DAWN APPROACH'S PROFILE RISING
Champion juvenile and classic star Dawn Approach (by New Approach) has been having an eye-catching season.
Fajjaj was runner-up in the Group 2 Mehl-Mulhens Rennen (German 2000 Guineas), Haddaf has won a listed sprint at Haydock, Musis Amica took the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte before finishing third in the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks), and then Listed Salsabil Stakes scorer Mary Tudor finished an honourable third to Sea Of Class and Forever Together in the Group 1 Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
This is a promising start for the Kildangan Stud stallion, and although it was something of a surprise that none of that first crop was a blacktype winner at two, his second crop has already removed that gap on his CV.
The James Tate-trained juvenile Second Generation was a six-length winner over the minimum trip at Catterick on her second start, and although she was unplaced behind now dual Group 2 heroine Signora Cabello in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, she has won both her starts since then.
First was a conditions race on fast ground at Windsor and then came the recent Listed Prix des Reves d'Or - Jacques Bouchara on soft ground at Vichy, also over five furlongs. She won both by three-parts of a length.
The Godolphin-bred bay is the second foal out of Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes third El Manati (by Iffraaj), who is a half-sister to several multiple winners.
One of those is the four-time sprint winner Kellys Eye (by Noverre), both Izmir (by Sir Percy) and Black Vale (by Moss Vale) have won at up to a mile, while three of Sky High Diver's (by Celtic Swing) successes have come over 12 furlongs.
Limit (by Barathea), the grandam of Second Generation, won over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton and her siblings feature Malaysian Boleh (by Compton Place), whose double-digit tally includes seven wins over seven furlongs.
Third dam Orlena (by Gone West) is a half-sister to Listed Masaka Stakes winner Vista Bella (by Diktat), who finished third to Virginia Waters in the Group 1 1000 Guineas, and they are out of Group 3 Prix du Calvados scorer Cox Orange (by Trempolino), a half-sister to Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Amonita (by Anabaa).
There is a wide range of speed and stamina in the pedigree, which makes it possible that Second Generation might stay a mile, but with the speed she has shown to date, maybe she'll be more of a Commonwealth Cup filly than 1000 Guineas contender in 2019.
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GREY IS GOLD FROM HAVANA'S FIRST CROP
Mile Group 1 star Havana Gold (by Teofilo) is a popular member of the team at Tweenhills Farm & Stud in Gloucestershire and the early success of his first crop augurs well for his long-term prospects.
He has five stakes winners to his name, so far, they include last year's Group 3 Curragh Stakes scorer Treasuring – who has since won at Grade 3 level in California – the dual Group 2-placed stakes winner Headway, and the exciting sprinter Havana Grey.
The Karl Burke-trained three-year-old was a leading juvenile sprinter in 2017 when he won the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes, Listed Dragon Stakes and Listed National Stakes, was runner-up in both the Group 1 Prix Morny and Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes, and earned a 112 rating from Timeform.
His first two runs of 2018 were a little disappointing, but he bounced back in style to take the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes over five furlongs at the Curragh on Sunday, beating teak-tough veteran Caspian Prince by a length.
As you might expect, his entries include the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes and Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, and he received an immediate quote of 10/1 for the former after his recent success.
Havana Grey was bred by the partnership of Mickley Stud and Lady Lonsdale, and he made 42,000gns in Newmarket as a foal. He changed hands again the following summer, this time fetching €70,000 at Arqana's August Yearling Sale.
He is the first foal of six-time sprint winner Blanc De Chine (by Dark Angel), and in addition to being a half-sister to Group 3 Molecomb Stakes runner-up Fast Act (by Fast Company), that mare's siblings include the prolific pair Desert Opal (by Cadeaux Genereux) and Kuanyao (by American Post) who won 28 races between them.
Nullarbor (by Green Desert), the grandam of Havana Grey, is a half-sister to Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam scorer Radevore (by Generous) and, as she is a granddaughter of Rare Treat Handicap heroine Chain Store (by Nodouble), the young rising sprint ace a member of a very famous family.
Those relations, ranging from somewhat near to far and remote, include Group/Grade 1 stars Al Bahathri (by Blushing Groom), Haafhd (by Alhaarth), Gladiatorus (by Silic), Spanish Fern (by El Gran Senor), Heatseeker (by Giant's Causeway), Military Attack (by Oratorio), Big Orange (by Duke Of Marmalade), Lord Shanakill (by Speightstown), Together Forever (by Galileo), and 2018's Group 1 Investec Oaks heroine Forever Together (by Galileo).
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NEW STAKES WINNER FOR VOCALISED
Redmondstown Stud stallion Vocalised (by Vindication), sire of last year's juvenile Group 1 star Verbal Dexterity, notched up his fifth stakes winner when Sometimesadiamond held on for a narrow victory in the Listed Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes over six furlongs at Naas on Wednesday evening.
Jim Bolger bred and trains the three-year-old who was previously Group 3 and listed placed. Her prior win was over the same trip at Fairyhouse 13 months ago, on her debut.
She is the first foal of dual middle-distance winner Something Graceful (by Galileo), whose siblings feature 12-and-a-half-furlong Australian Group 3 scorer Oceanographer (by Sea The Stars), and they are out of the Argentine-bred Que Puntual (by Contested Bid), a Grade 1-placed performer in her native land before being Grade 1-placed at Saratoga and a Grade 2 winner at Woodbine.
Repartija (by Tempranero), the third dam of Sometimesadiamond, was a 10-furlong Grade 1 scorer in Brazil.
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YAFTA ANOTHER POTENTIAL STAR FOR DARK ANGEL
Yeomanstown Stud's Dark Angel (by Acclamation), whose six top-level winners include the outstanding sprinters Battaash, Harry Angel, Lethal Force, and Mecca's Angel, may have had another star in action last weekend.
The Richard Hannon-trained Yafta narrowly won the Group 3 bet365 Hackwood Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury on Saturday, three weeks after he chased home Above The Rest in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle.
His record now shows four wins and five seconds from 10 starts, his only time out of the frame was when fourth on his debut in late May of last year, and, at the time of writing, he holds an entry in Tuesday's Group 2 Qatar Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
The three-year-old is a £280,000 Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale graduate and he was bred by Lordship Stud out of their dual sprint stakes winner Swiss Dream (by Oasis Dream).
His grandam is the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes runner-up and dual five-furlong listed scorer Swiss Lake (by Indian Ridge), and so his dam is a half-sister to Swiss Diva (by Pivotal) and Swiss Spirit (by Invincible Spirit).
The former won the Group 3 Prix de Meautry and Group 3 Prix du Petit Couvert, while the latter is a pattern-winning sprinter and young Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion.
Yafta's official rating has increased by a total of 21lbs over the course of this season and there may be more to come from the grey.
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VEGA'S JOY SHOWS PATTERN POTENTIAL
Ballylinch Stud stallion Lope De Vega (by Shamardal) has an exciting prospect among his current batch of two-year-olds and the filly in question has a long list of big-race entries, including the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes and Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
The Mark Johnston-trained Natalie's Joy ran away with a six-furlong Goodwood maiden on her debut in late May, was a beaten favourite when unplaced behind Arthur Kitt in the Listed Chesham Stakes over seven at Ascot, then easily won the Listed Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Rose Bowl Stakes back over six at Newbury on Saturday.
She was bred by Moyns Park Estate and Stud Ltd, made 35,000gns from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and is a half-sister to a list of winners that includes Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes third Annie's Fortune (by Montjeu).
Their dam, Semaphore (by Zamindar), is a daughter of Blue Duster (by Danzig), the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner and Group 1 Sprint Cup runner whose full-brother, Zieten, won the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and finished third in the Group 1 July Cup before going on to a successful stallion career.
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WORTH WAITING FOR
Banstead Manor Stud's high-class sprinter Bated Breath (by Dansili), a half-brother to Group 1 scorer and promising young sire Cityscape (by Selkirk), added to his own blacktype tally when Worth Waiting took a 12-furlong listed contest at Newmarket on Saturday.
This made her the 12th blacktype horse for her young sire and his third stakes winner on a roll of honour that's headed by the dual Group 1-placed six-furlong Group 2 scorer Beckford.
The David Lannigan-trained bay represents her sire's second crop, she now has a record of two seconds and three consecutive wins from just five starts, and she was bred by Whatton Manor Stud, who sold her for 40,000gns from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
A half-sister to several winners, the three-year-old is out of Salutare (by Sadler's Wells), a dual 15-furlong scorer whose siblings feature Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak star Montare (by Montjeu).
That George Strawbridge homebred also won the Group 2 Prix de Royallieu and two editions of the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris, she chased home Mandesha in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille, and she is the dam of 2016's Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Journey (by Dubawi).
With these relations on the distaff side of the pedigree, it is no surprise that Worth Waiting stays farther than do most of her sire's offspring, and with entries in races such as the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes, Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes, and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, she is clearly held in high regard.