Triple Time landed a 33/1 surprise in the meeting’s curtain-raiser opener, the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) and in doing so emulated his sire Frankel who won the same race in an extraordinary show of power back in 2012. There was no 11-length winning margin this year but Triple Time was always prominent on the far side and gamely held off Inspiral (Frankel) with Light Infantry (Fast Company) 2.5L back in third.
It was a first Group One triumph for Triple Time, a four-year-old Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum homebred in his first attempt at the highest level and on his seasonal reappearance. Now the winner of four of his seven starts, he improved every race at two years having been placed twice in maidens on his first two starts then winning a Haydock Novice by almost ten lengths and then gaining black type on his final 2-y-o start winning the Listed Ascendant Stakes over a mile at Haydock. Kevin Ryan’s colt was then not seen again until almost a year to the day but that was a victory in the Group Three Superior Mile at Haydock. His only other start at three was down the field in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) on Arc Day.
Great British Racing International (GBRI) and Ascot Racecourse have today [Wednesday] released the first in a video series titled An American Dream: The Return to Royal Ascot, which will document the journey that US-based syndicate operator Harlan Malter will take as he tries to turn an ambitious dream of returning to Royal Ascot with a horse sired by his 2018 Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes runner-turned-stallion, Bucchero, into a reality.
In the first feature, Malter reflects on the personal reasons that underpin his lofty ambitions for Bucchero, as well as his experience of watching the horse carry the Ironhorse Racing silks to place 5th at the Royal Meeting in 2018, within five lengths of a trio of champion sprinters in Battash, Blue Point and Mabs Cress.
Malter goes on to explain his plans for purchasing an offspring of Bucchero that can be trained in the UK, as well as one day producing a homebred out of Improvise, a filly purchased from the dispersal of Queen Elizabeth II’s horses at Tattersalls last November who is now racing for Ironhorse Racing in America.
Since this first episode was filmed, Malter has also been successful in securing a two-year-old by Bucchero that he plans to aim at the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at Gulfstream Park on 13th May, the winner of which will earn an automatic entry into one of Royal Ascot’s six two-year-old races in addition to a $25,000 equine travel stipend, thanks to a new initiative between Ascot Racecourse and 1/ST RACING. The colt, purchased for $70,000 at the OBS March Sale, will go into training with by Joe Orseno, who brought Imoprimis to Royal Ascot in 2019.
Speaking about the project on Tuesday, Malter said: “During my last two visits to Royal Ascot, I had chatted with Tom Peacock of the Racing Post about getting a Bucchero baby back to run in the UK and to try to get back to Royal Ascot.
“Our first tangible step was to head over to Tattersalls this winter to try to acquire a quality European mare to eventually breed to Bucchero. After finding that in Improvise, I was thrilled when GBRI reached out to help me and follow along in this dream.
“The next step in the process was to find a ready to race two-year-old Bucchero this year who hopefully we found in the colt we purchased last week.
“The last step will be to head over to Royal Ascot in June and firm up our plans with a UK trainer and together look for a yearling prospect in the fall to send right over to Newmarket to begin preparation for a two-year-old campaign in the UK.
“Isn’t this what it’s all about? Who doesn’t like rooting for an underdog? In a game that is often dominated by a small group at the top, horse racing is one of the few sports that lets anyone take a shot at glory. I’ve yet to put a challenge to Bucchero and him not exceed my expectations, so why not this? Trophies are great, but they end up dusty on the shelf. The process, the challenge and the people we surround ourselves within this sport is why all of us wouldn’t think of living a day without these amazing horses in our lives.”
Minty Farquhar, General Manager of GBRI, comments: “What Harlan is trying to achieve is admirable, and GBRI is perfectly placed to be providing the advice and guidance required to bring his dream to life.
“We very much hope we will be welcoming Harlan along with a group of Ironhorse Racing partners to Royal Ascot in June, and in time as owners of a horse in training in Britain.
“Whatever the outcome at each stage of the journey, we anticipate that the journey in and of itself will provide a fascinating story, and we are looking forward to telling that story in partnership with Ascot Racecourse.”
Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, adds: “Harlan’s enthusiasm for Royal Ascot is matched only by his passion for Bucchero and so this project is an exciting next step.
“We’re delighted he is looking at the new Gulfstream qualifiers and look forward to seeing the progeny of Bucchero at Ascot soon.”
Future instalments in An American Dream: The Return to Royal Ascot will be released on both GBRI’s and Ascot Racecourse’s social media platforms.
The Aga Khan Studs are supporting their roster of stallions with a number of leading names from the broodmare band in 2023.
In France, Siyouni has led the sire standings for six consecutive seasons, and is well established as one of the top stallions in Europe. The Aga Khan Studs will be supporting him with another quality book of 22 mares, highlighted by Zarkava, who also has a Siyouni two-year-old named Zarouk to represent her this year. Her Dubawi daughter Zarka will join her in Siyouni’s book for her first cover, as will the globetrotting Ebaiyra, a multiple Group winner and Group 1 performer.
Another star name on Siyouni’s list is Tarnawa. The triple Group 1 winner is a half-sister to Siyouni filly Tahiyra, a Group 1 winning juvenile last season and exciting 2023 Classic prospect. A Stakes-placed half-sister to Vadeni, Vadsena, also visits Siyouni, along with Group 2 winners and Group 1 runners-up Candarliya and Valia, Group 3 winner Hamariyna, Dariyza – a Stakes-winning half-sister to Dariyan – and fellow Stakes winners Likala, Shahnaza and Simeen.
Gilltown Stud resident Sea The Stars finished last season as the leading sire in Ireland, with four Group 1 winners to his name, and also established his position as an exciting up-and-coming broodmare sire. The Aga Khan Studs will be sending him five mares, including Vaderana, dam of 2022 Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old, Vadeni. She will be joined by Zaykava, a Listed winning daughter of Siyouni and champion Zarkava; Haparanda, another Stakes winner who hails from the family of Sea The Stars’ dual Classic winning son Harzand; Tasalka, a winning half-sister to the dam of Tarnawa and Tahiyra; and new retiree Ebba, a winning half-sister to Ebaiyra from the famous ‘E’ family of Ebaziya.
After a scintillating start at stud with his first two crops to race, Zarak will cover 15 mares belonging to the Aga Khan Studs. They include Group 1 winner Dolniya and her dam Daltama; Group winners Ebiyza (dam of Ebaiyra) and Emiyna; Stakes winners Dariyma, Mila and Sayana (a Galileo half-sister to Siyouni); Candara (dam of three Stakes winners including Candarliya); Baiyka (a half-sister to Zarak’s Group winning daughter Baiykara); and Erdana (a Sea The Stars half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed Erevann).
Completing the line-up is Dariyan, a Group 1 winning son of Shamardal, who will receive some well-bred young mares from the broodmare band, including Kerasia (by Zoustar out of Stakes winning Oasis Dream mare Kerasona), Minna (by Le Havre out of winning Sinndar mare Minya) and Vedaska (by Siyouni out of Stakes winning Dalakhani mare Vedouma, from the celebrated family of Vadeni).