By Kelsey Riley
Ahead of the Classics, we examine the pedigree and sales history of each contender. In Saturday's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, there is a variety of multi-generation homebreds, successful pinhooks and bargain auction buys.
DECRYPT (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}-She's A Worldie {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB})
Decrypt was a £55,000 Doncaster yearling last August, bought by Town Moor Racing from the West Moor Stud draft. He was scratched from the Tattersalls Craven sale and made his debut five weeks later. He has accumulated two wins and a second from three starts.
O/T-P Twomey. B-Equine Origin Ltd.
EMARAATY ANA (GB) (Shamardal-Spirit of Dubai {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire})
Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock and now campaigned by Sheikh Mohammed's cousin Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, Emaraaty Ana is out of the listed-winning Spirit of Dubai, who was bought by Rabbah for 85,000gns out of Book 1 in 2007 and was campaigned by Ahmad Al Shaikh.
O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited. T-Kevin Ryan.
GLOBE THEATRE (War Front-Was {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire})
One of five in here for his stable, Globe Theatre is a homebred for Coolmore connections. He is the second foal out of the stable's 2012 G1 Investec Oaks victress Was, who has thus far been exclusively mated with War Front. A maiden from three starts, Globe Theatre is a great grandson of the G1 Champion S. winner Park Express (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}), and thus from the family of New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was second in the Irish Guineas and won five Group 1s including the G1 Investec Derby.
O-Mrs Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Flaxman Stables. B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt. T-A P O'Brien.
GUARANTEED (IRE) (Teofilo {Ire}-Gearanai, by Toccet)
A homebred for Jim and Jackie Bolger, Guaranteed is out of Gearanai (Toccet), a $40,000 yearling purchase from the 2008 Keeneland January Sale. Gearanai is a granddaughter of the great Phipps mare Dispute, who claims the GI Kentucky Oaks among her four Grade I wins.
O-Mrs J S Bolger & Rectory Road Holdings Limited. B/T-J S Bolger.
HILLWALKER (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}-Dance A Daydream {GB}, by Daylami {Ire})
Hillwalker makes his first appearance since breaking his maiden at second asking last June, and as a €3,000 Goffs November Foal a victory here would be a true rags to riches story. He was bought by KSM Bloodstock on that occasion from Olive O'Connor, and was later a €5,000 vendor buyback from the Sherbourne Lodge consignment at the Goffs Sportsmans sale.
O-Dream Big Syndicate. B-Miss Sara Furnival. T-Thomas Cleary.
I AM SUPERMAN (IRE) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}-Fastnet Lady {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus})
Danesrath Stables picked up I Am Superman for €20,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale from Skara Stud and the chestnut proved a decent pinhook, bringing €49,000 from trainer Michael O'Callaghan at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.
O/T-Michael O'Callaghan. B-Michael Smith.
MAGNA GRECIA (IRE) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}-Cabaret {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire})
The G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia is out of the G3 Silver Flash S. winner Cabaret. He was a 340,000gns Tattersalls December Foal from the Norelands Stud draft.
O-D Smith & Mrs J Magnier & M Tabor & Flaxman Stables Ireland. B-Woodnook Farm Pty Ltd. T-A P O'Brien.
MOHAWK (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}-Empowering {Ire}, by Encosta de Lago {Aus})
Last year's G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Mohawk is out of the G3 Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial winner Empowering, who is herself a daughter of the Listed Prix Imprudence winner and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac third Blue Cloud (Ire) (Nashwan). More miling prowess is evident further down the page, with the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., G1 Sussex S., G1 Prix d'Ispahan and G1 Prix de la Foret winner Bigstone (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) appearing under the third dam.
O-Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor. B-Whisperview Trading Ltd. T-A P O'Brien.
OLD GLORY (IRE) (Frankel {GB}-Belesta {GB}, by Xaar {GB})
Old Glory was the top lot at the 2017 Goffs Orby yearling sale when fetching €1.6-million from Justin Casse for Zayat Stables of American Pharoah fame. The bay was a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut last September but looks for a first win since in his first outing since a third in the G3 Killavullan S. in October. Old Glory's second dam is Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}), whose stock only continues to rise thanks to her G3 Prix de Flore-winning daughter In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), dam of five stakes winners-including Group 1 winners With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), We Are (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB})-for George Strawbridge.
O-Zayat Stables LLC, Mrs Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith. B-Rockhart Trading Ltd. T-A P O'Brien.
PHOENIX OF SPAIN (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}-Lucky Clio {Ire}, by Key of Luck)
Last year's G3 Acomb S. winner Phoenix Of Spain was scooped up by Good Will Bloodstock for 78,000gns as a Tattersalls December Foal and, in the same ring the following October for Book 1, he made 220,000gns when bought by Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock from the Kilminfoyle House Stud draft.
O-Tony Wechsler & Ann Plummer. B-Mrs Cherry Faeste. T-Charles Hills.
SHELIR (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}-Shelina {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire})
Unbeaten in two starts this year for The Aga Khan, Shelir is a grandson of the G1 Prix de Diane winner Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}), and it is also the immediate family of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Shakeel (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}).
O-H H Aga Khan. B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs Sc. T-DK Weld.
SKARDU (GB) (Shamardal-Diala {Ire}, by Iffraaj {GB})
Another homebred lining up here, Skardu is the first black-type winner under his first three dams but the fourth dam is the multiple French group winner and G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye-placed Spain Lane (Seeking the Gold), a half-sister to the Grade I-winning sire Marquetry.
O-Abdulla Al Khalifa. B-Sheikh Abdulla Bin Isa Al-Khalifa.T-William Haggas.
TOO DARN HOT (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}-Dar Re Mi {GB}, by Singspiel {Ire})
Much has been made of Too Darn Hot's lofty lineage since he stepped out in a debut 'TDN Rising Star' performance last August. A son of triple Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi (and a grandson of G1 Prix Vermeille winner Darara), Too Darn Hot is a homebred full-brother to stakes winners Lah Ti Dar (GB) and So Mi Dar (GB), and his 2-year-old full-brother will be one of the most anticipated juveniles of the year, having topped Book 1 last year with a bid of 3.5-million guineas from David Redvers.
O-Lord Lloyd-Webber. B-Watership Down Stud. T-John Gosden.
VAN BEETHOVEN (Scat Daddy-My Sister Sandy, by Montbrook)
Scratched from the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale, Van Beethoven was acquired privately by the Coolmore partners. The seasoned Canadian-bred, who goes to post for the 12th time on Saturday, is out of My Sister Sandy, a full-sister to the dam of triple Grade I winner Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat).
O-Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor. B-Ballycroy Training Centre. T-A P O'Brien.
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