The Weekly Wrap

The hopes of seeing the Derby winner go on to confirm himself as a top-class horse at three and beyond were dealt a double blow over the weekend when Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) was first narrowly beaten by his stablemate Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Irish Derby and then retired from racing after sustaining a career-ending injury.

The fact that he fractured his sesamoid in running a huge race which saw him finish so close to horses who started at significantly shorter prices than he did at Epsom hints that Wings Of Eagles had plenty of heart to go with his imposing good looks. However, the sharp-tongued curmudgeons of Twitter have already consigned the Classic winner to the National Hunt ranks, pointing to the fact that his own Derby-winning sire Pour Moi–who was also the sire of Saturday's Listed sprint winner Only Mine (Ire)–was last year moved from Coolmore's Flat division to Grange Stud.

There's no doubt that the jumps brigade has long had a fondness for sons of Montjeu (Ire), with the recently deceased Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory (GB) and Derby runner-up Walk In The Park (Ire) among those to have received serious support in recent years, but let's give his grandson Wings Of Eagles a chance first. If there's no room for another Derby winner in Tipperary alongside Galileo (Ire), Camelot (GB), Australia (GB) and Ruler Of The World (Ire), how about standing this year's winner in France, where the local stallion industry is once again booming and which recently lost Walk In The Park to Ireland? In fact, why not stand Wings Of Eagles at the place of his birth, Haras de Montaigu, which has a long-running tradition as a good stallion farm? Just a thought.

Shirocco Still Blowing Hot On The Flat
Another stallion to make a similar move from the flat to the jumps ranks was Shirocco (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), whose Group 1 wins included the Deutsches Derby, Coronation Cup and Breeders' Cup Turf and enticed Darley to buy him from his breeder Baron Georg von Ullmann of Gestut Schlenderhan.

The 16-year-old has covered bumper books since being moved to Ireland's Glenview Stud in 2014, predominantly on the strength of his outstanding daughter, the champion hurdler Annie Power (Ire). However, members of Shirocco's final few crops conceived at Dalham Hall Stud gave him something of a last hurrah on the Flat on Sunday when Windstoss (Ger) emulated his sire by taking the G1 Deutsches Derby several hours before Tuvalu (GB) won the Gran Premio de Madrid, one of only three remaining black-type races in Spain.

Windstoss, who is inbred 3×3 to the German Triple Crown winner Konigsstuhl (Ger), is the third Derby winner for his owner-breeder Gestut Rottgen, the Cologne-based stud which employs Markus Klug as trainer. The continuing importance of the German Derby to the local breeding industry should not be underestimated. At Rottgen, it is symbolised by a solitary picture hanging in the palatial indoor ride used by Klug's horses. The framed print shows the stud's first winner of the race in 1932, Palastpage (Ger).

Beckford A Boon For Small Breeder
When Newmarket Racecourses' stable manager Joyce Wallsgrove is on duty her attention is usually fully focused on the action on the Rowley Mile or July Course. But the breeder could have been forgiven for allowing her mind to wander to the Curragh on Saturday where Beckford (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), whom she bred from her mare Whirly Dancer (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), enhanced his unbeaten record by winning the G2 Railway S. Not only did the 2-year-old colt put down an important marker as the first Group winner for his sire and for National Hunt trainer Gordon Elliott, but it was also the first black-type victory for his breeder, who keeps two mares at Brook Stud, just outside Newmarket.

A dual winner for Henry Cecil, Whirly Dancer was bought by Wallsgrove from the Tattersalls February Sale of 2012 for 9,500gns. Even before Beckford started racing, she was looking incredibly well bought. The pedigree of the great grand-daughter of Inchmurrin (GB) (Lomond) has enjoyed numerous updates during the last five years, including two Group 3 victories for her half-sister Malabar (GB) (Raven's Pass), who was also fourth in the G1 1,000 Guineas, and three victories and a runner-up finish in this year's G3 Huxley S. for half-brother Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}). Furthermore, G3 Irish St Leger Trial winner Ursa Major (Ire) (Galileo {GB}) is a half-brother to Whirly Dancer's dam Whirly Bird (GB) (Nashwan), while last year's G1 St Leger winner Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Ire}) is a son of Inchmurrin's grand-daughter Abunai (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

“I didn't think I'd be able to afford to buy her so I really just went along to see what she'd make,” said Wallsgrove. “I set my limit at 10,000gns so when she was knocked down I was on my last bid. She's the most lovely mare. She's very hardy and she seems to put that into her stock–her foals are always very bold.”

Both Whirly Dancer's offspring of racing age have now won at two, with Beckford's half-brother Lagenda (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}) having struck for Kevin Ryan in a Wetherby maiden on his third start. The brothers were both sold as foals at Tattersalls, as was their half-sister, a first-crop daughter of Mukhadram (GB), who will be returning to the sales ring next month at the DBS Premier Yearling Sale. Whirly Dancer currently has a filly foal at foot by Poet's Voice.

Wallsgrove adds, “I had one mare a long time ago and that didn't really work out too well–I listened to advice from too many different people. After I moved to Newmarket I thought I'd like to get back into breeding and this time I decided to do it my own way. Whirly was my only mare but I've since bought a second, Miaplacidus (Ire) (Shamardal).”

Properly steeped in the business of racing and breeding, Wallsgrove moved to Newmarket to take up her position with the racecourse in 2005 after spending 18 years working for Barry Hills. During her time with the trainer, she looked after the famously difficult but talented stayer Moonax (Ire) (Caerleon), whose list of misdemeanours included attempting to bite his rival Always Earnest (Alleged) in the closing stages of the G1 Prix du Cadran and breaking the arm of one of the Queen's bodyguards in the Ascot parade ring.

Wallsgrove is surprisingly phlegmatic in her recollections of the former European champion stayer, saying, “He had his moments and he hurt me a few times–he once lifted me up by my arm–but he'd generally warn you when he was in that mood and you knew to give him his space. He could also have quite a soft side when he was at home but he used to get very fired up at the races.”

With Beckford now potentially on course for the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. in August, Wallsgrove's big hope is that he may make it to her stables later in the autumn for the Dubai Future Champions' Day at Newmarket.

“That would be really special, “she says. “We were racing on Saturday so I was working at the stables and watched the race in the canteen. I just started screaming like a banshee and I still can't really take it in.”

Pick Of The Bunch
Whether or not he stands his ground for his next public engagement remains to be seen but Koropick (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who became a first Group winner for Jospehine Gordon in Saturday's G3 Chipchase S., is catalogued as lot 471 for the Tattersalls July Sale, which starts a week tomorrow.

The 3-year-old provided yet more cause for cheer for Con Marnane of Bansha House Stables, who lost money when selling him for 40,000gns to Rob Speers at last year's Craven Breeze-up Sale but still came out on top by being able to add another stakes winner to his consignment's roll of honour.

The Marnane hot streak continued at Maisons-Laffitte on Monday. Aiming For Rio (Fr), who was bought privately from breeder Haras du Logis as a foal for €14,000 and subsequently sold for an undisclosed sum to Godolphin after two successful runs in Theresa Marnane's colours, won her second consecutive Listed race when taking the Prix Amandine. As a youngster the filly doubtless appealed to Marnane because she is a daughter of his most famous breeze-up graduate, Godolphin's multiple Group 1 winner Rio De La Plata (Rahy), who is now resident at Julian Ince's Haras du Logis.