X Y Jet Sidelined With Knee Chip

By Claire Novak,

X Y Jet, the gritty sprinter who just missed winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) when he was edged byMuarrab in the final strides March 26 at Meydan, has been sidelined with a chip in his left knee, trainer Jorge Navarro confirmed March 30.

“It’s a small flake. He came back a little bit sore after the race, so we took an X-ray,” Navarro said. “The first day I watched him walk, on a scale of 1-5 he was sore a 2. The next day, he was much better, and he’s back to walking perfect now. But we want to do the right thing by the horse.”

According to Navarro, the minor injury is in the same location X Y Jet underwent surgery on last year. The horse will depart Dubai March 31 on the same flight as 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome , and after clearing quarantine in Chicago will join the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) winner on a van bound for Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky. for a few months of rest and relaxation.

LAMARRA: Muarrab Nails X Y Jet in Dubai Golden Shaheen

“He had the issue before he even left for Dubai. It wasn’t much, but it still kind of hinders him,” said co-owner Gary Hartunian of Rockingham Ranch. “I just want to make sure the horse gets all the (rest and relaxation) he needs, freshened up real good.”

X Y Jet, a 4-year-old Kantharos gelding, has won six of his 15 starts and has finished out of the money only once. He won three consecutive stakes and was on a five-race winning streak with Navarro heading into the Golden Shaheen. Hartunian bought a majority interest in the horse in February from Gelfenstein Farm.

DUCKWORTH: Rockingham Buys Majority Interest in X Y Jet

“We believe he’s going to come back 150%,” said Navarro, who added the surgery would be done by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. “Hopefully everything comes out right and we’ll have the same horse at the end of the year.”

Plans call for X Y Jet to run at Del Mar and in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I) in California during the second half of the year, a goal his connections believe he can still maintain.

“We’ll freshen him up and probably bring him out to Del Mar and Breeders’ Cup,” Hartunian said.

MARTEDÌ 29 MARZO 2016 Francia: Cirrus Des Aigles ritirato dalle competizioni. Il campione francese, 10 anni, ha vinto 22 corse e 7 G1.

Attendevamo questa notizia come una manna dal cielo. L’immenso Cirrus Des Aigles (Even Top), 10 anni compiuti da poco, è stato ufficialmente ritirato dalle competizioni. A comunicarlo la sua allenatrice Corine Barande-Barbe la quale ha deciso per il ritiro solo dopo l’ultimo lavoro nel quale Cirrus è rientrato claudicante e le lastre hanno evidenziato un inizio di calcificazione al legamento obliquo del sesamoide. In pratica, una sorta di artrosi stava manifestandosi sempre più consistentemente e di conseguenza un rischio che potesse verificarsi un incidente grave in caso di eccessivo sforzo. Conoscendo la “potenza” e la generosità di un campione mai domo, il ritiro è stata la scelta più saggia per un cavallo che ha dato sempre tantissimo. Meglio conosciuto come “Fighting Cirrus”, il castrone ha vinto 7 G1 in 3 differenti paesi, totalizzando la somma di £6 milioni circa in premi vinti. Ben 13 delle 22 corse vinte in carriera sono arrivate nel giardino di casa, a Longchamp. La suite di G1 è cominciata a 5 anni quando fu davanti a So You Think nelle Champion Stakes G1. Ma 4 dei suoi altri G1 vinti sono arrivati a 8 e 9 anni. Cirrus ha viaggiato tanto: In Dubai, Giappone, Hong Kong (6 volte), Inghilterra ed Irlanda. Ha dato una corsa a Frankel nel 2012 nelle Champion Stakes G1, ha dato una corsa a Treve, con la quale è stato epico il duello nel Ganay 2014 (VIDEO QUI) e battuto tanti altri.

Il suo palmares è ricchissimo e ci siamo affezionati a lui forse proprio perchè, in quanto castrone, ha continuato a correre fino a 10 anni. Altrimenti si sarebbe fermato a 5 o 6, al massimo, da cavallo progressivo. Ma il tempo ci ha fatto apprezzare le doti fisiche, mentali e la tempra di un campione autentico. Nel suo palmares ci sono Champion Stakes, Sheema Classic, Ganay (3 volte), Ispahan (2 volte), Coronation Cup. E anche il Dollar G3 vinto un sacco di volte al rientro.

La sua allenatrice ha rilasciato le seguenti dichiarazioni: “L’idea è quella di lasciare che Cirrus si abitui lentamente alla vita in paddock. Non posso essere triste in questo momento, perché si ritira dalle corse con la testa alta e in buona salute. Probabilmente è un momento adatto per farlo accadere, come non credo che avrei potuto continuare a farlo correre fino a 12, quando il suo ippodromo preferito (Longchamp) avrebbe riaperto”.

Noi avremmo salutato Cirrus innanzitutto con un ringraziamento. Un cavallo epico, indistruttibile, tenace, coraggioso, pluridecorato, valoroso, superbo. Aggiungete voi altri aggettivi per descrivere un cavallo unico. Buona pensione Cirrus, è stato un onore vederti più volte dal vivo e dare tutto in corsa in ogni occasione. Ti verrò a trovare!

PUBBLICATO DA GABRIELE CANDI A MARTEDÌ, MARZO 29, 2016

Foundation (Frankie Dettori) wins the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket

PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Leading Derby hopes feature in Dante entries

BY KEITH MELROSE 30 MAR 2016

FOUNDATION and Midterm, who are vying for favouritism for the Investec Derby, are both among the 88 entries for the key Classic trial, the Betfred Dante Stakes at York on May 12.

The pair’s respective trainers, John Gosden and Sir Michael Stoute, both reported their colts to be doing well.

Foundation, an unlucky third in the Racing Post Trophy, has plenty of options, including the British and Irish 2,000 Guineas. Stoute, who also has Abdon, Across The Stars and Ulysses entered, indicated no plans are set in stone for Midterm, a Galileo colt who is the first foal of Midday.

Both trainers have plenty of history with the Dante. Gosden’s two Derby winners, Benny The Dip and Golden Horn, both won the Dante on their previous start, while Stoute has won the race six times since 1986.

Palmer and Botti could put contenders to the test

Other entries that could have Derby aspirations are Mengli Khan, who flopped in the Racing Post Trophy, and Mr Khalid.

Hugo Palmer said of Mengli Khan: “He was disappointing at Doncaster, but the ground was too soft for him. He has done really well over the winter. I think a mile and a quarter will be at least his trip, so the Dante is a possibility.”

Mr Khalid is a Nottingham maiden winner, as last year’s Derby winner Golden Horn was at the ame time last year. Like Golden Horn, he is reportedly set to return at the Craven meeting but Marco Botti will still consider the Dante if the colt remains in the Derby picture.

“He has done tremendously well over the winter,” said Botti. “Physically, he’s a different horse to last year – much stronger and he has grown.

“He could be a potential Group horse. Whether he is up to that level, we will take it step by step and find out.”

Ayr entries also revealed

Entries were also published for the two major races at Ayr’s Scottish Grand National meeting: the Coral-sponsored feature and the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle.

Willie Mullins gave a further statement of intent over his ambitions to win the British trainers’ championship with six entries in each race, including former Gold Cup runners-up On His Own and Sir Des Champs in the Scottish Grand National.

Also among Mullins’ entries is Measureofmydreams, third in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, who is 12-1 joint-favourite alongside Cause Of Causes with the race’s sponsors. Two more classy novices, Seeyouatmidnight and Vyta Du Roc, also feature among the entries.

In the Scottish Champion Hurdle, 2015 winner Cheltenian has been entered to defend his title, while Champion Hurdle fourth The New One is another eyecatching entry.

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MARTEDÌ 29 MARZO 2016 Francia: Cirrus Des Aigles ritirato dalle competizioni. Il campione francese, 10 anni, ha vinto 22 corse e 7 G1.

Leading Derby hopes feature in Dante entries