1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

A couple of breeders 2015

Discussion in 'Horse Racing' started by Bustino74, Mar 22, 2015.

  1. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Here’s my yearly piece on these 2 studs. The Royal Stud is almost unrecognisable to the stud of 10 years ago, when it was 90% filled with mares from 2 families. As mentioned before the Queen has recently been endowed with fillies from the studs of the Aga Khan, Juddmonte and Darley. At the same time a few purchases of yearling fillies and fillies out of training has, on paper, increased the firepower of the stud. The next few years will see more of this effect in the breeding of her 2yos. For this year 2 youngsters give us a flavour of how things are changing.

    Recorder colt by Galileo out of Memory (Hannon’s good 2yo filly of a few years back);
    Wishpoint colt by Street Cry out of Key Point (a half-sister to Kalanisi.

    More of these later in the year, but how is the Queen placed in 2015. In the 4yo and older category there was a bit of a clear-out at the end of last season. Of this older age group there are now only two representativeOne is the Haggas trained Prince’s Trust, a lightly raced 5yo who could win more races over 7-10f this year. The other is Hannon’s Musical Comedy, who ran only 3 times as a 3yo. He is pounds better on soft ground and should be followed on soft or heavier.

    Without doubt the Queen enters the new season with the best bunch of 3yos she has had for some time. For a few years she rarely had a 2yo winner but last year had 8 individual winners. It appears that top of the pile are 2 (of 3) colts supplied to the Queen by Darley, and the leader of those two appears to be the Dubawi colt DARTMOUTH (he’s from a good Wildenstein family). He won his second race at Sandown and could go on to be Group class. He is entered in the English and Irish Derbys. Capel Path, again ex Darley, probably hasn’t quite the same aspirations but this Street Cry colt (from the family of In the Wings) won quite takingly on his third start and looked to be the sort to give HM a runner in a handicap at the Royal Meeting.

    But the Royal stud itself produced six 2yo winners last year: 3 colts and 3 fillies. Of the colts AWESOME POWER (Haggas) looks the pick (to me) but has had only won one small race so far. By Dubawi out of a Fairy King grand-daughter of Highclere he could improve considerably this year especially over 10f. PEACOCK is a bit of an enigma. After winning well first time out he ran poorly at Ascot in July despite Hannon being very positive about him before the race. At the Leger meeting he ran much better in a confusing listed race won by the consistent Nafaqa who went on to run 2nd to Elm Park in the Royal Lodge. In the Doncaster race Peacock looked outpaced but then coming with a run was hampered in the final furlong losing by only ¾ of a length. Being by Paco Boy, he should be suited by 8f and come on as a 3yo: you may just want to watch him first time out. The third colt was Mustard (I told you last year he could be hot) and he won his second race after appearing beaten (the 2nd idled after being clear). A Stoute trained son of Motivator (out of a Darshaan half-sister to Flight of Fancy), he should be able to stay 12f+ but I’d like to see him first time out to see how he shapes.

    Of the three winning fillies I’d select PACK TOGETHER to be the one to watch. Another Paco Boy trained by Hannon, she won very well first time out but was then 2nd in a Sandown listed event. Hughes jumped off her and declared that she’d run very green as if she hadn’t had a previous race. Despite being later entered for a few bigger races she did not appear again. It’s easily forgotten that Paco Boy was rated only 87 as a 2yo and ran in Class 4 events, and it was only as a 3yo that he began to show the sort of performances that got him up to a cracking good 124 horse. So his offspring may similarly advance and I’d be disappointed if Pack Together (out of a grand-daughter of a half-sister to Highclere) didn’t improve enough to at least be Listed class at about a mile: she’s a valuable mare anyway. If you’d have read certain websites last year you’d have known the dogs were barking about Touchline (an Exceed and Excel filly out of a Nayef mare and trained by Bell) from May onwards. At the end of July she at last ran in a hot maiden at Goodwood and ridden by Moore was supported in the market: she ran poorly. A month later she won a small 6f race at Yarmouth fairly comfortably whereupon she went for a listed event at Salisbury and again disappointed. Of course the dogs could have been wrong but a few good judges noted that Touchline lost her action once the pressure was put on. She did not come under that sort of pressure at Yarmouth, so it wasn’t so obvious. This could be a fault or just immaturity and if it’s the latter there’s every chance she’ll leave her 2yo form behind: best watched first time out. The other winning 2yo was the admirable Kinematic (Balding) who ran consistently throughout the year. She eventually won a 5f Chester race in a record time for a 2yo, but having been given a rating of 85 I feel she’s very exposed and may need to have things go all her own way to score again (tight track, good draw, well away).

    Of the non-winning 2yos (so this year’s 3yos) PICK YOUR CHOICE (Haggas trained: what an awful name for a horse) should have a future. He is by Elusive Quality out of the Queen’s Listed-winning filly Enticement (by Montjeu and purchased as a yearling in 2007 and who actually started favourite for Sariska’s Musidora). He ran a perfectly acceptable Newmarket race at the end of last season and I’d expect him to start over 10-12f somewhere and to soon win a maiden. I was very keen on Dexterous (Charlton) this time last year but in her only run she was hardly inspiring. If she doesn’t win this year she’ll be the first of her mare’s produce not to.

    Despite all the 2yo winners and runners last year there are several unraced 3yos this season. Galley Proof (Galileo-Fictitious: with Hannon) and Thames Pageant (full-sister to Mainstream: see below and with Haggas) are two well-bred individuals but there are others. More of them later.


    Of the 2yos there are a few that stand out on breeding. Along with the already mentioned Recorder, there’s Molten Gold (a New Approach half-brother to Mustard), Mainstream (a Dansili colt out of the Sadler’s Wells filly Golden Stream), Hammer Gun (a Smart Strike colt out of a great grand-daughter of Highclere) and Diploma (a Dubawi half-sister to Pick Your Choice) who all have nice pedigrees: but more of these later in the season. If there are to be early 2yos I’d put my money on Paco Boy produce again in the shape of Husbandry (a first foal colt out of the good winner Humdrum with Balding) and Patent (a colt out of Peacock’s grand-dam with Hannon). Kinematic’s half-sister Ring of Truth (by Royal Applause also with Hannon) should be early, as should Pack Together’s half-sister Loud Applause (also by Royal Applause).

    I can’t help feeling that things are looking up for the Queen. 2014 was the highest number of wins for some years and I feel 2015 may be even better. The six 2yo winners The Royal Stud bred performances last season augurs well. One last point and that is that Haggas seems to be getting second-best after Stoute, so in 2 seasons he seems to have eclipsed Bell and Charlton as the Queen’s likely main-trainer-of-the-future. The next 2 seasons are going to be key for him if he is to replace Stoute at some stage. One thing that is pleasing is to see Balding sent more and perhaps better bred animals. He has seemed to be at the foot of the table up to now, yet has been pretty consistent: he has more inspiring looking 2yos this year.

    In contrast Ballymacoll had a poor year in 2014 with their lowest winning prize-money total since 2007 and just 7 wins. Rarely for them, they failed to score with a 2yo (which they did in 2007). The star of the limited show was the 4yo maiden ARAB SPRING who got off the mark in March and went on to win 3 more races including a nice win at Royal Ascot. All sorts of dreams were then revealed, but in his next race he ran a stinker and finished 4th at his first attempt at group company (Princess of Wales Stakes). Arab Spring returns and nothing was said about the reason for his defeat or then long lay-off. This Monsun colt is a walking advert for Aussies interested in buying colts to race down-under. Being by Fiorente’s sire out of the dam of Glass Harmonium (Gp 1 Aus) he has an eyecatching pedigree and could be suited to a couple of seasons racing there having only had 6 races so far. Arab Spring has something to prove and if conditions are right you could see him making his debut in something like the John Porter. If all goes well I expect him to go on to better things.
     
    #1
    Ron likes this.
  2. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    With no winning 2yos last year it is difficult to sift through the evidence for this year’s 3yos. Two fillies stand out and I’d be surprised if they both don’t win a race or two. First up is YARROW, who is a Sea the Stars sister to Golan and Tartan Bearer who at least ran 2nd on her first start, even if she was a touch disappointing on her second start. If Ballymacoll have an Oaks filly it must be her, but at the moment that seems a mountain to climb. I’d expect her to start in a maiden at somewhere like Newbury or Sandown. Last December Ballymacoll sold her winning half-sister, Long View, for a massive 1.1million guineas. To sell such a well-bred filly, when the only daughters you have are proving disappointments so far as broodmares, can only be understood if perhaps Yarrow will be retained, or that Ballymacoll are financially in difficulties. Let’s hope it’s the former. The second filly is ANGEL VISION (by Oasis Dream), who is Islington’s sixth filly foal (she only has fillies and there are 3 more in the wings by Oasis Dream, Dubawi and Shamardal), and she ran encouragingly on her debut to finish 4th in a fairly strong Salisbury maiden won by Fadhayyil. She has an entry in the Irish 1000G: again that looks a step too far at the moment. However she’ll no doubt be fairly sharp for her debut this year and I’d expect her to win early on and go on to better things. By the way her 5yo half-sister Bohemian Dance is still in training, but in the USA where she has won twice.

    After that the 3yos look very ordinary. One that you could hope and wish a lot for is PETRUCCI. An Azamour half-brother to Arab Spring he could, like some of his relations, be a late-developer and as you probably guess he didn’t run as a 2yo. Ballymacoll have done fairly well with Azamour, producing the closely-bred Liber Nauticus and Eleanora Duse: both of whom won Group 2s. You’d like to see this colt appearing sometime before the end of May. Of the other unraced 3yos there is the Nayef colt Plane Song, who is out of the rather disappointing mare Kitty Hawk who Ballymacoll purchased about 10 years ago and has so far produced one winner in the shape of the gelding Tercel (the mare is named after the birthplace of the airplane but has hardly taken off). I’d want to see him run. The other unraced colts are both now geldings and the first is Onda District (by Oasis Dream), who is out of the so far disappointing mare Leocorno (half-sister to Golan and of course Yarrow). Again I’d like to see him run before forming any impression. The other is a Lawman gelding called Areiopagos who comes from the family of Pilsudski. The latest horse to shine from this family was Sir John Hawkwood and this gelding may be capable of winning. The only other unraced 3yo is a filly called Clara Schumann, who although conceived at Ballymacoll was actually bought by them fairly cheaply at the sales after they had sold the mare Zarzuela. She is by Medicean out of a Rock of Gibraltar half-sister to Glass Harmonium and Arab Spring, and was presumably (re)purchased as their dam, Spring Symphony, has failed to produce a filly since. Let’s hope she has some ability as she could turn out to be a valuable mare.

    Of those that ran I can’t hold out much hope at the moment for many of them. The exception is MORUADH who is by Fastnet Rock out of Islington’s full sister Olympienne. Her first filly, this mare has produced the decent colts Petoski, Saptapadi and Modun. The first of these two were by Indian Ridge yet stayed 2 miles, so there is no knowing this filly’s ideal distance. But it’s a good family and I can see this filly being one worth following. I had hoped I’d be saying the same about Christmas Hamper, who is a Dubawi colt out of a mare called Gift Range, who’s a full-sister to Golan. My reasoning for this was that Ballymacoll chose to send this mare to Frankel and there had to be some reason for that, so I thought it must be this colt: as up to then this mare’s produce had been disappointing. This theory went up in flames when Christmas Hamper appeared as a 2yo and ran a tailed-off last in a Wolverhampton maiden. Of the other 3yos all of them are geldings already and all were pretty ordinary as 2yos: I’ll not mention them now.

    Ballymacoll rarely have a 2yo runner before July and I’m sure this year will be the same. As ever there are eyecatching pedigrees: there is a full-sister to Angel Vision called Canonbury; an Invincible Spirit half-sister to Liber Nauticus called THETS; a Fastnet Rock half-brother to Fiorente [by the way Fiorente covered 186 mares in his first season at stud in Victoria] called Desert Isle; and Eleanora Duse’s first foal by Lawman called CARLO GOLDINI. These stand out to me but there are 3-4 others with fine pedigrees. They could really do with a good 2yo. Abingdon is a filly that’s interesting for a number of reasons. She’s by Street Cry (he’s from Ballymacoll blood anyway) out of the unraced Galileo sister to Islington called Justlofdontouch. However although her name could be linked to Islington (well they are not that far apart) the Ballymacoll website says ‘a couple of streets where some high maintenance fillies live’! It appears that the Weinstocks are having to put continually put their hands into their pockets to keep the kids afloat, as no doubt many of us have to do.

    Which brings me to their 2015 matings: this year they are sending mares to the likes of Zebedee, Kodiac, Dark Angel and Siyouni, which pleases me no end. When you add to that the following new sires being used; Archipenko, Australia, Cacique, Exceed and Excel, Kingman, Lope de Vega, Maxios, and Sea the Moon: things will soon look very different. Hopefully they all get in foal. Islington visits Sea the Stars and will no doubt produce a filly! This will probably be the last covering year for Athene and Highland Gift and hopefully they will be replaced (at least) by Yarrow and Angel Vision this year. Athene (visiting Zebedee) has a yearling filly by Arcano and Ballymacoll must hope she’s worth keeping: if not this family will die out.

    More later.
     
    #2
    SaveTheHumans, Ron and stick like this.
  3. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Lanwades have a few pictures of their sire Leroidesanimeaux's offspring.

    one of them is a sister to Abingdon and looks a lovely chestnut foal, though perhaps the filly out of Midnight Angel looks better at this stage.

    Leroidesanimeaux is an interesting sire and this is his first UK crop and is the sire of the Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. He is by the American sire Candy Stripes (by Blushing Groom) out of a Ahonoora sister to Hasili. Hasili couldn't have been more successful as a broodmare and her sons are pretty good sires. We'll see these foals on the track in 2017.
     
    #3
  4. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    PEACOCK came out and won as he should have done. However Hannon is talking about a Guineas Trial for his next start. What a shame those clever boys at the Royal Stud sold his dam 2 years ago with no filly to carry on. Whoever bought his dam, Rainbow Edge, now has a filly by Bated Breath! Worth looking out for Peacock's brother CLOSE EVIDENCE, who is by Cape Cross.

    Stoute may run MUSTARD in a Leicester handicap later this week.
     
    #4
  5. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    The flat at last starts properly this week with two of the most informative meetings of the year: Newmarket (better when it was 3 days) and Newbury. There is plenty of activity from the 2 breeders featured in this thread.

    For the Queen pride of place must go to PEACOCK who takes on a fairly hot field in the 9f Fielden Stakes. Despite being by Paco Boy he should have no problems with the extra furlong as he is out of a Rainbow Quest mare who herself is out of a Lingfield Oaks Trial winner. Hannon is saying this colt deserves to go for this and his fitness could be telling. If he improves as Paco Boy did as a 3yo and wins this he’ll have to be taken seriously.

    Hannon has taken no time in getting his Royal youngsters entered and one of them may run this week. The filly Ring of Truth is a Royal Applause half-sister to the early 2yo of last year, Kinematic and the Paco Boy colt, Patent( out of Peacock’s granddam, so very closely bred to him), and both entered at Newbury: one is likely to run. The Queen likes having Royal Ascot runners and if one runs this week this will be their trial.

    Other than that Bell runs a couple of 3yo debutants. On Friday Motion Picture may go in a fillies’ maiden. She hasn’t looked too hot on the gallops so I’d watch this time (by the way her galloping companion Orange Bloom, nothing to do with the Royals, certainly looks one to watch out for). On Saturday Bell has the Makfi colt Fabricate entered. He appears to have more about him on the gallops and as a son of Oaks 2nd Flight of Fancy you’d expect something. But sadly she has been a poor mare and I’ll again just be watching. Stoute does have another colt running and that is the well regarded CAPEL PATH: I'd be pretty keen on him.

    Ballymacoll have already had a runner this week when Plane Song finished 3rd at Windsor. Certainly that's the most promising run from this mare’s produce and he should come out and win next time. However their most important runner this week is the 5yo Arab Spring who is entered for the John Porter. It has now been revealed that his disappointing 4th in the Princess of Wales Stakes was due to a suspensory injury and that put him out for the year. This 4 times winner has only had 6 races and can go on to be a Group winner. If taklng his chance in the JP I’d be very disappointed if he doesn’t win.

    No 2yos from Ballymacoll but there are a few 3yos entered. Most interesting is Petrucci who takes his chance in a Newmarket maiden. Moore has elected to ride his stable companion, but Stoute has called on Fallon to ride this Azamour brother to Arab Spring. I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t go into some notebooks after this debut. Very much on a retrieval mission is the Dubawi colt Christmas Hamper. His sights are set low and he starts in a maiden at Nottingham. A couple of others have entries but I can’t get too excited about Voice Control at Beverley (having said that this is the 6th foal and the previous 5 have all won).

    More later
     
    #5
    Ron likes this.
  6. Janabelle13

    Janabelle13 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2011
    Messages:
    1,279
    Likes Received:
    454
    #6
  7. Ron

    Ron Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2011
    Messages:
    48,319
    Likes Received:
    15,485
    Very sad. RIP <peacedove>
     
    #7
  8. As We Know

    As We Know 1 of the top judges in Europe

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2012
    Messages:
    39,878
    Likes Received:
    54,479
    Good result for Angel Vision Bustino!

    Yarrow looks to have a maiden in her at least as well.
     
    #8
  9. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Yes a nice surprise after some of the runs. Christmas Hamper is so good that he has run against 25 horses so far and beaten 2 of them (one his stable companion)!
    Angel Vision was looking a filly of some potential last year but after her first run fell to pieces and seemed to lose confidence in herself. Good to see they've nursed her back and hopefully she'll go on from that.
    Like you I liked Yarrow's run. It's likely that Fabricate who beat her is pretty useful.
    Was going to write an update in a couple of weeks.
     
    #9
  10. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Update

    Well these two studs have hardly been inundated with winners so far, although The Queen has had plenty of placed horses to go with her 2 winners.

    Top of her pile is without doubt Peacock, who having won a good all-weather event ran a fair race in defeat to Golden Horn. That form looks even better now after the Dante. He’s been under wraps at Hannon’s yard and may be entered for a mile or ten furlong event at Royal Ascot: alternatively he might take a few trips abroad for Group races. A nice surprise(to me) has been Fabricate who is out of the Queen’s Oaks 2nd Flight of Fancy. He made a promising debut at Newbury and followed up with a good quality 12f maiden win at Salisbury. He’s entered for the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot but that looks a step too far at the moment. But the resolve he’s showed in his two starts give the impression he could be a Group horse one day. It’s a shame Flight of Fancy took so long to produce a foal worthy of her (she is now dead).
    Next most interesting was the debut of her only 2yo to run to date, Ring of Truth. She was beaten a fast finishing 2nd to Harvard Man at Newbury, but despite being by Royal Applause Hughes got off and said she felt as if she’ll need further. Hannon is talking about Royal Ascot and the likely target is the Albany Stakes. She is the last foal of Spinning Top, who has produced some decent animals. Ring of Truth looks better than her Kyllachy half-sister Kinematic and up to the standard, at least, of her full-brother Musical Comedy (who came 2nd in a Listed Naas event and is constantly in search of soft ground).
    Other promising seasonal debutants have been Pick Your Choice (who ran in a particularly tough maiden), Motion Picture and Dartmouth who should all soon be winning races. Perhaps the most promising though was Touchline who ran in a good Ascot 8f event and looking very well-developed just came off 2nd best. Hopefully Bell can have her fitter next-time and she’ll go for a listed mile event somewhere. Another 3yo that will be there or thereabouts is Mustard, but he probably needs softer ground. Awesome Power who I rate is yet to be entered.
    The Queen has a whole lot of nicely bred 2yos and over June and July we should start seeing some of these. Balding says Husbandy (a Paco Boy out of a half-sister to Ring of Truth) is said to be one of his most forward 2yos


    For Ballymacoll it has at times seemed bleak. Two winners at this stage of the season is a pretty poor show. They had their first winner when Arab Spring won his 5th race from 7 starts when winning the Group 3 John Porter. He ran a fast time (on a fast day) and actually did a faster last 4 furlongs than either of the Guineas trials held that day. He beat Pether Moon a length and Romsdal a bit further but unfortunately neither of these two have really franked the form. Asked after the race if this was a Melbourne Cup horse Stoute said he had too much speed and that a target could be the Prince of Wales Stakes at RA: the Hardwicke may be a better target but he is entered in the Coronation Cup as well.
    As I suggested the two 3yo fillies have turned out to be the most interesting so far. Yarrow made her seasonal debut in the race won by Fabricate and looked promising. She should soon pick up a race. She is now very valuable as the last filly of Highland Gift. The other filly I mentioned, Angel Vision, turned out last week at Newmarket and without too much fuss won her 7f maiden. By Oasis dream out of Islington she hopefully will improve for that and should stay further. Last year she went into many notebooks after her debut but apparently fell to pieces after that run. It took time to build her back up and hopefully she’ll not do the same thing twice. I can see her being the sort of filly to win a race like the Sun Chariot.
    One other filly runs this week and that is Moruadh (by Fastnet Rock). I’d expect a promising run from her as her dam Olympienne had done little wrong with her older horses. Moruadh is likely to stay further than this. As the only daughter around and Olympienne seemingly finding it difficult to get in foal she could be an important addition to Ballymacoll.
    Other than that all the 3yos look a bunch of ratbags. Fairly unfair I suppose on Plane Song as his debut was promising (but hasn’t been entered since) and I’m still hoping Petrucci may be a late-developer. I have no time for Christmas Hamper, Rib Reserve, Onda District and especially Voice Control. It is a mystery why they sent the mare Gift Range to Frankel and at the very least they must get rid of the mare Scottish Stage who will never produce anything but softies (they do have a filly foal by Declaration of War so should depend on her). Having said all that no doubt her current 2yo Scottish Summit (by Sharmadal) will turn out to be the next Frankel.
    No 2yos out or entered yet. I am full of hope for many of these.
     
    #10
    Ron likes this.

  11. Cyclonic

    Cyclonic Well Hung Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Messages:
    15,320
    Likes Received:
    3,434
    Sorry, When I first saw "A Couple Of Breeders," I mistook it for A Couple Of Bleeders. Gary McDonald's Norman Gunston came to mind.

     
    #11
  12. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    The Queen has had only one 2yo run so far and that's Ring of Truth. She is down to run again this week with Hannon intimating she's an Albany filly. Balding has his first Royal 2yo runner (this year) entered this week in the shape of the Paco Boy colt Husbandry who is out of a half-sister to Ring of Truth.

    But the reason for this post is the surprising entry at Newmarket on Saturday of Recorder. Set to start over 6f this is a Galileo colt out of Memory. You may remember her as the latest but greatest Hannon filly who won her first 3 starts (including the Albany) before the wheels came off. Moore is already in the plate for this Haggas-trained colt. Make hay while the sun shines?.
     
    #12
    Ron likes this.
  13. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    With the chance to take stock after Ascot before we get into the big July meetings both ownerbreeders have had a reasonable time since May. Although the Queen has the higher number of wins (8 so far), Ballymacoll are almost at their 2014 score.

    For the Queen Royal Ascot must have been a bit of a disappointment. Although Peacock confirmed he was a smart colt he had no chance against Time Test and time will prove how good both colts are. With 6 runners her only other placing was Touchline who finished 3rd in the fillies handicap. She lost her chance at the start and showed enough to make one believe she’d win at least a listed race. The inconvenient truth for the Queen’s advisors is that the mares of both these horses were weeded out of the stud at the end of 2013!! With Touchline they at least have someone to carry on that branch, but there is no daughter of Peacock’s dam and even the grand-dam has no daughters.

    Just prior to Ascot two own-breds scored, and both were trained by Haggas. Pick Your Choice won his maiden easily and it’s important not to get carried away but he won well. His next race should throw some light on how good he is. Even better was the victory of Awesome Power in a Sandown Handicap over 9f. Being by Dubawi out of Fairy Godmother he could get further, but he certainly showed plenty of pace and seemed to enjoy the firmish ground.


    Only 2 of the Queen’s 2yos have run so far. Ring of Truth got off the mark at the end of May and it was felt worthwhile going for the Queen Mary. She didn’t run badly but a return to 6f might help. The only other runner has been the Paco Boy colt Husbandry who so far looks good enough to win but that’s it. There were a few whispers about the Galileo colt Recorder who was entered by Haggas in a 6f race at Newmarket at the end of May, but was withdrawn because of lameness on the morning of the race. Word was that the colt would run in his maiden and all being well go for the Chesham. It didn’t happen but hopefully he’ll be out soon and must be watched. Not much news otherwise. I have heard that Charlton rates his Fastnet Rock filly Pure Fantasy and she’ll maybe be seen out by the end of August.


    Fabricate finally did not run at Ascot because of the firm ground. This colt looks highly promising and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him running in a race like the Bahrein Trophy at Newmarket. He is still an exciting prospect. Dartmouth ran an OK race in the 12f handicap at Ascot and could pick up a smaller handicap somewhere. The own-bred colt Mustard has been gelded and could improve with his mind on the job at hand.


    There’s a whole lot of well-bred 2yos to appear and in a month or so we should have seen a few of them.
     
    #13
    Ron likes this.
  14. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Ballymacoll have had 6 winners this year which compares favourably with the 7 they had in 2014. They had two run at Ascot but their best prospect Yarrow was pulled up with an irregular heartbeat. We may possibly not see her run again.

    Angel Vision, another filly I highlighted, was beaten into 2nd in a Newmarket handicap after winning her maiden on the same course. I’m sure there are more races to be won with her. The third filly I highlighted in my last update may turn out now to be the most promising of the three. Having run 4th on her seasonal debut Moruadh picked up what looked like a tricky maiden at Leicester. She ran green and kept ducking in behind the leading horses but when pulled out asserted herself quickly to win in the end quite easily. She’s the type of filly who could improve to win a race like the Galtres. Although by Fastnet Rock she could easily get further than the 12f she won over. All these 3 fillies should be retained by Ballymacoll, especially as Highland Gift and Olympienne (dam of Patkai and Moruadh) have been lost this year and Athene (the only mare from the Pilsudski family) has been retired. It remains to be seen whether Clara Schumann (with O’Meara now) is retained.

    I was rather hoist by my own petard in the last update when I rubbished the rest of the Ballymacoll 3yo band. Two promptly came out and won maidens. Both have run since and lost. Christmas Hamper may be work in progress. He was hopeless in his first 3 outings and then won a maiden when chased out to lead by Steve Donahoe. He then appeared in a reasonable Newbury handicap but was pulled up when seemingly clipping heels when about to make a challenge. Perhaps he’s a slow learner and if sent about his work may pick up another race somewhere. A few of the ratbags I mentioned are on their way to the July sales. Petrucci has not been sighted since April and may be a typical Ballymacoll sleeper. Plane Song should win a race somewhere.

    I’m a big Stoute fan but for the life of me cannot understand the placing of Arab Spring. Having beaten Pether’s Moon he should have joined him in the Coronation cup and surely would have gone near winning it. Instead he was sent for a tough Group3 where he was beaten a short head by Western Hymn after being forced to make his own running. Where next? Probably that Group 2 at York in July, but I can’t help thinking an opportunity was lost.

    Stoute never rushes the Ballymacoll 2yos but one at least has run so far and that is Eleanora Duse’s Invincible Spirit brother Sterling Work. He had a typical Stoute/Ballymacoll introduction, finishing 6th, and should be followed next time out. As Eleanora Duse ran 3 times as a 2yo I wouldn’t be surprised to see her first foal Carlo Goldini (by Lawman) as the next debutant.


    Ballymacoll are having a much better year and still have the likes of Petrucci and Arab Spring to win more races this year backed up hopefully by some 2yo winners: more later.
     
    #14
    Ron likes this.
  15. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Well Dartmouth picked up his smaller handicap but not much smaller as he took home £30,000+. Husbandry won nicely at York and we'll have to see if he can step up on his next start. Mustard should have won: it was almost as if Durcan thought he had Pegasus under him. Next time I suppose but he'll go up in the weights. So nice to have two winners on Saturday but Awesome Power was a real disappointment during the week.

    Friday HM throws two big cards on the table and make of them what you will. Haggas has Recorder entered at Newbury. Those who look at these things will know he's been entered for the Railway Stakes. She has the odd runner in Ireland but this entry is very interesting. On the same day Stoute has a filly called Diploma entered. She is by star sire Dubawi out of Enticement (by Montjeu), who was a black-type filly whose only runner so far is the promising Pick Your Choice.

    The firm ground seems to have frightened off the Ballymacoll horses. Sterling Work will win next time.
     
    #15
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2015
    Ron likes this.
  16. Sir Barney Chuckles

    Sir Barney Chuckles Who Dares Wins

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    5,708
    Likes Received:
    2,169
    I see that Peacock has been sold to race in Hong Kong. There were a few lines about this in yesterday’s ‘Guardian’. Consort and Christophermarlowe are also heading in the same direction.

    Not surprised that Mr Tabor has let Christopher go as he looked exposed after the ‘Lingfield Park Derby Trial’ whilst off 109 looks impossible to place. However, it must have took mega offers to secure the other 2 as after their runs so far this term both looked up to winning Group races.

    Had been looking forward to seeing Peacock back on the track again, after his very good 2nd to Time Test, at the Royal meeting.
     
    #16
    Bustino74 likes this.
  17. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Thanks Sir Barney. Yes disappointing not to see him run again in Europe.

    I'm a bit cynical and wonder if he was a bit of an embarrassment to Warren as they sold the young mare Rainbow Edge (his dam) with no daughters around of that branch of her family. There is a Cape Cross half-brother called Clear Evidence with Stouite. The clever gentleman who bought Rainbow Edge for a paltry 20,000g has a yearling filly by Bated Breath already. Hannon does have a Paco Boy (Peacock's sire) 2yo colt called Patent who is actually a half-brother to Rainbow Edge. Apparently he can shift a bit.

    Then again the Queen has 3 seemingly useful 3yo colts in Dartmouth, Mustard and Fabricate.

    The 2yos have been going well for the Queen as she's had 4 runners (only) and 3 winners in the shape of Ring of Truth, Recorder and Husbandry who all look listed class. The exception is Diploma who should go close next time. Still plenty to run though.
     
    #17
  18. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Recorder duly won his Group 3 and looks a useful sort. The Queen has still not had a 5th 2yo to run but that could be remedied on Friday when Light Music (a Haggas trained full sister to the fairly useful Sea Shanty) and Forecaster ( a Bell trained Fastnet Rock half-sister to Enliven) are entered in a Friday maiden. However Diploma is entered in the same race and could prove better this time. Having watched Forecaster’s gallops I’d be surprised if she were to win FTO: but she is improving.

    Ballymacoll’s year has been better numerically than for some time, but their leading horse Arab Spring was injured after his Sandown 2nd and has been slow coming back. He’s missed all his summer targets so it is difficult to surmise where he’ll run next. The best 3yo has been Rib Reserve but Ballymacoll sold his dam after she produced, this, her first foal: looks a mistake now. The one great hope must be Petrucci but he’s not been seen since April.
    So that leaves us with the 2yos of which 2 have run and Thetis looked full of promise and should be followed. Today Angel Vision’s sister, Canonbury, makes her debut at Kempton. I’d look for some interest in the market before getting involved but she could turn out to be useful.
     
    #18
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2015
  19. Sir Barney Chuckles

    Sir Barney Chuckles Who Dares Wins

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2011
    Messages:
    5,708
    Likes Received:
    2,169
    I see that my old fave, Bold Sniper, makes his belated seasonal return tomorrow in Australia. Still under the ownership of Her Majesty, God bless her and save her, the old boy is now trained by David Hayes.

    There was a time when I so wanted him ‘transferred’ to Mr Henderson, God bless him and save him, as I always believed that a combination of his ‘magic hands’ and 8 flights of hurdles could see a potential superstar emerge but I guess that’s not now going to happen.

    Certainly a result to look out for tomorrow though.
     
    #19
    Bustino74 likes this.
  20. Bustino74

    Bustino74 Thouroughbred Breed Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2011
    Messages:
    5,202
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Except for a handful of angelic souls I'm sure few read this drivel, but a nice 11/4 winner there for the Queen
     
    #20

Share This Page