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Munich under Tornado Alert
Munich under Tornado Alert

New Paper

timea day ago

  • Sport
  • New Paper

Munich under Tornado Alert

Godolphin kept stoking up the flames fanning their dominant worldwide form with another Group 1 win, courtesy of Tornado Alert ($34) in the €155,000 (S$233,000) Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (2,000m) at Munich on July 27. The Blue Army - already successful with the likes of Rebel's Romance, Sovereignty, Ruling Court, Trawlerman, Ombudsman, in England and US in 2025 - was at the same time collecting their fifth win in the German time-honoured race popularly known as Grosser Dallmayr-Preis. Their veteran trainer Saeed bin Suroor is also no stranger to that German silverware, having won the 2001 edition with Kutub - winner of the Singapore Gold Cup the same year - and Benbatl in 2018. Interestingly, bin Suroor combined with Oisin Murphy on Benbatl, and repeated the feat with the four-time British champion jockey at his third hurrah. Murphy even began his post-victory interview in German saying "Ich liebe Deutschland" (I love Germany in German), stunning presenter Thorsten Castle, before continuing in English. "We were uncertain about the ground, but he's by Too Darn Hot, out of a Kingmambo mare," said Murphy. "He ran very well (sixth) in the Epsom Derby, he was second (Group 3 Hampton Court) at Royal Ascot, and today he came to Munich and he was brilliant." The light-hearted linguistic moment and momentous win were welcome distractions for Murphy, 29, from his recent drink-drive woes. Convicted of two similar breaches in 2022, he was this time found guilty of driving a car while over the legal alcohol limit last April. Murphy's car left the road and crashed into a tree in Berkshire, injuring a female passenger. While the Irish jockey was fined €70,000 and his driving licence was suspended for 20 months, his jockey's licence was spared by the British Horseracing Authority, albeit attached with new conditions, such as enhanced testing. manyan@

Godolphin's late say with Notable Speech
Godolphin's late say with Notable Speech

New Paper

time09-07-2025

  • Sport
  • New Paper

Godolphin's late say with Notable Speech

The late emergence of a new favourite only five days shy of the running of the £600,000 (S$1.04 million) Group 1 July Cup Stakes (1,200m) on July 12 is not all that uncommon. But when that top pick is only an eleventh hour addition, even coming across in some quarters as an afterthought, it is seen as a rarer betting drift phenomenon. The less surprising element is the identity of the payer of the £36,000 supplementary fee. Only the giants of the racing game like Godolphin, Coolmore or Shadwell have enough depth under their barn roofs to pull off such a stunt, and in this case it is Godolphin, who supplemented not one but two Blue Army horses for the Newmarket sprint classic. Charlie Appleby's Notable Speech is the new first-elect at 7-2, and was joined by John & Thady Gosden's Spy Chief, a 20-1 outsider. However, the real story is not so much the cat among the pigeons, but the stark message it has left about this year's renewal of the July Cup not being a vintage crop. Notable Speech may be a decorated dual-Group 1 winner of the 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes last season, but none of his 10 starts has been over less than the winning distance of 1,600m. For a noted miler and six-furlong absolute beginner to unseat first favourite Flora Of Bermuda, a two-time winner (1,000m and 1,200m) and recent third to Lazzat in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) at Royal Ascot for Wathnan Racing, it does speak volumes about the quality of the original July Cup 14-horse field. If that was not enough of a head-scratcher, Godolphin's only one runner before his two comrades joined the fray, Symbol Of Honour (now 6-1), was the second favourite - hardly a ringing endorsement of his chances by his own squad. History is also against Notable Speech. Tetratema was the last horse in 104 years to boast both the 2000 Guineas (1920) and July Cup (1921) on his honour roll. The intrigue about Notable Speech's short odds deepens further when his recent form is factored in. After a creditable third as the beaten favourite in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile (1,600m) at Del Mar in November, he was spelled, but his two runs since have been lacklustre - fourth in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, both Group 1 mile events. Bloodlines are also a mismatch. Notable Speech is by Dubawi, a remarkable stallion, but more in the speed department. Pedigree statistics reveal that his progeny have only a 15 per cent strike rate in 1,200m or less events, but around 20 per cent for any distance upwards of 1,400m up to 2,600m. Clearly, the Godolphin think tank is not just rolling the dice for fun. It is not unprecedented to see a miler dropping back to sprints and win, even at the highest level. Probably, the biggest incentive to plot a path less travelled for Notable Speech is the apparent lack of depth to this year's July Cup, even if some of them are no pushover. For a start, Flora Of Bermuda was not on top of the market (now 5-1) by sheer fluke. The daughter of Dark Angel has fared well in Group 1s at Deauville, Haydock and Ascot, with her latest third to Lazzat and Satono Reve in the QEII Jubilee a real screamer. On the other hand, last year's July Cup beaten favourite (fifth to Mill Stream) Inisherin (7-1) ran a disappointing seventh in that QEII Jubilee, but the Kevin Ryan-trained Shamardal colt scored a first-up win in the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes (1,200m) after a wind op. It would also be to every punter's peril to overlook an Aidan O'Brien runner, even if Whistlejacket is not exactly one of Ballydoyle's heavyweights. At 6-1, the No Nay Never colt, who won the Group 2 July Stakes (1,200m) at this meeting 12 months ago is value for money. Regardless, whether there is method in the madness of Godolphin's gamble, the answer will only be known on Saturday a minute or so after 11.35pm Singapore time. manyan@

'Nothing would tempt me to sell him'
'Nothing would tempt me to sell him'

BBC News

time06-06-2025

  • Sport
  • BBC News

'Nothing would tempt me to sell him'

We asked for your views on Jarrad Branthwaite and his future at Everton, after one supporter described him as "priceless" to the club and a "generational talent".Here are some of your comments:George: Give him a long-term contract that rewards him now and gives him progressive incentives to stay. Monetary and status (club captain?). Make him want to stay. The grass is not always greener elsewhere!Dave: Yes, I completely agree that he must stay at Everton. He is beyond doubt an excellent centre-half and will only keep on improving as years progress. Give him all the encouragement he needs to stay at a club that is on the Branthwaite is the best young centre-back in the world! Tall, strong, quick, good passing ability, everything you need. Just needs to improve his leadership, but that will come with age. Nothing would tempt me to sell him, as you cannot replace him. If the club were to sell, the figure at least has to be £100m starting point. He would be a steal at £150m!David: I hope Jarrad can give us one more season. Then take stock and see if we are progressing. If an offer he or we can't refuse, then fine. Part ways on good terms. But if we overachieve and we are in Europe, then just maybe he will Branthwaite is a really talented defender, but as a Blue, he's not irreplaceable. Remember John Stones? Another generational talent lost less than a generation ago for a quite tidy sum of money. I hope we keep him, but if we don't, it's not the end of the world. We need equally talented players higher up the pitch more, and could plug in Keane in defence and still do OK. Mike: I would like Branthwaite to spend his career with us, but that's not going to happen. He's better than Stones, and he went for £50m years ago. Chelsea paid £75m for Fofana, that's a starting bid. Branthwaite has not been trying to force a move. He seems to be a decent lad. He has a couple of years left on his contract. Hopefully someone will offer stupid money, which would help further stabilise to club.

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