Freshened up after finishing third behind Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 21, Jaber Abdullah's Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) made the most of that contemporary's absence in Saturday's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup to register an early career pinnacle at Haydock. Becoming the fifth 3-year-old to prevail in this all-aged test since 2014, the 9-2 co-favourite carted James Doyle past Invincible Army (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and to the front after the first furlong and kept finding to prevail by a half length from last year's winner The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}). Trainer Kevin Ryan was reaping the reward for waiting with the homebred who was having only his seventh start here. “We decided after Ascot that we'd be patient with him, as it's not all about this year,” he explained. “He's such a young horse and a big horse as well. You shouldn't wish your life away, but he's going to mature and he'll be a stronger horse next year. He's very exciting.”
Hello Youmzain was one of only three rivals put up against Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the May 25 G2 Sandy Lane S. over this course and distance and while it is public knowledge that his rival suffered an injury during that race, his 3 1/4-length defeat of that Juddmonte star can now be seen in a different light. He had already garnered the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte over this trip in October and been fourth over seven furlongs in the G3 Greenham S. on his 2019 bow at Newbury Apr. 13, so the portents were strong that he was potentially top-class. The third in the Sandy Lane, the filly Royal Intervention (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), came on to beat Waldpfad (Ger) (Shamardal) in the G2 Goldene Peitsche and with that German challenger running 2 1/2-lengths third in this contest there is a convincing line of form to add substance to his win.
“These horses don't come around very often and although we gave him a tentative entry in the Nunthorpe, this race was always the plan,” added Ryan, who also saddled the fourth-placed Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Major Jumbo (GB) (Zebedee {GB}) who was seventh. “He'll have one more run this year on Champions Day at Ascot and then we'll put him away for next season. I wouldn't rule out bringing him back to five furlongs at some stage. He showed today he has loads of pace–Major Jumbo is not a slow horse and he had him off the steel within a furlong.” Ryan also had news on Brando, reporting that last year's runner-up had bled during the race. “He has done it before and he did it here,” he said. “He travelled into the race great, so it's unfortunate.”
The Tin Man's trainer James Fanshawe is looking at a rematch with the winner in the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot Oct. 19. “First of all, the team has done a fantastic job to get him back. After his last run at Newbury, I thought that might be the end of him as he was a bit stiff behind and he is seven,” he said. “Everyone has been working hard to get him back to top form. With the performances this year, you can never be that confident but I knew he was in good shape going into the race. I'm really pleased with him, he's run very well and I hope we can have him in the same form for Ascot.”
The unraced dam Spasha (GB) (Shamardal) has also produced the Listed Lansdown Fillies S. winner Zuhoor Baynoona (Ire) (Elnadim), the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault third Saglawy (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}) and the G2 Gran Criterium, G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Ittlingen Derby Trial winner and G1 Deutsches Derby third Royal Youmzain (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}). A half-sister to the Listed Hampton Court S. winner and G2 Hardwicke S. third Persian Majesty (Ire) (Grand Lodge), she hails from Lord Howard de Walden's family of Slip Anchor (GB), with her third dam being that renowned Derby hero's half-sister Sandy Island (GB) (Mill Reef).
Successful in the G3 Lancashire Oaks and runner-up in the G2 Ribblesdale S., Sandy Island was responsible for two black-type winners headed by the G2 Hardwicke S.-winning sire Sandmason (GB) (Grand Lodge). Her countless notable descendants include Summer Passage (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who was successful in the G1 Sistema S. Zuhoor Baynoona was incorporated into the considerable Cheveley Park broodmare band when purchased for 560,000gns at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, another wily acquisition by the shrewd David and Patricia Thompson. Spasha's yearling colt is by Dragon Pulse (Ire), while she also has a filly foal by Dabirsim (Fr).
Saturday, Haydock, Britain
BETFAIR SPRINT CUP S.-G1, £300,000, Haydock, 9-7, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:12.79, sf.
1–HELLO YOUMZAIN (FR), 127, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Spasha (GB), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Spa (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Sandy Island, by Mill Reef
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (FR); T-Kevin Ryan; J-James Doyle. £170,130. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 7-4-1-1, $480,227. *1/2 to Royal Youmzain (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}), Hwt. 2yo Colt-Ity, Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f, MGSW & MG1SP-Ger, GSW-Ity, $364,563; Zuhoor Baynoona (Ire) (Elnadim), SW-Eng; and Saglawy (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}), SP-Fr, $114,319. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Tin Man (GB), 129, g, 7, Equiano (Fr)–Persario (GB), by Bishop of Cashel (GB). (80,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Fred Archer Racing – Ormonde; B-Mrs Elizabeth Grundy (GB); T-James Fanshawe. £64,500.
3–Waldpfad (Ger), 129, h, 5, Shamardal–Waldbeere (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). (€390,000 RNA Ylg '15 BBAGS; €49,000 4yo '18 BBAGO). O/B-Gestut Brummerhof (GER); T-Dominik Moser. £32,280.
Margins: HF, 2, HD. Odds: 4.50, 7.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Brando (GB), Invincible Army (Ire), Fairyland (Ire), Major Jumbo (GB), Dream of Dreams (Ire), So Perfect, Forever In Dreams (Ire), Khaadem (Ire). Scratched: Advertise (GB), Ten Sovereigns (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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