Observations: April 19, 2018

[Wandering Eyes]

12.40, ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €25,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT
ALMUSHREF (Smart Strike) is Shadwell’s $525,000 KEESEP purchase whose dam is a half to the top-class duo Music Note (A. P. Indy) and Musical Chimes (In Excess I {Ire}). Freddy Head introduces him against seven rivals including Prince Faisal’s Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), an Andre Fabre-trained descendant of Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}) who was responsible for the sire himself.

2.20 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €25,000, 3yo, f, 8fT
ZARKAMIYA (FR) (Frankel {GB}) is the sixth foal out of His Highness The Aga Khan’s epic performer Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) who begins her career with the mastermind Alain de Royer-Dupre. A half-sister to the stable’s G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner and G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), she meets 11 peers including Haras De Saint Pair’s Andre Fabre-trained homebred Glad Eye (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), a daughter of the dual Classic-placed Glorious Sight (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}) who cost €1.7million at the Arqana Arc Sale in 2011.

2.25 Newmarket, Debutantes, £15,000, 3yo, 8fT
MILITARY BAND (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) is a significant newcomer in this long-established “Wood Ditton” as a half-brother to last year’s G1 Champion S.-winning sensation Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Saeed bin Suroor has charge of Godolphin’s acquisition, whose 18 rivals include another notably-connected colt in Surya (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Lady Bamford’s homebred son of her G1 English and Irish Oaks heroine Sariska (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

4.45 Newmarket, Cond, £10,000, 3yo, 10fT
ELECTOR (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a live Derby contender for The Queen until proven otherwise, having won a flag-started Ascot novice contest on his sole start in September. Out of the dual listed winner Enticement (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), the Sir Michael Stoute-trained homebred faces an intriguing cast which features the unraced Loveisili (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a Roger Varian-trained relative of Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) who cost Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum 650,000gns at Tattersalls October.

5.20 Newmarket, Cond, £10,000, 3yo, 10fT
HOWMAN (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is another Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-Roger Varian project, this time a 450,000gns TATOCT half-brother to the high-class Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) connected to Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He faces some winners including Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Kempton novice scorer Occupy (Declaration Of War), a relative of Telescope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) from the Ralph Beckett yard.

8:45 Newcastle, Cond, £5,800, 3yo/up, 7f 14y (AWT)
EMARAATY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is Shadwell’s 2.6million-gns TATOCT graduate and TDN Rising Star who has some recovering to do having done too much when eighth in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in October. John Gosden has avoided the Classic trials with the half-brother to the stable’s former leading lights Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and that could pay dividends later.

View the full article