One of the most intriguing races on Friday’s card at the Newmarket July Festival, which features a clash between some of the best fillies in Europe over a mile, is the Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro British EBF Maiden Stakes, which has launched the careers of several high-class performers over the last decade.
The 7-furlong contest for colts and geldings, staged at the Newmarket July meeting, was won by subsequent dual listed scorer True Story in 2013 – although the best horse in that year’s race turned out to be fifth-placed Postponed, a future 4-time G1 winner who retired to Dalham Hall Stud having earned just shy of £5 million in prize-money.
Lexington Times, successful in 2014, also went on to become a listed winner and among the horses he beat that day were Latharnach, later a runner-up in the St James’s Palace Stakes, and Snoano, who three years later would land the Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot.
All the first four home in 2015 became stakes performers. The winner, Manaafidh, ran second in the Solario Stakes; runner-up Muntazah collected a pair of G3s at Meydan; third-placed Folkswood developed into a G3 scorer and ran placed in the Jebel Hatta and Cox Plate; and fourth-placed Dal Harraild won two listed races and was G2-placed.
Elite stayer
Global Giant, who triumphed in the second division of the race in 2017, went on to win the listed Carlingford Stakes at Dundalk for his original handler, Ed Dunlop, and owner Dr Johnny Hon and, since his sale to be trained by John Gosden for Isa Salman Al Khalifa, has added the Steventon Stakes and Magnolia Stakes to his CV.
The 2018 renewal featured a host of familiar names. The winner, Al Hilalee, took the listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l’Elevage on his very next start and landed the Prix Hocquart in the following season, while sixth-placed Allmankind has become a top jumper for Dan Skelton and won the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, Kingmaker Novices’ Chase and Future Champion Novices’ Chase last season. Back in ninth that day was Nayef Road, who developed into an elite stayer and has finished placed in the Gold Cup, St Leger and Goodwood Cup.
Last year’s winner Youth Spirit has upheld the honour of the race by taking the Chester Vase this season, while third-placed Naval Crown went on to win the Meydan Classic, run fourth in the 2000 Guineas and finish runner-up in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Godolphin hold an outstanding record in this race, with the renowned royal blue silks having been carried to victory by True Story and Al Hilalee as well as Dubai Hero in 2016 and Being There in 2017. Sheikh Mohammed’s operation also fielded the runners-up in 2011 (with Sports Section), 2012 (with Improvisation), 2014 (with Good Contact), 2016 (with D’Bai), 2017 (with Tribal Quest), 2018 (with Al Mureib), 2019 (with Al Suhail) and 2020 (with Magical Land).
This year’s renewal features another strong entry from Godolphin, comprising two beautifully bred colts who both finished third on debut for Charlie Appleby.
Frankie Dettori takes the ride on Stormy Ocean, a Frankel colt out of As Good As Gold, a winning Oasis Dream half-sister to G2 winner Eminent (also by Frankel) who cost 480,000gns as a yearling, while James Doyle will partner Noble Truth, a Kingman colt out of Speralita, an unraced Frankel half-sister to brilliant middle-distance filly Stacelita who was bought for €1.1 million as a yearling.
Shadwell also boast an impressive record in the race, having won it in 2012 (with Ghurair), 2015 (with Manaafidh) and 2019 (with Al Madhar). The late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s organisation is represented by two intriguing debutants in 2021.
Richard Hannon, who trained Manaafidh and Al Madhar, unleashes Ehraz, a Showcasing colt out of Exrating, an unraced Exceed And Excel half-sister to classy sprinter Pearl Secret bought as a yearling for 180,000gns, while Sir Michael Stoute takes the wraps off Al Baahy, a Kingman colt out of Secret Keeper, a New Approach half-sister to Prix de Diane heroine Confidential Lady who cost 260,000gns as a yearling.
Gosden challenge
John and Thady Gosden have declared two colts for the race, one with a useful piece of form to his name and the other a newcomer. Altraif ran fourth on debut over course and distance last month (one place behind Noble Truth). The relation to outstanding Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Taghrooda carries the silks of his breeder Prince Faisal, who also bred and raced both his sire, Kodiac, and damsire Olden Times.
Debutant Velazquez, co-owned by his breeder Sir Robert Ogden with Sue Magnier, hails from the first crop of star sprinter Caravaggio and receives a stamina boost from his dam Pandora, a daughter of Galileo who finished third in the Musidora and Galtres Stakes.
Andrew Balding, trainer of last year’s winner Youth Spirit, is represented 12 months later by a colt with a fascinating pedigree. Prince Of Rebels is by Estidhkaar, who landed the July Stakes at this meeting by 4½ lengths, and is a half-brother to dual listed scorer Pogo, who was not far behind Palace Pier when fifth in the Queen Anne Stakes last time. The £40,000 yearling buy, owned by Michael Blencowe, is also related to recent Prince of Wales’s Stakes scorer Love.
Ed Dunlop, on the mark with Global Giant in 2017, is back this year with the Paul Turner-owned Alphonse Le Grande, a Sea The Stars colt out of Athasi Stakes winner Dolce Strega who cost only 40,000gns as a yearling – an apparent snip considering the identity of his sire and dam.
At Liberty also looks well bought in light of his stellar pedigree, having cost 50,000gns as a yearling. Trained by Michael Bell for David Fish and partner, he is by Muhaarar, winner of the July Cup at this meeting six years ago, out of Federation, a G3-placed Motivator half-sister to the awesome Attraction.
Rather more expensive was Baikal, a No Nay Never colt from the family of champions Fasliyev, Misty For Me and US Navy Flag who ran fourth on debut at Haydock for trainer Kevin Ryan and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. He was a 325,000gns yearling purchase.
Tuscan, a newcomer trained by Charlie Hills for John and Jess Dance, was also a pricey acquisition. A first-crop son of Churchill out of Orcia, a listed-placed half-sister to stakes winners Distant Memories, Mohedian Lady and Mutatis Mutandis, he was bought at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale for 135,000gns.
The John Butler-trained Solanna finished last on debut but is no back number on pedigree. The Helmet colt was bred by owner Ken Snell out of his useful Night Shift mare Night Lily, who won eight races and finished second in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes.
Positive Impact, a Rabbah Bloodstock homebred, is a precious son of the late star sire Shamardal and is a half-brother to three winners out of Masarah, a listed-placed daughter of Cape Cross. Father and son Simon and Ed Crisford oversee the newcomer’s career.
There are plenty of promising pieces of form and prestigious pedigrees on show in the this year’s Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro British EBF Maiden Stakes, then, but the likely favourite will be Sweeping thanks to his close fourth to Point Lonsdale in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his last start.
Trained by Archie Watson for his breeders, Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib, he is by Siyouni out of Sweeping Up, a G3-placed Sea The Stars half-sister to Zetland Stakes winner Under The Rainbow and Park Hill Stakes second Starfala.