This year’s Korean Derby winner Ecton Blade returns to his home-track of Busan this Sunday as the colt drops back in trip to contest the class 1 feature handicap over 1400M. It’s the highlight of a 6-race Sunday card at Busan while up in Seoul there are a further 11 races.

It will be Ecton Blade’s first appearance at Busan since running a close 2^nd to Divide Wind in the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Triple Crown, in April. Last year’s champion juvenile then comfortably won the Derby in Seoul by a full-three lengths but only managed to finish in 3^rd in the final leg of the series, the Minister’s Cup, also at Seoul in June. However, that 3^rd was enough to assure himself the title of 2018 Champion Three-Year-Old.

While the winner of the Minister’s Cup, World Sun, was beaten on his own return to Busan on Friday evening, things should be different for Ecton Blade. With the rating limit capped at 100, Sunday’s race is not strong by class 1 standards and it is one he should be winning. Nevertheless, there are some useful operators among his ten rivals with Mupae, Miracle Line and Daeho Sidae the ones expected to provide the sternest opposition.

While a tilt at the international Korea Cup two weeks from now was considered for Ecton Blade, it was ultimately decided to keep him in Busan and drop him down to the trip he last ran at when winning the Breeders’ Cup – Korea’s top juvenile race – last year. Franco Da Silva, who rode him in the Derby, partners him once again.

Up at Seoul the most valuable race of the day is a six-furlongs test exclusively for juvenile graduates of the Jeju Breeze-up Sales. A field of eight will go to post and there is set to be a hot favourite in the shape of first-time starter Gyoryong Unu. The Limitless Bid colt trialed up impressively and is expected to have too much for a field which contains just two horses with prior racing experience.

Here is the fill race-by-race preview, beginning with Seoul, scroll down for Busan:

Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 24 Million

(1) MAPAEBONG beat two of these on his way to 2^nd place at this distance on July 29^thand he looks the most likely to make the breakthrough here. (5) HARD PRINCESS also beat some of her rivals here when recording a much-improved 3^rd place four weeks ago. That was her thirteenth career start and he best-finish to date and shoe can maintain that momentum here. (7) RAON STELLA ran a creditable race on debut the same day and should improve for the experience. Similarly (4) JJANGDAE made his racecourse debut running 4^th behind Mapaebong and can also have come on for it. (9) DALLYEORA RAON has raced four times so far with two 3^rd places to his name and shouldn’t be too far away again.

Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

This race is restricted to maiden fillies and (4) ATHENA V, 2^nd on debut at this distance on July 21^st is favoured to prevail. She was well-back behind a good winner that day but should have too much here. (12) SOKBO ONGJU and (1) DANGDAE SONYEO came home 2^nd and 4^th respectively when they raced at the distance on July 22^nd. That was the latter’s debut and she may well improve. (6) HALLA DAERO and (10) SUN QUEEN both have 2^nd place finishes to their names and can be competitive while among the four first-time starters, (5) SONGAM BARBIE catches the eye. She qualified when winning a trial back in March but didn’t make it to a race. She then re-qualified in good fashion at the end of July and can be considered first-up.

Race 3: Class 5 (1000M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

A very competitive race which sees three horses up in class after recording their maiden wins last time out. In the case of (4) RAON SIRIUS, that win was all the way back in April. However, he looked very good when winning a trial two weeks ago and looks to have a very good chance first-up. He’ll be on pace early alongside (1) DAESEUNG AGAIN, and all-the-way winner at this distance on his third career start on July 14^th and who also should go close. The final one up in class, (11) THUNDER MONEY, looks to have a bit more to find but shouldn’t be completely ruled out. Of those with experience at this level, (2) HI EUREKA looks the pick. He’s finished 3^rd in three out of his last four starts and with Antonio Da Silva up today, could get it right, while (5) NEUNGRYEOK SIDAE too has gone close. (6) ROAN PRO SENSE didn’t go especially well at 1300M on what was his first try at this class last month but may go better dropped back to the minimum today.

Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

(3) TRIPLE HAPPY has run 3^rd on both his latest starts and last time was slightly unlucky in a desperately close three-way finish over 1200M. He steps up marginally in trip today and can come from just off the early pace to make a strong challenge. (6) HAENGBOK STAR disappointed when favourite last time beaten by (8) REBECCA, among others. He should at least overturn that form today and can be given another chance. (10) ROYAL PRINCE enters having been 2^nd at class and distance on July 22^nd and can look to at least match that today. (2) TAURUS is up in class after getting his maiden win on his second start four weeks ago and should be competitive. (1) JI SEONI is better than her latest form suggests and is a potential improver.

Race 5: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(11) JANGSAN WILD returned to winning ways at class and distance on July 7^th, scoring in a decent race by half a length. He carries a bit more weight today but should be prominent throughout and is favoured to win again. (10) SOMETHING MYSTERY ran a close 2^nd on his first try at this level four weeks ago. He’s never run worse than 5^th in seven outings to date and should be very much in the frame here. (1) CUPID DATE similarly finished 3^rd on his own first attempt at this level on the same day at 1400M and looks nicely in here. (5) BLACK MUSIC is already a class and distance winner and he only managed 5^th last start under the same weight he carries today, he can aim for a place as can (8) DREAM INDY, who drops back in trip after recent assignments over 1700M.

Race 6: Class 4 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(8) BEST YEJI has finished 3^rd in each of her last three races, two of them at 1700M and then most recently at 1300M, beating a couple of others who go here in the process. 3^rdshould be a minimum target today and the Friesian Fire filly can come from just behind the early lead to put in a challenge late on. (4) CRAZY FACTOR has been 3^rd on both his starts so far and steps up in trip for the first time. He’ll be on pace early and could be Read more of this post

Another TDN Rising Star As Nathaniel’s Floating Artist Lights Up Goodwood

 

Nathaniel | Newsells Park Stud

Away from the intensity of York’s action, Goodwood’s evening meeting conjured up its own small piece of magic as a new TDN Rising Star arose from the gloom in Michael Pescod’s Floating Artist (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Highly-regarded by Richard Hannon, the bay raced greenly in mid-division early in the Shaun Edwards Farriers Supporting Team Godolphin EBF Novice S. with Rossa Ryan animated in the saddle. Taking time to organise in the straight, the 10-1 shot was beginning to grind down the leaders when given a slap with the whip inside the final furlong and responded with a strong surge to overwhelm Fox Premier (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) 50 yards from the line. Hitting top stride only there, he had an official margin of 1 1/4 lengths to spare before romping off across the famed Sussex Downs. Fellow newcomer Aussie Nugget (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) finished a further length back in third.

“He was always going to be a back-end two-year-old and I didn’t think he knew enough to win first time out,” Hannon said. “This looked quite a nice race and he looks smart. He did one gallop when Mr Pescod came to see him and he went past the gallop and nearly ended up in my kitchen! He took off again past the line here. We’ll take our time, as he’s not the most mature horse mentally but ultimately we think he’s a good horse and he will go to those good races. We are trying to get more of these later types and although I’d like to think we have more like him I’m not sure we do.”

The winner is the first foal out of the grey Miss Kenton (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who raced once unsuccessfully for the Andre Fabre stable in 2014. Her dam Do the Honours (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) captured the G3 Prix de Meautry and produced Woven Lace (GB) (Hard Spun) who was runner-up in the G3 Prix de la Grotte and also the listed-placed Waitress (Kingmambo) who is now renowned as the dam of the recent G3 Gordon S. winner and G2 Great Voltigeur S. runner-up Cross Counter (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) who is Melbourne Cup-bound. The third dam Persian Secret (Fr) (Persian Heights {GB}), who was successful in the Listed Prix la Sorellina and later threw the Listed Chesham S. scorer and GI Mother Goose S. third Seba (GB) (Alzao), is out of the remarkable matriarch Rahaam (Secreto) who seems to crop up many times in the pedigree details of the leading performers. Just this week, the dam of Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) and Verglas (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and ancestress of Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never) was involved with another TDN Rising Star in Lone Peak (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Miss Kenton’s yearling by New Approach (Ire) was bought for 70,000gns by Darley Japan at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, while her 2018 filly is by Showcasing (GB).

2nd-Goodwood, £10,400, Cond, 8-24, 2yo, 8fT, 1:40.85, gd.
FLOATING ARTIST (GB), c, 2, by Nathaniel (Ire)
      1st Dam: Miss Kenton (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
      2nd Dam: Do the Honours (Ire), by Highest Honor (Fr)
      3rd Dam: Persian Secret (Fr), by Persian Heights (GB)
(14,000gns Wlg ’16 TATFOA; 80,000gns Ylg ’17 TAOCT). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $8,622. *1ST-TIME STARTER. 

Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

O-Mr Michael Pescod; B-Canning Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Richard Hannon.

 

Kingman’s Sangarius Joins Roster of TDN Rising Stars

Friday, August 24, 2018 at 12:50 pm | Back to: Top News, Top News Europe

 

3rd at NEW, Cond, £8,000

Ironxcell EBF Novice S. (Cond)

(7f)

Winner: Sangarius (GB), c, 2 by Kingman (GB)

 

 

Kingman | Juddmonte

By Sean Cronin

3rd-Newmarket, £8,000, Cond, 8-24, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:25.21, g/f.
SANGARIUS (FR), c, 2, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Trojan Queen, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Banks Hill (GB), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Hasili (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
   Something’s afoot if a Sir Michael Stoute-trained newcomer bears the full weight of the ring and, despite the slender margin of victory, Sangarius lived up to that collateral billing and justified 11-8 favouritism with aplomb. The homebred bay was well away from the outside gate and occupied a midfield berth through the initial fractions. Exhibiting a flicker of greenness when angled into open runway approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened impressively to tackle Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) passing the eighth pole and kept on powerfully for one flick of James Doyle’s persuader up the hill to deny that rival a neck in ultimately cozy fashion, becoming the ninth winner for his freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}). “He is very nice and did everything right,” said Doyle after the Oct. 13 G1 Dewhurst S. entry became Stoute’s first juvenile winner of the year. “He went down [to post] like a professional and was professional in the gates as he stood in them for a long time. He went through the gears in the race. When the second horse quickened up I thought I was in a bit of trouble, but he hit the rising ground and finished off well.” Sangarius is the fifth foal and second scorer produced by a winning half-sister to G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine and GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and the dual stakes-winning G2 Prix Niel second Ideal World (Kingmambo). He is kin to G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial third Emergent (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and a yearling colt by Frankel (GB). His second dam, MG1SW European and US champion Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill), is a daughter of storied blue hen Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and is thus a full-sister to MG1SW champions Cacique (Ire), Intercontinental (GB) and Champs Elysees (GB), plus G2 Prix du Muguet-winning sire Dansili (GB). Banks Hill is also a half-sister to GI Beverly D. S. and GI Matriarch S. victress Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $6,632.
1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. 

Click for the Racing Post resultor the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

fonte : TDN