Michael Church Racing Books

SNOWFALL

(b.f 2018)

Winner of the 2021 Cazoo Oaks Stakes

RUN on Friday, 4 June. 2020, as the Cazoo Oaks, over the Derby Course of one mile and a half and 6 yards, Epsom Downs. For three-year-old fillies, 9st 0lb. Value to winner £224,004.50.

1^st    SNOWFALL         Frankie Dettori    11-2

2^nd   MYSTERY ANGEL    Ben Curtis     50-1      16 lengths

3^rd   DIVINELY        Seamie Heffernan 20-1       1¾ lengths

Also ran: 4^th Save A Forest (Callum Shepherd 40-1; Santa Barbara (Ryan Moore) 5/2 Fav; Ocean Road (Oisin Murphy) 25-1; Technique (Sean Levey) 125-1; Saffron Beach (Adam Kirby) 10-1; Sherbet Lemon (Hollie Doyle) 28-1; Teona (David Egan) 12-1; La Joconde (William Buick) 40-1; Dubai Fountain (Franny Norton) 4-1;  Zeyaadah (Jim Crowley) 6-1; Willow (Wayne Lordan)  22-1 (last, 39¾ lengths behind the winner).    14 ran.             Time 2m 42.67 sec.      

Commentary:  Fourth in the 1,000 Guineas with the promise of more over further, Santa Barbara started the  5-2 favourite. Dubai Fountain now 4-1 and Zeyaadah 6-1, renewed their challenge after finishing first and second in the Cheshire Oaks, where Dubai Fountain, in receipt of 3lb, won by a length. Snowfall, an impressive winner of the Musidora at York, was well supported at 11-2.

With rain throughout the day, the 14 runners got underway. Hollie Doyle, drawn 14 on Sherbet Lemon, was quickly away to negate any disadvantage and  led early from Mystery Angel, Dubai Fountain and Saffron Beach. Settling down after 2 furlongs, Mystery Angel led from Sherbet Lemon on  her outside, with La Joconde and Willow, third and fourth and  Santa Barbara, held up last.  The order was maintained as the pace slowed in the descent to Tattenham Corner. As a result of the downpour, on leaving the Corner, the field came up the stand side and from 3 furlongs out Mystery Angel took a two lengths lead. Soon after Frankie Dettori and Snowfall forced their way through beaten horses and with Santa Barbara no longer looking a threat, turned the last 300 yards into a procession. A record 16 lengths behind the winner Mystery Angel and Divinely plugged on for the places. In a memorable interview with Lydia Hislop, Frankie described his victory as going, “Like a hot knife through butter.”

The winner was BRED by Roncon, Chelston Ire. & Wynatt; OWNED by Mr D. Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Mr M. Tabor and TRAINED by Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle, Co. Tipperary.

The winner, SNOWFALL (b.f), has won 3 races (from 9 starts): Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, The Curragh, Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, York, Cazoo Oaks Stakes, Epsom.

The sire, DEEP IMPACT (b.c. 2002), won 12 races (from 14 starts) incl. Hochi Hal Yayoi Sho Stakes & Satsuki Sho, Nakayama, Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger), Tenno Sho Spring & Takarazuka Kinen, Kyoto, Japan Cup, Tokyo, Arima Kinen, Nakayama.

The dam, BEST IN THE WORLD (b.f. 2013) by Galileo, won 2 races (from 9 starts): Staffordstown Stud Stakes, The Curragh, Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes, Cork. She is a full sister to the Arc and Breeders’ Cup Turf heroine Found, both out of Red Evie, winner of the Matron Stakes, Leopardstown and the Lockinge Stakes, Newbury.

SNOWFALL is her first foal.

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Note: Michael has recently published The Classics Chart 1776-2020, showing the male lineage of every Classic winner – see Michael’s BOOKS FOR SALE for more details

ADAYAR

(b.c. 2018)

Winner of the 2021 Cazoo Derby Stakes 

For easier reading Mobiles view landscape

Run on Saturday, 5 June, 2021 as the Cazoo Derby Stakes over the Derby Course of one mile and a half and 6 yards, Epsom Downs. For three-year-olds; entire colts 9st 0lb, fillies 8st 11lb.  387 entries. Value to winner £637,987.50

1^st      ADAYAR                          Adam Kirby       16-1

2^nd     MOJO STAR                    David Egan       50-1     4½ lengths

3^rd     HURRICANE LANE       William Buick      6-1        3¼  lengths

 Also ran: 4^th Mac Swiney (Kevin Manning) 8-1; Third Realm (Andrea Atzeni) 14-1; One Ruler (James Doyle) 17-1; Bolshoi Ballet (Ryan Moore) 11-8 Fav: Youth Spirit (Tom Marquand) 25-1; John Leeper (Frankie Dettori) 8-1; Gear Up (Ben Curtis) 50-1; Southern Lights (Declan McDonogh) 33-1 (tailed off 42 lengths behind the winner.

Commentary: Minutes after the winner crossed the line all the talk was of the jockey, not the horse; Adam  Kirby, having been offered the ride on the much fancied John Leeper, apologetically, turned down the ride on the Godolphin long shot Adayar. However, when Aidan O’Brien released Frankie Dettori, he took over the ride on John Leeper, returning Kirby to Adayar. Fate, however, later sought fit to reverse Kirby’s misfortune.

The betting centred on Bolshoi Ballet, Aiden O’Brien’s sole representative, a Galileo colt having won the Ballysax Stakes and the Derrinstown Derby Trial, to send him off the 11-8 favourite. Other fancies were Godolphin’s, Hurricane Lane, winner of the Dante Stakes, now at 6-1, while John Leeper, winner of Newmarket’s Fairway Stakes, and Jim Bolger’s homebred Mac Swiney, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, were both on offer at 8-1. The mystery of the betting was Adayar –almost exclusively backed on the exchanges from 40-1 down to 16-1.

On a glorious sunny day the 11 runners left the stalls on good to soft ground. After a furlong, Gear Up led from Youth Spirit with Bolshoi Ballet close up. Soon after, Adayar, drawn 1, dubbed by experts as “the coffin box”, was driven up to lay handy alongside his stable companion, Hurricane Lane. From the mile post to the top of the hill, the order was unchanged, but rounding Tattenham Corner, Bolshoi Ballet ominously closed on the front two, while Adam Kirby on Adayar saw to track Gear Up at the rail. When half a gap appeared Adayar courageously went through and with authority went on to win by 4½ lengths. Mojo Star and Hurricane Lane came out of the pack to fill the places, but by now the bird had flown.    

11 ran. Time 2 min 36.85 sec.     

The winner was OWNED and BRED by Godolphin and TRAINED by Charlie Appleby at Newmarket, Suffolk.

Finally, two quotes that will live long in the memory:

Adam Kirby revealed, “I always said I’d rather win the Derby than be Champion Jockey”. And when Charlie Appleby suggested to Sheikh Mohammed that Adayar was more of a St Leger horse, the Sheikh replied, “No Charlie, there’s only one Derby – you need to keep him in the Derby.”           

Footnote: Due to the Government’s revision of the Coronavirus situation, the 2-day Cazoo Derby Festival was run before a limited crowd of 4,000, with no access to The Hill.

The winner, ADAYAR, has won 2 races from 5 starts: EBF Stallions Golden Horn Maiden Stakes, 1m 75y, Nottingham, Cazoo Derby Stakes, Epsom.

The sire, FRANKEL b.c. 2008 ex KIND by DANEHILL, (unbeaten), won 14 races incl. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, (twice), Queen Anne Stakes, International Stakes, Champion Stakes. Sire of 3 Classic winners since retiring to Judmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in 2013, incl. ANAPURNA , 2019 Investec Oaks; LOGICIAN, 2019, William Hill St Leger Stakes .

The dam, ANNA SALAI  b.f. 2007 by Dubawi. Won 1 race from 8 starts : Prix de l’Grotte, Longchamp. She has bred 1 winner from 3 runners.

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Michael has recently published The Classics Chart 1776-2020 showing the male lineage of every Classic winner – see Michael’s BOOKS FOR SALE for more details.