been previously well-placed by Marco Botti to win the G1 Prix Du Moulin at ParisLongchamp in 2011. Having been conceived in India, the filly, subsequently named Rainfall Radar, was born and raised at Ashford Stud in Kentucky until she was weaned, after which she boarded a plane bound for Merry’s farm, Kilshannig Stud in Cork. When she came of racing age, Rainfall Radar was sent to trainer Joe Murphy in Tipperary and, despite showing ability, she never managed to get her head in front, much to the frustration of her owner. “She was in the frame 11 times from 17 starts and she was desperately unlucky not to win one but that’s life,” Merry said. Regardless of her success or lack thereof on the track, Rainfall Radar was assured of a breeding career given the exploits of her two Group 1-winning siblings, and Merry can count himself lucky again that he did not let the hammer fall in someone else’s favour when he offered her in foal to Gleneagles (Ire) at Tattersalls last year. Merry bought her back on that occasion for 180,000 gns, and since then he has welcomed another female to the family. “She foaled a very attractive filly by Gleneagles this year and she is back in foal to Caravaggio,” he said. While Merry made the decision to buy back Rainfall Radar last year, the story of Sun Shower also highlights the vagaries of Thoroughbred breeding, and how so often in this game one man’s misfortune can lead to another man’s gain. For that reason, one must spare a thought for fellow breeders John Tuthill and Kevin O’Donnell, who both passed Sun Shower through their hands before any of her sons hit the big time. So what now for Rainfall Radar? Merry is a breeder as well as well as a horse trader and has forged a successful career from selling horses around the world. He was also co-owner and co-breeder of G1 Darley Irish Oaks and G1 Longines Prix de l’Opera winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), who he sold privately to Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm when she retired from racing. “The team in Goffs have approached us to see if we would offer her in the London Sale, but I haven’t decided yet what to do, it’s still under consideration,” he said. “The fact she has a filly foal means we might retain that and sell the mare at a later date; we have plenty of options.” Whatever Merry decides to do will likely be the wise decision, as he has a lifetime of experience in the bloodstock world. As well as having a number of blue chip international clients for whom he sources horses for, his picturesque Kilshannig Stud outside Fermoy is home to around 45 mares. “We’ve bred a lot of good horses here over the years, obviously Covert Love was very good to us and I’m really enjoying the breeding side of things,” he said. “However, the biggest problem I find is replacing the aging mares or the ones who are no longer good enough. It’s hard to buy the fillies that you’d like to be breeding from.” While a statement like that comes from the breeder within Merry, one gets the impression the trader in him will win out when it comes to deciding the future home of Rainfall Radar. 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. Wednesday’s Insights features the first foal out of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast). 2.20 Nottingham, Mdn, £6,000, 2yo, f, 5f 8yT HEARTWARMING (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) debuts in the Hot To Trot Racing silks carried to G2 Queen Mary S. glory by her half-sister Heartache (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) last year and, like that sibling, is trained by Clive Cox. Three of the last four winners of this heat have subsequently contested the Queen Mary and, in keeping with that theme, her rivals include Sir Mark Prescott trainee Klass Action (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who is a daughter of 2013 Queen Mary fifth Alutiq (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}); Kodyanna (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who is a Richard Fahey-trained half-sister to last term’s stakes-winning G3 Prix de Cabourg runner-up and Queen Mary seventh Darkanna (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) out of 2012 G2 Cherry Hinton S. third and Queen Mary fifth Jadanna (Ire) (Mujadil); and Little Kim (GB) (Garswood {GB}), who is a half-sister to last term’s Queen Mary third Out of the Flames (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) out of 2010 Queen Mary ninth Primo Lady (GB) (Lucky Story), from the Karl Burke stable. 3.20 Fontainebleau, Mdn, €25,000, unraced 3yo, f, 11fT SHALLA (GB) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) is one of two nominees for His Highness The Aga Khan in this debutantes’ heat and she is out of MG1SP 2009 G1 Prix de l’Opera heroine Shalanaya (Ire) (Lomitas {GB}). The Mikel Delzangles incumbent is joined by Shomaria (Fr) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who is a daughter of 2008 G3 Prix de Lutece and 2009 G3 Prix Allez France victress Shemima (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), from the Alain de Royer-Dupre stable. 3.20 Fontainebleau, Mdn, €25,000, unraced 3yo, c/g, 11fT OFFSET GUILT (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal produced by 2012 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and 2013 G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast) and debuts for the same Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani-Mikel Delzangles axis here. Opposition includes Gerard Augustin-Normand’s Boissey (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), who is out of MGSP 2001 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud fourth Banyu Dewi (Ger) (Poliglote {GB} and thus kin to three black-type performers headed by MGSW 2011 G1 Gold Cup and G1 Prix du Cadran third Brigantin (Cozzene), representing Pia Brandt; and Gestut Ammerland’s Agosto (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who is an Andre Fabre-trained gelded son of 2011 G1 Preis der Diana-German Oaks third Aigrette Garzette (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). 9.00 Gowran Park, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT RAESEEYA (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is the first foal produced by 2012 G1 Durban Golden Slipper victress Rumya (NZ) (Red Ransom) and debuts in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum carried to success in that Greyville highlight. The Michael O’Callaghan trainee faces a baker’s dozen including Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor’s twice-raced Darkness Falls (War Front), who is an Aidan O’Brien-trained daughter of MG1SP 2012 G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Was (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); and Khalid Abdullah’s Clique (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who is kin to three black-type performers headed by last term’s G3 Winter Derby hero Convey (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and ill-fated G3 Supreme S.-winning sire Stronghold (GB) (Danehill), returning off a Sept. 17 debut fifth to subsequent G3 Athasi S. victress Lightening Quick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and representing Dermot Weld. 9.10 Ripon, Cond, £6,000, 3yo/up, 10f 190yT Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Markus Jooste’s DEPARTMENT OF WAR (IRE) (Declaration of War), a Richard Hannon-trained half-brother to G1SW sire Toormore (Ire) (Arakan) and MGSW sire Estidhkaar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), returns off a third in Newmarket’s May 19 Listed Fairway S. and is opposed by a cast of seven in this low-key return. It includes Godolphin newcomer Beauvais (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who represents Saeed bin Suroor and is a half-brother to MGSW 2012 G2 International Istanbul Trophy victress Local Time (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}); and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s twice-raced Firlinfeu (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who is a gelded son of MGSW 2010 G1 Nassau S., G1 Prix Jean Romanet and G1 Premio Lydia Tesio placegetter Antara (Ger) (Platini {Ger}), making his turf debut for the Mark Johnston barn. View the full article

Colin and Janice McKenna raced the three-time Group 1-winning mare Jameka (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Aus}) in partnership under their Halo Racing Services, and the Warrnambool-based couple now owns their star mare outright after buying out their partners at A$2.6-million during the opening session of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on Tuesday. That figure was enough for the 5-year-old mare to top the session, which for the first time was devoted exclusively to race fillies and maiden mares and boasted some serious star power. The fact that the session was restricted in such a way makes it difficult to draw comparisons from the same day a year ago, and thus full comparative statistics will be published upon conclusion of the sale on Friday. Nonetheless, 190 fillies and mares were sold on Tuesday for a total of A$31,727,500, at an excellent clearance rate of 85.2%. The average was A$166,987, while comparatively the median of A$51,000 highlighted the fact that there were a handful of breakout horses at the top of the market. “It was a sensational day’s trade,” Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said. “With Jameka going in we said she was the star act. She’s a quality mare and for her to make A$2.6-million was a great result for all and I’m thrilled Colin McKenna, who’s had such a great affinity with her, was able to buy the rest of the syndicate out.” “All in all we’re really pleased with the day’s proceedings and hopefully onwards and upwards over the next few days. We have some great offerings [on Wednesday] and Heatherly is expected to be one of the stars–above all that we’re looking for solid trade and we want all the vendors who have supported us to get a win.” McKennas Buy Back Star Mare… Jameka (lot 1606) has proven the ultimate home run mare for her connections, having been bought by trainer and former part-owner Ciaron Maher for what now looks like a total bargain at A$130,000 at Inglis’s Classic yearling sale in 2014. While it took her four starts to break her maiden at two, it didn’t take her long to reach punters’ radars thereafter, as she notched her first win in the G2 VRC Sires’ S. Her first Group 1 win was in the VRC Oaks the following spring, and a year later she added the G1 Caulfield Cup before closing out her career on a high in the G1 The BMW. She was placed at the highest level a further five times. “She’s been very good to us,” Colin McKenna said. “She won nearly A$5-million so I don’t think it [Tuesday’s price] was a big outlay. We expected her to make somewhere between A$2.5- million and A$3-million–that’s what I thought anyway. I’m very happy and the wife really wanted her back.” The McKenna’s also own a share of the G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Merchant Navy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was a winner in his European debut for trainer Aidan O’Brien over the weekend in The Curragh’s G2 Greenlands S., and who will enter stud at Coolmore Australia later this year after a tilt at Royal Ascot. McKenna said Jameka could be bred to him, although a decision had yet to be finalized. “We love these horses and they are our lives and Jameka was a pretty big part of that,” McKenna added. “She won the Caulfield Cup but I think her best win was the BMW at weight-for-age–there aren’t too many mares that can flog the colts and geldings. She will go to a nice stallion and we’ll see what happens from there.” Double Delight For Hawthorne, Freyer… Four years ago, Dean Hawthorne and Jon Freyer teamed up to purchase The Broken Shore (Aus) (Hussonet) at this sale from the Teeley Dispersal for A$1.9-million. As any breeder knows it can sometimes take a lifetime to reap the benefits of such an outlay, but in just four years, The Broken Shore has already proven worthy of her pricetag. The Fastnet Rock (Aus) filly she was carrying at the time of that sale has gone on to be this season’s triple Group 1 winner Shoals (Aus), and that one’s yearling full-brother topped last month’s Inglis Easter yearling sale when fetching A$2.3-million from Shoals’s trainer Anthony Freedman. Hawthorne and Freyer teamed to buy two more seven-figure mares on Tuesday, and they would surely be thrilled with the same fate for them. The first was Segenhoe Stud’s Group 1-winning Abbey Marie (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) (lot 606) for A$1.4-million, and she was followed by Newgate Farm’s Omei Sword (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) (lot 747) for A$1.7-million. Expectations were high for Omei Sword from the very start, the filly having fetched A$675,000 as a yearling, and she went on to capture the G2 Silver Shadow S. at three for owner CC Lai as well as finishing second to Astern (Aus) (Medaglia d’Oro) in the G1 Golden Rose S. Out of the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Irish Lights (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Omei Sword traces back to the excellent producer Fall Aspen, whose influence has been felt all over the world through the likes of daughter Colorado Dancer (Ire) (Shareef Dancer), the dam of Dubai Millennium (GB) (Seeking The Gold), Group 1 winners and sire sons Fort Wood (Sadler’s Wells) and Timber Country (Woodman) and many others. Hawthorne revealed Omei Sword would go to the Northern Hemisphere to be bred. “We thought she would be well sought after and we’d have to stump up to get her,” he said. “She went for a little bit higher than we thought originally but when you’re chasing these big mares you’ve got to pay because everyone wants them.” “She will go straight to stud,” Hawthorne added. “She will go to the Northern Hemisphere and then we’ll sit down and work out her future from there.” Abbey Marie was another offering with a stout pedigree in addition to an excellent race record: the G1 Schweppes Oaks winner is a full-sister to Absolutely (Aus), who won that same race in addition to the G1 Australian Oaks, and their dam, Catshaan (Aus) (Catrail {Aus}), is a half-sister to Japanese Group 1 winner and sire Kinshasa No Kiseki (Aus) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}). “We thought she was the filly of the day,” Hawthorne added of Abbey Marie. “She has so much quality. She has a great pedigree. She’s a good, tough, sound mare. She just oozed class. To get the ones you want you’re going to have to pay for them, especially in this market at the top end.” Hawthorne confirmed that Abbey Marie had been bought for the partnership that races Shoals-Arrowfield and Pinecliff Racing-and he said a decision had not yet been made on whether the 5-year-old Abbey Marie would race on or head to the breeding shed. “We’ve bought some nice mares together over the years and we’re building up quite a nice partnership of broodmares. We’re having a lot of fun with Shoals so let’s hope that continues,” Hawthorne said. Yoshida Gets Silent Sedition… Katsumi Yoshida is another buyer who has enjoyed past success at this sale; he bought Response (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}), carrying this season’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), for A$1.5-million here three years ago, and subsequently sold that filly on for A$1.7-million at last year’s Inglis Easter sale. On Tuesday, he added the G1 William Reid S.-winning Silent Sedition (Aus) (War Chant) (lot 784) to his Australian broodmare band for A$1.5-million, and that daughter of Fiorentina (Aus) (Dubai Destination)-a half-sister to the dam of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})-proved a massive homerun for her owners, who had purchased her from the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale four years ago for just A$45,000. “I’m absolutely happy with it,” said former part-owner Tom Curnow. “She’s been a wonderful horse for us. I must give great credit to Andrew Noblet, the trainer. He’s been sensational in the way he’s looked after her during her entire career.” Yoshida boards his mares in Australia at Arrowfield Stud and has a longstanding, successful joint venture with that nursery, and Arrowfield’s John Messara told Sky Racing, “She had what they look for in a filly. She had the conformation, she had the family and she certainly had the performance. They’ve been collecting these Group 1 mares and this is another one that joins the venture that we have with them. She’ll be staying with us at Arrowfield will be bred, who knows, maybe to Maurice, maybe to Snitzel, we’ll see.” “The market is becoming quite polarized; the top end is very, very strong,” Messara added. “When a mare comes along like this is another country, you don’t get the opportunity to buy her; they’re owned by families who don’t release them, so we’re very lucky to be able to buy them. We’ve got three today, this one for Northern Farm, but we’ve got Abbey Marie and Omei Sword as well; this one is for a separate partnership. We’re thrilled, they’re the mares we wanted to get and we got them all.” Another excellent turnaround was made by the team behind Ocean Embers (Aus) (Beneteau {Aus}) (lot 745). The 5-year-old mare was bought as a yearling for just A$23,000, and now a dual Group 3 winner, she made A$525,000 from Newgate Farm on Tuesday when consigned by Three Bridges Thoroughbreds. Trainer Shea Eden told Racing.com, “It’s fair to say back when we bought her for A$23,000 it was probably the furthest thing from our minds. It was probably what we were hoping to achieve, but to be here today at the Gold Coast and selling for over a half-million dollars, it’s a great result for the owners. She’s a special mare and she’ll always be dear to our hearts. She gave me my first Group 3 win and even the listed [win] on Melbourne Cup day was very special. It’s been a great ride and it’s nice to come up here today and support the team.” Married To Monsoon… Newgate Farm had made a very determined play for descendants of Monsoon Wedding (Aus) (Danehill) at the Teeley dispersal four years ago, and has subsequently done well selling the progeny of those mares. The Scone nursery went to A$950,000 on Tuesday to add another daughter of Monsoon Wedding, the 3-year-old filly Notting Hill (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) (lot 743). This was not the first time Notting Hill had been a star attraction in this ring: she made A$1.4-million as a yearling in 2014, and has since recorded a pair of wins for Coolmore connections, including just eight days ago at Muswellbrook. Notting Hill is a half-sister to stakes winners Precious Lorraine (Aus) and Lucky Raquie (Aus), both by Encosta de Lago, and three other stakes horses. Monsoon Wedding is a full-sister to Group 1 winners and sires Redoute’s Choice and Platinum Scissors (Aus), and a half to Manhattan Rain (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) as well as the dams of Rubick (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) and Shoals. Just seven lots before selling Notting Hill, Coolmore Australia had laid out A$875,000 for Rosemont’s G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Montoya’s Secret (Aus) (lot 736), a daughter of its late sire High Chaparral. High Chaparral’s much-missed presence is still being felt Down Under, the Derby winner leaving four Group 1 winners this season, and his son So You Think (NZ) is also currently enjoying a fantastic run as a sire. Among the international buyers on Tuesday was Phoenix Thoroughbreds. The investment fund had already made significant purchases at this year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Easter Yearling Sale and Chairman’s Sale, and on Tuesday Phoenix partnered with Segenhoe Stud, breeder of Merchant Navy, to buy the 4-year-old filly Blazers (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 630) for A$110,000 from Bhima Thoroughbreds. Phoenix also purchased a share in leading sire Sebring for A$290,000. Phoenix is building a strong portfolio of stallion shares Down Under; it owns a quarter of Invader (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) with Aquis Farm, and also purchased a share in I Am Invincible (Aus) for A$575,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale. View the full article