Hammered down to 1-2 favourite for Saturday's G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse and Stables Anglesey S. at The Curragh following his impressive winning debut over six furlongs here June 25, Beauty Inspire (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) duly landed the gamble after a tussle with Andreas Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Hadman (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Keen early tracking that duo, the Ger Lyons trainee looked poised for a facile win two out but ultimately had to work to get to the front passing the furlong pole. Grinding it out from there, the Beauty Stable...
Fresh off a one-length novice win tackling seven furlongs at Newmarket last month, Al Shaqab Racing's Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) emulated his prolific sire (by Acclamation {GB}) in winning Thursday's G2 Tattersalls July S. dropped down to six furlongs back at the town's Summer venue. He had previously annexed a May 13 York maiden and hit the board on soft ground in a May 28 Pontefract conditions heat. The 15-2 chance was sharply into stride and tracked the duelling speedsters Project Dante (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Dig Two (Ire) (Cotai...
Group 1 winner Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who ran eighth and last in the G3 Pavilion S. as the 10-11 crowd's pick at Ascot on Apr. 28, returned a poor blood test after the race, trainer Clive Cox announced on Wednesday. Trainer Clive Cox said, "We have had a less than perfect blood result from him. We're leaving no stone unturned in the hope of rectifying the situation, which was far below expectations. We've had many tests--and without having a complete conclusion yet, we're hoping we can get him back...
NEWMARKET, UK—After such giddy disruption to the last cycle, the first session of the European breeze-up calendar gave the sector a comforting sense that its world might be easing back on its axis. But those seeking continuity could find it, not between the market that was eventually salvaged last summer and the one that was tested here on Tuesday, but extending from the 2-year-old sales already staged this year across the ocean. Practical Joke has been the toast of the Florida sales, not least with the $750,000 filly who topped...
Sunday's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" 1000 Guineas Trial was one of the most competitive in recent times, with last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) topping the list, and so it was with a deal of surprise that the winner was duly announced as the 80-1 shot Keeper of Time (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for the John Feane stable. Fifth on her 3-year-old bow in the well-contested Madrid H. over this seven-furlong trip at The Curragh Mar. 21, the bargain €3,000 purchase at the 2019 Goffs...
Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) made an impressive U.S. debut for trainer Phil D'Amato by taking Sunday's GIII Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita. Formerly trained by Mick Halford in Ireland, the 3-year-old filly was purchased privately this winter in a deal structured by BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe and Niall Dalton. Gary King caught up with Donohoe on Monday morning to chat about the win. GK: What attracted you to Going Global? MD: Her first run at Limerick really caught my eye and Niall's [Dalton]. We liked her action and...
The Phil D'Amato barn continued its hot streak with European imports in turf sprints as Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) uncorked a powerful rally to take Sunday's GIII Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita. Fourth in her best of three turf tries for Mick Halford in her native country, the bay broke through over seven furlongs of all-weather at Dundalk Nov. 11 before being acquired privately. She was let go at 8-1 in a full and competitive field despite her trainer's excellent numbers with European acquisitions, including four wins from...
Goffs kicks off its 2021 sales season on Tuesday and Wednesday with Part I of its February Sale. Prevailing unprecedented circumstances mean that the mixed sale of yearlings, 2-year-old, fillies and mares and horses in training will take place as a live online auction, with no horses, vendors or purchasers on the grounds at Kildare Paddocks. COVID-19 safety measures late last year meant that Goffs staged its Autumn Horses-In-Training and Yearling sales in the live online format, and the positive results spoke to the resilience of the bloodstock market as...
The setting of new sire records in the modern era tends more than not to be a direct consequence of ever-greater book sizes. But they must still be acknowledged as legitimate breeding benchmarks as they will inevitably feature some outstanding performances. Just look at Mehmas (Ire)'s tally of first-crop 2-year-old winners this term. Currently on 56 winners, he is already 17 clear of Iffraaj's old record and in normal circumstances we might be entitled to expect his record to stand for many years. It may well do, but his strike...
On the back of the eagerly anticipated stallion fee announcements in Europe, Emma Berry spoke with a number of leading industry figures about value. Today we hear from Hubert Honoré. EB: Who have you identified as a first-year stallion at an appealing opening fee? HH: Sottsass (Fr), at €30,000, is very good value for what he's done; he was a very consistent horse. Also Wooded (Ire) was a good sprinter who was very well trained and he will get a good chance. He's not too dear at €15,000. EB: Best...
During the Nov. 24 sale of breeding rights and stallion shares on Arqana Online, a breeding right in champion first-season sire elect Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (lot 2) brought €195,000 from Haras du Mont-dit-Mont. Already the sire of 48 winners, 10 black-type performers and four black-type winners led by G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire), the young stallion will command €25,000 at Tally-Ho Stud in 2021. A breeding right to four-time Group 1 winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) (lot 3), whose oldest foals are three, went for...
On the back of the eagerly anticipated stallion fee announcements in Europe, Emma Berry spoke with a number of leading industry figures about value. Today we hear from Gwen Monneraye of La Motteraye Consignment. EB: Who have you identified as a first-year stallion at an appealing opening fee? GM: I really like Persian King (Ire). I know that at €30,000 he is not a bargain price, but he's a Classic winner from a good family and [his sire] Kingman (GB) is so hot, so we decided to buy a share...
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