Wandering Eyes

Without doubt this is the most anticipated day of the festival featuring the big one, The Grand National. An expected attendance of 75000 at Aintree will cheer on another seven races, while an additional 600 million worldwide will be tuned into their screens hoping their selections survive the 30 fences and ride into the history books of the iconic race. The Aintree Handicap Hurdle opens up the final day and also features the Grade 1, Mersey Novices’, Maghull Novices and Stayers Hurdle before the penultimate race of the day, The Grand National. RaceBets ambassador Luke Harvey returns for one final time as he casts his eye over some favourites on day 3 of the festival and tips his winner for the big one. 100% Deposit Bonus up to £50 50/1 For Sam Twiston-Davies on Blaklion to win the Grand National Grand National Festival Day 3 Schedule 13.40 – Aintree Handicap Hurdle 14.25 – Mersey Novices’ Hurdle 15.00 – Maghull Novices’ Chase 15.40 – Liverpool Hurdle 16.20 – Betfred Handicap Chase 17.15 – Grand National 18.10 – Conditional Handicap Hurdle Grand National Bet Now The post Grand National 2018 Day 3 Betting Preview, Tips and Schedule appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Barraquero (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) was on Friday definitively ruled out of the G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas picture by Brian Meehan, who will now prepare him for a sprinting campaign instead. The G2 Qatar Richmond S. winner, sidelined by a shin issue after his Goodwood success, was to have been given the opportunity of testing the Classic water in the G3 Greatwood Greenham S. at Newbury on April 21. A minor but untimely hold-up had put that plan in doubt, however, and now the decision has been made to switch to Plan B. “It’s just been too difficult to get the necessary work into him so we’ve decided to wait for the [G2] Sandy Lane at Haydock with a view to running in the [G1] Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot,” Meehan explained. Asked whether the disappointment could ultimately prove a blessing in disguise, given doubts about the colt’s ability to see out a mile, the Manton trainer replied, “You could have a little bit of that at the back of your mind but it’s more about his condition, really. We have tried everything to get him ready-and he’s just not going to be. He’s sound, he’s working, but he’s just not there yet.” “When he coughed three weeks ago I thought we’d be okay, there was still that window of time. But he coughed after working again the other day so we’ve decided just to back off and change the plan.” Whatever he may yet achieve, Barraquero already looks well bought at £30,000, by Sam Sangster, from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster in 2016. “He’s done extremely well over the winter,” Meehan stressed. “He’s bigger and stronger than he was last August, his weight is good and he’s moving well. But while he’s doing all the right things, I’m just not 110 per cent happy.” View the full article

Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro), a smart winner of the GIII Gotham S. Mar. 10, returns to the Big A as the horse to beat for Saturday’s GII Wood Memorial S. The son of MGISW It’s Tricky (Mineshaft) made up for a puzzling fourth as the favorite in the GII Holy Bull S. with a 2 3/4-length tally over Old Time Revival (Brethren) in the one-turn mile Gotham. Last year’s GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. hero, the 6-5 choice on the Wood Memorial morning-line, stretches out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time here. “We’re happy with him and we’re there trying to win an important race,” said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who captured this race with Frosted in 2015. “Even if it doesn’t have Grade I status, we feel like it is a Grade I. It’s a huge race for a horse in his career, especially for a stallion prospect.” Bob Baffert ships in Restoring Hope (Giant’s Causeway) following a good-looking restricted maiden win with blinkers off going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita at third asking Feb. 2. The Hall of Famer took the New York route to Louisville with previous Wood Memorial winners Congaree (2001) and Bob and John (2006). “We’ve always been very high on him and he worked really well the other day so I thought we’d take a shot,” Baffert said. “We’re like everybody else, we’re trying to see if he fits. We took the blinkers off and he came back and ran well [last time out]. Now, he’s training like a good horse, so that’s why he’s there.” Vino Rosso (Curlin), perfect in two starts at two including a debut win in South Ozone Park, followed a third-place finish in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 10 with a lackluster fourth with blinkers added in the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby last time Mar. 10. “He’s a horse that’s trained very well all winter and in company with some very good horses that have gone on to be successful,” four-time Wood Memorial-winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “So, we’ve been a little frustrated with his races this year. We’re excited to get him back to Aqueduct. It’s where he broke his maiden and stretching out to a mile and an eighth is going to allow him to show his true ability.” With 170 total qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Derby up for grabs, the Wood is worth 100 points to the winner, 40 points to second, 20 to third and 10 to fourth. View the full article

Undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Army Mule (Friesan Fire) makes his highly anticipated stakes debut in Saturday’s GI Carter H. at Aqueduct. A runaway debut winner at three at Belmont last spring, the $825,000 EASMAY juvenile returned from the bench with another jaw-dropping tally after missing the break in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Jan. 31. He earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the latter. “His maiden race and allowance race were both very impressive,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It’s a big jump from a one-other-than to a Grade I, but we feel like he has that type of ability. This was a good opportunity for him and the Grade I status is important. So, we felt like instead of taking another incremental step in an allowance race that we’d go ahead and test where he is with the big boys.” Three-time graded winner and last term’s GI Forego S. runner-up Awesome Slew (Awesome Again) makes his first start since finishing third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Nov. 3. The streaking GIII Tom Fool H. winner Skyler’s Scramjet (Creative Cause) enters off three straight wins at the Big A. Last year’s 54-1 Carter upsetter Green Gratto (Here’s Zealous), meanwhile, hasn’t had his picture taken in 10 subsequent starts. View the full article

Engage (Into Mischief), off since a 3 1/2-length win at third asking in Belmont’s six-furlong GIII Futurity S. Oct. 14, returns in Saturday’s GIII Bay Shore S. on the GII Wood Memorial S. undercard. The $550,000 OBSMAR graduate worked four furlongs in :49 3/5 (19/54) at trainer Chad Brown’s Palm Meadows base Mar. 31. The lone blemish in Engage’s three-start career came at the hands of National Flag (Speightstown) after those two bumped repeatedly down the stretch at Saratoga Aug. 5. Fifth in the GI Hopeful S., National Flag resurfaced from the bench in style with a sharp optional claiming win at the Bay Shore distance of seven furlongs at Gulfstream Mar. 2. “He’s been successful at this distance and eventually we will stretch him out,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We just felt like this was his second race of the year and he’s already proven that he can win at this distance. So, rather than trying to stretch him all the way out to a mile and an eighth [in the Wood Memorial], we’d just stick with what we know he does well and then go from there.” View the full article

Midnight Disguise (Midnight Lute) looks to punch her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks in Saturday’s GII Gazelle S. at the Big A. The streaking dark bay captured the Busanda S. over this course and distance Jan. 25 and added the one-mile Busher S. here Mar. 3. The re-opposing Sara Street (Street Sense) and My Miss Lilly (Tapit) were second and third in the Busher, respectively. “She’s been doing well and I was very pleased with her coming out of the Busher,” trainer Linda Rice said of the 8-5 morning-line favorite. “I’m sure the competition will be much tougher in this race, but she’s proven at the distance and she’s gaining experience with every race. She’s becoming more professional; switching her leads better and things like that, so we’re really excited for it.” Smokinpaddylassie (Paddy O’Prado) has kicked off her career with three straight wins, headed by Laurel’s Beyond the Wire S. at a one-turn mile Mar. 17. The Gazelle is New York’s final Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier, offering 100 points to the winner, 40 to the runner-up, 20 to third place and 10 to fourth. View the full article

A little more than five years after launching Astute Bloodstock in Sydney, Frenchman Louis Le Metayer has enjoyed success with horses purchased both domestically and overseas. A highlight came just last month when European imports Harlem (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Ventura Storm (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) finished first and third in the G1 Australian Cup. TDN International Editor Kelsey Riley caught up with Le Metayer as he prepares to shop the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale to talk about a wide range of topics from Australian speed and the shuttle stallion debate to finding value at sales. KR: You’re from France and have worked all over the world in the racing and bloodstock industries. Why did you decide to base your business in Australia? LLM: I grew up on Haras du Buff in France so was fortunate to grow up around horses, and have worked all over the world in the Thoroughbred industry. My parents encouraged me to travel so I spent time in England, Ireland, America and South Africa. When I first arrived in Australia it was supposed to be for six months and I wasn’t planning on staying much longer, but it just felt like a very interesting vibe. It felt like it was booming and on the rise. I also didn’t want to be in competition with my family; my mother runs the farm and my brother has a bloodstock business in France so I just wanted to do my own thing and create my own identity in the market. I was lucky enough to work for four years for Lindsay Park and four years for Arrowfield, and that gave me a really good base to understand the industry and make good contacts. It was probably the best start, to work for a great trainer and a very successful stud farm. I started my own business in January 2013 and started very small and slowly. Now we’ve had a couple big results. Our first yearling that won a stakes races was called My Country (Aus) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) [A$140,000 yearling]. That helped me to get a few more clients on board. Then we had a horse called Wolf Cry (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) [A$320,000 yearling] who turned out to be a group performer as a 2-year-old, so we started with small numbers but high quality, and that is what has been our philosophy. KR: You have had a lot of success especially lately with European imports you purchased. We know that demand from the likes of Australia and the Middle East is pushing up the prices of these horses; is there a way to find value in the tried horse market? LLM: The tried horse market is very interesting. I spend three months of the year in France–all of July, August and October–and my assistant, Nicolas Lefevre, is there from Royal Ascot to Christmas basically. I don’t think you can find value in the horses in training market. Having said that, if you find the right horse it will pay for itself in Australia because the prizemoney is so good. When you buy horses in training you realize eight horses out of 10 fail the vet. That doesn’t mean they can’t race, but if you’re going to pay a lot of money for a horse and you know it has something that could become an issue, you have to decide whether to take the risk. Also, a lot of the top European horses are not suited to Australian racing. Here, we have tight tracks with short home straights. We have fast ground and we find that a lot of horses in Europe are not suited to that. The challenge is to find a horse that one, is very good; two, is buyable; three, passes the vet; and four, has the physical attributes to suit Australia. When you put all those factors together, it’s a huge elimination process and you end up with very few options. So, if you find the right horse that ticks all the boxes, we’re quite happy to pay a big price for them. Harlem (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) cost about a million dollars [520,000gns], but has earned about A$1.4-million in prizemoney [since arriving in Australia]. So while it looks very expensive at the time, it’s actually good value. The first horse we bought out of Europe was called Pilote d’Essai (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). We bought him for about £250,000, and he’s won the Ballarat Cup and the Pakenham Cup, and he basically reimbursed himself. We have another horse, Ventura Storm (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) [bought privately], who ran second to Winx and third to Harlem in the Group 1, so he’s Group 1-placed twice now. He cost a fair bit of money as well but he has every chance to reimburse his purchase price. So value is not what we’re looking for: we’re looking for a superior athlete that’s going to be able to perform in Australia. KR: Similarly, I remember you mentioning at Magic Millions that the strength of the Australian yearling market has caused prices for horses to rise considerably. Has that caused you to change how you do business? Are there any spots in the yearling market where value can be found? LLM: The market is going up and up and up and we’re finding it is harder to buy the top yearlings. Having said that, Nicolas and I look at 7,000 yearlings a year between Australia and Europe. It is hard to find value but when you look at so many horses you’re bound to find some that fall through the cracks. If you only look at the Redoute’s Choices, Snitzels and Fastnet Rocks, it would be hard to find value. But if you look at every single horse on the market and you’re looking for only one thing, which is a superior athlete, every now and then there’s going to be a nice horse that you can buy at a reasonable price. We often find the horses we prefer as yearlings are not necessarily that expensive in comparison to some of their peers. I think your value comes by doing your legwork and having a wide net and making sure you’ve had every single horse out of its box and looked at. Now we have all this information on our iPads and every time a horse wins a race we can go back and look at our notes. We learn from that and we find there are specific comments that we write on our books that keep coming up when we look back two years down the road. You’re always learning about what defines a superior athlete. And sometimes there are horses that don’t look like much of an athlete but they have the heart and the will to win and that’s the hardest thing to identify. KR: There is much discussion about the fact that the Australian breed has become so focused on speed. What is your take on this? Is this a good thing? A bad thing? LLM: Australian racing is very focused on speed, and I think it is a good thing because that’s what Australians are renowned for. It’s really Australia’s point of difference; we’re very good producers of 2-year-olds and fast horses. I do think it’s a good thing overall, but I think being the best at producing sprinters has made us the worst at producing stayers. In that sense, it’s not that good because the whole market and the racing industry are all focused on speed. The problem we have is that a third of our Group 1 races are above 2000 metres, but only 8% of our overall races are above 2000 metres. We don’t have the program to teach horses to stay from their early starts, and we don’t have the training centers. To train a stayer you need those long, uphill tracks like they have in Chantilly or Newmarket. It is very difficult for Australian trainers to train stayers on tight tracks. Horses that are bound to become stayers here tend to have their first start over 1200 metres or 1400 metres, where in Europe a horse that’s bred to stay will have his first start over 2000 metres and learn to become a stayer from day one. KR: Another common topic of discussion is the colonial vs shuttle stallions debate, and which are more effective. Where do you fall on this? LLM: I’m very pro shuttle stallions. I think it’s an international industry and we need to have an international mindset. If we didn’t have shuttle stallions we wouldn’t have had Street Cry, Danehill and thus Redoute’s Choice, Snitzel, Fastnet Rock; I’m very pro shuttle stallions because Thoroughbreds are extremely inbred. If you look at any Thoroughbred’s pedigree, sometimes there will be duplications of different stallions 10 times. Obviously a lot of the shuttle stallions don’t work, but I think Australian breeders have to support a shuttle stallion that may bring a different bloodline and that has the physical attributes to suit Australian racing. Arrowfield has brought some horses from Japan and I think it is a great idea. We need a new influx of blood. The whole of Australia is saturated with Danehill blood so I’m very pro shuttle stallion, knowing that otherwise we wouldn’t have had the likes of High Chaparral, More Than Ready and Street Cry. KR: What do you think are the main strengths of the Australian industry, and subsequently, the challenges? LLM: The main strength is that the Australian industry is very well governed at the moment, and it is inclusive of everyone. People can buy 2% of a horse or take a 10% share with a friend, or five people can have 2%, 1%; I think there’s an average of about seven to eight owners per horse in Australia, which means that when you have a card of nine races, with 20 horses in each race, and you multiply that by seven, you end up with 1000 owners. The owners are the best promotion for the sport and syndication companies in Australia have done a very good job. I think there are better syndication companies now than there ever were with some very dynamic companies that are really marketing the sport and allowing moms and dads and people from all walks of life to have a small interest in a horse. That leads to stronger attendance at the racecourse, because they bring their kids, they bring their friends and families. I think that’s what sets Australia apart. One in about every 300 Australians owns a racehorse. In France it would be the opposite. There might be one or two owners per horse. And sometimes you have these exceptional racecourses with some of the best horses in the world running, and the racecourse is half empty. I find that sad. I love going to France and I spend a lot of time there and try to do a lot of business there, but they need to learn from the Australian model a bit more and stop the elite mentality and include people in the sport. KR: Do you think there is a way to get the culture of racehorse ownership and syndicates to catch on in other countries? LLM: I’m sure there is. In France where I grew up, at Haras de Buff, it is very close to a town called Alencon. In Alencon there are 40,000 people and there are 10 pony clubs. What that says to me is there is a very strong horse culture and a lot of people out there who like horses. There are a lot of people in France who really enjoy the animal and the outdoor life and they ride horses on the weekend. France Galop needs to convert those people and say ‘hey, why don’t you come to the races?’ And make it fun for them. But when you have five big owners who control the sport and who have most of the runners in all the big races, it’s not that exciting. I think there is huge opportunity for France to capitalize on those young people who are growing up around horses and it is just a matter of inviting them and having initiative and welcoming those people to our sport. All you have to do sometimes is just open the doors, have an open day. I’m sure there are plenty of kids who live in Chantilly who have never been able to go to the training center, and it is one of the most beautiful things in the world. The stud farms are extremely beautiful and some people who grew up in the same village may never have had the opportunity to go there and pat a foal and visit the farm. I think the best introduction to the sport is getting young people to spend time with young foals. I’ve seen it with my friends and family. I have friends who have no interest in horses or racing, but if I put them in the paddock with foals, they can’t help but fall in love with the animal. I think sometimes when you’re a professional in the industry you don’t think about these things. KR: What first-season sires have caught your attention this year? LLM: Deep Field. I’m a big fan of Deep Field. I was a big fan of him as a yearling and he was a wonderful horse. He had a lot of speed, he has no Danehill blood, he is by Northern Meteor, who was a big loss to Australian racing because he was a great stallion. He produced six Group 1 winners from his first four crops and he’s out of an exceptional mare and is a full-brother to [G1 Caulfield Guineas winner] Shooting To Win. I thought his yearlings looked outstanding. We tried to buy three and managed to buy one. I think the market agrees, the market seems very keen on them as well so a lot of people must have seen what we’ve seen. Last year we tried to buy Zoustars because we were really impressed with them and it seems like he’s going the right way. [Editor’s Note: Zoustar, also by Northern Meteor, is the current leading first-season sire]. Deep Field wasn’t an early horse himself, so I just hope that they’re not going to be pushed too early. They look early but sometimes that doesn’t work out. Northern Meteor wasn’t a 2-year-old and Deep Field wasn’t a 2-year-old so I hope the trainers give them enough time because it’s a good way to ruin a stallion, by pushing the progeny if they’re not going to be early. But he ticks all the boxes for me. Even though he wasn’t a Group 1 winner he was so fast and an amazing horse. He’s out of an Elusive Quality mare, so there you go, another shuttle stallion. KR: Are there any lesser-talked about sires that you think offer value? LLM: I really like a horse called Scissor Kick. He’s by Redoute’s Choice from an amazing Juddmonte family, the family of Dansili, Hasili, Intercontinental; it’s one of the best Juddmonte families. He was a very good horse without being a champion. He’s a big scopey horse and we organized for him to shuttle to Haras d’Etreham. I think that Scissor Kick is not a horse that is probably on everyone’s radar, but fundamentally he comes from a great sireline, has a big pedigree, he’s a beautiful horse, a scopey horse, and he has an international pedigree. He’s pretty good value [at A$16,500]. I expect him to do well in Europe too because he’s a big, rangy horse and has a lot of scope about him. I can imagine his progeny being good milers in France. View the full article

The first Japanese Classic of the year takes place on Sunday when Hanshin hosts the G1 Oka Sho or Japanese 1000 Guineas. A full field of 18 fillies will line up for the 1600m contest and all eyes will be on last year’s champion 2-year-old filly Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) who bids to extend her unbeaten run to five. The filly was three for three last year including when beating a number of Sunday’s rivals in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December and she proved she had trained on nicely as a 3-year-old when making a stylish winning return in the G2 Tulip Sho over the course and distance March 3. On that occasion she confirmed her dominance over both Mau Lea (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Lily Noble (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) and her trainer Mikio Matsunaga is hopeful the filly will again prove her class on Sunday. “She looks better for losing her winter coat,” he said. “She’ll probably be about 500kg going into the race and I feel she’s getting stronger as she develops. She’s relaxed and has a good appetite. This time it’s a full field of strong horses, and being a horse race, we don’t know what might happen. Of course I feel some pressure, but I’m really looking forward to her doing her best with the condition she’s in,” he added. Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is an interesting contender and after a light juvenile campaign that saw her break her maiden on her second start, she reappeared in 2018 at Kyoto in January when she beat Tsuzumimon (Jpn) (Strong Return {Jpn}) in the G3 Shinzan Kinen. Her trainer Sakae Kunieda sent out Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) to win the Oka Sho in 2010 and he commented, “Everything’s gone well in training. She seems more adult, and I have no worries with her. The jockey’s also happy with her. With a strong favorite in the race, it takes the pressure off a bit. The Hanshin 1600 meters on the outer course is easy to handle, and I think she has what it takes to get a result if the race is run to suit her.” Liberty Heights (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) also lines up on the back of a last time out stakes win and her performance in the G2 Hochi Hai Fillies’ Revue over seven furlongs at Hanshin on March 11 makes her a serious contender. She also had a number of Sunday’s challengers behind her that day including Encore plus (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Dernier Or (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) and her trainer Tomokazu Takano said, “I think she can adjust to any pace and is capable of producing in a Grade 1. She’s been moving well this past week, and we’re trying not to overdo things with her.” View the full article

Spring is in the air and we can begin to look forward to the big flat races taking place in 2018. So many outstanding 2-year-olds caught the eye, last term, but which will we still be talking about when Autumn comes around. Here are our ten to follow. #10 Threading (IRE) Age: 3 (Foaled April 30th, 2015), Sex: Bay Filly, Breeding: Exceed And Excel (AUS) – (Seeking The Gold (USA)), Trainer: M Johnston, Owner: Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Threading made one of the most eye-catching debuts of 2017 and it came in a fairly valuable Plus 10 encounter at Goodwood, last August. Relatively friendless, in the market, she responded immediately to William Buick’s urgeings and came away from Your Choice in style. Mark Johnston clearly likes what he saw and her next destination was York and the Lowther Stakes. While this performance was not quite as scintillating, there was still a huge amount to like about it. Madeline was beaten by almost 2 lengths and Threading won running on. The hype machine quickly got into gear and Threading went into the stalls for the Cheveley Park Stakes as a 5/2 shot – despite the field including Clemmie, whose reputation was by now already well-established. Threading looked outclassed in this company though and finished in 7th place without ever really threatening. Johnston still firmly believes in her ability, however. “It was very disappointing. I thought at first we were a victim of faster ground on the rail as it seemed there was a spearhead of pace there and that they were struggling out in the middle of the track but the winner has come up there just where she was. “She was never travelling like we expected her to and she was beaten a fair way out. She has beaten the third (Madeline) two lengths last time so that is not her running. I know everybody else does it but if we can’t see if there is anything wrong with her there is no point sticking needles in her to see if there is anything wrong with her. That won’t explain why she has run like that. For sure I think she will still make up into a Guineas horse as that is not her form.” Back Threading To Win The 2000 Guineas! #9 Wild Illusion Age: 3 (Foaled February 18th, 2015), Sex: Bay Filly, Breeding: Dubawi (IRE) – Rumh (GER) (Monsun (GER)), Trainer: C Appleby, Owner: Godolphin A debut at Yarmouth, followed by a brace of runs at Chantilly, can hardly be described as the normal pathway for an aspiring juvenile but it is this trio of encounters that have brought Charlie Appleby’s inmate to the attention of punters! The Dubawi-sired filly certainly hit the ground running, at the Norfolk track – making all and giving William Haggas’ Give And Take no real opportunity of getting back into serious contention. Appleby then pitched her straight into Group 3 company, although there were only 4 runners in the D’aumale Stakes and only one of those (Chipolata) finished behind Wild Illusion. It was a disappointing result and few gave her any hope of even placing in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac, a race for which Appleby reached for the cheekpieces. James Doyle made sure she was prominent early and pushed the button with just over 2 furlongs left to travel. She caused a huge shock by holding-off the strong challenges made by both Polydream and the unfancied Mission Impossible, to win by a length and a half. “She came forward a lot for her last run and we were delighted with her at home. I spoke to his highness (Sheikh Mohammed) in depth about her and he said, ‘Go for it, if you’re happy with the horse’. We put the cheek-pieces on because we felt stepping up to this level we wanted to keep the concentration; nothing more than that. She’s as genuine as the day is long and is a lovely filly with a great pedigree. I’m thankful Sheikh Mohammed gave us permission to supplement and he’s been repaid with another Group 1-winning daughter of Dubawi.” The Oaks looks a likely target and she might well start as the shortest-priced horse not trained by Aidan O’Brien. Back Wild Illusion To Win The Oaks! #8 Mendelssohn (USA) Age: 3 (Foaled May 17th, 2015), Sex: Bay Colt, Breeding: Scat Daddy (USA) – Leslie’s Lady (USA) (Tricky Creek (USA)), Trainer: A P O’Brien, Owner: D Smith, Mrs J Magnier & M Tabor He’s already raced 7 times on 3 different continents and Mendelssohn has proven that he can remain composed on the big stage. He looked rather awkward on his first day at school, but did just about enough to beat Andesh when returning to The Curragh in August. Mendelssohn took a big backward step in the Champagne Stakes, however, finishing last of 7 and by some distance. He was sent off as a 50/1 shot in the Dewhurst and started keenly, but finished runner-up to U S Navy Flag despite this. Aidan O’Brien decided it was time for the Scat Daddy colt to see a bit more of the world and sent him to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Mendelssohn won this hugely-valuable contest and followed-up with victory in Listed company at Dundalk. To cap it all off, he won the UAE Derby at Meydan last week. “We knew he had lots of dirt in his pedigree and he’s a horse with a lot of speed, though we weren’t sure how far his speed would carry him. He’s a very good horse obviously, and the lads paid a lot of money for him. He’s very well bred and that was his first taste of the dirt and going further than a mile, so we couldn’t be happier really.” a delighted O’Brien explained, following the victory. The Kentucky Derby is now a firm target for this globetrotting cash-cow, but he can also be backed for the Derby at Epsom. Back Mendelssohn To Win The Derby! #7 Elarqam Age: 3 (Foaled February 23rd, 2015), Sex: Bay Colt, Breeding: Frankel – Attraction (Efisio), Trainer: M Johnston, Owner: Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum This son of Frankel is unbeaten after 2 races and Mark Johnston is thrilled about the colt’s prospects. “Elarqam appears to have done very, very well over the winter and will have his first piece of fast work over the next couple of days. He is being aimed at the 2000 Guineas and everything is on target at the moment for him to go there without another race… We might take him down to Newmarket during the Craven Meeting for another racecourse gallop, when Sheikh Hamdan (Al Maktoum, owner) should be able to watch.” The trainer also told reporters, last month, that it’s Elarqam’s dam-side pedigree that really pushes his buttons. “As a son of Attraction he holds a special place in my heart and from my point of view he couldn’t have a better pedigree, being by Frankel out of Attraction. He is the spitting image of his mother – he looks like a male version of her.” Elarqam’s first race was at York, where he showed almost no signs of greenness when beating Ayutthaya by almost 4 lengths. Johnston then sent him to Headquarters for the Somerville Stakes. He was rewarded with another very-professional performance that was too good for the likes of Tip Two Win, Tangled and Fajjaj. Could this horse give Johnston his first English Classic winner, since Attraction won the 1000 Guineas in 2004? Back Elarqam To Win The 2000 Guineas! #6 Laurens (FR) Age: 3 (Foaled April 12th, 2015), Sex: Bay Filly, Breeding: Siyouni (FR) – Recambe (IRE) (Cape Cross (IRE)), Trainer: K R Burke, Owner: Mr John Dance There’s a hot young female at Spigot Lodge and Karl Burke, who has also trained Quiet Reflection, Lord Shanakill and Odeliz, will be looking forward to the 2018 flat campaign with relish. Laurens was first raced in a Plus 10 maiden for fillies, at Doncaster, last July. Richard Fahey’s Exhort pushed her to the limit, but she held on to score by a neck. The progeny of Siyouni amd Recambe then crossed the Channel, for a tilt at the Group 3 Prix Du Calvados at Deauville. Runners-up spot was well above par and she then returned to Doncaster for the May Hill Stakes – beating the likes of Nyaleti, Dark Rose Angel and Aidan O’Brien’s Sizzling in a frantic head-bobber. Punters and pundits remained unconvinced that she could deliver the goods at the highest level though and she was sent-off in the Fillies Mile (Newmarket), at double-digit odds. Happily was a non-runner, but O’Brien still had September and Magical in his arsenal. Magical disappointed, while September put in a terrific late charge, but Laurens held on to give Burke’s yard an enormous boost. “Laurens has wintered really well and couldn’t look any better, I am very happy with her. She has filled her frame and is still a beautiful-looking filly who is very light on her feet. We have had no hold-ups or setbacks with her and we are just starting to step up her work… We are not committed to running her in the 1000 Guineas but it is the favoured option for both John (Dance, owner) and myself.” Burke told RacingUK, at the beginning of March. Back Laurens To Win The 1000 Guineas! #5 Happily (IRE) Age: 3 (Foaled February 27th, 2015), Sex: Bay Filly, Breeding: Galileo (IRE) – You’resothrilling (USA) (Storm Cat (USA)), Trainer: A P O’Brien, Owner: Mr D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, Mr M Tabor Coolmore certainly didn’t spare this Galileo filly, in 2017. She made no less than 7 appearances on the track, debuting at Leopardstown and looking pretty mediocre (finished 7th, in a race won by stablemate September). Market-makers were not fooled however and she was sent-off as an odds-on favourite at The Curragh, next time out, where Shalailah was comfortably beaten. The pair met again, in the Silver Flash Stakes, with Happily confirming her superiority over Shalailah, Easter Lily, Golden Spell and Jim Bolger’s Dawn Delivers. O’Brien then decided to let Happily and September fight it out in the Debutante Stakes. This time Happily came out on top, although both were upstaged by another of his inmates (Magical). As if that wasn’t enough, those 3 then secured the entire purse in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. Happily beat Magical by a short-head, with September a well-beaten 3rd. Next stop for Happily was Chantilly and the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium. As they rounded the bend, Ryan Moore was faced with a wall of horses but bided his time well and guided Happily past Olmedo inside the final furlong. An exhausting campaign was rounded-off with a trip to Del Mar, where Happily would contest the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf – a race that O’Brien had yet to win. It proved a venture too far and Happily never recovered from a sluggish start. “You could say her run at the Breeders’ Cup wasn’t good, but she missed the break and got stopped three times down the straight. Ryan (Moore) just minded her then. You’d imagine she’ll definitely get a mile and a quarter and could get a mile and a half because she has a very laid back way of doing it. She has very strong form.” a bullish O’Brien opined in March. Was she overworked, in 2017, potentially leaving the filly vulnerable as her Classic campaign gets underway? Punters don’t think so and she currently heads the market, for the Oaks. Back Happily To Win The Oaks! #4 Roaring Lion (USA) Age: 3 (Foaled March 11th, 2015), Sex: Grey Colt, Breeding: Kitten’s Joy (USA) – (Street Sense (USA)), Trainer: J H M Gosden, Owner: Qatar Racing Limited John Gosden’s charge proved himself to be a genuine big cat, last term, when he was perhaps unfortunate not to have finished the campaign unbeaten. Roaring Lion won on debut at Newmarket, but was not rushed straight into a scrap for black-type – instead Gosden put the Kitten’s Joy-sired colt into another modest encounter at Kempton. Despite hanging left, he won this 1-mile race with ease and it was clear that Roaring Lion was ready to go hunting some big game. Aidan O’Brien’s Nelson was the odds-on favourite, in the Royal Lodge Stakes, while Mildenberger was another that looked capable of going very close. Again, Roaring Lion hung badly to the left and it very-nearly cost him victory. Nelson was beaten by just a neck, but it was a massive win nonetheless. Verbal Dexterity was expected to be the main challenger to Aidan O’Brien’s Saxon Warrior, in the Racing Post Trophy, but Jim Bolger’s inmate was found wanting in the final furlong and it was Roaring Lion who was left to take the fight to the favourite. He got his nose in front, as the lollipop approached, but hung left again and this time paid the price. Saxon Warrior held a true line and triumphed by a neck. Gosden will have been working his socks off to rid Roaring Lion of his left-hanging trait and will be under no illusions that the colt can win the 2000 Guineas without the problem being addressed. We should see him in the Craven Stakes, in a couple of weeks, the stepping-stone for so many great Guineas champions. “Oisin Murphy was kicking himself after the Racing Post Trophy. He played Roaring Lion for speed and boy did he pick up. Ryan Moore on Saxon Warrior went more gradually through the gears. Roaring Lion might be seen as a Derby horse but he could take in a 2,000 Guineas along the way.” says BHA 2-year-old handicapper Graeme Smith. Can Gosden straighten-out this colt, whose desire to take the scenic route led to him missing out on the Racing Post Trophy by just a whisker? Back Roaring Lion To Win The 2000 Guineas! #3 Expert Eye Age: 3 (Foaled January 31st, 2015), Sex: Bay Colt, Breeding: Acclamation – Exemplify (Dansili), Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute, Owner: K Abdullah Shortly after 3:00pm, on Saturday 14th October, Expert Eye trailed-in last of 9 in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket and screwed-up betting slips rained down on the packed spectators. Sir Michael Stoute’s star colt had been sent-off as a 4/7 favourite, with many believing they were about to watch the 2018 2000 Guineas Champion-in waiting. It was a disaster for connections, with Expert Eye blinking as soon as Andrea Atzeni asked the question a furlong from home. It was only Expert Eye’s 3rd race, following a debut at Newbury that saw him put Charlie Hills Mutakatif firmly in his place. The Acclamation colt then headed for Glorious Goodwood and crushed the field in the Vintage Stakes by almost 5 lengths. Expert Eye went into the stalls alongside the likes of Seahenge, Mildenberger and Charlie Appleby’s Zaman, but the race was over well before the 1f marker and few left the racecourse in any doubts over his ability. Then came his flop at Newmarket, however connections remain hopeful that his Dewhurst performance was just a blip. “We are still looking at the 2000 Guineas. Whether he has a run beforehand or not, it is too early to say yet. I saw him the other day and he is in good shape. Sir Michael is pleased with him and we are hopefully getting back to where we think he should be. I think there were a number of factors behind his run in the Dewhurst. Obviously he seemed to get rather angry in the stalls. Once he started he was not really concentrating in the race, he did far too much and we knew our fate quite a long way out.” said Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe, last week. You can now back Expert Eye to win the 2000 Guineas, at a price that was inconceivable before he ran so disappointingly in the Dewhurst. Was it just a bad day at the office, or will there be more tears the next time he takes to the track? Back Expert Eye To Win The 2000 Guineas! #2 Saxon Warrior (JPN) Age: 3 (Foaled January 26th, 2015), Sex: Bay Colt, Breeding: Deep Impact (JPN) – Maybe (IRE) (Galileo (IRE)), Trainer: A P O’Brien, Owner: Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor Japanese horses don’t usually find Europe a happy hunting-ground, when it comes to Group 1 successes, however most don’t find themselves under the tutorship of the brilliant Aidan O’Brien! He made his debut in a modest encounter at The Curragh, a race in which stablemate Christopher Robin was expected to win fairly comfortably. Those who anticipated a stroll were given a rude awakening, as Christopher Robin metaphorically stepped on every paving-stone crack and finished 7th while Saxon Warrior won with plenty to spare. O’Brien sent him to Naas, for the Beresford Stakes, where both Kew Gardens and Delano Roosevelt were expected to provide him with a real test. The latter of that pair got closest, but it was a cosy win nonetheless. Saxon Warrior crossed the Irish Sea and would attempt to give O’Brien his first Racing Post Trophy since Kingsbarns in 2012. John Gosden’s Roaring Lion announced himself as a serious player in this 1-mile contest and briefly headed Saxon Warrior before hanging left and missing out by just a neck. “Saxon Warrior was a big two-year-old but he’s done very well and has put on plenty of weight. He has become a massive colt, a big monster of a horse. We have our eyes on the Guineas and I just hope we have him ready in time. He’s more likely to have a racecourse gallop than a race before we decide about Newmarket.” O’Brien told reporters, in late March. Back Saxon Warrior To Win The 2000 Guineas! #1 Clemmie (IRE) Age: 3 (Foaled February 14th, 2015), Sex: Bay Filly, Breeding: Galileo (IRE) – Meow (IRE) (Storm Cat (USA)), Trainer: A P O’Brien, Owner: Mr M Tabor, D Smith & Mrs John Magnier The outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2017 hardly got-off to a rip-roaring start. She debuted at The Curragh and finished 3rd behind Gasta and Now You’re Talking, before looking decidedly one-paced when 7th of 20 in the Albany Stakes. Despite this, Aidan O’Brien’s horse was still made favourite for the Group 3 Grangecon Stud Stakes and stayed on well to account for stablemate Butterscotch. Clemmie was then sent to Headquarters and was too good for Mark Johnston’s Nyaleti, in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes. Her big test came in the Cheveley Park Stakes, a contest that also featured Threading, Different League and Roger Varian’s Madeleine. Under Ryan Moore, who has partnered Clemmie on all 5 outings so far, she won going away and while none of her wins have yet been absolutely emphatic she is clearly the 3-year-old filly to beat in 2018. Right now, she heads the market for the 1000 Guineas. “She has wintered well and we’re very happy with her. Obviously she’s not as big physically as Churchill (her full-brother) was, but everything is right with her. She’s fast and I wouldn’t be sure how much further than a mile she’d stay. Obviously she’s a Group 1 winner over six furlongs.” said O’Brien, last month. Back Clemmie To Win The 1000 Guineas! Specials Markets RaceBets leads the field, when it comes to ‘specials markets’ and now is the time to make your season-long wagers. Check-out our, Aidan O’Brien 2018 Specials, our 2018 UK Flat Jockeys Title market and our 2018 Leading First Season Sire odds! The post The Top 10 Flat Racing Horses To Follow In 2018 appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Despite the nascent stage of the Flat season, there have already been 11 freshman sires in Europe represented by runners. Rathasker Stud’s Bungle Inthejungle (GB) has been the quickest out of the gates, with two winners from his eight runners. His counterparts have had just one or two runners each, including two French-based first-season sires, Olympic Glory (Ire) and Sommerabend (GB). There’s a quintet of stallions in France with first-crop runners this year and it seems fair to expect Al Shaqab’s Olympic Glory to play a major part in the freshman championship in Europe. Anecdotally, his yearlings were well liked by breeders and buyers, and he received strong support from the start, covering 167 mares in his first season at Haras de Bouquetot, followed by 119 and 160. His first-year tally made him the busiest new stallion in France in 2015, and behind only Rajsaman (Fr), Le Havre (Ire), Siyouni (Fr), Evasive and the now National Hunt-orientated Rail Link (GB) overall. Olympic Glory’s popularity is hardly surprising. His sire Choisir (Aus) has been a hugely dependable source of precocity and speed since his retirement in 2004, and he has been sadly absent from Coolmore’s northern hemisphere division since the year of Olympic Glory’s retirement. Starspangledbanner (Aus), another son of Choisir, made an eye-catching start to his stud career despite widely publicised fertility issues, and supplied Al Shaqab with his first-crop Group 1-winning son The Wow Signal (Ire), who sadly died last month. Meanwhile, another of Choisir’s top-class juvenile colts, The Last Lion (Ire), retired to Darley after his busy sole season which started with his Brocklesby win and ended with victory in the G1 Middle Park S. Olympic Glory’s own career lasted for a season longer but also started and ended with a win, the first on debut at Goodwood at two, with his swansong coming in the G1 Prix de la Foret. In the interim, the good-looking bay strung together a CV which included the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., G1 Lockinge S., G2 Superlative S., G2 Vintage S., and G3 Greenham S. His immediate family is not heavily imbued with black type but his bottom line traces back to one of the finest broodmares of the post-war era, the Moller brothers’ Violetta III, ancestress in the modern era of top-level winners Sir Percy (GB), Rule Of Law and Montare (Ire). In short, there’s plenty to like about Olympic Glory. Though standing in France, plenty of his first 2-year-olds have made their way into yards in Britain and Ireland, with his former trainer Richard Hannon unsurprisingly having recruited at least five for his stable, while other trainers of his young stock include Mark Johnston, Ger Lyons, Richard Hughes, William Haggas, James Fanshawe, David Barron, Brian Meehan and Karl Burke. In France, Fabrice Chappet, who can usually be relied upon to have plenty of juvenile winners, is listed as having seven Olympic Glory youngsters in his Lamorlaye yard, while Henri-Francois Devin, Jean-Claude Rouget, Francois Rohaut, Pia Brandt, Francis Graffard and Antoine de Watrigant are also on the training roll. Christophe Ferland will train Al Shaqab’s Olympic Glory filly out of the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mizdirection (Mizzen Mast), while Andre Fabre will guide the career of a colt in the same colours, a son of the G2 Windsor Forest S. winner Strawberrydaiquiri (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Last yearling season, a top price of 180,000gns was paid for Al Daiha (GB), a daughter of Alpen Glen (GB) (Halling) and thus a half-sister to the stakes-placed trio of Montalbano (GB), Glade (GB) and Indian Blessing (GB), bred by Jocelyn Targett. In total, Olympic Glory’s 77 yearlings to pass through a sales ring returned an average of 42,240gns or €51,892 (including vendor buy-backs) from an opening fee of €15,000, which was reduced to €12,000 for 2018. One of Olympic Glory’s fellow challengers for leading French freshman honours is Haras du Quesnay’s Anodin (Ire). It would have been nigh on impossible for him to have emulated the extraordinary feats of his illustrious elder sister Goldikova (Ire), but he came within a length of claiming the race she made her own when finishing second to Karakontie in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, and also took runner-up slots to Kingman (GB) in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan, having won the G3 Prix Paul Moussac at three. Anodin followed his sire Anabaa to the Head family’s stud and was another to receive decent support in 2015, when he covered 138 mares. Since then his books have dropped to 107 and 86. Of that first crop, 62 yearlings sold last year for an average of 18,538gns or €22,277 and top price of €150,000 from an initial fee of €7,500. Fewer of his yearlings were sold outside France, but Archie Watson, Karl Burke, John Berry and David Menuisier are among the British trainers with an Anodin 2-year-old, while at home his juveniles are widely spread, including with Jean-Claude Rouget, Eric Libaud, Carlos Laffon-Parias, Christophe Ferland and Didier Guillemin. Father afield, young Spanish trainer Patrick Olave Valdivelso, who spent several seasons assisting Francois Rohaut, is training the colt Dom Alvaro (Spa) in Madrid. Anodin’s former trainer Freddy Head has been assigned a Wertheimer-bred half-brother to listed winner Enlighted (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), named Anecdotic, among the four by the stallion in his stable. Sommerabend (GB) was a typically durable graduate of the elite German breeding establishment Gestut Schlenderhan, remaining in training until the age of seven and winning nine of 29 starts. His seven stakes victories included the G2 Europa Meile and G2 Prix du Muguet, also over a mile. The son of Shamardal out of the listed-winning Monsun (Ger) mare Sommernacht (Ger) retired to Larissa Kneip’s Haras de Saint Arnoult for €3,500—a fee which has dropped to €2,500 for this year—and covered 68 mares in his first year, followed by 64 and 50 in the ensuing seasons. He had his first runner, Storm Katy (Fr), who is owned and trained by Kneip, at Chantilly on Tuesday, but we can expect to see more from his offspring as they mature. Only 22 Sommerabend yearlings came onto the market last year, selling for an average of 8,782gns or €10,556, with Tina Rau paying the top price of €45,000 for a half-brother to the multiple graded stakes winner Itsinthepost (Fr) (American Post {GB}) at Arqana’s October Sale. Another admirable campaigner to have raced until he was seven is Joshua Tree (Ire), a son of Montjeu (Ire) who was sharp enough to win the G2 Royal Lodge S. at two for Aidan O’Brien and then pulled off the perhaps unique feat of winning the same Grade 1 contest, Woodbine’s Canadian International, three times for three different trainers—O’Brien, Marco Botti and Ed Dunlop. He also finished second in the 2011 Canadian International to the John Hammond-trained Sarah Lynx (Ire), sparking a Montjeu quinella. Sons of Montjeu are feted in the National Hunt world and Joshua Tree will doubtless pick up plenty of AQPS mares. Indeed, his book sizes at Haras du Grand Courgeon, where he started at a fee of €2,500, have taken an upward curve, starting with 47 in 2015, then rising to 111 and 131. Three members of his first crop are in training with Henri-Alex Pantall, including Moudir (Fr), a son of the listed winner Mayyadah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who is owned by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani. Dubawi’s globetrotting G1 Deutsches Derby winner Waldpark (Ger), whose half-sister Waldmark (Ger) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) is the dam of G1 St Leger winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), returned to Europe after a stint in Australia with Anthony Freedman. Taking up stud duties at Haras du Thenney, he started out for a fee of €3,000 and covered a book of 51 mares in his debut season. His level of patronage rose to 76 and 75 in 2016 and 2017. Marc Pimbonnet sent out Waldpark’s first runner, Lady Arkadina (Fr), to finish third at Lyon Parilly on Thursday, but, like Sommerabend, we can expect to see more from his runners later in the season. View the full article

HAPPY Clapper’s proven record at Group 1 level has former trainer Peter Moody convinced he has the engine to outgun his rivals in the $3 million Doncaster Mile on Day One of The Championships. View the full article

For close to two years now, Pakistan Star has been more sideshow than racehorse but trainer Tony Cruz believes the one-time prodigy turned problem child’s rehabilitation is now complete. “He has a racing mind now, not like before, he was thinking too much,” Cruz said. “He has the correct mindset and I think it will show.” Pakistan Star’s two runs since dramatically stopping in a race last June and again in an October trial have been sound but it is the five-... View the full article

Marsh finally gets Lucky View the full article

Target right on the money again View the full article

Giant's win a first small Step for Tivic and Baertschiger View the full article

Young's consistent galloper finally gets his Crowning moment View the full article

Horses' body weights April 6 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings April 6 View the full article

Early scratchings April 6 View the full article

Patricia Generazio's homebred Disco Partner returns to turf sprinting in the $200,000 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland April 7. View the full article

After a soft-tissue injury sent her to the sideline during the summer of 2017, Nick Alexander's homebred six-time stakes winner Enola Gray will make her return to racing April 7 in the $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Graded stakes winner Quip will scratch from the April 7 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and will instead head to Oaklawn Park for a start in the Arkansas Derby (G1) April 14, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. View the full article

ALMOST 60,000 bets have been placed on champion mare Winx in Saturday’s Cox Plate, but only nine punters jumped in at her most lucrative price in the minutes after she romped to victory in last year’s race. View the full article

RACE CALLER Matthew Hill will have prepared the perfect line. It’s the only thing surer than Winx joining Kingston Town by winning a third Cox Plate on Saturday. View the full article

TRAINER Chris Waller has ominously declared Winx to be at the peak of her form and fitness as she prepares for her Cox Plate three-peat at Moonee Valley on Saturday. View the full article