HEADLINE NEWS • 6/19/09 • PAGE 2 of 11
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HEADLINE THREE CHIMNEYS NEWS The Idea is Excellence. For information about TDN, SMARTY JONES 2YO Pointing Toward call 732-747-8060. Bashford Manor (G3) After Impressive Debut Click for chart and video www.thoroughbreddailynews.com FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009 YEATS THE IMMORTAL CROWNING MOMENT Royal Ascot was witness to a carving of history In a clash of Classic heroines, Sheikh Hamdan bin yesterday as Yeats (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) put his name Rashid Al Maktoum’s Ghanaati (Giant’s Causeway) bids on the roll of honor for the G1 Gold Cup for an unprece- to become the third filly since 2003 to the complete the dented fourth time. Banish- G1 1000 Guineas--G1 Coronation S. double today at ing the memory of a rare be- Royal Ascot. Stepping out of the shadows in low-par effort on his return in Newmarket’s May 3 Classic, the homebred from the the Listed Vintage Crop S. at esteemed family of Nayef (Gulch), Nashwan (Blushing Navan Apr. 26, Susan Groom {Fr}) and Unfuwain (Northern Dancer) has a Magnier and Diane Nagle’s stiffer task today against the G1 Poule d’Essai des modern great justified all of Pouliches winner Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City) and the confidence that saw him G1 Irish 1000 Guineas scorer Again (Ire) (Danehill hammered into 6-4 when Dancer {Ire}). “The plan was always to keep her for this Horsephotos powering to a 3 1/2-length and it looks like the race of the meeting really. It’s defeat of Patkai (Ire) (Indian going to take a lot of winning,” Sheikh Hamdan’s Rac- Ridge {Ire}). There was a further 15 lengths back to the ing Manager Angus Gold told PA Sport. “It’s too early second favorite Geordieland (Fr) (Johann Quatz {Fr}), to say which of the Guineas was the strongest, but I reinforcing the visual impression of the performance. personally am very impressed with Elusive Wave. I “It’s unbelievable--I was so sick all morning, because I know David Wachman quietly fancies his filly [Again] really believed this couldn’t happen and history is very and she is obviously tough, as she had to be to win in hard to change,” an emotional Aidan O’Brien said. that awful ground at the Curragh. Hopefully Ghanaati “Horses like Yeats don’t come along more than once in will take a bit of beating, but you can never be confi- a lifetime and I’ve never seen scenes like it before--all dent in a race of this quality.” the cheering and those posters and flags for him--that’s what it’s all about. It’s more than money and value with him, it’s something really special. We knew we Thursday at Royal Ascot had a wonderful horse, but usually fairy tales don’t Storming Home’s Flying Cloud wins Ribblesdale.....p3 come true, even though you dream and dream.” Cont. p2 Johannesburg’s Radiohead Rocks Norfolk..............p4 Verglas’s Glass Harmonium in Hampton Court......p5 Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain GOLD CUP-G1, £250,000, Ascot, 6-18, 4yo/up, 2 1/2mT, 4:20.73, gd/fm. 1--YEATS (IRE), 128, h, 8, by Sadler’s Wells 1st Dam: Lyndonville (Ire), by Top Ville (Ire) 2nd Dam: Diamond Land (GB), by Sparkler (Ire) 3rd Dam: Canaan (GB), by Santa Claus (Ire) O-Susan Magnier & Diane Nagle; B-Barronstown Stud & Orpendale; T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Johnny Murtagh; £141,925. Lifetime Record: 24-15-2-1, £1,288,902. *1/2 to Solskjaer (Ire) (Danehill), GSW-Ire, GSP-Eng, $263,388; Tsukuba Symphony (GB) (Danehill), SW-Jpn, $2,513,443. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report and 5-cross pedigree. 2--Patkai (Ire), 126, c, 4, Indian Ridge (Ire)--Olympienne (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. O/B-Ballymacoll Stud Farm Ltd; T-Sir Michael Stoute; £53,800. 3--Geordieland (Fr), 128, h, 8, Johann Quatz (Fr)-- Aerdee (Fr), by Highest Honor (Fr). (€24,000 yrl ‘02 DEAAUG). O-A Taylor, K Conlan & D Carberry; B-Mlle Michele Bliard; T-Jamie Osborne; £26,925. Margins: 3HF, 15, 3 1/4. Odds: 6-4, 9-2, 11-4. Also Ran: Sagara, Eastern Anthem (Ire), Hindu Kush (Ire), Centennial (Ire). DNF: Veracity (GB), Washington (859) 233-4252 Irving (Ire). www.claibornefarm.com P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 6/19/09 • PAGE 2 of 11 Yeats Gonne Wise, but Ever the Pro... Yeats might not have traveled down this route had he not been injured before the Epsom Derby five years ago, but the rest is certainly history. Apart from his list of Gold Cup triumphs under three different jockeys, the stalwart of Ballydoyle had also garnered top-level suc- cesses in Ep- som=s G1 Corona- tion Cup in 2005, The Curragh=s G1 Irish St Leger two years ago and last year=s re- newal of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp. That performance demonstrated Murtagh and Yeats Horsephotos that he was still at a peak despite his age, but while only eight months had passed to now the evidence at Navan on his only subsequent start raised inevitable doubts. As soon as this landmark event was underway, it was clear that the real Yeats was back on the scene and Johnny Murtagh played it www.pinoakstud.com cool early as his mount raced hard on the bridle close to the pace. Leaving the attack until coming out of Swinley Bottom, his rider built the customary irresistible O = Brien continued AThe only time I=ve felt pressure like momentum that saw the dark bay open up daylight in this before was with Istabraq, and I was remembering early stretch. By the time Ryan Moore emerged with a back to him and the way things can happen. He=s one flourish on the four-years younger Patkai, age was no of the people at home and is treated like that by every- longer an issue and the name of Yeats was stencilled body. He=s very clever and has gone wise, but the boss onto the winner=s board once again. Murtagh likened pointed out the other morning that, in his last work, he him to Muhammad Ali beforehand and reiterated that put in four 11 1/2-second furlongs one after another. sentiment afterwards. AHe is the greatest--the ultimate When a stayer can do those times, all the class has to heavyweight champ,@ Murtagh commented. AAfter be there.@ As always, the humble master of Ballydoyle Navan, I looked at Aidan and he said >He=ll be grand for was quick to pay tribute to those around the horse. He Ascot.= So I had no doubts then. He loves fast ground, added, AI just have to say a big thanks to all the people he loves Royal Ascot and comes alive here. It was truly directly involved with him every day, and to Johnny for one of the greatest days in my riding career. The crowd the way he handled the amount of pressure.@ have come out in force to see him today and he=s ev- erything that=s positive about racing.@ Yeats is part of No Excuses for Patkai... the furniture at the hallowed County Tipperary stable, Connections of Patkai were far from disappointed and Aidan O=Brien was quick to compare him with with the runner-up, who would have been an impres- modern jumping legend Istabraq (Ire), whom he man- sive winner in the absence of Yeats. AHe ran a very aged through three Champion Hurdles. J P McManus=s good race and he stayed the trip,@ Ballymacoll Stud=s hero of Cheltenham had failed on his attempt at a Manager Peter Reynolds told PA Sport. AHe just ran a fourth and the parallels had been troubling his trainer little freely down to the start, but he showed he stayed. after the Vintage Crop. AIt was a long morning, as I was He obviously loves it round here and it was no disgrace afraid of the disappointment that everyone was going to be beaten by a very good horse--who is a specialist to feel afterwards if he didn=t win,@ O=Brien added. round here--and he had the rest well beaten.@ Geordieland=s conditioner Jamie Osborne was down- cast, however. AWe had a big bridge to gap in the Click for the Racing Post chart, free brisnet.com catalogue-style straight,@ he told PA Sport. AI=m disappointed, but it pedigree, or TVG.com PPs. Video, courtesy of attheraces. was a great performance by the winner.@ P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 6/19/09 • PAGE 3 of 11 Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain Successful in a newcomers= event at Longchamp RIBBLESDALE S.-G2, ,125,000, Ascot, 6-18, 3yo, f, Apr. 2, Flying Cloud garnered the May 1 G3 Prix 1 1/2mT, 2:30.67, gd/fm. Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud in her final start for the Sheikh 1--FLYING CLOUD (IRE), 124, f, 3, by Storming Home (GB) Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum-Andre Fabre part- 1st Dam: Criquette (GB) (SW-Eng), by Shirley Heights (GB) nership. Making her Godolphin debut as a ,14,000 2nd Dam: Ghislaine, by Icecapade supplement for this, she 3rd Dam: Cambretta, by Roberto booked a ticket to the O-Godolphin; B-Gainsborough Stud Management Ltd; July 12 G1 Irish Oaks and T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Frankie Dettori; ,77,173. maintained her unblem- Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ,127,658. *1/2 to Candice ished record with a domi- (Ire) (Caerleon), GSP-Eng; full to Captain Webb (GB), nant victory.