Magical Another For Galileo In the Champion
| 5th at ASC, Gr. Stk, £1,358,750 | G1 Qipco Champion S. (British Champions Middle Distance) | (10f) | Winner: Magical (Ire), f, 4 by Galileo (Ire) |
Magical takes the Champion S. | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
Backed as if defeat was unconsidered, the ever-reliable even-money favourite Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) justified the strong market support to add Ascot’s G1 QIPCO Champion S. to her G1 Irish Champion S. victory on Saturday. Showing no ill-effects of her gruelling effort in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 13 days earlier, the bay coasted along in second with Donnacha O’Brien only committing with two furlongs remaining. As expected, she had to wage war as the soft-ground specialist Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) closed in soon after, but she was always the stronger of the pair and held on by 3/4 of a length, with Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) 2 1/4 lengths behind in third. “She’s so genuine, tough and classy,” Aidan O’Brien said as he finally gained a first renewal of this prize. “It is incredible that she ran in the Arc two weeks ago, but she’s an amazing filly and these Galileos don’t know when to give up. Every day they pull out the same and never hold a grudge against anybody. These days are very important for Donnacha, as he won’t be staying at it very long.”
It was at this meeting 12 months ago that Magical rose back to prominence, having looked an above-average juvenile when winning the G2 Debutante S. and finishing runner-up in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. After taking the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S., she encountered Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) for the first time in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs in November and was beaten just 3/4 of a length before returning to win three in succession culminating in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 26. Second to Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at the Royal meeting June 19, she took on Enable again in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown July 6 and was again 3/4 of a length behind before running her to 2 3/4 lengths in the Aug. 22 G1 Yorkshire Oaks.
Lesser horses would have been exhausted by her effort at Leopardstown Sept. 14 and an aggressive ride in the Arc where she enjoyed no peace before fading to fifth, but Magical is made of rare material. This looked straightforward on paper as long as she remained in prime condition after France and so it proved, with only Addeybb seriously threatening, albeit briefly, inside the final furlong. “We would love to keep her in training, but the lads will make a decision,” her trainer added. “They have to decide whether they want to go to the Breeders’ Cup or not and that would be the next one if they decide they want to go. Found was an unbelievable mare and you can definitely compare them well. If she goes to the Breeders’ Cup, she would go to the Filly & Mare Turf.”
William Haggas, trainer of Addeybb, was aware of the magnitude of trying to beat an in-form Magical and said, “Hats off to that filly. She’s better than him. He has run a really good race today. He liked the conditions, it all went perfectly well, just three-quarters of a length not fast enough. I’m very proud of him.” Jockey James Doyle added, “It was a career-best, but she’s tough. I thought I had her for a minute when I joined her, but we got into the red zone and she found reserves. He loves that ground and there is more fun to be had with him.”
Oisin Murphy said of Deirdre, who denied King Power’s outsider Fox Tal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) a place in the frame on the line, “We saved ground all the way and she ran well, but the ground was too slow.” Seiko Hashida Yoshimura, racing manager for owner Toji Morita, added, “We might think of Hong Kong, but I’m not sure. We’ll have to see how she is. As we have seen today, she is so fresh and so brave. We have enjoyed our visit. All our team love Britain and British racing. It is so special–every race. It has been unforgettable–a life-changing experience for everyone in the team. We may extend our journey to next year. Hopefully we can see her here again next year. We never ran against Enable, so we might see her. That would be another dream. Everyone has to be proud of her. It’s amazing. This horse has opened the gate for everyone from Japan.”
It is testament to Magical’s consistency at this level that her pedigree is now familiar territory, but her dam Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) is living up to her name as a broodmare and is arguably further on than her title suggests from Coolmore’s point of view. The G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine has produced three pattern-race winners from her matings exclusively with Galileo including the triple group 1-winning Rhododendron (Ire). Halfway To Heaven is in turn the leading performer for the three-times group-winning Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who was also runner-up in the G1 July Cup.
Magical is reportedly stretched by a mile and a half, which is not a surprise given that Cassandra Go was at her most potent over five furlongs and also produced the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. scorer Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). The latter went on to throw the GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) also by Galileo (Ire) and last year’s G2 Richmond S. winner Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never). Cassandra Go is kin to the G3 Coventry S. scorer and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Verglas (Ire) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and the listed scorer Persian Secret (Fr) (Persan Heights {GB}) whose descendants include last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter (GB) by Galileo’s son Teofilo (Ire). Halfway To Heaven’s twice raced 2-year-old filly Heaven of Heavens (Ire) has yet to place, while she also has a colt foal.
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO CHAMPION S. (BRITISH CHAMPIONS MIDDLE DISTANCE)-G1, £1,358,750, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.42, sf.
1–MAGICAL (IRE), 128, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Halfway to Heaven (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Ire & G1SP-Fr, $941,139), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahaam, by Secreto
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Donnacha O’Brien. £770,547. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, MG1SW-Ire & GISP-US, 21-9-6-0, $4,321,653. *Full to Rhododendron (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US, $1,786,763; and Flying the Flag (Ire), GSW-Ire & GSP-SAf, $195,702. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Addeybb (Ire), 131, g, 5, Pivotal (GB)–Bush Cat, by Kingmambo. (200,000gns Ylg ’15 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-William Haggas. £292,131.
3–Deirdre (Jpn), 128, m, 5, Harbinger (GB)–Reizend (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). (¥21,000,000 Ylg ’15 JRASAL). O-Toji Morita; B-Northern Farm (JPN); T-Mitsuru Hashida. £146,202.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, HD. Odds: 1.00, 5.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Fox Tal (GB), Mehdaayih (GB), Coronet (GB), I Can Fly (GB), Regal Reality (GB), Pondus (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
QEII Glory For Farhh’s King of Change
| 4th at ASC, Gr. Stk, £1,100,000 | G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. (British Champions Mile sponsored By Qipco) | (8f) | Winner: King of Change (GB), c, 3 by Farhh (GB) |
King of Change | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
Considered by many to have enjoyed the rub of the green when runner-up in the G1 2000 Guineas, Ali Abdulla Saeed’s King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}) cocked a snook at his detractors in style in Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot. Seen only once in the interim when enjoying a perfect warm-up when winning the Listed Fortune S., the 12-1 shot was settled in mid-division early by a confident Sean Levey. Coaxed to the front with finesse with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the bay stayed on strongly despite drifting left and had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at the line, with Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) 1 1/2 lengths back in third. “He’s been a tricky horse who has had minor setbacks and the fact that they got him here is a great training performance and a team effort,” his rider said. “I rode Toronado and Sky Lantern at home, but neither of them gave me a feel like him.”
One of the least-exposed runners on the entire card, King of Change had yet to race at this time last year which is no surprise given his physical stature and after two second placings in a Nottingham maiden and Wolverhampton novice contest over further than this mile on Halloween and in November he was put away. Returning not in a Guineas trial but a novice back over the course and distance of his debut, the bay earned his place in the line-up for the Newmarket Classic by beating the useful King Ademar (Scat Daddy) by 2 1/2 lengths Apr. 10 and started at 66-1 for the May 4 feature. One of a trio who raced against the stand’s rail, he ended up second to the more battle-hardened Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the Guineas having been led by the not-inconsiderable talent Shine So Bright (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
In the immediate aftermath of the Guineas, a widely-held theory was that this now obviously high-class trio had lucked out on a more favourable strip. Doubts persisted as to the merit of the form for several weeks after Magna Grecia was injured when only fifth in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and King of Change remained in the shadows. It was only when Shine So Bright reappeared to beat Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G2 City of York S. at the August Ebor meeting that credibility was restored to the three isolated Guineas runners and that was continued as King of Change came back to take Sandown’s Fortune Sept. 18. With the pace provided by Jason Watson on the smooth-travelling G1 Falmouth S. scorer Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) proving sufficient, Levey was content to sit and wait several lengths down the field. Magna Grecia was the first of the main protagonists in trouble, then the Irish Guineas hero Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) felt the pinch along with the 7-2 favourite Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
King of Change was the only one of this line-up capable of a defining move in the race and that came from the three-furlong marker to the point where he established his dominion still a long way from home on ground this testing. That he hung late denied him a clearer margin over the year-older The Revenant, but there was no denying his superiority at the finish. “Some people said I was little petulant not celebrating finishing second in the Guineas,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “We always thought the world of this horse and second in the Guineas is a great run, but you don’t remember those. Now he’ll be remembered.”
“I thought he’d run well in the Guineas, but he had a hard race so we put him away. We thought it would be fast ground at Royal Ascot, but we got the first one in 10 years where it rained all the time!,” Hannon added. “It was always about next year for him, so we took our time and he came back to win his listed race well. I thought he’d win or go close today, as there was no fluke about his Guineas run and there was no fluke here. He’s taken on the Guineas winner there and beaten him. I was impressed with The Revenant in Longchamp and impressed with this horse today. The [G1] Queen Anne will be on the agenda next year.”
Francis-Henri Graffard was disappointed that The Revenant was tasting defeat for the first time in 2019. “I hate being second,” he said. “The race here with Bateel [who was also second in the Fillies & Mares in 2017], I still can’t digest that. When you come and you have done the job and the horse is in top form, you really hope. Second is not a great position to be, but we have to be proud of our horse. He came from far back and he was coming, but he just got beaten. The winner won easily and he was prominent and we had to make up a lot of ground. We can’t find any excuses and he ran a fantastic race. He will stay in training next year, as he is a gelding. He is a fantastic horse.”
By the 2013 G1 Champion S. hero Farhh, King of Change is bred to appreciate easy ground as does his half-brother and fellow participant in this race Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) who was successful in the G3 Diomed S. and third in this race 12 months ago. They are two of the first three foals out of Salacia (Ire) whose sire Echo of Light (GB) was also just as much at home on a soft surface as a sound one. She is out of Neptune’s Bride (Bering {GB}), who annexed the G3 Prix Fille de l’Air and is a daughter of the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Wedding of the Sea (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Also connected to the smart Dubai Escapade (Aus) (Dubai Destination) and Countess Fager (Dr. Fager), Salacia also has the unraced 2-year-old filly Banna (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a yearling filly by Golden Horn (GB) and a filly foal by Sea the Stars (Ire).
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QUEEN ELIZABETH II S. (BRITISH CHAMPIONS MILE SPONSORED BY QIPCO)-G1, £1,100,000, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:44.88, hy.
1–KING OF CHANGE (GB), 127, c, 3, by Farhh (GB)
1st Dam: Salacia (Ire), by Echo of Light (GB)
2nd Dam: Neptune’s Bride, by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Wedding of the Sea, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Ali Abdulla Saeed; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. £623,810. Lifetime Record: 6-3-3-0, $995,418. *1/2 to Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), GSW & G1SP-Eng, GSP-UAE, $509,134. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Revenant (GB), 130, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Hazel Lavery (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB). O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. £236,500.
3–Safe Voyage (Ire), 130, g, 6, Fast Company (Ire)–Shishangaan (Ire), by Mujadil. (£52,000 Ylg ’14 DNPRM). O-Ross Harmon; B-Adolf Schneider (IRE); T-John Quinn. £118,360.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, 1HF. Odds: 12.00, 4.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Veracious (GB), Mohaather (GB), Happy Power (Ire), Century Dream (Ire), Lord Glitters (Fr), Raising Sand (GB), Phoenix of Spain (Ire), Accidental Agent (GB), Move Swiftly (GB), King of Comedy (Ire), Magna Grecia (Ire), Imaging (GB), Benbatl (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Star Catcher Prevails in Fillies & Mares Battle
| 3rd at ASC, Gr. Stk, £550,000 | G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. | (11f 127y) | Winner: Star Catcher (GB), f, 3 by Sea the Stars (Ire) |
Star Catcher noses out Delphinia | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
There had been another stay in heartbreak hotel in the previous race for Frankie Dettori on QIPCO British Champions Day, but TDN Rising Star Star Catcher (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) arrived toute de suite to offer compensation in the G1 Fillies & Mares S. Whereas Dettori had been on the wrong side of a Gosden-Ballydoyle duel in the Long Distance Cup, this time it worked the other way with Anthony Oppenheimer’s homebred ultimately up on Delphinia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a short head. Tending to over-race in fourth early as that rival led at an honest gallop, the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine was temporarily flat-footed in the straight as fellow TDN Rising Star Sun Maiden (GB) (Frankel {GB}) arrived to her left. Summoning all her strength and staying power to squeeze between that duo in the final furlong, the 7-4 favourite found the line before the spirited long-time leader as Sun Maiden tired to finish a length back in third. Frankie, who was registering an 18th group 1 win of 2019 and a 250th group 1 or grade I in his career, was not entirely consoled by the outcome with the eclipse of his star stayer so recent. “I’m still a bit sour about Stradivarius, as the ground is a lot worse than we thought so I’m pleased this filly won,” he said. “From crying to smiling in half an hour! She’s a lovely tough filly and I hope she’s stays in training.”
Star Catcher looks set to become another in a growing list of multiple group 1 winners due to race on in 2020, which is unsurprising given that she only began her career last December. Unbeaten since finishing third in the May 18 Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial S. over 10 furlongs at Newbury, the bay had beaten the often-luckless Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G2 Ribblesdale S. at the Royal meeting June 20 and in the Irish Oaks a month later before capturing the Vermeille at ParisLongchamp Sept. 15. She may be the type to only do the minimum when in front and Frankie’s riding was not excessively hard in the dying strides, so the prospect of more to come next term is very real.
“She was extraordinarily determined to get her head in front and I have nothing but admiration for courage like that on this ground,” trainer John Gosden said. “This is not what they are used to, but she handled it well enough to win so full marks to her. She won the Vermeille and the Irish Oaks on quick ground. Mr Oppenheimer believes in racing his horses and he enjoys it immensely, so she should be racing next year. She is a lovely filly and a brave filly. America is too close and you can’t go there on November 2 after running a race like that. She has just left her heart on the track. To stick her neck in between them, she was very brave.”
Of the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Prix de Royallieu heroine Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who slipped coming out on to the track and raced below-par in 11th, Gosden added, “She found it too testing. She lost a shoe and was skidding all the way.” Delphinia’s rider Seamie Heffernan said of the runner-up, “She’s unlucky not to have won a group one.” Teddy Grimthorpe said of Sun Maiden, “She’s run a blinder and when she came I thought she might just take all of it. She was drawn a little wide, she settled in well and had a pretty good run through and has probably run the best race of her life, which is fantastic.” Donnacha O’Brien was left wondering what might have been on the eternal hard-luck story Fleeting, who was again denied a clear run at a crucial point and came home strongly in fourth. “Everything went smooth until the last furlong, but when I went for the gap it didn’t come,” he explained. “I was probably an unlucky loser. I took a chance to go between them and it didn’t pay off.”
Star Catcher’s dam Lynnwood Chase (Horse Chestnut {SAf}) has proven a high-class producer, with her sons of Lemon Drop Kid Cannock Chase and Pisco Sour enjoying success in the GI Canadian International and G2 Prix Eugene Adam respectively. The listed-placed second dam Lady Ilsley (Trempolino) was responsible for the triple group scorer Lord Admiral (El Prado {Ire}), while the third dam Sue Warner (Forli {Arg}) is kin to the G2 Prix Maurice de Gheest scorer Beaudelaire (Nijinsky II). This is also the family of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Action This Day (Kris S.) and the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint hero Drefong (Gio Ponti). Lynnwood Chase’s 2-year-old filly Maurimo (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has raced once for the Roger Charlton stable, while she has a yearling filly by Frankel (GB) and a colt foal by Time Test (GB).
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES & MARES S.-G1, £550,000, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, f, 11f 133yT, 2:28.48, sf.
1–STAR CATCHER (GB), 125, f, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Lynnwood Chase, by Horse Chestnut (SAf)
2nd Dam: Lady Ilsley, by Trempolino
3rd Dam: Sue Warner, by Forli (Arg)
(240,000gns Wlg ’16 TATFOA). O-A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £311,905. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr & Ire, 7-5-0-1, $1,211,998. *1/2 to Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid), GISW-Can & MGSW-Eng, $680,268; and Pisco Sour (Lemon Drop Kid), GSW-Eng & Fr, $412,610. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Delphinia (Ire), 125, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Again (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale & Chelston (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. £118,250.
3–Sun Maiden (GB), 131, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Midsummer (GB), by Kingmambo. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £59,180.
Margins: NO, 1, NK. Odds: 1.75, 20.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Fleeting (Ire), Klassique (GB), Antonia de Vega (Ire), South Sea Pearl (Ire), Pink Dogwood (Ire), Tarnawa (Ire), Nausha (GB), Anapurna (GB), Sparkle Roll (Fr).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Kew Gardens Outbattles Stradivarius In the Long Distance Cup
| 2nd at ASC, Gr. Stk, £450,000 | G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup | (15f 127y) | Winner: Kew Gardens (Ire), c, 4 by Galileo (Ire) |
Kew Gardens (left) denies Stradivarius | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
Ascot’s G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup carried the promise of an epic and so it proved as Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) edged out Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in a pulsating finale which was arguably the day’s chief event. Always travelling with serious intent tracking the pace, last year’s G1 St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero was sent to the front approaching two out as the 8-13 favourite loomed in behind. Headed by Bjorn Nielsen’s relentless achiever a furlong later, the 7-2 second favourite stayed in the fight and regained the advantage in the final yards to prevail by a nose. Stradivarius’s stablemate Royal Line (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was another five lengths away in third in a renewal that will be talked about for some time. “He got an unbelievable ride, a very intelligent and strong ride from Donnacha and he’s a brave horse,” Aidan O’Brien commented. “We were coming to the Gold Cup with him, but he got an injury and it set him back for the whole season and he barely got back. We didn’t think he’d get back, so there are many people to be so thankful to. He’s a classy horse.”
Kew Gardens, who was running over further than he had done so far, was the sole force that Stradivarius had yet to encounter on his seemingly endless journey of success in these Cup events. While the chestnut was running up his customary sequence of Ascot, Goodwood and Lonsdale Cups, Ballydoyle’s lurking star of this firmament was gradually coalescing and building back to racing condition in Co. Tipperary. His earlier effort when caught late by Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) when runner-up in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom May 31 offered further evidence that marathon trips could be his forte and when he was able to finish off so strongly from behind to be second to Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish St Leger at The Curragh Sept. 15 everything pointed to a huge run here.
While Donnacha enjoyed the perfect tow from stablemate Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Withhold (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in third, Frankie never looked entirely comfortable on Stradivarius just in behind and where the ground was at its deepest he visibly struggled. Heading to two out, Kew Gardens looked to be going the better but the dual millionaire still had his trump card to play and that all-too-familiar burst took him past for a few precious strides. Despite going almost a neck up, Stradivarius’s connections and legion of fans would have despaired at the fact that he never went any further clear and memories of Kew Gardens’ closing surge in the Irish Leger must have eaten at their confidence. Ultimately, it was the Irish challenger who had the fractional extra strength on the ground and although the photo confirmed the minimum margin it caught the exact moment of the runner-up’s full extension.
“He pulled all the muscles in his back just before Ascot,” Aidan O’Brien added. “He barely made the Irish Leger and that race just didn’t go right. He’s an incredible horse. It’s possible he’ll be around next year, but the lads will decide what they want to do. There is a big chance he will be. I’d say the Gold Cup next year would definitely be the target if he stayed in training and I would imagine that’s it for the season.” Donnacha said,. “He was the one horse in the race that you couldn’t be sure that Stradivarius was better than and these Galileos are so genuine and don’t know when to lie down. I played him plenty early and when Frankie came to me I thought he was going to go past but mine found another gear and battled real hard. He showed today he is a top-class stayer.”
Stradivarius was beaten but unbowed according to John Gosden, as he reflected on the 5-year-old’s first defeat since finishing third in this in 2017. “I think we were brave to run, as this is not his ground but he has run a wonderful race and has come back in and had a whinny, so he is happy,” he said. “It’s not anybody’s fault and take nothing from the winner who came back and battled. He did well to win it last year, as they went no pace. This year he found it too much of a slog in the ground. He’s a top-of-the-ground horse and it’s no digrace to go down by a nose. We will be back for the Ascot Gold Cup on good-to-firm in good shape.”
Kew Gardens is a son of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine and G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Chelsea Rose (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}), whose previous best was the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest runner-up Thawaany (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). Also the second dam of this year’s Listed El Gran Senor S. winner Justifier (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), she is a half-sister to the Listed Amethyst S. winner and GIII Elkhorn S. runner-up European (Ire) (Great Commotion) and the dual listed winner and G3 Irish St Leger Trial S. runner-up Downdraft (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Also connected to the G2 Prix Eugene Adam scorer and GI San Juan Capistrano H. runner-up River Warden (Riverman), Chelsea Rose has two more Galileos to come, with the 1.2million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate and 2-year-old filly Snow (Ire) having raced twice for this stable. The other is a yearling colt.
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP-G2, £450,000, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, 15f 127yT, 3:29.49, g/s.
1–KEW GARDENS (IRE), 133, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Chelsea Rose (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Ire at 9.5-10.5f, G1SW-Ire & G1SP-Ity, $527,260), by Desert King (Ire)
2nd Dam: Cinnamon Rose, by Trempolino
3rd Dam: Sweet Simone (Fr), by Green Dancer
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Donnacha O’Brien. £255,195. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 14f+, G1SW-Eng & Fr, G1SP-Ire, 17-6-5-2, $1,823,538. *1/2 to Thawaany (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), GSW & G1SP-Fr, $262,616; and Hamlool (Ire) (Red Ransom), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stradivarius (Ire), 133, h, 5, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Private Life (Fr), by Bering (GB). (330,000gns RNA Ylg ’15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John Gosden. £96,750.
3–Royal Line (GB), 133, h, 5, Dubawi (Ire)–Melikah (Ire), by Lammtarra. O-HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing; B-Darley (GB); T-John Gosden. £48,420.
Margins: NO, 5, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 0.60, 12.00.
Also Ran: Mekong (GB), Withhold (GB), Capri (Ire), Cleonte (Ire), Max Dynamite (Fr), Bin Battuta (GB). Scratched: South Pacific (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Dream Ahead’s Donjuan Triumphant Wins the Sprint
| 1st at ASC, Gr. Stk, £583,130 | G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S. | (6f) | Winner: Donjuan Triumphant (Ire), h, 6 by Dream Ahead |
Donjuan Triumphant | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
A year after the tragic death of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, QIPCO British Champions Day was the stage for a momentous outcome for his King Power Racing as Donjuan Triumphant (Ire) (Dream Ahead) caused an upset in the G1 Sprint S. If the result was decided on who handled the heavy ground best, it would have been handed to the 6-year-old before the start but his overall form made him a realistic 33-1 shot lining up against several contemporaries he had played second fiddle to on many occasions. Last of 13 in this in 2016, eighth a year later and third last term, the bay who was last seen finishing runner-up in the Oct. 5 G3 Bengough S. over this course and distance was covered up early by Silvestre de Sousa against the far rail. Stopped in his run inside the final two furlongs, he rallied bravely to reel in the 4-1 joint-favourite One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) inside the final 50 yards and prevail by a length, with Forever In Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) a neck away in third. “This is the first horse the chairman [Srivaddhanaprabha] bought and I’m thrilled it’s King Power’s first group one,” trainer Andre Balding said. “He would be so proud now.”
Trained by Richard Fahey at two and three, Donjuan Triumphant captured the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte before finishing runner-up in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock in May and in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville the following season. Tried several times over seven furlongs in 2017 and 2018, the bay was fourth in the G2 Lennox S. over that trip at Goodwood last July and in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup at this distance in September, but the general consensus was that there would always be at least one too strong at this level. Eighth in the latest renewal of the Lennox July 30 and sixth in the G2 Hungerford S. at Newbury Aug. 17, he showed he was ready for a return to this trip when two lengths behind Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal) in the Bengough a fortnight prior to this career-best.
This race was set up perfectly as last year’s winner Sands of Mali (Fr) (Panis) took on the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) on the front end and it was interesting that the first, second and third were sitting close to each other halfway down the field passing halfway. As the pace began to tell on the leaders two out, Donjuan Triumphant received a hefty swipe from old rival Cape Byron and it should have been game up at that stage with One Master and Forever In Dreams moving on ahead. Due to the sapping conditions, the mare and filly could never get far enough away from him and he delivered the most potent surge to overhaul them in the final yards.
“Historically, he always comes good in the autumn and I thought he ran a really good race last time behind Cape Byron, because he fluffed the start and things didn’t go to plan,” Balding added. “He is such a legend–there were a couple of anxious moments, but Silvestre managed to get himself out of trouble. We were quietly hopeful coming into it, but we needed everything to go right and we got a bit of luck in the end. He has been a star and has got easier to train. The head lad who works in his barn has worked hard on his joints, but this was always going to be his last race as he is off to stud in France now.”
William Haggas had to endure a couple of painful nearly moments on the day and said of One Master, “She was maybe a bit unfortunate, but the winner won well. She ran a very good race and coming back to six on this ground was no trouble. We’ve got to make the decision whether to keep her racing or send her to stud. We will decide that over the next month or so. I don’t see why she shouldn’t race next year.” Jamie Spencer said of Forever In Dreams, who was again making the frame in a major prize having been second in the G1 Commonwealth Cup here in June, “She tried very hard and handled the ground, but they are very difficult conditions.”
Donjuan Triumphant is one of two black-type winners out of Mathuna (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) alongside the Listed Ascendant S. scorer Caledonian Spring (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}). The dam is kin to the G3 Prix Chloe winner Wilside (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) and the Listed Prix La Sorellina winner Round Heels (Ire) (Daggers Drawn), who later produced the listed scorer Sarigan (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}). The third dam Stellina (Ire) (Caerleon) was responsible for the listed winner and G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Sestino (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}) connected to the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Marotta (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}). This is also the family of the stayer supreme Sagaro (GB) (Espresso {GB}). Mathuna’s 2-year-old filly Lady Maura (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) was sold to Aisling Kinane for €300,000 at this year’s Arqana May Breeze-Up, while she also has a colt foal by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SPRINT S.-G1, £583,130, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:16.43, hy.
1–DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT (IRE), 128, h, 6, by Dream Ahead
1st Dam: Mathuna (Ire), by Tagula (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sigonella (Ire), by Priolo
3rd Dam: Stellina (Ire), by Caerleon
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€58,000 Wlg ’13 GOFNOV; €50,000 RNA Ylg ’14 GOFORB; 30,000gns 2yo ’15 TATBRE). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Patrick Cosgrove & Dream Ahead Syndicate (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-Silvestre de Sousa. £330,693. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Fr, 37-7-9-5, $1,091,271. *1/2 to Caledonian Spring (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}), SW-Eng, $188,679. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–One Master (GB), 125, m, 5, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Enticing (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Lael Stable; B-Lael Stables (GB); T-William Haggas. £125,373.
3–Forever In Dreams (Ire), 124, f, 3, Dream Ahead–Dora de Green (Ire), by Green Tune. (€10,000 RNA Wlg ’16 GOFNOV; £430,000 3yo ’19 GOFLON). O-Phoenix Ladies Syndicate; B-Con Marnane (IRE); T-Adrian Fogarty. £62,745.
Margins: 1, NK, NO. Odds: 33.00, 4.00, 66.00.
Also Ran: Brando (GB), Make A Challenge (Ire), Speak In Colours (GB), Advertise (GB), Hello Youmzain (Fr), Mabs Cross (GB), Keystroke (GB), Khaadem (Ire), Cape Byron (GB), The Tin Man (GB), Sands of Mali (Fr), Librisa Breeze (GB), Dream of Dreams (Ire), So Perfect.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
