Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
Ireland
Kingman quinella in G1 Irish 2000 Guineas
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Perhaps unlucky in Newmarket's 2,000 Guineas, Juddmonte's Field Of Gold (Ire) was in a class of his own in Saturday's Tattersalls-sponsored Irish equivalent at The Curragh. More at home on this conventional galloping track, the even-money favourite never looked in any semblance of trouble travelling kindly for Colin Keane despite being trapped wide without cover.
Sent forward approaching two out, the son of Kingman (GB) demonstrated his superior acceleration to settle the issue quickly. Forging clear with a typically dynamic closing quarter, the Clarehaven supremo was chased home by Cosmic Year (GB) at a respectable 3.75 length margin to make it a one-two for the operation and sire. Ireland's best proved to be the returning G1 Futurity Trophy winner Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), 0.75l away in third.
John Gosden was relieved to make up for the Newmarket disappointment with the winner, who was emulating his sire's feat 11 years ago. “He had to come back here to win, because this is his home turf,” he said. “He's right up there with his father, I think he's as good as his father right now. The Irish Guineas is on a very fair track and I wanted to come here and prove he was a Classic winner, so it was very important.”
Kingman (GB) | Standing at Juddmonte Stud
Gosden thinks there is more to come. “To get on a plane and come here and see something different, he would have learned a lot from this,” he added. “They grow in stature and in mentality. In truth, I was concerned he might over-race with no cover on the outside, but I told Colin if he relaxes going down he should relax coming back and he rode him just right. He takes two or three strides and he's off.”
A date at Royal Ascot now beckons for Field Of Gold, with the G1 St James's Palace Stakes there for the taking as it was for Kingman in 2014. “It's good, solid form, it was a proper race, as good as the English Guineas. Let's hope the owners want to go to Ascot and have a look at the St James's Palace there. Prince Saud is keen to go a mile and a quarter, but we'll hang on a little.”
Shamardal (USA)'s Princess De Lune (Ire), who has also produced the Listed Rosemary Stakes winner Zanbaq (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is a full-sister to the dual Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed sire Puissance De Lune (Ire) and the G2 Middleton Stakes scorer Queen Power (Ire). She is also kin to the G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and to the dam of Iffraaj (GB)'s G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and G1 Coronation Stakes heroine and Stakes producer Rizeena (Ire) and Kingman's fellow Summer Romance (Ire) who was successful in the G2 Balanchine and G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes and runner-up in the GI Just A Game Stakes and GI Diana Stakes.
Gallery: Images courtesy of Tattersalls
The third dam Serena's Sister (USA), as her name suggests, is a full-sibling of Rahy (USA)'s multiple Grade I-winning matriarch and champion Serena's Song (USA) whose progeny were headed by Storm Cat (USA)'s GII Oaklawn Handicap-winning sire Grand Reward (USA) and G1 Coronation Stakes heroine Sophisticat (USA). Princess De Lune's yearling filly is by Ghaiyyath (Ire).
Victoria Harbour looking good in Oaks trial
By Sean Cronin, TDN Europe
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred Victoria Harbour (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) followed up a breakthrough success at Thirsk for the Karl Burke stable last month and made all to register a career best on black-type debut in Saturday's Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood.
Holding sway at a comfortable rhythm for most of this late-stage G1 Oaks trial, for which she is not yet entered, the 12-1 chance came under pressure as the pack loomed large passing the quarter-mile marker and she called upon abundant reserves in the closing stages to bravely hold the late charges of Music Piece (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Never Let Go (GB) (No Nay Never {USA}) by a neck and a half-length.
Victoria Harbour is the latest of nine foals and one of six scorers produced by Listed Sandringham Handicap second Dubai Queen (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}), herself out of G1 Oaks d'Italia victrix Zomaradah (GB) (Deploy {USA}). Zomaradah is also the dam of multiple Group 1-winning sire Dubawi (Ire) and G2 Lancashire Oaks victrix Emirates Queen (GB) (Street's Cry {Ire}). Emirates Queen, in turn, is the dam of G2 Jockey Club Stakes winner Outbox (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and G3 Winter Derby victor and GI Canadian International runner-up Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}). The March-foaled bay is a full-sister to G2 May Hill third Zabeel Queen (Ire) and a half to last term's G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes-winning G1 Champion Stakes and G1 Prix Ganay third Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
James’s Delight wins Greenlands, Storm Boy fails
Aidan O’Brien’s import Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) raced prominently at the beginning of the G2 Greenlands Stakes, but dropped out to finish last. The winner, 4-year-old gelding James’s Delight (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}), swooped on the line for trainer Clive Cox, ridden by Oisin Murphy.
“Clive was very happy with him. The plan was actually to get a bit of cover, but the speed wasn’t very fast and he broke well. He is a tough, game horse for very good owners, the Rooneys,” Murphy told racingtv.com.
“Jason Maguire (the owners’ racing manager) does a top job and it’s fantastic they have kept this guy in their colours and he can pick up valuable prizes like today.”
James’s Delight is the sixth winner out of Heavens Peak (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Centennial (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Listed winner Siren’s Song (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). This is the family of Yulong shuttle sire Panthalassa (Jpn).
South Africa
Eight On Eighteen dominates G1 Daily News
The G1 Daily News 2000 was reduced to only six runners with the late scratching of Confederate (Saf) (Fire Away {USA}) due to a TCO2 irregularity. Trained by Justin Snaith and ridden with calm confidence by Richard Fourie, Eight On Eighteen (Saf) (Lancaster Bomber {USA}) won by over 3l for owners industrialist Nic Jonsson and billionaire Johann Rupert.
“His engine is ticking over but it hasn’t yet kicked into gear,” said Snaith. A R700,000 (AU$60,600) National Yearling Sale purchase, made it 5 wins and 5 places from his 10 starts for stakes over R6 million (AU$520,000). He was second in the G2 Guineas last start, and is out of unraced Sempre Libre (Saf) (Captain Al {Saf}) who is a daughter of South African Broodmare Of The Year Mystic Spring (Ire) (Royal Academy {USA}) who is the dam of seven stakes winners led by Champion 3YO Filly Bela-Bela (Saf) (Dynasty {Saf}) and Champion 3YO Colt Rabiya (Saf) (Jallad {USA}).
