Battaash toughs out second Nunthorpe victory
It wasn’t his normal flashy style, but in the end Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) dug deep to fend off Que Amoro (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}) in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. to stay undefeated on the year.
Racing over 1000 metres in trying conditions, Battaash broke strongly from the barrier and was quickly into second as Que Amoro set the pace on the far side rail. Looking for his fourth win of the day, Jim Crowley started asking the gelding to respond in the final 300 metres when the gelding didn’t show his normal explosive speed to take over the lead.
Drifting closer to the leader, Battaash was still in second in the final 100 metres before sticking his head in front and steadily drawing away at the end. Que Amoro was a clear second with Moss Gil (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) 2l behind her in third.
“We went one hell of a gallop and there’s a tailwind, which is blowing across the track towards the stands rail,” Crowley told Thoroughbred Daily News. “I tried not to let the leader go too far ahead and fair play to the second, she ran a mighty race and was hard to pass. He doesn’t normally have to battle–he usually has his races won at halfway, but he really had to be a man today and stuck his neck out. He really galloped and tried really hard, so we got it just right. He’s really changed this horse–he took a nice bite going down but he was good at the start and everything was like clockwork. He’s a horse of a lifetime and to get one like this you are lucky.”
It was a clean sweep of the first four races by Shadwell and Crowley at York with the partnership sweeping all the stakes races on the card.
One of two runners for his dam Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {GB}), the 6-year-old gelding is one of seven stakes horses under his first two dams. Purchased for 200,000 gns (AU$399,000) by Shadwell as a yearling, he was joined by his 2018 full sister Altaayshah (Ire) in the stable last year.
Enbihaar continues Redoute’s legacy at York
One of the best staying mares in Europe this year, Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice) showed that stretching to 3200 metres for the first time was no worry in the G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.
Kicking off the Friday stakes at the Ebor Festival, Enbihaar quickly took her place in midpack just outside Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Slipping a bit further back to race behind Nayef Road half-way through the race, the field didn’t do much switching of position throughout most of the race.
As they entered the final 800 metres, Enbihaar switched to the centre of the track to come up beside Nayef Road in the straight for the final run.
The race looked like it was between those two in the straight but in the final 400 metres to go, two others joined them as Nayef Road started to fade. Enbihaar had to dig in deep in the closing strides as Stratum (GB) (Dansili {GB}) made a late move close to the inner rail to cut her margin down to 0.75l. Nayef Road had enough left to keep third by 1l over Dashing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who was among those that made a late run.
“I was always confident she would stay and we got racing a long way out. It was a war up the straight,” Crowley told Thoroughbred Daily News. “Lots of credit to her. She really toughed it out–she is a super mare.”
Assistant trainer Thady Gosden pointed out the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu was the mare’s next target, a race she finished third in last year.
Conceived during Redoute’s Choice’s time in France, Enbihaar is one of three stakes horses out of Chanterelle (Fr) (Trempolino {USA}). That mare is a daughter of Group 2 winner Spectacular Joke (USA) (Spectacular Bid {USA}), who also produced Group 1 winner Amonita (GB) (Anabaa {USA}) among three stakes horses.
Sold for €500,000 (AU$823,443) to Shadwell France as a yearling at Arqana’s Deauville August Yearling Sale, Enbihaar was named last year’s European Champion Older Female Stayer.
Minzaal another impressive Mehmas winner
The leading freshman sire by winners in the Northern Hemisphere this year, Mehmas (Ire) registered his third stakes winner when Minzaal (Ire) took out the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. by 2l at York.
One of four Ebor Festival winners on the day for Shadwell and Jim Crowley, the colt was slow into stride in the 1200 metre race when bumped out of the barriers. Fighting with Crowley when wanting to run up on heels in front of him, the colt quickly settled when a hole opened and he had clear running.
Drifting to the far rail, Minzaal was never touched by the whip as Crowley gave him a hand ride home as Devilwala (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) never threatened when finishing second. Fellow Mehmas runner Mystery Smiles (Ire) was third in a close finish for that position that saw three horses within 1l of each other.
“That was very straightforward,” trainer Owen Burrows to Thoroughbred Daily News. “He didn’t jump out very quick, but I don’t think Jim wanted to set him alight in any case as he has so much speed. He just lets him find his rhythm and Jim said he couldn’t believe how well he was going–if anything he got there too soon, but there was nothing else he could do. I think he’s all speed, I don’t think he needs to be going further than six furlongs, so we’ll be looking [G1] Middle Park rather than Dewhurst and it will be straight there. I don’t see him as a Guineas horse, more Commonwealth Cup and Jim thinks that, too.”
A 140,000 gns (AU$279,300) purchase from Book 2 of last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Minzaal was also a 85,000 gns (AU$169,575) foal through the sales company’s December Foals Sale.
The colt is out of the unraced Clodovil (Ire) mare Pardoven (Ire), who is a half-sister to four stakes horses and out of the stakes placed Dancing Prize (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
Uncle Mo colt impresses in Skidmore
Finshing second at Royal Ascot in June, the Wesley Ward-trained 2-year-old Golden Pal (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) had to miss his engagement in Friday’s G1 Coolmore Nunthrope due to weather and instead headed to Saratoga for the Skidmore S.
The colt led from the start in the 1100 metre turf race and was never truly tested. Having the race well in hand as they entered the straight, the colt was eased down by Irad Ortiz, Jr. The romp saw him finish 3.5l ahead of stablemate Fauci (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}) while stopping the clock in near track-record time.
"He's something special, this guy, Ward said. “I think we just got a little peek at it. From everything we've seen here, they're coming into his homecourt like Michael Jordan in the United Center in the Breeders' Cup this year. He's a very, very nice colt. I'm very thankful for the owner [Ranlo Investments]. He's afforded me the time that myself and my team has needed, and this horse had some issues and my team has really worked hard on this guy. He's so fast and he's so gifted. To get him to this point is special."
The victory was the first of his career after finishing second by a neck in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot after another close second on debut.
The first foal out of 11-time stakes winner Lady Shipman (USA) (Midshipman {USA}), Golden Pal now heads to the G2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling sale to England
One of three sales announced to be on the move from Ireland to England this fall, Tattersalls Ireland announced on Friday that the September Yearling Sale has been shifted to Park Paddocks in Newmarket.
“The decision to relocate the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to the Tattersalls headquarters in Newmarket has not been an easy one, but the sale traditionally attracts large numbers of overseas visitors and at present Britain, while also being the source of many of our buyers, is significantly more accessible than Ireland,” Tattersalls Ireland’s Chief Executive Officer Matt Mitchell told Thoroughbred Daily News. “The primary objective at Tattersalls Ireland since the outbreak of the global pandemic has been to deliver sales which combine the minimum of disruption with the optimal conditions for both vendors and purchasers alike. We are confident that, bearing in mind the prevailing COVID-19 related restrictions in Ireland, this difficult decision allows us to fulfil this objective and to provide as vibrant a market as we possibly can.”
This year’s sale will take place September 21 through 23 with Tattersalls’ October Yearling Sale kicking off on October 6.
Goffs moves yearling sales to England
Originally scheduled to take place at Kildare Paddocks in Ireland, Goffs announced on Friday that its Orby and Sportsman’s Sales have been moved to its Goffs UK complex in Doncaster.
The move comes with an adjustment of dates with the Sportsman’s Sale moved to Sept. 24 and 25. The Orby Sale is moving to October 1 and 2 to allow buyers at the first week of Keeneland September to self-isolate.
“In view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current Irish and localised protocols, and in the best interests of our clients and the Irish breeding industry, the board of Goffs are announcing today that it will, on a purely once off occasion, stage the Orby and Sportsman’s Sales in the Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster,” Goffs Chairman Eimear Mulhern told Thoroughbred Daily News. “Goffs shareholders have always sought to provide the Irish industry with an independent sales company with its own ethos, integrity and values and it is in line with this core principle that we have decided to stage the sale at our own premises in the UK.”
As of right now, the rest of the Goffs sales are scheduled to stay in Ireland on their scheduled dates.