It's Kodiac Again As Hello Youmzain Prevails In the Diamond Jubilee

Coming of age when winning the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup in September, Haras d'Etreham and Cambridge Stud's Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) sprung back into action with some gusto as he battled to victory in a thrilling G1 Diamond Jubilee S. under Kevin Stott on Royal Ascot's Saturday bonanza. Breaking rapidly before gradually making his way to the stand's side, the 4-1 second favourite had to work to subdue Sceptical (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the last 75 yards and found the line as the strong-closing Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) pulled off a replica of his 2019 effort. At the line, just a head separated Hello Youmzain and Dream of Dreams, who was in front a stride after the line as he had been last year, with Sceptical just falling short of providing Frankie with a four-timer a neck behind in third.

Stott was recording a first Royal Ascot winner minutes before adding a second in the Wokingham H. and said, “It's unbelievable–fair play to the horse, as he dug very deep when I needed him. All credit to him more than me. I am blessed to be put back on him with the change of ownership and I can't describe in words how thankful I am. [Trainer] Kevin [Ryan] gave me a lot of confidence going out and said 'ride him like the best horse in the race', so it's a dream come true.”

Capping a red-letter day for Tally-Ho Stud's Kodiac, Hello Youmzain had been purchased by Nicolas de Chambure's and Brendan Lindsay's establishments after his Haydock Sprint Cup triumph. Also successful in the 2018 G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte, he had beaten Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by 3 1/4 lengths in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock last May and was third in the G1 Commonwealth Cup here 12 months ago. This dynamic performance put behind him the disappointment of finishing eighth in the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint on heavy ground in October and he had an abundance of opportunities to hoist the white flag as the smooth-travelling Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and then Sceptical headed him inside the last 1 1/2 furlongs.

“Hello Youmzain has done it the hard way,” Kevin Ryan's son Adam said. “He jumped well and Kevin [Stott] did the right thing, letting him find his stride and putting him where he was happy. When it came to the business end, he battled on hard and he is a very game, very tough horse. To do that on his first run of the season was very impressive. He did well over the winter, he strengthened up and matured again. We always thought this year he'd be more of the finished article and he looked fantastic today. We will see how he comes back from this, but he's a group one sprinter and he will be tackling all of them. The July Cup is an obvious choice for his next run. He has a lot of natural speed as well, so I don't think we'll rule out dropping him down to five and he'll probably get an entry in the Nunthorpe as well.”

Speaking from Cambridge Stud, Brendan Lindsay commented, “This is the most amazing thing ever for us. I think it feels like half of New Zealand is up watching the race tonight the amount of phone calls and messages we have had! I don't know if any New Zealander has won a group one at Royal Ascot before, it is just amazing. Thanks to Hubie de Burgh and thanks very much to Nicolas de Chambure, our partner in France. He will go to France first when he goes to stud and he will probably be here in June, July and August next year.”

Sceptical was almost pulling off a fairytale success for Denis Hogan, who said, “It's possible that he could go for the July Cup now, as he can handle quick ground. I did think we were going to hang on, but I've got used to that over the past couple of years in these sprints–you can never count your chickens. He's proven that he's that grade and has run a massive race. Frankie loved the horse and was a bit critical of himself, as he thought he could have held on to him longer but I think he gave him a great ride. Had we known that the ground was going to deteriorate, we might have stayed at five in the King's Stand.”

Hello Youmzain is one of three black-type winners out of the unraced Spasha (GB) (Shamardal), who is proving a revelation for Jaber Abdullah, owner of the luminary Youmzain (Ire) after whom this colt is named. His half-brother Royal Youmzain (Fr) by that group 1 winner and triple Arc runner-up was successful in three pattern races headed by the G2 Gran Criterium winner and was also placed in the G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden. Spasha is a half-sister to the Listed Hampton Court S. winner and G2 Hardwicke S. third Persian Majesty (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and is a granddaughter of the G3 Lancashire Oaks heroine Sandy Island (GB) (Mill Reef).

Sandy Island, a three-parts-sister to the runaway G1 Epsom Derby hero Slip Anchor (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), was responsible for the G2 Hardwicke S. scorer Sandmason (GB) (Grand Lodge) and the stakes-producing Listed Pretty Polly S. winner and G3 Musidora S. runner-up Sardegna (GB) (Pharly {Fr}). Spasha's as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt is by Dragon Pulse (Ire), while she also has a yearling filly by Dabirsim (Fr).

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
DIAMOND JUBILEE S.-G1, £250,000, Royal Ascot, 6-20, 4yo/up, 6fT, 1:13.42, gd.
1–HELLO YOUMZAIN (FR), 129, c, 4, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Spasha (GB), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Spa (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Sandy Island, by Mill Reef
O-Haras d'Etreham & Cambridge Stud; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (FR); T-Kevin Ryan; J-Kevin Stott. £148,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 9-5-1-1, $663,012. *1/2 to Royal Youmzain (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}), Hwt. 2yo Colt-Ity, Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f, MGSW & MG1SP-Ger, GSW-Ity, $444,033; and Zuhoor Baynoona (Ire) (Elnadim), SW-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dream of Dreams (Ire), 129, g, 6, Dream Ahead–Vasilia (GB), by Dansili (GB). (37,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; £44,000 RNA Ylg '15 DNPRM). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Prostock Ltd (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £55,975.
3–Sceptical (GB), 129, g, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Jealous Again, by Trippi. (£2,800 3yo '19 GOFAUG). O-James McAuley; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Denis Hogan. £27,975.
Margins: HD, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.00, 8.00, 2.00.
Also Ran: Khaadem (Ire), Speak In Colours (GB), One Master (GB), The Tin Man (GB), Sands of Mali (Fr), Breathtaking Look (GB), Shine So Bright (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.