A couple of breeders 2015

Having only run 5 2yos year to date (of which 4 have won) the Queen may almost double her 2yo runners this week. First up tomorrow are two well-bred colts from her most established families. The first is the Smart Strike colt Hammer Gun, who is the first foal of a Cape Cross filly called Caraboss (a lightly raced winner). This is the Feola family of Hypericum, Aureole and Highclere (not to mention Nashwan, Nayef and Ghanaati). Caraboss must be the leading hope for this family’s future in the Royal Stud. The second is a Dansili colt called Mainstream, who is out of the decent filly Golden Stream: she won as a 2yo and was at one time rated superior to her full-sister Flight of Fancy. Both colts are trained by Stoute and wonderfully bred, and from jockey-bookings one might infer that Hammer Gun is the more expected of the two.
Stoute has another 2yo colt entered for later in the week and that is Peacock’s half-brother Clear Evidence, who runs in a race Stoute often targets with his likely types for the following season. This colt is by Cape Cross and has had some good mentions on the gallops. Also down for this race is Forth Bridge, a Bernardini colt bred by the Royal Stud and whose granddam was purchased when culled from the Aga Khan’s stud: nothing has been heard of him so far. ( A question at this point: this colt Forth Bridge is out of a mare who is by the current leading broodmare sire in the UK & Ireland. Who is it? No looking at pedigrees or tables).
Balding weighs in with a Makfi filly called Make Fast. She is bred by the Royal Stud but out of a new mare called Raymi Coya (a Van Nistelroy mare) who was maybe swapped for something else. Balding usually gets the 2nd tier horses but has done well with them (eg Husbandry). Bell seems to get the fillies these days and has 4 this year. One is entered this week and that is the owner-bred Forecaster (by Fastnet Rock out of a purchased mare who traces back to Ashmore). Have seen her gallops on the web and she has taken her time to get going but has improved lately: however I can’t see her winning first-time-out. There are still another 9 2yos that have not been seen so far in what is a bumper crop of 2yos for the Queen that looks to have some class as well.

Of course the most important Royal runner of the week could be Recorder in the big 2yo race in Ireland. We await declarations.

Ballymacoll are yet to have a 2yo winner this season but should score this week with Liber Nauticus’s half-sister Thetis (by Invincible Spirit). She ran well in, what looked, a pretty smart maiden in August and should take a smaller maiden in her stride before tackling a black-type event. Another 2yo is entered this week in the ‘Stoute race’ mentioned above. This is the last foal of Olympienne and is a Fastnet Rock half-brother to Patkai (he won as a 2yo) called Superyacht. Probably best to see who Stoute runs and the riding arrangements.
Ballymacoll have just hit double figures for the season which is an improvement on the last few seasons (they actually have 11 wins which is 1 less than 2013 but other than that their best since 2008). But there is no strength in depth, with Arab Spring being the only class horse. They have had 10 3yo wins from 8 winners, which is a good performance given the quality of them. In the last two months of the season hopefully Angel Vision can add to her 2 wins and surely there’ll be a few 2yo winners. They really need a good 2yo and it would also be nice to see Arab Spring bounce back after his injury.

 

Think it must be Dubai Destination, being the broodmare sire of Golden Horn and Postponed

 

Spot on. Who'd have thought that? He's been sold off to Saudi Arabia so won't be around to collect his prize.

 

I see Recorder is out for the rest of the season with an injury - shame I was looking forward to seeing him again. He looked a nice prospect at York

 

Very disappointing Janabelle. She's not the luckiest owner is she?. Hopefully the colt winters well and can get a good trial win under his belt before the 2000G. I notice Haggas said Guineas and Derby although Warren keeps insisting he's a miler.
Mainstream ran pretty well on Tuesday and should be capable of winning. A bit disappointing in terms of looks and a hood on first time out does not bode well. Hammer Gun had a typical Stoute debut. Clear Evidence runs tomorrow with Fortune in the plate. I have this feeling he may be a useful colt.

Ballymacoll chalked up their first 2yo winner in 2 years when Thetis won a fairly ordinary maiden at Carlisle. She seemed to do the job well. As small a race as it was it is an important victory as Ballymacoll must want to keep this filly by Invincible Spirit and for her to show some form. She is their last daughter of Serres, who is an unraced Daylami sister to Conduit. They have another sister to Conduit in the Darshaan mare Spring Symphony who is the dam of Glass Harmonium and Arab Spring, but they have no daughter of Spring Symphony (having sold both of the fillies she produced earlier in her stud career and lost the other as a foal). They thankfully do have a half-sister to Thetis in Liber Nauticus and she has produced her first foal, a colt by Dark Angel. They must be hoping Liber Nauticus produces a filly to Exceed and Excel and that Spring Symphony at last gives them a filly to Maxios. This branch of the Sunny Gulf family needs to have a few more members in the stud.
As for Thetis let's hope she keeps well. I'd expect her next race to be a listed event somewhere.
Superyacht runs tomorrow but jockey bookings suggest it's a typical Stoute first time out effort (rear of field, ridden two furlongs out, ran on final furlong 7th). Clear Evidence is the one to be interested in.

 

The Queen couldn't keep up her impressive strike rate but did have another winner with the Balding trained filly Make Fast. Looked fairly useful and will probably be kept to 6f. Balding has trained 2 first-foal winners for the Queen this year, though Make Fast goes down as Qatar Racing bred even though the Royal Stud have the mare now. Balding has another Royal 2yo called Molten Gold (a New Approach brother to the useful Mustard), and seems to be asserting himself in the Royal trainer roster. So the score is now 9 runners and 5 winners though Light Music, Midstream and even Clear Evidence look as if they could pick up races this year. Clear Evidence came last in his race but was carved up by his stablemate, ridden by Durcan (whom I'm beginning to think is a liability at times).



Stoute ran 3 in the race and the very laid-back Superyacht looked almost asleep in the preliminaries. He only beat Clear Evidence home. Has a good frame, which needs to strengthen up and may be one for next year over 12f. The good news is that I was a bit premature with announcing the demise of his dam Olympienne, who appears back amongst Ballymacoll's mares and was probably just rested this year after some mishap.

 

for those who don't want to stand on their heads

 

Right click and rotate

 

Ha ha
I'd done that and then it still didn't save that way.

 

Sorry Bustino. I meant, having clicked on your image above, then right click and rotate to view

 

A couple of important days for the Queen with 2 runners each day at Newmarket. First up is Diploma in the Oh So Sharp Stakes and despite Ryan favouring Stoute's other runner I think Dettori is a more than able deputy and she should run a big race. Later in the afternoon Mustard returns to the track for his first run in 2 months. If either of these 2 win the Queen will have beaten her previous prize-money records of this century. Saturday see the Makfi filly Make Fast makes a quick return to the track. She was pretty impressive first time up and a place in this hot Nursery is expected. Finally Bell tries to give the Queen her first 3yo filly winner of the year with Touchline. Just to make sure he has Ryan in the saddle. She is just a bit quirky for my liking but should go close.
The Royal Stud has equalled her 2014 record of 6 homebred 2yo winners when Light Music sluiced up at Leicester early this week. 2nd on her first start to what looks like a reasonable Gosden filly this Elusive Quality filly can do much better next year. The real shame for the stud has been the non-participation of her 'star' 2yos. Husbandry looked a horse to follow after he won his maiden at York, especially when you considered his effort against Guitafan. But he was scratched from all his entries in early September. Similarly Recorder looked a smashing 2yo at York but picked up a slight injury at the same time and was put away for the winter. His form looks really good now as the horse he beat 4+lengths at York went on to be beaten a nose in the Grand Criterium. If he comes back strongly next year he could be a force to be reckoned with.
In comparison Ballymacoll have very little happening. There have been some promising runs for next year. Petrucci (Arab Spring's brother) won his maiden on his 2nd start after an absence of 5 months and could be a real prospect for next year. Thetis who was probably judged unfairly because she won her maiden at lowly Carlisle came out and ran a really good race in the Rockfel Stakes. Paddock commentators picked her out as having the most scope for next year and the verdict of others was that the winner wouldn't beat her next time. Can't see her going for the Guineas and would worry about her getting 12f, so her target might be some nice 10f Group 2s.
Ballymacoll still have 7 2yos that have not even been entered. I can't help thinking this is not a good situation for a stud's horses, that is not to run as 2yos. Hopefully we'll see a few of them before the end of the season.

 

A splurge of runners today for the Queen at Nottingham and this evening at Kempton: all 2yos. First up is the Smart Strike colt Hammer Gun who had an easy introduction a few weeks back and should strip fitter today. Next is the Dansili colt Mainstream who finished 4th on the same day that Hammer Gun ran. If he is going to win it will be today. Next up is the debut of the Fastnet Rock filly Pure Fantasy, who is out of a Danehill Dancer mare who won 3 races (2 as a 2yo) and is from the same family as Mainstream. I doubt that she’ll be good enough to beat Hereawi. Finally in the evening the Sharmadal filly Bonhomie goes on the all-weather. Again I’d expect her to need the run.


Mustard’s victory on Friday ensures the Queen has had her best prize-money season. Mustard looked fractious and on-his-toes as he has most times this year. He did nothing wrong in the race. He has a 2yo half-brother by New Approach called Molten Gold (with Balding) and there is yearling filly called Mayan Gold who’s by Paco Boy to come into training..

 

The Radley Stakes on Saturday was a pleasing race for the Royal team with Light Music winning by a neck from Make Fast. The winner is a full-sister to the 5 times winning Sea Shanty but seems a different class. She hasn’t run on anything but soft so far but will surely be entered in something like the Nell Gwyn or Fred Darling next year when she can prove if she’s group class. The mare has had two good horses from her only foals to race and her 2yo next year is Patchwork (by Paco Boy). It must be a long time since the Queen had possibles for both Guineas (Recorder must be considered for the 2000G: this colt has a full brother next year called Call to Mind).
Make Fast is a first foal and being by Makfi could improve next year. She didn’t give the impression she got 7f on her second start but this run seems to say something different. She certainly likes soft ground. The mare’s second foal is a filly called With One Accord (by Acclamation).
Mainstream won his maiden well in the end and some judges referred to his finish as 'fierce'. He certainly has an engine but he also has a temperament as he pulled badly for 4 furlongs. If he can settle down he could be useful and he could also keep his testicles. The mare has no 2yo next year as she was rested but has a Redoute’s Choice filly foal.
The Queen has bred 7 2yo winners of 9 races (both figures better than last year and still more chances) in 2015 and pleasingly of her bumper crop of 21 own-bred 2yos has had only 4 not entered (7 in total have not run). At the same time Ballymacoll have had 1 winning 2yo of 1 race from 10 2yos but disappointingly 6 have not been entered.
The Queen is still running horses (which Ballymacoll don’t seem to be) and hopefully will get a further listed winner with Pack Together on Friday. The Royal Stud seems on the up and Ballymacoll needs some inspiration and some horses that run more.

On the Sales front there are no real surprises. Ring of Truth is being sold and a couple of non-winning mares are being cleared out by the Royal Stud. Touchline and Pack Together look as if they are going to be kept and of course with these new series of all-weather races planned for this winter may be seen out before going to be covered in the Spring. There are a couple of other fillies that may be retained but it is not clear yet. Ballymacoll are only selling one filly in training and that is the filly they bought back Clara Schumann. They have already sold Fleur de Cactus (a Montjeu sister to Fiorente’s dam) and she leaves no filly but yearling and foal colts. It looks as if Yarrow (daughter of Highland Gift who died this year) and Moruadh (daughter of Olympienne who died this year) will join the Ballymacoll mare roster but Angel Vision (daughter of Islington) stays in training for these winter races or as a 4yo anyway.
This week both studs get rid of a whole bunch of winning but disappointing 3yo colts and geldings. Both look as if they will retain some 4yos for next year with Mustard, Fabricate and Dartmouth leading the way for the Queen and Petrucci joining his half-brother Arab Spring for Ballymacoll.

 

Ballymacoll run a late 2yo filly this week and breeding-wise it makes fascinating scanning. Apart from being extremely well-bred (by Street Cry out of an unraced Galileo half-sister to Islington) the pedigree screams Ballymacoll as it's easy to forget that Street Cry's pedigree is 50% Ballymacoll as they owned and bred his dam Helen Street who won the Irish Oaks for them. Other than that she is not really in-bred at all with the only cross being 3 X 5 Mr Prospector (through Machiavellian and Galileo).
Hope she runs well but the Queen may win the race with Pure Fantasy. She has been running a few 2yos every week but not getting them in the frame, but Charlton must want to have a winner in the Royal silks this year.

Angel Vision is in the USA being trained by Michael Dilger and she ran 3rd on her stateside debut picking up a handsome $36,000. Whether she continues to run or visits a US stallion remains to be seen.

Actually the Queen has had nearly all her 2yos run: there are only about 5 that haven't run and most have put up a reasonable performance. Next years 2yos look a nice crop and I'll list some of them later.

Ballymacoll will have 5 not entered this year after Abingdon runs. They have 10 2yos next year, and nine 3yos and there seems talk of a colt called Desert Isle who's a Fastnet Rock brother of Fiorente. This introduction of these Australian Danehill sons has done nothing for the gene pool as Desert Isle is 3x4X4 inbred to Danzig.

 

No more winners for either team.
The Queen had a really good year and there are promising 3yo horses (for next year) in Recorder and Light Music. Don't be surprised if Diploma or Daphne turn out to be other good fillies.She also has a nice set of 2nd tier 4yos (next year) in Fabricate, Mustard and Dartmouth. But 20 winners and a prize money record made it a good year to build on.
Next year she has a 2yo full-brother tp Recorder called Call to Mind. Noises have already been made about him. She has a Frankel colt called Brave Venture who is out of a half-sister to Sinndar. She has a well-named colt by another first season sire So You Think out of Daring Aim called Missed. First foal Frontispiece (by Sharmardal out of a Danehill Dancer mare called Free Verse who is out of a sister to Phantom Gold) looks very interesting on paper.But these are just a few of many interesting 2yos.

For Ballymacoll Abingdon (by Street Cry) ran well and should win races next year but the noises seem to be that Canonbury (an Oasis dream daughter of Islington) could be better than her 2yo form suggested. They of course also have Thetis who looked a real improver but she may be more of a miler. Of the colts Desert Isle (mentioned above) is the unraced one to look out for and I'm hoping Patkai's half-brother Superyacht will be one to improve. Arab Spring stays in training as does his gelding half- brother Petrucci.
Of the 2yos next year Arrigo Boito (a Dansili son of Eleanora Duse) look interesting as does the filly Counterweight, who is a full-sister to Eleanora Duse. But Rainbow Legacy (presumably so-named because she is inbred to Rainbow Quest) will have a lot of attention on him being a son of Frankel out of a full-sister to both Golan and Tartan Bearer. The only problem is the mare Gift Range has been somewhat disappointing so far.. Looks as I was a bit premature on Olympienne/s demise as she has returned to the Ballymacoll broodmare ranks.
Ballymacoll had a better year than for a while (more winners but a fairly low prize money figure) but need to build on this. They still have their two fine families but badly need a Group 2/1 animal.