We put the Ribblesdale Stakes under the microscope
Every day of the Royal Ascot meeting we will look ahead to an interesting race / or races from a bloodstock perspective. The first day of the meeting looks a mouth-watering prospect with five Group races on the card, including two Group 1s. The King’s Stand (Gr 1, 5f) (3:35pm GMT, 12:35am ACT) will see super-fast sprinter Battaash (Dark Angel) attempt to break his hoodoo in the Group 1 in the having only found Blue Point (Shamardal) too good in the past two editions. However with the son of Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) now safely in the breeding barn the stage looks set for the son of Dark Angel (Acclamation) to finally land the coveted Group 1.
The stakes races will kick off with Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) (1:50pm GST, 11:50pm ACT), for the older horses over a mile. This will see the return of Aidan O’Brien’s classy Circus Maximus (Galileo), who will be in search for his second win at the meeting having prevailed in the St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) a year ago. However, he will be coming up against the fast-improving Terebellum (Sea The Stars) who not only gets the fillies allowance, but also comes in here with miles on the clock this season, having taken out the Dahlia Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2f) and looks like she will be suited to the step back in trip on Tuesday.
The King Edward VII Stakes (Gr 2,1m4f) (3:00pm GMT, 12:00am ACT) sees expensive colt Mogul (Galileo), who cost MV Magnier 3,400,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2018, make his three-year-old reappearance having landed a Group 2 at Leopardstown as a juvenile, before finishing fourth behind subsequent 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) in the Futurity Trophy (Gr 1, 1m). He will look to emulate his brother Japan - who landed the Group 2 last year and is a leading contender in Wednesday’s Prince Of Wales’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) - and given his pedigree he looks to only improve with a step up in distance. He will clash with unbeaten £520,000 purchase Mohican Heights (Australia), who was last seen winning at Listed level over a mile at Salisbury in August. Given his breeding, being by a dual Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner, the Sun Bloodstock raced colt should be crying out for a step up in trip and should stay every inch of the 1m4f trip. While it is a small field, it looks like a fascinating contest.
The last stakes race of the first day is the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) (4:10pm GMT, 1:10am ACT) - a mile contest for older fillies and mares - and this looks a good race in prospect. Shadwell’s homebred Nazeef (Invincible Spirit) comes into the Group 2 following a fine victory in the Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 1m) on June 3.
The Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) (2:25pm GMT, 11:25pm ACT) looks a fascinating renewal, made even more interesting given the fact it is being run before the Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f), which is usually a good pointer towards the race. We will break down the pedigrees of the 11 fillies set to go to post on Tuesday for the Group 2 contest.
Anastarsia
3 f Sea The Stars (IRE) - Aniseed (IRE) by Dalakhani (IRE)
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: P J McDonald
Owner: M J & L A Taylor
Breeder: Elysian Bloodstock Ltd
One of three fillies set to line up in the Group 2 by multiple Group 1-winning champion and top-class stallion Sea The Stars (Cape Cross), the John Gosden-trained Anastarsia will be attempting to land her first race at stakes level, having had two attempts - one as a juvenile in the Fillies Mile (Gr 1, 1m) at Newmarket in October and then in her seasonal reappearance as a three-year-old when finishing sixth behind her stablemate Miss Yoda (Sea The Stars) in the Oaks Trial Fillies Stakes (Listed, 1m3.5f), who re-opposes again on Tuesday. The filly is out of winning Dalakhani (Darshaan) mare Aniseed, making her a half-sister to Listed scorer Global Giant (Shamaral), while Aniseed is a half-sister to Anna’s Rock (Rock Of Gibraltar) - the dam of multiple Group 2 winner Brenton Rock (Fastnet Rock).
Bharani Star
3 f Sea The Stars (IRE) - Bay Of Islands (FR) by Dubawi (IRE)
Trainer: Peter Chapple-Hyam
Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
Owner: Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited
Breeder: Lars-Willhelm Baumgarten
Sale: Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale V: Rauscher P: Broadhurst Agency, €85,000. Arqana August Deauville Yearling Sale V: Capucines P: Phoenix Thoroughbred and Dermot Farrington, €270,000.
A €270,000 purchase by Phoenix Thoroughbred and Dermot Farrington from the Capucines draft at the Arqana August Deauville Yearling Sale in 2018, having made €85,000 as a foal. The one-time winner is having her first run at stakes level and she is out of unraced Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) mare Bay Of Islands, who is herself a half-sister to Italian Group 1 winner Saddex (Sadler’s Wells) and Sabia (Sadler’s Wells) - with the latter the dam New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Lizzie L’Amour (Zabeel). It is a pedigree with a lot of stamina on the damside, so the step up to 1m4f should not be a problem for the filly.
Ennistymon
3 f Galileo (IRE) - Lahinch (IRE) by Danehill Dancer (IRE)
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: James Doyle
Owner: Mrs E M Stockwell
Breeder: Mrs Evie Stockwell
The daughter of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) comes into the race the winner of one of her two starts and is one of two runners for Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien. The filly is bred on one of the most powerful crosses in the European stud book, with 22 stakes winners being produced when daughters of Danehill Dancer (Danehill) are mated with Galileo, which includes five Group 1 winners, including star mare Minding and Circus Maximus, who runs in the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) earlier in the afternoon. The filly is out of Listed-winning mare Lahinch - who is also the dam of Group 3 winner Bogberry (Hawk Wing) and Liscanna (Sadler’s Wells) - the dam of elite-level-winning mare Brave Anna (War Front) and Hit It A Bomb (War Front).
Frankly Darling
3 f Frankel (GB) - Hidden Hope (GB) by Daylami (IRE)
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Owner: A E Oppenheimer
Breeder: Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd
Frankly Darling comes into this with a big reputation to uphold, having impressively broken her maiden over 1m2f by five lengths on June 1 at Newcastle and looks to be a filly with a big future. She is impeccably bred, being out of Cheshire Oaks (Listed, 1m3.5f) winner Hidden Hope (Daylami), who is also the dam of fellow Listed winner Our Obsession (Shamardal). Meanwhile, Hidden Hope is herself a half-sister to Fleche d'Or (Dubai Destination) - the dam of middle distance star Golden Horn (Cape Cross). The filly is bred on the same cross that produced 2019 and Frankly Darling’s stablemate Logician and one further stakes winner and will stay every yard of the 1m4f trip.
Golden Lips
3 f Golden Horn (GB) - Lady Penko (FR) by Archipenko (USA)
Trainer: Harry Dunlop
Jockey: Josephine Gordon
Owner: Haven't A Pot & Ballylinch Stud
Breeder: Ballylinch Stud
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) V: Ballylinch Stud P: Stroud Coleman Bloodstock / Harry Dunlop, 80,000gns
Last seen running a fine second behind Miss Yoda in the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes, Golden Lips is out of the three-time-winning and Group 1-placed Archipenko (Kingmambo) mare Lady Penko. Meanwhile, her third dam is the Group 3 winner Mare Nostrum (Caerleon) and she produced Erupt (Dubawi), who scored twice at the highest level, while she is also the dam of Listed scorer Marie De Medici (Medicean), who in turn produced Group 3 winner Local Time (Invincible Spirit).
Hold Fast
3 f Fastnet Rock (AUS) - Rohain (IRE) by Singspiel (IRE)
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: David Probert
Owner: Mildmay Racing & D H Caslon
Breeder: Sean Connolly
Sale: Goffs Ireland Foal Sale V: John Connolly from Hollymount House Stud P: Boyce Bloodstock, €40,000
The filly comes into this having been successful on her first start in the Thanks The Frontline Workers Maiden Stakes (1m2f) at Kempton on June 2 and the daughter of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) is out of unraced mare Rohain (Singspiel), making him a half-brother Listed winner Aussie Reigns (Aussie Rules). Rohain herself is a sister Listed winner Zayn Zen (Singspiel), who is herself a half-sister to fellow Listed winner Ennaadd (King’s Best).
Miss Yoda
3 f Sea The Stars (IRE) - Monami (GER) by Sholokhov (IRE)
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: Robert Havlin
Owner: Westerberg
Breeder: Gestut Etzean
Sale: Baden-Baden September Yearlings V: Gestut Etzean P: Blandford Bloodstock, €280,000
On paper this daughter of Sea The Stars looks to be one of the star filly’s of the Group 2 and comes into the contest an impressive winner - in what as a messy race - of the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes on the all-weather at Lingfield. The filly, who finished second in the Zetland Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f) on her final start as a juvenile, the filly is one of two winners out of the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed mare Monami (Sholokhov). Monami herself is out of Monbijou (Dashing Blade), making her a half-sister to Group 1 winner Meridiana (Lomitas), who in turn produced Listed-scoring duo Chamois (Smart Strike) and Infinite Wisdom (Smart Strike). Further back the filly shares a page with Group 2 scorer Meergorl (Alderflug), Group 3 winner Moonshiner (Alderflug) and Listed-winning trio Maitre Levy (Monsun), Mannico (Banyumanik) and Meerjungfrau (Manduro).
Passion
3 f Galileo (IRE) - Dialafara (FR) by Anabaa (USA)
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Breeder: Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) V: Camas Park Stud P: SackvilleDonald, 800,000gns
The filly looks sure to improve the further she goes and by the looks of her pedigree should could, in time stretch to further than this 1m4f, being out of Dialafara (Anabaa), whose only victory came over 2500 metres in France. Passion is also a sister to 2017 Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner Capri, who subsequently went St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m6.5f) winner Capri and also Cypress Creek, who landed the marathon Loughbrown Stakes (Gr 3, 2m) at Naas in 2018. The Galileo / Anabaa cross has produced some top-class performers, including two at Group 1 level - the aforementioned Capri and Lush Lashes.
So I Told You
3 f Gleneagles (IRE) - Nocturne (GER) by Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE)
Trainer: Richard Hughes
Jockey: Shane Kelly
Owner: Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd
Breeder: Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd
This is another filly coming into the Ribblesdale Stakes having run in the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes, finishing fifth in the Listed race on June 5. The daughter of Gleneagles (Galileo) is from a family oozing with stamina, being out of three time-winning Nocturne (Rock Of Gibraltar), who is herself out of Neele (Peintre Celebre) making her a half sister to German Group 1 winners Nymphea (Dylan Thomas) and Nutan (Duke Of Marmalade), Group 3 scorer Navaro Girl (Holy Roman Emperor) and Listed winner Nazbanou (High Chaparral). This is also the family of talented middle distance performer Nightflower (Dylan Thomas) - who won the Preis von Europa (Gr 1, 2400m) twice.
Trefoil
3 f Teofilo (IRE) - Prairie Flower (IRE) by Zieten (USA)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Harry Bentley
Owner: J H Richmond-Watson
Breeder: J H Richmond-Watson
Having won on her only start as a two-year-old, Trefoil made a seasonal reappearance when finishing third in the Pretty Polly Fillies' Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) at Newmarket on June 7 and looks sure to benefit from the extra two furlongs. The filly is out of Listed-placed Zieten (Danzig) mare Prairie Flower, whose five winners are headed by stakes-placed Desert Sage (Selkirk). Prairie Flower herself is out of Group 3 winner Prairie Runner (Arazi), making her a half-sister to Group 2-winning duo Prairie Star (Peintre Celebre) and Pacific Rim (Singspiel) and the dam of Group 3 winner Pretty Baby (Orpen).
West End Girl
3 f Golden Horn (GB) - Free Rein (GB) by Dansili (GB)
Trainer: Mark Johnston
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Owner: Cayton Park Stud
Breeder: Car Colston Hall Stud
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 2) V: Car Colston Hall Stud P: Mark Johnston Racing, 95,000gns. Tattersalls Online Ascot Sale: V: Mr A. D. Spence & Mr M. B. Spence from Kingsley Park P: Badgers Bloodstock, £420,000
Purchased by Badgers Bloodstock for £420,000 at the Tattersalls Online Ascot Sale on Monday, the three-year-old daughter of Golden Horn (Cape Cross) has won twice in six starts including last year’s Sweet Solera Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Newmarket and is another coming into the Group 3 having made her seasonal debut in last week’s Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 1m3.5f) at Lingfield - where she finished third. West End Girl is out of the winning mare Free Rien (Dansili) who has produced one other winner to date. Her second dam is the Listed-placed Sant Elena (Efisio) who is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Reckless Abandon (Exchange Rate) whilst this is also the family of 2017 Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr 1, 1300m) winner Brando (Pivotal) and dual Grade 1 winner Ticker Tape (Royal Applause).
