Cliffs of Moher | Racing Post

By Sean Cronin

Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was afflicted by stage fright when a staying-on fifth in his Oct. 15 Cork debut and gained a ‘TDN Rising Star’ tag when blistering to an impressive 5 1/2-length maiden success going seven furlongs at Leopardstown two weeks later, hitting the wire .72 seconds quicker than subsequent G2 Sandown Mile victor Sovereign Debt (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) did in the same card’s Listed Knockaire S. for older horses. Hammered into favouritism for this eagerly awaited sophomore return, a well-regarded Epsom Derby Trial, he justified odds-on support with an ultimately comfortable first black-type triumph in his first try at this trip.

The bay was trapped wide initially, breaking from an outer gate, and found a smooth slot stalking the pace in second after passing the judge first time. Coming under pressure as leader Max Zorin (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) held firm on the front end inside the last half mile, he was driven along to challenge approaching the final eighth and, warming to his task late on, ran on strongly to safely hold the running-on Bay of Poets (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for a career high. “He came out a bit slow and raced sleepy the whole way, but he was always just having a look,” explained rider Ryan Moore. “It’s loose ground and not ideal for him, it’s his first run and he was a little bit rusty, but we’re very happy with him.” Coolmore’s Paul Smith added, “Aidan [O’Brien] told us he was just ready to start and that he’d come on a lot for the run. Ryan [Moore] thought that too and he’s very happy with him.

He’ll have learnt a lot coming here, he was learning his trade as he was going along and he’ll improve a lot.” Teddy Grimthorpe was satisfied with the performance of Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who caught the eye with a late flourish to finish fourth, and said, “He didn’t quite get the run of the race. He was tucked in behind horses and every time he tried to get somewhere he couldn’t. He’s a long-striding horse, who needs to stretch, and he just didn’t get that opportunity. When he did get a bit of space, he galloped on and galloped out really well. It was a good learning curve for him.”

HOMESERVE DEE S.-Listed, £75,000, CHE, 5-12, 3yo, c/g, 10f 70yT, 2:10.85, gd.

1–#CLIFFS OF MOHER (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)

1st Dam: Wave (Ire), by Dansili (GB)

2nd Dam: Queen Cleopatra (Ire), by Kingmambo

3rd Dam: Sequoyah (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells

O-Susan Magnier; B-Wave Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $66,158.

2–Bay of Poets (Ire), 126, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Bristol Bay (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (€190,000 Wlg ’14 GOFNOV; 400,000gns Ylg ’15 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Ammerland Verwaltung GmbH & Co KG (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £16,125.

3–Max Zorin (Ire), 126, g, 3, Cape Cross (Ire)–My (GB), by King’s Best. (€21,000 Wlg ’14 GOFNOV; 37,000gns RNA Ylg ’15 TAOCT). O-Chelsea Thoroughbreds – Pegasus; B-Tinnakill, M Sadlier & A Byrne (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £8,070.

Margins: 1HF, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.80, 5.00, 25.00.

Also Ran: Mirage Dancer (GB), Al Hamdany (Ire), Star of Rory (Ire), Fujaira Bridge (Ire), Majeste (GB). Scratched: Apex King (Ire).

Cliffs of Moher is the sole racing representative and first stakes scorer out of a winning daughter of GSW G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Prix de Diane third Queen Cleopatra (Ire) (Kingmambo), herself a full-sister to MG1SW sire Henrythenavigator. His third dam is G1 Moyglare Stud S. victress Sequoyah (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who is a full-sister to G1 Fillies’ Mile-winning highweight Listen (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who in turn is the dam of GSW G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup third Touching Speed (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Cliffs of Moher is full to a 2-year-old filly, named A Long Time Ago (Ire), and a yearling colt. 

Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Millionaire For Street Sense at Arqana

 

A son of Street Sense set the standard early during Arqana’s Breeze-Up Sale on Friday when selling to Kerri Radcliffe for €1.4-million. Lot 35, consigned by Mocklershill, was a $15,000 Keeneland September yearling, and is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to dual Grade I winner Alpha (Bernardini).

fonte : TDN

 

VENERDÌ 12 MAGGIO 2017. #Chester, day 2: Tripletta di Aidan O’Brien nel Chester Vase, vince Venice Beach! Nelle Huxley è il turno di Deauville

 

Foto di Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

 

Sono sbocciati definitivamente, come bei tulipani al sole. I cavalli provenienti da Ballydoyle hanno portato a casa un’altra giornata produttiva vincendo le Huxley Stakes ma soprattutto realizzando un 1-2-3 nel Chester Vase G3 come trial per il Derby, senza dimenticare il double per Ryan Moore. A vincere è stato  Venice Beach (Galileo) che dopo una corsa molto frenetica, come spesso accade al Roodee quando si sta per entrare in dirittura, ha battuto Wings Of Eagles (Pour Moi) di una lunghezza e mezza e The Anvil (Galileo) terzo, ad un muso dal secondo. Per Aidan O’Brien, all’8° vittoria nel Chester Vase, Venice Beach è un cavallo forte ma ancora un pochino pigro che certamente si sarà adesso “svegliato”. La decisione ci sarà nei prossimi giorni, ma il Derby è la destinazione più probabile, con risultato che potrebbe anche capovolgersi perchè le forme stanno progredendo proprio in questi giorni e non è facile prevedere subito tutto del plotone schierato dal Coolmore. Venice Beach ha seguito The Anvil con in sella Donnacha O’Brien e poco dopo in retta se n’è disfatto passando limpido ma non staccando nettamente dal compagno. Terzo Wings dall’esterno e poi quarto Tamleek (Hard Spun) dall’interno. Venice è di proprietà del Coolmore ed in parte anche dei Niarchos. Si tratta di un fratellastro della campionessa Danedream (Lomitas), vincitrice di 5 G1 e piazzata nel Derby Italiano, tramite la mamma Danedrop (Danehill). Questa per lui era la quarta uscita in stagione dopo il secondo in una maiden a Leopardstown a 2 anni, un terzo al rientro e poi la vittoria in maiden a Tipperary sul miglio e mezzo. 
Da segnalare che sesto è giunto Cunco (Frankel), quello che era in procinto di venire a Capannelle ma ha preferito provare la strada di Chester confermando quelli che sono i suoi limiti di cavallo generoso ma fisicamente non certamente un adone. Dopo averci provato, è rimasto sul passo nella fase finale calando anzi qualcosina. Comunque, allo stato attuale delle corse l’antepost del Derby vede ancora favorito Churchill tra il 3/1 ed il 4/1, poi Cliffs Of Moher ancora per il Coolmore, poi Cracksman e gli altri. Venice Beach è a 12/1, The Anvil è a 40/1. 

 

IL VIDEO DEL CHESTER VASE QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.

 

In programma c’erano anche le The Huxley Stakes G3, vinte come era possibilissimo prevedere da Deauville (Galileo) con in sella Ryan Moore il quale era alla prima vittoria nel May Festival di Chester al 2° giorno di questa stagione. Il figlio di Galileo, che aveva già corso bene al rientro nelle Gordon Richards Stakes, a Chester ha un enorme vantaggio tattico correndo in avanti. Alla fine ha resistito al finale di Poet’s Word (Poet’s Voice), con Folkswood (Exceed And Excel) al terzo. Deauville ha iscrizioni alla Tattersalls Gold Cup e alla Coronation Cup G1 di Epsom. Padre Aidan ne ha parlato come di un cavallo duttile che può fare tutto, dunque è inserito in tutte le corse buone sul miglio e mezzo e dintorni. Forse è il nuovo Highland Reel..

 

IL VIDEO DELLE HUXLEY STAKES.

Da segnalare che in apertura di pomeriggio ha vinto un handicap Khairaat (Shamardal), alla terza affermazione consecutiva per Shadwell ed il training di Sir Michael Stoute. Occhio, che sta scalando le categorie ed è interessantissimo…IL VIDEO QUI.

 

PUBBLICATO DA GABRIELE CANDI A VENERDÌ, MAGGIO 12, 2017

 

Bookies left divided over Cliffs of Moher’s Epsom chance

Cliffs Of Moher (centre) beats Bay Of Poets and (left) and Max Zorin in the Dee Stakes,    

Edward Whitaker

 

By David Carr, MAY 12 2017

 

When the experts can’t agree about what a result means, what chance have the rest of us got?

Racing may be all about opinions but bookmakers have to back theirs with hard cash. Getting things wrong can be very expensive and bitter experience teaches them to be better than most at judging whether the latest hotpot is actually a cold turkey – and they usually tend to be of like mind.

But anyone assessing the Dee Stakes solely through its impact on the ante-post Derby market can be forgiven for scratching their heads in confusion.  

Some firms took the view that there is an awful lot more to come from the highly-touted Cliffs Of Moher, that the winner had scored with ultimate authority, would improve considerably for his first run of the year and that he had to be cut in price for the Derby as a result.

Yet others felt the latest Ballydoyle wonder still has plenty to prove after a “workmanlike” success at 4-5 under Ryan Moore and reckoned that his chance of success at Epsom was no greater at 3pm than it had been at 2pm.

 

Ryan Moore on his way to victory on board Cliffs Of Moher

Edward Whitaker

Paddy Power left the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt unchanged at 6-1 and spokesman Paul Binfield said: “His performance wasn’t quite as impressive as his supporters would have hoped for. The initial 6-1 was factoring in the fact that he might come and win this well.

“You can’t crab him too much as it was first time out for the season but we’d like to have seen a little more zip and sparkle to have made us take the scissors to his price.”

Coral also stuck with 6-1, in a market headed by 2,000 Guineas-winning stablemate Churchill, and spokesman David Stevens said: “The vibes had been strong around Cliffs Of Moher all spring and that had been reflected in his price contracting in recent weeks.

“His performance in the Dee Stakes was solid rather than spectacular and with Lingfield and York to come as well as a decision on Churchill and Epsom, we were happy to leave him unchanged.”

But Boylesports were moved to make Cliffs Of Moher 4-1 favourite from 6-1 and spokesman Leon Blanche said: “He had been backed for the Derby before the race today and it looked as though Ryan gave him a good education, It was only the third run of his life and I’d say there will be massive improvement to come.”

Sky Bet (5-1 from 7-1) agreed and Michael Shinners said: “With questions marks about the participation of Churchill and nothing really stamping their authority on the Derby picture we have decided to keep on the right side of him.

“Cliffs Of Moher looks a definite runner and judged on that performance there are no doubts about his ability to stay the Derby trip.”

A lot more to come

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, those closest to Cliffs Of Moher were more in the second camp than the first and were inclined to take a positive view of the colt’s length-and-a-half defeat of Bay Of Poets.

Coolmore UK representative Kevin Buckley said: “He’s going to come on an awful lot for that. He hasn’t run since October so that was a big step up for him. He was slow out of the stalls and Ryan had to work on him round the track. He learned a lot. He has finished off his race nicely and Ryan is happy, he said he will improve a ton.

“We’re going to see what happens at Lingfield tomorrow, we’re going to run Sir John Lavery, and we’ll probably have something at York as well. But it’s highly likely that he will be Epsom-bound on that performance.”

It’s to be hoped that Sir John Lavery’s effort in the Lingfield Derby Trial is rather more conclusive, if only for the blood pressure of those poor odds-compilers.

fonte : RacingPost

 

A Day in the Life of Always Dreaming’s Dam

An inside look at a day in the life of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming’s dam, Above Perfection, at Dromoland Farm. 

Gerry Dilger’s Dromoland Farm, home of Always Dreaming’s dam Above Perfection.

 

 
Above Perfection walking on a farm lane.

Always Dreaming was bred in the name of Santa Rosa Partners for Dilger and Mike Ryan. Neither attended the Derby and met up for the first time after the win May 8 at Dromoland. “It’s fantastic for this to happen, especially with Mike,” said Dilger.

 

Dilger and Ryan: A celebratory hug after the Classic win.

 

 
All smiles.

Dilger and Ryan purchased the grade 3 winner for $450,000 during the 2006 Fasig-Tipton November Sale when she was carrying a Dixie Union filly who later became grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick. “And that was the beginning,” said Dilger.

 

 
Above Perfection, age 19.

Above Perfection is dappled and looks fantastic. “She is an easy mare,” said Dilger. “Laid back and with a good temperament.”

 
With some of the Dromoland team, l-r, farm manager Peter Conway, handler Erin McCarthy, and Dilger.

Above Perfection is being bred this season to Nyquist. Both Ryan and Dilger also were involved with last year’s Derby winner. Dilger with partners bought Nyquist as a weanling and Ryan with partners bought Nyquist as a yearling.

On the farm.

 

On Dromoland in image below, Above Perfection (on right) spends most of her time in a large field with her buddies—Inny River (dk bay, left back), Sweet Profit (chestnut), and Take It Easy Please (lighter bay).

 
With her field buddies.

For more on Always Dreaming’s breeders and her pedigree go to, read the May 13 issue of BloodHorse magazine.

Congratulations to all the connections of Always Dreaming.

For more photos and features on the Kentucky Derby winner go to: BloodHorse Photo Store and BloodHorse.com.

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