Saxon Warrior, Alpha Centauri Retired
Alpha Centauri | Racing Post
Top 3-year-olds Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}-Maybe {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) and Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}-Alpha Lupi {Ire}, by Rahy) have each been retired from racing after finishing second in their respective Group 1s at Leopardstown on Saturday.
G1 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior finished a neck behind Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) in the G1 Irish Champion S., and trainer Aidan O’Brien told RTE Racing the bay had injured a tendon.
“He badly damaged a tendon in the race which was a pity and when he came home last night we wrapped him up,” the trainer said. “When we looked at him this morning his tendon wasn’t in a good place. There’s a tear in there and it’s a big pity.”
Paying tribute to Saxon Warrior, who had also won the G1 Racing Post Trophy at two, O’Brien said, “He was an amazing horse. Coming into this year we thought he was a horse with a chance to win the Triple Crown. When he won the Guineas, Donnacha [O’Brien] was of the opinion that he was a very fast horse, but we wanted to give him a chance in the Derby. We went to Epsom, but I felt he didn’t act on the track.”
After finishing fourth in the Derby, Saxon Warrior checked in third in the G1 Irish Derby before finishing behind Roaring Lion in both the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. and G1 Juddmonte International.
“The lads then wanted him to run at The Curragh; after that we decided to bring him back to a mile and a quarter, which we did do, but only seven days after The Curragh at Sandown and he was just chinned,” O’Brien said. “Then he got very sick and the plan was to bring him back for three races; he was just ready to start back at York and we wanted to run him yesterday and then back at a mile at Ascot. It’s probably my fault, I probably should have kept him at a mile.”
The Niarchos Family’s Alpha Centauri proved the standout filly of her generation this year, sweeping the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S., G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois before finishing 3/4 of a length behind the Classic-winning Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in Saturday’s G1 Matron S. She emerged from that race with a chip in a fetlock, according to the owners’ racing manager Alan Cooper.
“Unfortunately the decision has been taken to retire Alpha Centauri on veterinary advice and on consultation with [trainer] Jessie [Harrington],” Cooper said. “She had a chip in her right front fetlock, which you could see her feeling in the closing stages yesterday. It’s not a catastrophic injury and hopefully she can enjoy a successful career as a broodmare.”
Galileo’s Flag of Honour Salutes in the Irish St Leger
| 6th at CUR, Gr. Stk, €500,000 | G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger | (14f) | Winner: Flag of Honour (Ire), c, 3 by Galileo (Ire) |
Flag Of Honour | Racing Post
Flag of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) closed his four-race juvenile season with a victory in Leopardstown’s Oct. 28 G3 Eyrefield S., but was winless in the first three starts of this campaign. Third in ParisLongchamp’s Apr. 15 G3 Prix Noailles, he dropped to fifth in the May 9 G3 Chester Vase before finishing approximately five lengths behind Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) when a close-up 10th in Chantilly’s June 3 G1 Prix du Jockey Club in his penultimate start. The bay went to post for Sunday’s G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger at The Curragh returning off a course-and-distance score in the July 1 G2 Curragh Cup and was sent forward to lead from the outset of the marathon contest. Stoked up off the home turn, the 2-1 market leader maintained a relentless tempo under forceful urging inside the final quarter mile to hit the line 2 3/4 lengths in advance of G1 Irish Derby hero Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) with Weekender (GB) (Frankel {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
Flag of Honour, full-brother to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Four Leaf Clover (Ire), is one of 12 winners from as many runners and becomes the leading representative out of a winning half-sister to three black-type performers headed by G3 Prix Fille de l’Air victress Afaf (Fr) (Spectrum (Ire) and MSW G3 Prix d’Hedouville runner-up Zack Hall (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}). He is also kin to G1 Phoenix S. runner-up and GSW sire Air Chief Marshal (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), MSW sire Misu Bond (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Foxtrot Romeo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Dubawi’s TDN Rising Star Quorto Prevails in the Vincent O’Brien National
| 5th at CUR, Gr. Stk, €350,000 | G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. | (7f) | Winner: Quorto (Ire), c, 2 by Dubawi (Ire) |
Quorto | Racing Post
Godolphin’s homebred Quorto (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) followed up a ‘TDN Rising Star’ display tackling six furlongs at Newmarket in his June 22 debut with an impressive tally upped one panel in the July 14 G2 Superlative S. back at that venue last time. Usurping the Ballydoyle battalion for favouritism in Sunday’s G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. at The Curragh, the bay showed his mettle to emulate his sire’s 2004 success and register a career high in battling fashion. Handily placed in third after breaking alertly from the outside gate, the crowd’s 11-8 choice was shaken up to challenge at the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly under forceful urging in the closing stages to hold the late rally of 6-4 market rival Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a half length, himself clear of stablemates Christmas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never).
Quorto is the only foal out of stakes-winning G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Irish Oaks placegetter Volume (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}), herself a half-sister to G3 JRA Cup third Velox (GB) (Zamindar). His third dam, G1 Prix du Cadran-winning European highweight stayer Victoire Bleue (GB) (Legend of France), produced G1 St Leger runner-up and MGSW sire Vertical Speed (Fr) (Bering {GB}) and G2 Prix Hocquart runner-up Vanishing World (Fr) (Bering {GB}).
1–QUORTO (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Volume (GB) (SW & G1SP-Eng & G1SP-Ire, $210,078), by Mount Nelson (GB)
2nd Dam: Victoire Finale (GB), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Victoire Bleue (GB), by Legend of France
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick, €199,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0.
Scat Daddy’s Skitter Scatter Confirms Her Superiority In the Moyglare
| 4th at CGH, Gr. Stk, 350000 | G1 Moyglare Stud S. | (7f) | Winner: Skitter Scatter, f, 2 by Scat Daddy |
Skitter Scatter | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
Finally accorded favouritism in a prestige race, Anthony and Sonia Rogers’s Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) fully justified that position as she delivered more of the same magic in Sunday’s G1 Moyglare Stud S. at The Curragh. Not taken sufficiently seriously before winning the G3 Silver Flash S. over seven furlongs at Leopardstown July 26 and the G2 Debutante S. at this venue three weeks ago, the homebred was the pick of a classy bunch this time at 7-2 and broke with all her customary enthusiasm before being restrained by Ronan Whelan to race in mid-division. Driven to take command with 150 yards remaining, the diminutive bay drew away to win in the usual convincing fashion by two lengths from Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), with Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths away in third. “We came here thinking we had a chance, but you’re always pinching yourself,” her rider commented. “I’m a glass-half-full person, but the way she won the last day I was very hopeful and she just seems to be winning with plenty left. She hit a flat spot at halfway and I was a bit worried, but she was running around with me at the end as if she had plenty in the tank and doesn’t seem to be stopping.”
Unbeaten over this trip, Skitter Scatter’s sole defeats came on her Mar. 28 debut over five furlongs at Dundalk and over six when third in the Listed Coolmore Stud Fillies Sprint S. at Naas May 20 and second in the July 1 G3 Grangecon Stud S. here. After Ballydoyle’s Goddess (Camelot {GB}) had proven a major disappointment in the Silver Flash, the true merit of Skitter Scatter’s success there may not have been appreciated but after the Debutante there was no doubt we were dealing with a genuine top-class juvenile. Taking time to go through the gears this time as Main Edition (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Zagitova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) applied the pressure up front, she took control very quickly when fully committed and was able to outstay the smooth-travelling Lady Kaya as Hermosa picked up best of the closers.
Trainer Patrick Prendergast is also starting to believe now. “I’m quite astounded how good she was,” he confessed. “I was thinking if she was in the first three it would be a marvellous result and we could head for the Guineas and have a chance of running well in it. Now I’m just starting to think maybe she might win the Guineas! He admitted to concerns about whether Skitter Scatter was feeling the effects of her busy campaign. “I was worried coming into today, because I felt it had been a long year for her,” he added. “When she came we just wanted to win our maiden and so we tried to win one of the earliest maidens of the year at Dundalk. She’s incredible in that she’s kept going and just kept improving. I was also worrying too that just, as of late, she’s just starting to grow, finally, so she’s not going to be so small next year. We’re a small yard and all my staff have worked incredibly hard with this filly. They are all involved with her and that’s the beauty of a small yard. Mrs Rogers and Anthony wanted to race her, as they are enjoying it and she will eventually go back to their stud.”
Skitter Scatter’s dam Dane Street (Street Cry {Ire}), who is also responsible for the GIII Jimmy Durante S. third Data Dependent (More Than Ready), is a daughter of Daneleta (Danehill) who finished third in the G3 Railway S. and later produced the G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire Intense Focus (Giant’s Causeway). The third dam, the Listed Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. and Listed Athasi S. scorer Zavaleta (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), is a half to the group 1-winning sire Sholokhov (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) from the family of Soldier of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) whose daughter Danelissima (Ire) (Danehill) took the G3 Noblesse S. and was third in the G2 Lancashire Oaks. Dane Street also has a yearling full-brother to Data Dependent and a colt foal by No Nay Never.
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
MOYGLARE STUD S.-G1, €350,000, Curragh, 9-16, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:25.60, g/y.
1–SKITTER SCATTER, 126, f, 2, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Zavaleta (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Anthony Rogers & Mrs Sonia Rogers; B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC & Airlie Stud (KY); T-Patrick Prendergast; J-Ronan Whelan. €199,500. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-2, $386,660. *1/2 to Data Dependent (More Than Ready), GSP-US, $120,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lady Kaya (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)–Kayak (GB), by Singspiel (Ire). (€15,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV; €12,000 RNA Ylg ’17 TIRSEP). O-Joanne Lavery; B-John O’Connor (IRE); T-Sheila Lavery. €66,500.
3–Hermosa (Ire), 126, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Beauty Is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €31,500.
Margins: 2, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 3.50, 8.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Zagitova (Ire), Main Edition (Ire), Beyond Reason (Ire), Just Wonderful, Smart Flies (Ire), Bandiuc Eile (Ire), Angelic Light (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Dubawi’s Kitesurf Takes the Vermeille
| 4th at LCP, Gr. Stk, 600000 | G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille | (12f) | Winner: Kitesurf (GB), f, 4 by Dubawi (Ire) |
Kitesurf | Scoop Dyga
By Tom Frary
She took a long time to warm up in Sunday’s G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille, but Godolphin’s Kitesurf (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) ultimately held the aces as she denied Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a tight finish to the ParisLongchamp feature. Delivering a career-best when taking Deauville’s G2 Prix de Pomone over 12 1/2 furlongs last time Aug. 19, the 9-5 favourite was detached in last with Mickael Barzalona having to keep her at it at various stages but once into the straight she was able to unleash a strong surge up the centre of the track. As Magic Wand rushed clear of the pack against the far rail, Kitesurf was finishing off the stronger in isolation and began to assert in the last 50 metres to score by a head, with 2 1/2 lengths back to Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) in third. “It was a well-deserved win and we always suspected that she was capable of being victorious in a group one,” Godolphin’s Lisa-Jane Graffard commented. “For fillies like her, it is mission accomplished to win one. We will see how she comes out of this race, but the Arc, the Breeders’ Cup and British Champions Day at Ascot are all possible targets.”
Whether Kitesurf is taken seriously as an Arc contender–if her trainer opts to go that way–remains to be seen, but her time just a fraction off that of Sea the Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the 2009 renewal of the great race. That luminary’s dam Urban Sea (Miswaki) was also able to annexe the prize at odds of 37-1 back in 1993, while Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) was 33-1 when scoring as an older mare six years ago. Kitesurf, who has taken time to fully mature, probably holds better credentials than that pair at this point without being in the league of other recent Arc heroines Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).
At three, she managed to win the G3 Prix de Royaumont and finish third in the G2 Prix de Royallieu over this trip at Chantilly but it was not until her 4-year-old bow in the G3 Prix Allez France over 10 furlongs here Apr. 29 that she showed the class that Fabre had seen at home. Disappointing when fifth in the 10 1/2-furlong G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud May 21, she was upped to 14 furlongs to contest the G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil back at this venue July 14 and finished fourth before bouncing back in the Pomone. According to connections, a right-handed circuit brings out the best in her and therefore a tilt at the main event here in three weeks or a crack at one of Ascot’s major prizes on Champions Day could be where she is truly put to the test.
Kitesurf is the first foal out of the G3 Pinnacle S. winner Shimmering Surf (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who also finished runner-up in the Pomone herself and the G2 Lancashire Oaks. Her listed-winning dam Sun On the Sea (Ire) (Bering {GB}) is a half to the GIII La Jolla H. third Beau Temps (GB) (Mtoto {GB}) from the family of the G1 Irish Derby and GI Secretariat S. hero Treasure Beach (GB) (Galileo {Ire). Shimmering Surf also has an as-yet unraced 3-year-old filly by Frankel (GB) named Sparkling Surf (GB), a 2-year-old colt Surfman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and a yearling filly by Golden Horn (GB).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX VERMEILLE-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-16, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT, 2:26.39, gd.
1–KITESURF (GB), 129, f, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Shimmering Surf (Ire) (GSW-Eng & GSP-Fr, $153,888), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sun On the Sea (Ire), by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Shimmer (Fr), by Green Dancer
1ST GROUP ONE WIN. O-Godolphin SNC; B-P L Winkworth (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 13-5-1-2, €578,650. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Magic Wand (Ire), 121, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Prudenzia (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (€1,400,000 Ylg ’16 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Markus Jooste; B-Ecurie des Monceaux & Skymarc Farm Inc (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €137,160.
3–Zarkamiya (Fr), 122, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Zarkava (Ire), by Zamindar. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan’s Studs SC (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre. €68,580.
Margins: HD, 2HF, 3. Odds: 1.80, 4.90, 5.90.
Also Ran: Worth Waiting (GB), Bye Bye Baby (Ire), Well Timed (Ger), Son Macia (Ger), Bebe D’Amour (Fr).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Havana Gold’s Havana Grey Wires The Flying Five
| 3rd at CUR, Gr. Stk, €350,000 | G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. | (5f) | Winner: Havana Grey (GB), c, 3 by Havana Gold (Ire) |
Havana Grey | Racing Post
Lining up as favourite for Sunday’s upgraded G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. over The Curragh’s five panels, Havana Grey (GB)(Havana Gold {Ire}) had annexed the July 22 G2 Sapphire S. over course and distance, but slipped off the board in the Aug. 3 G2 King George S. at Goodwood and Aug. 24 G1 Nunthorpe S. at York last time. Away sharply to assert for control after the initial strides, last term’s G1 Prix Morny runner-up was scrubbed along at halfway and kept on resolutely under a power drive inside the final quarter mile to hold on for a career high, enhancing a banner weekend for trainer Karl Burke. At the line, he had a half length and a neck to spare over Son of Rest (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy), who emerged best in a four-way blanket finish for the minor placings.
1–HAVANA GREY (GB), 129, c, 3, by Havana Gold (Ire)
1st Dam: Blanc de Chine (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Nullarbor (GB), by Green Desert
3rd Dam: Bloudan, by Damascus
(42,000gns Wlg ’15 TATFOA; €70,000 Ylg ’16 ARAUG). O-Global Racing Club & Mrs Elaine Burke; B-Mickley Stud & Lady Lonsdale (GB); T-Karl Burke; J-Richard Kingscote. €206,500. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, 14-6-3-0.
fonte : TDN
KOREA : Seouri Byeol Stuns Special Stone In Gyeonggi Governor’s Cupby gyongmaman |
Just when it seemed as though Special Stone was set fair to claim the title of Champion three-year-old filly of 2018 by backing up her Korean Oaks win in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday afternoon, up popped 10/1 chance Seouri Byeol from the rear of the field to deny her in emphatic fashion.
Seouri Byeol beats Special Stone in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup (Pic: KRA)
Seouri Byeol had finished similarly quickly in the filly Classic at Busan in July but that day found two too many to pass and had to settle for 2nd as Special Stone dominated. At the top of the stretch this time, Special Stone cruised into the lead as pace-setter and betting favourite Blue Flag started to weaken and under jockey Kim Jeong-jun, seemingly had the race at her mercy.
That was reckoning without Seouri Byeol, however. Last with two furlongs to run, Park Eul-woon found a gap and his filly found top gear. Though still trailing with half a furlong to run it was clear she had the momentum and shortly after, she had the race, winning by no fewer than 4 lengths on the line from Special Stone. Nike Street, last in the Oaks, came home 3rd with a tiring Blue Flag 4th.
A filly by the Japanese-bred sire, Limitless Bid, Seouri Byeol was wining for just the fourth time on what was her twelfth start. Her colours, those of owner Kim Sun-sik, were last seen in the Stakes race winner’s circle on Final Boss after the 2017 Derby. It was a first big race win for her trainer Kim Dong-chul, a former jockey who gained his license in 2016. For jockey Park, it was his fourth success on a Group race.
At Busan, King Of Ace returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in over a year. The American import by Malibu Moon won four of his first five starts in the first half of 2017 before suffering a bad injury. Although he returned at the beginning of this year he hadn’t quit been able to recapture his old form but he looked good when leading gate-to-wire to win the south-coast track’s feature handicap over 1400M.
