Belardo Among Juvenile Standouts at Newmarket

Prince Faisal's Belardo gamely speared between rivals and drew off to a convincing win in the Oct. 17 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-I), the most prestigious 2-year-old race in Great Britain.

 

The race was one of three group I events for juveniles on Friday's Dubai Future Champions Day card at Newmarket, including the Vision.AE Middle Park Stakes for sprinters won by Charming Thought, and the Dubai Fillies' Mile captured by Together Forever. 

 

Appearing to have nowhere to run when in behind rivals a furlong out, Belardo and Andrea Atzeni took advantage when a narrow gap opened and quickened away to a two-length win. 

 

Kodi Bear was second, and Smuggler's Cove third in the six-horse field, while group winner and 11-8 favorite Estidhkaar was fourth after a slow start.

 

At 10-1 odds following a fourth-place finish to Estidhkaar in the At The Races Superlative Stakes (Eng-II) at Doncaster Sept. 13, Belardo, sporting a hood for the first time, settled third from the rear early. His opponents spread five wide in front of him and he appeared hopelessly blocked until a small opening appeared and jockey Atzeni capitalized for the win.

 

Final time for seven furlongs on soft turf was 1:27.31. 

 

The Dewhurst was the first group win for Belardo and his second stakes victory. The winner of three of five career starts for trainer Roger Varian, he landed the Denford Stud Washington Singer Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths in August at Newbury. 

 

"This horse will have confidence going into the winter now," Varian told England's Press Association about Belardo, who is from the first crop of Lope de Vega from the Danehill mare Danaskaya. "We will now have to dream about the (2015) Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I)."

 

Belardo was bred in Ireland by Ballylinch Stud and offered by their agency at the 2013 Arqana Deauville August yearling sale, where he sold to Voute Sales for $133,280.

 

Godolphin's 22-1 shot Charming Thought prevailed in a tight finish with 1-2 favorite Ivawood, taking the Middle Park by a nose in his group stakes debut. 

 

Gimcrack Stakes winner Muhaarar was third.

 

Adam Kirby rode Charming Thought to a third straight win from four career starts as the Oasis Dream colt covered six furlongs in 1:13.01. 

 

A $1,056,366 purchase by John Ferguson at last year's Tattersalls October yearling sale, Charming Thought is the first foal out of the Indian Ridge mare Annabelle's Dream. 

 

Charming Thought is trained by Charlie Appleby, who enjoyed his first group I win in England.

 

Coolmore and partners' Together Forever made a quick turnaround from a stakes triumph at the Curragh five days ago and won the Fillies' Mile by a half-length from Agnes Stewart, with Winters Moon just a nose back in third. 

 

Ridden by Joseph O'Brien for his father, trainer Aidan O'Brien, Together Forever was within striking distance in midfield early and took charge from pacesetter Marsh Hawk over a furlong out. 

 

The winner, a daughter of Galileo, saw off a challenge from 6-5 favorite Lucida, who weakened in the final furlong, and repelled late bids from Agnes Stewart and Winters Moon.

 

The final time for one mile was 1:41.01.

 

Together Forever notched a third successive victory after taking a maiden by three lengths Sept. 21 while making her fourth start, and subsequently winning the listed Silken Glider Stakes Oct. 12 at the Curragh.

 

Ballylinch Stud also was the consignor of Together Forever, whom they offered at the 2013 Goffs Orby yearling sale and sold to Coolmore's M. V. Magnier for $919,768. Bred by Vimal and Gillian Khosla in Ireland, she is out of the Theatrical mare Green Room and is a half sister to French group I winner and sire Lord Shanakill.