The great servant Majeed went down fighting when suffering a fatal heart attack in the Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday. Winning at Windsor his penultimate start probably swayed connections in postponing his retirement but some would say he died doing what he was bred to do and maybe retirement would not have suited him. He was the best walking yearling Mark has ever seen. Mark bought him in Deauville as a yearling when scouting for French breds. Having been persuaded by Julian Dollar to have a look at him even though he was a Brit, he went to plan B and secured him even though he had to go to more than he had anticipated. He was the first Mount Nelson to be sold as a yearling at public auction. His suffered from minor issues as a juvenile but matured into a fine racehorse particularly when he got his fast ground. He will be sorely missed.
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Lively Lydia, storms in for a plus 10 bonus at Windsor Monday 6th August over 6 furlongs. She was spotted by Mark at the yearling sales, however Khalifa Dasmal was called away by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum for lunch and was not on the phone when she came through the ring. She was knocked down to Highflyer Bloodstock for just 11,000g. Thinking that cheap for a nice filly Mark asked Marion Goodbody of Castlebridge Consignment about the purchase and she told him that Eve Johnston Houghton had bought her. Having ascertained from Eve that she did not have an owner yet for her he arranged for Mr Dasmal to purchase her. Things could not have turned out better judging from her 5 length victory!!!
True Mason, bought by Mark as a yearling last year, showed plenty of boot, to earn black type, coming third in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin. Universally acknowledged as a great looker, Mark had to see off the attentions of firstly Alex Elliott and then Bill Gredley to secure the colt. Improving with every run True Mason should relish another half furlong should he go for the Group 1 Prix Morny. He also would benefit from the coming rain!!
Homebred Midsummer Knight showed he is all speed when bursting 5 lengths clear and making all over 5f at Newmarket, yesterday he was sold to Gassim Mohamed Ghazali for 90,000 guineas and is set to continue his racing in Qatar.
The Racing Post reported:
Another horse whose owners reaped the rewards of success at Newmarket yesterday was MIDSUMMER KNIGHT who won the Saeed Suhail Handicap for trainer Karl Burke and owner Khalifa Dasmal. The son of DREAM AHEAD ran out a ready winner off a handicap mark of 80 and is set to venture to Qatar after being purchased by trainer Jassim Ghazali for 90,000 guineas.
“I have followed this horse for a time, and yesterday’s victory made it certain that I would like to buy him. We came particularly for this horse – he will suit Qatar and I like his sire Dream Ahead,” said Ghazali.
Bright Crescent, a Sea the Moon filly, bought by Mark as a yearling makes her 2 year old debut at Chantilly on Saturday and Bright Crescent a Charm Spirit whose purchase was organised by Mark from Eve Johnson Houghton makes her debut at Chelmsford also on Saturday. Fingers crossed!
Majeed, bought by Mark eight years ago, relished the fast ground to win a good prize at Windsor last Saturday.
True Mason (Mayson) bought by Mark as a yearling with the assistance of Karl and Kelly Burke, had shown improvement from his first start to his second and, upped in trip yesterday, won in good style, despite pulling hard.
Amazingly the time was almost three seconds faster than Dream Ahead’s debut over the same course and distance in July of his two year old year. The ground was good to soft then so that might dampen too much excitement but still encouraging to say the least.
He is the seventh named foal out of the placed Marysienka (Primo Dominie) and is her fourth winner, having been preceded by Arctic Mirage (Iceman), Ivanhoe(Haafhd) and Be Bold (Assertive). The grandam, Polish Romance(Danzig), is the dam of four winners, headed by the Gr.3-placed Listed victrix Irresistible (Cadeaux Genereux; dam of Gr.3 winnerInfallible and Listed scorer Remarkable, and grandam of Gr.1 winner and sire Garswood and Group winners Mutakayyef andIntimation). Also the second dam of Gr.3 victrix Queen Bee and Listed winners Eternally and Tickle Me Blue, Polish Romance is a full-sister to US Stakes winner Polish Love, out of the Gr.1 Matron Stakes and Gr.1 Frizette Stakes winner Some Romance (Fappiano). So a Group 1 stallions pedigree see here below:
Three year old gelding, Diamond Wine, rated 88, defies top weight to win hands and heels in the opener at Longchamp on French Guineas day. He is the brother of stakes winner Vin Chaud also bought by Mark as a yearling. We are looking forward to the debut of his two year old sister (by Rajsaman) in the coming months.
Midsummer Knight got off the mark after 11 previous attempts and seven second places. He displayed a resolute attitude to hold on determinedly, having forced a strong pace. The son of Dream Ahead is out of the triple winner High Spice, who has already produced two winners. She is a half-sister to three winners, including Five By Five (Forestry; dam of the Argentinian Gr.3- placed Braeval) and they are out of the dual winner Erin Moor (Holy Bull), who was second in the Gr.3 Cicada Stakes. The third dam, Willa Joe (El Gran Senor), was unraced, but produced eight winners, including the Gr.3 Honorable Miss Handicap winner and Gr.1-placed Willa On The Move (Two Punch; dam of the US Stakes winner Grecian Maiden) and the Gr.1 Carter Handicap third Dream Saturday (Any Given Saturday). Further black-type performers under the third dam include the Listed (then) Hilary Needler Trophy winner Loch Jipp (Belong To Me) and the US Stakes winner Safe Trip (Tale Of The Cat).
High Spice has a yearling filly by Dream Ahead
