Group 1s
Eclipse glory for Siyouni's TDN Rising Star Paddington
Known for some time as “the first clash of the generations”, Sandown's G1 Coral-Eclipse proved the absolute epitome of that sentiment on Saturday as Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Ire}) mastered fellow TDN Rising Star Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to do it for the Classic crop. Providing Aidan O'Brien with the outright historical record of seven renewals in the process, the heavily-supported 8-11 favourite got a lead from West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and proceeded to glide through his most demanding examination yet.
Moving to the front passing two out, the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero with his weight-for-age boon had first run on the G1 Coronation Cup winner who consented to put it up to her year-younger rival on the rise to the line. Ultimately, it was Ryan Moore in charge there with a half-length winning margin and another six back to West Wind Blows who completed a TDN Rising Star one-two-three.
“Tactics didn't play any part at all, he was just the best horse on the day,” Ryan Moore said. “He was in a good rhythm, travelled down to the two very easy and found plenty. I was vulnerable there in the middle of the track, but he was always doing enough and he's a legitimate high-class colt.”
This made it a dozen Eclipses for Ballydoyle, with it all beginning in 1958 courtesy of Ballymoss (GB) for Dr Vincent O'Brien. The rest of the original master of Rosegreen's haul was made up of 3-year-old colts and Aidan O'Brien has followed on that trend with some of the stable's finest in Giant's Causeway (USA), Hawk Wing (USA) and the aforementioned St Mark's Basilica. While the sizeable weight-for-age concession this early in the year lends an indisputable edge to the Classic generation, they still have to possess the right material to deal with toughened and seasoned opponents.
Aidan O'Brien, who has now usurped the legendary figures of epochs past and present in Alec Taylor Jr and Sir Michael Stoute, has known for some time that Paddington was made of the right stuff but nonetheless admitted to a degree of wonder in the winner's rate of progress throughout the past fortnight.
Aidan O'Brien
“He is a serious horse and Ryan was very confident going out, but when you have an older filly like that they don't lie down,” O'Brien added.
It is now a question of satiating the winner's appetite for competition and so inevitably Goodwood at the end of the month is on Paddington's agenda as he looks to follow the lead of the revered 'Iron Horse'. “There's a good chance he'll be back for the Sussex, that was the plan, but because he had thrived so much and John (Magnier) was so confident he'd get the trip he was here beforehand,” O'Brien said.
“He is quicker than Giant's Causeway and his constitution is amazing; Giant always ran at the same weight, but this horse is getting heavier which is strange and unusual, but he is obviously turning into a very quick horse. He's a dream. Ryan's (Moore) very excited about him.”
Verifying adds to big day for Justify
A couple of hours after Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify {USA}) conjured up a 15-1 surprise in the G1 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks becoming the second Group 1 winner for the son of Scat Daddy (USA), Verifying (USA) (Justify {USA}) validated a quote of 3-5 favoritism, if only just, to best Raise Cain (USA) (Violence {USA}) in the G3 Indiana Derby.
“He was just like we wanted,” said the winning jockey. “I waited as long as I could. When we turned for home, I asked him. He was playing with me a little bit. But when I went left-handed, I kind of moved out a little bit…. and he gave me another gear just to hang on.
“It means a lot. I've been here five, six years, been riding here long enough. To win this race, the most important at the track, it means a lot.”
Runner-up in last year's G1 Champagne S. off a successful Saratoga debut, Verifying was a highly impressive allowance winner at Oaklawn January 14, but might have struggled with a rain-affected track when only fourth at 3-2 in the G2 Rebel S. on February 25.
The bay endured a tough beat at the hands of Tapit Trice (USA) (Tapit {USA}) in the G1 Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland on April 8 and attended the scorching pace in the G1 Kentucky Derby before wilting to finish 16th. He bounced back with a near-miss second to Disarm (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) in the G3 Matt Winn S. at Ellis Park on June 11, leading into the final furlong before being outfinished.
Verifying is the 13th black-type winner worldwide and the ninth at the Graded/Group level for Justify (USA).
Europe
Westover powers to record-breaking Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud triumph
Juddmonte's G1 Irish Derby hero Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) failed to contend with subsequent G1 Coral-Eclipse runner-up Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in last month's G1 Coronation Cup, but regained the winning thread in emphatic style with a record-breaking performance in Saturday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Westover's journey at the highest level began with an unlucky-in-running third in Epsom's G1 Derby before gaining a measure of compensation at the Curragh. He emptied quickly when facing elders for the first time in Ascot's G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. at the end of July and closed his 2022 campaign with a sixth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He faced a stiff task on seasonal return in Meydan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, but was no match for galactico Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and ran on with gusto after Emily Upjohn's gears had sealed victory at Epsom last time.
Looking ahead to targets down the line, the trainer continued, “I think we'll either stay at a mile-and-a-half or even have a conversation about going up in trip. The peloton came to him, but he stretched away in the last half-furlong. We'll certainly consider the King George (& Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot) and see how he is closer to the time. There will be a bit of a monkey on the shoulder saying is this a good idea after what happened last year, but we'll see. The Arc will be under consideration too and he ran a great race in it last year, but got stuck in the ground (when sixth).”
It was a landmark success for rider Rob Hornby, with it being his first Group 1 in the Juddmonte silks. “Winning a Group 1 in these colours is the stuff of dreams,” he said. “I was brought up watching these colours win prestigious races and to be able to do it at Group 1 level is the highest honour. I'm grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way. Ralph has trained this horse so well from two to three and three to four, so to win a Group 1 at four is so important. These are things you dream of, so when they come true you don't know how to think.”
Dabirsim's Horizon Dore is different class in the Eugene Adam
Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) showed what he is made of in Saturday's G2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud.
Sitting off the early pace set by Knight To King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), the even-money favourite who sports the Gousserie yellow-and-green brushed the Dermot Weld challenger aside with a 10.51 split from the two to the one and surged to an emphatic 2.5l success from Maniatic (Ire) (Intello {Ger}).
Already gelded, Horizon Doe could go the way of the Gousserie star Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). “He's an easy horse to ride and has a big turn of foot,” Pauline Chehboub said. “We will travel with him, as he's a Group 1 winner in the making who is versatile when it comes to trip. I think he'll improve again and we need to brainstorm with our associates, but we'll see about the Champion Stakes in October. He has huge potential.”
Classic heroine Nashwa supplemented to Falmouth
Imad Al Sagar's Classic winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been supplemented at a cost of £20,000 (AU$40,400) to the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket on July 14.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the dual Group 1 winner captured both the Prix de Diane and Nassau S. after running third in the G1 Oaks at Epsom last term. A good second in the G1 Prix de l'Opera that October, she ended her season with a fourth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in the U.S.
Now four, the Blue Diamond Stud homebred was fourth to Group 1 winner Above The Curve (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) in the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud in May, and improved to be second in the G3 Hoppings Fillies' S. at Newcastle at the end of June.
John Gosden, who also trains former Falmouth favourite and now G1 Sussex S.-bound Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), said, “We have supplemented her for the Falmouth. As you know, she has been very slow to come to hand this year. The race in France brought her on a bit. Again the other day, she probably went a little hard early, but didn't finish off.
John and Thady Gosden | Image courtesy of Emma Berry
“She is in great form and she needs racing, and we don't really want to be waiting from two weeks ago all the way to the Nassau S. So, it is close to home and she's in great form and I don't think she'll have any problem with the mile.”
United States Of America
Charge It wins Suburban S.
Whisper Hill Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (USA) (Tapit {USA}) got his season back on track with a dominating performance in Saturday's G2 Suburban S. at Belmont Park.
“He broke a little bit awkwardly but recovered and put himself in a good spot,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He was in cruise control throughout. (John Velazquez) left him off the rail a little bit to keep him relaxed, but he was traveling so well and it was coming pretty easily to him, you don't want to take that away.”
Regarding a potential next start in the G1 Whitney S. at Saratoga on August 5, Pletcher added, “The spacing is pretty good if we want to consider the Whitney, which is obviously going to be a more difficult assignment, but he's always been a horse that's impressed us as a top-class horse. Maybe he's starting to put it all together.”
Good Magic's Reincarnate wires Los Alamitos Derby
Reincarnate (USA) (Good Magic {USA}), 13th for trainer Tim Yakteen after racing on a scorching early pace in the G1 Kentucky Derby, returned to the Bob Baffert barn with a stylish 2.5l win in Saturday evening's Los Alamitos Derby.
Reincarnate made the first five starts of his career for Baffert, led by a game victory in the G3 Sham S. on January 8. He made three subsequent starts for Yakteen, including a pair of third-place finishes in Oaklawn's G2 Rebel S on February 25 and G1 Arkansas Derby on April 1. He was beaten by 24.5l on the first Saturday in May.
“We used this race as a prep with (3-year-old champion) West Coast (in 2017) for the Travers and we'd like to do the same with this colt with a race like that,” Baffert said. “I told (jockey) Juan (Hernandez) that he was back to how he was when he won the Sham. It was very important to get the win with him especially when you know how good Skinner is. This race always comes up tough and it was a big win for the team.”
Cross Traffic's Maple Leaf Mel wins battle of the undefeateds in Victory Ride
Billed as a showdown between unbeaten sophomore fillies Maple Leaf Mel (USA) (Cross Traffic {USA}) and Dazzling Blue (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}), with the added bonus of Red Carpet Ready (USA) (Oscar Performance {USA}), who took down previously unbeaten Munnys Gold (USA) (Munnings {USA}) in Churchill's G2 Eight Belles S. on May 5, Belmont's G3 Victory Ride S. didn't disappoint as Maple Leaf Mel turned back a stiff challenge from Dazzling Blue and stayed unbeaten in five starts.
“It definitely gives me a big relief,” said Melanie Giddings, a former assistant to the winner's previous trainer, Jeremiah Englehart, but now herself the trainer of record. “She's amazing. She's won at Aqueduct, Belmont, twice at Saratoga, and Pimlico. She's pretty incredible.”
The undefeated Victory Ride winner debuted last summer at Saratoga, took the statebred Seeking the Ante S. and the statebred East View S. with a seven-month hiatus in between, and made both her open company and graded company debut May 19 with a gate-to-wire, geared-down joyride in the G3 Miss Preakness S. at Pimlico. Never headed, Maple Leaf Mel has led at every call in all five starts. Giddings indicated the grey will target the G1 Test S. August 5 at Saratoga.
