By Tom Frary
Springing a surprise in Saturday's Listed Newmarket S., Prince Faisal's homebred Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) was out on his own at the finish as he registered a four-length success under David Egan. Second in the Feb. 29 Saudi Derby at Riyadh, the 10-1 shot raced near the early pace before stretching on with two furlongs remaining. Staying on strongly up the hill, the G3 Hampton Court S.-bound bay had Volkan Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) adrift in second, with the 8-11 favourite Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) a neck away in third.
Stamping himself as a colt of quality when winning his third juvenile start by 10 lengths over an extended mile on heavy ground at Nottingham in November, Mishriff had run second to Full Flat (Speightstown) in the Saudi Derby but went to post in the shadow of his much-vaunted stablemate and TDN Rising Star Waldkonig. Jockey David Egan said, “He's a privilege to ride–you can spot him a mile off with such a low head carriage. We went a nice gallop and he was in a lovely rhythm, so I just had to leave him alone really. He quickened and sustained his run all the way to the line. It was a true test at ten furlongs and the heavy rain just took the sting out of the ground. The softer the better for him.”
John Gosden has some sorting out to do regarding his middle-distance 3-year-olds now. “It is rather what I expected really. Mishriff had a run in Saudi Arabia and was a fitter horse,” he commented. “He enjoyed the ground and the trip, the track is perfect and he has been training well at home. We will have a look at the [June 17 G3] Hampton Court at Ascot with him if he is in good order after the race.”
Of Waldkonig, who was notably green throughout, he added, “He is green and is learning about the game. He has never been raced on turf in his life. He got a little bit muddled running down into the dip and got unbalanced and needed the race up the hill. He has run absolutely fine and has run as I thought he probably would. The race will bring him on a great deal. I wouldn't think he will want to go further than a mile and a quarter. He will come on mentally and physically for the race–the other guy was more the finished article.”
Mishriff hails from his sire's first crop and becomes the fourth black-type winner for the owner-breeder's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix de la Foret winner. Currently the last known foal out of Contradict, he is a half-brother to the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick winner Orbaan and last year's G3 Craven S. and G3 Supreme S. runner-up Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}). The second dam Acts of Grace (Bahri), who captured the G3 Princess Royal S., is one of four black-type winners out of the renowned G1 Prix de Diane heroine Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}) alongside the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup-winning sire sensation Invincible Spirit (Ire). Another is the Listed Empress S. winner Massarra (GB) (Danehill) whose five black-type scorers are headed by the G1 Gran Criterium heroine Nayarra (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and the G2 Superlative S.-winning sire Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
BETFAIR EXCHANGE FREE BET STREAK NEWMARKET S.-Listed, £25,500, Newmarket, 6-6, 3yo, c/g, 10fT, 2:00.85, g/f.
1–MISHRIFF (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Make Believe (GB)
1st Dam: Contradict (GB), by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: Acts of Grace, by Bahri
3rd Dam: Rafha (GB), by Kris (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Nawara Stud Company Ltd (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-David Egan. £14,461. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $184,758. *1/2 to Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SW-Fr.
2–Volkan Star (Ire), 126, g, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Chicago Dancer (Ire), by Azamour (Ire). (€330,000 Wlg '17 GOFNOV; 1,000,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Forenaghts Stud & S Mencoff (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £5,483.
3–Waldkonig (GB), 126, c, 3, Kingman%20(GB)#tot">Kingman (GB)–Waldlerche (GB), by Monsun (Ger). (600,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Gestut Ammerland & Newsells Park Stud; B-Newsells Park & Ammerland GmbH & Co KG (GB); T-John Gosden. £2,744.
Margins: 4, NK, 4 1/4. Odds: 10.00, 6.00, 0.73.
Also Ran: Cherokee Trail, Al Aasy (Ire), Punctuation (GB), Luncies (GB), Formality (GB), The First King (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result.
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