WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2020 ALMANZOR=S BROTHER STARS AT CHANTILLY CHELTENHAM WITHSTANDS At a crowdless Chantilly on Tuesday, there was a performance CORONAVIRUS THREAT from George Strawbridge=s newcomer Another Sky (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) to excite all media onlookers as the half-brother to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) showed a rare touch of class on his debut to earn TDN Rising Star status. Sent off the 27-10 second favourite, the long-striding homebred soon had control on the front end with Aurelien Lemaitre keen to allow him to bowl. Kicking clear with the minimum of fuss soon after being straightened for home, the chestnut was eased in the last 100 metres to register a facile 4 1/2-length success from the 23- 10 market-leader Galawi (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the son of the G1 Prix Vermeille winner Galikova (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}). Trainer Freddy Head was not surprised by the manner of the victory and said, AFrom day one, ever since he walked into the yard, he has impressed me with everything he has done.@ Cont. p3 Around 250,000 people are expected at next week=s Cheltenham festival | Racing Post IN TDN AMERICA TODAY MIKE SMITH: PUNISHMENT DOES NOT FIT THE CRIME Mike Smith says the extent of his punishment for excessive use In an echo of World War II Ministry of Information posters, the of the whip aboard Midnight Bisou in the Saudi Cup is “absurd.” message from the British government as of Tuesday was very Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. much 'keep calm and carry on' in light of growing concerns regarding the spread of coronavirus. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, a racing fan whose West Suffolk constituency includes Newmarket, took to the airwaves on Tuesday morning and in an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme said, "Today we are still in the contain phase of the plan which is about trying to stop its spread. There are some parts of the world where the spread has slowed down, which is good news, and it shows that effective action to contain the spread of this disease is possible." He added, "Our goal here is to have the minimum social and economic disruption, subject to keeping people safe. So what we are saying right now is that so long as you follow the advice from Public Health England, and you wash your hands more often, and for 20 seconds with soap and hot water, then you should carry on your normal business." Such advice will be music to the ears of the team at Cheltenham racecourse, which is preparing for an expected crowd of around 250,000 racegoers. Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 8 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • 4 MARCH 2020 Cheltenham Withstands Coronavirus Threat cont. With the number of confirmed cases of the virus in Britain The four-day Cheltenham Festival begins on Tuesday and is rising from 39 to 51 as of Tuesday morning, Hancock's message expected to welcome patrons from Britain, Ireland and France. was reiterated later in the day by Prime Minister Boris Johnson Despite French race meetings at Chantilly and Compiegne taking at the release of government's coronavirus action plan at a press place this week without members of the public being allowed to conference in Downing Street, London. attend, there is currently no threat that racing and other British He said, "Let me be absolutely clear that for the overwhelming sporting events will be conducted in a similar manner or majority of the people who contract the virus, this will be a mild cancelled altogether. disease from which they will speedily and fully recover, as we Questioned as to how close the government is to asking have already seen. I fully understand public concern about the schools and offices to close and suspending sporting events, global spread of the virus and it is highly likely that we will see a Hancock replied, "We think, based on the best scientific advice, growing number of UK cases." that we are several weeks away from that point. Even in the In keeping with government advice, there have been no reasonable worst-case scenario it will be a matter of weeks until changes to the racing programme announced at this stage. A this becomes widespread, then it will be a matter of months committee comprising representatives from the British before we are through it. Horseracing Authority, Racecourse Association and the "The message today is that right now we do not need to do Horsemen's Group is keeping a watching brief on the situation. many of the heavy things we are talking about in the plan but A statement released by the group on Monday evening read, we are also setting out this plan as transparently as we possibly "The industry's steering group is coordinating the sharing of can so that people know the sorts of things that we might have government advice with the sport's participants. The steering to do in the future. I want people to be able to go about their group remains in regular and ongoing contact with government ordinary lives as much as possible." and continues to consider a wide range of scenarios." Another Sky, a half-brother to champion 3-year-old Almanzor, made a >TDN Rising Star=-worthy debut at Chantilly on Tuesday | Scoop Dyga TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 8 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • 4 MARCH 2020 Almanzor=s Brother Stars At Chantilly cont. from p1 Head continued, AHe=s a lovely horse who had a little setback last year and couldn=t run, but maybe that was a blessing in disguise. He has size, a lovely temperament and a beautiful action and everything you ask for from a good horse. I was expecting a good performance and he was very impressive there. He=s in all the major races and I wanted to run him early Senior Vice President Gary King to have more time to decide what to do next.@ Twitter: @garykingTDN The unraced dam Darkova (Maria=s Mon) delivered the [email protected] domestic sensation Almanzor as her first foal. He conquered the + 1.732.320.0975 G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 English and Irish Champion S. during his stunning 3-year-old campaign, Hwt. 3yo-Eur, Ire & Fr International Editor at 9 1/2-11f, G1SW-Eng, Ire & Fr, $1,346,126. Darkova, who also Kelsey Riley produced his listed-placed full-sister Troarn (Fr), is a half-sister Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN to the dam of last year=s G2 Coventry S. third Guildsman (Fr) also [email protected] by Wootton Bassett (GB). A granddaughter of the G3 Prix European Editor Minerve third Daralbayda (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}), she is therefore Emma Berry connected to the G1 Poule d=Essai des Pouliches, G1 Prix du Twitter: @collingsberry Moulin de Longchamp and G1 Prix d=Astarte-winning European [email protected] champion Darjina (Fr) (Zamindar) and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning sire Darsi (Fr) (Polish Precedent). Her 2-year-old Associate International Editor colt Mosby (GB) is a full-brother to Almanzor, while she also has Heather Anderson a yearling filly by Frankel (GB). Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN Marketing Manager Alayna Cullen Twitter: @AlaynaCullen [email protected] Contributing Editor Alan Carasso Twitter: @EquinealTDN 2nd-Chantilly,i25,000, Debutantes, 3-3, 3yo, c/g, 9 1/2f (AWT), Cafe Racing 1:59.63, st. Sean Cronin ANOTHER SKY (FR), c, 3, by Le Havre (Ire) Tom Frary 1st Dam: Darkova, by Maria=s Mon [email protected] 2nd Dam: Darkara (Ire), by Halling 3rd Dam: Daralbayda (Ire), by Doyoun (Ire) Irish Correspondent Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, i12,500. O/B-George Strawbridge Daithi Harvey (FR); T-Freddy Head. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Regular Columnists Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake Fasig-Tipton. Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele DID YOU KNOW? Siyarafina (Fr) was tabbed as a IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY “TDN Rising Star” INGLIS, VENDORS BACK PREMIER TIMING Visit the TDN Rising Stars The Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale is set to remain in its new section timeslot. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Aus/NZ. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 8 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • 4 MARCH 2020 DAMS OF CALYX, HEADMAN TO KINGMAN in 2020, including Nimble Thimble (Mizzen Mast), the dam of last year=s champion 2-year-old filly Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel The dams of G2 Coventry S. and G3 Pavilion S. winner Calyx {GB}). Other return visitors include Group 1 winners and dams of (GB), dual Group 2 winner Headman (GB) and G3 Hampton Frankel stakes winners African Rose (GB) (Observatory) and Court S. winner Sangarius (GB) are among the Juddmonte mares Ventura (GB) (Chester House); Group 1 winners Proviso (GB) set to visit Kingman (GB) in his sixth year at stud this year. (Dansili {GB}), Samba Inc (Arg) (Include) and Special Duty (GB) Also on the books of the 2014 Cartier Horse of The Year are (Hennessy); Group 2 winner Soffia (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}); Zatsfine Juddmonte=s Group 1 winners Capla Temptress (Ire) (Lope De (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the dams of Frankel group winners Vega {Ire}) and Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}); Group 2 winner Delaware (GB) and Obligate (GB); and Flare of Firelight Starformer (Dynaformer); Amser (GB) (Frankel {GB})Ba half- (Birdstone), the dam of last year=s G2 Gimcrack S. and G2 sister to Group 1 winners Timepiece (GB) and Passage of Time Champagne S. winner Threat (GB) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}).