Bated Breath's Beckford Takes the Railway

Gordon Elliott has been making waves in the national hunt sphere in recent times and with his attentions temporarily turned to the flat he may have a valid Classic contender on his hands after Beckford upset the major stables here. Purchased recently by Newtown Anner Stud Farm, the bay who who had won a course-and-distance maiden on debut May 13 raced just off the early pace under Declan McDonogh. Sent to the front with over a furlong remaining, the bay stayed on to beat TDN Rising Star Verbal Dexterity, with Ballydoyle's Murillo sticking on without seriously threatening.

The winning trainer was keeping his feet firmly on the ground afterwards. “Number one, I'm a national hunt trainer, but during the summer this keeps the staff and fills a gap,” he said. “It's a bit of fun and although of course it is a business, national hunt is what I'm doing and I'm not going to get ahead of myself and be excited. We'll do it again next year, but it's not something I'm going to be doing full-time. If I had half a dozen nice ones for the flat, that's all I want, but jumping is the game and that's all I want to do.” Beckford is set for a tilt at the G1 Phoenix S. back over the same track and trip Aug. 13. “We thought he'd improved a good bit from the last day. I haven't got enough of them to know, but we liked what we were seeing,” Elliott added. “We thought he was working well, but we haven't got anything to work him with. He was probably in front plenty soon enough, but he's tough and he stays. I'm delighted for everyone that he's won, especially the new owners. It's the first horse I've had for them and Maurice Regan's father and mother are here today–it's the first time I've met them. When you win you are always good, but in fairness Declan is a big part of all these two-year-olds, where we work and what we do, so I'm delighted for him. The Phoenix Stakes is where he'll go now, all being well.”

Beckford's prospects of staying a mile and being a factor in the Guineas are helped not only by the manner of this performance but also by his pedigree. Despite his sire being a speed merchant, it is early days to pigeon-hole Bated Breath who is a half-brother to Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and Scuffle (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) who stayed 10 furlongs. Beckford's second dam was a multiple winner who got 11 furlongs well and was third in the Listed Harvest S. over slightly further. She is the dam of the G3 Prestige S. and G3 Thoroughbred S. winner Malabar (GB) (Raven's Pass) and also this year's G3 Huxley S. runner-up Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) who is a true middle-distance performer still in line for a tilt at Saturday's G1 Eclipse S. The third dam, Inchyre, is a half-sister to the accomplished seven-furlong specialist and miler Inchinor (GB) whose black-type-earning progeny all stayed at least a mile and a half with Ursa Major (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) winning the G3 Irish St Leger Trial S. over 14 furlongs. Also from the family of the GI E. P. Taylor S.-winning champion grass mare Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the G3 Give Thanks S. and G3 Noblesse S. winner and G1 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Venus de Milo (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the dam has a yearling filly by Mukhadram (GB).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
GAIN RAILWAY S.-G2, €115,000, CUR, 7-1, 2yo, 6fT, 1:11.71, g/y.
1–#@BECKFORD (GB), 129, c, 2, by Bated Breath (GB)">Bated Breath (GB)
1st Dam: Whirly Dancer (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Whirly Bird (GB), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Inchyre (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
(58,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA; €55,000 Ylg '16 GOFORB). O-Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd; B-Joyce Wallsgrove (GB); T-Gordon Elliott; J-Declan McDonogh. €67,850. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $94,340. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Verbal Dexterity (Ire), 129, c, 2, Vocalised#tot">Vocalised–Lonrach (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B-Jim Bolger & John Corcoran (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €23,000.
3–Murillo, 129, c, 2, Scat Daddy–Mostaqeleh, by Rahy. ($500,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Lynch Bages Ltd (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. €11,500.[bullet ad=”lanni-hillndale-purchased”][bullet ad=”eaton-sold”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]Margins: 1, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 5.50, 3.30, 1.50.
Also Ran: De Bruyne Horse (GB), Folk Tale (Ire), True Blue Moon (Ire), Commander Grigio (Ire), Devastating Power (Ire). Scratched: Rostropovich (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.