SHAMARDAL RISING STAR
The current crop of three-year-old sprinters is particularly strong and one of its somewhat forgotten members reminded viewers of his presence and talent when taking the Group 3 John Guest Bengough Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Godolphin's son of excellent Kildangan Stud stallion Shamardal (by Giant's Causeway) is trained by Charlie Appleby, he was bred by Oak Lodge Bloodstock, and he was among the leading juveniles of 2016.
His latest success came a month after he finished fourth to the brilliant Harry Angel in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock and that performance was his first start since Caravaggio and Harry Angel beat him by three-parts of a length and half a length in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Ascot in June.
The trio finished three lengths clear of fourth-placed US runner Bound For Nowhere that day.
Blue Point is a half-brother to Group 2 Railway Stakes winner Formosina (by Footstepsinthesand) and his dam, Scarlett Rose (by Royal Applause), is a half-sister to the prolific seven-furlong pattern scorer Tumbleweed Ridge (by Indian Ridge).
No doubt he will be a highly popular addition to the stallion ranks whenever his racing days come to an end.
How might he get on against the sprint stars of 2018, a roster that will include old foe Harry Angel plus the even more brilliant Battaash and possibly also the flying filly Lady Aurelia?
He has not yet met the latter pair, but don't forget that when he and Harry Angel first met at Ascot it was in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes in early May and that day it was Blue Point who landed the spoils by a length and a half.
Battaash and Lady Aurelia excel at five furlongs, the other pair star over six, but who knows – maybe the trio of Irish-bred sprinters plus the young US star will meet in action next year, and that is a exciting prospect!
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DARK ANGEL FILLY'S VALUE BOOST
Yeomanstown Stud stallion Dark Angel's tally of more than 40 stakes winners features the Group 1 standouts Battaash, Harry Angel, Lethal Force and Mecca's Angel.
His juvenile daughter Darkanna is nowhere near their league just yet but she is a pattern-placed stakes winner and that will make her a valuable prospect as a future broodmare.
The Richard Fahey-trained grey has been busy in her first season and her half-length victory in the Listed totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar on Saturday was her ninth start, coming just a week after she finished a four-length fifth to Clemmie in the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
She was bred by Mountarmstrong Stud, she is a £205,000 graduate of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, and she is the first foal of Jadanna (by Mujadil).
That dual five-furlong winner was runner-up in the Listed Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes and thrid in the Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes, and she is out of Savannah Poppy (by Statue Of Liberty), a winning half-sister to Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes scorer Galeota (by Mujadil).
That smart sprinter, who could be described as being a three-parts brother to Jadanna, has two other sisters of note.
Loulwa (by Montjeu) got her listed success over 13 furlongs but is the dam of the Group 2-placed, stakes-winning sprinter Justineo (by Oasis Dream), whereas Lady Livius (by Titus Livius), whose wins came over five and six furlongs, is the dam of the six-furlong Group 3 scorers Brown Sugar (by Tamayuz) and Burnt Sugar (by Lope De Vega).
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KODIAC SON ON THE UPGRADE
Tally-Ho Stud stallion Kodiac (by Danehill) is typically associated with high-class juveniles, with sprinters and with some who are notably effective at around a mile.
He himself showed speed, but being a son of the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) heroine Rafha (by Kris) there has always been the chance that, like his famous half-brother Invincible Spirit (by Green Desert), he would get the occasional one who shows their talent over middle-distances.
Despite being inbred 3x3 to Danzig (by Northern Dancer) and having the capable sprinter Marl (by Lycius) as his grandam, Danehill Kodiac has made the breakthrough for his sire in that division.
The Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old beat classic-placed Group 1 scorer Waldgeist by a neck in Saturday's Group 3 Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes over 12 furlongs at Ascot.
Two of his five wins have been over a mile, and all of the others plus several of his placings are over the extra half-mile.
The colt was bred by Rathbarry Stud, he is a £30,000 graduate of the 2014 DBS Premier Yearling Sale, and he is the best of several winners out of Meadow (by Green Desert), a seven-furlong winner and full-sister to useful miler Green Line, and a half-sister to Snow Bunting (by Polar Falcon) and Medley (by Danehill Dancer).
The latter won the Listed Sceptre Stakes over seven furlongs, was placed at a mile, and is the dam of the pattern-placed seven-furlong listed scorer Light Music (by Elusive Quality) and that one's full-brother Sea Shanty, a multiple mile winner who finished fourth in the Royal Hunt Cup.
Snow Bunting, on the other hand, got all nine of his wins at either six or seven furlongs and was well-beaten on the only two occasions that he was asked to try farther.
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RISING STAR FOR LAWMAN
Ballylinch Stud's classic sire Lawman (by Invincible Spirit) has another bright prospect to his name in Luminate, the Freddie Head-trained juvenile who maintained her unbeaten record with an impressive three-length score in the Group 3 Prix de Conde at Chantilly on Sunday.
This potential classic filly was bred by Philip and Jane Myercough, she is an €85,000 Goffs Orby Sale graduate, and her win came with perfect timing for her Lope De Vega (by Shamardal) half-sister whom Godolphin purchased for 370,000gns in Newmarket on Monday.
Their dam, Kalandara (by Rainbow Quest), was bred by H H the Aga Khan and, as she is out of Kalamba (by Green Dancer), her siblings include the multiple Group 1 star Kalanisi (by Doyoun), listed scorer Kaloura (by Sinndar), and also Group 2 Scottish Derby winner and Group 1 Coral-Eclipse third Kalaman (by Desert Prince).
With family connections like these, and an easy pattern success already to her name, it would be no surprise to see this filly add her name to the five on Lawman's blacktype tally who have all won at the highest level.
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GRADE 1 WIN FOR LE HAVRE SON
Haras de la Cauvinere's classic hero and classic sire Le Havre (by Noverre) now has a son who has won at the highest level as Suedois took the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday night.
The David O'Meara-trained six-year-old had long been plying his trade as a high-class sprinter but, at Leopardstown last month, proved something of a minor revelation when stepping up to a mile, a trip over which he had not run since his juvenile days.
He took the Group 2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes that day, now has the top-level success to his name, and he could be set for a rewarding 2018 campaign in the milers' division.
The French-born gelding was bred by Elisabeth Vidal, he is the first foal out of the multiple Swedish winner Cup Cake (by Singspiel), and his grandam's siblings include Honours List (by Danehill).
That former Ballydoyle trainee won the Group 3 Railway Stakes, chased home Tobougg in the Group 1 Prix de la Salamandre and finished third in the Group 1 Grand Criterium, and the standout among his offspring – he died young – was the New Zealand-bred Group 1 scorer Triple Honour.
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FRESHMAN'S FIRST GRADE 1 WINNER
This year's US freshman sires include the Florida-based Grade 1 sprint winner Poseidon's Warrior (by Speightstown) and he notched up his first winner at the highest level when Firenze Fire won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes over a mile at Belmont Park on Saturday.
The Jason Servis-trained juvenile, a Grade 3 scorer over six at Saratoga in July, is the first foal out of My Every Wish (by Langfuhr), an unraced half-sister to Oatsee by Unbridled).
That Broodmare of the Year is the dam of Grade 1 Preakness Stakes ace Shackleford (by Forestry), of Grade 1 Alabama Stakes heroine Lady Joanne (by Orientate), of Grade 2 winner Afleeting Lady (by Afleet Alex), of triple Grade 3 scorer Baghdaria (by Royal Academy), and of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Stephanoatsee (by A.P. Indy).