Cover image courtesy of Darley

Ghaiyyath romps again in Juddmonte International

It was a fourth straight victory for Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on Wednesday at York when he made easy work of a quality field in the G1 Juddmonte International.

Taking his customary front running position in the 2300 metre race, he was attended by Rose Of Kildare (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) early on but that rival quickly dropped back a few lengths to join the rest of the field. Allowed to run all alone on the front end, the only pressure Ghaiyyath felt was that of William Buick keeping a tight hold on him with Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) taking over the second position.

Swinging into the homestretch, Buick took Ghaiyyath to the centre of the track and for a few strides it looked like Magical may draw even with him but Ghaiyyath soon broke his rivals’ hearts. Buick gave his mount a few taps in the final 300 metres but mostly encouraged him with his hands as the 5-year-old galloped to a 3l victory over Magical.

Finishing 1.25l behind her, Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) gave his sire a 1st-3rd finish in the race with Galileo (Ire) having a unique quinella as the damsire of the winner and sire of the second.

“This horse can do all the things most horses can’t,” Buick told Thoroughbred Daily News. “His high cruising speed, the way he keeps going and at the business end he has another gear just to finish the race off completely. I love him. He’s a high-class horse and he’s now got everything on his CV. He’s beaten the best around at this trip. He’s the best I’ve ridden without a doubt.”

Winning his third straight Group 1 event and fourth in his last six starts, Ghaiyyath is the second Group 1 winner for his G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winning dam Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) alongside Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) with stakes placed half-sister Sleeping Beauty (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) also producing a stakes runner.

The 5-year-old is bred on the same Dubawi (Ire) x Galileo cross as Darley’s Night Of Thunder (Ire), making him an interesting stallion prospect for the operation in coming years.

Nightime’s half-sister Mermaid Island (Ire) (Mujadil {USA}) was imported to Australia in 2009 and is the dam of Listed winner Ondina (Manhattan Rain) and Holy Cow (Teofilo {Ire}) among others. She has a 2-year-old filly by Press Statement named Press To Collect and produced a Shooting To Win filly last year.

Pyledriver much the best in G2 Great Voltigeur

Back to his best after a rough trip in the G1 Investec Derby last month, Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) wandered in the closing stages of the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S.

Racing over the same 2400 metres as the Derby, Pyledriver was among the first to show when jumping quickly. Jockey Martin Dwyer quickly placed his mount near the back as a keen Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) set the pace up front.

Racing strongly with one horse beat in the tight pack, Pyledriver caused a bit of trouble for that horse as he slid over to the rail 800 metres in and Juan Elcano (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had to check quickly but both horses quickly got back into a rhythm as they turned into the straight.

Pyledriver had plenty of clear running room in the straight and was in a line with four others coming into the final 400 metres when Dwyer sat him down for the final run. Leaving his rivals behind, Pyledriver lost his focus and drifted a bit once he was 2l clear but his jockey was able to keep him going well enough to beat Highland Chief (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) by 3.25l with a closer battle coming for third 0.5l behind that horse when Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) beat Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) by a head.

“We are in the [G1] Grand Prix de Paris,” trainer William Muir told Thoroughbred Daily News of plans for the colt. “The Leger has been on the cards, but people are saying we should now go for the Arc. He didn’t look like he was stopping today, but then Martin said today he’s got loads of gears and horses with gears normally don’t just stay and stay. It’s a lovely problem to have – this is where we want to be.”

From the second-to-last crop of Harbour Watch (Ire), Pyledriver is out of a winning half-sister to France champion and Hong Kong runner Helene Charisma (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}) and a full sister to Group 3 winner Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Fr}).

Pyledriver makes his dam La Pyle (Fr) the fifth generation in her family to produce at least one stakes winner.

Teofilo’s top week continues in Acomb

The sire of a new Group 1 winner over the weekend and a Listed placed runner last Thursday, Teofilo’s (Ire) week got even better when 2-year-old Gear Up (Ire) stayed undefeated in the G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. on Wednesday at York.

Staying at his debut winning distance of 1400 metres, Gear Up broke evenly with the rest of the field and was happy to stay just behind the keen Broxi (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) in second. Silvesta de Sousa let his mount gallop at his own pace with Gear Up happy to speed up with asked as they entered the final 600 metres.

Gear Up had to avoid a wandering Broxi without bumping into Royal Scimitar (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) as he went for the lead with Broxi giving way as he was confronted by both Spycatcher (Ire) (Vadamos {Fr}) on the inner rail and Broxi on the outer with the battle in the final 100 metres coming down to those two.

Both 2-year-olds gave their all with Gear Up coming out the better by0.5l and Broxi 3l behind the duo while keeping his third place spot by a head.

“Everyone was thinking of him as quite a difficult horse after his debut, where he was off the bridle early before flying home,” trainer Mark Johnston told Thoroughbred Daily News.

“He was very different in the prelims today–laid-back and relaxed and Silvestre said he learned more today than first time. He’s not the most impressive horse at home, but we’ve seen his style again today, he looked the first under pressure then found more and more. He wants a mile now and he’s bred to get a mile. We weren’t thinking he’d be ready this early, despite it being August now. He’ll have one or two more runs maximum and my first thought was the [G2] Royal Lodge.”

A €52,000 (AU$85,814) Goffs Orby Yearling Sale purchase, Gear Up is a third generation Jim Bolger-bred alongside his sire and that stallion’s dam.

Gear Up is a full brother to Group 3-winning Guaranteed (Ire) who is among four winners out of his Toccet (USA) dam Gearanai (USA). That mare is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Plainswoman (Arg) (Zensational {USA}) and a granddaughter of four-time US Grade 1 winner Dispute (USA) (Danzig {USA}).