SILVERFOOT IMPRESSES AT HEADLINE KY. DOWNS... p4 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT BY FAX AND FREE BY E-MAIL TO SUBSCRIBERS OF call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2005 STAR-STUDDED MILE CROWN FITS NANNINA They may have surrendered the Ashes to England, When it came down to bare knuckles, it was but the Australians were back in the number one spot Cheveley Park Stud’s Nannina (GB) (Medicean {GB}) after Starcraft (NZ) (Soviet Star) had bested Dubawi who pulled the killer punch to oust Alexandrova (Ire) (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}) by 3/4 of a length in yes- (Sadler’s Wells) in yester- terday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II day’s G1 Fillies' Mile at S. at Newmarket. Last year’s Newmarket. Sent off at 5-1, G1 Australian Derby hero had the Aug. 28 G3 Prestige S. this contest set up for him by winner was temporarily stuck Godolphin’s rabbit Blatant in behind as that rival rolled (GB) (Machiavellian) and had to the front approaching the already done the damage by eighth peg, but her rally took the time that operation’s first Nannina (4) tops Alexandrova her past in the final 100 Starcraft (red) bests Dubawi Getty Images Getty Images string appeared on the scene. yards and she held on for the Answering Christophe-Patrice short-head verdict. “It was a real test and she’s a very Lemaire’s call up the rising ground, the 7-2 shot pulled game filly and gritted her teeth,” commented trainer away to provide owner Paul Makin with the dream John Gosden, celebrating his third success in this con- scenario. “I only really came here to win this race,” he test since 2000. Cont. p2. said. “That was enormous, coming all this way to get the money, and it proves we have some lovely horses OUIJA BOARD BACK ON TRACK down there. I don’t mind the Ashes now, I’m glad you With time running out to prepare for a title defense in guys won it!” Cont. p2 the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and with just Saturday, Newmarket, Britain one start under her belt this season, the pressure was QUEEN ELIZABETH II S. (SPONSORED BY BARCLAYS squarely on Lord Derby’s Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross PLC)-G1, £200,000, Newmarket, 9-24, 3yo, 1mT, {Ire}) in yesterday’s G3 John 1:37.87, gd. Doyle S. at Newmarket. But 1--STARCRAFT (NZ), 127, h, 5, by Soviet Star the reigning Eclipse Award 1st Dam: Flying Floozie (NZ), by Pompeii Court winning turf distaffer proved 2nd Dam: Lucky Heiress (NZ), by Battle-Waggon (GB) her readiness for another 3rd Dam: Entrancing Bell (NZ), by Bellborough (Ire) trans-Atlantic journey with a O-The Australian Syndicate; B-G J Chittick; T-Luca comprehensive 2 1/2-length Cumani; J-Christophe-Patrice Lemaire; £116,000. victory over Briolette (Ire) Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Aus & G1SW-Fr, Ouija Board Getty Images (Sadler’s Wells). "She was 21-11-3-4, £1,288,061. *1/2 to Forum Floozie (NZ) good again," was the reac- (Danasinga {Aus}), SW & MG1SP-Aus. tion of a relieved trainer Ed Dunlop. "It's a great day for 2--Dubawi (Ire), 123, c, 3, Dubai Millennium (GB)-- the team, as its been hard work. She picked up well Zomaradah (GB), by Deploy (GB). O-Godolphin; and Frankie was very complementary and said ‘she's a B-Darley; T-Saeed bin Suroor; £44,000. machine,'” he added. Ouija Board, who was making her 3--Blatant (GB), 127, g, 6, Machiavellian--Negligent first start since suffering an injury when seventh in the (Ire), by Ahonoora (GB). O-Godolphin; B-Sheikh G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at York June 15, could turn Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum; T-Saeed bin around next week for either the G1 Prix de l’Opera or Suroor; £22,000. the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Cont. p7 Margins: 3/4, 1HF, 1HF. Odds: 7-2, 6-4, 100-1. Also Ran: Rakti (GB), Sleeping Indian (GB), Mullins Bay (GB). Frolic-king in the slop at Hawthorne...p3 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 9/25/05 • PAGE 2 of 10 Queen Elizabeth II S. result cont. Saturday, Newmarket, Britain STAR IN THE NORTH Starcraft was not the best MEON VALLEY STUD FILLIES’ MILE-G1, £175,000, kept secret when he made the transition from his native Newmarket, 9-24, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:38.52, gd. country to Newmarket, having won the G1 Partsworld 1--sNANNINA (GB), 122, f, 2, by Medicean (GB) S. at Hastings, G1 Chipping Norton S. at Warwick and 1st Dam: Hill Hopper (Ire) (GSW-GB), by Danehill Australian Derby at Randwick last year. He furthered 2nd Dam: Sea Harrier (GB), by Grundy (Ire) his reputation first time up when running onto the tails 3rd Dam: Anchor (GB), by Major Portion (GB) of Valixir (Ire) and Rakti (GB) (Polish Precedent) in the O/B-Cheveley Park Stud; T-John Gosden; J-Jimmy June 14 G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot at York, but Fortune; £101,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, flopped when sixth in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown £136,353. *First Group 1 SW for freshman sire July 2. Diagnosed with a pelvic injury thereafter, the (by Machiavellian). Australian Syndicate's flagbearer finally delivered with a 2--Alexandrova (Ire), 122, f, 2, Sadler’s Wells--Shouk powerful display to win the G1 Prix du Moulin de (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB). (420,000gns yrl ‘04 Longchamp Sept. 4. TATOCT). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Quay Bloodstock; T-Aidan O’Brien; £38,500. All Set Up... 3--Nasheej, 122, f, 2, Swain (Ire)--El Nafis, by The powerfully built Starcraft stayed on the stands’ Kingmambo. ($44,000 yrl ‘04 KEEJAN). O-Malih L al side to chase the Godolphin rabbit Blatant (GB) (Machia- Basti; B-Doug Henderson; T-Richard Hannon; £19,250. vellian) early as Rakti blazed his trail in the middle of the Margins: SHD, 3, 1 1/4. Odds: 5-1, 11-4, 5-2. track. He took command on the approach to the quarter Also Ran: High Heel Sneakers (GB), Cross Channel, pole and was always holding Dubawi, who had crossed Salut d’Amour (Ire). over from the center entering the ‘dip’ to scrap it out. Cheveley Park homebred Nannina was pitched into "After Longchamp, it has been plain sailing as it was all the July 5 G2 Cherry Hinton S. at Newmarket after a about getting him right for the Moulin," trainer Luca debut score at Pontefract June 19, but did too much Cumani commented. "I’m very relieved it’s all gone the too early and faded to fifth. Though she may have been right way and I have enormous respect for Dubawi, but on the wrong side of the track when third in the G3 my horse is very good. We want to prove him to be the Princess Margaret S. at Newbury 18 days later, she champion miler in the world, and I think we are three- was much the best in Goodwood’s Prestige last time. quarters of the way to doing that.” Dubawi will now That experience helped her rate off this generous early point for the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Belmont Oct. 29, tempo and battle under a determined Jimmy Fortune to and while Starcraft may also run that day, it won’t win a pulsating match with Alexandrova and Kieren necessarily be a rematch. “It’s a short life and this is Fallon. “Kieren had Jimmy in the box, so Jimmy made not a dress rehearsal so he may go for the [GI Breeders’ the wise decision to go round and she had the whole Cup] Classic,” winning owner Paul Makin told Racing last furlong to battle back,” Gosden explained. Post. “I’m only disappointed Ghostzapper was retired, “Medicean was tough, and she is too. She got up to so Dubawi wouldn’t be anything I would be worried beat a nice Sadler’s Wells filly with the [G2] May Hill about. He goes better on dirt, and I would also like to winner in third--it was a good race. I see her very much take the Sheikh’s money in Dubai in March.” Jockey as a Guineas filly. She proved she liked the track and a Frankie Dettori took the blame for favored Dubawi’s nicely run mile here.” Aidan O’Brien was delighted with defeat. “I was on the best horse and I got beat--it is as the performance of the runner-up. “That was great and simple as that,” Dettori said. “I stayed put in the middle she would be more of an Oaks filly, I’d imagine, as she and got beat; it was a costly mistake. I wish I could ride is bred to stay,” he commented. Cheveley Park won the race again.” As for Rakti, who wound up fourth, his this race two years ago with Red Bloom (GB), trained jockey Philip Robinson told Racing Post, “I just wanted by Sir Michael Stoute. The Newmarket nursery raced to keep away from the Godolphin pacemaker as I knew both the sire and dam of the winner. “It’s so important if I was with him I would be going too fast. It was for the stud that we have a stallion like Medicean, who nothing to do with better ground. This was just not his has produced winners of this caliber from his first ground.