By Sean Cronin
Unflustered by a series of delays before the start of Saturday's JenningsBet British EBF Novice S. at Newmarket, John and Thady Gosden trainee Eben Shaddad (Calyx {GB}–Galileo's Lady, by Galileo {Ire}) returned home with a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette after producing a scintillating display in the six-furlong contest.
Let go at generous odds of 4-1, the eventual winner tracked the leaders in fourth after the initial exchanges of this unveiling. Making smooth headway into contention once past halfway, he quickened in style to seize control approaching the final furlong and lengthened clear in taking fashion up the hill to account for Give It Up (GB) (Rajasinghe {Ire}) by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths.
Eben Shaddad becomes the 12th winner and second Rising Star for Coolmore freshman Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}), whose first is Kentucky-bred G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. victrix Persian Dreamer.
“That was a good performance first time out as he was stood in the stalls for a long time,” said assistant trainer Gary Rothwell. “I liked the way that, when he came off the bridle, he was a little bit green, but then he met the rising ground and hit the line well. [Rider] Benoit [De La Sayette] was pleased with him. We've always liked him at home and it was nice to come here and see him do that. He wore the red hood [to post], but he stayed nice and calm [during the preliminaries], and it was a very professional performance. We never push the buttons with them at home, but he has been going nicely and he would catch the eye among a few others.”
Eben Shaddad is the first of three foals produced by an unraced half-sister to GI Natalma S.-winning multiple Canadian champion Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown) and GII Dance Smartly S. third Ready Lady (More Than Ready). The February-foaled bay's dam Galileo's Lady (Galileo {Ire}) is also kin to the dam of GIII Singspiel S. victrix Ready For The Lady (More Than Ready). His MGSW second dam Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical {ire}) is a daughter of GI Flower Bowl H. heroine Lady Shirl (That's A Nice), whose descendants also include MGISW sire Shakespeare (Theatrical {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf victrix Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), herself the dam of GI Maker's Mark Mile hero Shirl's Speight (Speightstown). Galileo's Lady, who was bred to Speightstown this year, has a yearling filly and a weanling colt by More Than Ready to come.
1st-Newmarket, £8,000, Nov, 8-26, 2yo, 6fT, 1:11.74, g/f.
EBEN SHADDAD, c, 2, by Calyx (GB)
1st Dam: Galileo's Lady, by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lady Shakespeare, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lady Shirl, by That's A Nice
($100,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; €190,000 2yo '23 ARQMAY) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,434. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-HRH Prince Faisal bin Khaled & Najd Stud; B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Benoit De La Sayette.
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