- This topic has 511 replies, 33 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 1 month ago by
.
- Posts
Not too aware about 7f Group races in Ireland, but at least the horse ain’t injured!
Curragh winner Kingsfort may go for Post Trophy
By Turia Tellwright 13 AUGUST 2009KEVIN PRENDERGAST has nominated the highly regarded Kingsfort as a possible contender for the Racing Post Trophy after 158 entries were revealed for the £200,000 contest yesterday.
A best-priced 20-1 with sponsors StanJames for the 2,000 Guineas, the son of War Chant was a two-length winner of his Curragh maiden in June.
That form has worked out well, with runner-up Stunning View going on to win at Galway last month while Viscount Nelson, four and a half lengths back in third, has won twice, landing a Listed event at Tipperary on Sunday. At First Sight, who finished fifth, also went on to win a maiden at Gowran Park.
Prendergast said the Ladbrokes.com National Stakes on September 12was the first target for the ¿36,000 purchase, and a trip to Doncaster on October 24 will depend on how he fares in his first Group 1 mission next month.
He said yesterday: "The plan is to run Kingsfort in the NationalStakes. We’ll see how he gets on and if all goes well, then there’s every chance he could go for the Racing Post Trophy."
Viscount Nelson appeared among 41 O’Brien-trained entries for the Racing Post Trophy, a race the trainer has won four times, including in 2001 with High Chaparral, one of three Derby winners to have come out of the race in the last ten years. Also among those possibles is last month’s Camas Park and Phoenix Stakes winner and leading 2,000 Guineas contender Alfred Nobel.
Their stablemate September Morn, who made 650,000gns at Tattersalls Sales last October, is also among those with an entry, despite having yet to run.
Berling, who matchedthat top price at Tattersalls, having been purchased after the success of Mamma Mia! by owner and former Abba member Benny Andersson, is also entered and connections yesterday confirmed the John Dunloptrained colt will make his debut at Newmarket tomorrow night.
Last year’s winning trainer Brian Meehan holds ten entries, while among Richard Hannon’s possibles is Chesham Stakes winner Big Audio.
Godolphin, who won the race in 2007 with Ibn Khaldun, hold eight entries, including Richmond Stakes runner-up Buzzword, Emirates Dream, winner of his only start at York last month, and recent Newmarket maiden winner Al Zir, the most expensive two-year-old bought this year when making $1,600,000 at FasigTipton in March.
Cheers for that.
Racing Post Trophy is interesting….if he goes for that it rules him out as a Guineas horse straight away.
Interesting times ahead
Not if he finishes 2nd or 3rd, Wallace
The record of 2nds and 3rds from the RP in the Guineas is amazing.I hope you are wrong Wallace about Kingsfort as i hope he runs in the 2000 guineas.Can he get the trip in the derby as well.Hope he does not run in the derby.As i banking on St Nicholas Abbey to win next years Derby.
I’m thinking someone is bound to ask the question soon, and I’m interested in the answer myself – the Guineas don’t close for entries until early March.
Entries for the 2011 Derby close in early December, so we can sort out the winner of that by Christmas 2009!
Yeah I saw that the other day but I’m 99% confident that working off the Dewhurst entry list is suffice.
At the moment my main Guineas hopes are Al Zir, Arcano, Awzaan, Azmeel, Kingsfort, Quarrel and Stunning View. I know Gordon likes Syrian but there’s little to no quality on the dam side and Hawk Wing has been a total flop at stud and is now in Korea. The form of the race is also pretty bad.
My list’s comprising of 25 horses with 4 who haven’t run yet and 3 once-raced horses who haven’t won a maiden.
4 of the 7 are priced at 20s or less so it’s not eye-opening stuff but Awzaan at 25s, Quarrel at 33s and Stunning View at 50s are excellent ante-post prices, particularly the latter.
I can’t see me backing Al Zir no matter how smart he looks on the track or how beautifully bred he is or how much he cost. Godolphin haven’t won a Guineas since the dreadful Island Sands in 1999 and have proved on countless occasions that they know exactly how not to prep a Guineas hope. I don’t care how well they’re doing now, every year consistently for 5 years for the first couple of months they’ve really struggled and I don’t see it being any different next year.
Kingsfort (USA)
2-y-o (20Mar07 b/br c)
War Chant (USA) (7.7f) — Princess Kris (Kris (9.9f))
Trainer Kevin Prendergast
Owner Norman Ormiston
Breeder Airlie Studhttp://www.pedigreequery.com/kingsfort%5B/color:2wmtfet0%5D
Trainer Kevin Prendergast is about 77 years young, and is the son of Paddy Prendergast, who was champion British trainer (whilst based in Ireland) 1963-65. KP did not have a runner in the 2000 Guineas between Nebbiolo 1977 and Haatef in 2007. Though Haatef didn’t stay, he won the Diadem Stakes later that season. If a Prendergast horse turns up for the Guineas or Derby, it will have to be given serious consideration.
Kingsfort has a half-brother, Prince Arch (by Arch) who had an RPR of 116, and won an American Grade 1 H’cap and a Grade 3, and was only beaten 4.5 lengths in the Sheema Classic. Effective 9-12 furlongs.
War Chant was second in the Santa Anita Derby, and won the Breeders’ Cup Mile ( by a nk, a nose and a nose). Unbeaten on turf. War Chant has yet to sire a G1 winner, and it is worrying that the RP profile says that the horse has sired smart 2yos, esp. on turf. However, those comments are usually only published when a 2yo is running, and are meant to say something about the stallion’s 2yos anyway.
War Chant is by Danzig, out of a Kris S mare, whilst Arch (the sire of Kingsfort’s good half-brother) is by Kris S, out of a Danzig mare. This gives a good chance that Kingsfort will stay 10f+. However, Kris S is stouter than Danzig, and in the place where Mr Prospector is in Kingsfort’s pedigree, Alydar is in Prince Arch’s pedigree. Kingsfort ought to stay a tad shorter than Prince Arch, or alternatively ought to have a tad more speed.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/prince+arch%5B/color:2wmtfet0%5D
Kingsfort won a good 7f mdn on his debut, that is working out well, and the plan is to go for the National Stakes, and then if that works out, the Racing Post Trophy.
Only thing is i hope he goes to the 2000 guineas as i backed him for it i did.Also can this horse get the trip in the Derby next year as well.
Darren, Kingsfort isn’t in the Derby, so he would have to be supplemented in April I think.
I’ll start considering whether he can stay 1m4f in June later on – he might get smashed out of site in the National Stakes first. Anyway, its nice to come across a non-Ballydoyle contender. It might be more sensible to go the 2000 Guineas, Irish 2000, Irish Derby route, ie New Approach Plan A.
Words of warning regarding Kingsfort….
1) Why has he not reappeared since his debut – passing up numerous opportunities which is not the stable norm.
2) From a yard that would have had him well prepped for his debut – often a yard that produces impressive maiden winners that do not progress as expected.
Thanks for the warning, Aidan. I don’t know much about Irish racing, and a lot of the personnel are just names on a racecard to me.
In this case, it doesn’t apply, as I’m not planning to bet ante-post. It also doesn’t apply to Darren, because he is already on.
Kingsfort is clearly useful, as Prendergast has 7 entries in the Beresford, but Kingsfort is the only one in the Royal Lodge, or Dewhurst or Racing Post Trophy.
I’ll have a look at this angle for a few other trainers, and see if I can glean anything.
[edit: When looking at Bolger, noticed that Lush Lashes doesn’t have any entries. She must be retired.]
Virtually everyone, including Godolphin fans, seem to have given up on Godolphin for the Classics. Looks like it will be the same with the fillies next year, at least. There are 3 entered in the Cheveley Park, and the same 3 are entered in the Ascot Fillies’ Mile.
Sweet Sonnet
hasn’t been seen since running in the Albany. I’m also wary about this mention of stagefright.
30May09 York (6GF ,RPR76)
My filly was slowly away, and then seemed to get stage fright, but I knew she was decent and she picked up well. If she’d jumped off terms she’d would have won easily. – Ted Durcan, jockeySand Vixen
is out of a Petong mare, and ran over 5f last time
Sweet Solera victress
Long Lashes
will be running in the 1000 Guineas and Oaks in Dubai, at Meydan.
Star of the Show, Moby Dick and Viceroy are all missing Beresford entries for O’Brien so I’m happy to eliminate them from my Derby shortlist. The main list now consists of;
(11) Azmeel
Captain James Cook
Coordinated Cut
(1) Emirates Dream
Ferdinand Magellan
Vita Venturi
Warm MemoriesThe other 13 names on my list which I have doubts about are Chabal, Jan Vermeer, September Morn, Mushreq, (2) Hot Prospect, (31) Waseet, Nibani, (2) Rigidity, Pekan Three, (21) Stunning View, Scottish Reel, (3) Munsarim and Sadler’s Mark.
Only Nibani holds an entry other than an early closer. The Derby winner’s made his debut as late as October on 3 occasions in the past decade so I’m not worried that they’ve not been entered for anything yet.
Zarkava do you think that AOB has this race wrapped up as in the Beresford.
I personally like Bolgers Reiteration….Andrews Olivers Elusive Award has been talked as a Group 1 animal. Also John Oxxs Behtarini is another of interest.
I would say Stunning View aswell but i doubt he will go for the race
The record of 2nds and 3rds from the RP in the Guineas is amazing.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.