Hipodromos y caballos - Racetracks and horses BloodStockReview2013 | Page 37

T W O-Y E A R-O L D S

at Ballydoyle under the stewardship of
O’Brien, but in the altogether different climes
of Keeneland, Kentucky with Wesley Ward,
who sent out Strike The Tiger and Jealous
Again to win at the royal meeting in 2009.
No Nay Never made a striking debut at
Keeneland in a 4½f maiden on the Polytrack
and there was plenty of confidence behind
him in the run-up to the Norfolk Stakes.
It was easy to see why when he entered the
paddock as the son of Scat Daddy dwarfed
his 13 rivals.
No Nay Never did not disappoint.
After slightly fluffing his lines leaving
the stalls, he powered clear to beat
the O’Brien-trained Coach House
by a length.
No Nay Never returned to
Europe in August for the Prix
Morny at Deauville, leading from
pillar to post to beat a top-notch
field that included classy fillies
Vorda and Rizeena.
The Prix Morny was arguably the
best juvenile form on offer this year, with the
runner-up Vorda, a French-trained daughter
of Orpen, subsequently scooting clear of her
rivals in a competitive Cheveley Park Stakes
and Rizeena, who finished third, beating
a high-class field, which included Albany
Stakes scorer Kiyoshi, in the Moyglare
Stud Stakes.
The Clive Brittain-trained Rizeena
was one of two Group 1 winners for the
resurgent Iffraaj. The Darley stallion was
also responsible for Chriselliam, who led
home a memorable one-two for her sire
when defeating the admirably consistent
Rizeena in the Fillies’ Mile before readily
drawing clear of her rivals in the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
It has been mooted that Chriselliam will
be given a 2,000 Guineas entry and if she
takes up the engagement it is likely she will
face Khalid Abdullah’s homebred Kingman.
The Invincible Spirit colt went into a
number of notebooks when breaking his
duck with consummate ease in a Newmarket
maiden. He justified his lofty reputation
when readily disposing of three rivals in the
Solario Stakes at Sandown.
The Niarchos family homebred
Karakontie, a son of the late Bernstein,
cemented his position as one of the leading
racingpost.com/ipad

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ABOVE Kingston Hill spreadeagles his rivals in the Racing Post Trophy
BELOW Chriselliam proves too strong for Rizeena in the Fillies’ Mile at
Newmarket LEFT Kingman made a favourable impression in two starts

colts across the Channel with a gutsy victory
in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère on Arc day.
Earlier in the season, the Jonathan Peasetrained colt had finished second to Hannon’s
Hurricane Run colt Bunker in a Listed event
at Deauville. Bunker had been put firmly in
his place before that when comprehensively
beaten by Paul Cole’s exciting youngster
Berkshire in the Chesham Stakes.
The unfurnished Berkshire, who is the
highest-rated performer by sophomore sire
Mount Nelson, earned a hard-fought victory
in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket. He
looks sure to improve with another winter
under his belt.
Highly progressive

Another juvenile who will surely make his
mark in next season’s Classics is the highly
progressive Kingston Hill. Not seen until
making a winning debut at Newbury in
September, the Roger Varian-trained colt
quickened impressively on his second outing
to land the Autumn Stakes. His third start
in the space of five weeks came at Doncaster

Another juvenile who will surely
make his mark in next season’s
Classics is Kingston Hill

in the Racing Post Trophy and he did not let
favourite backers down, showing a willing
attitude to draw four and a half lengths clear
in bottomless ground.
O w n e d b y Pa u l Sm i t h , s o n o f
Coolmore’s Derrick, Kingston Hill ensured
Mastercraftsman secured the first-season sire
title with victory on Town Moor. Although
not short of speed, Kingston Hill will surely
thrive over middle distances as he descends
from a family that includes three-time
Grade 1-winning chaser Captain Conan.
Intense Focus was another first-season
sire to hit the headlines, courtesy of Astaire,
who capped a fine season with a brave win
in the Middle Park Stakes. The Kevin Ryantrained juvenile also won the Gimcrack Stakes.
The last mention must go to Australia. The
regally bred colt – by Galileo out of multiple
Group 1 winner Ouija Board – put up an
eyecatching performance when trouncing the
highly touted Free Eagle by six lengths in a
Group 3 at Leopardstown in September. He
is owned by Coolmore and a tilt at the Triple
Crown