Widden shuttler National Defense sires his first stakes winner
Widden Victoria shuttler National Defense (Invincible Spirit) sired his first stakes winner on Saturday when the Stonestreet Stables-owned Twilight Gleaming (2 f ex Thames Pageant by Dansili) won the Prix de la Vallee d’Auge (Listed, 1000m) at Deauville.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Twilight Gleaming beat Delmona (Dandy Man) by a neck, while Royal Ashirah (Hot Streak) was another three and a half lengths back in third.
"The Breeders' Cup [Juvenile Turf Sprint] is the target and that's why Wesley begged me to come and ride her today," said Dettori.
"If the ground was quicker I would have made more use of her, but there's a headwind and I was trying to save a bit. The margin wasn't big but she got the job done."
After breaking her maiden at Belmont on May 9, Twilight Gleaming then finished second in the Queen Many Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Royal Ascot. She was bought by Ben McElroy for £75,000 at last year’s Goffs Ireland Orby Yearling Sale and is one of two winners and the first stakes winner for her unraced dam Thames Pageant (Dansili). Her second dam meanwhile is dual Listed winner Golden Stream (Sadler’s Wells).
National Defense will stand at Widden’s Victorian farm for a fee of $9,900 (inc GST) this year and his first Australian-bred crop will sell as yearlings next year.
76 for Frankel
Juddmonte Farm’s Frankel (Galileo) recorded his 76th stakes winner on Saturday when the Andrew Balding-trained Majestic Glory (2 f ex Bella Nouf by Dansili) won the Sweet Solera Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Newmarket’s July course. Seen breaking her maiden at Newmarket a week ago, Majestic Glory took the lead with 200 metres left to run and held off the challenge of the Godolphin-owned favourite Wild Beauty, another daughter of Frankel, to score by a length. Frankel will once again be offered to breeders to southern hemisphere time this year and his 2021 fee is set at £70,000.
46 for Le Havre
The Montfort et Preaux-based Le Havre (Noverre) recorded his 46th stakes winner on Saturday when Waliyak (4 f ex Vadariya by Sea The Stars) took out the Dick Hern Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Haydock. The Roger Varian-trained filly scored a dominant three and a quarter length victory over Passinova (Bated Breath) while Illykato (Toronado) was another length and a quarter away in third.
44 for Zoffany
The late Coolmore Stud stallion Zoffany (Dansili) sired his 44th stakes winner on Saturday when Foxes Tales (3 c ex Starfish by Galileo) won the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2.5f). Having her first start in stakes company, the King Power Racing-owned filly kept on in the closing stages and beat Fancy Man (Pride Of Dubai), who had every opportunity, by three quarters of a length. Zoffany, who shuttled to Australia for four seasons between 2012 and 2015, died in January due to liver failure.
Fifth for Ruler Of The World
The Team Valor-raced La Petite Coco (3 f ex La Petite Virginia by Konigstiger) became the fifth stakes winner for Ruler Of The World (Galileo) when she won Saturday’s Give Thanks Stakes (Gr 3, 1m4f) at Cork. The Paddy Twomey-trained filly scored an easy five and a half length victory over Thunder Kiss (Night Of Thunder). Ruler Of The World stands at Haras de Bouquetot and his 2021 fee was set at €5,000.
