Aardwolf is out of the Smart Strike mare, Desert Gazelle, who won a maiden on Newmarket’s July Course as a MAY ROUNDUP juvenile before running creditably in the and Stakes, both Group 3 events. Kingsley Park’s 50th Flat win of the year, and 51st overall, came at Catterick on May 11, when Izzy Bizu defied a poor INGSLEY PARK’s Promise upset a short-priced draw and a wayward start to land a May campaign favourite to land a Musselburgh fillies’ novice auction stakes on her characterised by a maiden on May 5. This debut. fast start which saw Acclamation filly, a February foal, The Kodiac filly, an early May foal, is sixK winners chalked up in the first cost 48,000gns as a yearling at the owned in partnership by Lowther Racing five days of the month. Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. and Peter Savill and faced six rivals at Cardsharp Peter Savill’s Il Sicario started Her dam Devotion won a Thomas Cranmer Catterick, with P J McDonald aboard. (Sharna Armstrong) the ball rolling at Beverley on Leopardstown maiden as a (Nain Singh) McDonald settled the filly in fourth, May 1 in an apprentice handicap juvenile and finished second in racing on the outer of the field and tracking over seven and a half furlongs, the 1,000 Guineas Trial at three. the home bend and then dug deep and Three Little Birds. That filly challenged the three-quarters of a length by Denaar. Mr carrying top weight of 9st 12lb Having been runner-up on her battled on well to score by a neck from leader, Nsnas Alward, entering the final Ali Saeed’s filly is clearly talented and we against nine rivals. Stable second start, at Ripon, she faced Atteq. furlong and was just getting the better of will follow her progress with interest. apprentice Richard Oliver took the four rivals at Musselburgh and set “Things didn’t go Thomas Cranmer’s her rival when Izzy Bizu swept past to Morning Suit was next to score for the ride. out to make all the running under way at Southwell last time as he yard. Gelded after winning at The three-year-old gelding Il Sicario (light blue cap, red diamond) Joe Fanning. Initially racing in got a bump at a crucial time and Lingfield in January, Sheikh Hamdan raced on the outer, disputing wins under Richard Oliver company with Shanghai Elastic, didn’t like the kickback,” bin Mohammed’s three-year-old fourth or fifth until the field turned Faithful Promise was able to cross explained Deirdre Johnston at returned to the track at Brighton on for home. Making smooth progress on the the month. Later this month will see the to the rail with over a furlong to run. Musselburgh. May 15, and turned in an impressive outer, Il Sicario, as befits a horse whose 40th anniversary of the owner’s father’s Keeping on well, she scored by two and a “I said to Joe he looked a display under Silvestre de Sousa to name means “the assassin” in Italian, was first winner in Britain, which also came at quarter lengths from the odds-on favourite million dollars today and I was win a mile handicap in style. produced by Richard to take the lead inside Brighton when the filly Hatta landed the Shobrom. hopeful he’d go close.” The son of Street Boss won over the final 100 yards and held on to win by a Bevendene Maiden Stakes on June “We were disappointed she lost last time Sheikh Hamdan bin six furlongs at Kempton as a juvenile, short head and a neck. 20,1977. and just wanted to get that win on the Mohammed’s Aardwolf registered and added to that win when scoring Il Sicario is by the Invincible Spirit Cardsharp faced five rivals in a median board,” said Deirdre Johnston. “The penny two wins as a juvenile last season, over a mile at Lingfield. Although the stallion, Zebedee, out of the Ashkalani auction stakes over an extended five seems to have dropped, as she was very and the Cape Cross gelding opened Brighton run was his eighth career mare, Starring, and is a half-brother to the furlongs of the East Sussex track. Joe green and looking round at the crowd at his seasonal account with a win at start, it was just his third race on turf. multiple winners Goodwood Starlight and Fanning took the ride, was quickly away Ripon last time.” Doncaster on May 6 in a Held up at the rear of the field in Spinning. and proceeded to make virtually all the In the next race on the Musselburgh competitive seven-furlong Morning Suit (Katy Tyler) the early stages, Morning Suit did not The first juvenile winner of the month running, scoring by a margin of three and a card, Thomas Cranmer scored his first handicap. appear to enjoy coming down the hill, was Starlight Mystery at Brighton on half lengths from the experienced Milton win of the year in a competitive seven- Gelded over the , but came to life when hitting the rising May 2. Mr Ali Saeed’s Iffraaj filly was one Road in what seemed a decent time. He furlong handicap. Aardwolf made his seasonal debut at score. At the winning post, Izzy Bizu won ground. Quickening well to lead with more of five fillies who went to post for a did, however, show signs of greenness, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Hard Beverley at the end of April, finishing by a length and a quarter from Three Little than a furlong to run, Morning Suit was Novice Auction event over an extended entirely understandable at such a tricky Spun colt faced seven rivals and, with Joe second over an extended seven furlongs. Birds, with Nsnas Alward a length and a soon clear of his field, allowing Silvestre to five furlongs. course. Fanning in the saddle, was soon sent to the Over seven furlongs at Doncaster, half back in third. ease the gelding in the closing stages to Starlight Mystery was well enough away Mr Saeed Manana’s juvenile Faithful head of affairs. The colt led the field round Aardwolf faced eight rivals and was Brighton winner Starlight Mystery win by two and a quarter lengths. out of the stalls but Joe Fanning had to quickly away under P J McDonald. Asked reappeared at Ripon on May 12 in a novice snatch her up slightly when Firenze Rosa to lengthen approaching the final furlong, auction stakes over five furlongs. Facing Continued on p.12 grabbed the inside rail. That left the the gelding found more and ran on well to six rivals, she was ridden by Paul Kingsley Park filly racing in fourth as the hold the late challenge of Gallipoli by half Mulrennan. field raced down the hill. Tracking Firenze a length. Having dwelt slightly in the stalls, Rosa, Starlight Mystery just had to be Starlight Mystery was settled on the switched outside to take advantage of a gap outer, disputing third as the early pace in the final furlong and ran on well to score was set by Bahuta Acha. Pushed along by two lengths. halfway through the contest, Starlight This is a filly who will want further in Mystery made good progress and battled due course. She is by Iffraaj out of the throughout the final furlong with both Shamardal mare, Star. She is a half- Bahuta Acha and Star of Zaam. At the sister to Electra Voice, who won two post, Starlight Mystery had secured her nurseries over seven furlongs before being second success, prevailing by a head sold abroad, and Native Soldier, by Sepoy, from Bahuta Acha, with Star of Zaam who won a Newcastle maiden over seven beaten a short head into third. furlongs at two. Mark sent Starlight Mystery to The Lonhro colt Cardsharp made a Newbury to contest a conditions event winning debut for Sheikh Hamdan bin over six furlongs on May 20. Relatively Mohammed at Brighton on May 3 to give Faithful Promise ignored in the betting, she turned in a Aardwolf the stable its second juvenile winner of Starlight Mystery with Deirdre Johnston up and Joe Fanning super effort to finish second, beaten just (Paddy Trainor) 10 11 winner Jukebox Jury out of a Monsun mare. Ten minutes later at Beverley, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Lonhro colt, Gloriosus, made his third career start in a maiden over seven and a half furlongs with five rivals. Under jockey Joe Fanning Gloriosus was smartly away from the stalls and Joe was able to grab the rail. The MJR colt and Time Arrow had a protracted duel throughout the final furlong, with Time’s Arrow appearing just to have the upper hand in the closing stages. Gloriosus was Izzy Bizu wins La Vie En Rose Khamaary (Andrew Shaw) very brave however, and as the leaders under P J McDonald (Graham Pettigrew) flashed past the post it looked a desperately close finish. Surprisingly quickly, the judge Continued from p.11 Khamaary won in style at Redcar. had to be pushed out to score by two and a announced that the Kingsley Park colt had Partnered by Dane O’Neill she was quickly quarter lengths from Breakwater Bay. Bonnie Arlene (Franny Norton) won, the margin being confirmed as a away from the stalls and held an early lead “La Vie En Rose stays well and she nose. The first two had pulled four and a Although it was only a handicap event, over her 10 rivals. Asked for her effort two should get further than this,” reported a half lengths clear of the remainder of the there was much anticipation surrounding furlongs from home, the filly simply pulled delighted Deirdre Johnston. field. Khamaary’s seasonal reappearance at well clear of her field, and despite being “We trained her dam, Lady Jane Digby, Mark purchased Rufus King at Goffs Fella, with Rubis staying on well for third. The winner is a half-brother to Redcar on May 22. Khamaary is a substantially eased in the closing stages, to win a Group 1, so it’s a family we know UK Premier Sales last August for £42,000. Bonnie Arlene is out of the Gone West Laverock, who finished second in Papal Tamayuz filly, owned by Hamdan al she coasted home seven lengths clear of well and we them.” The son of Iffraaj was bred by Newsells mare, Pioneer Bride, making her a half- Bull’s Princess of Wales’s Stakes (Group Maktoum, who won her only start as a Mama Africa, who in turn was a length and The yard followed up this Catterick Park Stud out of Mosqueras Romance. sister to the multiple winner Yamal, who 2) in 2007. juvenile last term. That win came in a six- a quarter ahead of Cabal in third. double with dual success at Pontefract the The Pontefract double was completed did most of his winning over a mile. furlong maiden at Redcar in October, but Deirdre Johnston said: “We just wanted following evening, May 26. The juvenile when Bonnie Arlene, owned by Paul Dean Dominating gave his owner, Alan what made the win extra special, and this to get Khamaary out again. She clearly Rufus King landed the valuable and Ron Priestley, opened her winning Spence, the perfect 70th birthday present filly so exciting, is that Khamaary is the loves this course and we’ll take her home Youngsters Conditions Stakes over six account, at the 13th time of asking, in the when living up to his name in a latest potential star to be foaled by her now and see how she is before deciding furlongs, a race won last year by our own 10-furlong handicap. Nottingham handicap on May 31. dam, Nufoos. where she will go next.” Yalta. The three-year-old Excelebration filly The Jukebox Jury gelding was having Nufoos herself raced for Shadwell and Kirsten Rausing’s La Vie En Rose was Garrett Freyne’s Iffraaj colt was one of thoroughly deserved a win, as her form his third outing of the season, and was Mark and won three races, including the ridden to success by Franny Norton in the six runners who went to post for the race. figures on her latest four outings had been expected to be suited by the step up in trip Listed Eternal Stakes at Warwick. In the mile and a half handicap later on the However, the contest was reduced to just 2232. After finishing second at Kempton in to a mile and three-quarters. He faced six paddocks, she has produced Awzaan, Catterick card. four participants when Jasi and April on her last outing, Bonnie Arlene rivals and was partnered by Franny Norton. Tasfeya, Hajras, Muteela and Muraaqaba, The step up to a mile and a half seemed Squirrelheed gave trouble at the start. was raised 4lb in the handicap. Two furlongs from home Franny asked all of whom have won for Mark in the to be the key to the Henrythenavigator Rufus King and P J McDonald raced in The rise in her rating did not seem to Dominating for his effort and he struck the royal blue and white colours of Shadwell. filly’s first win at Lingfield in April, and at third in the early stages. As the field turned affect Bonnie Arlene at Pontefract, front with just over a furlong to run, Moreover, Awzaan won the Group 1 Catterick she faced seven rivals, none of for home, Havana Star again tended to however. Asked to track the favourite, and staying on well to score by four lengths. Middle Park Stakes, Muraaqaba the Group whom had won beyond a distance of nine hang right, but Rufus King had already early leader, Livella Fella, she settled well This was Dominating’s second win and 3 Sweet Solera and Muteela won at Listed and a half furlongs. Taking the lead inside been kicked clear and the colt kept on well for Franny Norton and travelled strongly underlined that stamina will undoubtedly level and at Royal Ascot. the final furlong, La Vie En Rose simply to score by six lengths. throughout. She kept on well to score by a be his strong suit, hardly surprising since As befits such exalted relations, length and three-quarters from Livella he is by Alan Spence’s Irish St Leger Gloriosus (Bhagwan Singh) Ron Priestley

Sadly, the joint friendship owner of Bonnie flourished when Arlene, Ron both retired. Ron Priestley, died just had a great sense three days before of humour and had her Pontefract win. the knack of telling His friend Paul a joke well. He Dean told the was popular and Klarion that Ron unfailingly polite, was a man of many and Paul has little talents, who lived doubt that Ron will for horse racing. be greatly missed. Having met in All at Kingsley their respective Park send their roles of bookie and condolences to his Ron Priestley, pictured right, with Deirdre, Mark and Paul Dean at Haydock Park Rufus King (P J McDonald) Dominating with Hari Singh-Bhati punter, their friends and family. 12 13