International News: Classic double for Too Darn Hot

Cover image courtesy of The Curragh Racecourse

Ireland

Guineas double for Too Darn Hot

No doubt the team at Darley were celebrating a sensational weekend that saw its young guns Blue Point (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB) sire Classic winners. Blue Point’s Rosallion (Ire) claimed the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday, while on Sunday Too Darn Hot made it a Guineas double within an hour.

Following the domination of the Karl Burke-trained Darnation (Ire) in the G2 German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf, her stablemate Fallen Angel (GB) was peerless in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh.

Fallen Angel could only manage eighth in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but improved under Danny Tudhope to bound clear from A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), with Ballydoyle’s Opera Singer (USA) (Justify {USA}), 2l away in third.

Burke said, “Fallen Angel showed last year that she’s top-class. Obviously we were disappointed with the Guineas (Newmarket), but I find it hard with 3-year-olds you just don’t know where you are with them.

“We’ve got the option of the French Oaks as well as the Coronation, and as you can see she stays well. We’ll enjoy it now and worry about that later.”

Fallen Angel is from the G2 May Hill S. winner and G1 Fillies’ Mile runner-up Agnes Stewart (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who is also the dam of the Group 3-placed Divine Jewel (GB) (Frankel {GB}). The filly is one of eight stakes winners worldwide for Darley’s Too Darn Hot, and one of two Group 1 winners - the other being the G1 Champagne S. victor Broadsiding in Australia.

Too Darn Hot will return to Darley, Kelvinside for a fee of $110,000 (inc GST).

White Birch upstages Auguste Rodin

Sunday’s G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh looked an intriguing event with the return of Ballydoyle's superstar Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to Ireland. However, it was Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez’s White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), who reigned supreme.

White Birch, ridden by Colin Keane, put his best foot-forward for a comprehensive 3l success over Auguste Rodin, who was 8l clear of Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) in third. White Birch’s trainer John Murphy’s son and assistant George Murphy said, “We’ve been waiting a long time for one as good as him.

He’s a bit more chilled out this year and has progressed from race to race.“People thought last year when he was a bit slow away from the gates a few times and he was coming from off the pace that he was more of a stayer, but he’s getting to show what he can do now.”

Aidan O’Brien said of Auguste Rodin, “I thought he ran very well. The ground went against him and he got into a little bit of a speed wobble coming down off the hill and it took a little bit of time to get back in his rhythm.

“Obviously John's horse picked him up well, but we were very happy. He still went out on his shield today and the next time we'll be ready. We were thinking of the Prince of Wales's next, but we'll see what the lads want to do.”

White Birch, who also captured the G3 Ballysax S. and was second in the G2 Dante S. at three, becomes the first top-level winner for Ulysses (Ire) here. His dam Diagnostic (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) is out of Holistic (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a full sister to the Listed Kilvington Fillies' S. winner and stakes producer Prescription (GB) and a half to four other stakes winners headed by the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. winner Clinical (GB) (Motivator {GB}) and the G3 Horris Hill S. scorer Cupid's Glory (GB) (Pursuit Of Love {GB}).

Chief Little Rock powers to Gallinule success

Less than 24 hours after Chief Little Rock’s (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) half-brother, by Frankel (GB), lit up Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale by selling for a sale-topping $500,000 to Cunningham Thoroughbreds, Jim Clarke of Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA), and Bjorn Baker Racing, the son of Galileo (Ire) made that investment look incredibly astute.

Chief Little Rock led from pillar to post at The Curragh to dominate the G3 Gallinule S. The Aidan O’Brien colt, ridden by Wayne Lordan, was returning to Ireland after finishing third in Epsom’s Listed Blue Riband Trial last month. He was relentless in the Gallinule S., defeating Stormberg (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) by over 3l.

O’Brien said, “Chief Little Rock stays very well, he is an honest horse and could go to Ascot or back here (The Curragh) for the Irish Derby. He’d love going a mile and a half. We felt at Epsom it was just a bit of a dawdle for him.”

Chief Little Rock is the 253rd Group winner for the late Galileo (Ire) and is out of the G1 The Thousand Guineas heroine Amicus (Fastnet Rock), who is also the dam of Okita Sushi (Ire), also by Galileo and a Group 3-placegetter. Amicus is from the family of the four-time Group 1 winner Starspangledbanner, who is also a successful sire at Coolmore.

In addition to her weanling Frankel colt, Amicus has a 2-year-old full brother to Chief Little Rock named Medallion (Ire).

Sioux’s Jewel sparkles in Ridgewood Pearl

After finishing eighth in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last September, Al Shira’aa Farm’s Ocean Jewel (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) showed she is a bright prospect for 2024 by taking Sunday’s G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh.

Trainer Willie McCreery said, “They went no gallop, and she was a bit fresh early on, but she got settled and finished out well. We’ll go on to Royal Ascot now for the G2 Duke of Cambridge. There were a few races that we probably should have entered her in, but she would have had to carry a Group 3 penalty and I just said it wasn't fair on her and we'd wait for this and it would be a nice pipe-opener for Royal Ascot. She stayed the mile well. Once she settles early, she'll stay it no bother.”

Ocean Jewel is one 13 stakes winners for the Swettenham Stud former shuttle sire Sioux Nation (USA), a son of Scat Daddy (USA). Ocean Jewel is from the Listed-winning mare Many Colours (GB) (Green Desert {USA}) whose progeny include the G1 1000 Guineas and the G1 Prix Rothschild victress Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).

Europe

Siyouni's Msqe De Sevigne shows class

Showing that she is now a regular presence in the top strata, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) battled to a third top-level victory in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan on Sunday.

Needing all of the unique nine furlongs and 55 yards to get to Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), last year's G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner enjoyed the perfect tow under cover from Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and benefitted from a typically nerveless Alexis Pouchin ride saving ground throughout. Coaxed through a gap to get to Horizon Dore in the shade of the post, the 6-4 favourite had a short head to spare there with Haya Zark (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) 3/4l away in third.

Mqse De Sevigne, who was sharpened for this with a course-and-distance win in the Listed Prix Jacques Laffitte last month, has fully justified the decision De Rothschild to keep her in training. “She has now won a Group 1 against colts, another major accomplishment by this lovely mare,” he said, before revealing the season plan. “My father had the dam, it is great for the stud and our breeding program. The brother won three group 1s over a mile and a half, so we have to try with her also and therefore our major target is the Arc. We want to try and to have no regrets. She is five and in top form, so it is the right moment. She will have a break now and return this summer in Deauville, in the Rothschild, then the Romanet, two races to build her up toward the Arc.”

Mqse De Sevigne is, as De Rothschild pointed out, a half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris, G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and G1 Preis von Europa winner Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}). The dual Listed-placed dam Penne (Fr) (Sevres Rose {Ire}) is also responsible for the Listed River Eden Fillies' S. runner up Dogma (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}).

Darnation scores German 1000 Guineas

The first of Darley’s Too Darn Hot’s (GB) Guineas winners was Karl Burke’s Darnation (Ire), who ran out an authoritative winner of Sunday’s G2 German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf. The G2 May Hill S. and G3 Prestige S. winner was handily placed throughout by Adrie De Vries and stayed on strongly to defeat Queues Likely (GB) (Massaat {Ire}), with Three Havanas (Ger) (Havana Grey {GB}) a nose away in third.

Burke, who was at The Curragh, watching Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) saunter away with the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas said, “I was hopeful today, and she will improve again,” he said. “We were very lucky that she got her ground. It was heavy. I haven't seen the race, but Adrie de Vries is a master around Dusseldorf and I'm told he rode a great race. He's had four rides for me, two Group 1 winners and a Group 3 before today and now a Group 2. It's been a great day.”

Darnation is the first foal out of the unraced Monday Monday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks, G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Blue Bunting (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}) and a full sister to the G2 Beresford S.-placed Exemplar (Ire) and to the dam of the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Poker Face (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and the dual stakes winner and dual Graded-stakes-placed Star Devine (Ire) (Fastnet Rock). Monday Monday's 2-year-old colt by Poker Face's sire Fastnet Rock is named Obscenity (Ire)

OTI’s Sevenna Knight books Cup ticket?

France looks to have a new staying star after the hybrid Melbourne Cup contender Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) confirmed the form of the G3 Prix de Barbeville in Sunday's G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp. Bought by OTI Management prior to his breakthrough black type win in Deauville's Listed Michel Houyvet in August, the Ammerland-bred colt had been kept back from big competition by Andre Fabre until his 4-year-old bow when sixth in Meydan's G2 Dubai Gold Cup.

Terry Henderson of OTI Racing outlined the plan. “He's progressed a lot since he was a three-year-old and coming back for the Group three and now this has really cemented our expectations for better things to come,” he said. “It's a breed that does improve with age, it's well known that they tend to be better at four and five and that's one of the reasons we were encouraged to buy him, so I think it's simple maturity–mental and physical.”

“We've certainly got a man who knows what he's doing when it comes to bringing these horses along, we can now maybe give him one more run in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and then bring him back again later in the year,” he added. “He was put under a lot of pressure from the 800 and Sevenna's Knight was still able to sprint off that, which was a very encouraging sign that he's going to come back in distance and do well. The Melbourne Cup is one of the options. I think what happens in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud will dictate what direction we go in, we'll either stay for the serious races at the end of the season or we'll go to Melbourne.”

Sevenna's Knight is one of five black-type winners out of the G3 Lillie Langtry Fillies. S. winner Sevenna (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) including the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Savanne (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Sevenna Star (Ire) (Redoute's Choice).

Japan

Danon Decile takes charge in surprise Tokyo Yushun victory

A late absentee from last month's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) due to lameness, Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) gained compensation with an emphatic victory in Sunday's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at Tokyo Racecourse, the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown.

The 17-strong field featured six of the first seven from the Satuski Sho, including the unbeaten winner Justin Milano (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), runner-up Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) and Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), who was attempting to become the first filly to win the Tokyo Yushun since Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) in 2007.

Breaking sharply from gate five, Danon Decile was settled in a share of third with Justin Milano as Ecoro Walz (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}) led the field in the early stages. Having saved ground on the inner throughout, he quickly settled matters with an explosive turn of foot once hitting the front entering the final 300 metres, ultimately beating Justin Milano by 2l.

It was a first win in the Tokyo Yushun for trainer Shogo Yasuda, while Norihiro Yokoyama became the oldest Group 1-winning jockey at the age of 56 as he celebrated his third success in the race after those of Logi Universe (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) in 2009 and One And Only (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in 2014.

Danon Decile becomes one of four Classic winners and six Group 1 winners for Epiphaneia (Jpn), who won the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) himself in 2013. He later doubled his tally at the top level when also winning the Japan Cup the following year.

Already in 2024, Epiphaneia had been responsible for the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) winner and G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) runner-up Stellenbosch (Jpn), while last year another daughter, Daring Tact (Jpn), won both of those races before completing the Japanese Triple Tiara with victory in the G1 Shuka Sho. The first of Epiphaneia's offspring to win a Classic was Efforia (Jpn), who struck in the Satsuki Sho–as well as the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and G1 Arima Kinen–in a brilliant three-year-old campaign in 2021.

Bred by Shadai Farm, Danon Decile was sold to Danon Co Ltd as a yearling for ¥135,000,000 (AU$1.3 million) at the JRHA Select Sale. He is the third winner from as many runners out of the GI Alcibiades S. and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner up Top Decile (USA) (Congrats {USA}).