Cover image by Megan Ridgewell courtesy of TDN Europe
Ghaiyyath runs away with Coronation Cup
William Buick’s plan to send Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) straight to the lead and never look back in the Group 1 Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup at Newmarket worked to perfection on Friday.
The Godolphin runner went straight to the front in the 2400 metre race and opened up on the field as Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) led the rest. With 1000 metres left, Ghaiyyath still had 5l on the field as Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) drew even with Defoe to try and challenge the leader. There was no stopping Ghaiyyath though as the 5-year-old kept up a solid lead down the straight with only Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making a run at him in the last 200 metres.
Allowed just to gallop home in the last 75 metres, Ghaiyyath crossed the line 2.5l in front of Anthony Van Dyck for his second Group 1 victory with Stradivarius another 2.5l back in third.
“You couldn’t be confident coming up against that calibre of horse, but we felt that we had Ghaiyyath in great order,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “He is very similar to Blue Point last year - going into his 5-year-old season, we felt that we had the finished article. He looked a million dollars today and full credit to Godolphin and the team, and most importantly His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, who has followed this horse right from the start of his career.”
A half-brother to Fastnet Rock’s Grade 1 winner Zhukova (Ire), Ghaiyyath is one of five winners out of Galileo’s Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Nightime. He is bred on the Dubawi (Ire) x Galileo (Ire) cross that is quickly becoming golden with seven stakes winners and 11 stakes horses from 34 runners led by Ghaiyyath and Group 1 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder (Ire).
English King another good one for Camelot
English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) became one of the favourites for next month’s Epsom Derby when romping home in the Listed Betsafe Derby Trial on Friday.
Breaking slowly in the 2400 metre race, English King had to settle for a place as one of the final horses in the tightly packed field with a spot on the rail. Galloping along calmly for much of the race, it wasn’t until the final 500 metres that jockey Tom Marquand asked him to pick up the pace.
It was over from there with English King taking the lead under a hand ride and galloping easily to a 2.75l victory over Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) with Summeronsevenhill (USA) (Summer Front {USA}) 9.75l behind the winner in third.
A €210,000 Arqana Deauville October Yearling purchase, English King has a notable pedigree behind him as a three-quarter brother to Group 3 winner Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). His siblings’ greatest claim to fame however may come from Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}).
A Listed winner herself, Prudenzia is the dam of €6,000,000 2013 Goffs Ireland November Breeding Stock Sale purchase and Group 1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu) and this season’s Group 1 Mackinnon winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Former Coolmore Australia stallion Camelot is already having a banner 2020 with five stakes winners and 10 stakes horses led by Group 1 South Australian Derby winner Russian Camelot (Ire) and Group 2 Adelaide Cup winner King Of Leogrance (Fr).
Miss Yoda jumps on Oaks trail in trial
Making her first start of the year, Sea The Stars’ (Ire) Miss Yoda (Ger) franked her 2-year-old record when impressively winning the Listed Betsafe Top Price All Runners Oaks Trial Fillies' S. for her third win in four career starts.
Stretching out to 2300 metres, Miss Yoda broke slowly but quickly caught up with the field and settled near the back of the pack as Golden Lips set the pace. Miss Yoda had to be steadied a touch when she tried to overrace at the 1400 metre mark but she quickly went back to business and continued her run on the rail.
Golden Lips (Golden Horn {GB}) had open lengths on the field with 500 metres left to run but that quickly disappeared 100 metres later when she was joined by La Dragontea (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Miss Yoda wasn’t done with them however, as she joined them in the final 200 metres and kept her momentum going until the line. La Dragontea quickly yielded but Golden Lips held on strongly to keep the place spot 1.25l behind with West End Girl (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) finishing third by a nose to give Darley’s second crop sire Golden Horn (GB) the second and third place finishers in the race.
One of two winners for her dam, Miss Yoda is out of Germany’s 2011 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Monami (Ger) (Sholokov {Ire}). The most expensive foal to date out of her dam, Miss Yoda was purchased for €280,000 at the BBAG Baden-Baden September Yearling Sale by Blandford Bloodstock in 2018. Monami is also a half-sister to Group 1 Italian Oaks winner Meridiana (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}).
Marie’s Diamond wins Paradise Stakes
Marie’s Diamond (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) registered his third stakes win on Friday when taking home the Listed Paradise S. for Middleham Park Racing.
Running over 1600 metres at Newmarket, Marie’s Diamond controlled the lead from the beginning on the far side. He kept a length on the field as they raced into the final 400 metres with Lord Tennyson (GB) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) as his only challenger for the win. In the final 200 metres, Marie’s Diamond found another gear to pull away from Lord Tennyson as that one had to fight off a late coming ruin from Vale Of Kent (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) to keep second.
In the end, Marie’s Diamond won by 4.25l with Lord Tennyson able to keep second by a neck over Vale Of Kent with the second through fifth place finishers only separated by 0.75l.
By Footstepsinthesand (GB), who shuttled to Australia in 2005 and 2006, Marie’s Diamond is a half-brother to Listed Mornington Cup Prelude winner and Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap third Sikandarabad (Ire) (Dr. Fong {USA}). The family also includes Champion racehorse and successful sire Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge {USA}).
Mighty Gurkha impressive 2-year-old winner for Sepoy
Darley’s Sepoy saw his second 2-year-old of the week win a race in England when Mighty Gurkha (Ire) bolted home by 7.5l over 1200 metres at Lingfield on Friday.
The Mohammed Rashid-owned colt broke strongly to take the immediate lead on the rail. Pressured throughout the run by No Leci (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}), he left that foe behind as he hit the 500 metre mark and by the time they hit the straight, there was no catching him.
Providing the first part of a 2-year-old double for jockey Hollie Doyle and Archie Watson, he’s one of two 2-year-old winners for Sepoy this week after Army Of India (Ire) won the opening 2-year-old race of the season at Kempton on Tuesday. Mighty Gurkha finished 7.5l in front of Hot Scoop (GB) (Hot Streak {Ire}) with young shuttle stallion Territories’ (Ire) Colorando coming home in third.
Mighty Gurkha is the first foal out of the unraced Royal Debt (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who is a half-sister to the Hong Kong Listed winning and Group 1 Champions’ Mile-placed Rewarding Hero (GB) (Exceed And Excel). The mare also has a 2019 colt by Slade Power (Ire) and a 2020 filly by Telemon Thoroughbreds’ Jungle Cat (Ire).
Ajaya sires first winner
Former shuttle stallion Ajaya (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) sired his first winner from his first runner on Friday when Igotatext (Ire) won by 1.25l in his debut at Lingfield.
Racing over 1200 metres, Igotatext broke sharply and quickly angled toward the rail from his outside gate to race just behind the leaders going into the first turn. Drawing even with the leaders as they swung into the straight, Igotatext was able to draw away in the final 100 metres to win by 1.25l.
By the subfertile Ajaya, the €10,000 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sales graduate is from the family of dual-Group 1 winner Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil {USA}) and G1 1000 Guineas winner Las Meninas (Ire) (Glenstal {USA}). Shuttled to Chatswood Stud in Australia in 2017, Ajaya will have his first 2-year-olds in Australia next season with the stallion siring 17 live foals in 2018.
