Caravaggio Remains Unbeaten
Two-Year-Olds
The Michael Bell-trained Main Desire (2 f ex Purple Glow by Orientate) ran out a brave winner of the Marygate Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 5f) at York on Friday and in the process provided her late sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) with his 100th stakes winner.
The two-year-old filly, who broke the two-year-old track record when winning on debut over five furlongs at Nottingham on 2 May, tracked the leaders near the stands rail under Danny Tudhope in the early stages.
Once asked for her effort entering the final furlong she responded in determined fashion to score by half a length from Neola (Foxwedge), with another length and a half back to Mistress Of Venice (Bated Breath) in third, and she now looks likely to tackle the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Royal Ascot next month.
Alpha Centauri (2 f ex Alpha Lupi by Rahy) is also a perfect two wins from two starts after she took out the Fillies’ Sprint Stakes (Listed, 6f) at Naas on Sunday in impressive fashion, providing former shuttler Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer) with his 37th stakes winner.
The Jessica Harrington-trained and Niarchos family-raced filly travelled strongly throughout under Colm O’Donoghue and quickened clear for a commanding five length victory over Actress (Declaration Of War), with Shapes (So You Think) a further length behind in third place.
The filly is now likely to be aimed towards the Albany Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Royal Ascot on 23 June at her next start.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained True Blue Moon (2 c ex Fancy Intense by Peintre Celebre) also preserved his unbeaten record at Naas on Sunday in the Rochestown Stakes (Listed, 5f), giving Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill) his 65th stakes winner.
The colt, who is now unbeaten in two career starts, was held up by Donnacha O’Brien and finished strongly inside the final furlong to land the spoils by half a length from Verhoyen (Piccolo), with Simmy’s Copshop (Bahamian Bounty) a further three quarters of a length adrift in third.
Royal Ascot also looks on the agenda for True Blue Moon, with the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) and Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) potential options for the colt.
Three-Year-Olds
The Mark Johnston-trained Permian (3 c Teofilo – Tessa Reef by Mark Of Esteem) followed up his recent victory in the Newmarket Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) when causing a minor shock in the Dante Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2.5f) at York on Thursday.
The three-year-old colt was beaten narrowly by Cracksman (Frankel), the current second favourite for the Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f), on his seasonal reappearance last month, and he was well positioned throughout the race by Franny Norton.
He was ridden to challenge approaching the final furlong and stayed on strongly in the closing stages to see off the lightly raced Benbatl (Dubawi) by three quarters of a length, with another half a length back to Crystal Ocean (Sea The Stars) in third.
Following the race, recognised as a key trial for the Derby, Johnston revealed the Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum-raced three-year-old was likely to be supplemented for the Derby at Epsom on 3 June.
Exciting John Gosden-trained filly Shutter Speed (3 f ex Photographic by Oasis Dream) preserved her unbeaten record in the Musidora Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2.5f) at York on Wednesday, in the process providing Dansili (Danehill) with his 118th stakes winner.
The Juddmonte Farms-raced three-year-old travelled smoothly throughout in third place under Frankie Dettori and she stretched clear of her rivals, despite connections reservations about rain-softened ground, to win cosily under hands and heels riding.
She was a length and three quarters clear of Vintage Folly (Makfi) at the line, with Serenada (Azamour) a further length behind in third place.
The Musidora Stakes is a recognised Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) trial, though connections of Shutter Speed are favouring a tilt at the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (Gr 1, 2100m) at Chantilly on 18 June instead.
Unbeaten sprinter Caravaggio (3 c Scat Daddy – Mekko Hokte by Holy Bull) ran out an impressive winner on his long-awaited return to action in the Lacken Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Naas on Sunday.
The Group One-winning colt, who is now unbeaten in five career starts, had been on the sidelines with an injury since winning the Phoenix Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) by four lengths at the Curragh in August last year.
He was settled in midfield by Ryan Moore and showcased a smart change of gear to sweep past his rivals approaching the final furlong, beating Psychedelic Funk (Choisir) by four and three quarter lengths, with Mr Scarlet (Dandy Man) a further length and three quarters behind in third.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Caravaggio is now the general 6/4 favourite for the Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot next month.
The Newsells Park Stud-based second season stallion Nathaniel (Galileo) sired his second stakes winner when the Roger Charlton-trained Natavia (3 f ex Our Queen of Kings by Arazi) won the Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) in taking style at Newbury on Saturday.
The three-year-old filly, who finished second on debut over a mile at Newmarket last month, beat Flood Warning (Pivotal) by three and a quarter lengths under a hand ride, with the same distance back to Aljezeera (Frankel) in third.
Roger Charlton confirmed earlier this week that Natavia would tackle the Oaks next up on 2 June provided the ground is not too quick.
Darley stallion Poet’s Voice (Dubawi) sired his seventh stakes winner when the Andreas Wöhler-trained Poetic Dream (3 c ex Zain Al Boldan by Poliglote) ran out a narrow winner of the Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2,000 Guineas) (Gr 2, 1600m) in Cologne on Sunday.
The colt, who won on debut at Dusseldorf before running third on his most recent start over 1600 metres, ran down the William Haggas-trained and China Horse Club-owned Lockheed (Exceed And Excel) in the last strides to win by a neck, with just a short-head back to Empire Of The Star (Siyouni) in third place.
In Italy, the Stefano Botti-trained Mac Mahon (3 c Ramonti – Miss Sultin by Celtic Swing) ran out a wide-margin, five-length winner of the Derby Italiano (Gr 2, 2200m) in Rome on Sunday.
The three-year-old, who won the Premio Emanuele Filiberto (Listed, 2000m) in Milan at his previous start, pulled clear of stablemate Back On Board (Nathaniel) in second, with Anda Muchacho (Helmet) a head further behind in third position.
Older Horses
The Richard Fahey-trained and Godolphin-raced Ribchester (4 c Iffraaj – Mujarah by Marju) secured a second Group One victory when leading from gate to wire in the Lockinge Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Newbury on Saturday.
Stablemate Toscanini (Shamardal), who was in the race to act as a pacemaker for Ribchester, was the slowest out of the stalls, with William Buick forced to take the initiative aboard the four-year-old entire.
As the field approached the final furlong Ribchester drifted over towards the stands rail, but he had plenty of energy in reserve and he stretched clear to beat the David Simcock-trained pair Lightning Spear (Pivotal) and Brenton Rock (Bahamian Bounty) by three and a quarter lengths and two and a half lengths respectively.
Dual Group One-winner Galileo Gold (Paco Boy), having his first start as a four-year-old, took a keen hold in the early stages and faded into fifth.
Fahey said after the race that Ribchester is likely to head to Royal Ascot for the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) on 20 June at his next start.
At York last Wednesday, the William Haggas-trained Tasleet (4 c Showcasing – Bird Key by Cadeaux Genereux) caused a minor shock in the Duke Of York Stakes (Gr 2, 6f).
The Shadwell-raced colt, who won last year’s Greenham Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) in a light three-year-old campaign, travelled strongly in behind the leaders under champion jockey Jim Crowley.
He was angled out from behind runners to deliver his challenge a furlong out, and he quickened clear in taking style on rain-softened ground, beating Magical Memory (Zebedee) by two and a half lengths, with Comicas (Distorted Humor) a further length and a half behind in third place.
The progressive favourite Brando (Pivotal) weakened rapidly at the two-furlong marker to finish last, and a post-race inspection revealed that he had bled from the nose.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Dartmouth (5 h Dubawi – Galatee by Galileo) gave The Queen a major stakes victory at York on Friday as he surged home late to win the Yorkshire Cup (Gr 2, 1m6f).
The five-year-old, who was having his first start since running second in the Canadian International (Gr 1, 12f) at Woodbine last October, was settled in midfield by Ryan Moore in the early stages of the race.
A wave of five runners remained in contention inside the final two-furlongs, fanning out across the width of the track, but Dartmouth came home strongest on the stands rail to beat Simple Verse (Duke Of Marmalade) by a neck victory, with the same distance back to High Jinx (High Chaparral) in third.
Dartmouth is now likely to return to Royal Ascot to defend his Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) crown next month.
Blond Me (5 m Tamayuz – Holda by Docksider) ran out a surprise winner of the Middleton Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2f) at York on Thursday.
The mare, who won the Topkapi Trophy (Gr 2, 1600m) in Turkey on 4 September, was sent off the 11/1 outsider of the four-runner field and was settled just off the pace by Oisin Murphy in the early stages.
She looked set to play a minor role approaching the two furlongs, but stayed on powerfully to run down The Black Princess (Iffraaj) by a length and a quarter close home, with Smart Call (Idea World) a neck further away in third.
At Newbury on Saturday, the Charlie Appleby-trained Group One winner Hawkbill (4 c Kitten’s Joy – Trensa by Giant’s Causeway) made all the running to win the Aston Park Stakes (Gr 3, 1m4f).
The four-year-old, who won the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) at Sandown last season, set steady early fractions and kicked clear in the straight to register a comfortable success, beating My Dream Boat (Lord Shanakill) by two lengths with the same distance back to Midterm (Galileo) in third.