Enable -- Pedigree by Andrew Caulfield . A winner of the Oaks, Irish Oaks and the King George by a combined total of 15 lengths, Enable is bound to become the poster girl for inbreeding to Sadler’s Wells, as she is inbred 3 x 2 to this great stallion.If ever there was a stallion worthy of close inbreeding, it was surely Sadler’s Wells. Not only did he top the Anglo-Irish stallion table 14 times in the space of 15 years, but he was also champion sire of 2-year-olds on three occasions. His brother Fairy King went one better, with four titles. Sadler’s Wells’s progeny have since been busily extending his influence. His magnificent son Galileo already appears to have his ninth sires’ championship wrapped up and Sadler’s Wells’s broodmare daughters once racked up seven consecutive titles between 2005 and 2011, with Enable making another broodmare sire championship a distinct possibility this year. She is out of Concentric, a Sadler’s Wells mare who earned a Timeform rating of 107 as a 3-year-old, thanks to three wins and a Group 3 second from five starts.
Sadlers Wells Brother Fairy King
Fairy King -- Australian connection with his champion stallion son, Encosta De Lago . His champion grandson, Chautauqua takes on the best sprinters in Australia in the 10 million dollar Everest on Saturday. Encosta has sired so many epic sprinters including Hong Kong's champion, Sacred Kingdom and the amazing filly, Alinghi but its with his stallion sons he is leaving his mark and She Will Reign is Chautuaqua's enemy on saturday. The filly is by Encosta's son, Manhattan Rain. Northern Meteor is another son producing many winners on Australian racetracks.
Chautauqua winning the TJ Smith for the second time.
Order of St George -- At the Curragh meeting in Ireland on the weekend we saw Order of St George repeat his effort of 2015 in the Irish St Leger. Last year he had to settle for second in the event but on Sunday he blitzed his rivals to win by a large margin. His trainer Aiden O'brien has decided to by pass the Melbourne Cup again and head to France, for the Arc de Triomphe as his next assignment. The five year old almost went back to back in the Ascot Gold Cup recently going down narrowly to Big Orange so he is in super form.
Order of St George 2017 Irish St Leger
Riven Light -- The Ravens Pass gelding made it two in a row at Listowel racecourse in Ireland yesterday. Trainer, Willie Mullins is plotting a course towards Australia with an ambitious plan to pitch his impressive winner against the mighty Winx when she bids to secure a third Ladbrokes Cox Plate victory on October 28.
Nakeeta Victory in the Ebor Handicap
After a string of near misses in big handicaps , Nakeeta finally got his head in front in the Ebor Handicap here on Saturday in the most valuable handicap in Europe. The six-year-old, who got up in the closing strides to beat the favourite, by a head. His trainer Iain Jardine has confirmed he wants to head down under with the Scottish stayer.
Lee Freedman and Singapore
-- Lee had four runners at Kranji on friday night without success but
opened his account on Sunday when Mr Clint saluted . He is by the Oasis
Dream stallion Power out of a Zabeel mare.
Saratoga -- At Saratoga on the weekend we saw Gun Runner, race away for a 10 length victory in the Group 1 Woodward Stakes. His Argentina bred sire Candy Ride was unbeaten in six starts and Gun Runner is out of the Giants Causeway mare Quiet Giant. He was foaled on March 8th 2013 at Winstar Farm Kentucky . He has now won 10 from his seventeen starts and 5.7 million dollars in prizemoney.
Hong Kong -- The new Hong Kong Racing season started at Shatin on Sunday and Legendary jockey Joao Moreira, was on fire as he rode the first five winners on the card with the Captain Sonador gelding, Seasons Bloom in the Chief Executives Cup over 1200m being the most promising of his rides. Moreira believes the gelding is still improving and after finishing runner up to Rapper Dragon last season, can become, Hong Kongs number one galloper.
The Arc, Enable and the Frankel Colts -- Cracksmen and Eminent are both from Frankel's first crop and are making an impact on the European racing scene. Eminent is out of the King Mambo mare You'll Be Mine. This gives her Mr Prospector blood as well as a strong Saddlers Wells influence. This guy should swim. Cracksman has a good bit of Danzig in his blood so probably not as much swimming for him. He has run third in the Epsom Derby and last weekend won the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. His next start will most likely be in the Prix Niel at Chantilly before a crack at the Arc. Eminent's trainer Martyn Meade has confirmed that he is definately going to take on Enable in the Arc. Enable looks a daunting prospect after her dominant performances in the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and last start Yorkshire Oaks victory but Meade says we have to have a shot, he is a quality horse.
Cracksman winning the Voltigeur at York
Frankel
The Champion Frankel unbeaten in 14 starts by Sadlers Wells stallion Galileo out of the Danehill mare Kind. ,A match made in heaven . He won ten group 1's in the UK between 2010 and 2012 before being sent to stud .
Torcedor is by Fastnet Rock out of the Sadlers Wells mare Magnolia Lane.
The withdrawal of this year’s Ascot Gold Cup winner Big Orange has
brought New Zealand-owned stayer Torcedor firmly into contention for the
Gr. 1 Irish St Leger at the Curragh this Sunday.
Highland Reel -- This weekend in the UK is the thoroughbred to watch.He is shooting for a second King George VI Stakes and will only be the third horse ever to do this. He has won in three continents and raced so consistently well where ever he has traveled. Aidan O'brien is hoping for no rain leading up as he is not so adept on really rain effected tracks. However, the word defeat is not in Highland Reel’s make up . He has shown himself to be a real Iron Horse,beating the elite in California, Chicago, Hong Kong and Dubai, and he again proved a tough nut to get pass when winning at Epsom and Royal Ascot last month.
Prince of Wales Stakes 2017
Highland Reel
Idaho -- Highland Reels full brother is ready to fight it out with him this weekend in the King George Stakes. The pair are by Galileo out of Hveger the Danehill mare who finished third in the Australasian Oaks in 2005. Hveger being a daughter of Circles of Gold is a full sister to Elvstroem. This weekend could be a good one for the Aussies at Ascot. Arrogate -- Rated the best horse in the world Arrogate suffered a shattering defeat last weekend by Accelerate in the San Diego Hcp and must surely put his ranking in doubt. Bob Baffert says he come through with no problems but to be defeated by a margin of 15 lengths there must be doubt on his condition. Bob says they are still going ahead with the campagne plan. Exceed and Excel -- A win in the Frances Prix Jacques De Bremond on the 26th of July,worth 52000 pounds by the breed is a great advertisement for the Australian stallions. Check out his son who has been getting plenty of winners in Australia the past few months . I believe its only a matter of time before he gets group winners.
Hong Kong Racing -- Horses above 116 rating in Hong Kong has dropped this season to 16 from last years 22. Its a shame we saw the tragic loss of Rapper Dragon who certainly would have bought the crowds in next season. Hong Kong need to get some stars over there to keep the interest in the sport on the high it has been on over recent years. Hong Kong's standout 4-year-old made history during the season when he became the first horse to win all three legs of Hong Kong's 4-year-old classic series and was named horse of the year.
Preakness Stakes -- Classic Empire looked in control of the race but Cloud Computing starting at 13/1 ran on strongly to nose out the favorite right on the post. The Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming finished down the field. The Maryland Jockey Club witnessed a record crowd of 140,000 for the 142nd running of the Preakness, the middle jewel in the triple crown.
Ribchester -- In the UK, the group 1 Lockinge Stakes was won by Ribchester for the Godolphin stable. The Iffraj colt has now won 1.33 million pound after last year being named three year old of the year in Britain.In Navan Ireland, it was Naughty or Nice another Fastnet Rock saluting in the Yeats Stakes over 13 furlongs.
Soul Stirring -- Another winner for Frankel with his filly winning the Japanese Oaks.
Week of the 13th May 2017
Hertford Dancer -- Newgate Farm's Foxwedge is riding the crest of a
wave at the moment and he struck with another stakes winner in England
overnight. The John Gosden-trained Hertford Dancer hit a new high with a win in the Listed Lingfield Oaks
Trial.The race turned into a two-horse battle, down the
straight ,with Frankie Dettori on Hertford Dancer gradually getting the
better of Ryan Moore on Pocketfull of Dreams.
Zhukova -- by Fastnet Rock won the G1 Man O' War Stakes at Belmont Park the first female to win the race in almost 30 year. European
trainer Dermot Weld, who had not won a race in North America since
2009 produced the five year old mare looking a treat for the $400,000 race. Sent to the gate as the odds-on favorite,
the Irish-bred daughter of Fastnet Rock, sprinted away from her four
competitors to win easily by six lengths.
Zhukova winning the Group 3 Man O War
Fastnet Tempest -- The four-year-old Fastnet Rock horse, blew away his rivals after a slowly run race in the Victoria Cup at Ascot. Ridden by Josephine Gordon , Britain's number one female jockey and trained by William Haggas who trained Yeats the winner of the cup 21 years ago. Past winners
Fastnet Tempest winning the Victoria Cup
Timeline -- The Hard Spun three year old continued his ascent in the ranks on May 13 at Belmont Park with a commanding victory in the 63 rd running of the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3). He splashed his way to victory ridden by Javier Castellano to make it three from three.
Timeline winning the Peter Pan
Sunday, May 7, 2017
South Africa -- On Saturday we saw a Redoutes Choice Group 1 double at Turfontein racecourse, Johannesburg for the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum. The Sheik owned
Redoute’s Choice full-brothers are out of National Colour, South
Africa’s champion 3-year-old filly and she has been serviced by Redoutes Choice again this year, Mustaqueem in the 2 year old Group 1 and Rafeef, the 4yo ,winning the Computaform Sprint both are trained by Mike de Koch. Mustaaqeem was the third highest-priced horse at the 2016 Inglis
Easter Yearling Sale on a bid of A$1.75 million.
Mustaqueem
as Lot 433 Inglis Easter Sales 2016 sold for $1.75 million
Hong Kong -- On Sunday night we saw the big Shatin meeting which included the Champions Mile and the race Chautauqua won last year the Chairmans Sprint Prize. The day that promised so much excitement and elation with the Hong Kongs champion 4 year old Rapper Dragon expected to rein as horse of the year . Then tragedy struck on the back turn and the crowd was left stunned as Joao Moreira jumped off , he was transported to the equine hospital but was unable to be saved. The Street Boss four year old was in line for horse of the year, but now there is a question mark as he has yet to officially qualify because he has not won a group 1 event.He was expected to pass that criteria in this race. Contentment the winner of the Champions Mile is now heading to take on Japans best in the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen and if he was to win, that its possible he could be named Hong Kongs horse of the year. Contentment is by Hussonet out of a Commands mare.
Horse racing is certainly a sport of ups and downs and the Magic Man must be feeling low right now as in the following race, the Group 1 Chairmans Sprint he was beaten on the line on favorite Mr Stunning by one of the most honest performers around . Lucky Bubbles the 5 year old Sebring gelding ridden by Hugh Bowman got the split late to nose out an unlucky Mr Stunning the Exceed and Excel 4 year old on the line who ducked in at the 100 metre mark which probably cost him the race.
Lucky Bubbles winning the Group 1 Chairmans Sprint Prize 2017
Europe and USA -- UK's champion 2 year old Churchill made his return to win the first Group 1 of the season in the 2000 Guineas. The Galileo colt is out of Storm Cats daughter Meow while on the other side of the Atlantic at Churchill Downs another Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent produced Always Dreaming through a mating to Empire Maker to win the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby with a crowd of 158,000 watching on.
At Newmarket Sunday the 1000 Guineas was won by another Galileo.The filly Winter who is out of a Choisir mare. Galileo the Sadlers Wells stallion foaled in 1998 has continued to dominate group races over in the UK, much like his father did before him.
Europe -- Navan, Ireland on Sunday . Torcedor a 5 year old gelding by Fastnet Rock out of the Sadlers Wells mare,Magnolia Lane,won the G3 Coolmore Vintage Stakes . The Jessica Harrington trained gelding looks set for more glory this season .Torcedor has now won four of his 13 starts for New Zealands, Te Akau syndicate that includes Sir Patrick Hogan and Sir Peter Vela.
Sepoy -- Darleys Australian stallion from the Mr Prospector stallion line through Elusive Quality out of the Danehill mare Watchful who is out of Canny Lad's half sister, Canny Lass. Scored two listed wins over the weekend . Khukri became the latest to get the Jessica Harrington's magic
touch, the three-year-old colt finding plenty to score in the Listed Power Stakes over 6f at Navan. While in the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes, at Newbury earlier in the week , his filly Dabyah won easily under hands and heels riding.
Sepoy stands at Darley for $16,500
Chantilly -- The biggest highlight for the Australian breeding industry was a fortnight ago when the first crop of Redoutes Choice, northern hemisphere progeny, scored a European stakes winner. Gold Luck, a half-sister to champion
Goldikova, won a Group Three race at Chantilly, France. It would be awesome for Australian breeding if Redoutes Choice can gain success in Europe. His sire son Snitzel, is getting winner after winner here in Australia so it can only attract northen hemishpere buyers to Australian sales and their eyes would have to be on Snitzel's progeny. Two of Australias greatest broodmare families are being put on show. Shanthas Choice and Snippets Lass. Snippets Lass died giving birth to her son Hinchinbrook who stands at Yarraman Park Stud. His brilliant son Press Statement is standing his first season at Vinery Stud.
Snitzel stands along side his legendary father Redoutes Choice at Arrowfield Stud. 37 new stakeswinners and 57 Group and Listed wins in the
past three seasons have firmly established Snitzel as Australias best
stallion and demand for his progeny is strong. In 2016/17 alone 24 stakeswinners, including four new Group 1 winners Invader, Summer Passage,Heavenly Blue & Russian
Revolution in the space of 17 days during Autumn.
Asia -- Hong Kong on Sunday we saw three year-old
Nothingilikemore keep his unbeaten record intact with another powerful win in the class 2 at Sha Tin.Thats four from four now and trainer John Size says its time for a break after two tough runs in a row . He carried 60.5 KGs today . He is by AquisFarm's new addition stallion, Husson . They also stand Al Maher and Domesday.
In Singapore last week, we saw the Australian bred gelding, Lims Cruiser win the Group 1 Lion City Cup over 1200m ridden by Danny Beazley. The Casino Prince gelding has been having plenty of success there, the last 12 months. At his previous start he won the group 3 Rocket Man Stakes and late last year, he was victorious in the Group 2 E.W.Barker Trophy, over 1400m.
Casino Prince stands at Vinery Stud and last week here in Australia had a group 2 winner in Hooked who won the Victoria Hcp at Caulfield. He is a Flying Spur stallion from a Last Tycoon mare, Lady Capel. Casino Prince's best progeny would be All Too Hard and Star Rolling.
Casino Prince Vinery Stud $11,000 service fee
America -- The top contenders for the running of the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby in two weeks are Mcracken, J Boys Echo and the Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire. In 2014 it was won by California Chrome and in 2015 by American Pharoah last year we saw Nyquist win it.
Nyquist 2016 Kentucky Derby
Flashback
Secretariat and his Triple Crown. Derby,Preakness and Belmont
Rapper Dragon continued his winning run with a victory in the G2
Chairman’s Trophy 1600m. A performance that had Joao Moreira
proclaiming the four-year-old Hong Kong’s best thoroughbred. “Now I’m convinced that he’s the best horse in
town,” the champion jockey said after guiding the Street Boss gelding to
a fourth straight win. Rapper Dragon is by Street Boss out of a Danehill Dancer mare. Street Boss is a Darley stallion sprouted as the fastest stallion of Street Cry. John Moore’s latest stable star swept aside his
peers in last month’s BMW Hong Kong Derby 2000m to become the first
horse to complete a sweep of Hong Kong’s Four-Year-Old
Classic Series.
Street Boss
John
Size-trained Mr Stunning made a statement at his first Group-race
attempt, stamping himself as a major contender for next month’s G1
Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) with a strong victory in the G2 Sprint Cup 1200m at Sha Tin. Mr Stunning is an Exceed and Excel gelding sold at the NZB Premier Sale and bred by Lyndhurst Farm.
Chantilly France
The Redoutes Choice filly Gold Luck is from his first progeny of northern
hemisphere horses. Keep an eye out for more to come. If ever a horse were bred for the classics, it would be Gold Luck. A daughter of Australian leading sire and classic winner Redoute's Choice.The Prix Vanteaux G3, a nine-furlong trip for 3-year-old fillies,saw a
well-bred field of nine go to the start. Gold Luck fell in by a short
head.Good
Luck is a half sister, to Wertheimers champion Goldikova, being from
the Blushing Groom mare Born Gold and also to the group one winner
Galikova.
Lot 333 Redoutes Choice / Secluded
Aintree Grand National
One For Arthur claimed a famous victory ahead of Cause Of Causes, Saint Are and despite jumping into Blaklion the favorite at the second-last fence recovered and responding to everything asked of him by Derek Fox, the Lucinda
Russell-trained runner galloped on resolutely to clinch the world's greatest steeplechase, emulating Rubstic in
1979 and record a win for Scotland. Only its
second ever winner in the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree. Grand National 2017
