Calyx (GB)

June 9, 2018 - Newmarket, Race 1, Alw, GBP £8,000, 6.0F

1st Dam: Helleborine (GB)
2st Dam: New Orchid
2st Dam: Musicanti

Owner: Khalid Abdullah
Breeder: Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB)
Trainer: John Gosden

Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) sported a pacifying rug for stalls entry, but nonetheless enjoyed solid favouritism in this Newmarket unveiling. Catching the eye on the front end throughout, the Juddmonte homebred unleashed a closing burst to fully justify that faith and earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status in emphatic style. The 5-2 pick broke alertly and stalked the pace in a handy third through the early fractions. Under a firm grip until looming large hard on the steel at the quarter-mile marker, he quickened to the fore approaching the final furlong and powered clear on the climb to the line to easily account for prior winner Octave (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) by an impressive five lengths, becoming the first winner for his freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

“He was a little nervy in the stalls and a bit green early, but he did it very well in the end,” said winning trainer John Gosden. “He’s a nice horse with a lot of quality and we’ll see how he is over the next week or so before deciding how to play it. I trained the sire to win his maiden on debut here and I also trained the damsire, so I’m familiar with both sides of the family!”

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner/breeder Khalid Abdullah, told the TDN the exciting colt could target the G2 July S. over six furlongs on the July course on July 12 or the G2 Superlative S. over a furlong more two days later.

“It’s really nice for a stallion to get rolling and it’s even better that it’s a homebred,” Grimthorpe said. “He’ll probably have a couple options depending on how he comes out of the race. We think something like the July S. over six or the Superlative over seven at the July meeting on the same course at Newmarket. I would think they’d be the more obvious options.”

“Having talked to [jockey] Rab [Havlin] and John [Gosden] after the race, we’ll see how he comes out of it and see how he progresses from there,” Grimthorpe added. “It’s his first race, so the first thing is he has to get over that well and get back into a good rhythm.”

Grimthorpe said there will be plenty of Kingmans to come in the Juddmonte colours, with Prince Khalid having given his 2014 Cartier Horse of the Year plenty of support at stud.

“Prince Khalid supports his stallions and we’ve got them with a variety of trainers,” he said. “Certainly in the next few weeks I’d hope there will be a few more coming up. In terms of the Kingmans they’re well represented among our trainers.”

The winner’s dam, the G3 Prix d’Aumale victress and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac second Helleborine (GB) (Observatory), is a full-sister to the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose (GB), who in turn produced G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Fair Eva (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Fair Eva, another Juddmonte homebred, was the first group winner for Kingman’s Banstead Manor studmate and fellow Horse of the Year Frankel (GB). Calyx’s granddam, the G3 Lancashire Oaks third New Orchid (Quest For Fame {GB}), is a half-sister to another speedy 2-year-old, the G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire Distant Music (Distant View). Helleborine has a colt foal by Muhaarar (GB).

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