Both Royal entries at Newbury were withdrawn: presumably the going. Dust Cover, an unraced 3yo gelding has been rerouted to Newmarket's Wood Ditton. He's a Showcasing son of Memory's daughter Dusty Dream. The mare has already been sold as she has an unraced Galileo sister (Thought Process), a winning Dubawi full-sister ( Reminder) and 4yo Rainbows Edge (by Night of Thunder) to replace her. Dusty Dream was pretty ordinary as a racefilly. The Royal Stud did have a runner in the first at Newbury yesterday when the the 2yo Vinciamo finished 3rd. A good start by this Showcasing colt, who's a half-brother to Tactical and was sold for 12,000gns as a yearling.
The Royal Stud picked up another winner as the sold yearling Kinetic Force won on Sunday. He's a half-brother to Kings Lynn and to 2yo Seance. The King's The King's General went down by a neck to what looked a useful debutant in Jackknife at Epsom today. He tended to run down the camber and may be a winner over further on a galloping track. Six foals now reported to have been born, though one yearling has sadly been lost
Now 7 foals born. Will give a list of those born and those to be born Handcuffed makes her seasonal debut tomorrow on the all-weather. She looked a smart filly when winning a Newbury maiden on her debut as a 2yo. She didn't really progress after that. She's by champion sire Dark Angel out of the now sold Make Fast, so is a half-sister to Tactical. A better year as a 3yo could see her retained as a broodmare as the only remaining family member is a yearling Cracksman half-sister. The only Royal classic entry is Purple Rainbow and she is pencilled in to run on Wednesday at Ascot. Haggas is keeping her at a mile for now.
Foals so far born Colt by Camelot out of Mellow Yellow 2nd foal Colt by Zarak out of Blue Missile 1st foal of winning Galileo mare Colt by Blue Point out of Reminder 1st foal of dual winning Dubawi mare, who is half-sister to Recorder Colt by St Mark’s Basilica out of Light Music 7th foal of Listed winning mare, foal is half-sister to Group 3 winner Light Refrain (Frankel) Filly by Siyouni out of Light Refrain 2nd foal of triple winning Group filly Filly by Mostahdaf out of Golden Stream 11th foal of Listed winning mare, foal is half-sister to Reach for the Moon. Filly by Too Darn Hot out of Desert Flyer 4th foal of winning Shamardal mare Possible foals Frankel out of Castle Lady Foal would have winning half-brother Crown Estate (Dubawi) and full-brother unraced 2yo Portcullis Starspangledbanner out of Kinematic: filly reported 30/05 Foal would have half-brother Kings Lynn Too Darn Hot or Kingman out of Nathra Foal would have winning half-sister Blue Missile (Galileo) Baaeed out of Memory: colt reported 01/05 Foal would have half brothers Recorder and Call to Mind (both Galileo) and half-sister Reminder (Dubawi) Sea the Moon out of Thought Process Mare is dam of unraced 2yo Food for Thought (Dubawi) and Recorder’s full-sister Night of Thunder out of Companionship Mare is dam of unraced 2yo Brotherhood of Man (Siyouni) Kingman out of Estimate Dam won Ascot Gold Cup Night of Thunder out of Market Value 1st foal of winning daughter of Estimate Ghaiyyath out of Award Scheme Foal would have half-brother (unraced 2yo) King’s Trust (Kingman) Zarak out of Daphne Foal would have half-sisters Perfect Alibi (Le Havre) and Purple Rainbow (Night of Thunder) Wootton Bassett out of Perfect Alibi: colt reported 09/05 1st foal of Listed winner Palace Pier out of Enticement Foal would have half-sister Diploma (Dubawi) Kingman out of Portfolio Dam is Listed winning daughter of Diploma Frankel out of Magnetic Charm: colt reported 29/04 Foal would have half-sisters Hard to Resist and (unraced 2yo) Queen’s Companion (both by Dubawi) Baaeed out of Desert Breeze Dam produced Desert Hero (Sea the Stars) and (unraced 3yo) Aeolian (Fastnet Rock). Looking at these, then the King could theoretically have 22 foals this year. I think it’s fairly certain that Enticement didn’t foal, at the same time I’m fairly certain that Award Scheme has had a French foal, just don’t know its sex. With an 80% hit rate there’ll be 17/18 foals this year. It looks as if Sweet Idea and Diploma were rested last year as they both had late foals in 2024. Star Value may also have been rested but could have been retired. Nathra (who should have been jettisoned by now) looks as if she has problems getting into foal so may not produce this year. As regards the stallions used, it looks as if Dubawi will no longer be used. Sea the Stars also seems off the roster. Baaeed looks to have replaced his sire in the Royal boudoir. They don’t look a bad set of stallions, though I’d like to see a few more sprint sires used and not particularly with the speedier mares. I’ll annotate this list as foals are reported. Some investigative work using the Juddmonte Stallion website and the 2024 thread shows that it can take up to 7 weeks for a foal to be reported after their actual birth.
Handcuffed was very poor so the sale of the mare Make Fast looks absolutely the right decision. She was sold for 95,000gns in foal to Native Trail.
No classic possibles for the King this season as Purple Rainbow fades at Ascot. She ran too freely early on and, when appearing to have every chance below the distance, did not go through with her effort. She faded in the final furlong to finish 4th, just under 2 lengths behind the winner. She was giving 6lb to the 2nd and 3rd. She may be suited by further as her half-sister and her dam were, and she may prefer easier going. Haggas runs an unraced Zarak gelding in a 3yo maiden at Yarmouth tomorrow. He's a half-brother to three previous winners out of the disappointing broodmare Star Value.
The class of 2025 (the above foals and matings) shows the Royal Stud has a third of its mares visiting sons of Dubawi (Zarak, Ghaiyyath, Night of Thunder and Too Darn Hot). Indeed of this years coverings, already 2 mares have visited Zarak. A supremely bred racehorse by Dubawi out of Zarkava, he didn't quite reach the top on the track but seems popular as a stallion. Yesterday's Zarak representative, Golden Handshake, was in contention until 2f out when he was swallowed up and finished nearer last than first. His dam Star Value has had a charmed life in the Royal Stud and it's time she was pensioned off.
A third win of the year for the King with the victory of his 4yo filly Rainbow's Edge at Ascot today. This was probably Shoemark's first lost winner as Buick rode the Night of Thunder filly. She raced about 5th in the field of 6 and when she went for a gap just past the 3f marker, she became the meat in a sandwich. Though bustled up, it was to her credit that when the gap was presented to her again there was no hesitation in her taking it. She finished 3/4 length ahead of the favorite Arisaig, who was closing but well held. She's an attractive filly out of that good 2yo racemare Memory. Though this was over 8f there's no reason to believe she can't get further, She was topweight and ran off an OR of 99, so that's likely to be pushed up 5 or 6 lbs. That puts her in Listed Class and the Gosdens might find a Listed race to suit her or keep her in handicaps. She's likely to be Royal Ascot .bound. No news on whether she was put in foal.. As well as Memory, the Royal stud has two of her daughters in the stud in the shape of the unraced Thought Process (by Galileo) and the sprinter Remember (by Dubawi). Having won 3 of her 4 races it will be a surprise if Rainbow's Edge doesn't join them.
24 horses in training, probably 25 but Treasure not confirmed yet. Likely to be one or two more but unlikely that Slipofthepen will race again. So far Balding has only one 2yo, and only 3 Royal horses. Haggas has only one 2yo too, but does have 4 3yos.It look as if his 5yo Desert Hero is no longer with him and will be a Royal racehorse in Australia. I'm sure if Royal Flurry goes into training he'll go to Haggas as may Evaluate. Beckett could do with a few winners. 10 foals (7 colts) now recorded as having been born.
Shock as Reaching High is sent to Willie Mullins. Hard to understand: why not ask AOB to train a few on the flat? Apparently first outing on Friday.
At last, a 2yo appears and it's Brotherhood of Man. He's a colt by Siyouni out of the Galileo mare Companionship, who won on her debut as a 2yo on the all-weather. This is her first foal so it would be good to see something better than Companionship's siblings who've all been very ordinary. He's entered for the first 7f contest of the year, taking place at Doncaster on Saturday evening. Marquand is already chalked up.
Has an entry at Haydock on Friday evening. 7f in May - flipping eck I remember the days when the first 6f for 2 yos was not until June!
Sorry Janabelle, got my lines crossed there. The first 6f race of the year used to be the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Derby Day. The first 7f 2yo race used to be on the card after the Eclipse.
Thought it was the Woodcote that used to be the first 6f race for 2 yos. Seems to me not right that 6f and 7f 2 yo races start before then.
Agree, but they obviously felt it was a tradition not worth keeping. The Chesham Stakes used to be a 6f race but has been 7f for at least 20 years. Whereas last century Derby winners would start off in 6f races most horses with any stamina start over 7f. In fact Mill Reef started off in a 5f race. .
A welcome Royal winner at Carlisle as The King's Falcon came home by 2&1/2 lengths from the favourite Push the Limit (Beckett). Didn't understand the betting as these 2 met at levels last year and PtL won by 1&3/4 lengths. Which says to me that PtL was superior by 3 and a 1/2lbs, yet tonight had to give 10lb to the Royal colt. A literal reading of form puts The Kings Falcon 3+ lengths to the good over Push the Limit, yet the latter started favourite(?). As it was the race was very straightforward with the two featured horses both up with the pace in 2nd and 3rd. Two furlongs out it was obvious that The Kings Falcon was travelling the better and though he took a few strides to find himself he soon asserted and had a comfortable win over the much harder ridden favourite. The writing should have been on the wall after the 8.05 at Sandown where Jacknife, whom The Kings Falcon narrowly went down to at Epsom, ran an eyecatching 3rd in the Listed Heron Stakes. This Dubawi gelding is the first foal of the Shamardal mare Desrt Flyer. There's no Royal 2yo this year as the Camelot yearling filly was sold very cheaply last year.There isa full-sister to today's winner and a foal half-sister by Too Darn Hot. The Kings Falcon still looks a bit green and can do better than this and looks the type to win a few races. He should stay 10f easily. .
Made satisfactory debut, 4th, behind a useful Gosden colt. Tapped for speed 2f out and did not have clear run until final furlong. Gaining in last half furlong, neck behind 3rd and just over 2 lengths behind winner.
