The NAYEF sophomore had only finished 4th on debuts but had her connections’ trust to lose her maiden tag in Listed company. Company that included a number of valuable fillies, such as Guineas runner-up Starscope and the Gr.1 Fillies Mile third Firdaws.

RACING POST QUOTES:

A strong edition of this Listed race, which has produced some smart fillies. Last year´s Oaks winner Dancing Rain was third in this to Izzi Top, who finished third at Epsom, while Eswarah took this on the way to winning the Oaks in 2005.

Surprise winner MOMENTARY was always in the first two and, having moved ahead, she just held the runner-up´s challenge. She had been fourth on her debut over C&D last month and the three who beat her have all been found wanting in Listed races since, but she improved for her initial experience and is clearly a smart filly. A granddaughter of the Queen´s Oaks runner-up Flight Of Fancy, she is not entered at Epsom and the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot appears the plan.

Subject of favourable reports, Shirocco Star looked set to reward her supporters when delivering her challenge in smooth fashion, but she was just held by a filly who had the advantage of racing against the rail. This Oaks entry looks sure to benefit for the step up to 1m4f and is fully entitled to come on for the outing, so the future looks bright. Her owners won this with Izzi Top.

The class act looked to be the 1000 Guineas runner-up Starscope, who was taking a sizeable step down in grade. Again fitted with a hood, she showed temperamenton the way to post and needed some persuading to enter the stalls. Getting across to set just a modest tempo, she could not counter when headed but stuck on for third. She seemed to stay well enough but it could just be that the Guineas was her day in the sun. It will be interesting to see how she is campaigned now.

Gold Show had been fourth to Noble Mission on her debut over 1m here last month. Upped in grade, she was a little keen early but was running on well from the back at the end. It is reasonable to expect further improvement and she is an interesting prospect.

Lacily, a well held third to her stablemate Kailani in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket, was ridden differently here and failed to build on that run. She has yet to convince shestays this far in softish ground.

Firdaws, a daughter of the aforementioned Eswarah, was third in last year´s Fillies´ Mile at Newmarket. Reported to have been working well prior to this reappearance, she was fitted with a blanket for stalls entry. She never really looked like picking up from the back and this was most disappointing. Hopefully she can leave this behind, but she has questions to answer now.

Sir Henry Cecil, who won this in both 2009 and 2010, was represented by \Morant Bay. She briefly promised to get involved but a promising forward move came to nothing. Her Sandown win came in bad ground and the form has been let down by the runner-up. [Richard Lowther]

bQUOTES: John Warren, the Queen´s racing manager: “As Michael Bell [trainer] has been pleased with Momentary we decided that rather than go for a maiden we´d go in at the deep end to see if she was good enough for the Ribblesdale.” Chris Richardson, manager of Cheveley Park Stud, owners of Starscope: “She was very disappointing but I don´t think the trip was to blame. She played up beforehand and didn´t seem in the right mood.”

MULAQEN proved a valuable asset to Sheikh Hamdan’s string today when easily taking the Constant Security Stakes Handicap on the opening day of the York meeting yesterday.

The homebred, out of the Nashwan mare Burqa, travelled well under Paul Hanagan’s smooth ride and widened the gap in the last furlongs.

Racing Post quotes:

“MULAQEN had made it to the track just twice in 2010, and three times last year, but it was interesting his top owner persevered. Now a gelding,he showed himself significantly better than a mark of 84. Provided he stands training, he could reach a smart level.”

Angus Gold, racing manager to Hamdan Al Maktoum, owner of MULAQEN: “Marcus said physically he would be a better horse this year. He had a few problems last year so it was good to get him back on track. Hopefully he will go on from here.”

AARAAS was another highlight for HAAFHD yesterday when the Kevin Prendergast-trained homebred finished a close runner up in the Gr.3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas. Already a blacktype at 2, when third to Nephrite and Born To Sea in the Gr.3 Killavullan Stakes, the filly is out of the Sahm mare Adaala.

“Two years ago, I set out from Arles on the Route Saint-Jacques towards a final destination of Compostelle in Northern Spain, a matter of over 1500 kilometres.  It was always intended to do it in stages, and the first stage from Arles to Toulouse took in approximately 420 kilometres.  In the process, and through many of you and your wonderful generosity, I managed to raise £30,000.  This sum was split between MacMillan Cancer Support, ABF The Soldiers Charity, and Racing Welfare.

On 14^th May I am setting out again and hope to cover a further 250 kilometres, and in the process cross the Pyrenees into Spain.  It will be hard work as the crossing of the Pyrenees will involve a climb of over 1430m, and some of the route could still be covered in snow.

I am this time hoping to raise money for The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards – Caring for Courage Fund.  I served for 10 years in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and many of the sons of those I served with are now serving in the Regiment.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards have taken their turn with the rest of the Army to serve initially in Iraq and more recently in Afghanistan.  There have been the inevitable casualties, which has put extraordinary demands on existing Regimental charitable funds.  The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards have formed the “Caring for Courage” Fund.  This fund will supplement the existing funds and will allow the Regiment to support those who have suffered disability or war-related illness.  It will support those who have had to leave the Army due to injury.  It will be able to support the families of those killed in action by assisting those who are bereaved and suffering from hardship.

You have all seen what “Help for Heroes” has done – this is an individual Regiment’s way of helping their own heroes!

If you would like to give to this most worthwhile cause, please visit my fundraising website page www.bmycharity.com/richardlancaster or forward a cheque with the form below.  I hope you will feel you can support those who are sacrificing so much.

Thank You”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE, PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE FORM HERE
or ACCESS TO THE FUNDRAISING WEBSITE HERE

The Grizzetti-trained sophomore seems to be better suited by the middle distance of 1m2f, stepped up in distance since finishing third in Listed company early April on the same course but over the mile.

A Scuderria Blueberry homebred, DAN LOOSE DAUGHTER is following the successful footsteps of stablemates, SALURE (2yo-Gr.1 placed by SAKHEE), ROSA EGLANTERIA (2yo-Gr.1 placed and SW by NAYEF) and LUI E LA LUNA (2yo-Gr placed and SW by NAYEF).

NAYEF was himself represented with a winner at the same San Siro track, with 4-year-old NAYEFDAY defeating the opposition by 3 lengths and a half in the €10k Premio Rile C. Naz. Also bred by Scuderia Blueberry, the filly is out of the Rahy mare Diamond Day.

“We have a cracking 5-year-old mare here in Jersey, Channel Islands, called Neuilly, by your champion Nayef, out of a Nureyev mare.

She won a competitive mile and a half, on soft ground here on  22nd April by 10 lengths – although we think she would likely get 2 miles.

We acquired her from France late last season, where she was buried in a large string.
More personal attention here has put plenty of condition on her. We anticipate plenty more from her here this season, she is aimed at the Jersey Derby in July, where she should have a live chance.

We have enclosed a couple of shots, we think she looks a typical Nayef, and in due course, we would love to breed her, perhaps to a decent one from your Stud.

Kind regards
Bob and Helene Bonney”

NEUILLY is out of the Nureyev mare Narasimha, ie bred on the same cross than French Champion and Derrinstown-based stallion TAMAYUZ.

Neuilly (Nayef ex Narasimha by Nureyev)

The 3-year-old daughter of MUHTATHIR drew clear of Bassamba to win comfortably by a length and a half.

LA PEINTURE previously won the Prix Rose de Mai in Saint Cloud in front of subsequent Group 3 winner Trois Lunes.

The 3-year-old-filly will now step up in class.

On the same day SPIRIT OF EIVISSA was another winner for her sire MUHTATHIR, when scoring for the second time of her career in a claimer at Fontainebleau. SPIRIT OF EIVISSA is out of the Monsun mare Song of Hope.

ANNIMUH was the winner number 3 for MUHTATHIR during the week-end when winning in Auch on Sunday for the third time of her career. ANNIMUH was bred by SM Crespi.

MUHTATHIR is currently leading sire in order of prize money in France.

The bay filly is out of the Dr Fong mare Feolin and was bred by Lofts Hall Stud.

Racing Post commentaries:

Only a small field for this juvenile maiden but some big northern yards were represented and it produced an impressive winner in the shape of RUN FAT LASS RUN.

The Kevin Ryan-trained 2yo was friendless in the market but she proved those negative vibes all wrong, picking up strongly once they came into the dip, and won with her ears pricked. The daughter of Sakhee is already looking a bargain buy at only 4,000gns and, despite showing plenty of speed over this minimum trip, probably won´t come into her own until tackling further.

QUOTES: Mark Birch, representing trainer Kevin Ryan: “Run Fat Lass Run is a nice type of filly with the right attitude. She stayed on well once things clicked in the last two furlongs.”

The Galadari Sons Stud-bred chesnut was a winner at Doncaster in June before twice finishing out of the placings in Listed company, but ended 2011 with a second behind Classic prospect Fencing in the Listed Washington Singer Stakes. He is out of a once-raced Anabaa half-sister to the Gr.3-placed Gaitero (Groom Dancer) and to Atlantic Rhapsody (Machiavellian), earner of more than £165,000 on the flat and over jumps.

“He’s definitely better on fast ground but this was the race for him,” said the winning trainer. “He needs holding up as long as possible and he’s only got one run but he can be very effective. He’s not in the Guineas but he’s in the French Guineas. I’m not sure he will get a mile and I’ve got the Jersey in mind for him. A strongly run seven furlongs there would be ideal.”

Article courtesy of the EBN.

The combo started on Wed. 11th with LA NOE winning a €16,000 maiden at Salon de Provence, for the training of François Rohaut. This was the second run of the Newsells Park Stud-bred filly, having finished third on debut at Marseille late February.
Out of the Green Desert mare SNOW GRETEL, a Listed winner herself, LA NOE is bred on the successful and proven cross NAYEF x DANZIG. The consitency of this cross was also seen in France the day before, as another NAYEF 3-year-old POISONOUS (out of Snake Dancer by Golden Snake) finished a close runner-up in a Class 4 handicap at Nantes.

NAYEF then enjoyed a sophomore double at Wolverhampton on Fri. 13th with TOPANGA CANYON and BON ALLUMAGE each losing their maiden tag, respectively in a Classified Stakes and a Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
TOPANGA CANYON, out of the Dr Fong mare Classical Dancer made a winning seasonal debut after three tries as a juvenile. Trained by Andrew Balding, the gelding was bred by Honeypuddle Stud.
BON ALLUMAGE, out of Brisk Breezee by Monsun, comfortably scored by two lengths on second asking in this 1m1 1/2f contest. The Sir Henry Cecil-trained filly is an Ennismore Racing homebred.

BARNABO was the latest scorer from NAYEF‘s 3-year-old crop, when taking the Corsa Cassinetta at Varese on Mon. 16th. Already a winner at 2, BARNABO was bred on a similar cross than Champion TAMAYUZ, with a dam by Faslyiev himself by Nureyev.
On the same day the full sister to the above-mentioned TAMAYUZ, named MOTMAYZA (which means “Excellent”), ran well to finish second to the valuable Niarchos’ Poupee Flash in a €29,000 Class 4 maiden at Maisons-Laffitte.

Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m1/2f,4yo

GRUMETI (SAKHEE) reversed JCB Triumph Hurdle form with COUNTRYWIDE FLAME (HAAFHD) to justify 11-4 favouritism as Robert Thornton and Alan King repeated their victories in this race from 2009 with Walkon and 2007 with Katchit.

The first two had a ding-dong battle up the straight with GRUMETI, third at Cheltenham, a length to the good from Triumph hero COUNTRYWIDE FLAME at the line. Both finished well clear of the rest, with Sadler’s Risk taking third spot.

Sadly the race was marred by the serious injury to Gottany O’s, who broke down badly in the back straight when leading.

The winner stayed on powerfully despitehaving looked in trouble turning for home as COUNTRYWIDE FLAME zipped into the straight in front, seemingly going best.

Dougie Costello kicked for home pretty early on his mount but a mistake at the second-last checked his momentum and from there the winner always seemed to hold the upper-hand with the stronger-looking GRUMETI finding more reserves in terms of stamina.

The success provided the McNeill family a second win in the race following the success of Walkon, who had also been placed in the Triumph.

“I was surprised he didn’t travel better,” said King. “Iwas worried leaving the back as he usually shows a lot of pace but he didn’t today. But he battled on well and the right horses were there, the Triumph winner, and they pulled a long way clear.

“I thought he would travel better today and I’m still getting to know him.”

COUNTRYWIDE FLAME lost nothing in defeat and more patient tactics would surely have suited him better. However, it’s the winner who looks more a type for the future.

Ladbrokes now go as short as 16-1 for next year’s Champion Hurdle for GRUMETI – Hills are a much bigger 40-1 from 50s – but even if he doesn’t make the top grade over hurdles then there is always the option of chasing in future and he should do well in that side of the game when he takes to it.

Article courtesy of the Racingpost.com