Breeders= Cup All in the Family for O=Briens Cont
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WEDNESDAY, 2 NOVEMBER, 2016 MONSUN, WILLIAMS IN CUP DOMINATION BREEDERS= CUP ALL IN THE Melbourne native Lloyd Williams has made it his life=s mission FAMILY FOR O=BRIENS in racing to dominate the A$6.2-million G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup, and on Tuesday the 76-year-old became the winningest owner in the 134-year history of >The Race That Stops A Nation= courtesy of his German import Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), who notched him his fifth Melbourne Cup trophy--and third in the last 10 years--when besting Irish shipper Heartbreak City (Fr) (Lando {Ger}) by a head in a thrilling stretch battle. It was 4 1/4 lengths back to favoured Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) in third. Williams isn=t the only one who has built up an impressive record in the Melbourne Cup. The late great German sire Monsun was supplying his third winner in the last four renewals, following Fiorente (Ire) in 2013 and Protectionist (Ger) in 2014. He didn=t entirely miss out last year, either, being the damsire of runner-up Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}). Cont. p8 Intricately ridden onto the track by Donnacha O=Brien, watched by IN TDN AMERICA TODAY older brother Joseph, at Santa Anita on Tuesday | Sherackatthetrack PHIPPS STABLE MARCHES ON Jessica Martini catches up with Daisy Phipps Pulito of the Phipps Stable in advance of the Keeneland November Breeding By Chris McGrath Stock Sale. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. So that's why they call it the Breeders' Cup. There was Annemarie O'Brien, proudly filming as Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) strode out of the quarantine barn on Tuesday morning--breeder not only of the filly, but also of the two boys mounted up: jockey Donnacha and, on the pony alongside, trainer Joseph. The latter, in his first season with his own stable, will be bidding to exchange one record for another when he saddles Intricately for the GI Breeders= Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. As things stand, he holds the record as the youngest rider to win a Breeders' Cup race--he was 18 when he won the 2011 GI Breeders= CupTurf on St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire})-- but he will surrender that status to Donnacha if Intricately can in turn qualify him, still only 23, as the youngest trainer to do the same. Donnacha, who has just emulated Joseph by winning the apprentice title in Ireland, is also 18, but his birthday is a couple of months later. Breaking records, of course, is in their blood. For in order to make history on Friday they will have to beat their father, Aidan, who saddles two fillies against Intricately. cont. p2 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 12 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • 2 NOVEMBER, 2016 Joseph finished down the field that day, having been hampered on a more fancied runner. By that stage he was reaching the end of his short but stellar career in the saddle and, at 6ft 1in, he is glad to return here in a position to have a proper steak. "I'd be close to 11 stone now," he said. "Riding, the weight was Breeders= Cup All In The Family For O=Briens Cont. from p1 getting to me in the end--I was getting heavier and heavier, and His dozen raiders on the two-day carnival had arrived making stupid mistakes in my last year. I was very lucky to have overnight and the rest of his family duly left him behind-- been able to ride some great horses, but I don't miss it at all. I checking them over in a white quarantine jump-suit--as suppose as a jockey you turn up on the day and ride your race. Intricately, straining to leave the confines of the international But this is so different, you're involved every minute--and I'm barn for the first time, was taken out to the main track for her loving every minute." breeze. She proved quite a handful, at one point obliging As for the mixed emotions stirred by filial competition, he Annemarie to lead her through the gap. shrugs. "With Dad we're not really in opposition at all," he said. "But that's good," Joseph said afterwards. "That's her, that's "We know in this game that every day is a new day, and to enjoy what you like to see. She was just a bit fresh so it's good to have the good days and to move on from the bad. Because they'll be got that out of her." plenty of those." Intricately faces a rematch with Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo), the It is an approach instructive of the humility with which their Ballydoyle filly she denied by a nose when landing an upset father has set unprecedented standards not only for his son, but success in the Moyglare S. in September--a Group 1 for trainers everywhere. Nonetheless Aidan's pride is clear, for breakthrough for both Joseph and Donnacha. once, in the flowering of a brood he has been bringing to the "We weren't surprised," Joseph said. "She had finished close Breeders' Cup from their very youngest days, trailing their behind those other parents like a charming parade of ducks. fillies in the prep and "It's gas watching them working together, not just the boys but Donnacha said she'd Ana and Sarah helping too," the elder O=Brien said. "There's get closer again if he nothing hidden made more use of between them. We her. But obviously I always felt the only never dreamt I might thing was for them to have a filly like this in get on in there and my first year, and it go, because it's on was an unbelievable the pitch that you Donnacha O=Brien & Intricately day. Whether this learn. Joseph and Sherackatthetrack place will play to her Donnacha are both strengths so well I very focused, but I Aidan & Joseph O=Brien after the don't know, she stays so well that she might prefer a stiffer suppose they've Moyglare Stud S. | racingfotos.com track. But I don't think the ground will be an issue." never known anything different from when they were very Aidan was candidly delighted when the photo went against small. Certainly when the stalls open I wouldn't be expecting any him at The Curragh and would love to see the boys do it again. favours. It's not for the faint-hearted out there." But he suspects the odds are against them this time. Aidan's strong hand in this race--he also runs Roly Poly (War "It's a big call for their filly, coming here," he said. "She's Front), nose runner-up in the G1 Cheveley Park S.--is expressive probably not as streetwise as ours and I'd much rather be of the remarkable contribution made by fillies (13 Group 1 wins) meeting her here than at Newmarket or The Curragh. But she'll to a year in which he has so far saddled a total of 21 winners at learn a lot. We ran Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) here a the highest level. The standard-bearer for his team here is duly couple of years ago and she ran green and disappointing, but it the teak Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), already runner-up in the G1 did her a lot of good." QIPCO Champion S. since leading home the Ballydoyle trifecta in So much so, in fact, that she proceeded to win the G1 Oaks at the Arc. Having been pencilled in for the Classic, the >TDN Rising 50-1 the following summer, in the same ownership as Star= ultimately joins Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Intricately. Turf--a race she won at Keeneland last year. Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 12 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • 2 NOVEMBER, 2016 Breeders= Cup All In The Family For O=Briens Cont. GUIGNOL WIRES THE BAYERN "The lads just felt a bit Third in August=s G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and sixth in more comfortable going Milan=s G1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club last month, Guignol that way with her," Aidan (Ger) (Cape Cross {Ire}) lit up the boards with a shock win in explained. "She's irreplaceable now and it Tuesday=s G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern at Munich. Sent straight just seemed a bit unfair to to the front and afforded a clear advantage throughout, the be pitching her into a race 65-2 outsider had all his rivals in trouble turning for home and like that. What was tightened the screw further under urging inside the final pushing us towards the quarter-mile to claim a career high by 1 3/4 lengths from Racing dirt is that she is tactically History (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who got the better of fellow Found | Scoop Dyga fast, a quick breaker and Godolphin colourbearer Hawkbill (Kitten=s Joy) by a nose in a stays very well, and we'd had the Turf in mind a long time for bobbing finish for second. Highland Reel, going a mile-and-a-half on fast ground. But there AI was fortunate that the other riders thought I was acting as were so many unknowns and we've decided to keep her more in pacemaker for [stablemate] Savoir Vivre and didn=t take me on,@ her comfort zone.@ admitted rider Michael Cadeddu after registering a first win at "She's very well, anyway,@ he added.