Pretty Gorgeous wins dramatic Fillies’ Mile
Second last out by 0.75l in a Group 1, Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) reversed that result on Friday with a victory in the G1 Fillies' Mile in her first trip to England.
Racing in midfield over the soft ground, the filly made good work of the race inside the final 200 metres. She had 0.5l length on Indigo Girl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in second.
“Early on, I wasn’t overly happy and she’s so big she didn’t come down the hill all that great but once I got her balanced and rolling in the last half-furlong it was a case of me getting there too soon,” said jockey Shane Crosse.
There was a bit of drama post-race when trainer Aidan O’Brien reported that Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who had been recorded as crossing the line in third, and Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) had accidentally switched saddle towels with Mother Earth crossing the line in that third position.
While the results have not yet been overturned, it is likely both horses will be disqualified with Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) moving into the third position.
Never out of the top two in five career starts, Joseph O’Brien-trained Pretty Gorgeous is now the sixth Group 1 winner for Lawman (Fr).
One of two stakes winners for stakes-placed Lady Gorgeous (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), Pretty Gorgeous dam is a half-sister to the dam of dual Group 1 winner Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Euchen Glen pulls upset in Cumberland
Going gate-to-wire, Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) pulled an 18/1 upset in the G3 Betsafe Cumberland Lodge S.
Brushing off race favourite Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the final 300 metres of the 2400 metre race, Euchen Glen then held off Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling {USA}). He was able to vanquish that runner by 0.5l with the pair 9l in front of Highland Chief (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}).
A grandson of multiple Group winner Isle de France (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), the colt’s dam is a half-sister to the dam of Australian stakes winner Akario (Snitzel) and Group 1 winner Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}) with another dam producing Japanese champion Mikki Isle (Jpn).
Zaykava another stakes winner for dam
G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar {USA}) produced her third stakes winner from four runners on Friday when Zaykava (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) won the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte.
Racing over 2000 metres, Zaykava beat Galova (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) by 1.75l with Frankel’s Magic (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) in third.
By Siyouni (Fr), who also sired Sunday’s Arc winner, Zaykava’s European Horse of the Year dam has seen multiple family members end up in Australia including winning half-brother Zourkhan (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) and half-sister Zarakiysha (Ire) (Kendor {Fr}), whose foals include Group 3-placed Zarzali (Hussonet {USA}). That mare was exported back to France in early 2019 after dropping a Shalaa (Ire) colt in October 2018.
Just Beautiful impressive winner for Pride Of Dubai
Pride Of Dubai scored his 10th Northern Hemisphere-bred 2-year-old on Friday when Just Beautiful (GB) romped home at Kempton by 5l.
Racing over 1400 metres in her debut, Just Beautiful went straight for the lead and never looked back. Shrugging off any potential challengers over 200 metres out, the filly easily won by 5l over Daphne May (GB) (Mayson {GB}) with The Last Lion’s (Ire) She’s A Lion (GB) 0.5l back in third.
A half-sister to Group 2 winner Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Just Beautiful is out of a Group 3 placed half-sister to Australian runner and Group 3-placed Our Candidate (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) among three stakes performing siblings.
Pride Of Dubai’s first Northern Hemisphere 2-year-olds also include four stakes winners, led by Group 3 winner Star Of Emaraaty (Ire).
Pinatubo retired to Darley
Last year’s European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) was retired to Darley’s Dalham Hall on Friday after discussions among the operation’s team.
Undefeated in six starts at two, the colt was third in this year’s G1 2000 Guineas 1.25l behind Kameko (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) and second in the G1 St. James’ Palace before earning a 3-year-old Group 1 victory in the Qatar Prix Jean Prat. The G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp where he was second to Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) was his final race.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome a horse as exceptional as Pinatubo to the roster at Dalham Hall Stud. Last year he carried all before him, most notably in the National S. which as we all know was a performance that cannot be matched by any other 2-year-old in the last quarter of a century. We were delighted to see him add a third Group 1 win to his superb record in the Prix Jean Prat and now look forward to him beginning his new career, where we’re confident he can continue Shamardal’s great legacy,” said Darley’s director of stallions Sam Bullard.
Out of Listed winner Lava Flow (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), Pinatubo hails from the same family as leading sires Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB) in addition to last season’s Australian Champion Freshman Sire Pride Of Dubai.
Equine movement proposal sent to Michel Barnier
A six-member task force has sent a proposal on cross-border horse movement to the European Commission’s Head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom (UKTF) Michel Barnier and to Lord Frost, the British Prime Minister's Europe Adviser and Chief Negotiator of Task Force Europe.
Among the items proposed to make it easier for horses to move through Great Britain after they leave the EU is digital passports to provide traceability for horses and immediate access to medical records for horses. The proposal would also like to extend the zero tariffs that currently exist to geldings as well.
“The equine industry is of crucial importance to the economic, social, sporting and cultural fabric of both the European Union and the United Kingdom, and as representatives from all sectors of that industry, we believe that there are simple solutions that can guarantee a secure future for the European equine industry”, said Ingmar De Vos said, president of the International Horse Sports Confederation
The task force is hopeful the proposal they have put forward will be included in both the Trade Agreement and EU Animal Health Law coming out in late April.
