By Sean Cronin
Peter Brant and Coolmore's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never–Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) led home the stands' side group when fourth in last month's G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and found plenty in the closing stages to secure an ultimately impressive tally in Thursday's G2 Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket.
Breaking on the lead and remaining there throughout, the 11-10 favourite came under pressure when threatened on both sides passing the quarter-mile marker and kept on powerfully, despite drifting left on the climb, to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths from Billboard Star (GB) (Advertise {GB}) for a career high.
“He is obviously still a bit raw and is still learning, but it was a good performance,” said Ryan Moore. “He has given away a bit of ground in the last furlong and gone a long way ahead. He is a fast horse and I think there is a bit more in there which gives us hope for the rest of the year.”
Paul Smith added, “He did it well and we are very happy with him. Ryan was super happy with him during the race and I think he did it well. He appreciated the step up to six furlongs with the cut in the ground and it worked well. He has always found his work very easy at home and has ticked most of the boxes, so we were very hopeful. He ran a good race when fourth at Royal Ascot and probably learnt a lot, which he showed on the track today. We will probably look at something like the [G1] Prix Morny or [G1] Phoenix Stakes for him now.”
Pedigree Notes
Whistlejacket, who made a black-type breakthrough in May's Listed First Flier Stakes, is the latest of nine foals and one of six scorers produced by Listed Prix de Liancourt victrix and G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up Adventure Seeker (Fr) (Bering {GB}), herself a half-sister to G3 Princess Margaret Stakes third Along Again (Ire) (Elusive City). The April-foaled chestnut is a full-brother to G1 Phoenix Stakes-winning sire Little Big Bear (Ire) and a half to G3 Hobart Cup runner-up Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway). Whistlejacket's third dam is storied champion All Along (Fr) (Targowice).
The market KNEW! 👀
Whistlejacket justifies strong confidence in the betting by running riot in the Group 2 @BahrainTurfClub July Stakes 🟢🟢
25/1 for the 2,000 Guineas, anyone?@Ballydoyle | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/AOHzbw3HZt
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 11, 2024
Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN JULY S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-11, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:12.17, g/s.
1–WHISTLEJACKET (IRE), 128, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Adventure Seeker (Fr) (SW & GSP-Fr, $155,312), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: American Adventure, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: All Along (Fr), by Targowice
1ST GROUP WIN. (500,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-P Brant, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-Camas Park, Lynch Bages & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £56,710. Lifetime Record: SW-Ire, 4-2-1-0, $112,304. *Full to Little Big Bear (Ire), G1SW-Ire, GSW & G1SP-Eng, $549,583; and 1/2 to Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway), GSP-Aus, $352,585. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Billboard Star (GB), 128, g, 2, Advertise (GB)–Lightsome (GB), by Makfi (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (62,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE; 38,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-The Woodway 20; B-Theakston Stud (GB); T-Eve Johnson Houghton. £21,500.
3–Aomori City (Fr), 128, c, 2, Oasis Dream (GB)–Setsuko (Fr), by Shamardal. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€260,000 Ylg '23 ARAUG). O-Godolphin; B-Haras de Saint Pair & Ecurie Peregrine (FR); T-Charlie Appleby. £10,760.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.10, 6.50, 7.00.
Also Ran: Rajeko (Ire), Electrolyte (Ire), Ain't Nobody (Ire).
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