GROUP 1 GLORY FOR OASIS DREAM COLT NAAQOOS
Article taken from the Racing Post
By Lee Mottershead
When a horse is compared to the mighty Nashwan, you will pick up your ears and listen. When the man making the comparison is the jockey who rode the late 1980s superstar, you hang on his every word. In Willie Carson, Naaqoos had one huge admirer even before he ran in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, now he has many, many more.
Carson first fell in love with Naaqoos during a visit to trainer Freddie Head’s yard two weeks ago. ‘I told everyone he would win this,’ said Carson after the Davy Bonilla ridden son of OASIS DREAM had indeed won France’s premier juvenile prize, in which red hot favorite Mastercraftsman finished only fourth, never looking likely to add to Aidan O’Brien’s remarkable record in the race.
Naaqoos stood out in the paddock and on the course, where his enormous stride prompted Carson to describe him as ‘a bit like Nashwan’, who carried him and the same Hamdam Al Maktoum silks to four Group 1 triumphs in 1989.
The first was in the 2,000 Guineas, for which Naaqoos received a quote of just 8-1 from the sponsors Stan James. William Hill went 14-1 and slashed Mastercraftsman’s Dewhurst-bound stablemate Rip Van Winkle to 4-1 favoritism, a move mirrored by Ladbrokes. Despite the rival attraction of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Naaqoos could well head to Britain.
‘We will talk to Sheikh Hamdan, but it could be Newmarket – he is the right horse for it,’ said Head, for whom this was a seventh Group 1 of the season, a total that later became eight in the re-run Abbaye.
‘I think that he’s a great horse, a champion,’ he added. ‘He’s an extraordinary mover, very good in his head and very well balanced. The orders were to wait with him, but he shot out of the stalls and Davy was right and did not fight him.’
Instead of fighting Naaqoos, Bonilla allowed the devouring stride to be used. In front from the start, he had all his rivals in trouble early in the straight and stole an advantage that never looked like being reclaimed. Milanais came closest to reeling him in, but Bonilla’s Usain Bolt like salute to the crowd at the winning post highlighted that the outcome was inevitable from some way out.
Article taken from the EBN
Naaqoos soon pulled his way to the front, holding on gamely when challenged by Milanais through the final 200 metres. A strong bay with a powerful, bounding stride, Naaqoos hails from the second crop of Banstead Manor Stud’s European Champion Sprinter OASIS DREAM, which also includes August’s Gr.3 Solario Stakes victor Sri Putra. The 108 three-year-olds in Oasis Dream’s first crop number five Pattern winners, including Saturday’s Gr.1 Sun Chariot Stakes third Visit.
The son of Green Desert has twenty-two yearlings catalogued in this week’s Tattersalls’ October Sale (Part One). Naaqoos is the fourth foal of Straight Lass, whose second is the Gr.3 Prix La Force scorer Barastraight (Barathea). A daughter of Machiavellian and the Gr.3 Prix de Flore victrix Gay Hellene, Straight Lass is a halfsister to the Listed scorer Nash Terrace (Nashwan) and the dam of Machiavellian’s Gr.3 Bentinck Stakes ace Greek Renaissance and the Gr.3 Prix de Royaumont victrix Side Saddle (Saddlers’ Hall). By Ela-Mana-Mou out of the Gr.1 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Gaily (Sir Gaylord), Gay Hellene is a full-sister to the dam of the Gr.2 King Edward Handicap ace Moon Solitaire (Night Shift) and Ballintry Stud's Gr.3 Gordon Richards Stakes victor Germano (Generous). Moreover, Gaily is the third dam of the Irish National Stud's Pilsudski (Polish Precedent), whose six victories at the top level featured the Breeders' Cup Turf, Eclipse Stakes, Champion Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and Japan Cup.
Straight Lass’ yearling is a full-brother to Naaqoos, while her foal is a colt by Green Desert.
Date:
06 October 2008