Denied by Boynton in the G2 Superlative S. over this trip at Newmarket July 9, War Decree readily turned that form around as the betting suggested he would in this prestigious Classic pointer. Successful over this distance on debut at Leopardstown June 3, the bay had looked to have been beaten fair and square at the July meeting but had a three-pound pull with his Godolphin rival this time and a much more straightforward trip. Always perfectly placed in behind the stop-start pace on the rail, he was able to muscle his way out of a pocket with Boynton on his outer flat-footed approaching the quarter pole. Cozxed to the front by Ryan Moore with a furlong remaining, he drew away under hand riding to comfortably upstage Godolphin's second-string Thunder Snow, with Boynton staying on late when the race was over. “He's improved a great deal from Newmarket and is a very well-balanced, good-moving horse,” his jockey said. “He's still green and had a look when he got there, so I'd say he'll improve. Inexperience cost him the last day and Aidan's horses always seem to progress–he certainly has.”
Thunder Snow, who had been sixth in the G2 Coventry S. behind the winner's stablemate Caravggio (Scat Daddy), pleased trainer Saeed bin Suroor who said, “He ran really well and we'll maybe look at the [Aug. 20 G3] Solario Stakes at Sandown with him, as that stiff seven furlongs should suit the horse. He tries really hard. I think he was beaten by a better horse today. He's a horse that is improving and he will be one for a mile next year.” Trainer Charlie Appleby also believes that Boynton is ready for a rise in trip. “He's crying out for a mile and those will be the options we start looking at now,” he commented. “The first thing we'll do is get him home and see how he comes out of the race. The horse has not run badly. He was carrying a penalty against the winner, who is a nice horse.”
War Decree is the second foal out of the dam after the stakes-placed Noble Quality (Elusive Quality), with the second dam being Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who was successful in the GI American Oaks Invitational and GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. She is in turn a half to the recent G3 Sandown Sprint S. winner Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and the dam of the G1 Middle Park S. and G1 Prix Morny-winning European highweight Reckless Abandon (GB) (Exchange Rate) from the family of the G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow Quest). Royal Decree also has a yearling colt by Speightstown and a foal full-sister to this winner, while she has been bred back to War Front for 2017.
Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR VINTAGE S.-G2, £200,000, GOO, 7-26, 2yo, 7fT, 1:25.75, g/f.
1–#@WAR DECREE, 127, c, 2, by War Front">War Front
1st Dam: Royal Decree, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ticker Tape (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
3rd Dam: Argent Du Bois, by Silver Hawk
O-Andrew Rosen, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & DerrickSmith; B-AR Enterprises LLC (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $182,631. *1/2 to Noble Quality (Elusive Quality), SP-US. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
[bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”]2–Thunder Snow (Ire), 127, c, 2, Helmet (Aus)–Eastern Joy (GB), by Dubai Destination. O-Godolphin; B-Darley (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. £43,000.
3–Boynton, 130, c, 2, More Than Ready–Baffled, by Distorted Humor. ($750,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-Twin Creeks Farm (KY); T-Charlie Appleby. £21,520.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, HF. Odds: 1.50, 6.50, 2.00.
[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-raised-at-twin-creeks”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]Also Ran: Pleaseletmewin (Ire), Repton (Ire), Isomer, Jackhammer (Ire), Medieval (Ire), Hakeem (Fr). Scratched: Larchmont Lad (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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