Kameko

On the back of the eagerly anticipated stallion fee announcements in Europe, Gary King spoke with a number of leading industry figures about value. Today we hear from Joseph Burke. GK: Who have you identified as a first-year stallion at an appealing opening fee? JB: I must admit that whilst I have not inspected any of the first-season sires yet, on paper I expected Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) to be standing for a little more than €20,000. So I booked one of our better mares to him, a Group 3-winning 2-year-old...

Kameko (Kitten's Joy-Sweeter Still {Ire}, by Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who won this year's G1 2000 Guineas in race record time, will stand for £25,000 at Tweenhills Stud next year. In addition to the Guineas, Kameko won the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at two and the G2 Joel S. on Sept. 25 against elders. He was fourth this summer in the G1 Epsom Derby, G1 Sussex S. and G1 Juddmonte International. "It was hugely exciting to have Kameko arrive at Tweenhills last night and after a gruelling 40-hour journey from...

Well, we know that such Europeans as have been able to make the trip--another lockdown began in England on Thursday--won't be in the slightest danger of catching anything on the dirt track. If we can meanwhile break the shackles of the pandemic as well, maybe someone might feel sufficiently liberated finally to have another go next year. But at least the raiders should again be in the thick of things over on the grass. Now that the Breeders' Cup returns to Kentucky, moreover, they will be expecting an especially congenial...

LEXINGTON, KY--Tuesday brought about another bright but cool morning in Lexington, and the European Breeders' Cup contingent-all bar the Ballydoyle brigade, which touched down in Lexington late on Monday evening and will be ensconced in quarantine until Thursday-had another opportunity to stretch their legs at Keeneland. The English and Irish Guineas winners Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and Siskin (First Defence) were among those who took to the training track for the second straight day, with Kameko once again catching the eye in a light gallop just as dawn broke. Siskin once...

LEXINGTON, KY--With temperatures plunging into subzero depths overnight on Sunday, there was a truly wintery feel at Keeneland on Monday morning to coincide with the release from quarantine-a concept that many more of their human custodians can relate to in 2020--of most of the European Breeders' Cup raiders. (Click here for a video of European Breeders' Cup contenders training on Monday) As tractors worked over the main dirt course attempting to thaw it, training was restricted in the early morning hours to Keeneland's training track, and the Jessica Harrington-trained fillies...

Qatar Racing colourbearer Perfect Sign (Ire) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) gave pilot Oisin Murphy his 1,000 winner. The reigning champion jockey and retained rider for Qatar Racing teamed up with the juvenile filly for trainer Michael Dods at Southwell. The 25-year-old Irishman, who was the champion apprentice in the UK in 2014, was appointed number one Jockey for Qatar Racing in 2016. On board Qatar Racing's Kameko (Kitten's Joy) he gained his first Classic success in the 2020 G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: "I ride for great...

This year's G1 2000 Guineas scorer Kameko (Kitten's Joy) will retire to Tweenhills Stud upon conclusion of his 3-year-old campaign this year. In addition to the 2000 Guineas, Kameko won last year's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. He was fourth in three consecutive Group 1s this summer before besting older horses in the G2 Joel S. and is set to run in the Breeders' Cup. Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, chairman of Qatar Racing, said, "My brothers and I are delighted to own another superstar in Kameko, whose record-breaking 2- and 3-year-old campaigns...

Classic winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy) has been ruled out of Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on British Champions Day at Ascot due to the likelihood of soft ground. The Qatar Racing colourbearer will instead head straight to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7. "Given the ground at Ascot is going to be testing, Kameko will go straight to the Breeders' Cup and will not run on Saturday," said David Redvers, racing manager to Qatar Racing. The Kentucky-bred Kameko, who won the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy...

Saddled with a five-pound penalty as a result of his G1 2000 Guineas triumph, Qatar Racing's Kameko (Kitten's Joy) proved himself one of the better winners of that Classic in recent times when overcoming the extra burden to take the G2 Shadwell Joel S. over the same Newmarket mile on Friday. Settled behind the leading duo early by Oisin Murphy, the 85-40 second favourite needed rousing to get to last year's winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) but responded by usurping that rival with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. At the line,...

   Newmarket's Friday fixture is replete with black-type events and it is Oisin Murphy who holds the key to the featured G2 Shadwell Joel S. Having partnered the impressive 2019 winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), he hands that ride to Frankie Dettori this time as he helps prepare Qatar Racing's G1 2000 Guineas winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy) for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. Kameko has by dint of fate and circumstance failed to make the places in three starts after his finest hour when taking that mile Classic on...

Classic winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy), who landed the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in June, will start next in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on British Champions Day, Oct. 17. The Qatar Racing colourbearer saluted in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. on the all-weather as a juvenile and won the Newmarket Classic by a neck on June 6. Since then, he has rolled a trio of fours in the July 4 G1 Investec Derby, July 29 G1 Qatar Sussex S. and the Aug. 19 G1 Juddmonte International S. Trainer...

Now that all the building blocks are laid on solid foundations, Godolphin's imposing presence Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the complete structure as a mature 5-year-old entire capable of enormous efforts. The latest of those was a once barely-conceivable 2 1/4-length defeat of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in Sunday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and he lines up a worthy short-priced favourite for Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International at York. This is a race that suits his age group, with the likes of Halling (Ire), Singspiel (Ire), Falbrav (Ire) and Sulamani (Ire)...