By Sean Cronin
The enigmatic 'TDN Rising Star' Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}–Taghrooda {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), unsuccessful in six starts since routing Derby and King George hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in last term's G2 Princess Of Wales S., went postward for this 10th black-type start coming back off a runner-up finish in last month's G2 Huxley S. at Chester and made his class tell with a dominant display in Tuesday's Listed Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot. Israr's victory provided the Gosden stable with a record-extending fifth renewal of the 10-furlong contest.
The 11-4 joint-favourite was alert from the gates and settled several lengths off a solid pace in seventh for the most part. Cruising forward in the straight to loom large on the bridle at the quarter-mile marker, he seized control approaching the final furlong and was ridden clear to comfortably outpoint the Wathnan Racing pair Haunted Dream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and stablemate Torito (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by 3 1/4 lengths and a short-head.
“I think that at the jockey's surprise, they went a good clip and opened it up,” explained John Gosden. “Jim [Crowley] was surprised that the Red Sea opened and sort of got there way too soon, but he went away and won comfortably. Israr is a grand horse and is a well-bred horse too, so hopefully we can find a stallion job for him one day. It's great of Sheikha Hissa to keep him in training. This race used to be a handicap, now it is a very high grade Listed race and you get good horses in there. It made every sense to give him some confidence and go and win a race. He was second to Passenger and ran a superb race at Chester, so I think that probably says a lot about the horse that beat him at Chester. He deserved to come here and win a lovely race on the first day of [Royal] Ascot. He is a good-looking dude as well.”
Crowley added, “He loves fast ground and they went a nice even tempo, but I was slightly worried that I was going to get there too soon. I had a nice pitch in the race and was happy to be down the rail. I was hoping to work my way through horses and then all of a sudden, two furlongs out, it opens up like the Red Sea. It never happens normally when you need it and, in fairness to the horse, he got there and didn't stop. He was faultless today, he put his head down and, hopefully, we can add to this during the week.”
Israr, the third of six foals, is the lone pattern-race scorer from two winners out of G1 Oaks and G1 King George S. & Queen Elizabeth S. heroine Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who also hit the board in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His dam is the leading performer for multiple stakes-winning G2 Lancashire Oaks second Ezima (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself a daughter of the unraced Ezilla (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). Ezilla is a full-sister to multiple stakes-winning G2 Blandford S. and G3 Killavullan S. placegetter Ebaziya (Ire), whose descendants include Group 1-winning siblings Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Edabiya (Ire) (Rainbow Quest). Taghrooda's 2-year-old colt by Lope De Vega (Ire) died earlier this year.
Israr is too good for them in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/NGJb97KKEJ
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2024
Tuesday, Ascot, Britain
WOLFERTON S.-Listed, £120,000, Ascot, 6-18, 4yo/up, 9f 212yT, 2:03.29, g/f.
1–ISRAR (GB), 131, h, 5, by Muhaarar (GB)–Taghrooda (GB) (MG1SW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $2,404,603), by Sea The Stars (Ire).
TDN Rising Star. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £68,052. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng & GSP-Bhr, 18-5-6-4, $598,852.
2–Haunted Dream (Ire), 131, g, 5, Oasis Dream (GB)–Red Halo (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (35,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Wathnan Racing; B-High Rollers (IRE); T-Hamad Al Jehani. £25,800.
3–Torito (GB), 131, g, 4, Kingman (GB)–Montare (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Wathnan Racing; B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £12,912.
Margins: 3 1/4, SHD, 3 1/4. Odds: 2.75, 14.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Savvy Victory (Ire), Notre Belle Bete (GB), Checkandchallenge (GB), Ouzo (GB), Silver Sword (GB), Astro King (Ire), Knight (Ire), Mujtaba (GB), Ancient Rome, Cemhaan (GB), Bold Discovery, Botanical (Ire). Scratched: Certain Lad (GB).
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