Ancient Rome

Summer Mile Win for Kingman's Quddwah

Maintaining his unbeaten record in straightforward fashion, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}--Sajjhaa {GB}, by King's Best) registered a career-best on Saturday in Ascot's G2 Anne Cowley Memorial Summer Mile. Held back from the Royal meeting with an abnormal blood count having won the Listed Paradise Stakes in May, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained homebred travelled sweetly tracking the leaders on this return. Committed by Callum Shepherd passing two out, the 5-4 favourite had a comfortable half-length margin to spare over Ancient Rome (War Front) at the line....

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Pizza Bianca's Dam White Hot Surges To Session Lead at Keeneland November

White Hot (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (hip 170), the dam of 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf heroine Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), was knocked down to the BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe for $2.1 million to take the lead at the Keeneland November Sale Wednesday afternoon. The 10-year-old mare, offered by Stone Farm in foal to the all-conquering Into Mischief, comes with a world of pedigree, as she is a half-sister to 2011 G1 Investec Derby hero Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and MGSW/MG1SP Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), the dam of...

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No Nay Mets Continues Winning Ways In Colonial's Exacta Systems Rosie's S.

Undefeated on American soil, No Nay Mets showed promise on debut in taking Gulfstream's Royal Palm Juvenile S. May 13 to earn a spot in the gate for Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk S. After selling for £800,000 at Goff's London Sale just before the Ascot meet, he was soundly beaten in the Norfolk. The Irish-bred then returned to the East Coast with a dominant win as the heavy favorite in Monmouth's Tyro S. last time out July 30. Despite running over his fourth track in as many starts, No Nay...

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Seven Days: No Hollywood Ending but Baden Still Shines

The Tattersalls Somerville Sale has meant that a return to Newmarket could be delayed no longer but this column sprang, or perhaps staggered, into life on the final day of Baden-Baden's Grosse Woche. The scribbling started reasonably early on Sunday morning from a desk in the press room that boasts one of the best views in the racing world, looking out across the turf to the wooded mountains of the Black Forest. It was also the desk that was once occupied by British-born but German-based racing correspondent David Connolly-Smith, who...

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The Week In Review: The Year In Which Saratoga Lost Its Mojo

At the conclusion of racing on Monday, Saratoga will have handled about $800 million for the meet, the third highest handle figure ever for the track. On-track attendance once again topped one million, and was officially at 1,055,543 after Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Day card with two racing days to go. Yet, by just about any measure, it was not a good meet. Saratoga came into 2023 with the wind at its back. Every year the racing seemed to get bigger, the handle would grow and more and...

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Ancient Rome Conquers Mint Millions

Ancient Rome (War Front) came to America and conquered the richest turf race outside of the Breeders' Cup in Kentucky Downs's GIII Mint Millions S. A graded-stakes winner in his native France, the Charlie Hill trainee also picked up Group 1 placings in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Criterium International as a juvenile. Shipped in specifically for this race, the 6-1 shot came away in the front flight but began to take back under jockey Jamie Spencer as Stiched (Mizzen Mast) and Smokin' T (War Front) traded blows up...

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War Front's Ancient Rome Returns In Style At Chantilly

Coolmore and Westerberg's dual Group 1-placed 4-year-old colt Ancient Rome (War Front--Gagnoa {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) returns off a ninth in June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club when last seen and registers a stylish comeback win at Chantilly in his first start for over nine months. 6th-Chantilly, €18,000, Cond, 3-7, 4yo, 9f (AWT), 1:50.78, st. ANCIENT ROME (c, 4, War Front--Gagnoa {Ire} {MGSW & MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-Ire, $597,492}, by Sadler's Wells) snagged the G3 Prix des Chenes and placed in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International as a...

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Observations: Dual Group 1-Placed Ancient Rome Set for Chantilly Return

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations feature a trio of Andre Fabre trainees, including a welcome return for Coolmore and Westerberg's dual Group 1-placed Ancient Rome. 14.25 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT) Godolphin's SWING VOTE (GB) (Shamardal) is an Andre Fabre-trained son of G1 Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock...

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Poule d'Essai des Poulains: Where did they come from?

A diverse field is led by the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games (Ire) and ranging from some fancy homebreds to a €5,000 yearling purchase. Iffraaj (GB) features prominently among the entries for the colts' Classic, as sire, grandsire or great-grandsire of six of the 16 runners in the field.   WELWAL (GB), Shalaa (Ire)--Cheriearch (Arch) Owner: Al Shaqab Racing Breeders: Oceanic, A Gravereaux and OTI Management Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget Sales history: €80,000 at Arqana Deauville Select Yearling Sale (Mandore International Agency). Pedigree insight: A half-brother to the stakes-placed...

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Luxembourg Spearheads Elite Cast

There is an abundance of potentially exhilarating 2-year-old action across Britain, France and Ireland on Saturday which will act as significant pointers to the 2022 Classics for which Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is already favourite. Whether Ballydoyle's latest G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy hope is the next Epsom Derby winner in waiting, as the current ante-post lists suggest he is, we will in part find out mid-afternoon on Doncaster's Town Moor. Unbeaten in two starts, with the latter resulting in a 4 3/4-length success in The Curragh's G2 Beresford S. Sept....

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War Front's Ancient Rome Conquers Chenes Rivals

It's been five years since Andre Fabre sealed a record ninth win in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix des Chenes and the maestro made it a double-digit tally with Coolmore and Westerberg's Ancient Rome (War Front) in Thursday's latest renewal of the one-mile test. The 4-5 favourite had bettered a June 11 debut second at Compiegne with a July 13 breakthrough score at Deauville and doubled up back at the Normandy venue in an Aug. 10 conditions heat last time. Settled off the clear leader Claim The Crown (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in...

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