2013

THE summer meeting at Deauville has been exceptional in virtually every way.

Moonlight Cloud has thrilled racegoers with her record-breaking victories in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Prix du Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois, the Arqana yearling sales went through the roof, and last Sunday an American bred/trained, Irish-owned, Mexican-ridden colt thrashed the best in Europe in the Darley Prix Morny.

No Nay Never is an awesome racehorse, even at two, and all his nine rivals saw during the straight six furlongs were his hind quarters. David Flores had the blinkered colt smartly out of the stalls, and the others never got a look in. The 6/4 favourite Vorda came out of the pack on the outside, but even her well-known late kick was useless against the Wesley Ward-trained No Nay Never, who was nearly withdrawn from the Group 1 contest at the eleventh hour due to a change in the ground.

Vorda and Gregory Benoist failed by a length to catch the runaway American, and the Clive Brittain-trained filly Rizeena made up late ground to finish third after a slowish start. Then came the English-based colts Jallota and Brown Sugar. The sectional times were pretty even throughout, and the penultimate furlong [200 metres] was the fastest (11.63) on the good to soft ground.

Although Ward’s most important successes have been in England, he mopped up several valuable French juvenile events in the spring of 2011. A very jovial and energetic 45-year-old, Ward treats the Atlantic Ocean like a pond.

Winning debut

After No Nay Never made a winning debut over 4½ furlongs on the all-weather at Keeneland, he sent the son of Scat Daddy straight for the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot where he broke the juvenile track record. The colt was then shipped back to Keeneland to begin his preparation for the trip to Deauville.

Ward reported: “I was very sceptical after the rain. I walked the track at 1.15 and again at 1.30, and realised it was drying out. We had a contingency plan to supplement into the Gimcrack at York. I’ve been working on the plan to come here for two months.

“Today is as good as it gets, and this was my first Group 1 success. The win at Royal Ascot was very special, and everyone has been so kind to me over here. No Nay Never returns to the States on Tuesday, and there are no plans for the moment.”

Ward concluded: “I can’t understand why more American trainers don’t come and campaign in Europe. The flights make it so easy.”

Coolmore had a share in No Nay Never before he ran in the Norfolk, but own a much larger share now. The horse was sold as a foal at Keeneland for $170,000, and as a yearling for $95,000 when knocked down to Cromwell Bloodstock.

Vorda lost absolutely nothing in defeat. Philippe Sogorb said: “We were beaten by a champion and she did her best. The filly had a flat spot 300 metres out and then quickened, but had no chance with the winner. We will now be aiming her for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.”

Clive Brittain said of Rizeena: “She missed the break a little, so we weren’t where we wanted to be early on. Nevertheless, you come here and meet the best, so you must go home happy.”

[What a renewal that was of the Group 1 Prix Morny. No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) was crowned the champion two-year-old colt in France, and he made just three starts the following season, all in the USA. He won a Grade 3 at Keeneland and was runner-up to Bobby’s Kitten in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, and in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes.

He retired to Coolmore Stud in 2015 and his fee there has ranged from €17,500 to €175,000. To date he is the sire of 31 pattern winners, including Alcohol Free, Blackbeard, Brooke, Little Big Bear, Madame Pommery, Meditate and Ten Sovereigns at Group 1 level, a further 23 stakes winners, and a total of more than 100 stakes performers.

The runner-up Vorda (Orpen) was the champion two-year-old filly in France in 2013, and her four career wins included the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, and the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte. She is dam of a stakes winner and has a yearling colt by Siyouni (Pivotal) in Book 1 of this year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Rizeena (Iffraaj), who finished third, was crowned the champion two-year-old filly in Ireland that same year, thanks to her success in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. Also successful that season in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot and runner-up in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile, she won the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot at three and finished second in both the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes and the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown]

Crowds return to the Park

1983

WHILE the attendances at the Phoenix Park may not be matching the new owners’ aspirations, they, nevertheless, are well up in numbers on the 1981 figures, I imagine.

On Saturday last the morning weather was not encouraging, yet the enclosures seemed well filled. Con Collins completed a worthwhile double with Senior Citizen and Warning Sound, while Dermot Weld took two of the three featured races with Committed and Checker Express, both owned by Mr Robert Sangster.

A really good filly, Committed rewarded her supporters with a fifth consecutive win in the Orchardstown Stud Stakes. Over a furlong down, Joe Deegan roused Committed and she responded in fine style.

Senior Citizen followed up his excellent Curragh win with a repeat performance in the Coolmore Be My Guest Stakes. Over this longer trip, Mark Lynch was content to hold him up as Lord Cecil and Clouds Daughter cut out the running. Under half a mile out, Clouds Daughter went on, but early in the final quarter of a mile Senior Citizen raced on.

[This was just the beginning of an outstanding career for Committed, and the following year she was the champion older sprinter in Europe. A daughter of Hagley (Olden Times), and the best runner he sired, Committed won a total 17 races in Ireland, Britain, France and the USA. She was twice successful in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp, won the Group 1 William Hill Sprint Championship at York, and she was victorious at Royal Ascot in the Group 3 Cork and Orrery Stakes.

Committed later proved to be a most successful broodmare, three of her seven winning offspring scoring in blacktype races. Her daughter Pharma (Theatrical) won seven times in the USA, notably landing the Grade 1 Santa Ana Handicap, and her full-brother Hap (Theatrical) gained half of his 10 wins at Grade 2 level, and was runner-up in the Grade 1 Arlington Million. An unraced daughter of Committed bred English Channel (Smart Strike), winner of 13 races and $5.2 million. He won six Grade 1 races and became a very successful turf sire in the USA]

Niarchos becomes camera-shy

1983

THERE was a certain amount of trouble at the Deauville sales on Monday night when Greek shipping magnate, Stavros Niarchos, had an acute bout of shyness.

After the Greek had bid a record 4.6 million francs for the attractive Actress, it was not surprising that certain photographers were asked to take some pictures of the famous international figure. If everything is to be believed, Niarchos threatened not to bid on Monday night unless photographers ceased to perform their duties and, indeed, Elie de Brignac, the president of the organising company, Agence Francaise, had to warn off members of the photographic profession.

Andre Theron, a sort of French Peter O’Sullevan, met with no better luck with his film crew, and was given a frozen shoulder by all the Niarchos gang except Philip, who was extremely polite but negatively firm. All this drove an exhausted local wag to proclaim: ‘‘Who does he think he is, Koo Starkos?’’

[Actress (Arctic Tern) failed to deliver for Niarchos, being placed six times. She did breed nine winners, but just one of them earned any blacktype, and that was when runner-up in a listed race in Italy]