SAHorseracing.com
SAHorseracing.com
WINTER REMAINS UNTOUCHABLE

Irish breeders and stallions completed a fine Group treble at Goodwood on Thursday, led by WINTER (IRE)’s fourth straight Group 1 success in the feature Nassau Stakes. Impressive in the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas, as well as the Coronation Stakes, the imposing grey was tackling a mile and two furlongs for the first time and also faced a new challenge on soft ground. Tracking the leading pair in a field of six, she switched left at the two pole and progressed to lead a furlong later, running on well under Ryan Moore to score by a length and a half. Blonde Me (IRE), a daughter of Tamayuz who was last seen winning the Group 2 Middleton Stakes in May, ran on well to take second.

 

WINTER (IRE) was trained at two by the now-retired David Wachman, who won the Nassau Stakes two years ago with Legatissimo (IRE). The daughter of Galileo (IRE) is the second foal out of the Choisir mare Laddies Poker Two (IRE), a winner of the Wokingham Stakes, from the family of Prix Morny winner Ancient Regime and Prix de l’Abbaye second La Grande Epoque.

 

Less than an hour earlier, BARRAQUERO (IRE) led home another Irish-bred 1-2 in the Group 2 Qatar Richmond Stakes, following up on his impressive maiden victory in July. The Karl Burke-trained colt raced towards the back of the field under William Buick, improving to challenge over a furlong from home and took the lead shortly after. Running on well, he beat Superlative Stakes second Nebo (IRE) by a length and a quarter, with a further two and a quarter lengths back to Group 2 winning favourite Cardsharp in third. It was a fine result for Tally-Ho Stud, who stand the winner’s sire Zebedee and the second’s sire Kodiac. Zebedee has developed a fine record in the Group 2 contest, with his son Ivawood (IRE) having taken the 2014 running, and BARRAQUERO (IRE) became his third individual Group winner on Thursday. Zebedee commands a fee of €7,500 at his County Westmeath base.

 

BARRAQUERO (IRE) had received an excellent form boost earlier in the week, as his debut third came behind Tuesday’s impressive victor Expert Eye. Burke described himself as “very excited” about his winner, who will now be aimed at the Prix Morny. Bred by Helen Smith and Sally Mullen, he was sold by Cloneymore Farm at the Goffs Foal Sale for €40,000. His winning dam, Chica Whopa (IRE), is closely related to Listed winner and Group 3 third Jezebel (IRE), herself the dam of a black-type performer. The second dam is a Stakes winning half-sister to Lowther Stakes third Always On A Sunday.

 

Kicking off an excellent day for Irish-bred horses was Godolphin’s ENDLESS TIME (IRE), who was back to winning ways in the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes. The win was well-deserved, with last year’s Lancashire Oaks heroine having been Group 1 placed twice at the end of last season. She was sent off favourite for the mile and six furlong contests and was held up in midfield by William Buick, who was forced to switch his mount left when facing a blocked passage over two furlongs out. Making good headway all the while, she ran on gallantly to lead in the final strides and beat Dubka by a neck, with the same distance back to Melodic Motion (IRE) in third.

 

Charlie Appleby later mentioned the Prix Vermeille, Prix Royal-Oak and Irish St Leger as future possibilities for his winning five-year-old, who has now won seven of her 14 starts. ENDLESS TIME (IRE) was bred by the McStay’s Mabaki Investments, with Clodagh McStay having raced her dam Mamonta to be placed over two miles. ENDLESS TIME (IRE) is a full-sister to Listed third The Sky Is Blazing (IRE), while Mamonta is a half-sister to three black-type horses and four Stakes-producing broodmares, including Group 2 winner Mouramara (IRE), herself the dam of Group 1 Syndey Cup winner Mourayan (IRE) and Melbourne Cup second Mourilyan (IRE). ENDLESS TIME (IRE) is one of 23 individual Group winners by Gilltown Stud resident Sea The Stars (IRE), whose son Stradivarius (IRE) won the Group 1 Goodwood Cup earlier in the week.

 

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