Columnists, Features, Sarah Whitelaw NEWS

Veteran Prendergast wins Leopardstown Guineas Trial

Published by racingweb on March 31, 2009

Here is columnist Sarah Whitelaw with her April 2009 edition of Que Sarah, focusing on racing in Ireland, France and Australia.

Classic season begins

This last weekend saw the beginning of the British flat season. Over the sea in Ireland, the first of the classic trials were run. The Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial (Gp3), whilst it attracted just six runners, saw the reappearance of Dewhurst Stakes victor Intense Focus. The 1000 Guineas trial drew together 11 well bred fillies.

Intense Focus was defeated by Recharge in the 2000 Guineas Trial, who was getting three pounds from the runner up. Recharge, a son of Cape Cross and top race mare Rebelline, has now won two of his three outings and is regarded as a likely Irish 2000 Guineas prospect. He is trained by veteran Kevin Prendergast (photo), who took out his licence in the early 1960s

The 1000 Guineas Trial was won by the highly talented Maoineach. The latter, by young sire Congaree, had won a Gp3 race on debut as a two-year-old, was having her first start since finishing unplaced in the Prix Marcel Boussac. She proved too strong for Ballydoyle’s well bred filly, Heart Shaped, defeating that filly by a length and a half.

The first race on the card, a maiden for three-year-old fillies over ten furlongs, saw the appearance of the highly regarded Roman Empress (Sadler’s Wells). The Aidan O’Brien trained filly, who had been supported in the betting for the 2009 Epsom Oaks, was well beaten and finished unplaced. The winner, Roses For Lady, was making her third start for John Oxx. She is a Sadler’s Wells filly out of Head In The Clouds, the latter being an own sister to St Leger winner Millenary. Roses For Lady is entered at Epsom.

Further stakes success for Tiza

The South African bred and raced Tiza landed his fourth French stakes win when successful in the Listed Prix Cor de Chasse last Monday. Tiza carried 139 pounds, and gave runner up, Contest, six pounds and beat him three parts of a length. It was Tiza’s first start since finishing second in the Listed Prix Contessina last November.

The now seven-year-old Goldkeeper gelding has proved wonderfully durable, and has now won 10 races and over R4.6 million in prize money. His group wins include scores in the Gp3 Prix de Meautry, Gp3 Prix de-Ris Orangis, Gp3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise and the Gr2 Merchants.

Lot 472 on the Emperors Palace 2009 National Yearling Sale has strong ties to the recent French stakes winner.Â A bay filly by Tiger Ridge, her dam, Mischief Maker, is a half-sister to Mamushka - dam of Tiza. Tiza’s sire has 3 lots on the up coming yearling sale.

Mixed racing

International racing is certainly interesting this Saturday. Not only does Saturday see the running of Australia Golden Slipper, but also of the traditional, and controversial, Grand National Steeplechase. Few races generate more emotion than “The National”. The National has been the scene of some of the more moving and remarkable moments in horse racing, but the price of the race can be extremely high in terms of injury to both horse and rider. The National has attracted both praise and condemnation in recent years, and it is a rare year when more than a handful of horses complete the course.Â Â The National, in betting terms, is usually a wide open race. This year the betting is 9-1 the field, with My Will heading the market, ahead of Butlers Cabin, Running Minister and State Of Play.