Frankie Dettori rode his 60th Royal Ascot winner in a superb Gold Cup in which his mount Stradivarius outfought French raider Vazirabad, long-time leader Torcedor and joint-favourite Order Of St George in an epic finish that had Ladies’ Day spectators in raptures.
The John Gosden-trained Stradivarius, just four and the young pretender of the staying division, travelled through the race beautifully for Dettori and entered the straight moving sweetly, with just Torcedor and Order Of St George, who won this in 2016 and finished second to Big Orange last year, ahead of him.
The 7-4 joint-favourite was asked to go and win the race inside the final two furlongs, a task he accepted with enthusiasm and to approving roars from the grandstand, but as he battled by the front pair along came the grey Vazirabad with a powerful run.
The rivals came close enough to lock eyes for several tense yards, but it was the French gelding who blinked first and Stradivarius raced on to a three-quarter-length victory, going away at the line, in a race that fully lived up to its billing.
Dettori, who missed the winning ride on Big Orange last year because of an arm injury, said: “Ryan [Moore, on Order Of St George] was in trouble four out but I thought that could be deceiving because if I attack him now he might battle me out of it, so I waited until the straight, and I waited past the two, and then I thought ‘now I can get him’.
“As I got rid of him I saw the grey head and I thought ‘oh, shit’. He managed to get within a neck but he couldn’t get past me. I knew my horse was brave and that was it – I knew I’d won the Gold Cup.
“It was thrilling to win a Gold Cup in that manner. That’s what the public wanted to see and that’s what they got. Sometimes it looks like a great match on paper but this was a nailbiter to the end.
“It was brilliant. The crowd got behind it. It was mental really, I was loving it. To have the three best horses in the last furlong battling it out, you can’t beat it. Full credit to the horse, he was as brave as a lion, and to John – his first Gold Cup.”
It was indeed Gosden’s first Gold Cup, but for Frankie it was a sixth, to go with his 60th Royal Ascot winner. But as he clarified: “It is my sixth and my 60th – but I’m only 47, don’t mix it up!”
Gosden has had mixed fortunes this week, celebrating an opening- day treble before hot favourite Cracksman flopped in the Prince of Wales’s, but this more than got his Royal Ascot back on track.
“It’s lovely to win the Gold Cup,” he said. “He’s travelled round, fought off a very good horse and then suddenly who comes looming but Soumillon on the Aga Khan’s and I thought ‘uh oh, we’re going to get clubbed by the French late on’. But luckily he stuck his neck out and went on. He showed a lot of grit and determination. It was a stunningly good race.
“He’s a dear horse, he’s not very big, he’s got this lovely little white legs and face, he looks like a mini Trigger. He’s a gorgeous little horse – I could see Wyatt Earp riding into town on him.”
Stradivarius was found to be lame after a routine post-race examination having lost his right-hind shoe.
Next up for the winner will be the Qatar Goodwood Cup and one step closer to a potential £1 million bonus awarded to any horse who can win four of the season’s top staying races.
Stradivarius began by winning the Yorkshire Cup, has now added the Gold Cup and will claim the bonus if he wins at Goodwood and then follows up in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York’s Ebor meeting.
Beyond that, however, options are open, with Gosden confirming both the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and Melbourne Cup would be considered.
Owner Nielsen cool on bonus bid but admits Goodwood Cup defence will be next
If you had just won the Gold Cup, as Bjorn Nielsen did on Thursday, you might be minded to enjoy the moment. But if that race was the second in a four-race series carrying a £1 million bonus, eventually the question is going to pop up.
“No. Not the bonus,” was Nielsen’s emphatic answer as to where Stradivarius goes next. Except it is not that simple.
Stradavarius ran in and won the Yorkshire Cup, one of four options for the first leg of the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million, had just taken care of what Nielsen described as the toughest part, and will now go for the Goodwood Cup – otherwise known as leg three.
Should he win there, as he did last year, then Nielsen will of course consider the Lonsdale Cup, but for now the bonus is very much being considered just that – a bonus.
“His next race will be to defend the Goodwood Cup, which is part of the bonus. People ask if we’re focused on the bonus and I say ‘no, not at all’.
“It’s hard enough just to get them to the next race,” explained the South African-born, Epsom-raised, American-based owner-breeder, who spends June in Europe to attend his twin passions, with a week at Royal Ascot sandwiched between the French Open and Wimbledon.
Nielsen then proceeded to both raise hope that Stradivarius could land the initiative in its first year and pour cold water on the matter.
“If he wins that then everyone’s going to say ‘oh my god you could win the bonus’, but before we started here I didn’t ever think about winning the bonus – it’s impossible to do.
“I think this was the toughest race as we didn’t know if he’d stay. We know he acts at Goodwood, he won that easily last year over Big Orange, and I’d be hopeful he’d run well there.
“But he’s got to go back home, he’s got to stay sound and he’s got to turn up on the day – it’s hard just to do that. And that’s just the next step.”
Charles Hamilton of Weatherbys said: “It’s definitely on now, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. The whole reason for introducing it was to draw attention to the stayers and it’s just our luck to have come across a top-class stayer this year in the shape of Stradivarius.”
fonte : RacingPost
Sea the Stars’ Stradivarius Has the Answers In the Gold Cup
| 4th at RAS, Gr. Stk, £500,000 | G1 Gold Cup | (19f 210y) | Winner: Stradivarius (Ire), c, 4 by Sea the Stars (Ire) |
Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
The 2018 G1 Ascot Gold Cup was talked of as a match between Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), but the 2016 winner and 2017 runner-up could only manage fourth while Bjorn Neilsen’s 4-year-old excelled in a fight with Vazirabad (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}). Successful in the G2 Queen’s Vase at this meeting 12 months ago, the chestnut who was the 7-4 joint-favourite alongside the Ballydoyle stalwart was kept back in fourth early by Frankie Dettori. Angled out to grab the lead with a furlong remaining, he had Vazirabad to deal with from there but saw out the two and a half miles thoroughly to score by 3/4 of a length, with a head back to Torcedor (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in third. “It went perfectly,” Dettori commented as he savoured a sixth Gold Cup success. “I come alive here–I love it! The Gold Cup is the showcase of the week and to do it for the John Gosden team is amazing–they are all my friends.”
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
GOLD CUP-G1, £500,000, Ascot, 6-21, 4yo/up, 19f 210yT, 4:21.08, g/f.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 127, c, 4, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg ’15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £283,550. Lifetime Record: 11-6-1-2, $1,191,172. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Ger, $121,198; Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-Eng, $167,081; and Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}), SP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vazirabad (Fr), 128, g, 6, Manduro (Ger)–Visorama (Ire), by Linamix (Fr). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan’s Studs SC (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre. £107,500.
3–Torcedor (Ire), 128, g, 6, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Magnolia Lane (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. (€70,000 Ylg ’13 ARAUG). O-Te Akau Torcedor (Mngr: David Ellis); B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. £53,800.
Margins: 3/4, HD, 3. Odds: 1.75, 4.50, 14.00.
Also Ran: Order of St George (Ire), Scotland (Ger), Sheikhzayedroad (GB), Max Dynamite (Fr), Mount Moriah (GB), Desert Skyline (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Another For Ballydoyle as Galileo’s Magic Wand Takes the Ribblesdale
| 3rd at RAS, Gr. Stk, £200,000 | G2 Ribblesdale S. | (11f 211y) | Winner: Magic Wand (Ire), f, 3 by Galileo (Ire) |
Magic Wand | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
Successful from Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the May 9 Listed Cheshire Oaks, Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had trailed that stablemate by 11 lengths when fourth in the June 1 G1 Epsom Oaks but back on this summer ground was clear best in her absence in the G2 Ribblesdale S. Always happy in second, the 10-3 shot was sent to the lead at the top of the straight and powered to a four-length-success from the 9-4 favourite Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Sun Maiden (GB) (Frankel {GB}) 1 1/2 lengths back in third. “We did feel the [rain-softened] ground was a factor at Epsom and we were hoping she would be back to the filly she was at Chester on good ground here,” Aidan O’Brien commented. “Forever Together might go to the [G1] Pretty Polly [S. at The Curragh July 1] and this filly could maybe go to the [G1] Irish Oaks [at The Curragh July 21] and then maybe York.”
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
RIBBLESDALE S.-G2, £200,000, Ascot, 6-21, 3yo, f, 11f 211yT, 2:28.52, g/f.
1–MAGIC WAND (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Prudenzia (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Platonic (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Puce (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. (€1,400,000 Ylg ’16 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Markus Jooste; B-Ecurie des Monceaux & Skymarc Farm Inc (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-1, $244,449. *1/2 to Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 11-14f, G1SW-Ire, G1SP-Eng & Fr, $859,094. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wild Illusion (GB), 129, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Rumh (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £43,000.
3–Sun Maiden (GB), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Midsummer (GB), by Kingmambo. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £21,520.
Margins: 4, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 3.30, 2.25, 3.00.
Also Ran: Athena (Ire), Perfect Clarity (GB), Highgarden (GB), Lady of Shalott (GB), Sarrocchi (Ire), Dancing Brave Bear, Sizzling (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Camelot’s Hunting Horn Takes the Hampton Court
| 2nd at RAS, Gr. Stk, £90,000 | G3 Hampton Court S. | (9f 212y) | Winner: Hunting Horn (Ire), c, 3 by Camelot (GB) |
Hunting Horn | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
Performing with credit when sixth from a wide draw last time in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was on song on Wednesday in the Susan Magnier silks as he won the G3 Hampton Court S. with authority to provide Ryan Moore with a 50th Royal Ascot winner. Racing in sixth without cover early, the 5-1 second favourite was sent past Crossed Baton (GB) (Dansili {GB}) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and despite lugging down towards the rail stayed on strongly to score by 4 1/2 lengths from that rival, with a half length back to Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) in third. “We were delighted with his last run and he can travel and quicken well like his sire,” Aidan O’Brien commented on his 63rd Royal winner. “We thought a mile and a quarter would suit well and Ryan gave him a lovely ride. You could look the [July 7 G1] Eclipse [at Sandown] or step back up to a mile and a half and go to France [for the July 14 G1 Grand Prix de Paris] or have a little rest. He has a lot of options, but he’s been busy for the last few weeks and might have a break.”
Having beaten the useful Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in a 10-furlong maiden at Naas Apr. 13, Hunting Horn was an eye-catching closer when third in the G3 Sandown Classic Trial at that trip a fortnight later before running into the same spot in the May 9 G3 Chester Vase trying a mile and a half. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan in the Jockey Club, he was wide the whole way but stuck to his guns to finish best of the stable’s quartet and less than three lengths off Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). That experience stood him in fine stead here as it was a similar story, with his double-figure stall meaning that he had no cover throughout but his rider was always confident and when he sent him in the straight he was ultimately impressive.
Moore was already looking for winner number 51 afterwards, which came up quickly thanks to Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and typically was not ready to publicly congratulate himself for his achievement. He said of the winner, “Hunting Horn has progressed with every start this year. The race today went nice and smoothly for him. He got there and had a little look around. It wasn’t until I got after him in the last furlong that he started stretching. He is a progressive horse and that was obviously a big jump up on what he has done before. He is getting better and hopefully will carry on that way.” John Gosden said of Crossed Baton, “Rab [Havlin] gave Crossed Baton a great ride from the outside and they had every chance. I thought the winner was just too good. We would have been beaten with any draw as the winner was impressive and I’m just thrilled to be second. He is a horse who likes to use his stride and he is a lovely horse–that was a solid race.”
Hunting Horn is now the second pattern-race winner for the unraced Mora Bai (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) alongside former Ballydoyle representative David Livingston (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Successful in the G2 Beresford S. and G3 Rose of Lancaster S., he was also runner-up in the G1 National S. as a juvenile. The second dam Kasora (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) produced the six-times group 1-winning champion and leading sire High Chaparral (Ire) who lays claim to being the best Aidan O’Brien has trained after his English and Irish Derby and dual Breeders’ Cup Turf victories. His full-brother Black Bear Island (Ire) took the G2 Dante S. and was second in the GI Secretariat S., while his full-sister Chenchikova (Ire) is the dam of the listed-winning pair of full-siblings by Fastnet Rock (Aus), Smuggler’s Cove (Ire) and Casterton (Ire), with the former finishing third in the G1 Dewhurst S. for this stable. The third dam Kozana (GB) (Kris {GB}) captured the G2 Prix de Malleret and the G3 Prix de Sandringham and was third in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Mora Bai also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old full-brother to Hunting Horn.
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
HAMPTON COURT S.-G3, £90,000, Ascot, 6-21, 3yo, 9f 212yT, 2:03.02, g/f.
1–HUNTING HORN (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Mora Bai (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
2nd Dam: Kasora (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Kozana (GB), by Kris (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 7-2-1-2, $109,280. *1/2 to David Livingston (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng, $213,983. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Crossed Baton (GB), 126, c, 3, Dansili (GB)–Sacred Shield (GB), by Beat Hollow (GB). O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden. £19,350.
3–Zaaki (GB), 126, c, 3, Leroidesanimaux (Brz)–Kesara (GB), by Sadler’s Wells. (40,000gns Ylg ’16 TAOCT). O-Ahmad Alotaibi; B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £9,684.
Margins: 4HF, HF, 1. Odds: 5.00, 16.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Vintager (GB), Global Giant (GB), Key Victory (Ire), Masaarr, Nordic Lights (GB), Wadilsafa (GB), Stephensons Rocket (Ire), Mini P (Ire), Silver Quartz (GB), Fajjaj (Ire), National Army (GB), Main Street (GB), Shakour (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Shanghai Bobby’s Shang Shang Shang Holds On In the Norfolk
| 1st at RAS, Gr. Stk, £100,000 | G2 Norfolk S. | (5f) | Winner: Shang Shang Shang, c, 2 by Shanghai Bobby |
Wesley Ward leads in Shang Shang Shang | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
It was inconceivable that Wesley Ward would go home with a blank at Royal Ascot and Breeze Easy’s Apr. 26 Keeneland maiden special weight winner Shang Shang Shang (Shanghai Bobby) duly stepped up to provide the customary victory in the G2 Norfolk S. Quickest away under Joel Rosario in contrast to the barn’s G2 Queen Mary S. favourite Chelsea Cloisters (First Samurai), the 5-1 shot kept finding as Pocket Dynamo (Dialed In) fought hard and at the line it was just a nose that separated them, with Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never) a half length back in third. Despite celebrating a 10th Royal winner, Ward was quick to send the attention elsewhere. “I want to say something about the jockey–he’s fabulous and put his time and effort in every day for me over the winter and that’s why he’s here,” he said. “This is the best–there’s nothing like it. I went to bed early last night, as I wanted to get rid of the bad luck and look forward to the rest of the meeting and it was a beautiful ride from Joel. He had ice water in his veins.”
Sold at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale before going back for OBS March, Shang Shang Shang who had won over an extended four furlongs on dirt at Keeneland represents Michael Hall and Samuel Ross’s Breeze Easy LLC in Florida. This is their biggest moment after the Jim McKay Turf Sprint S. success of Imprimis (Broken Vow). Ward added, “To do this with a filly is quite unbelievable. I come here every year, but we were kinda scratching our heads for a few days and felt like we were back at the beginning and wondering if we were in the wrong place or not. I felt this filly was better than Chelsea Cloisters on firm ground, but not on soft ground. Unfortunately Chelsea Cloisters just didn’t get a breather like this filly did.” Rosario, who was winning here for the second time having steered No Nay Never in the 2013 G2 Norfolk S., commented, “She broke well and was very calm in the beginning. I had to use a bit of her pace to get to the front and to help her get into her stride. She was very brave. It means a lot to me to have another winner at Royal Ascot. There are amazing people who come here and it is a dream come true to win–I’m really happy and blessed to be here.” The stakes-winning dam Yankee Victoria (Yankee Victor) is a stakes-placed granddaughter of the Duchess S. and Detroit Miss H. scorer Elderberry Drive (Strawberry Road {Aus}), whose sire son Fistfite (Two Punch) took the GIII Cowdin S. Her 2017 filly by Take Charge Indy was bought for just $28,000 by First Finds at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale, while she also has a filly foal by Paynter.
There was an American feel to the result, with the runner-up Pocket Dynamo by Dialed In and from the family of the GSW Blue Tone (Birdstone). His trainer Robert Cowell said, “I thought he was over-priced going into the race, as he’s a tough horse who has been in a battle before at Longchamp so I expected him to run well. They went frenetically fast and he was in front a metre after the line, so I’m very proud of him and he’s an exciting horse for the rest of the season. Probably, [Glorious] Goodwood will be on his agenda. Mickael said he’s done everything beautifully and probably feels like he’s won the race. He said he felt almost a stone better than when he last rode him at Longchamp, so he’s maturing a lot.” Land Force’s trainer Aidan O’Brien said, “He ran really well and we’re pleased. We will probably move him back up to six furlongs now.”
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
NORFOLK S.-G2, £100,000, Ascot, 6-21, 2yo, 5fT, :59.83, g/f.
1–SHANG SHANG SHANG, 124, f, 2, by Shanghai Bobby
1st Dam: Yankee Victoria (SP-US, $193,510), by Yankee Victor
2nd Dam: Buy the Dips, by Meadowlake
3rd Dam: Elderberry Drive, by Strawberry Road (Aus)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. ($110,000 Ylg ’17 OBSWIN; $200,000 2yo ’18 OBSMAR). O-Breeze Easy LLC; B-Kris R Del Giudice (FL); T-Wesley Ward; J-Joel Rosario. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $101,524. Werk Nick Rating: A+.Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pocket Dynamo, 127, c, 2, Dialed In–Little Bit Tiny, by Cuvee. ($20,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $35,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-T W Morley; B-Jocelyn Shutkas (KY); T-Robert Cowell. £21,500.
3–Land Force (Ire), 127, c, 2, No Nay Never–Theann (GB), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). (€350,000 Ylg ’17 GOFOR). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Mrs Evie Stockwell (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. £10,760.
Margins: NO, HF, 1HF. Odds: 5.00, 20.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Rumble Inthejungle (Ire), Konchek (GB), Kinks (GB), Glory Fighter (GB), Charming Kid (GB), Vintage Brut (GB), The Paddocks (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
fonte : TDN
