Ancient Rome shone on his first start for new connections when pouncing late to land the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap on the opening day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
The Charlie Hills-trained War Front colt was previously trained by Andre Fabre for Coolmore, but changed hands earlier in the season and then moved yards after three more runs for Fabre.
Last seen coming home third in the Group Three Prix Messidor at Chantilly, the four-year-old was a 33-1 chance under Jamie Spencer and had most of the field to pass approaching the two-furlong pole.
Spencer is a jockey who thrives in such situations, however, and the pair picked off their rivals to lunge over the line and win by a length in the end.
Hills said: “I haven’t had him very long, he’s only been with us a couple of weeks, but he’s a very laid-back individual.
“Jim and Fitri Hay are big supporters of this meeting, so we thought we’d give him a go and it’s paid off.
“When we saw the draw (stall 16) I thought it didn’t look good, but there was only one way to do it, which was to give him a chance and try to keep down the middle.
“He’s got some very good form from last year, he was fourth in the French Guineas, and while he’s obviously come down the handicap we’ll probably aim a little bit higher with him.
“That should have given him some confidence now.”
John Quinn’s Lord Riddiford flew to a third success in the Coral Handicap in the hands of Andrea Atzeni.
The eight-year-old landed the contest in both 2021 and 2022, but had been well beaten in two efforts this season.
Back over his favoured course and distance, the 8-1 winner cruised down the inside rail to cross the line a convincing three and a quarter lengths ahead of Stuart Williams’ Existent.
“He really, really likes this track, he ran quite well in the Dash (at Epsom), but the ground was a little bit quick for him,” Quinn said.
“We thought as he’s an old horse we’ll freshen him up for here and hope that he gets a bit of cut in the ground.
“We were more than hopeful. With these older horses, they need conditions to be ideal.
“Two-year-olds will probably go on ground a bit quicker than is ideal, but older horses need it ideal.
“When I was driving down yesterday there was rain all the way to London, which was lovely! It stopped a bit further on, and then when we got to Goodwood it was raining again and I thought, ‘lovely’. It’s great to see an eight-year-old bounce back and I’m delighted.”
Diego Dias’ first runner in Britain was a winning one as Mansa Musa claimed a hard-fought triumph in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes.
The former jockey, who hails from Brazil, has been heavily involved in the bloodstock industry for some time and only recently switched to training.
Based on the Curragh, Dias has held his licence for four months but had a good deal of well-placed confidence in his runner, who started at 20-1 under Rossa Ryan, standing in for sidelined Hong Kong ace Vincent Ho.
Array, the 4-6 favourite, battled Mansa Musa all the way to the line but it was the latter who prevailed by a short head.
“We always liked this horse at home. We know he improved from the run and there’s a lot more to come from this horse.
“He’s a really nice horse, we always did like him even when he went to the breeze-up sales in Dubai.
“We didn’t sell him and had to bring him back, he’s just proven for us now how good he is.”
Of his background and journey into training Dias added: “I’m from Brazil, rode back home in Brazil in Rio and rode in Ireland as well.
“The past few years I’ve been doing breeze-ups, I just took out my licence this year and that’s my second winner. It’s great.
“I’m based at the Curragh, best place to be – the gallops are the best in the world!
“It’s going better than I imagined, but I came here very confident that he was going to put on a good show.”
Paddington has been the breakout star of the Flat season to date, in a campaign starting to bear very close resemblance to a Ballydoyle great of the past, Giant’s Causeway.
And like the ‘Iron Horse’, the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt will need to show all his versatility in his latest assignment, the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Having emerged from winning a handicap first time out this season, the son of Siyouni is now chasing a fourth successive Group One victory.
He took the Irish 2,000 Guineas in style, before readily accounting for English Guineas winner Chaldean in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and then stepping up to 10 furlongs to beat Emily Upjohn in the Eclipse last time out.
Now he is dropping back to a mile, taking on the classy Inspiral with substantial rain forecast on Tuesday evening into Wednesday, although O’Brien is not unduly concerned.
He said: “He’s got winning form on very soft ground, so I wouldn’t be as concerned for him as I might have been for other horses. He’s got form on all types of ground.
“I hold Paddington in very high regard. He is very natural, very quick and very straightforward. He is a little bit different, we think, and the way he has progressed from run to run is very unusual.
“Ryan (Moore) always thought he had lots of pace and coming back to a mile won’t be a problem. We were delighted with him in the Eclipse and we always had the Sussex Stakes as part of his programme.
“He has been putting on weight after every run. He was much heavier heading into the Eclipse than he was before Ascot, which is quite unusual. He thrives on work and everyone involved with him is very happy.
“He has gone from strength to strength and Ryan is very impressed with him all the time. He is standing up to a lot of scrutiny and it is the ease with which he is doing it. He looks a serious horse at the moment.”
Giant’s Causeway was runner-up in the Irish Guineas, but did win the St James’s Palace, Eclipse and Sussex Stakes, and then added the Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes, races that could easily feature on Paddington’s radar.
For now it is Goodwood, with O’Brien adding: “The Sussex Stakes is a very prestigious race that has stood the test of time. For a horse going to stud, it is very important with it being the first time the three-year-olds can take on the older milers.”
Just as in the Eclipse, Paddington’s biggest market rival is a filly trained by John and Thady Gosden.
Winner of six of her nine races, including three Group Ones, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned four-year-old Inspiral should certainly give Paddington something to think about – but whether she would want very soft ground is debateable.
“At this point in tine, all being well, we’ll run. The ground is changing, but this has been the plan and she is on course to go to Goodwood,” said Chris Richardson, racing manager for the owners.
“Obviously she has a weight for age difference, but it is a logical step really. We wanted to give her plenty of time after Royal Ascot.
“It was a good performance on her first run. She proved last year she runs well fresh and she followed it up.
“We obviously bypassed Newmarket (Falmouth) in preference for Goodwood. France was in the mix, but those races are too close together now and they have had plenty of rain over there.”
The ground, though, is a cause for concern.
Richardson went on: “Heavy ground wouldn’t suit her. We have taken the chance and more rain would suit Paddington probably more perhaps than us.
“She handles soft ground. She won the Marois on soft ground, and it was easy in the Falmouth when she was second as well. If you are not in, you can’t win.
“Paddington is a serious horse. He is a bit of a superstar, but we’re fresh and he’s had a few more races than us. The weight allowance might make a difference and she’s in good form.”
The feature Qipco British Champions Series event on day two also features the William Haggas-trained Aldaary, who has not quite hit the heights after missing last season but is one who will appreciate the rain.
“We left Aldaary in the Sussex in the hope that we get the sort of ground we had when Here Comes When won in 2017,” said Haggas, successful 12 months ago with the mighty Baaeed.
“He’s probably not good enough to win, but he likes the soft, so who knows. It wasn’t as soft as ideal at Ascot last time and it was a funny race. He was still a bit rusty there, but he’s better now.”
Richard Hannon does not think conditions will suit Chindit, however.
“If the word soft appears in the ground, he won’t run,” said Hannon.
“He has to have fast ground. If he doesn’t go there, he’s got the Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury, he’s got a race at York, there’s a Group Two somewhere else – there are a good few, but he can’t function on soft ground.”
Barbados Gems secured a 55-50 win over Singapore while Trinidad and Tobago’s Calypso Girls were handed a 28-69 defeat by hosts, South Africa, as action continued in the 2023 Netball World Cup at the Cape Town International Convention Center on Monday.
The Gems and Singapore played a tight first quarter with Singapore coming out with a 13-12 lead. The second quarter was a different story, however, as the Caribbean side won it 17-11 to go into the break with a 29-24 lead.
The third quarter saw Singapore roaring back to take it 16-11, meaning the teams entered the fourth quarter knotted at 40.
The Gems held their nerve in the final period to take it 15-10 and secure a 55-50 win. Kadeen Corbin had 41 goals from 43 attempts while Latonia Blackman had 14 goals and 13 assists for Barbados.
Amandeep Chahal led Singapore with 39 goals from 46 attempts.
On the other hand, Trinidad & Tobago’s Calypso Girls were hammered by South Africa.
After a relatively close first quarter, which South Africa won 18-12, the second quarter sealed T&T’s fate as they were held to just three points to go into halftime down 33-15.
The third quarter was no different as South Africa continued to dominate, winning 18-6 to go into the fourth period up 51-21.
The hosts won the fourth quarter 18-7 to complete the 69-28 win.
Nichole Taljaard had 24 goals and 15 assists for the hosts while Afeisha Noel had 11 goals for T&T.
Barbados Gems now have four points to lead Group E in the second preliminary stage while T&T are at the foot of Group E without a point.
Aidan O’Brien is still at a loss to explain the performance of dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Having finished only 12th of 14 when favourite for the 2000 Guineas, O’Brien never lost faith and produced a terrific training performance to get him back in top shape to win the Derby.
The son of Japanese stallion Deep Impact then followed up in the Irish Derby at the Curragh, making him the first since Harzand in 2016 to win both Classics.
Sent off the 9-4 favourite in a stellar field at Ascot, Ryan Moore was sending out distress signals very early and ultimately allowed the colt to come home in his own time.
Several theories have been raised since the race as to his disappointing display, including the fact that the only other time he took a plane to England he ran no race in the Guineas. But as of yet, nothing untoward has come to light.
Speaking on Tuesday, O’Brien said: “He was a little bit stiff, but that’s it.
“As of now, there’s been nothing strange that has shown up.
“We’ll just continue to monitor him and see how he is over the next week.”
Ground conditions are the chief concern for trainer Shark Hanlon ahead of Hewick’s bid for back-to-back wins in the Tote Galway Plate.
Victory in the €270,000 contest 12 months ago was the middle leg of a huge treble in 2022 for the eight-year-old, as he also landed the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and the American Grand National.
He subsequently fell two fences from home when still in with a shout in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and has since returned to Sandown to win the Oaksey Chase and finished fourth in the French Champion Hurdle.
Hanlon is thrilled with his stable star’s condition ahead of his planned return to Ballybrit, but admits the prospect of carrying top-weight in testing terrain is a worry.
He said: “Hopefully the ground will dry up a bit – we need to get the ground a bit drier.
“He’s in great form and everything, but he doesn’t want very soft ground. There’s nothing we can do about it, only wait and see.
“In fairness the two-mile-six might be on the short side for the horse and a bit of cut in the ground might be a help to us, but you’re always afraid when it gets very soft.
“I couldn’t have the horse any better, but if they end up with heavy in the ground I couldn’t run him. Hopefully it won’t get to that.”
With his first-choice pilot Jordan Gainford sidelined by injury, Hanlon turned to Rachael Blackmore to partner Hewick in his last two races.
However, Blackmore rides Gabbys Cross for Henry de Bromhead, leading Hanlon to book Britain’s champion jockey Brian Hughes.
He added: “Brian is a great jockey and he looks after me when I go to England. I’m delighted to have him on board.”
Gavin Cromwell is looking forward to saddling Final Orders, who won five successive races over fences last season before finishing fifth in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham.
The seven-year-old fell in the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree on his next start, but recently proved his well being with a Flat victory at Bellewstown.
Cromwell said: “He’s in great shape and I’m delighted with him. I would love if the ground was a little bit better, hopefully it won’t be too bad.
“We’re happy he’s in great nick and if he can get a bit of luck in running, hopefully he’ll be involved.”
Another high-class chaser who warmed up for Galway’s midweek feature with a victory on the level is the Barry Connell-trained Enniskerry, having bolted up by six lengths at Leopardstown in June.
However, his participation is also dependent on conditions.
“The big problem is the ground – if it comes up soft he won’t run,” said Connell.
“It’s unfortunate because he’s in the form of his life, he has a lovely racing weight (10st 7lb) and if it was good ground we’d be very optimistic about his chances.
“We have him in another race on Friday, so that’s an alternative if we don’t get to run on Wednesday.
“He won his beginners’ chase there last year, so we know he likes the track and he’s a second-season novice who is unexposed, so he ticks a lot of boxes.”
Mick Appleby is “pretty confident” Big Evs can lower the colours of Kylian in a good renewal of the Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.
Winner of the 23-runner Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot on his last run, the son of Blue Point will be tackling easy ground for the first time and Jason Hart’s mount is drawn on the wing in stall eight.
“He’s in good order. I think we have got a decent enough draw and we should be going there with a very good chance,” said Appleby.
“I think he will be OK on the ground, as long as it doesn’t go heavy. You’d think he’d be OK on good to soft ground and the dam won on soft ground, so hopefully he should be all right.”
Big Evs and the Karl Burke-trained Kylian dominate the market for the five-furlong Group Two contest.
The latter is more experienced with four runs under his belt and was a scintillating six-length winner of the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown on his last run.
“Obviously we have Kylian to beat,” admitted Appleby. “It is a great race, but we’d go there pretty confident and he should have a good chance.
“Should all go well, we’ll probably go for the Gimcrack (at York) next – that’s most obvious one for him, I should have thought.”
Ryan Moore maintains his partnership with Kylian, who is bidding for a hat-trick, having previously won on the all-weather at Newcastle.
“I sat on him for the first time at Sandown last month and you had to be very impressed by the manner in which he picked up after I switched him to the outside after a rail run clearly didn’t materialise,” Moore reported on his Betfair blog.
“Big Evs is probably the one to beat, but this horse isn’t far behind him form-wise after what he did at Sandown, though both horses are unproven on soft ground and that is the question mark.”
Richard Hannon is equally hopeful that Baheer, an easy winner of a Newbury novice over six furlongs, can handle the ground and a drop back in trip.
He said: “He is in great form. He’s very quick and has easily got the speed for five (furlongs) no problem.
“The ground is an unknown quantity, but Mehmas liked it. I think he’d have a great chance as well.”
The other Group Two contest on the card is the seven-furlong Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes, which has attracted a field of 16 fillies.
John Quinn saddles Breege, who was pitched into Group One company in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh on her seasonal debut, where she finished seventh to Tahiyra.
She then was beaten a length by Coppice in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot, so drops back in trip to a course and distance she handled well when a narrow runner-up in a Group Three last August.
“We’re happy with her,” said Quinn. “She ran very well at Ascot and we tried to run her at Sandown (in the Coral Distaff), but we just couldn’t run her – it wasn’t a lot, I just couldn’t run her.
“We have been thinking about this race because we thought the conditions might suit her. She ran here as a two-year-old over seven furlongs and she handled the track well.
“She is a big, strong mare and, with a bit of ease in the ground, she’ll go on that.
“She is not slow. She won over five and a half (furlongs) as a two-year-old and was placed in the Princess Margaret. She is a quality filly, so let’s hope she runs well in a tough race.
“She is drawn in stall three, which is grand. I’d rather be three than 13. I’m glad she got drawn there, because over seven furlongs, if you are drawn out a long way, it is difficult.”
White Moonlight is the sole last-time-out winner in the field and she bids for a hat-trick for Saeed bin Suroor, following a pair of Listed successes at Musselburgh and on the all-weather at Chelmsford, both over the same seven-furlong trip.
“She won well at Chelmsford, “ said the Godolphin handler. “She came back from that well and worked nicely. Definitely she is in good form.
“She won at Musselburgh on good to firm ground, but maybe the ground conditions will be good for her. It will be nearer soft ground.
“We’ll see, we’ll have a look, but she has won on easier ground in the past as a two-year-old.”
Nashwa will face a very stern challenger for her Qatar Nassau Stakes crown at Goodwood on Thursday in the shape of Blue Rose Cen.
John and Thady Gosden’s filly was a stunning winner of the Group One feature last season, backing up her victory in the French Oaks.
She had been some way below that level of form in her early runs this season, but back down to a mile in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting she returned to her brilliant best.
Nashwa will need to bring that level of form to the table again, though, as Blue Rose Cen has looked every inch a superstar.
Trained by Christopher Head, she won the Prix Marcel Boussac last term and the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks, all in impressive fashion.
Nashwa also clashes with Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve, who beat her in the Prix Corrida in France, and Al Husn, her conqueror in the Hoppings Stakes at Newcastle.
Jack Channon’s Caernarfon and Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story make up the six-runner field.
The John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes sees William Haggas’ historic Royal Ascot winner Desert Hero reappear, having caused great scenes when winning for the King and Queen.
He is one of six in the Group Three, with Artistic Star, Burdett Road, Canberra Legend, Chesspiece and Espionage.
Clive Cox’s Jasour must defy a penalty to follow up his July Stakes success in the Markel Richmond Stakes.
Asadna and Hala Emaraaty represent Alice Haynes, Unquestionable is the Ballydoyle runner while the once-raced Sketch will aim to follow up an impressive debut win for Martyn and Freddie Meade.
Barry Connell is leaning towards heading over fences in the autumn with Marine Nationale ahead of his return to training later this week.
Yet to taste defeat in five starts, the six-year-old was last seen running out a brilliant winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
With his summer break coming to an end, his owner-trainer is beginning to consider plans for the upcoming campaign – and while he would be fully entitled to head down the Champion Hurdle route, he is currently favouring a switch to the larger obstacles.
“He’s coming in at the end of the week and he’s done very well. He got a good, long break because last year he was on the go all summer,” said Connell.
“I’d say we’re more likely to go chasing with him than we are to stay hurdling, so the Arkle looks the obvious target for him.
“He’s a brilliant jumper and he’s nearly a better jumper of fences than he is of hurdles, so that’s the current thinking and we’ll work towards that.
“The campaign kind of maps itself out. You’d be looking at a beginners chase in early November, then Leopardstown at Christmas, the Dublin Racing Festival and Cheltenham.”
Another horse for whom Connell holds high hopes is Good Land, who won a Grade One novice hurdle at last season’s Dublin Racing Festival before finishing fourth in the Ballymore at Cheltenham.
Connell feels he was not at his best in the Cotswolds and is hoping he can scale even greater heights over fences.
He added: “He is in (training) already and he definitely goes chasing. We’d be looking at a beginners chase possibly in October and he can go for the Drinmore at Fairyhouse then.
“He’s an exciting horse. He ran okay in Cheltenham, but when we got him home he was very flat and his bloods weren’t right.
“He was there an extra day and I don’t know if that was the issue because he seemed to be fine, but when Michael (O’Sullivan) got on him and cantered down to the start he just felt he was a little bit dead.
“I’d be hoping that wasn’t his true running and we’re looking forward to going down the two-and-a-half-mile route with him and the two-mile route with the other guy.”
Jamaica hold a 115-run lead over Barbados heading into the third and final day of their West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 three-day final at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in Kingstown, St. Vincent.
The Jamaicans were 4-0 at stumps on day two after bowling out the Bajans for 158 in 56.1 overs.
Nimar Bolden led the way for Barbados with 37 as pacer, Deshawn James, took 5-21 off 10.1 overs for the Jamaicans. Tamarie Redwood took 3-56 from 18 overs in support.
Earlier, Jamaica were bowled out for 269 off 108.4 overs in their first innings after entering day two on 217-4.
Jordan Johnson carried on from his overnight 118* to make 120 off 235 balls. His knock included six fours and a six. Captain, Brian Barnes, who entered day two on 59, was dismissed for 61 off 150 balls.
Captain, Nathan Sealy, took 5-64 off 30.4 overs for Barbados.
A win for Jamaica would see them complete the regional Under-19 double having already claimed the 50-over title.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today announced the provisional squad for the five-match Kuhl Stylish Fans T20I Series powered by Black and White against India which starts on Thursday 3 August at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.
All 15 members of the provisional squad will travel to all matches. There will then be a 13-member squad for each match from which the final XI will be selected.
Wicket-keeper/batsman Shai Hope, and fast bowler Oshane Thomas have earned recalls to this format. Thomas played his last match in this format in Pakistan in December 2021 while Hope played his last match in India in February 2022.
Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “The squad is selected with the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in mind. We are looking at various plans as we try to find the right combinations. As we prepare; we are looking to build a unit which we believe can do the job when we host the global event in just under a year. We have some match-winners in our line-up and we will look to have the right kind of preparation, starting here in Trinidad on Thursday.”
Haynes added: “We also have other players who could come into consideration going forward, with the Caribbean Premier League starting next month, others will come into the reckoning.”
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy will host the opening match on Thursday. The teams then move to the Guyana National Stadium for the second and third fixtures on Sunday 6 August and Tuesday 8 August.
The series will climax with the blockbuster weekend at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida for the final matches on Saturday 12 August and Sunday 13 August. All matches start at 10:30am local time (9:30am Jamaica Time).
Tickets for the matches are available from box offices at Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain; the National Cricket Centre in Couva, Trinidad and the Guyana Cricket Board headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. Additionally, tickets are available online in advance from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard at tickets.windiescricket.com .
Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20% discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best and shaded views in each stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.
Tickets are also available for the Tribe Party Stand in Trinidad with all-inclusive drinks and light food options. CWI has also announced that West Indies hospitality by the Red Stand will be on sale for the first time with tickets for the hospitality suites. This is a premium all-inclusive experience in air-conditioned suites, with outdoor viewing and fully inclusive premium food and drink options.
For the matches at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida there will be VVIP and VIP hospitality packages available providing patrons with a great experience.
FULL SQUAD
Rovman Powell (Captain)
Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain)
Johnson Charles
Roston Chase
Shimron Hetmyer
Jason Holder
Shai Hope
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Obed McCoy
Nicholas Pooran
Romario Shepherd
Odean Smith
Oshane Thomas
Match Schedule
Kuhl Stylish Fans T20I Series powered by Black and White
3 August: 1st T20I, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
6 August: 2nd T20I, National Stadium, Guyana
8 August: 3rd T20I, National Stadium Guyana
12 August: 4th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida
13 August: 5th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida
Teed Up dug deep to cling on to victory in the Connacht Hotel (QR) Handicap, the feature event on day one of the Galway Festival.
Trained by Emmet Mullins and ridden by Raymond Barron, the six-year-old was sent off the 7-2 favourite for the two-mile-one-furlong affair after finishing second at Tramore on his most recent outing.
HMS Seahorse and Whisky Sour were to the fore turning for home, but Teed Up grabbed control with a couple of furlongs to run and had to keep finding for pressure as The Very Man produced a finishing burst.
However, Teed Up was not for passing, coming home half a length in front with Shajak a further half-length back in third and HMS Seahorse taking fourth.
Barron said: “It’s my first ride in this race. I’d no ride in it all week and Emmet rang me on Friday. It was like Christmas getting the call.
“He broke well and travelled very smoothly throughout the race. I was nearly there too soon turning in but he was going so well that I kind of had to kick on. He got to the front too soon but he was tough and was very game all the way to the line.
“Around Galway, riding for Emmet and the Mee family, you always have a chance and it’s nice that I could deliver for them today.
“I’m based with Charles Byrnes. I’m getting plenty of rides off Charles and am in a very privileged position and, I suppose as a result of that, I’m getting plenty of outside rides as well.”
Earlier on the card, Mystical Power (6-4 favourite) made a perfect start over obstacles in the Galwaybayhotel.com & TheGalmont.com Novice Hurdle.
Willie Mullins’ charge is bred to be a champion as a son of Galileo and the first foal of multiple Grade One winner Annie Power and he triumphed on his bumper debut at Ballinrobe in May.
Connections made a swift switch to hurdling with the four-year-old and he duly justified that confidence when cruising home by seven lengths in the hands of Mark Walsh.
Paddy Power make Mystical Power a 16-1 shot for both the Supreme and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdles at next year’s Cheltenham Festival and Mullins was certainly impressed.
He said: “That was a huge performance compared to his bumper performance. He likes jumping but there is a lot of improvement to come as he made at least three mistakes.
“Like his mother (who won on debut at Galway), he’s won here on his second run and hopefully he’ll be half as good as her.
“I’ll continue hurdling with him now. I don’t want to go back to the flat – I may do that next year with him. He looks like a horse that we might aim at the Royal Bond or something like that.”
Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls moved one step closer to booking a spot in the last four of the 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa after a 61-49 win over Uganda in their first game of the second preliminary stage at the Cape Town International Convention Center on Monday.
Jamaica didn’t have things all their way in the first quarter thanks to a very solid start from the Ugandans.
Uganda scored the first two points of the game but the Sunshine Girls still led 15-12 after the first quarter.
Jamaica picked up the pace to start the second, jumping out to a quick 19-13 lead within the first three minutes of the period.
The Jamaicans stretched the lead to 10 for the first time with 8:00 left in the first half and never looked back.
Eventually, Jamaica won the second quarter 23-9 to enjoy a 38-21 lead at the half.
Despite having less possession than Uganda in the first half, Jamaica forced their opponents into 15 turnovers, eight more than them.
Offensively, Jamaica completed the first half without a missed shot.
Goal Shooter, Jhaniele Fowler, was her usual dominant self throughout the first half with 28 goals while goal attack, Shanice Beckford, had 10 goals. Beckford also had 12 assists while wing attack, Khadijah Williams, had 18 assists in the first half.
Jamaica coach, Connie Francis, made a number of changes for the second half.
Uganda fought back in the third quarter, winning it 16-11 to face a 37-49 deficit going into quarter number four.
Jamaica’s lead built up in the first half proved to be too much for the Ugandans in the end with the final score being 61-49 in favor of the Commonwealth Games silver medalists.
Romelda Aiken-George had 16 goals from 16 attempts in the second half after replacing Jhaniele Fowler.
The Jamaicans entered stage two of the preliminaries with four points and this win puts them level on points with New Zealand on six at the top of Pool G. The top two teams from Pool F and Pool G will advance to the semi-finals.
Jamaica will next play Caribbean rivals, Trinidad & Tobago, on Wednesday.
Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami was given the nod over stable companion and fellow Royal Ascot winner Gregory due to the likelihood of soft ground in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
Both horses are owned by Wathnan Racing and connections had considered taking advantage of the three-year-old weight allowance with Gregory, rather than running the four-year-old Courage Mon Ami.
However, the recent wet weather caused a rethink and it is Courage Mon Ami of the John and Thady Gosden-trained duo who will aim to maintain his unbeaten record.
“John was keen to train both him and Gregory for the race and soft ground or probable soft ground swayed the decision towards running Courage Mon Ami, while Gregory will now take a different route, with his main aim being the St Leger,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser to the owners.
“Frankie (Dettori) will ride and he’s drawn five. He’s back in trip but he won there impressively before the Gold Cup and we know he handles the track. I don’t think it will be a problem coming back to two miles, it was always the question before Ascot if he would he stay two and a half.
“The horse is in good form and he did his last piece of work on Friday and both John and Thady were delighted with him.”
One horse who will certainly not be inconvenienced by any further rain is Aidan O’Brien’s Emily Dickinson.
Only fourth in the Gold Cup, she subsequently won the Curragh Cup over 14 furlongs.
“Emily Dickinson came out of the Curragh very well. Ryan (Moore) was happy with her and felt she won very easily. She is a filly we really fancied for the Gold Cup. She ran a good race and came out of it well,” said O’Brien.
“She loved the ease in the ground at the Curragh. She comes out of races on fast ground perfectly, which suggests it does not bother her, but she appears much better with an ease in the ground. It hinders other horses, whereas she appears to grow another leg on soft ground.
“Since the Goodwood Cup has been upgraded to a Group One, it has been brilliant. It is a very prestigious race and a unique race because two miles on the Goodwood track is very different. It is a difficult race to win, but we always try to have a horse that is good enough to win it.”
O’Brien also runs Broome, the mount of William Buick.
One who bypassed Ascot in preference for this is Marco Botti’s Giavellotto, the Yorkshire Cup winner.
“He won well at York and it has always been the plan to skip the Gold Cup at Ascot and go to Goodwood for the Goodwood Cup,” said Botti.
“He is well and his prep has gone to plan, we think he is fit and he looks in good order. We know he stays and we’re looking forward to it.
“Two miles is not an issue but we felt the Ascot Gold Cup may have stretched him a little bit. He settles well and he looks a stronger horse than last year.
“I just worry about the ground, I hope it will be nice ground for everyone and not extremes. Good to soft would be what he wants.
“Goodwood is a track he has never run at before, but hopefully he handles the undulations. You have to respect the opposition because it’s a competitive field and a strong race, but we are going there with the horse in really good nick and we can only hope for a good run.”
Andrew Balding’s Coltrane was beaten three-quarters of a length when second in the Gold Cup and Oisin Murphy is another who feels the return to two miles will be in his favour.
“I was obviously gutted to get beat on Coltrane in the Gold Cup and he has come out of Ascot very well,” said Murphy, ahead of another leg in the British Champions Series.
“He’s a very good horse and I hope he’s as good here as he was at Ascot. All the signs at home are positive and I think this two miles will suit him better than the two and a half at Ascot.
“I don’t think the quick ground was a problem in the Gold Cup as he obviously let himself down on it, but we know from his past form that he enjoys some dig in the ground, so that’s a plus for him.”
Last year’s St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov, Quickthorn and Tashkhan are also running.
Stars of the future have invariably cut their teeth in the Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes and Haatem will be out to justify Richard Hannon’s faith in a strong renewal at Goodwood on Tuesday.
A close-up fifth to River Tiber in the Coventry at Royal Ascot, he then bumped into another smart Aidan O’Brien colt when stepped up to seven furlongs in the Superlative at Newmarket.
City Of Troy catapulted to the head of next season’s 2000 Guineas market following that six-and-a-half-length success over Haatem.
Hannon feels the easier surface he is expected to face at Goodwood could play to the strengths of the Phoenix Of Spain colt in the Group Two contest.
He said: “He keeps bumping into those O’Brien horses and I think he has a very good chance.
“If it is soft ground, I think he’ll like it. He showed he can handle good to soft at Newmarket. I like his chance at Goodwood.
“He ran well behind in the Superlative and he ran well in the Coventry, and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him, so it would be good to see him produce what we think he’s capable of tomorrow.”
Hannon is double-handed in the race with Son and added: “He ran all right in the Superlative (fifth), but this looks a tougher spot for him and you wouldn’t be too confident in such a competitive race.”
Haatem, who will be ridden by Sean Levey, is the most experienced of the nine runners in the seven-furlong juvenile contest with five runs already under his belt.
Iberian and Witness Stand are the least experienced having won on their respective debuts for Charlie Hills and Tom Clover.
Iberian looked potentially smart when he scored with ease – beating a couple of subsequent winners – over an extended six furlongs in a Newbury novice.
Richard Ryan, racing manager for Teme Valley, who co-own the Lope De Vega colt with Ballylinch Stud, said: “It’s a considerably large step up in class. We’re hopeful we have a nice horse and this race will answer a lot of questions.
“The form (of his Newbury win) I suppose is a mixed bag from those behind, but you can only beat what’s with you and he sort of put them to bed quite convincingly. He seems to have thrived since and we are hopeful.
“He is an impressive horse at home and Charlie is having a great season with his two-year-olds. He looks to have a number of promising horses, so we are in the slightly excited camp until proven otherwise.”
Iberian missed the Superlative at Newmarket when withdrawn because of soft ground.
Ryan added: “It was a tough decision. The ground was quite chewed and it was getting loose and wet and a bit used at the time.
“Although it is probably going to be wet at Goodwood, it’s unwatered and well maintained for this meeting, and probably with it being the first day, it won’t have the same issues the July Course had at the time with conditions in the pouring rain.”
Frankie Dettori, riding at his last Goodwood Festival, will partner the Richard Fahey-trained Golden Mind, winner of a Leicester six-furlong maiden in May, before going down by three-quarters of a length in the Chesham at Royal Ascot.
The Musley Bank handler feels Dettori’s experience could help the colt’s development.
He said: “He’s a horse that is improving the whole time, he’s a bit of a laid-back character and with racing he’s going to get better.
“He’s a slow-learning horse who will improve with racing and he’s getting stronger as well.
“He’s in good order and I would love Frankie to ride me a winner before he retires, he’s a legend. It would be fantastic if he could and it would be great if it could be this one.”
A Norfolk Stakes fifth on his penultimate start, Amo Racing’s Thunder Blue was subsequently back up to six furlongs at Newmarket, where he was fourth to Jasour in the Group Two July Stakes.
His sole success in four starts came on his second run, when landing a novice at the Sussex Downs track.
“He is a Goodwood winner over six furlongs and although he has plenty of tactical speed, we just feel he would be better suited by stepping up to seven,” said trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis.
“He will be able to get a tow into the race.
“He jumped a bit sharp at Ascot and he probably got racing a bit early at Newmarket also, so hopefully at Goodwood he can get a lead and then produce a turn of foot at the end of the race.
“He was very good when he won there and it turned out to be not a bad race. The runner-up got the job done well enough next time and I think it was a strong enough contest. We’ve always thought he was very good and I think seven furlongs may just play to his strengths.
“We wouldn’t want too much rain as that might make it too much of a test of stamina, but I think if it is good to soft it would be perfect for him.”
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