Juddmonte
Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby had been teed up as a match between Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Mirabilis, by Lear Fan) and Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), but in the ultimate assessment it was really a matter of no contest as Ralph Beckett's powerhouse colt overwhelmed all assembled for the Curragh Classic. Always travelling in a beautiful rhythm for Colin Keane granted a perfect lead by French Claim (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}), the 11-8 joint-favourite took control at the top of the straight and had already stretched into an unassailable...
Following a quiet few days in the aftermath of Ascot and Chantilly, things get moving again on Saturday with The Curragh staging one of the most interesting renewals of the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for some time. A race that has from time to time in recent years been under the shadow of the European Pattern Committee's guillotine has pulled a trick out of the hat this year to ensure it keeps its exalted status for the immediate future at least. Aidan O'Brien has come to tick off...
Overnight contenders for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish were reduced by half, leaving eight declared for the Curragh's €1,000,000 12-furlong Classic. Aidan O'Brien took the most drastic measures and reduced his team of six to just one with G1 Cazoo Oaks heroine Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set to depart from stall one in her bid to become the first filly to prevail since Balanchine (Storm Bird) in 1994. Her chief rival, Juddmonte's G1 Cazoo Derby third Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), has drawn stall five.
Colin Keane will replace Rob Hornby aboard the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby favourite Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the Curragh on Saturday. Westover endured a luckless run under Hornby to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom and connections have explained that Keane's experience of riding at the Curragh swung the vote in his favour ahead of Saturday. The three-time Irish Champion Jockey has already tasted Classic success in the Juddmonte silks, courtesy of 2020 Irish Guineas winner Siskin, who was trained...
Juddmonte homebred Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) justified 1-5 favoritism with a decisive score in Belmont's GIII Poker S. Saturday. Away alertly from the one hole, the bay was wrangled back into second by Flavien Prat, allowing Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) a clear lead through opening splits of :24.05 and :48.26. Ranging up alongside the pacesetter turning for home, Masen took control and extended clear for a one-length score. Wolfie's Dynaghost held second over Masen's stablemate Public Sector (GB) (Kingman {GB}). "He [Masen] ran back just inside a month, which is a...
There is something about the straight track at Ascot that seems to bring out the best in Charlie Appleby's runners and Saturday's G3 Jersey S. had a familiar feel as last year's winning team again prevailed with Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}). Talented at two, the Listed Flying Scotsman S. winner and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up had threatened to head south mentally but a gelding operation after his latest six-length success in Newmarket's Listed King Charles II S. over this seven-furlong trip Apr. 29 put him on the right...
Lesser mortals than Frankie Dettori would had been in danger of imploding with his June hex, so it was with a large measure of relief that Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) timed her dramatic reintroduction perfectly for Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot. It is clear after this emphatic display that her absence from the 1000 Guineas was a big miss, but the Gosdens were right to wait out the cold Spring and choose an English summer's afternoon that was as glorious as is as gets to...
Juddmonte's Artorius (c, 3, Arrogate--Paulassilverlining, by Ghostzapper) backed up his highly impressive runner-up effort on his six-furlong debut behind 'TDN Rising Star' Under Oath (Speightstown) at Keeneland Apr. 16 with a similarly promising performance when stretched to a mile Friday at Belmont. His deceptively easy 3/4-length success over big-figure maiden Gasoline (Curlin x Yellow Agate) earns him the 'Rising Star' designation. With the vanguard early, the dark bay eased back to sit third and on the fence behind a sharp opening quarter-mile in :22.98. Shuffled back one position to sit...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency JUDDMONTE BLUEBLOOD HOPES SECOND TIME'S A CHARM 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 12:50 p.m. Blueblooded Juddmonte homebred ARTORIUS (Arrogate) ran a huge race on debut at Keeneland Apr. 16, producing an eye-catching rally from well back to be second behind a 'TDN Rising Star' performance from Under Oath (Speightstown). The son of MGISW Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper), who was recently profiled in Steve Sherack's "Second Chances" column, gets that second chance Friday in the Belmont opener. He faces a pair of well-related colts also making their second...
Juddmonte's Flag Flying (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}--Gavota {GB}, by Bated Breath {GB}) oozed class in Sunday's British European Breeders Fund EBF Novice S. at Goodwood and earned TDN Rising Star status with an impressive debut display in the six-furlong heat. The 6-4 favourite was the slowest of five into stride and trailed all four rivals through the early stages. Making eyecatching headway into contention after halfway, he clicked through the gears to challenge Al Khazneh (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) entering the final furlong and powered clear under mild coaxing in...
In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After blitzing home to finish a strong second on debut at Keeneland, Juddmonte homebred Artorius (c, 3, Arrogate--Paulassilverlining, by Ghostzapper) could make his next start during the upcoming GI Belmont S. Racing Festival. "That was maybe a bit short for him and there's a race on June 10th going a one-turn mile at Belmont," Juddmonte USA General Manager Garrett O'Rourke said. "Everything is going well with the colt....
Pam Sly has brought the curtain down on the career of Eileendover (GB) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), who she described as being an "unlikely superstar," with the mare set to be covered by Juddmonte's Bated Breath (GB) after picking up an injury in training. A granddaughter of Speciosa (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who stormed to 1000 Guineas glory for Sly in 2006, Eileendover made the transition from being a classy bumper mare to competing in listed races on the Flat. She won four times, including a listed bumper at Market Rasen,...