FRANKEL'S PURPLE PATCH CONTINUES
With the level of support that Banstead Manor Stud's great champion Frankel (by Galileo) has received from breeders, anything less than a long list of stakes and pattern winners would be disappointing. All of the signs, so far, suggest that he will indeed become an outstanding sire.
The highlight of his week has been the six-length victory of dual classic-placed Cracksman in the Group 2 Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday, a race in which the Frankel colt Mirage Dancer finished third.
Anthony Oppenheimer's homebred is trained by John Gosden, his third dam is the Group 1 1000 Guineas and Group 1 Sussex Stakes heroine On The House (by Be My Guest), and he represents a branch of the broad family from which his owner-breeder's superstar Golden Horn (by Cape Cross) comes.
On Sunday, the stallion had a blacktype double.
First-crop daughter Queen Kindly, who won last year's Group 2 Lowther Stakes over six furlongs, justified favouritism in the Listed EBF Stallions Highfield Farm Flying Fillies' Stakes over the same trip at Pontefract.
The Richard Fahey-trained chesnut was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd, she is out of the Group 2-winning sprinter Lady Of The Desert (by Rahy) and her grandam is juvenile champion Queen's Logic (by Grand Lodge).
That Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine is a half-sister to the classic stars Dylan Thomas (by Danehill) and Homecoming Queen (by Holy Roman Emperor).
This success came just under two hours after Rostropovich narrowly won the Group 2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt made 1,100,000gns from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket and he is the first stakes winner from Frankel's second crop.
Now winner of two of his four starts, the Epona Bloodstock-bred bay is out of Tyranny (by Machiavellian) and that makes him a half-brother to Group 1 scorer and Group 1 sire Zoffany (by Dansili).
He holds entries in all of the top two-year-old events, as you'd expect, and also one in next year's Group 1 Investec Derby.
Frankel's second crop also includes the Simon Crisford-trained Red Mist who failed by a short-head to catch the front-running Hey Gaman in the Listed Denford Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury on Saturday. He too is entered in both the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes and Group 1 Investec Derby.
On Thursday, the previously twice-raced three-year-old Aljezeera stayed on well to take third in the Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes over 12 furlongs at York.
The Luca Cumani-trained bay was bred by Newsells Park Stud, she is out of dual US Grade 1 star Dynaforce (by Dynaformer), and made 450,000gns from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
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TREBLE FOR TEOFILO
Dewhurst and 2000 Guineas runner-up Massaat made his first start in a year at Newbury on Saturday and the Owen Burrows-trained colt took the Group 2 Betfred Hungerford Stakes by one and three-quarter lengths.
The four-year-old is owned and bred by Hamdan Al Maktoum, he is one of 68 stakes winners for Kildangan Stud's prolific Group 1 sire Teofilo (by Galileo), and this win increases his prospects for a future stallion career.
He is the first foal out of Madany (by Acclamation), who is a half-sister to the pattern-winning sprinter Dolled Up (by Whipper) and also to Zeiting (by Zieten), the six-furlong listed scorer whose offspring include Group 3 winners Royal Empire (by Teofilo) and Scottish (by Teofilo) and the Group 2-winning miler Combat Zone (by Refuse To Bend).
Zeiting is also the dam of Zut Alors (by Pivotal), and that pattern-placed seven-furlong winner is the dam of this year's Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) heroine Precieuse (by Tamayuz).
Teofilo's first stallion sons include Havana Gold, who stands at Tweenhills Farm & Stud, and this Group 1-winning miler already has two pattern winners in his first crop.
Triple blacktype scorer Havana Grey is one and that Group 3 Molecomb Stakes winner and Group 1 Prix Morny runner-up has now been joined by Treasuring, the Ger Lyons-trained filly who won the Group 3 Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club Curragh Stakes on Sunday.
The chesnut has won three of her six starts, was bred by the Pocock Family, is a 32,000gns graduate of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in Newmarket, and is the first foal of seven-furlong winner You Look So Good (by Excellent Art).
That mare is a half-sister to Group 2-winning sprinter Electric Beat (by Shinko Forest) and grand-daughter of Grey Patience (by Common Grounds), a half-sister to the stakes-winning milers Cape Town (by Desert Style) and Regiment (by Shaadi).
Treasuring holds an entry in the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes.
Teofilo was also represented over the last week by Ajman Princess, the Roger Varian-trained four-year-old who won the Group 1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet over 10 furlongs at Deauville on Sunday – a 13th top-level winner for the stallion.
The Darley-bred bay is out of Reem Three (by Mark Of Esteem), a blacktype-placed half-sister to Group 2-winning miler Afsare (by Dubawi) and from the immediate family of Group/Grade 1 stars Dunette (by Hard To Beat) and French Glory (by Sadler's Wells).
When Normandie Stud's homebred Fleur Forsyte took the Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes at York on Thursday, she became Teofilo's third blacktype winner of the past week.
The James Fanshawe-trained three-year-old is out of Fleurissimo (by Dr Fong) whose Group 1-placed, stakes-winning half-sister Dolores (by Danehill) is the dam of Group 1 Irish St Leger dead-heater Duncan (by Dalakhani), Group 2 Doncaster Cup scorer Samuel (by Sakhee) and of Group 2 Park Hill Stakes heroine Gretchen (by Galileo).
Fleur Forsyte holds an entry in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.
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SOCIETY ROCK FIRST TO HIT GROUP 1 TARGET
Sprint star Society Rock (by Rock Of Gibraltar) became the first freshman of 2017 to get a Group 1 winner when the Karl Burke-trained Unfortunately beat stable companion Havana Grey (by Havana Gold) in the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday.
This leading juvenile also won the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin on a prior visit to France, and he was bred by Tally-Ho Stud, where the late stallion stood.
Out of the winning plater Unfortunate (by Komaite), the colt is a half-brother to the Group 2-winning sprinter Look Busy (by Danetime) and he comes from the family of the talented speedster Singing Steven (by Balliol).
Society Rock also had a notable payday when the Richard Hannon-trained Tangled took the £300,000 Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes at York on Thursday.
That non-blacktype cavalry charge gave the colt his second win from five starts. He too was bred by Tally-Ho Stud, though he made £67,000 in Doncaster as a yearling. Unfortunately was a €24,000 Fairyhouse purchase.
Tangled is a half-brother to the blacktype-placed Faithful Creek (by Bushranger) and his dam, Open Verse (by Black Minnaloushe), is a half-sister to classic-placed Group 1 scorer Polaris Flight (by Northern Flagship).
Society Rock's stakes-placed daughter So Hi Society missed out on Group 2 placing when fourth in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday.
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DALAKHANI LANDMARK
The Aga Khan's brilliant middle-distance star Dalakhani (by Darshaan) reached another landmark in his stallion record when Defoe won the Group 3 Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
Now one of the ante-post market leaders for next month's Group 1 William Hill St Leger at Doncaster, he is the 30th individual pattern winner among his sire's overall tally of 51 blacktype scorers.
Dalakhani spent most of his breeding career at Gilltown Stud and he retired from active service, at the age of 16, following a single season at his owner/breeder's Haras de Bonneval in France.
Defoe was bred by Darley, he is trained by Roger Varian, won one of three starts as a juvenile, and is unbeaten in four outings in 2017. Last month he beat the talented Frankuus by a length and a half in an 11-furlong listed contest at Hamilton.
The grey is the first foal out of 10-furlong winner Dulkashe (by Pivotal), who is a half-sister to the multiple stakes-placed dual Irish winner Akira (by Acclamation) and out of a mare called Saik (by Riverman).
She, in turn, is out of Close Comfort (by Far North) and that makes her a half-sister to dual Group 3 scorer and successful National Hunt sire Husyan (by Alleged).
Saik's siblings also include Gazayil (by Irish River), dam of the prolific middle-distance pattern scorer Mubtaker (by Silver Hawk), whose tally included each of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 editions of the Geoffrey Freer Stakes.
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DUBAWI DOUBLE
Dalham Hall Stud's outstanding stallion Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium) notched up a pattern race double at the weekend.
Sobetsu justified favouritism with a two and a half-length score in the Group 2 Shadwell Prix de la Nonette over 10 furlongs at Deauville, adding to her prior success in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at the same venue in May.
Godolphin's homebred is out of Lake Toya (by Darshaan) and that stakes-winning daughter of Shinko Hermes (by Sadler's Wells) is a half-sister to Hermes Tiara (by Brian's Time), dam of last year's Group 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) scorer Dee Majesty (by Deep Impact).
Of course, Shinko Hermes is out of Doff The Derby (by Master Derby) and so is a full-sister to classic star Imagine and half-sister to Timeform 139-rated Derby and King George hero Generous (by Caerleon).
Shamreen completed Dubawi's double when easily winning the Group 3 Qatar Airways Royal Whip Stakes over 10 furlongs at the Curragh on Sunday.
The Dermot Weld-trained four-year-old won last year's Group 2 Blandford Stakes over the same course and distance, she is owned and bred by H H the Aga Khan and, as her name might suggest, she comes from the family of dual Derby hero Shahrastani (by Nijinsky).
She is out of Group 3 winner Shareen (by Bahri), who is a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Sharestan (by Shamardal), and Shahrastani's dam Shademah (by Thatch) is her fifth dam.
Dubawi was also represented this week by Coronet, the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes heroine who chased home the brilliant Enable (by Nathaniel) in the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday.
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FIRST GROUP WINNER FOR FARHH
Dalham Hall Stud's Group 1 star Farhh (by Pivotal) only had 38 foals in his first crop, but his growing tally of winners includes Wells Farhh Go, the Tim Easterby-trained juvenile who maintained his unbeaten record when getting up on the line in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York on Wednesday.
He was bred in Ireland by Maria Marron, who sold him for €16,000 in Goffs as a foal, and he later made 16,000gns from Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
The March-born colt is out of Mowazana (by Galileo) and he comes from the family of Group 1 stars Ibn Bey (by Mill Reef), Roseate Tern (by Blakeney) and Red Bloom (by Selkirk).
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MARMALADE DOUBLE
Former Coolmore stallion Duke Of Marmalade (by Danehill) is now at Drakenstein Stud in South Africa and he notched up an international big-race double on Sunday.
Marmelo provided the first leg in the Group 2 Darley Prix Kergorlay over 15 furlongs at Deauville. The Hughie Morrison-trained colt was bred by Deepwood Farm Stud.
He is out of Capriolla (by In The Wings), which makes him a half-brother to pattern-winning stayer Vent De Force (by Hurricane Run), and his dam's siblings include Group 3 scorer Saddler's Quest (by Saddlers' Hall), blacktype winner Seren Hill (by Sabrehill), and triple listed race heroine Quiz Mistress (by Doyen).
Then Can'thelpbelieving was a winning favourite in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes over 11 furlongs at Woodbine, in Canada.
The Graham Motion-trained six-year-old is a gelded son of Embark (by Soviet Star), he was only beaten by a head in a Grade 1 at Monmouth Park last month, and his dam is a full-sister to the Group 1-winning miler Soviet Line.
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NEW APPROACH COLT SHOWS PROMISE
Juvenile champion and Derby hero New Approach (by Galileo), who was bred by Lodge Park Stud and trained by Jim Bolger, is a well-established member of the team at Dalham Hall Stud, with six Group 1 winners among an overall total of 32 blacktype scorers.
The most recent addition to his tally is the James Tate-trained juvenile Hey Gaman who followed last month's five-length Newmarket score with a short-head defeat of Red Mist (by Frankel) in the Listed Denford Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury on Saturday.
This was a third win from six starts for the Rabbah Bloodstock-bred bay and his string of big-race entries includes the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes, Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes, and Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes.
He is the first of two foals out of the now deceased multiple blacktype-placed Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium) mare Arsaadi – the other one is his yearling full-brother – and his grandam is the dual middle-distance Southwell scorer Arsad (by Cape Cross).
That mare is a half-sister to Flash McGahon (by Namid), who won the Listed Tipperary Stakes over five furlongs, and she is out of Astuti (by Waajib), a winning half-sister to the high-class sprinter The Tatling (by Perugino).
Hey Gaman should stay a mile and, depending on the degree of speed or stamina he has inherited through his dam, he could be a smart middle-distance performer in 2018.
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VALUABLE FILLY
George Strawbridge's three-year-old Listen In gave her future paddocks value another boost when the multiple pattern-placed chesnut took the 12-furlong Listed Prix Emmanuel Tassin – Grand Prix de Clairefontaine on Thursday afternoon.
The daughter of Gilltown Stud stallion Sea The Stars (by Cape Cross) was bred by the Es Que Syndicate and she is, as that might suggest, out of the prolific blacktype producer Es Que (by Inchinor).
The mare has previously been represented by Grade 1 scorer Dominant (by Cacique), by this year's Royal Hunt Cup winner Zhui Feng (by Invincible Spirit), and by Group 2 Lennox Stakes winner and Rathasker Stud stallion Es Que Love (by Clodovil), whose first crop are yearlings.
The many blacktype horses further back on the page include Group 1 Prix de l'Opera heroine We Are (by Dansili) and Group 1-placed pattern winner Lily's Angel (by Dark Angel).
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GROUP 2 FOR THREADING
Darley-bred juvenile Threading maintained her unbeaten record with victory in the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes over six furlongs at York on Thursday.
The Mark Johnston-trained bay is by Kildangan Stud stallion Exceed And Excel (by Danehill) and out of Chaquiras (by Seeking The Gold), who is an unraced full-sister to the Timeform 140-rated superstar Dubai Millennium (by Seeking The Gold).
Her grandam is Group 2 scorer Colorado Dancer (by Shareef Dancer) and this is the famous Group 1-producing Fall Aspen (by Pretense) family.