Cover image courtesy of Ascot Racecourse
Coming through in a highly tactical renewal of the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot, The Aga Khan's Tahiyra added to her Irish 1000 Guineas and Moyglare Stud S. successes to provide Dermot Weld with his first renewal since 1978.
Sent off the 8-13 favourite, the homebred half-sister to superstar Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) missed the break a fraction and ended up in rear with Chris Hayes unwilling to use up her acceleration early. Swooping wide in the straight, she went slightly right as Sounds Of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}) drifted left causing the filly in between Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}) to snatch up approaching the furlong pole. While Tahiyra forged ahead, Remarquee was playing catch-up and finished with a flourish to be just a length behind the winner at the line and a head in front of the Craig Bernick and John Camilleri owned Sounds Of Heaven.
After an inquiry, the result was allowed to stand and Siyouni in turn responsible for a notable St James's Palace-Coronation double.
For Weld, who saddled Sutton Place to win this in an entirely different era as a young man at the end of his twenties in 1978, this success was proof of the unending expertise of the septuagenarian. “I have been very fortunate in life,” he said. “She has brilliant speed and I suppose she’s learning more about racing and getting more professional. I thought she won fair and square. Her sister was a brilliant racemare and this one is equally good. They are different sorts, this one has more pace. I enjoy so much training these fillies, I know the families and do my best to train them.”
Weld is set on giving Tahiyra a break now, after three tough encounters since the start of last month and having openly expressed that Newmarket’s 1000 Guineas was coming a touch too soon. “I think the plan always was to give her a nice holiday, a nice break,” he adedd. “She’s had a very busy spring and early summer and we will look at a programme for her in the autumn.”
The Aga Khan Studs' Georges Rimaud confirmed earlier this month to TDN AusNZ that Siyouni, who will be available for around 20 Southern Hemisphere covers, will stand for €60,000 ($97,798) this year.
Shaquille takes Commonwealth Cup in eye-catching fashion
He had obvious credentials entering the G1 Commonwealth Cup, but after Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) had blown the start all looked lost until Oisin Murphy conjured an incredible effort from the Steve Brown and Julie Camacho-trained 9-1 shot.
Gradually eased into contention after his disastrous break, the Listed Carnarvon S. scorer who carries the colours of his breeder Martin Hughes overhauled the 10-11 favourite Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) in the closing 50 yards for a 1 1/4-length success. Last year's G2 Lowther S. winner Swingalong (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) was 3/4 of a length away in third, having raced on the pace with Ballydoyle's bigwig throughout.
Had he broken on terms here, it is probable that he would have been an impressive wide-margin winner and Oisin Murphy had a far less stressful ordeal. “As the stalls opened, he went up into the air and took his time coming back down to the ground,” he explained. “It’s very hard to do that in a 1200 metre race and win. I thought the race was almost over and you just have to hope they’ve gone too fast and will slow down at the end and I got to the back of Ryan quite easily without having to go for him.”
“I had to sustain an effort from quite a long way out. It really was a tremendous task that he managed to overcome,” Murphy added. "He’s a tough, top-class animal. It’s an astounding performance."
Aidan O’Brien said of Little Big Bear, “He ran very well. I think he is a sprinter and we will be looking forward to the July Cup.”
Charm Spirit stands at Haras Du Logis Saint Germain in France for €5,000 ($8,145), and previously shuttled to Windsor Park Stud.
Another Royal Ascot winner for Amo Racing, and also Wootton Bassett
He's as big as it gets among top-class thoroughbreds, but Amo Racing's King Of Steel (USA) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) showed for the second time this month that he has grace in abundance as he stormed to glory in the G2 King Edward VII S.
Denied only by Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in a dramatic finale to the Derby, the imposing grey was at risk of coming back too quickly but Roger Varian is too skilled to make that mistake and confidence was high as he traded as the 11-10 favourite.
Anchored in last by Kevin Stott even though the early pace was moderate, he arrived wide in early straight before seizing control two out. Despite lugging right to the rail, he powered to a 3 1/2-length verdict over Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) with the Derby also-ran Artistic Star (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) another 2 1/2 lengths behind in third.
“He's got such a great constitution and we went on the signs he was giving us, which were great,” Varian said. “He's a super horse and it is very satisfying that he confirmed today what he did in the Derby. We'd like to go to the [G1] Grand Prix de Paris, but we'll see how he is after this.”
Wootton Bassett, who sired the G2 Coventry S. winner River Tiber (Ire) on Tuesday, will stand for $93,500 (inc. GST) at Coolmore Australia this season.
Caravaggio's Porta Fortuna wins the Albany
Frankie got going early on Friday as he steered Steven Weston, Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing 2020 LLC and Reeves Racing's Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA}) to success in the G3 Albany S. for a landmark 80th Royal Ascot winner.
Sent off at 5-1 having garnered Naas's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. last month, the Donnacha O'Brien trainee travelled smoothly over two lengths behind the speed up the centre. Arriving to reel in Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never) passing the furlong pole, Porta Fortuna who was bought by Mark McStay from Annemarie O'Brien following her success in a five-furlong Curragh maiden in April beat Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star by a length. Highclere Throughbred Racing's Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), representing the George Boughey stable was the same margin away in third.
Donnacha, who was celebrating his first Royal winner, added, “Porta Fortuna is a very smart filly and big congratulations to all the owners–they spotted her potential early and bought into her. She is quite a scopey filly–she is owned by a bunch of American owners, so the Breeders' Cup will be a target but whether she will stay that far or not we will see. It is a big gamble to buy a filly out of a maiden, but they have been proven right so fair play to them.”
Caravaggio who previously shuttled to Coolmore Australia now stands at the Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan.
Also on the card, Okita Soushi (Ire) won the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) for trainer Joseph O'Brien and owner Toshihiro Matsumoto. The son of Galileo is out of the Australian Group 1 winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock). Amicus, now owned by Coolmore, was served by Frankel on Southern Hemisphere time in 2022.
