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Just a bit of post-King George fallout.

Aidan O'Brien was scathing about the Ascot ground after AUGUSTE RODIN and LUXEMBOURG. He said he was "worried" walking the track and considered the true state to be nearer Good to Soft than Good to Firm. He reported LUXEMBOURG lost two shoes which might explain his running. The King George was the only way run below standard on the card but it was the only race run on the full Round course with the other races mostly up the straight track.

AUGUSTE RODIN heads for the Japan Cup where he is guaranteed firm turf.

GOLIATH is a gelding so the Arc is a non starter. Trainer Francois-Henri Graffard didn't really offer a plan and the options are quite limited - if the ground was softer than the official report, a race like the Breeders Cup might not work so well.

Ralph Beckett was thrilled with BLUESTOCKING and confirms, if the race doesn't leave a mark, she heads for the Yorkshire Oaks.

William Buick was fairly cirumspect about REBEL'S ROMANCE in third. He thought the horse lacked another gear in the straight but I'm not sure where they go from here with this one.

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Time to look back at the first day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting. If nothing else, it was a glorious afternoon with warm unbroken sunshine and the course looking magnificant with a superb cover of grass and the ground officially starting Good but by the end of a baking afternoon was Good to Firm, Good in places.

Thanks to @Ohokamanfor posting all the replays.

The Goodwood Cup over 3200m saw KYPRIOS confirm his position at the head of the staying division. He held that in 2022 and lost most of 2023 due to a serious injury which might have ended his career and it's no small tribute to the work of the vets and the support team at Ballydoyle the horse is not only back but on some measures better then before.

Ryan Moore had few worries in all honesty and was happy to take a tow into the race from AL QAREEM but at the 400m mark, Ryan could wait no longer and he was just too good for these winning by four lengths in a course record time of 3 minutes 21.53 seconds. This was a dominant performance with the Gosden pair of SWEET WILLIAM and GREGORY duelling for the minor money. The winner is in the Lonsdale at York, the Irish Leger and the Arc and he will no doubt be a serious player wherever he runs.

The Group 2 Richmond saw a decent performance from the Godolphin AOMORI CITY who confirmed the suspicion from the July Stakes run at Newmarket he needed the step up to 1400m. He's by Oasis Dream out of a Shamardal mare and you'd think he would get a mile but not much further. William Buick said in the post race he thought the horse had plenty of speed and it may be 1400m, a bit of a Cinderella distance up here, might be his optimum. WOLF OF BADENOCH ran well in second while COOL HOOF LUKE did plenty up front and didn't get home.

The Group 2 Vintage saw the return of KINROSS, the top dog in the division last year but he ran as though you'd want him over a mile in a strange race which was dominated by ART POWER and AUDIENCE who went hard but managed to get home to be second and first. AUDIENCE basically did what he did in the Lockinge and having been put off by the penalty, I backed him as the money came from 10s to 4s. In essence. he was a proven Group 1 performer in a Group 2 race and he won four lengths without Rab Havlin having to do much more than the steering. He's in the City of York at the Ebor meeting for which he is 7/2. Given the fact we know he sees out 1600m well he'll always have an advantage in a fast run 1400m race.

ART POWER ran his best race for ages - he loves going from the front. ENGLISH OAK couldn't go the gallop in this better company and finished fourth while NOBLE DYNASTY was very disappointing.

Just a word on races later in the week - ten go in tomorrow's Group 1 Nassau. Falmouth runner up OPERA SINGER is 11/8 favourite for all this is her first attempt at the trip. EMILY UPJOHN is 15/8 and the Diane winner SPARKLING PLENTY at 11/2. The last named will be bidding to continue the strong run of French invaders this year and while this will be the quickest ground she's ever faced it could well suit her.

EMILY UPJOHN's second to BLUESTOCKING in the Irish Pretty Polly has been enhanced by the latter's fine run in the King George. I'm just not convinced EMILY UPJOHN isn't really a 2400m horse and it might all happen a bit quick on this easy track. OPERA SINGER comes here off a fine run behind PORTA FORTUNA in the Falmouth which ties her to all the classic 3-y-o filly form. On breeding 2000m shouldn't be a problem and I think she'll improve for the 400m step up in trip and I take her to beat the Diane winner.

Nine go in the Group 2 Richmond for the juvenile colts over 1200m. Wathnan Racing purchased Railway runner up THE STRIKIN' VIKING and he's 6/4 favourite but while the Railway winner HENRI MATISSE looks promising, the form itself hasn't been tested. Norfolk runner up TROPICAL STORM is of obvious interest and should get the extra 200m. I prefer July Stakes runner up BILLBOARD STAR (the horse he beat into third, AOMORI CITY, won yesterday) and I've had a small bet. APARAJEO won a Windsor maiden on debut and could be anything but he's with Clive Cox who is, as I've said before, a master of training juvenile sprinters.

13 go in Friday's Group 2 King George Stakes over 1000m and the question really is the order in which the big three from the King Charles III at Ascot, ASFOORA, BIG EVS and BELIEVING will finish. This is an easier 1000m than Ascot which should suit them all. ASFOORA has to give 2 lbs to the others while BIG EVS and BELIEVING are on the same terms for a short head. It's very hard to charge but I remember BIG EVS winning the Molecomb over the course and distance last year (albeit on much softer ground) and I think it might be his day.

 

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On 7/29/2024 at 1:19 AM, Ohokaman said:

Sayedaty Sadaty - 5th in the Derby. Will be aimed at Caulfield Cup.

Runs tomorrow in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes over 2400m. He re-matches with BELLUM JUSTUM who was seventh and six lengths behind at Epsom.

The tougher opposition might be JAN BREUGHEL who has won two from two at The Curragh over 2000m but should relish 2400m and is widely considered one of the main Ballydoyle fancies for the English St Leger. 

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The second day of the Goodwood meeting continued the fine conditions of the first day - perhaps a little more cloud but still very warm and dry.

A little overnight watering was required to hold the surface at Good to Firm (good in places).

The feature on the second day was the Sussex Stakes over 1600m, the traditional first big clash between the 3-y-o classic milers and the best of the older 1600m horses. The former were headed by English 2000 Guineas winner NOTABLE SPEECH and St James's Palace runner up HENRY LONGFELLOW while FACTEUR CHEVAL and MALJOOM brought the Queen Anne form to the table. The pre-race betting strongly favoured the 3-y-o with HENRY LONGFELLOW backed in to 11/10 and NOTABLE SPEECH drifting out to 3s.

Not one of Ryan Moore's finest hours in my view. In a race with no pace, not only did he end up at the front - he ended up trying to force the gallop with rank outsider SONNY LISTON and the pair ended up cutting each other's throats and finishing fourth and fifth.

William Buick, on the other hand, got a lovely tow into the race on NOTABLE SPEECH who returned to somewhere near his best with a smooth win by a length and a half from MALJOOM and FACTEUR CHEVAL who were split by three and a half lengths in the Queen Anne when FACTEUR CHEVAL did too much too early but here the distance was a neck and this was another sound run from MALJOOM who doesn't have many miles on the clock in all honesty.

The winner will probably end up in the Breeders Cup MIle as an easy 1600m and firm ground look ideal. MALJOOM will, I think, end up at Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II with perhaps FACTEUR CHEVAL going for the Moulin. For HENRY LONGFELLOW, it's back to the drawing board as the front running tactics just didn't work with a contested lead - he had enjoyed an uncontested at Ascot and only just failed to hold ROSALLION who was very much the ghost at the feast but hopefully he'll be back for the big autumn races.

The time was a decent 1 minute 35,97 seconds.

The juvenile course reacord was broken in the Group 3 Molecomb over 1000m when the connections of last year's winner BIG EVS (who runs on Friday) took this with the maiden BIG MO who sprang a 25/1 surprise. and led home a 1-3 for trainer Michael Appleby in a time of 56.13 seconds.

Disqualifications in British racing are quite rare these days with the changes in interference rules but the Group 3 Oak Tree over 1400m for the fillies and mares saw first past the post JADAARA, who had run second in the Falmouth, demoted in favour of RAQIYA. JADAARA's rider James Doyle had been unable to stop the filly drift right under a right handed drive to the rail and she clearly crossed RAQIYA on whom Jim Crowley had to snatch and pull round. JADAARA stopped in front and RAQIYA was only a head down at the line and Crowley successfully argued the interference had cost him the race. 

One for the notebook was the 2-y-o filly COTO DE CAZA, a daughter of Sioux Nation - this is his third crop - out of a Fast Comapny mare called Coto. She's bred to be all speed and the 1000m Class 2 which often turns up a nice one went to her by an impressive two and a half lengths and she was only 0.09 seconds off the Molecomb winner suggesting she'd have been very competitive in the Group 3.

 

 

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A quick note on the weekend.

The Goodwood meeting concludes on Saturday with the Group 2 Lillie Langtry over the 2800m trip for the staying fillies and mares. 12 go to post and clear top rated is FREE WIND who was a well beaten fourth in this last year when it was run on barely raceable ground. This year will be very different and the fact FREE WIND found BLUESTOCKING six lengths too good on seasonal debut isn't much of a negative either given BLUESTOCKING ran a fine second in the King George last Saturday.

Back up to 2800m should be a big plus - CAIUS CHORISTER comes back in trip from 4000m when no match for a certain KYPRIOS in the Gold Cup. Her second to SWEET WILLIAM in the Henry II at Sandown reads well. MELO MELO is another French horse who experiences quick turf for the first time, She was second in the Vermeille last year and that's proper Group 1 form.

Not quite sure how to read this - Graffard's raiders from across the Channel have been doing well and I just prefer MELO MELO over FREE WIND.

Both Charlie Appleby (LEGEND OF TIME) and Aidan O'Brien (DIEGO VELAZQUEZ) have runners in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby over 1950m on the turf on Saturday evening (UK). The former was third in the Belmont Derby and may struggle at this level while the latter won a Group 3 at Leopardstown by seven lengths last time after running eighth in the Jockey Club and fourth in the Poulains. He clearly didn't stay the 2400m in the King Edward VII at Ascot. 

Sunday sees the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 1300m at Deauville. Final declarations tomorrow - July Cup winner MILL STREAM is in the entries but I suspect won't run.

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4 hours ago, stodge said:

The second day of the Goodwood meeting continued the fine conditions of the first day - perhaps a little more cloud but still very warm and dry.

A little overnight watering was required to hold the surface at Good to Firm (good in places).

The feature on the second day was the Sussex Stakes over 1600m, the traditional first big clash between the 3-y-o classic milers and the best of the older 1600m horses. The former were headed by English 2000 Guineas winner NOTABLE SPEECH and St James's Palace runner up HENRY LONGFELLOW while FACTEUR CHEVAL and MALJOOM brought the Queen Anne form to the table. The pre-race betting strongly favoured the 3-y-o with HENRY LONGFELLOW backed in to 11/10 and NOTABLE SPEECH drifting out to 3s.

Not one of Ryan Moore's finest hours in my view. In a race with no pace, not only did he end up at the front - he ended up trying to force the gallop with rank outsider SONNY LISTON and the pair ended up cutting each other's throats and finishing fourth and fifth.

William Buick, on the other hand, got a lovely tow into the race on NOTABLE SPEECH who returned to somewhere near his best with a smooth win by a length and a half from MALJOOM and FACTEUR CHEVAL who were split by three and a half lengths in the Queen Anne when FACTEUR CHEVAL did too much too early but here the distance was a neck and this was another sound run from MALJOOM who doesn't have many miles on the clock in all honesty.

The winner will probably end up in the Breeders Cup MIle as an easy 1600m and firm ground look ideal. MALJOOM will, I think, end up at Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II with perhaps FACTEUR CHEVAL going for the Moulin. For HENRY LONGFELLOW, it's back to the drawing board as the front running tactics just didn't work with a contested lead - he had enjoyed an uncontested at Ascot and only just failed to hold ROSALLION who was very much the ghost at the feast but hopefully he'll be back for the big autumn races.

The time was a decent 1 minute 35,97 seconds.

The juvenile course reacord was broken in the Group 3 Molecomb over 1000m when the connections of last year's winner BIG EVS (who runs on Friday) took this with the maiden BIG MO who sprang a 25/1 surprise. and led home a 1-3 for trainer Michael Appleby in a time of 56.13 seconds.

Disqualifications in British racing are quite rare these days with the changes in interference rules but the Group 3 Oak Tree over 1400m for the fillies and mares saw first past the post JADAARA, who had run second in the Falmouth, demoted in favour of RAQIYA. JADAARA's rider James Doyle had been unable to stop the filly drift right under a right handed drive to the rail and she clearly crossed RAQIYA on whom Jim Crowley had to snatch and pull round. JADAARA stopped in front and RAQIYA was only a head down at the line and Crowley successfully argued the interference had cost him the race. 

One for the notebook was the 2-y-o filly COTO DE CAZA, a daughter of Sioux Nation - this is his third crop - out of a Fast Comapny mare called Coto. She's bred to be all speed and the 1000m Class 2 which often turns up a nice one went to her by an impressive two and a half lengths and she was only 0.09 seconds off the Molecomb winner suggesting she'd have been very competitive in the Group 3.

 

 

Terrific run from Maljoom..the winner had the easier fence run. $12 quinella very nice.

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Interesting race at Flemington tomorrow Stodge.

Maher has done wonders with Berkshire Breeze who has waltzed in past three and looks a genuine Cup hope.

Lloyd Williams Post Impressionist the danger, and interest in Lordship who has form behind Middle Earth.

 

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2 hours ago, Ohokaman said:

Interesting race at Flemington tomorrow Stodge.

Maher has done wonders with Berkshire Breeze who has waltzed in past three and looks a genuine Cup hope.

Lloyd Williams Post Impressionist the danger, and interest in Lordship who has form behind Middle Earth.

 

POST IMPRESSIONIST has had a nice break since flopping in the Tancred but the Haggas horses weren't in the best of form early in the season and  he had a quiet Ascot by his standards. The stable form is better now and they had a handicap winner at Goodwood yesterday. This will be an easier grade for him as well.

BERKSHIRE BREEZE has all the current form and runs well at Flemington - he should win and at 1/2 most think he will.

LORDSHIP at 33s interests me a little - he ran over 2800m in the UK so starting him at 1700m was a pipe opener after a long break. I imagine this is another stage on the journey to Flemington for the big one in November but I'd expect a decent effort in this race even if he's not fully tuned up just yet.

Thanks for keeping me in the loop about these British and ex-British runners - it's the busy time up here and I don't really check in to the winter Australian/New Zealand racing too often.

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Time to review the third day at Goodwood - in some respects this was the last day of the meeting with the final Group 1 race and a number of key players leaving as the circus rolled on to Saratoga as mentioned in my previous.

The clerk of the course had put 5mm of water on to counteract another day of high temperatures and sunshine and the ground remained Good to Firm.

The final aforementioned championship race was the Nassau for the fillies and mares over 2000m which saw an intriguing clash of the generations. The older horses were led by the favourite EMILY UPJOHN whose Irish Pretty Polly form with BLUESTOCKING had been franked the previous weekend but the 3-y-o looked a good bunch - English 1000 Guineas winner ELMALKA was bidding to come back from a fourth in the Coronation at Ascot where she finished behind OPERA SINGER who had finished second to subsequent Falmouth winner PORTA FORTUNA while French raider SPARKLING PLENTY won the Diane last time.

It had all gone wrong for Ryan Moore on HENRY LONGFELLOW 24 hours earlier but this was a much better race for the top jockey. The injection of pace down the hill (two sub 12-second 200m stretches) broke the field apart and while SEE THE FIRE was closing at the post, OPERA SINGER held on by a neck. SPARKLING PLENTY also came from well off the gallop and was only three quarters of a length in third with ELMALKA making it a 1-2-3-4 for the 3-y-o albeit two and a half lengths further back.

The winner won the Marcel Boussac last autumn after which Ryan told Aidan O'Brien the filly would win the Arc this year. A spring setback meant she missed the English 1000 Guineas and that might turn out to be a blessing as she has improved for the belated start. There seems little concern about her going up to 2400m but I'm less convinced about her on slow ground - a Parisien autumn bog would be unlike anything she's ever run on and she has such a smooth stride I can't see her being as effective on a heavy surface.

She's 5s for the Yorkshire Oaks and it'll be interesting to see where Aidan and the "lads" think she should go next.

SEE THE FIRE ran well for veteran owner Geoff Smith though whether this was better than her Eclipse fourth to CITY OF TROY I'm not sure. She closed the gap on the winner from Ascot - her dam won the Juddmonte and I wonder if that's where she will go next.

The one I would take for the Arc is the third, SPARKLING PLENTY, who got outpaced when Ryan Moore turned on the taps but was finishing well and she'll go for the Vermeille I suspect before the Arc. EMILY UPJOHN had a nightmare run - trapped out wide and forced to take back,  Kieren Shoemark could never get the mare involved and she was well held in sixth.

The supporting Group 2 Richmond over 1200m for the juvenile colts was a curious race - the front three or four, including TROPICAL STORM, BILLBOARD STAR and THE STRIKIN VIKING went off as though being chased by the hounds of Hell clocking two successive near 10 second 200m down the hill. That kind of pace is unsustainable over 1200m and as the pace collapsed with 300m to go, those who had been left behind suddenly found themselves gaining and fast. BLACK FORZA was best positioned down the stands side and got up to win by half a length for Irish trainer O'Callaghan and the wonderful Eleanora Kennedy whose best horse would be the Group 3 winner MUTASARREF.

THE STRIKIN VIKING held on for second with outsider INTRUISIVELY outrunning his 40/1 odds in front of BILLBOARD GIRL and my each way money. I'm not sure we've learnt a lot from this race but the final time of just under 1 minute 10 seconds was decent and on a day of slower times suggested the overnight irrigation had an impact.

The Group 3 Gordon over 2400m saw JAN BREUGHEL maintain his unbeaten record and get his Leger odds trimmed from 6s to 4s. He still looked green to this observer (this was only his third run) and in a race where they crawled for 600m until MEYDAAN went on and then went very sharp for 1400m saw out the trip really well. BELLUM JUSTUM  ran a decent second and reversed Epsom form with SAYEDATY SADATY who got tired in the final 200m.

Aidan O'Brien introduced debutante DREAMY to win the 1400m juvenile fillies maiden. She's a daughter of American Pharaoh (not had too many run in Europe so far) out of a Galileo mare called Tapestry who won the 2014 Yorkshire Oaks. It's very early days but you'd think she could be yet another among what looks an exceptional group of juvenile fillies at Ballydoyle.

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Day four of the Goodwood meeting and once again a warm and sunny afternoon greeted racegoers with the course, after a further round of overnight irrigation, still Good to Firm.

As @Ohokamanhas posted the King George Qatar Stakes video, I won't bother but it was a thrilling race which BIG EVS won by a diminishing short head from ASFOORA with BELIEVING three quarters of a length back in third and a length in front of LIVE IN THE DREAM. PONNTOS gave BIG EVS a nice tow into the race and the 800-400m was run in less than 21 seconds with the overall time 56.62 seconds, so just on the fast side of standard and given the artificial watering, very good.

The first four will likely all turn up at York in three weeks for the Nunthorpe - ASFOORA is 3/1 favourite with BIG EVS 4s and BELIEVING as big as 10s. Let's also not forget LIVE IN THE DREAM won the race last year so this has all the ingredients of a serious race. York is a flat 1000m so should suit them all - BIG EVS failed in the Nunthorpe last year when just a 2-y-o but won well on re-appearance. If we get decent ground, it'll be a race to savour. BIG EVS will be 3 lb worse off as weight for age unwinds and that could be crucial.

BIG EVS will run in the Nunthorpe and the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint before going to stud.

It was a fourth winner at the meeting for trainer Mick Appleby who incredibly led the trainers table at the end of the fourth day in front of the likes of Aidan O'Brien and John Gosden - no mean achievement for a man better known for training winners on synthetic surfaces.

The Group 3 Glorious Stakes over 1600m saw John Gosden's LEAD ARTIST as part of a 1-3 for Juddmonte with a near all-the-way success. He's in the Group 2 Mile over the same course and distance at the end of the month. I was taken however by the other Juddmonte horse, TASK FORCE, who didn't get the clearest of runs. - he was seventh in both the 2000 Guineas and the Jersey and has improved for the fitting of a tongue tie.

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On 8/2/2024 at 7:40 AM, Ohokaman said:

Interesting race at Flemington tomorrow Stodge.

Maher has done wonders with Berkshire Breeze who has waltzed in past three and looks a genuine Cup hope.

Lloyd Williams Post Impressionist the danger, and interest in Lordship who has form behind Middle Earth.

 

Thought LORDSHIP shaped well and will come on for the run.

BERKSHIRE BREEZE decisively held by the winner.

MIDDLE EARTH, despite his disappointing King George run, heads for the Melbourne Cup.

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7 hours ago, stodge said:

Thought LORDSHIP shaped well and will come on for the run.

BERKSHIRE BREEZE decisively held by the winner.

MIDDLE EARTH, despite his disappointing King George run, heads for the Melbourne Cup.

Ignore that Berkshire Breeze run Stodge. Stable says he was not comfortable leading, much better with a sit.

Price should be better next time in the Ramsden.

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The final day of the Goodwood meeting took place on a cloudier and cooler afternoon on the Downs.

Another 5 mm of overnight irrigation had been provided to replace the moisture lost on Friday and the ground remained Good to Firm.

The feature Group 2 Lillie Langtry over 2800m for the fillies and mares saw a field reduced to eight by four morning scratchings. The favourite was FREE WIND who had flopped in this last year when it was run in a quagmire but was expected to do much better on this decent surface.

The race. however, went to Ireland with TERM OF ENDEARMENT providing jumps trainer Henry de Bromhead's first Goodwood success. The mare had won a Group 3 at York at the end of May on slow ground and this was her first experience of fast turf but she handled it well. She's in the Irish Leger but also the Melbourne Cup (current UK rating 106) and she would be an interesting prospect if heading south. NIGHT SPARKLE had finished three quarters of a length behind TERM OF ENDEARMENT at York and it was the same story here - I always like to see form upheld but it really gets upheld to the ounce like this.

RIVER OF STARS ran well in third - she rallied after being outpaced in a race where they went steady and quickened 600m out. MELO MELO came into the race well but didn;t see out the trip on the ground and weakened in the final 200m while FREE WIND finished last never having looked happy on the ground - I wonder if she will be retired to the paddocks.

The Group 3 over 2400m saw for me the ride of the week from Jim Crowley on AL AASY. Few get up the inside of Oisin Murphy but Crowley used his track knowledge to perfection and I doubt the winner knew he had a race. AL AASY is a 7-y-o but still rated 112 and plies his trade in Group 2 and Group 3 events and hopefully will pick up something before the end of the year.

The big handicap of the week, the Stewards Cup, over 1200m and worth £129,000 to the winner, was won by locally trained GET IT who made every yard tight up against the stands rail from the 28 stall. The horse is owned by Bahraini interests and will be campaigned there over the winter.

Mick Appleby held on to win the Trainers' Championship for the week.

On to yesterday and a decent card at Deauville where the turf was just on the slow side of Good. The feature Group 1 was the Prix Maurice de Gheest over 1300m which saw July Cup winner MILL STREAM leading a strong British challenge (including @Ohokaman's old mate KHAADEM) against the locals led by the rising star of the French sprinters, LAZZAT.

A strong performance by LAZZAT who put three lengths between himself and the others and although 1300m is a rarely used distance in Europe, I don't see 1400m being an issue and LAZZAT could be a serious player in the Foret.

MILL STREAM couldn't follow up his July Cup heroics and faded in the final 150m to finish fifth. I'm sure we'll see him in the 1200m Sprint Trophy at Haydock. EXXTRA and BEAUVATIER made it a 1-2-3 for the locals. FLORA OF BERMUDA, who won a Group 3 at York last time, ran very well in fourth and looks to be improving. SAINT LAWRENCE followed up his fifth in the Ris-Orangis a month ago over the course and distance, with a solid sixth place here.

KHAADEM got bumped at the start but the ground was too slow for him.

I've been talking about the BIG EVS-ASFOORA rematch at York but we mustn't forget BRADSELL who made his seasonal reappearance in the 1000m Listed and won cosily. He was third in last year's Nunthorpe having won the King's Stand at Ascot. He's 7s for the Nunthorpe and shouldn't be underestimated in a speed battle.

Looking ahead to the coming weekend, Ascot stages the annual Shergar Cup meeting. Rachel King captains the Rest of the World Team which is all female this year featuring South African jockey Rachel Venniker and Japanese rider Nanako Fujita. There are teams from Europe, Great Britain & Ireland and a Ladies Team. The six races are handicaps run over distances ranging from 1000m to 3200m.

The feature Group 1 is at The Curragh in ireland. The Keeneland Phoenix Stakes is the first championship level race for the juveniles. 37 entries including 12 from Aidan O'Brien and a smattering of British entries but we'll know much more with the final declarations on Thursday. 29 have been entered for Sunday's Jacques le Marois over the straight 1600m at Deauville.

 

 

 

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Some news for you Stodge……:rcfe-like:

OTI Racing has finalised its list of likely European imports to come to Australia this spring, with the ownership team identifying at least seven likely travellers.

Heading the list of carnival contenders is the Harry Eustace-trained Docklands, who is being set for the Cox Plate as well as a new addition to the team in the emerging colt Saganti, who had been raced in Europe by the Aga Khan.

Saganti, a three-year-old Northern Hemisphere colt, is to be raced in conjunction with the stables of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr at Cranbourne.

He has one win from eight starts in elite company in Europe and at his most recent start was beaten about six lengths into sixth place in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) at Longchamp in July.

Annabel Neasham will be the new trainer for OTI Racing's three-year-old Portsmouth, who was unplaced at his final UK run at Royal Ascot over 1800 metres. She will also be the trainer of lightly raced Churchill colt Zweig.

Asfoora's trainer Henry Dwyer will take over the training of unexposed French horse Paradise Storm, while Phillip Stokes will take over from Joseph O'Brien as the trainer of the already accomplished stayer Deakin.

OTI Racing director Terry Henderson said the spring campaigns of these horses will be dictated to by how they travel and settle into their new homes this spring.

Due to arrive in Australia next month are highly talented Sea The Moon filly Tournelle, who is set to join Anthony and Sam Freedman, as well as maiden gelding Hampden, who will be sent to the John O'Shea and Tom Charlton yard.

Henderson said Docklands will join Saganti in quarantine in Newmarket, with a Cox Plate mission as his main target.

Quality stayer Sevennah's Knight will remain in Europe with French trainer Andre Fabre.

 

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News this afternoon top 3-y-o miler ROSALLION is unlikely to run again this season but will stay in training next year.

Connections have decided the colt needs more time to recover from the respiratory infection which ruled him out of the Sussex so they have scratched him from the Moulin and with the horse's known dislike for soft ground, won't run him in Europe this year. A trip to the Breeders Cup has also seemingly been ruled out.

Clearly, he will be a fascinating 4-y-o miler especially if Guineas and Sussex winner NOTABLE SPEECH is retired and will be a significant challenge for the 2025 classic generation. I'd imagine he'll go for the Lockinge and the Queen Anne before meeting the 3-y-o at Goodwood.

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On 8/6/2024 at 5:49 AM, Ohokaman said:

Some news for you Stodge……:rcfe-like:

OTI Racing has finalised its list of likely European imports to come to Australia this spring, with the ownership team identifying at least seven likely travellers.

Heading the list of carnival contenders is the Harry Eustace-trained Docklands, who is being set for the Cox Plate as well as a new addition to the team in the emerging colt Saganti, who had been raced in Europe by the Aga Khan.

Saganti, a three-year-old Northern Hemisphere colt, is to be raced in conjunction with the stables of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr at Cranbourne.

He has one win from eight starts in elite company in Europe and at his most recent start was beaten about six lengths into sixth place in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) at Longchamp in July.

Annabel Neasham will be the new trainer for OTI Racing's three-year-old Portsmouth, who was unplaced at his final UK run at Royal Ascot over 1800 metres. She will also be the trainer of lightly raced Churchill colt Zweig.

Asfoora's trainer Henry Dwyer will take over the training of unexposed French horse Paradise Storm, while Phillip Stokes will take over from Joseph O'Brien as the trainer of the already accomplished stayer Deakin.

OTI Racing director Terry Henderson said the spring campaigns of these horses will be dictated to by how they travel and settle into their new homes this spring.

Due to arrive in Australia next month are highly talented Sea The Moon filly Tournelle, who is set to join Anthony and Sam Freedman, as well as maiden gelding Hampden, who will be sent to the John O'Shea and Tom Charlton yard.

Henderson said Docklands will join Saganti in quarantine in Newmarket, with a Cox Plate mission as his main target.

Quality stayer Sevennah's Knight will remain in Europe with French trainer Andre Fabre.

 

DOCKLANDS ran a career best when second in the Queen Anne at Ascot. He's due to go to the Juddmonte in two weeks which is looking a very hot race and he's 25s for that. Rated 115 currently. I just have some doubts about the strength of the older milers this year/

SAGANTI, as you say, sixth in the Grand Prix de Paris so you'd think 2000-2400m would be the trip. 

PORTSMOUTH is rated 86 and was well held in a handicap at the Royal meeting. On what we've seen, he seems to prefer slower turf having run well on soft and heavy ground.

ZWEIG won at Toulouse in mid May but again all this running on turf has been on very slow ground.

PARADISE STORM won a small race at Lyon over 2400m last time - again, mostly run on slow turf.

DEAKIN - rated 97, arguably disappointed when only fifth in the Lenbane at Roscommon last day which wouldn't be the strongest Listed race ever run. Okay at Ascot and perhaps needs quicker ground.

TOURNELLE - won over 1400m on debut on the tapeta at Newcastle but couldn't follow up under a penalty over 200m further on second start and not seen since February.

HAMPDEN - beaten third when odds on in a novice at Lingfield last week. That was a setback after a fair run at Haydock.

DOCKLANDS is the best of these with SAGANTI another of interest. DOCKLANDS is in the Juddmonte which is shaping up to be the race of the season so far and if he can run well in that you'd fancy him seriously for a Cox Plate.

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Just six go in Saturday's Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes over 1200m at The Curragh where the ground is currently Good, Good to Firm in places.

WHISTLEJACKET is 8/11 after his impressive win in the July Stakes at Newmarket. The second that day, BILLBOARD STAR didn't frank the form at Goodwood in all honesty but even so WHISTLEJACKET looks the one to beat.

His two main rivals seem to be the two fillies, the unbeaten BABOUCHE and the stable companion HEAVENS GATE. The former won the Group 3 Anglesey over course and distance beating CAMILLE PISARRO from the Ballydoyle yard who had been favourite for the Coventry but finished mid division.

HEAVENS GATE was third in the Albany behind another stable companion, FAIRY GODMOTHER, and went off favourite for the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge at Newmarket but was only third. She won at Naas on Monday so she's backing up quick - my slight doubt would be quick ground.

We've got two experienced Ballydoyle types versus BABOUCHE from the Ger Lyone yard who could be anything. I think WHISTLEJACKET will prevail but I expect BABOUCHE to push him hard.

Eclipse runner up AL RIFFA runs in the 2400m Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten on Sunday. He's never gone this trip but the way he was closing down CITY OF TROY at Sandown suggests the extra 400m won't do any harm. KING OF CONQUEST runs for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby but his won over AIMERIC in Listed company last time wasn't complimented by the winner at Goodwood last Saturday.

Sunday's big race is the Prix Jacques Le Marois over the straight 1600m at Deauville where the ground is described as "Slow" so probably between Good to Soft and Soft in British terms. Just eight remained after the second forfeit with a final stage tomorrow morning, It's a quality field as you might expect - just two 3-y-o but they are Poulians winner and St James's Palace third METROPOLITAN and Irish 2000 Guineas runner up and Jersey Stakes winner HAATEM so both have serious chances.

The older horses include Queen Anne winner CHARYN, Midsummer MIle and unbreaten colt QUDDWAH, last year's runaway Queen Elizabeth II winner BIG ROCK who was runner up in this last year to INSPIRAL, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore rather than the main Gosden retained rider Kieren Shoemark.

How do we puzzle this one out? The only real line between the generations is the recent Sussex Stakes at Goodwood which NOTABLE SPEECH won beating MALJOOM a length and a half. Now, MALJOOM was five lengths behind CHARYN in the Queen Anne so we can argue CHARYN, who we know loves a straight mile and slow turf, must have a big chance. CHARYN holds iNSPIRAL on Lockinge form but we know the latter loves the track and the ground (or did last year) where she beat BIG ROCK who put up ther performance of the season on soft/heavy ground at Ascot in October. That said, BIG ROCK has lost his way this season.

QUDDWAH is the enigma here - he's won twice over the round mile at Ascot so how will he take to the straight track and slower ground?

METROPOLITAN won the Pouliches on slow ground and didn't run badly at Ascot finishing in front of NOTABLE SPEECH but HAATEM has been placed in two classics and won a strong Group 3 over 1400m (possibly his optimum) last time.

We might get a late supplementary entry tomorrow but at the moment I'm in Camp CHARYN.

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The ground at Deauville has been upgraded to Good following a hot sunny day in Normandy.

CHARYN handled this ground at Ascot so hopefully he'll be fine in tomorrow's Prix Jacques Le Marois. No late supplementary entries so the eight go to post. In the UK market, a little support for QUDDWAH from 11/2 to 9/2 but a more sustained move for METROPOLITAN from 14s to 9s and with the dead eight that could be the each way thieves. You couldn't say METROPOLITAN didn't handle the ground at Ascot and if they go a strong pace he's the one who could be staying on at the end while the other 3-y-o, HAATEM, could be suited by a more tactical race.

Seven go in the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten where the ground is also Good. AL RIFFA is arguably the class act following his Eclipse second - the only 3-y-o NARRATIVO, won the German Derby Trial in Cologne and went off second favourite for the big race at Hamburg at the beginning of July only to finish a disappointing fourteenth of eighteen beaten ten lengths. He was given plenty to do having been a long way back but gets 10 lbs from the older horses in Germany's equivalent of the King George and shouldn't be underestimated.

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Time to look back at the weekend past in Europe and review the three Group 1 races in Ireland, France and Germany.

Starting on Saturday in Ireland with the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh for the juveniles over 1200m. A small field depleted further by the morning withdrawal of the apparent Ballydoyle second string, HEAVENS GATE. Stable companion WHISTLEJACKET went off a solid favourite to follow up his Newmarket win from early July.

The filly beats the colts as BABOUCHE overturns WHISTLEJACKET. Yes, she was getting 5 lbs sex allowance but the truth was WHISTLEJACKET and ARIZONA BLAZE cut each other's throats and set the race up for her. They ran 10.69 second furlongs (200m) from 800m to 600m and from 600m to 400m and that was suicidal. To be honest, I thought WHISTLEJACKET ran a blinder in second and was coming back on the winner close home - it'll be interesting to see how much the race has taken out of him.

They ran 1 minute 9.33 seconds for the 1200m which is 1.57 seconds below Standard so a strong race.

BABOUCHE was the one able to pick up the pieces and lie up with the gallop so was a deserved winner. She maintains her unbeaten record and goes presumably for the Moyglare in the middle of next month where she could face BEDTIME STORY and that's an exciting prospect this early in the juvenile campaign. 

Sunday saw attention switch to Europe and we'll start in Germany with the Grosser Preis von Berlin at the Hoppegarten racecourse on the outskirts of the city. Run over 2400m, it's basically Germany's equivalent of races like the King George or the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud. 

Apologies for the German commentary but I couldn't find a version of the race in English:

It's often the case the horse that covers the shortest distance wins the race but I don't think it would have mattered if Dylan Brown MacMonagale had gone via the car park, he'd still have beaten these. AL RIFFA puts up an excellent performance and in truth he's a class act. He was only three quarters of a length behind the future Arc winner ACE IMPACT in last year's Guillaume D'Ornano and last time he was only a half length behind CITY OF TROY in the Eclipse. He didn't take to the firm turf in America but this well watered Good ground was ideal and for all this was a Group 1 in title, in essence it was a notch below the level of such races in Britain, Ireland and France.

Nonetheless, a strong performance to give a five length beating to NARRATIVO who redeemed his reputation somewhat after failing in the German Derby and is probably the best of the German 3-y-o. Is his best trip 200m or 2400m? Hard to be certain - I think a strong run 2000m is his optimum so I doubt he'll go for the Arc for all he might like easy ground in Paris. He's in both the Irish Champion and the English equivalent and I suspect he'll get a strong pace in both races.

I wouldn't give up on NARRATIVO - not sure what his future plans are but he could well go to Baden Baden next month.

KING OF CONQUEST for Godolphin was very disappointing finishing last.

At Deauville, the sunny summer weather brought the crowds to the Normandy track for another strong Sunday afternoon card featuring the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois over the straight mile. This looked another fascinating clash of the generations but the 3-y-o challenge was diminished by the late withdrawal of HAATEM on veterinary advice leaving Poulains winner METROPOLITAN the sole representative of the classic generation. The unbeaten QUDDWAH brought potential but faced established stars in the filly INSPIRAL, on a bit of a recovery mission after a disappointing run in the Eclipse and the Queen Anne winner CHARYN who had shown his strength racing over the straight 1600m.

An impressive win by CHARYN making it back to back Group 1 wins over the straight 1600m. He quickened really well at the business end and seems to relish the challenge of the straight mile more than many.

He's 2/1 favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot in mid October which is his obvious target (I suspect the Breeders Cup Mile wouldn't be ideal and there's no 2000m turf race on the Breeders Cup card for him). He would probably clash with 2000 Guineas and Sussex winner NOTABLE SPEECH and that will be fascinating if it happens.

A bunch for the minor places with second to fourth split by two heads. METROPOLITAN just won that and he ran okay for all it seems the Poulains this year was only average and HENRY LONGFELLOW has only shown his real ability at Ascot. INSPIRAL made a horlicks of the start, hanging right and looking reluctant and it's to her credit she ran on so well to take third. It's hard to think she'd have beaten the winner even with a clear start but she would certainly have been second.

She's shown odd flashes of temperament in her racing and the 7/2 for the Sun Chariot at Newmarket looks more tempting than the 14s for the Queen Elizabeth II on this evidence but it seems whichever race she runs in it will likely be her last before she heads for the paddocks and doubtless the breeding experts will be licking their lips at the prospect of her progeny in the future.

QUDDWAH made the step up to Group 1 and certainly didn't disgrace himself for all he lost his unbeaten record. He remains of considerable potential and I hope they keep him in training next year as he could be a fascinating older miler.

BIG ROCK ran better than he had all season and I imagine connections will be praying for some proper wet autumn turf as this one seems to relish slow ground.

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Another quiet weekend in the UK approaching with the feature the Group 2 Hungerford at Newbury over 1400m on Saturday. 13 have been entered and Minstrel winner POET MASTER is 3/1 favourite with Commonwealth Cup runner up LAKE FOREST in at 7/2.

Dante winner ECONOMICS, who looked very good at York but hasn't been seen since, is scheduled to run in the Group 2 Guillaume D'Ornano at Deauville on Thursday. This is an established race for the 3-y-o over 2000m which often starts a late summer/autumn campaign and the likes of ALMANZOR and of course last year's Arc winner ACE IMPACT have won in it. A strong performance by ECONOMICS will open all sorts of doors for an autumn campaign.

Deauville continues with cards on both Saturday and Sunday - Saturday's features are the Group 2 Calvados over 1400m and the Pomone over 2500m while Sunday is a stellar card featuring the Group 1 Morny and the Jean Romanet as well as the Group 2 Kergorlay (3000m) and the Alec Head (formerly the Nonette) over 2000m.

Much more on these later in the week.

 

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