Three King George Titles for Battaash Cont
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SATURDAY, 3 AUGUST 2019 THREE KING GEORGE DUKE OF HAZZARD TAKES THOROUGHBRED S. TITLES FOR BATTAASH Finding some progression of late, Fitri Hay=s Duke of Hazzard (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) emerged from a roughhouse renewal of Goodwood=s G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. with a career-best to justify 3-1 favouritism. Last seen beating Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. over this mile trip at Newmarket on July 11, the bay was reserved early by PJ McDonald and despite being stopped in his run passing the two- furlong marker regained momentum to reel in Turjomaan (War Front) inside the last 100 yards for a half-length success. AHe was the horse I was most looking forward to riding this week, but it was not a nice race to ride in at all,@ the in-form jockey said. AThe pace was very slow and in the middle part of the straight it got tight, but I was lucky I was travelling well and things have been falling right for me this week.@ Cont. p4 Battaash and Jim Crowley prior to the King George | racingfotos.com IN TDN AMERICA TODAY WHITNEY REMEMBERED AT HOF INDUCTION By Tom Frary On the eve of the running of the Grade I race that bears her name, Keeping it simple despite all the pressure before Friday=s the late Marylou Whitney was inducted into the American Racing G2 King George Qatar S., Jim Crowley steered Battaash (Ire) Hall of Fame Friday in her hometown of Saratoga Springs, New York. (Dark Angel {Ire}) to a record third renewal of Goodwood=s Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. speed test to bring more history to this prestigious meeting. Held on to initially as Ornate (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) provided a target to his left, Shadwell=s dragster took control two out and found the line a half length ahead of the strong- closing Australian import Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}). AEverybody expected him to win by a large margin, but I didn=t have to use my stick and he was idling and not doing an awful lot in front,@ Crowley said of the 1-4 favourite. AI tried to keep something in the tank and he=s getting better all the time. I=d have loved a lead and something to slipstream, but I didn=t want to take him out of the race and he was just looking around. He loves it here and is the fastest five-furlong horse around.@ Eclipsing this race=s legendary dual winners Abernant (GB) and Lochsong (GB) and the recent double merchant Take Cover (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), Battaash joins Tuesday=s G1 Goodwood Cup hero Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in accruing three consecutive editions of one of the festival=s key contests. Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 3 AUGUST 2019 Three King George Titles For Battaash cont. from p1 It is not inconceivable that the latest in a line of Shadwell With such a high-mettled racer, the margin between glorious sprinting stars will be able to add more editions of this to his victory and crushing disappointment in defeat is slim and the record, with retirement a long way off and a new maturity impressive manner of his wins only serve to augment the seemingly coming into play. AI think he=s gone a little bit the catastrophes of his reversals. He does have some glaring other way now--he was idling in front today--and that=s a good omissions from his resume, but the G1 King=s Stand S. monarch thing as he can take his races better now,@ trainer Charlie Hills Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) has been the reason for his failure said. AThat was nerve-racking and quite emotional, as sprints are to score at Royal Ascot while the last two runnings of York=s G1 funny and anything can happen. It depends on the draw and Nunthorpe S. have happened on rare off-days. where the pace is in the race, but luckily he got a lead for the first two furlongs and had control after. The second is a good mare and I suspect we=ll have to take her on again at York.@ There is still time for the brilliant 2017 G1 Prix de l=Abbaye THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR LEFT hero and winner of the last two renewals of Haydock=s G2 Temple S. to make amends for his Nunthorpe flops and BEFORE THE END OF THE SEASON AND connections are set on a return to the Knavesmire next for the YORK IS A TRACK THAT YOU WOULD Aug. 23 event. AThere are three or four left before the end of the season and York is a track that you would think is tailor- THINK IS TAILOR-MADE FOR HIM. made for him,@ Hills added. AI can=t understand why he hasn=t Charlie Hills on Battaash’s Nunthorpe prospects won there and am scratching my head, but he=s not the first good horse to be beaten there. York is such a speed track and maybe the others eyeball him a lot sooner and the race doesn=t suit. We need to be careful how we ride him there, but he=s very lightly-raced really and is taking everything in his stride. He=s much less stressed at the races. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 3 AUGUST 2019 King George S. cont. AHe is in a good routine at home now and we know what to do with him.@ Trainer Martyn Meade was excited by the effort of Houtzen on her first start for the stable and said, AShe got bumped and had to go round, which didn=t help but she=s a fabulous mare. We thought she was going well at home, but you wonder if it=s a Vice President, International Operations Gary King fool=s paradise and she=s not as good as you think. We wondered Twitter: @garykingTDN how she would cope with the wide-open spaces of Manton, but [email protected] she has absolutely flourished and ran an absolute blinder. I am + 1.732.320.0975 hoping to run her again, but the idea was this run and then to put her in foal so I=ll talk to the owners. I=d like to keep going International Editor with her for another couple of big races. She is a five-furlong Kelsey Riley horse--I think she was getting to the end of her tether there. I Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN will have to twist their arm and see how convincing I can be. I=ll [email protected] get the old champagne out and hope for the best@ European Editor Emma Berry Pedigree Notes Twitter: @collingsberry Battaash is the first foal out of Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), [email protected] who is a half-sister to four black-type performers headed by Etlaala (GB) (Selkirk), who took the G2 Champagne S. and was Associate International Editor Heather Anderson third in the G1 July Cup for Shadwell. Her other half-sibling Bird Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN Key (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) produced another top-class sprinter to race in these colours in the G2 Duke of York S. winner Marketing Manager and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. and G1 QIPCO British Champions Alayna Cullen Sprint S.-placed Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Anna Law also Twitter: @AlaynaCullen has Phoenix Thoroughbreds=s unraced 2-year-old filly Valletta [email protected] Gold (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) in training with John Quinn and a yearling full-sister to Battaash. Contributing Editor Alan Carasso Twitter: @EquinealTDN Friday, Goodwood, Britain Cafe Racing KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, ,312,000, Goodwood, 8-2, 3yo/up, Sean Cronin 5fT, :56.20, g/f. Tom Frary 1--BATTAASH (IRE), 131, g, 5, by Dark Angel (Ire) [email protected] 1st Dam: Anna Law (Ire), by Lawman (Fr) 2nd Dam: Portelet (GB), by Night Shift Irish Correspondent 3rd Dam: Noirmant (Ire), by Dominion (GB) Daithi Harvey (200,000gns Ylg >15 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Regular Columnists Maktoum; B-Ballyphilip Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Jim Chris McGrath | Andrew Caulfield | John Berry Crowley. ,176,935. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at Kevin Blake 5-7f, Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 5-7f, G1SW-Fr & G1SP-Eng, 18-9-2-3, $1,515,451. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Houtzen (Aus), 125, m, 5, I Am Invincible (Aus)--Set To IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY Unleash (Aus), by Reset (Aus). (A$52,500 RNA Wlg >15 INGJUN; A$105,000 Ylg >16 MMLJAN). O-Aquis Farm Pty Ltd; B-N Leckie SHOCK PASSING OF MAGIC ALBERT (AUS); T-M Meade. ,67,080. Group 1 sire Magic Albert has died aged 21. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Aus/NZ. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 3 AUGUST 2019 King George S. cont. Trainer Paul Cole, who was such a force at this meeting in 3--Ornate (GB), 128, g, 6, Bahamian Bounty (GB)--Adorn (GB), former years, thinks that the headgear has had a settling effect. by Kyllachy (GB). (110,000gns 4yo >17 TATAHI). O-Kings Road AHe had a bit of a seedy toe, which we didn=t know was there for Racing Partnership; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-David a long time and he was getting a bit nervous--it was like having a Griffiths.