Author: Breezeup

Muqtahem looks a colt to follow in Saudi Arabia following his near nine-length romp in handicap company at Riyadh.

The Soldier’s Call three-year-old was bought by owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah out of the Gaybrook Lodge Stud draft at the 2023 Goffs Breeze-Up Sale in Doncaster. He was originally trained by George Boughey, who saddled him to win second time out at Pontefract. Subsequently sent to Saudi Arabia, he has made just the two starts in Riyadh to date but already boasts a rating of 90 thanks to his impressive second time out win.

Muqtahem was bred by Ballyhane out of the winning Bated Breath mare Smooth Sailing and bought as a yearling by MC Bloodstock for £27,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Sale. He continues a successful run for Gaybrook Lodge breezers of 2023 alongside other winners Albshur, Art Defender, Aurinko, How’s The Guvnor, Kinnigoli Kid, Never Better and Via Blanca.

Gaybrook Lodge Stud breezer Never Better justified favouritism to break his maiden on his second start for Roger Varian at Kempton.

The well-regarded No Nay Never colt had shaped well on his debut at the same track and made no mistake second time round, putting in a late challenge to run down the leader Asinara for a cosy win.

“He’s still a very green, big horse but I think he’s going to learn with the more racing he does,” said jockey Jack Mitchell. “He’s got a little bit of a high head carriage at the minute but that’s because he’s so green.”

Never Better was sold by Gaybrook Lodge Stud for €165,000 as an Arqana May breezer to Federico Barberini on behalf of owner Apple Tree Stud. He was bred by GSA Bloodstock Pty Ltd out of the Galileo mare Just Gorgeous.

Gaybrook Lodge Stud graduates have been flying high both domestically and internationally over the past 12 months, a number of them either developing into proven stakes performers or revealing themselves as potential Classic candidates.

One such Classic candidate is Qatar Racing’s Kings Shield, who caught the eye when the smooth winner of his debut at Newcastle for John Gosden just months after topping the Tattersalls Craven Sale at 675,000gns. It was a performance that prompted bookmakers to introduce him into the betting for the 2,000 Guineas.

And just as exciting is Walk In The Sun. Bought with Willie Browne for just $15,000 as a yearling, the son of Street Sense went on to sell out of Browne’s Mocklershill draft for a sale-topping €1.4 million at the Arqana May Sale. Kerri Radcliffe signed the ticket on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbreds and as befits such a price, this Irish 2,000 Guineas entry has shown abundant ability for Jeremy Noseda as the impressive winner of both his starts to date. 

Phoenix Thoroughbreds also campaign the high-class Gotti with Ali Al Rayhi in Dubai. This tough son of More Than Ready won his second British start for Jeremy Noseda and recently ran a career best to finish second in the UAE 2,000 Guineas.

The achievements of Kings Shield, Walk In The Sun and Gotti are just some of the highlights of a year that also included the Group 3-placed juvenile Ball Girl and impressive Dundalk debut winner It’s Two O Clock. 

There is also the immense promise of the lightly raced French-based pair Jaylan and Zyzzyva to look forward to. Al Shaqab Racing’s debut winner Jaylan is unbeaten in two starts, her most recent win coming in a hot conditions race at Deauville, and holds entries in the French 1,000 Guineas and Oaks. The Group 3-placed Zyzzyva, meanwhile, holds entries in the French 2,000 Guineas and Derby for Paul Hancock.

They complement older, current high-flyers such as Tinnitus, winner of the Group 3 Polar Cup at Ovrevoll in Norway, Beauly, a Grade 1-placed mare who won last year’s Listed Indiana General Assembly Distaff Stakes in the US, and the progressive Thundering Blue, who racked up a sequence of wins in competitive handicaps last summer.

Such results have been achieved from a select draft of horses sent to auction each spring. Who will you find in this year’s group from Gaybrook Lodge?