The Weekly Wrap

While the big battalions of the sales world were camped out in Lexington for Keeneland's September Sale, TDN Europe took the opportunity of a mini-break in Madrid last weekend. Of course, we're never really off duty, so even the lure of a glass or two of chilled Albariño in the Plaza Mayor couldn't distract us for too long from the real mission, which was to sample Spain's only yearling sale, taking place a 10-minute drive from the city at Hipodromo de la Zarzuela.

For a weary sales reporter more accustomed to hundreds of lots per day and regular late finishes, this sale was refreshing indeed, with 62 horses catalogued and 53 presented on the day. Run by the Asociacion de Criadores de Pure Sangre Ingles de España (ACPSIE) and held under the lovely plane trees surrounding the racecourse parade ring while trays of drinks and plates of Iberico ham and cheese were offered to observers at regular intervals, it's hard to imagine the business of horse-trading being conducted in a more convivial manner.

For the breeders and vendors involved, however, the early-evening trade was tough. Only 33, or 62%, of the yearlings were sold, with the star of the show on paper, a Dawn Approach (Ire) half-brother to G1 Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Teofilo {Ire}) who had been bought as a foal at Tattersalls for 70,000gns, leaving the ring unsold at €110,000. A top price of €30,000 was given for a Torre Duero-consigned colt by Sir Percy (GB), who will join the stable of Spain's champion trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta. Also a former champion jockey in his home country despite only ever riding as an amateur, Arizkorreta enjoyed three winners the following day at the opening meeting of La Zarzuela's autumn programme, including taking the €45,000 ACPSIE sales race with Ategorrieta (SPA) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}).

Despite this valuable incentive, plus premiums of 50% on top of prize-money for Spanish-bred horses through a series of 17 juvenile races in the country, many Spanish owners still look to France and beyond to buy their bloodstock. It's a situation which means that an already small pool of broodmares and breeders in the country is likely to become smaller still.

It's almost certainly written in European law that no bloodstock sale is allowed to take place without Con Marnane being present and 'King Con' had duly arrived in Madrid on the morning of the sale, semi-fresh from the previous day's SGA Sale in Milan. Daughter Amy was meanwhile charged with the responsibility of buying at Keeneland, while her father attempted to find another First Selection (Spa) Diktat {GB}), whom he bought from Madrid in 2014 for €23,000 and went on to finish runner-up to The Gurkha (Ire) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains for Simon Crisford.

Also in action in Spain was dual-purpose trainer Paul Webber, who has enjoyed success racing in San Sebastian with his great old stalwart Australia Day (Ire) (Key Of Luck) and added two yearlings to his stable's flat string for next season.

Madrid's Sporting Jewel
La Zarzuela is undoubtedly one of the best-kept secrets of the racing world. Admittedly, the on-course action is of lower significance than in other, bigger European racing nations, with June's Listed Gran Premio de Madrid being one of only a handful of races carrying black type. But the racecourse itself is a delight, both in its stunning architecture and charming atmosphere.

On Sunday it was packed with families and during the high summer, when racing starts after 10pm on Thursday evenings, it attracts a lively young crowd from the city who can enjoy a party at the track after racing, providing they have the stamina. It's almost impossible to imagine that La Zarzuela was shut for a decade from 1996.

“We lost a generation of racegoers – it broke the cycle,” says manager Gerardo Torres, whose team has done a sterling job in trying to rekindle the passion for racing among the Madrileñeans despite having to endure another racing black-out throughout the whole of Spain during the 2015 season.

The future of La Zarzuela, which is the country's only state-owned racecourse, remains in the hands of the politicians and it can only be hoped that some of them will endeavour to spend an afternoon there to appreciate what an asset it is to the city.

Despite its relatively parochial nature, Spanish racing has plenty of crossover with its European neighbours, especially through imports from Britain, Ireland and France.

Another of Guillermo Arizkorreta's winners on the day may prove to have been a very smart buy indeed. Zaldia (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), the winner of seven-furlong maiden for debutants, was picked up by the trainer for just 5,000gns from the Cheveley Park Stud draft at the December Yearling Sale at Tattersalls. The great grand-daughter of Time Charter (GB), out of the winning Dalakhani (Ire) mare Infinitum (GB), came from a long way back off the home turn to produce a strong run to the line and could well be one to follow in the Spanish Classics next spring.

Spaniard Antonio Caro, whose light blue and black spotted silks have been carried so successfully by the likes of Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {Fr}), divides his time between his home country and France and had two runners at La Zarzuela on Sunday. While the first, Ascot Angel (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), struck for Xavier-Thomas Deameaulte, red-hot favourite Almorox (GB) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was undone by a canny ride from the Czech-born four-time Spanish champion jockey Vaclav Janacek, who set a fierce gallop aboard the front-running Noray (Fr) (Naaqoos {GB}) and managed to hold off the late challenge of the Christophe-Ferland-trained hotpot by half a length.

Noozhoh Canarias Retires to Torre Duero
Almorox's victory in last season's Listed Gran Premio de Hispanidad came at the expense of the horse who has been the darling of the Spanish racing scene in recent years, Noozhoh Canarias (Spa) (Caradak {Ire}). Runner-up to subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein) in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at two, 'Noozhoh' continued to fly the flag for Spain in the 2014 G1 2000 Guineas, in which he finished sixth to Night Of Thunder (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), before taking third in the G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp later that season. Originally trained by Enrique Leon, he was repatriated in 2016 after a stint in France with Spanish expat Carlos Laffon-Parias prompted by a politically-imposed hiatus of racing in Spain.

The good news for those Spanish breeders determined to battle on is that Noozhoh Canarias will remain 'at home' for his stud career with an agreement having been reached on Sunday to stand the 6-year-old at José Hormaeche's Yeguada Torre Duero in the north of Spain from 2018. There he will be joined by another new recruit, No Mood (Fr), a Monsun (Ger) half-brother to Intello (GB), while also currently in residence is the former Godolphin charge Lightning Moon (Ire) (Shamardal), who has 47 mares in foal following his first season at stud this year.

Noozhoh Canarias's sire, the Aga Khan-bred G1 Prix de la Foret winner Caradak, has been both hugely popular and influential in Spain since his arrival at Dehesa di Milagro in 2008. His top-rated performer is a son of the Singspiel (Ire) mare Noozhah (GB), who was sold as an unraced 3-year-old by Darley for 5,000gns to Rodriguez Hilario Suarez and went on to have a successful career in the Canary Islands, as well as winning in Madrid and San Sebastian. Her three black-type performers also include the Listed Prix Yacowlef winner Money Maker (Spa) (American Post {GB}) who is now known as Sangria having been sold to race in Hong Kong after also being placed in the G3 Prix Texanita for Fabrice Chappet. Sangria is entered tomorrow at Happy Valley and next month Noozhah's yearling colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) will appear in the Norris Bloodstock draft as lot 128 during Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale.

Legendary Leger
It is extremely refreshing not to have to leap to the defence of Britain's final Classic of the season, and we should in fact pay homage to St Leger winners in both Britain and Germany this weekend.

Following an absolute humdinger of a battle between some classy individuals on Saturday, it would appear that all scribes and analysts are united in believing that the 2017 G1 William Hill St Leger was of a quality not seen on Town Moor for a long while. Hurrah to that.

Barring the unappealing sight of The Anvil (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) being rousted along with half a mile to go after being asked to set a ludicrous pace for the other three Ballydoyle runners, it was truly a race to savour. Never mind that Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) wasn't there. His stablemate Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) went close to giving John Gosden a fifth Leger victory, finishing a short-head behind another Sea The Stars colt, Crystal Ocean (GB). Mighty though the Gilltown stallion is, he had to play second fiddle to his half-brother Galileo, whose son Capri (Ire) instead gave his trainer a fifth St Leger victory and Ryan Moore his first. Extra lustre will be returned to the historic race should Capri head to Chantilly in a fortnight's time and post a creditable run in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

In Germany, Oriental Eagle (Ger) became a first European Classic winner for the first crop of the late Fahrhof stallion Campanologist in the G3 Deutsches St Leger at Dortmund. It's been a good season for his dam, the Gestut Auenquelle mare Oriental Pearl (Ger), who is by the stud's former resident Big Shuffle. Another of her sons, the 9-year-old son Oriental Fox (Ger) (Lomitas {Ger}), won the Queen Alexandra S. at Royal Ascot. Meanwhile, her Listed-winning daughter Oriental Magic (Ger) (Doyen {GB}) is represented by her first foal at the forthcoming Goffs Orby Sale. The son of Siyouni (FR) is offered as lot 109 through Kildaragh Stud.