Written by Melissa Bauer-Herzog
Third time the charm for Golden Horde
Finishing behind Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) twice in Group 1 company to end last season, Golden Horde (Pivotal {GB}) proved the third time in Group 1 company was the charm with a victory in the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Friday.
Taking advantage of Kimari (USA) (Munnings {USA}) breaking slowly in the 1200 metre race, Golden Horde took command of the group on the near side as Mum’s Tipple (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {Ire}) set the overall pace on the far side. Racing just a length or so behind Mum’s Tipple, Golden Horde quickened under Adam Kirby with 300 metres left to run, taking over the lead inside the final 200.
The race quickly turned into Golden Horde’s playing catch me if you can with Kimari in the closing stages as the filly tried to chase him down late.
The colt had plenty left to give for Adam Kirby and ended all thoughts of Kimari getting to the front as he pulled away in the final 100 metres. Still pulling away at the line, he won by 1.5l to give Kimari her second runner-up finish at Royal Ascot and trainer Wesley Ward his second runner-up finish of the day.
Kimari was 2.5l ahead of third placed Ventura Rebel (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) with that runner a head in front of No Nay Never’s (USA) Royal Commando (Ire). The win was the eighth Royal Ascot victory for the partnership of Kirby and trainer Clive Cox.
"I am very proud of him,” Cox said. “We have got a great team at home and to win a Group 1 first time out with any horse is difficult, but given the way things are this year, it's the same for a lot of people, but I am really proud. He is a horse to go forward with - I really hope and pray he has got a longer journey to go ahead of him. Golden Horde is just top-class.
"He has got a lovely temperament, is great to deal with and that ability to go on any type of ground is very special as well. He is out of a Pivotal mare by Lethal Force who we enjoyed such a wonderful day with when winning the Diamond Jubilee in 2013 - it is very special.”
A half-brother to Listed-winning Exhort (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), Golden Horde is one of 23 Group 1 winners out of Pivotal (GB) daughters, including Australian Group 1 winners The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Polarisation (GB) (Echo Of Light {GB}).
The colt comes from the extended family of Serena’s Sister (USA), the granddam of Swettenham Stud’s Group 2 winner Puissance De Lune (Ire) and Group 1 winner Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) with their sister Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) finishing third in Tuesday’s G2 Duke of Cambridge S.
Santiago enters Derby picture
In what has been an interesting meeting for G1 Epsom Derby prospects with that race taking place after Royal Ascot, Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) was the latest to enter the picture with his G2 Queen’s Vase win.
Racing over 2800 metres, the field went quick early as the Queen’s Punctuation (GB) (Dansili {GB}) set a solid pace up front. Jockey Ryan Moore was happy to have his mount run a good 5l behind the leader with three horses beat. As the field entered the final 1400 metres, Santiago was joined by stablemate Noble Prize (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as they moved closer to the tiring leader, who had slowed down his relentless early gallop.
Going into the final 600 metres, Punctuation was joined by Born With Pride (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) on the lead with Al Dabaran (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) ranging up to their outside. Santiago was right behind them and full of run when Moore took him to the outside to pass the other runners with 400 left to go.
Chased by Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), Santiago floated toward the inner rail but continued building up a lead in the final 100 metres.
Santiago finished 2.75l in front of Berkshire Rocco at the wire with that runner leaving the rest of the field far behind when finishing 8.5l ahead of Al Dabaran, who finished 2.5l ahead of Born With Pride.
"He just looked to the rail for a bit of help. I am very happy with what he has done today, he has a good attitude,” Moore said after the race. "He went through the race very smoothly. The form looks fairly solid, the second horse had run a good race at Lingfield and the third horse he won a Listed race here on King George Day and was placed in a couple of Group races in France. It wasn't a big field, but I would say they brought a fair level of form."
While trainer Aidan O’Brien said the G1 Epsom Derby may be next for the colt, he noted that he’s more likely to head to the G1 St Leger with an eye toward the G1 Ascot Gold Cup next year.
"We thought he was going to be an ideal St Leger horse. We will give him another run in between,” O’Brien said. "Santiago could be a Gold Cup horse next year, so we will keep that in our minds. He is a strong traveller and will get better from three to four. We have plenty of horses in the Derbys - the Irish Derby will come too soon and we will think about Epsom. But I think we will take our time with him this year."
Out of a half-sister to three stakes runners, including the dam of Tantheem (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), the Authorized (Ire) colt hails from the family of dual Group 1 winner Tamayuz (GB).
Continuing the class through the generations, Tamayuz’s dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Anabaa Blue (GB) (Anabaa {USA}), with their dam a Group 3 winning half-sister to top runner and bluehen mare Urban Sea (USA) (Miswaki {USA}).
Fanny Logan beats boys in Hardwicke
Getting back to her winning ways on Friday, Fanny Logan (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) defeated males in the G2 Hardwicke S. over 2400 metres for Frankie Dettori and John Gosden.
Against a field of 10 others, the filly broke 0.5l slowly but was happy to settle among the back markers with Dettori aboard as Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) set the pace. The spread out field ran nearly single file throughout with Fanny Logan sitting last more than 5l off the leader as they entered the turn.
Moving into the straight, there was a bit of race-riding happening in front of the filly as Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) kept Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) hemmed in behind the leading Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was just taking over the lead. Keeping his mount out of trouble, Dettori took his filly up the outside past that scuffle to easily sweep into the lead.
The filly crossed the line 2.5l in front to give Dettori his 70th career Royal Ascot victory. The pair was followed home by Alounak (Fr), who gave Camelot (GB) his third second place finisher of the week with last year’s Hardwicke winner, Defoe in third. After his stretch fight, Believe’N’Succceed’s (Exceed And Excel) Anthony Van Dyck finished a head behind fourth placed Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}).
"I love Fanny Logan,” Dettori said. “On paper, I thought maybe we were just racing for a place, but John gave me a lot of confidence and said she had come out of Haydock really well. She had improved mentally and physically.
"I was further back than I wanted to be, but they started racing pretty early and by the time I got to the furlong marker, they were all dead and she showed a good turn of foot - it was good. I actually forgot I was one short of 70 winners, so that's another milestone - it is good.”
A Group 3 winner before this victory, Fanny Logan is out of a half-sister to Group 1-winning Hunter’s Light (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Fourth dam Delsy (Fr) (Abdos {Fr}) is a prolific stakes producer as the dam of French champion Darshaan (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) with those out of the mare’s daughters and granddaughters including G1 Ranvet winner Darazari (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and European Champion 2-Year-Old Too Darn Hot (GB), who shuttles to Darley’s New South Wales base for the first time this year.
The Lir Jet Powers to Norfolk Victory
Purchased last week by Qatar Racing Limited after a 2.75l victory on debut, The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) quickly paid back connections with a Royal Ascot victory in the G2 Norfolk S.
Racing over 1000 metres, The Lir Jet broke a step slow from the far gate but quickly took a position just behind the leading Golden Pal (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) on the far side of the pack. The Wesley Ward trainee looked like he’d be a tough rival to beat as the duo broke away from the pack with The Lir Jet trying to close the length advantage Golden Pal had opened with 250 metres to go.
It took nearly every metre of the race for The Lir Jet to pull even with the longtime leader, putting his head in front just before the line to win by a neck. Imperial Force (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) was the best of the rest when finishing third, with the late charging Irish Lights (Fastnet Rock) son Lipizzaner (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) fourth.
Trainer Michael Bell noted that he doesn’t believe The Lir Jet will get past sprint distances in the future but he won’t be surprised if the colt can handle 1200 metres.
"At Yarmouth he broke the track record, but he did not learn a lot because he went so easy, so today he really had to dig in and learn how to race,” Bell said. “I think it's so good when you see a horse with that sort of attitude, and it bodes very well for the future. I think he is all speed; he is by a sprinter out of a Green Desert mare. I think he will definitely get six, but I wouldn't be thinking he will get further than that.”
Bell is looking toward sending the colt to the G1 Prix Morny or G1 Nunthorpe S. against older horses but said he’d talk it over with the colt’s new connections and see which route Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is taking before making any decisions.
Sold for £8000 (AU$14,455) last year as a yearling at the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sales, The Lir Jet is one of two winners on Friday to be bred 3 x 4 to Danzig (USA) alongside fellow 2-year-old winner Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). Slated to go to the Breeze-Ups, the decision was made to race the colt instead when the early sales were canceled. It didn’t take his owners long to reap those benefits with Sheikh Fahad contacting Bell about purchasing The Lir Jet after his debut victory.
The colt is from the first crop of fellow G2 Norfolk S. winner Prince Of Lir (Ire). The 2-year-old is one of two winners out of his wining Green Desert (USA) dam Paper Dreams (Ire), who is a granddaughter of Group 2-winning Papering (Ire) (Shaadi {USA}).
Dandalla stays undefeated in Albany
The good-to-soft ground didn’t prove a deterrent for a big performance by Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) on Friday in the G3 Albany S. when the filly romped home by 6l two and a half weeks after her 2l maiden victory.
Trained by Karl Burke, the 2-year-old filly broke sharply with the field in the 1200 metre race but was taken back to run nearly last as Wesley Ward-trained Flying Aletha (USA) (Tiznow {USA}) went straight to the front, as expected. Racing closer to the near side, Ben Curtis found a hole with 400 metres left to run and in only a few strides was in the lead with no one looking like they’d go with her.
That was exactly the case with the filly easily pulling away. In the end, the only battle near the front was for second with Setarhe (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) showing an impressive closing kick to come from the back and grab second by a neck from Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).
Burke had big words for the filly Nick Bradley Racing & Elaine Burke-owned filly, who was compared to his top filly Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) over the winner.
"Dandalla has got a great turn of foot and then she keeps on galloping,” he said. “A few times at the top of the Middleham gallop where we do most of our work, jockeys have been struggling to pull her up. My daughter Lucy earmarked her since before Christmas. She actually came in one day and said 'I hate to say it, but this filly reminds me of Laurens.' That will tell you how high she thought of her. She is probably more precious than Laurens - Laurens had not even run at this time during her 2-year-old career. She is also speedier than Laurens. The question now is how far we stay, and we have got plenty of time to think about.”
Bred 3 x 4 to Danzig (USA), Dandalla was a €15,500 (AU$24,531) foal purchase at Goffs Ireland November before selling for €22,000 (AU$35,979) at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sales.
The filly’s winning dam is a half-sister to Listed-winning Konkan (Ire) (Aussie Rules {USA}) and Listed-placed Cortese (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}).
The filly’s fourth dam is Edinburgh (GB) (Charlottown {GB}), the dam of Group 1 winner Sought Out (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}), who may be better known as the dam of G1 Epsom Derby winner North Light (Ire). Also under Edinburgh’s name are G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Gamut (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), G1 E.P. Taylor winner Tannery (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), G1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Front And Centre (SAF) (Dynasty {SAF}), and dual-Group 1 winner Golan (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}).
Art Power flies in Palace of Holyroodhouse
The first race of the day gave Dark Angel (Ire) his third win of Royal Ascot when Art Power (Ire) romped home in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse H. for his third win in four career starts.
Trained by Tim Easterby for King Power Racing, the colt showed that his 5.5l victory at Newcastle on the first day racing resumed was a sign of things to come. He broke sharply in this race and was among the leaders as they raced down the straight in the 1000 metre affair.
Prominent throughout, Art Power broke away from the group in the final 200 metres and ended the race there. The grey raced home to a 3.5l victory under Silvetre De Sousa with Keep Busy (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) providing her sire with his fourth placing of the week when just holding off Dancin Inthestreet (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) for third.
A €110,000 (AU$179,897) Goffs Ireland Orby Yearling Sale graduate, Art Power provided his sire with a third winner from four days at Royal Ascot. The stallion kicked it off with Battaash (Ire) impressive in the G1 King’s Stand on Day 1 before Mountain Angel (Ire) stretched out to 2000 metres in the Listed Wolferton S. yesterday.
A half-sibling to two stakes winners, Art Power shares a family with yesterday’s winner Mountain Angel, whose granddam Fanciful (Fr) (Gay Mecene {USA}) is Art Power’s third dam.
Hollie Doyle secures first Royal Ascot victory with Scarlet Dragon
The final race of the day proved to be a Royal coming out party for jockey Hollie Doyle on Friday when she won the Duke Of Edinburgh S. on Scarlet Dragon (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) in the gelding’s 45th start.
Riding him in a race for the first time since 2017 when she was an apprentice, Doyle proved to know just what he needed in the 2400 metre race to give him the Royal Ascot victory.
Breaking well, Doyle then took hold to position him in the back of the field as West End Charmer managed to secure a disputed lead.
The field settled down after a few hundred metres with West End Charmer leading the tightly bunched pack until they entered the final 600 metres. Scarlet Dragon was still at the back of the field but the 7-year-old was more than happy to listen to his rider as she manoeuvred him through the field to get him clear running room with 300 metres to go after squeezing through a hole.
The gelding still had to chase down West End Charmer and the now leading Deja but was full of run coming down to the line. He was able to just nab Deja in the final 50 metres to win by half a length over Deja with the pacesetting West End Charmer (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) proving to be the best of the rest when finishing 3.5l in front of the fourth place horse.
By 2006 Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy (GB), the 7-year-old comes from the family of G1 Irish Oaks winner Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}).
That mare has seen two of her sons relocate to Australia with Danny O’Brien-trained Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Aaron Peterson-trained US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) both active here. His page also includes Master Of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who finished fourth in last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup for Joseph O’Brien.
