Hercule Du Seuil extended his winning run over fences to four with a stylish success in the Ballymore Group Irish EBF Kilbegnet Novice Chase at Roscommon.
A winner in Grade Two and Three company over hurdles, Willie Mullins’ charge suffered a shock defeat on his chasing bow at Ballinrobe back in May.
However, he has barely put a foot wrong in three subsequent starts, returning to Ballinrobe to claim a first win over fences before following up at Killarney and then in Grade Three company at Galway.
Kept to that level here, Hercule Du Seuil took up his usual position at the head of affairs under Mark Walsh and the 2-5 favourite barely had to hit top gear as he strolled home by 12 lengths from Calico, with The Banger Doyle beaten just a nose in third.
Hercule Du Seuil was encountering heavy ground for the first time and Frank Berry, racing manager for owner JP McManus, was delighted to see him rise to the challenge.
He said: “That was lovely. He jumped well, settled away and handled the ground.
“We didn’t know how he would handle the ground, but Mark said he handled it quite well. It’s loose and he got through it.
“We’ll see what happens when the better ones come out, but he’s going the right way and he’s had a good season so far. We’ll see what Willie wants to do with him.
“It’s a lovely race to find for him here and a flat track suits him well. You couldn’t have asked for better.”
Grand Alliance will not take up his entry in the Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp on Saturday after suffering a season-ending setback.
Winner of the Group Three John Porter Stakes at Newbury in the spring, the four-year-old was subsequently well held in both the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting.
However, stepped up to just shy of two miles for the Group Two Prix Kergorlay at Deauville last month, Grand Alliance bounced back to form to finish second under Ryan Moore, giving trainer Charlie Fellowes more options for the future.
But while the Newmarket handler had the option of sending his stable star back to France on Arc weekend, he has now been forced to draw stumps for the year.
He said: “Unfortunately Grand Alliance had a setback after France and we just decided to call it a day for the year. We’ll give him some time and hopefully he’ll be a nice stayer next year.
“He stayed the two miles well at Deauville, so it opens up a lot of doors. Ryan felt he’d stay as far as you want him to.”
Another horse who held an entry at ParisLongchamp for Fellowes is Marbaan, winner of last year’s Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and third in the Lennox on his return to the Sussex Downs last month.
However, the trainer revealed the son of Oasis Dream will not contest Prix de la Foret, having left his yard to continue his career in Dubai.
David Menuisier’s Sunway has Group One targets in France after his valiant second-placed run in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
The two-year-old, who is a full brother to 2021 Champion Stakes hero Sealiway, came into the race with something to prove after coming home sixth in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot in July.
He was beaten 15 and a half lengths by Richard Hannon’s Rosallion that day when starting at 5-2 after making a convincing winning debut at Sandown earlier in the term.
Rosallion also lined up on Town Moor and was the 4-5 favourite, but it was Charlie Hills’ Iberian who strode to a two-length success as Sunway came home the runner-up and Hannon’s contender was a further length and a half behind.
The run could now pave the way to Group One level for Sunway as Menuisier intends to target the horse at either the one-mile Criterium International or the 10-furlong Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
“He ran really good race, he redeemed himself and that was important, for him to show what he’s truly capable of,” he said of the Champagne Stakes effort.
“He is definitely a really nice horse, he showed that he belongs to the elite.
“He is likely to go to France for one of the Criteriums next month, either the Criterium International or the Criterium de Saint-Cloud – one over one mile and one over one-mile-two.
“Mainly it is the going that will decide, because at that time of year you don’t really know what sort of ground you’re going to get.
“The main target will be the mile race, I think that is probably the most suitable for him at the moment.”
Also headed to Saint-Cloud is stablemate Devil’s Point, last seen finishing third when beaten a length and a half in the Solario Stakes at Sandown earlier in the month.
The Prix Thomas Bryon now awaits, a seven-furlong Group Three, after which the Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster will come into the picture.
“Devil’s Point is good, he’s got an entry in the Group Three at Saint-Cloud on Friday and that’s where he’s likely to go,” Menuisier said.
“It’s likely to be a stepping stone to potentially the Futurity Trophy at the end of October.”
One-time Classic hope Nostrum is unlikely to return until next season after connections ruled out an outing in Friday’s Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.
Having rounded off his juvenile campaign with a third placed finish in the Dewhurst, the Kingman colt was considered a legitimate 2000 Guineas contender before injury intervened in the spring.
A spectacular return in a Listed event at Newmarket’s July meeting suggested Nostrum was ready to make up for lost time, but he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Epictetus on his next start at Goodwood and finished lame when trailing home last of six in York’s Strensall Stakes last month.
The three-year-old is now back in work, but he will not take up his engagement on the Rowley Mile this week and connections are preparing to draw stumps for the season.
Barry Mahon, racing manager for Nostrum’s owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: “He won’t run on Friday, I spoke with Sir Michael this morning and he just wants to give the horse more time.
“It’s more than likely you won’t see the horse until next season.”
Task Force looks set to represent race sponsors Juddmonte in this weekend’s Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, with Saturday’s Mill Reef hero Array more likely to wait for a possible tilt at the Dewhurst Stakes next month.
The Andrew Balding-trained Array notched his second win from five career starts in Group Two company at Newbury and retains the option of turning out just seven days later for a Group One assignment on the Rowley Mile.
However, while no final decision has been made, Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon raised the possibility of the youngster instead being supplemented for the Dewhurst on October 14.
He said: “We left Array in to keep options open until we speak with the ownership group, but it’s probably less likely that he’ll run and we’ll see if the owners would like to give consideration to the Dewhurst a couple of weeks later.
“We just said we’d leave him in there (Middle Park) in case there was a lot of rain and the ground came up on the soft side, as he obviously showed he liked that on Saturday.
“He came out of the race so well Andrew just said we’d keep our options open.
“He’s not in the Dewhurst, so he’d have to be supplemented. Once we’ve spoken to the ownership group we’ll come up with a plan.”
Task Force, a son of two Guineas winners in Frankel and Special Duty, impressed on his debut for Ralph Beckett at Salisbury before landing a Listed prize at Ripon and further improvement can be expected.
Mahon added: “He’s an intended runner in the Middle Park. He’s in good form, Ralph is happy with him and he worked nicely on Saturday.
“It’s a big jump from a Listed race to a Group One, but he’s a well-bred horse and we’re hopeful he can make the jump.”
Beckett has a second string to his bow in the supplemented Sirenia Stakes winner Starlust, while Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Battle Cry, Military and Coventry Stakes hero River Tiber, with the last-named colt the obvious candidate as he looks to bounce back from defeat in the Prix Morny.
He could renew rivalry with the winner of that Group One contest at Deauville six weeks ago, Simon and Ed Crisford’s Vandeek.
The William Haggas-trained Gimcrack winner Lake Forest and Paddy Twomey’s Round Tower Stakes victor Letsbefrankaboutit also feature among 13 contenders.
Fourteen fillies remain in the mix for the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, with Relief Rally the potential favourite for the Haggas team.
The daughter of Kodiac’s only defeat in five starts to date came at Royal Ascot when beaten a nose by American raider Crimson Advocate in the Queen Mary, since when she has landed the Super Sprint at Newbury and the Lowther Stakes at York.
Her potential rivals include unbeaten French-trained filly Jasna’s Secret, Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna, Aidan O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom and the consistent Soprano from George Boughey’s yard.
A top-class card gets under way with the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, in which Solario Stakes winner Aablan must be considered a major player for Charlie Appleby.
Aidan O’Brien is responsible for six of the 18 acceptors, with Capulet perhaps the most interesting having pushed stablemate Diego Velazquez close in a Leopardstown Group Two last time.
Roger Varian’s pair of Al Musmak and Defiance are also on the list, as are Ollie Sangster’s unbeaten youngster Per Contra and Beckett’s Macduff, runner-up to Al Musmak in a Haydock Listed event last time in the Juddmonte silks.
Mahon added: “It’s a possibility Macduff will run, it’s not a definite. We left him in there and we’ll see how he is during the week.
“I think we’ve said a few times he’s a big horse and it’s all about next year with him, but he seems in good shape and we’ll give strong consideration to running him.
“The horse that beat him at Haydock looked a very good horse that day, but you’re always hoping on a different day, on a different track and with a different set-up you might get a different result. You should never be afraid to give it a go.”
The Juddmonte team are also responsible for the ante-post favourite for the bet365 Cambridgeshire in Harry and Roger Charlton’s Greek Order.
A winner at Sandown in May and Newbury last month, the three-year-old will look to complete his hat-trick in the prestigious handicap.
Mahon said: “I’m looking forward to seeing him – he was very impressive on his last start.
“You’re always going to need a lot of luck in a Cambridgeshire with plenty of runners, but the ground should be OK and hopefully we get a nice draw and everything goes well.”
The weights for the Cambridgeshire are headed by Daniel and Claire Kubler’s York scorer Astro King, who is 1lb above the King and Queen’s Saga.
Kevin Philippart de Foy’s Alshinfarah could be headed for Newmarket’s Rockfel Stakes after a pleasing juvenile campaign so far.
The Shadwell homebred filly, who is by Noble Mission, made a winning start to her career when taking a Doncaster fillies’ maiden over seven furlongs in July.
She followed that victory with another at Haydock, this time in a novice event that she won by a length and a quarter when the only filly in the field.
Alshinfarah then took a step up to Group Three level at ParisLongchamp in early September for the Prix d’Aumale over mile, making the running under Jim Crowley and missing out by half a length when passed in the final strides of the race.
Philippart de Foy was nevertheless encouraged by the run and all being well, the bay will drop back to seven furlongs to contest the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, a Group Two for which she is currently a 10-1 chance.
The trainer said: “The filly has been confirmed for the Rockfel on Friday and, depending on the weather, we will make a decision on Wednesday as to whether she runs or not.
“She came out of her French race in good form, she did a good piece of work on Saturday and we are very happy, everything is good with her.
“Her run in France was very good, she had to make the running for the first time over a mile, she was just caught in the last 50 yards but she didn’t disgrace herself at all. She was very gutsy.”
It was a historic night at Providence as Guyana Amazon Warriors won the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final with a nine-wicket victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders, ensuring a maiden CPL title for the franchise.
Guyana Amazon Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl first, producing a disciplined performance to bowl the Knight Riders out for just 94. Imran Tahir and Gudakesh Motie produced valuable economical spells, while Dwaine Pretorius took four wickets.
It was a nervy chase from the Amazon Warriors in front of a home crowd as the Knight Riders tried to restrict runs with spin. However, Saim Ayub and Shai Hope, the two leading run scorers in CPL this season, would ultimately see the team over the line, winning by nine wickets.
Despite a 24-run opening stand between Chadwick Walton and Mark Deyal, the Knight Riders lost wickets at regular intervals, with three falling to seam bowling in the Powerplay, including key batter Nicholas Pooran for just one.
Captain Kieron Pollard would fall straight after the Powerplay, as spin began to play a vital role, with Motie and Tahir causing havoc, taking a combined four wickets between them and conceding just 15 runs in total.
Keacy Carty would attempt to lead the resistance for the Knight Riders, but as he ran out of partners he found himself taking more risks, eventually falling to a brilliant Shimron Hetmyer catch. The Knight Riders would finish 94 all out.
Guyana Amazon Warriors lost the early wicket of Keemo Paul, who was opening, which added tension to their chase. Knight Riders would deploy both Akeal Hosein and Sunil Narine in the Powerplay in an attempt to prise more wickets, but the Amazon Warriors would end the Powerplay on 29-1.
Saim Ayub and Shai Hope would show the form that has led to them leading the run scoring charts this season, combining to take the Amazon Warriors to victory, Ayub bringing up his half century with a six from the last ball of the chase, to take the Warriors to a maiden CPL title win.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 99-1 (Ayub 52*, Hope 32*; Hosein 1-21) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 94 all out (Carty 38, Deyal 16; Pretorius 4-26, Motie 2-7) by 9 wickets.
Ace Impact and Hukum are among 15 horses to stand their ground for the the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp on Sunday following the first forfeit stage.
French Derby hero Ace Impact is the clear favourite to provide trainer Jean-Claude Rouget with his second victory in Europe’s premier middle-distance contest, following the success of Sottsass three years ago, but looks set to face a strong challenge from across the Channel.
The Owen Burrows-trained Hukum and Ralph Beckett’s Westover look the pick of the British contingent, with both having been kept fresh since their titanic tussle in the King George at Ascot in July.
Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge and John and Thady Gosden’s Free Wind, the potential final Arc ride for Frankie Dettori, also remain in contention.
Aidan O’Brien has left in Emily Dickinson, but on Sunday indicated she is likely to head for the Prix du Cadran instead, paving the way for his St Leger hero Continuous to be supplemented on Wednesday.
Irish hopes could also be carried by Sprewell from Jessica Harrington’s yard.
Other contenders for the home team include Pascal Bary’s Grand Prix de Paris hero Feed The Flame, last seen finishing second in the Prix Niel, and Simca Mille from Stephane Wattel’s yard.
The latter has won twice and finished second twice from four visits to the track and was last seen breaking his Group One duck in the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten in August.
Wattel said: “I have to say everything is fine, he’s in good shape and he has done some nice work. We are expecting good ground, which is important for him, and really I am happy with his condition.
“I don’t think we will have heavy ground and that would have been a reason not to run.
“I am really happy to have a runner in the Arc, not a first (top) chance but a fair chance to run well, which is exciting for us as a stable.
“He loves Longchamp and has always run very well there, which gives us a little more expectation than if we were running in England.
“I know the quality of the English horses and I know the quality of the two three-year-old French horses (Ace Impact and Feed The Flame), but our horse is running on his best racetrack and hopefully his best ground, so that gives us a little more chance.”
The German pair of Sisfahan and Mr Hollywood (Henk Grewe), Japan’s Through Seven Seas (Tomohito Ozeki), Haya Zark (Adrien Fouassier), Onesto (Fabrice Chappet) and Place Du Carrousel (Andre Fabre) are the others in the mix.
After a grueling season battling injury while facing the fastest women on the planet, Jamaican track icon star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took some time to enjoy some of the finer things in life at the Bottega Veneta fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 in Milan, Italy on Saturday.
The two-time Olympic 100m champion, known for her colourful wigs and trendsetting couture, was among a galaxy of celebrities gathered for the occasion that included writer, fashion editor, and New York Times best-selling author Derek Blasberg, Erykah Badu as well as Sabato de Samo, Gucci’s new Head of Creative.
The five-time world 100m champion is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August as well as a longstanding knee injury that significantly impacted her preparation last season. But what better way is there to heal the body and soul than immersing one’s self in the world of high fashion.
Naparima, Fatima and San Juan North maintained their unblemished records following the fourth round of matches in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) on Saturday.
Naparima College produced the most impressive victory of the unbeaten schools with a 7-0 thrashing of East Mucurapo Secondary. The result means they sit atop the 15-team league table with 12 points but enjoy a far-superior goal difference over Fatima College, who blanked Pleasantville Secondary 5-0.
San Juan North Secondary had a tougher time of it as they edged Queens Royal College 2-1 and lie third in the standings.
Meanwhile, Presentation College picked up their second win of the season with an impressive 3-0 victory over Chaquanas North Secondary. The three points earned from the win sees them fourth in the standings with seven points, one more than fifth-place Malick Secondary, who lost 1-2 to Speyside High School, who also have six points but are seventh on goal difference.
Also on six points but are sixth in the standings are Arima North Secondary who battled St Benedict’s College to a 1-1 stalemate.
St Anthony’s College defeated St Mary’s College 3-0 for their second win of the season in the other fixture played on Saturday.
Jamaican entertainer DMajor has taken the music scene by storm with his latest release, "Unstoppable," produced by none other than Usain Bolt's A Team label. The track hit the airwaves on Friday, September 22, 2023, and has been making waves ever since. However, what makes this collaboration truly special is the long-standing relationship between DMajor and the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt.
In an exclusive interview, DMajor revealed the story behind "Unstoppable" and how his journey with Bolt and the Racers Track Club paved the way for this remarkable musical partnership.
"I've known Usain since around 2006 or 2007," DMajor began, reminiscing about his early days with the sprinting legend. "What most people probably don't know about me is that I'm a lover of track and field. To stay in shape, at one point, I was training with the Racers Track Club around that same time. So, you know, I would have been all about keeping the lungs up and training with the Racers track club as my fitness regimen."
Back then, DMajor and Bolt never discussed music as a common interest. Bolt's love for music was no secret, but it wasn't until 2023 that the stars aligned for a collaboration. DMajor explained, "This year, in 2023, I had an idea to do a song, you know, one of those celebratory songs for championships. Somehow, the inspiration just hit me, and I had put down a melody on my phone."
However, a twist of fate nearly derailed DMajor's musical vision. "Now that phone just crashed, and I lost the melody," he lamented. But fate had other plans. A conversation with a friend reignited DMajor's creative spark. "I was reasoning with a brethren one day, and I was giving him the idea, and he was like, 'yow, all Bolt you could have linked on that, you know.' And I said, 'You know, you’re right.'"
The stars continued to align as DMajor found himself at Big Yaad Studios, celebrating engineer Kamal's birthday, where he ran into Nugent Walker (NJ), Usain Bolt's business manager. DMajor shared his idea with NJ, who embraced it without hesitation. "NJ was just like instantly (sold), like no hesitation. He was like, 'So Major when you want to do it?' Just like that, and myself, NJ, and Kamal decided upon the following Sunday."
The timing couldn't have been more perfect. DMajor continued, "That Sunday was when the 100-meter finals were on at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August. This is like a month and a half after I got the initial idea. We never got a medal, but still, you know, so you say everything is tying in."
As they worked on the track, NJ and DMajor knew they had something special in the making. DMajor explained, "NJ decided that the 22nd would be a good release date, and it was, in fact, released on the 22nd."
DMajor expressed his gratitude to the A-Team, NJ, and Usain Bolt for making this dream a reality. "Big up to the whole team, the whole A team," he said. "NJ said when he sent it to Bolt, he instantly fell in love with the track. So it's just a blessing overall, you know, for everything to say how everything that's come to fruition just from a simple idea and the challenges of losing the audio on the phone. We still came out with a track that we really believe in and represents what I was initially going for."
"Unstoppable" has already taken flight, released on Friday, and is quickly gaining momentum. DMajor summed up the collaboration with a smile, "I guess that happens when you link up with the king of speed, you know, things happen fast. So it's a great thing, man. Unstoppable. Oh gosh, man, stadium status."
Saint Lucia will look to bounce back from a late defeat to Cuba when they face Guadeloupe on Tuesday in Group B of League C of the Road to W Gold Cup at the Stade Pierre-Aliker in Fort-de-France, Guadeloupe.
In their opener last Friday, Saint Lucia looked poised to collect a hard-fought point against Cuba with the score locked at 1-1 in second half stoppage time. But Cuba struck in the waning moments to spoil things for the Saint Lucia home fans.
Freegeanne Joseph supplied the goal for Saint Lucia and would like nothing more than to add to her tally for this window.
Now, Saint Lucia will hit the road and try for a first result against a Guadeloupe side boasting a new generation of players looking to make inroads in Concacaf competition.
Go Athletico could line up in next weekend’s Prix de l’Abbaye after opening his Group-race account in Ireland with a battling victory in the Westgrove Hotel Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh.
A Listed winner at Cork on his stable debut for Ado McGuinness in mid-June, the high-class French recruit had since filled the runner-up berth in both the Group Two Sapphire Stakes and the Group Three Phoenix Sprint.
The five-year-old was a 7-2 shot for this Group Three assignment under Ronan Whelan and he showed plenty of tenacity go with his undoubted talent to get the better of a sustained duel with Big Gossey by half a length.
Aesop’s Fables was a further five and a half lengths behind in third, with the heavily supported 6-5 favourite Ocean Quest only fourth.
Of the winner, McGuinness said: “He’s in the Abbaye next week. We ran him here because it was giving it to be quite a dry week. He might travel but if it is dry, we won’t run him.
“I have to speak to Barry (Irwin, racing manager for part-owners Team Valor) first. There is a big possibility that he goes as there isn’t a whole pile left for him (this year).
“He deserved to get it today, he’s been very consistent. He’s been a great horse for me, he’s only had four runs and hit the ground running. I’m very lucky and privileged to have him.
“There’s been very little between him and Ken Condon’s horse (Moss Tucker) all year and if he’s fancied for the Abbaye next week, we won’t be too far behind him. Fingers crossed, he could go there.”
Noel Meade appears to have a potential Classic contender on his hands after Caught U Looking powered home to secure top honours in the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh.
Sixth on her debut at the track in late June, the daughter of Harzand showed the benefit of that initial experience when bolting up by six lengths on her second start at Leopardstown.
The youngster had not been seen since that runaway victory two months ago, but proved her worth stepped up to Group Three level in the hands of Ben Coen.
Always travelling well on the outside of the field, Caught U Looking went through the gears quickly when asked for her effort to pick up 9-4 favourite Sakti and prevail by half a length.
Paddy Power gave the winner an introductory quote of 33-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
Meade said: “That’s super. Obviously after she won so easy in Leopardstown there was plenty of interest in her. Tony O’Callaghan and Peter (Kelly), who bred her, own her and despite all the horses he has, Tony wasn’t for selling. He just wanted to keep her and said to roll the dice and see how she goes.
“Obviously there is a little bit of pressure on when you do that. Peter was happy enough to do that as well.
“She’s a good filly and she’s a filly that will improve because she’s a Harzand. She’s going to be better next year, and is probably a mile-and-a-half filly.”
He added: “I hope we can keep her. You keep hoping she can get up to the top, I know she only just won but obviously Ger (Lyons, trainer of Sakti) thinks quite a lot of his and you are always running against something decent from Ballydoyle. It’s hard to win a stakes race in Ireland.
“Everything is open now and we can dream a bit now. I put her in the Guineas the other day and we’ll enter her in the Oaks as well.
“She’s in the Fillies’ Mile next month but I wouldn’t imagine that will happen now, we’ll wait and let her mature.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
