In Swoop earns first French Group win
Last year’s G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) finished in that spot again last month in his seasonal reappearance but on Thursday was back to his winning was in the G3 Prix d’Hedouville.
Racing over 2400 metres at Longchamp, In Swoop broke well before settling a few lengths off the leading Influx (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) early on. Nagano Gold (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) wasn’t a fan of the pace and moved up to take charge just a few hundred metres in with the field allowing him to go on as they ran a few lengths behind him.
As that leader started to fade in the final 400 metres, In Swoop found his best stride to take command inside the 300 metre mark. He was asked by Olivier Peslier to do just enough to stay in front in the final stages with the Good Man (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) 1.25l back in second at the line and Sublimis (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) third.
A Group 1 winner in Germany, this was the first Group win for the 4-year-old in France. In Swoop is a half-brother to former New Zealand stakes runner and now broodmare Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) and a full brother to German Champion Ito (Ger). Igraine had a Fastnet Rock filly last August and was bred to both Fastnet Rock and Zoustar last year before returning to New Zealand.
Queen Power dominates Middleton
Looking for her first win in two years when racing in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ S. at York, Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) put that losing streak behind her in a big way on Thursday.
Keen from the start, the 5-year-old mare tracked the leaders for much of the 2100 metre race before taking the lead with 400 metres left. Jockey Silvestre De Sousa didn’t have to do much to convince his mount to lengthen her margin in the closing stages as she romped home by 8l. Chamade (GB) (Sepoy) was a clear second when finishing 4.25l ahead of Cabaletta (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) with that one a further 4.75l ahead of the fourth place runner.
A multiple Group-placed runner before today, Queen Power joins Group 1-winning half-brother Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Swettenham Stud’s multiple Group winner Puissance De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) as Group winners for Princess Serena (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}). Queen Power’s multiple stakes placed full brother His Majesty (Ire) was imported to Australia in late 2013 and was retired from racing in June of 2018.
Hurricane Lane continues Frankel’s roll
Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) stayed undefeated in three starts when taking out the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York on Thursday.
Racing over 2100 metres, Hurricane Lane’s perfect record looked in trouble when the pacesetting Roman Empire (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) proved hard to chase down late in the race. But that pacemaker finally came back to him, allowing him to get the lead. After taking over from that foe, he then had to deal with Megallan (GB) (Kingman {GB}) making a run at him in the closing strides but digging deep, he held on by 0.75l with High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 1.25l behind the pair.
The 10th stakes winner and 19th stakes performer for Juddmonte’s Frankel (GB) since April 1, he also became that stallion’s newest stakes winner overall with the victory.
A 200,000 gns (AU$399,000) purchase by Godolphin as a yearling, the colt is one of two stakes performers for the stakes-placed Gale Force (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), whose grandam is a half-sister to Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}). Hazariya is the dam of Champion Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Australian stakes winner Haripour (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}). That mare’s half-sister is the dam of another Australian stakes winner in three time Group winner and multiple Group 1-placed Big Duke (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}).
Hurricane Lane (Ire) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
