First British winner for Karakontie

Kenzai Warrior showed his battling qualities when he scored at odds of 16-1 on his debut at Salisbury on Thursday and in the process became the first British winner for his sire Karakontie.

The Gainesway Stud resident, a three-time winner at the highest level, has only had a handful of runners from his first crop of juveniles, including the Tyro Stakes winner Karak.

Trained by Roger Teal, Kenzai Warrior was sourced by the trainer and Howson & Houldsworth for £45,000 at this year’s Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale. Kenzai Warrior was bred by John Gunther, breeder of US Triple Crown hero Justify and St James’s Palace Stakes victor Without Parole, out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Sakhee.

Cheveley strike with homebred in Salisbury Group 3

Salisbury’s feature race on Thursday, the Group 3 Shadwell Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes (6f), went the way of the Richard Hannon-trained Dark Lady.

Irish raider Millisle looked the winner a furlong from home but it was Dark Lady who found extra in the run to the line to score by a short-head from Millisle, with Summer Romance a further four and a lengths behind in third.

Owned and bred by Cheveley Park Stud, Dark Lady is by Dark Angel and out of the winning Oasis Dream mare Ladyship. Ladyship herself is out of dual Group 1 winner Peeress.

Goffs announces 2020 sales dates

Sales dates for the Goffs auctions in Kildare and Doncaster next year have been published.

The dates are as follows:

Goffs, Kildare

  • February Sale, February 4-6
  • Land Rover Sale, June 9-10
  • Orby Yearling Sale, September 29-30
  • Sportsman’s Yearling Sale, October 1-2
  • Autumn Yearling and Horses in Training Sale, October 19-21
  • November Sale, November 15-22
  • December National Hunt Sale, December 9-10

Goffs UK, Doncaster

  • January Sale, January 21-22
  • Breeze-Up Sale, April 22-23
  • Spring Sale, May 18-21
  • August Sale, August 5
  • Premier Yearling Sale, August 25-26
  • Silver Yearling Sale, August 27
  • September Yearling and Horses in Training Sale, September 15-16
  • Autumn Horses in Training Sale, October 22
  • December Horses in Training Sale, December 4

Boutique sales

  • Aintree Sale, April 2
  • Punchestown Sale, April 30
  • London Sale, June 15
  • Goodwood Sale, July 29
  • Yorton Sale, September 10
  • Champions Sale, September 12

Today’s racing

 Haydock’s Flat card features six races and opens with the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (7f), which features the debut of The Queen’s homebred Dusty Dream.

Trained by William Haggas, Dusty Dream is a Dubawi half-sister to Grade 2 winner Call To Mind, Acomb Stakes scorer Recorder and Swedish Group 3 victor Learn By Heart.

There’s also Flat action at Ascot and Newcastle (aw) plus evening meetings from Musselburgh, Kempton and Kilbeggan in Ireland.

Auteuil in France stages the Listed Prix Melanos (3m2f) and there is British interest in the ten-runner field, as Jane Williams sends Fox Pro to the venue to seek a third win on the bounce.