James Garfield impresses in Mill Reef
Two-Year-Olds
The beautifully-bred Saxon Warrior (2 c Deep Impact – Maybe by Galileo) ran out a decisive winner of the Beresford Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) at Naas on Sunday and in the process retained his unbeaten record, following up his maiden victory at the Curragh last month.
The colt, who is out of Group One winner Maybe (Galileo), sat behind the leaders in third under Ryan Moore in the early part of the contest, moving into second with two furlongs left to travel.
As the field approached the final furlong the two-year-old was ridden into the lead and was able to stretch clear inside the final furlong to beat Delano Roosevelt (Galileo) by two and a half lengths, with Warm The Voice (Vocalised) a further head behind in third.
The result also gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his seventh straight win in the Group Two and 17th overall and also gave Japanese champion sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) his 99th stakes winner.
The Ger Lyons-trained Mcmunigal (2 g Epaulette – Picture Of Lily by Medicean) made an impressive winning debut over seven furlongs at Naas on Sunday.
The gelding showed a smart turn of foot to beat the Aidan O’Brien-trained James Cook (Galileo) by a decisive four lengths, with Loving A Boom (Acclamation) a further two and a half lengths behind in third.
The two-year-old was purchased by Gaelic Bloodstock for 50,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale this year from Ballycullen Stables draft.
Mcmunigal provided Darley’s first season sire Epaulette (Commands) with his 15th winner. The stallion reverse shuttles to Kelvinside, where he stands for a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
The George Scott-trained James Garfield (2 c Exceed And Excel – Whazzat by Daylami) came from last to win the Mill Reef Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at Newbury on Saturday, providing Exceed And Excel (Danehill) with his 137th stakes winner.
The colt was produced with an impressive change of gear by Frankie Dettori to lead inside the final furlong and he ran on well to beat Invincible Army (Invincible Spirit) by three quarters of a length in a two-year-old track record time of 1:10.64, with Nebo (Kodiac) a further half a length behind in third.
Darley shuttler Exceed And Excel is standing for a fee of $110,000 (inc GST) at Kelvinside this year.
Rock My Love (2 f Holy Roman Emperor – Rondinay by Cadeaux Genereux) took out the Winterkonigin Trial (Listed, 1500m) at Cologne yesterday and in the process provided Aquis Farm shuttler Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill) with his 69th stakes winner.
The filly, who is now unbeaten in two starts having made a winning debut at Dusseldorf last month, beat Cabarita (Areion) by three lengths, with Barista (Rock Of Gibraltar) a further two lengths behind in third.
Holy Roman Emperor is standing for a fee of $9,900 (inc GST) this spring.
Three-Year-Olds
The high-class Windstoss (3 c Shirocco – Wellenspiel by Sternkönig) ran out a ready winner of the Preis von Europa (Gr 1, 2400m) at Cologne on Sunday, his second victory at the highest level.
The Markus Klug-trained colt won the Deutsches Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Hamburg in July and he was ridden with restraint in the early stages by Adrie de Vries.
The field tracked over to the stands’ side rail in the straight and, having squeezed through a tight gap on the rail, he quickened clear under hands and heels to beat Son Macia (Soldier Hollow) by four lengths, with Colomano (Cacique) a head further behind in third in the prestigious €155,000 feature.
The colt was purchased for €16,000 at the BBAG October Sale from the draft of his breeder Gestut Rottgen.
The Nicolo Simondi-trained Anda Muchacho (3 c Helmet – Montefino by Shamardal) won the Premio Ippolito Fassati (Listed, 1800m) in Milan on Saturday.
A €26,000 purchase by Marco Bozzi Bloodstock from the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale last year, Anda Muchacho surrendered his unbeaten record when third in the Derby Italiano (Gr 2, 2200m) in Rome in May but took advantage of the drop in class to beat Together Again (Pivotal) by a length and a quarter.
Darley shuttler Helmet (Exceed And Excel) is standing for a fee of $16,500 (inc GST) at Northwood Park this spring.
Prima Violetta (3 f ex Power Penny by Galileo) won the Stutenpreis des Gestüts Winterhauch (Listed, 1800m) at Cologne yesterday to provide her sire Areion (Big Shuffle) with his 35th stakes winner.
The filly, who was ninth in the Preis der Diana (German Oaks) (Gr 1, 2200m) earlier this season, beat Sky Full Of Stars (Kendargent) by two and a half lengths, with Vive Marie (Jukebox Jury) a short-head further behind in third place.
Areion stood for a fee of €9,500 at Gestut Evershorst in Germany this year.
Golden Legend (3 f Doctor Dino – Gold Harvest by Kaldounevees) ran out a comfortable winner of the Prix Bertrand de Tarragon (Gr 3, 1800m) at Maisons-Laffitte on Wednesday.
The filly, who won the Prix de Liancourt (Listed, 2100m) at Chantilly earlier this month, was held up in the early by jockey Alexis Badel, who produced the filly for her challenge with two furlongs left to travel.
After gaining the lead inside the final furlong she eventually beat Via Firenze (Dansili) by a length and three quarters, with Heuristique (Shamardal) a further length and a quarter behind in third. She is one of two stakes winners for her sire Doctor Dino (Muhtathir).
Older Horses
The dual Group One winner Quiet Reflection (4 f Showcasing – My Delirium by Haafhd) made a welcome return to the winner’s circle when landing the Renaissance Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Naas on Sunday.
The four-year-old won both the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) and Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 6f) last season but has suffered several setbacks this campaign and was tenth in the Temple Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at her last start in May.
After being briefly short of room inside the final two furlongs as Martin Harley tried to make ground, she was able find a gap.
She then proved a cut above the opposition in the €60,000 Group Three, beating Alphabet (Lawman) by two and three quarter lengths, with the same distance back to Ardhoomey (Dark Angel) in third.
Following the victory trainer Karl Burke said the mare would now head to British Champion Sprint Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Ascot and will then be offered at Tattersalls December Mare Sale.
The David Simcock-trained Desert Encounter (5 g Halling – La Chicana by Invincible Spirit) swooped late from off the pace to win the Legacy Cup Stakes (Gr 3, 1m3f) at Newbury yesterday.
The gelding has performed with plenty of credit at a higher level on his two previous starts, running third in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) and sixth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m4f).
He took advantage of the drop in class under jockey Sean Levey, who delivered the five-year-old with a strong run up the far rail to beat Second Step (Dalakhani) by a neck, with Secret Number (Raven’s Pass) a further three quarters of a length behind in third.
The Willie Mullins-trained Renneti (8 g Irish Wells – Caprice Meill by French Glory) ran out a comfortable winner of the Loughbrown Stakes (Gr 3, 2m) at Naas yesterday to provide Irish Wells (Poliglote) with his first stakes winner.
The eight-year-old travelled strongly throughout under Pat Smullen in second in the early part of the contest. He was produced for his effort with just over two furlongs left to travel, before drawing clear in the closing stages to beat Stars Over The Sea (Sea The Stars) by five lengths, with Wild Irish Rose (Galileo) a further three lengths behind in third.
Irish Wells stood for a fee of €1,500 at Woodlands Stud in Ireland earlier this year.