10 minute read
Stream runs fast
AS EVER, the July Cup was jam-packed with top-class sprinting talent, including no fewer than five previous Group 1 winners. But out of the fray emerged a new star –Mill Stream, who powered home to land his first victory at the highest level.
Bred by Redpender Stud, the four-yearold Gleneagles colt is the property of long-standing owner and former trainer Peter Harris and was trained to the minute by Jane Chapple-Hyam.
Fourth to Chaldean in the Gimcrack Stakes (G2) at two, and successful in the Prix de Meautry (G3) at three, Mill Stream claimed the Duke of York Stakes (G2) by a nose over subsequent recent Group 3 scorer Shouldvebeenaring (Havana Grey).
Mill Stream went on to finish third to Khaadem (Dark Angel) in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, with Swingalong (Showcasing) splitting the pair that day.
On the final day of Newmarket’s July Festival, Khaadem could finish only tenth of the 11 runners, while Mill Stream turned the tables on Swingalong to win by a neck.
The unseasonably cold and damp "summer" in Britain this year may not be popular with many, but his trainer stated that the rain in Newmarket had helped Mill Stream.
Chapple-Hyam went on to outline targets for her star, saying: “He likes three weeks between races, if you look back, so we’ll go to Deauville next for the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1); he’ll love the six and a half furlongs there. As a young horse, he got six there very well, so six and a half – bring it on!”
Mill Stream was a 350,000gns purchase by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, making his sale ring appearance less than three months after his half-brother Asymmetric (Showcasing) had landed the Richmond Stakes (G2) before finishing third in the Prix Morny (G1).
Their dam, Swirral Edge (Hellvelyn), won twice in handicap company (including her nursery victory), but never made a bid for black-type.
However, the same year that Swirral Edge retired to the paddocks, her halfsister Fashion Queen (Aqlaam) landed the Listed Westow Stakes and was also Group 3 placed in France, before going on to produce the dual Italian Listed scorer Noble Title (Siyouni).
They are out of a Shamardal half-sister to the speedy juvenile Wunders Dream (Averti). Swirral Edge was among the many to visit the court of Mehmas three years ago, and she has an unraced juvenile colt by the flying sire.
Mill Stream became the fourth individual Group 1 winner for his sire Gleneagles, and by far the speediest top-level scorer for his
Classic-winning sire. In fact, Mill Stream’s victory came just six days after Palladium gave his sire the hat-trick when triumphing in the Deutsches Derby (G1) in Hamburg.
The Coolmore resident is enjoying a banner season so far, with five stakes winners on the board and, although his fee has gradually moved down to this season's €17,500 from its 2016 entry level
Double up for Camelot
The son of Gleneagles most widely expected to collect a Classic victory this season had looked to be Ambiente Friendly just a couple of months ago, but, having finished runnerup to City Of Troy at Epsom, the Gredley family’s colt took third place in the Irish Derby (G1).
Instead, the Epsom third-placed carried the Westerberg colours to victory for a partnership including the usual Ballydoyle triumvirate, and adding to his top level success in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (G1).
A full-brother to the Group 3-placed duo Be Happy and Hector De Maris, they are out of the Dansili mare Frequential, who hails from the talented family of the Group 1 winner and sire Anabaa Blue.
Los Angeles’s Classic victory marked a red-letter 24 hours for Camelot with the Coolmore stalwart also responsible for Bluestocking, who stayed on well to triumph in the Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) a day earlier.
Juddmonte’s homebred had finished runner-up at the same venue in last year’s Irish Oaks (G1), but had a frustrating Classic season overall – she rounding off her year with two runner-up spots by a neck, including in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1).
Her 6l romp at York on her seasonal debut in the Middleton Stakes (G2) marked the filly as one to watch, and she has a number of mouth-watering entries in August.
Los Angeles’s victory brought up a seasonal Group 1 hat-trick for Camelot, with Luxembourg having landed the Coronation Cup in June. Now 15, the son of Montjeu has seen his stud fee fluctuate over the years, but his mark of €50,000 this year is still double that of his introductory price in 2014.
Sons of Scat Daddy still scorching
Twelve months ago, this column made much of the rise of the sons of Scat Daddy and, a year later, the song remains the same.
Justify may have hit the crossbar in stakes company with some of his runners in recent weeks, but his star performer City Of Troy stayed on to land the Eclipse Stakes (G1).
The colt may have blotted his copybook in the Guineas, but his Derby victory anointed him a middle-distance star, while success in the Eclipse will further boost his future stallion appeal.
While less visually impressive than his Epsom success, the rain that fell at Sandown gave something of an excuse. It is likely that the Juddmonte International (G1) will be next on the agenda, with a trip to the Breeders’ Cup still the ultimate seasonal goal.
Also doing his bit to maintain Scat Daddy’s legacy in recent weeks was his son Caravaggio, whose daughter Porta Fortuna landed his third career Group 1 success when triumphing in the Falmouth Stakes (G1).
Her only seasonal blip came when beaten a neck into second in the 1,000 Guineas (G1), but she atoned in style in the Coronation Stakes (G1), before coasting home by nearly 4l on the July Course.
Bred by the O’Brien family’s Whisperview Trading Ltd, she was conceived during her sire’s third and final season at Coolmore in Ireland, where, unusually, his fee actually rose for that year, to €40,000.
As has been well documented, Caravaggio departed for Ashford Stud in Kentucky in 2021, clocking two seasons at stud in Kentucky alongside his paternal half-brother Justify, before departing for his current home in Japan.
Only a day after Porta Fortuna’s success, Caravaggio enjoyed a second top level success when his daughter Whitebeam, a Juddmonte homebred, repeated her success in last year’s Diana Stakes at Saratoga.
Among the sons of Scat Daddy currently standing at Coolmore in Ireland is No Nay Never, who welcomed a new star turn during Newmarket’s July Festival.
When the Coolmore partners unleash a juvenile with a “famous” name, it is usually a good idea to pay attention, and so is the case with Whistlejacket.
Named for the iconic painting by George Stubbs, the real-life equine version was bred by Camas Park, Lynch Bages & Summerhill, and carries the colours of Peter Brant, in partnership with Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.
Purchased for 500,000gns from Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, where he was consigned by Camas Park Stud, the colt got off the mark at the second attempt when winning the Listed First Flier Stakes at The Curragh in early May.
Only beaten a length and a quarter when fourth in the Norfolk Stakes (G2), he bounced back in style at Newmarket to land the July Stakes (G2) making all to win by a length and three quarters.
A full-brother to the Phoenix Stakes (G1) victor and young sire Little Big Bear, he is out of the 1m2f winner Adventure Seeker, a daughter of Bering, who has largely faded from modern pedigree pages.
Another No Nay Never juvenile to take the eye was the filly Truly Enchanting, who bounced back from finishing 13th in the Queen Mary (G2) to land the Airlie Stud Stakes (G2) at The Curragh.
Bred by Coolmore, she is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Lily Pond (Galileo) and hails from the all-conquering line of Urban Sea, being out of a great-granddaughter of the mighty blue hen.
Over in France, No Nay Never was also responsible for the Listed Prix Yacowlef winner, the Juddmonte homebred Apollo Fountain, who hacked up by 3l.
The filly was adding further black-type to an already saturated page – she is out of the Group 3 winner Fount (Frankel) from the clan of multiple US Grade 1 heroine Ventura (Chester House).
It is also worth noting that No Nay Never’s son Ten Sovereigns added a new stakes scorer to his tally when Ushdi Atohi was the apt winner of the Listed Tipperary Stakes, sponsored in her sire’s name.
Juvenile crop beginning to take shape
Ballydoyle clearly continued its artistic theme for the year when naming Henri Mattise, who took his unbeaten record to two when landing the Railway Stakes (G2) at The Curragh on Irish Derby day.
The colt made up ground and stayed on well to land the 6f contest and looks to have more to come.
He is out of the dual three-year-old Group 1 winner Immortal Verse (Pivotal), who was purchased for a cool 4,700,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2013.
Since then she has produced the top-class Tenebrism (Caravaggio) and the Group 2-winning juvenile Statuette (Justify), before returning from her sojourn in Kentucky to be bred to Wootton Bassett in his first season at stud at Coolmore, following his big-money transfer in the summer of 2020.
Another notable talent for Dubawi
Darley stalwart Dubawi is leading the sires’ table in Britain and Ireland, as well as Europe, by number of black-type winners, and he added another to his tally with Ancient Truth in the Superlative Stakes (G2) at the July Festival – 20 years after capturing his own first stakes victory in the same contest.
Now unbeaten in three Newmarket starts, the first on the Rowley Mile, Godolphin’s homebred colt will no doubt venture off his home turf now and is likely headed for the National Stakes (G1) at The Curragh.
A full-brother to the minor winner Great Truth, he is out of the Australia mare Beyond Reason, highlighting once again the potency of Dubawi over a Galileo-line mare. The mare in question triumphed at two in the Prix du Calvados (G2), as well as the Prix Six Perfections (G3), having been purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock for 370,000gns as Book 1 yearling.
Also at Newmarket, Dubawi’s sons Night Of Thunder and Frontiersman both sired winners, while Dubawi himself was also responsible for the well-bred handicap winner Lord Of Love, out of the top-class Star Of Seville (Duke Of Marmalade).
Dubawi was also responsible for the Bahrain Trophy Stakes (G3) winner, on the opening day of the July Festival, in Ancient Wisdom, a Group 1 winner at two who was last seen when eighth in the Derby at Epsom.
First season sire watch
Things continue to move a tad slowly with this year’s freshman class – Sergei Prokofiev and Sands Of Mali still the only two sires off the mark with stakes winners.
Unsurprisingly, the pair lead the field by prize-money, too, with Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Sergei Prokofiev over £130,000 clear. He is also the only one to have made it into double digits with winners – 10 on the board to the end of Newmarket’s July Festival.
Ballyhane Stud’s Sands Of Mali is on eight, with Darley’s Earthlight on seven, and Tweenhills Farm & Stud resident Kameko just behind on six. Hello Youmzain, Shaman and Without Parole are the only other first-crop sires in Europe so far to have sired five individual winners
