Tuesday's racing round-up includes the news of a major spending spree at Tattersall's Book 1 sale and Grade 1 American aspirations for young jockey Billy Loughnane.
Frankel filly becomes the second highest-priced yearling ever sold at Tattersalls.
The daughter of Aljazzi, a Group Two Royal Ascot winner, sold to Kia Joorbabchian for 4.4 million guineas, equivalent to almost $9,000,000. The most expensive yearling ever sold at Tattersalls was back in 2019 when future Epsom Derby eighth Al Nammah sold for 5 million guineas ($10.2 million). Joorabchian also bought two other Frankel fillies, including a sister to Arc winner Alpinista for 2.5 million ($5.1 million). That brings the total to 8 million guineas ($16.3 million) on Day One of Tattersalls Book One sales at Newmarket for Joorabchian.
Billy Loughnane aiming for Grade 1 success in America.
The young British jockey has already won at Royal Ascot this season when steering Rashabar to victory in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, but he has yet to win a Group 1 since turning professional last year. The champion apprentice will ride the George Boughey-trained Soprano in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, who won the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot under Loughnane earlier this year. Soprano was last seen being beaten a length-and-a-half into third by Porta Fortuna in the Group 1 Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.
Christopher Head to send runner to Newmarket this Friday.
The French trainer who won the Group 1 Prix la Foret and Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend, will send five-year-old Topgear to the Group 2 Challenge Stakes, to be run over seven furlongs. The son of Wootton Bassett finally broke a 17-month-long wait for a victory when scoring in the Group 3 Prix du Pin at Longchamp last month. He will reoppose Ten Bob Tony, who finished a neck down to Topgear in the same race last time out. The current favourite for the race is Group 3 Criterion Stakes winner, Noble Dynasty.
The story of Cody's Wish to be made into a film.
The film will explore the bond of the dual Breeders' Cup winner and Cody Dorman, who first met the colt as part of a Make A Wish visit to Godolphin's USA Headquarters in Kentucky. Dorman suffered from a rare genetic disease called Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome and sadly died the day after Cody's Wish won on his final start.
