The death of Nashwan on Friday night has struck the British breeding industry a devastating blow.
The 16-year-old stallion was euthanized at Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum's Nunnery Stud in England after complications developed following surgery on his right hind leg. He had spent his entire career as part of Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estate racing and breeding operation.
Pushkin came from last to first in the straight to gain his first group race victory, taking the the Prix Maurice de Nieuilat Maisons-Laffitte on Saturday. He won the 1 3/4-mile race by 1 1/2 lengths over odds-on Polish Summer in a field of five.
Elie Lellouche, Pushkin's trainer, said that the 4-year-old will now bid for another Group 2 staying event, the Prix Kergorlay, to be run over 1 15/16 miles at Deauville on Aug. 18.
NEW YORK - It is Europe's midsummer showpiece and it ranks as highly as its early autumn rival, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, as one of the best 1 1/2-mile races in the world.
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes shines as brightly as any of the stones mined by its South African sponsors DeBeers. Its roll call of winners reads like a Who's Who of European racing since its inception in 1951: Ribot, Nijinsky, Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard, Dahlia (twice), Shergar, Dancing Brave, Nashwan, Generous, Lammtarra, Swain (twice), and Daylami.
El Condor Pasa, a two-time champion in Japan, died of colic at Shadai Farm in Japan on Wednesday morning.
A 7-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Kingmambo, El Condor Pasa was named top Japanese 3-year-old of 1998 after winning the Japan Cup by 2 1/2 lengths. Sent to France by owner Takashi Watanabe for his 4-year-old season, El Condor Pasa won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Group 2 Prix Foy in preparing for his major objective under trainer Yoshitaka Ninomiya, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Margarula posted a 33-1 upset of the odds-on Quarter Moon in the Irish Oaks.
Trained by Jim Bolger, Margarula rallied under Kevin Manning to catch the 1000 Guineas and English Oaks runner-up 200 yards from the line to win by a length while getting the 1 1/2 miles on soft ground in 2:37.40. The Irish-bred Lady's Secret was another six lengths behind in third. Margarula will next face English Oaks winner Kazzia in the Yorkshire Oaks on Aug. 21.
Continent and Bahamian Pirate gave trainer David Nicholls a surprise one-two in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket in Britain on Thursday at the expense of Danehurst and Landseer.
Darryll Holland brought the 12-1 Continent with a late run to lead inside the final furlong, and he held his 16-1 stablemate safe by a half-length. Danehurst, the 5-2 favorite, and Landseer, the 7-2 second choice, were third and fourth. The time for the six furlongs on soft ground was 1:13.00.
Millenary and Spinola took Group 2 honors on Tuesday as Newmarket's July Meeting got off to a rain-soaked start.
The victory of Millenary in the 1 1/2-mile Princess of Wales's Stakes ended a six-race drought. Winless since the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes last May, Millenary, a 5-year-old son of Rainbow Quest, came late under a perfectly timed ride by Pat Eddery to collar Mubtaker near the line. The winning margin was a neck, with the pacesetting 10-year-old Yavana's Pace another 1 3/4 lengths behind in third.
As expected, Hawk Wing won the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday, beating his stablemate Sholokhov by 2 1/2 lengths.
A son of Woodman, Hawk Wing was the 3-5 favorite in the 10-furlong race, which was reduced to five runners after rain-softened ground prompted the withdrawal of Bach and No Excuse Needed.