Wandering Eyes

In a renewal of ParisLongchamp’s G1 The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains affected by a slick surface caused by further rainfall in the capital, with US Navy Flag (War Front) stumbling on the turn after three furlongs, it was Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand’s Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War) who emerged best with a stirring effort having been looked after by Cristian Demuro on that slippery bend. Sent off the 13-5 second favourite, the TDN Rising Star who was runner-up in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Fontainebleau Apr. 15 had plenty of ground to make up on the forcefully-ridden Ballydoyle raider and Hey Gaman (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) as they straightened for home. With Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) joining in up front, Olmedo started to go to work with his long stride and reeled them in inside the final 50 metres for a neck success from Hey Gaman, who nosed out Dice Roll with the Fontainebleau winner Wootton (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and US Navy Flag fourth and fifth. “These are the type of races these horses are being prepared for very carefully and I’ve always loved that horse,” trainer Jean-Claude Rouget commented as the jockeys were in discussion with the stewards about the state of the ground, delaying the start of the Pouliches in the process. “He ran a great race on his return and has never run a bad race. I’m definitely convinced that better ground was going to make a difference and he has proved his class. He was in great condition. Mr Caro and Mr Augustin-Normand have an amazing strike-rate at the highest level and I would imagine if all is well we will head to the G1 Prix du Jockey Club [at Chantilly June 3].” Sunday, Longchamp, France THE EMIRATES POULE D’ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €600,000, LCP, 5-13, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:37.72, gd. 1–OLMEDO (FR), 128, c, 3, by Declaration of War 1st Dam: Super Pie, by Pivotal (GB) 2nd Dam: Super Lina (Fr), by Linamix (Fr) 3rd Dam: Supergirl, by Woodman 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€100,000 Ylg ’16 ARAUG). O-Ecurie Antonio Caro & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Dream With Me Stable Inc (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 5-2-3-0, €468,350. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Hey Gaman (GB), 128, c, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Arsaadi (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire). (100,000gns RNA Ylg ’16 TATOCT). O-Sultan Ali; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-James Tate. €137,160. 3–Dice Roll (Fr), 128, c, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Schlague (Fr), by Pulpit. (€130,000 Ylg ’16 AROCT). O-Giacomo Algranti & Haras d’Etreham; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG (FR); T-Fabrice Chappet. €68,580. Margins: NK, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.60, 32.00, 4.20. Also Ran: Wootton (Fr), U S Navy Flag, Kings Shield, Infernal Majesty (Fr), Il Primo Sole (GB), Magic Bibou (Fr), Francesco Bere (Fr), Louis d’Or (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Jim Bolger’s G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. winner Verbal Dexterity (Ire) (Vocalised) will not be making his seasonal reappearance anytime soon with his owner/breeder/trainer having ruled the colt out of the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. “It will be a while before you see him,” Bolger said. “He’s fine, but having missed the time he’s going to miss the Curragh as well, so after that there is no hurry. His big day is the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown [in September] and if there is a run in between, that will be fine,” he added. Verbal Dexterity beat recent American sprint winner Beckford (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) in the National S. at The Curragh last year before finishing fourth to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Racing Post Trophy last October at Doncaster. View the full article

New Zealand’s Te Akau Racing will soon rely on Jamie Richards to lead their training operation with the news that former senior training partner Stephen Autridge is planning to step down from his role. Autridge has lead the team to significant success over the past few years, including with multiple Group 1 and Classic winner Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and has decided to alter his work life balance more towards spending time with his family. “Together Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have been a potent partnership,” Te Akau boss David Ellis told Racing And Sports on Sunday. “In three years, they have won a premiership, been named champion trainers and have recorded 42 group and listed race successes together, including 13 at Group One level. Stephen is as good a horseman as you will ever meet, and it’s been a very successful and happy association. We will miss him and [wife] Lynley greatly but naturally we respect their desire to take life a little easier,” Ellis added. In a training career spanning over 25 years in both Australia and New Zealand, Stephen Autridge has trained close to 1,000 winners and his association with Te Akau traces back to 1987 when he first joined the stud. “This is a natural progression and a very positive one to my mind. For us it is time to step back from leading a major stable. We want to spend more time enjoying our family and our leisure time,” Autridge said. Jamie Richards joined Te Akau Racing in 2014 as racing manager and became part of the training partnership with Stephen Autridge a year later. The 28-year-old will take over the baton on August 1 and he commented, “I would like to thank Steve Autridge. As he was to Mark Walker, he has been a great mentor to me throughout our partnership. I have learnt a lot from him and am hugely grateful for that guidance. We have had a great three seasons together and while I am sad to see our partnership end, I am also incredibly excited about the future. To lead the Te Akau NZ operation is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s a dream come true and I can’t wait for the new season.” View the full article

Inglis held the first session of the two day HTBA Scone Yearling Sale on Sunday and trade was highlighted by a trio of six-figure lots. These transactions were among 159 lots sold and they helped boost receipts for the day to A$2,639,500 which was a significant drop of just over A$800,000 on last year’s aggregate. As a result the other figures also took a hit with the average for the session coming in at A$16,601 (-15%), the median was A$10,000 (-33%) and the clearance rate settled at 82%, down from 92% last year. Despite failing to keep pace with the 2017 figures Inglis’ general manager of bloodstock Jonathan D’Arcy was satisfied with the day’s proceedings and commented, “The top end of the market was very good and to sell three horses for A$100,000 or more was a great result for our vendors. Throughout the year we’ve seen the market being selective in the middle-to-lower end and that was similar today. The well-presented yearlings with commercial pedigrees exceeded their reserves on many occasions and the clearance rate of 82% was a fair indication that the majority of breeders were prepared to meet the market.” Topping the day when selling for A$110,000 to J Stitt was lot 20, a filly by Wandjina (Aus) offered by Southern Cross Breeders. The chestnut is the second living produce out of the well related winning mare Galleries (Aus) (Royal Academy) and her vendor Senga Bissett was not surprised she sold so well. “We knew she was a nice filly and we knew she would sell well but we didn’t genuinely believe she would sell as well as she did. She was popular at inspections but she behaved beautifully all the way along and has such a beautiful temperament,” Bissett said. Southern Cross Breeders not only enjoyed a 100% clearance rate with their offerings but they also ended up leading vendor by aggregate and by average (for three or more sold) and Bissett was naturally thrilled with results. “We had four lovely strong fillies with no issues who we hoped would be popular and sell well but they did all exceed our expectations,” she said. “My staff did an excellent job and worked really hard to make sure each of the yearlings were presented really well,” Bissett added. It took a while for the six figure barrier to be broken again when lot 171, a colt by Deep Field (Aus) out of the stakes winner Bouzy Rouge (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) sold to D Head for A$100,000 and that figure was bested just two lots later when Waltrin Pty Ltd bid A$105,000 for lot 173. This was for a filly by Nicconi (Aus) out of the three time winner Brookton Flare (Aus) (Strada {Aus}) and offered by Holbrook Thoroughbreds. The sale continues on Monday from 11a.m. with a further 90 lots in the HTBA Scone Yearling Sale, followed by the Scone Weanling & Thoroughbred Sale, for which 62 lots have been catalogued. View the full article

Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Tenfold officially joined the Preakness Stakes (G1) fray, according to his connections, and galloped 1 1/2 miles May 12 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Tested against older competitors, Zanjabeel delivered a five-length victory May 12, when he drew away from hard-luck Modem to win the $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (NSA-1) at Percy Warner Park. View the full article

Greg Hall and SAYJAY Racing's Blended Citizen, making his third straight start in graded company, took control of the field seventy yards shy of the finish line to win the May 12 $350,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park. View the full article

Greg Hall and SAYJAY Racing's Blended Citizen made his comeback to graded company a big one May 12, taking control seventy yards shy of the finish line to win the $350,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3). View the full article

The GI Calvin Houghland Iroquois pitted youth against experience. On a sweltering Saturday afternoon in Nashville, youth won out. Zanjabeel (GB) (Aussie Rules) marked himself as a star of today and tomorrow when the 5-year-old swept past perennial runner-up Modem (GB) (Motivator {GB}) and pulled away steadily to the wire to win by five lengths. Jamarjo (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) finished third, and Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow) was fourth. The Iroquois, the richest race on the National Steeplechase Association’s spring schedule, attracted the top four finishers in last fall’s GI Grand National, in which Mr. Hot Stuff nosed out Modem, who was a nose ahead of All the Way Jose (Senor Swinger). Jamarjo was fourth. Zanjabeel also had run on the Grand National card, and he easily won the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle for novices-jump racing’s newcomers-for Irish trainer Gordon Elliott. A Maryland partnership of George Mahoney Jr.’s Rosbrian Farm and Wendy and Ben Griswold bought Zanjabeel, then four, and turned him over to Ricky Hendriks, who won another novice stakes with him two weeks later. Hendriks did not hesitate to send Zanjabeel into top company this year, and he registered two second-place finishes, in the GI Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup and the GII Temple Gwathmey earlier in the spring. The Iroquois was time for him to graduate into top company if he could handle three miles, the longest hurdle stakes on the schedule. He handled it with aplomb and was where jockey Ross Geraghty needed him to be at every stage of the Iroquois. After All the Way Jose fell on the second run down the backstretch, Modem inherited the lead and appeared to be ready to break his run of four second-place finishes in Grade I races coming into the Iroquois. But Zanjabeel had other ideas. He and Geraghty crept closer to the lead and challenged two fences from home. Both jumped the final fences well, but Zanjabeel showed off his staying power when he quickly seized the lead after the last and drew away to the wire. Now a Grade I winner over fences, Zanjabeel ran the Iroquois’ three miles in 5:36.40 on firm turf. View the full article

Emboldened was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ off an impressive wire-to-wire debut score in Arcadia Jan. 5 and was third next out behind the reopposing Show It N Moe It (Grace Upon Grace) over this strip Feb. 9. A bit overlooked on the tote with the presence of comebacking MGISW Moonshine Memories, the chestnut was unhurried early, running well back off the rest of the field in second last as the longshot pacesetter zipped through opening splits of :22.26 and :44.97. Way out in the center of the track turning for home, Emboldened rallied alongside Moonshine Memories in the stretch, powering clear of that rival in a matter of strides to score an impressive victory. The winner’s dam Al Andaleeb, a daughter of champion Ajina (Strawberry Road {Aus}), is also responsible for the juvenile colt Homefield (Into Mischief) and a yearling colt by Ghostzapper. She was bred back to Street Boss. This is also the family of MGISW and red hot sire Quality Road (Elusive Quality) and GSW ‘TDN Rising Star’ Bitumen (Mineshaft). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. ANGELS FLIGHT S., $83,225, SA, 5-12, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.59, ft. 1–EMBOLDENED, 120, f, 3, by Elusive Quality 1st Dam: Al Andaleeb, by Bernardini 2nd Dam: Ajina, by Strawberry Road (Aus) 3rd Dam: Winglet, by Alydar 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. ‘TDN Rising Star’ O/B-Godolphin LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Martin Garcia. $48,900. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $88,020. 2–Moonshine Memories, 124, f, 3, Malibu Moon— Unenchantedevening, by Unbridled’s Song. ($650,000 Ylg ’16 FTSAUG). O-Bridlewood Farm, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith & Michael B. Tabor; B-Summer Wind Farm (KY); T-Simon Callaghan. $16,300. 3–First Dudette, 120, f, 3, First Dude–Noontime Diva, by Full Mandate. O-Blinkers On Racing Stable, Lyons, J., Robin, C., VanDrie, J. and Wagner, L.; B-Gerald Bennet & Mary Bennett (FL); T-Brian J. Koriner. $9,780. Margins: 2 1/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 14.00, 1.50, 39.70. Also Ran: Thirteen Squared, True Royalty, Show It N Moe It, Highland Lass, Film Actress, Surrender Now, Uppercut. View the full article

La Providencia's homebred Hi Happy continued his steady improvement for trainer Todd Pletcher with his first top-level win in the U.S. May 12, when he edged past pacesetter One Go All Go to win the $700,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. View the full article

A Raving Beauty (GER) found herself right at home May 12 on the Belmont Park lawn and aced her United States debut in the $200,000 Beaugay Stakes (G3T). View the full article

Here Comes When withdrawn from Kranji Mile through injury View the full article

Coming off a fourth-place finish in the West Virginia Derby (G3) that capped his sophomore year, 4-year-old Patch returned to racing May 12 with an allowance win at Belmont Park. View the full article

A Raving Beauty (GER) found herself right at home May 12 on the Belmont Park lawn, and aced her United States debut in the $200,000 Beaugay Stakes (G3T). View the full article

La Providencia's homebred Hi Happy continued his steady improvement for trainer Todd Pletcher with his first top-level win in the U.S. May 12, when he edged past pacesetter One Go All Go to win the $700,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. View the full article

HI HAPPY (ARG) (h, 6, Pure Prize-Historia {Arg}, by French Deputy)justified 9-5 favoritism while earning his first Northern Hemisphere win at the highest level in Saturday’s evening’s GI Man o’ War S. at Belmont. A three-time Group 1 winner in his native country, the chestnut made four starts in California for Felipe Souza before being transferred to the powerful Todd Pletcher barn. He was third in the GI Gulfstream Park Turf Feb. 10 before besting One Go All Go (Fairbanks) by a convincing margin in the GII Pan American S. back in Hallandale Mar. 31. One Go All Go had annexed the GII Elkhorn S. at Keeneland in the interim, and went right to the front here as Hi Happy tracked him. The pacesetter threatened to get away from them heading for home, but Hi Happy called on all his stamina to wear that one down and then hold off Sadler’s Joy (Kitten’s Joy) by 3/4 of a length in 2:14.79. One Go All Go held third. Lifetime Record: 13-8-0-2. O/B-La Providencia (Arg). T-Todd A Pletcher. View the full article

A picture-perfect ride from jockey Flavien Prat in the $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) May 12 at Santa Anita Park led to Kanthaka's second graded victory. View the full article

Coming off a fourth place finish in the West Virginia Derby (G3) that capped off his sophomore year, 4-year-old Patch returned to racing May 12 with an allowance win at Belmont Park. View the full article

Jockeys delayed the start of the first race at Belmont Park by 37 minutes May 12 to register their dissatisfaction with the state of ongoing contract negotiations between the Jockeys' Guild and the New York Racing Association. View the full article

Kent Spellman's Kirby's Penny surprised the Belmont Park crowd May 12 when she sailed past the favorites on the outside to take the $200,000 Vagrancy Handicap (G3) by 1 1/2 lengths. View the full article

5.15 Curragh, Mdn, €13,000, 3yo, 12fT MAKE THE SWITCH (IRE) (Dansili {GB}) is Moyglare Stud’s first representative of the GI La Brea S. and GI Santa Monica S. heroine Switch (Quiet American) that they snapped up for $4.3-million in November 2012. Dermot Weld tries the newcomer in against some experienced bluebloods such as Ballydoyle’s Cypress Creek (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-brother to last year’s G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire) who was off the board in two juvenile starts. View the full article

Classic racing returns to ParisLongchamp May 13, with the running of both the €600,000 The Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1) and the €500,000 The Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1). View the full article

DEAUVILLE, France—It was a case of saving the best until last as the final offering from a sextet of Scat Daddy juveniles at Arqana’s Breeze-up Sale brought Eric Hoyeau’s gavel down at €825,000 in favour of Jamie McCalmont, bidding on behalf of the Coolmore partners. Members of the last crop of the late Coolmore stallion have been in demand throughout the breeze-up season and five of the six for sale in Deauville changed hands for a total of €2,355,000. “This is one of the last opportunities to buy a horse by him,” said McCalmont. “He was an amazing stallion and his son No Nay Never had another winner today. We couldn’t leave behind a horse like this and it’s very sad that there will be no more. He didn’t look like he was breezing very fast but he actually did a very good time.” Just as last year, the name Mocklershill featured as the vendor of the top lot, with Willie Browne having bought the half-brother to GII Futurity S. runner-up Carried Interest (Henny Hughes) privately after he failed to sell at $370,000 at Keeneland’s September Sale. The 20 breezers sold by Mocklershill at an average of €201,800 accounted for just over €4 million, or more than a quarter of the day’s turnover of €14,768,000. That figure was up by 14% on last year but from 19 more horses sold. Seasoned breeze-up vendors had understandably approached the sale with a degree of trepidation. After all, €7.2 million had collectively been spent on assembling the majority of the horses who comprised what was generally felt to be a strong catalogue, both on paper and physically. Trade kicked off on a reasonably upbeat note but as the day wore on and the rain refused to relent, the mood around the sales ground turned a little off key throughout a prolonged flat spell. Ultimately, the sale’s indicators don’t read too badly—at €80,000 the median fell from €82,500 last year and the average of €130,673 again reflected only a slight drop of 5%. The clearance rate picked up towards the end of the day as private sales were agreed on a few individuals and the sale finished with a flourish but a significant number of the horses offered throughout the session failed to match their yearling price. Brendan Holland, whose Grove Stud enjoyed yet another good run at Arqana, sounded a note of caution which has been echoed by a number of his counterparts. He said, “We’ve had a good day and we’ve done well here in the past, both in the ring and on the track. We brought a really good bunch of horses here in a tough year and we’re very grateful for these results but the overall situation this season has been exacerbated by the fact that there have been way too many horses consigned to the breeze-up sales as a result of overproduction, and I hope that will be redressed. Those extra numbers make it look worse than it is but there is still a market there for a quality breezer and I’ll certainly be going back to the yearling sales to stock up for next year.” Leading the way from the Grove Stud draft was one of the Scat Daddy juveniles (lot 140), a colt out of the dual French listed winner Kaloura (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), who was unsold at Fasig-Tipton last August at $195,000, but was one of two purchases by Tom Ludt and Dermot Farrington on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbreds at €700,000. The duo also bought the first Scat Daddy to be offered, lot 10, from Gaybrook Lodge Stud. The $160,000 Keeneland September pinhook was bought this time for €320,000. Farrington said of the half-brother to listed winner Crimson China (Giant’s Causeway), “He’s a nice big horse, and obviously this is the last chance to buy the progeny of Scat Daddy.” A new name on the breeze-up consignors’ list, Ecurie de la Frenee, made quite a debut at Arqana, consigning the session’s second-top lot (144), a son of Frankel (GB), bought by Mark McStay for €770,000. Having dipped a toe in the water at Osarus last month, Jennifer Pardanaud and Ronan Le Dantec, who run a pre-training operation at Ommeel in Normandy alongside their fledgling consigning business, brought their first select consignment of three to Deauville, including the half-brother to GI Garden City S. winner Backseat Rhythm (El Corredor) on behalf of his breeder Mitab Abdullah. The identity of the colt’s new owner was not revealed by McStay, who signed for the horse under the name Avenue Bloodstock and said, “He’s for a new client who asked me to buy him a special horse. He’s by a special horse who looks like he’s becoming a very special sire and he’s a half-brother to a Group 1 winner. He may not have been the fastest on the clock but they don’t have to do a fast time to be a good horse and I found it hard to fault him. Hopefully we’ll be hearing plenty more about him next year.” Among the bold pinhooks that did pay off was another Grove Stud-consigned colt by More Than Ready, already named Gift, who will be racing in Hong Kong for an undisclosed owner. Agent Matt Coleman tucked himself away in the restaurant to launch his bid for the colt out of the listed winner Generosity (Unbridled’s Song) who has already produced a stakes winner in seven-time victor Integrity (Hard Spun). Coleman’s major rival and eventual underbidder turned out to be his business partner Anthony Stroud, who had been busy throughout the session, largely on Godolphin’s behalf. At €525,000 Stroud cried enough leaving Coleman to sign for the colt who turned two just a week ago and had cost Brendan Holland $160,000 at Keeneland in September. “I thought he was the best horse in the sale. He looks to have a fantastic action, he breezed well and More Than Ready works well in Hong Kong,” Coleman said. On a horse-by-horse basis, Grove Stud was the most successful consignor of the day, with seven sold for an average of €311,000. For much of the day another member of the same draft, a Sea The Stars filly out of Ninas Terz (Ger) (Tertullian), had held the top spot after Jamie McCalmont secured lot 5 for owner Andrew Rosen at €400,000. “Andrew raced another Sea The Stars filly called September Stars, who was a stakes winner in America for Paddy Gallagher, and this filly is very similar to her. Not only is she a very pretty filly but she has a lovely pedigree,” said the agent, who confirmed that she will be trained by Roger Charlton. While Ninas Terz—a half-sister to Hong Kong Group 1 winner Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal)—was listed-placed in Germany, the filly’s second, third and fourth dams are all black-type winners. Her damsire Tertullian, who is out of a half-sister to Sea The Stars’s dam Urban Sea, throws up some interesting inbreeding to Allegretta. McCalmont added, “She’s not likely to be running too soon but she did one of the top 20 times in the breeze which was impressive considering she’s not a Kodiac-type sprinter.” Kerri Radcliffe bought the top lot at last year’s Arqana Breeze-up and she played a prominent role again on Saturday, stepping in with a successful bid of €400,000 for Mocklershill’s filly by Exchange Rate (lot 111). “She’s very fast and hopefully she’ll be going to Royal Ascot,” said the agent. “She’s for George Bolton and I hope she’ll be another Lady Aurelia.” The filly’s dam Dying To Dance (Street Cry) ran just once but has already produced a clean sweep of winners with her four runners to date, including the Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. winner Encumbered (Violence). Anthony Stroud made the first big splash of the sale when signing for lot 2 at €385,000 on behalf of an undisclosed client. The first foal of Nayara (Fr) (Nayef) had been selected from Book 2 of Tattersalls’ October Sale by Longways Stables for 100,000gns. Mick Murphy and Sarah O’Connell of Longways had previously enjoyed success with a Siyouni colt at the breeze-ups when selling subsequent G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains runner-up and G3 Jersey S. winner Le Brivido (Fr) for €105,000 at this same auction two years ago. The pair sold seven horses this time around for an average of €128,286. Walk In The Sun, the top price at last year’s sale at €1.4 million and bought originally at Keeneland for $15,000, had been a sensational pinhook for Willie Browne, and his Mocklershill draft was responsible for several profitable returns this time around. Most notable was the colt by the recently deceased Poet’s Voice (GB) (lot 18), bought as a yearling from October Book 3 for 42,000gns and sold on to Godolphin for 380,000gns. “He breezed very well and he’s from a very good consignor,” said Anthony Stroud after signing for the colt in company with David Loder and Richard Frisby. “He’ll go back to the UK and the boss will decide where he goes. The fact that his sire isn’t around any more was a bit of a factor but overall he was just a very nice horse.” Another who will eventually race in the Godolphin blue is lot 51, a Scat Daddy filly out of the listed-placed multiple winner Sure Route (Ishiguru) who was a decent pinhook for Yeomanstown Stud. Bought for $125,000 at Keeneland, she was resold for €360,000. Mocklershill also consigned the sole juvenile by Motivator (GB) in the catalogue (lot 53), a €60,000 August yearling from Haras du Quesnay bought by Alex Elliott. Charlie Gordon-Watson outlasted Richard Brown in the quest for the colt when going to €280,000 and later said that that the son of listed winner Treasure (Fr) (Anabaa) will be trained in Newmarket by Charlie Fellowes for an unnamed British owner. Al Shaqab Racing has been conspicuous by its relative inactivity so far this breeze-up season but Sheikh Joaan’s operation returned to the buyers’ bench at Arqana and snared five juveniles for a total of €785,000. The collection included lot 40, a Lope De Vega colt out of the G2 Prix d’Aumale runner-up Single (Fr) (Singspiel {Ire}) offered by Star Bloodstock and sold for €300,000—double the price he fetched when bought at Arqana last August. View the full article

Ballydoyle experimented with running their horses in familiar groupings last year and in Leopardstown’s G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. it was a one-two-three with Douglas Macarthur (Ire) on top of fellow Galileo colts Yucatan (Ire) and Capri (Ire). This time there is a duo by Coolmore’s resident monarch in ‘TDN Rising Stars’ The Pentagon (Ire) and Delano Roosevelt (Ire), and they are joined by a product of Galileo’s best, Frankel (GB), in Nelson (GB). All three are true Derby colts that have been heading towards Tesio’s winning post since conception and help make up an embarrassment of riches in that department for their stable. The former is a product of Lagardere/Aga Khan breeding which Aidan O’Brien has had little access to in the past, but now that Barronstown Stud have the high-class dam Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain) there is a way in. The fact that he was able to get so close to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) in Doncaster’s G1 Racing Post Trophy in October speaks well of his ability which he had flaunted earlier in the season. Delano Roosevelt has given the impression he is a colt building to something big and Wayne Lordan is back on, which may be significant as he rode him to win his maiden over a mile here in July. Nelson had his measure last time in the G3 Ballysax S. over this course and distance Apr. 14 and he has that Frankel willingness to run through a brick wall allied to an abundance of stamina being out of the stable’s G1 Irish Oaks heroine Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}). “All three are well and have come on great for their runs,” O’Brien said. “The Pentagon has probably moved up a nice bit [from his nine-lengths third in the Ballysax]. We’re looking forward to seeing them run.” Although tied in with The Pentagon, His Highness The Aga Khan’s presence is more directly felt here in the Dermot Weld-trained Hazapour (Ire) (Shamardal), a relative of the 2016 G1 Epsom Derby hero Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) who was third when last seen in the nine-furlong G3 Eyrefield S. here in October. View the full article