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Posts Tagged ‘Ascot’

Starspangledbanner completed a big Group One double when he followed up his Golden Jubilee Stakes victory at Royal Ascot by taking the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

Aidan O’Brien’s speedball (2-1 favourite) slightly missed the kick and was soon chased along behind fellow Royal Ascot hero Equiano, with Johnny Murtagh steering him over to the far rail.

He looked to have it to do a furlong out as 66-1 chance Alverta threatened, with Fleeting Spirit and Kingsgate Native just behind, but the ex-Australian ace found plenty for pressure to foil the gallant Equiano by a neck. Alverta finished third.

O’Brien said: “He’s very tough, he’s a serious horse. Johnny made the decision to go over to the far rail and it paid off.

“He’s got some courage and great pace. Very few horses have that much courage when they are so fast. It was great that the two Ascot winners were first and second, it’s great when they come together like that.”

Murtagh added: “Not many horses win this after winning at Ascot, but he’s not just got class, he’s got plenty of guts and he’s hardy.

“I thought the rail would help my horse, I had to make my own mind up and it helped win the race. Stamina helped us win it, some Australian horses don’t go up the hill but this lad does.”

Connections now face a decision on whether Starspangledbanner goes to stud or stays in training.

O’Brien explained: “We have to decide by midnight if he is going to go to Australia for the covering season.

“John (Magnier), Michael (Tabor) and all the lads (at Coolmore) will debate hard over the next few hours and we will only know after that if he is going to go into quarantine. I’ll give my penny’s worth and as you all know I’d love to see him stay here and keep on racing.”

Richard Hannon has decided against running the brilliant Paco Boy in the totesport.com Summer Mile at Ascot on Saturday.

Hannon stated earlier in the week he would prefer to see some rain before committing to the Group Two.

The fact regular rider Richard Hughes is suspended is also likely to have played a part in his decision.

As a result, 10 will go to post, including Michael Jarvis’ globetrotter Pressing, a winner in Italy last time out.

Dream Eater, third behind Goldikova and Paco Boy at Ascot, Locking runner-up Ouqba and Godolphin’s Alexandros are all engaged.

Ed Dunlop’s Fareer, Jeremy Noseda’s Forgotten Voice and the Chris Wall-trained Premio Loco add further strength in depth.

Dingaan, King Of Dixie and French raider Vertigineux complete the field.

Twice Over will spearhead a double-pronged raid on Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown for owner Khalid Abdullah.

Henry Cecil’s five-year-old will be joined by Sir Michael Stoute’s Zacinto, giving Abdullah a strong hand as he searches for more Group One glory in what has already been a hugely successful season thanks to Special Duty, Workforce and Byword.

Twice Over gave him a one-two at Royal Ascot by chasing home Byword and connections hope he can go one better at the weekend, with Cecil giving him the green light to take his chance on the ground.

“The horse is in good form. He doesn’t want any jar in the ground but Andrew Cooper (clerk of the course) is well aware of that so we expect good ground for him on Saturday,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, Abdullah’s racing manager.

“It was a cracking run at Ascot. He got shuffled back. He likes to be ridden relatively prominently and by the time he got out and got going, it was too late. Henry has brought him back tremendously well. The horse looks in great shape now and let’s hope he can go on.”

Zacinto showed more of his old sparkle when fourth to Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes and steps up to 10 furlongs for the first time.

Grimthorpe added on At The Races: “Sir Michael seems very pleased. His run in the Queen Anne showed he was back on track. In the back of Sir Michael’s mind has been the fact he might need to step up to a mile and a quarter and pretty soon after the Queen Anne, Ryan Moore agreed.

“He would need to run to the form from the QEII last year against Rip Van Winkle to be competitive in this. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree.”

Aidan O’Brien has nominated Irish 2000 Guineas third and French Derby fifth Viscount Nelson as his leading contender from the six Ballydoyle entries.

He said: “Viscount Nelson is our main runner and it is possible we may run something else. Beethoven might also run, but I doubt any of the others will with Fencing Master going to go for a mile-and-a-half race at Longchamp and Steinbeck being kept back for a Group race at the Curragh.”

Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dar Re Mi features among 13 remaining entries in the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday.

John Gosden’s five-year-old has not raced on British soil since beating Sariska in the Yorkshire Oaks last August but has since finished fifth in the Arc, third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and tasted glory on World Cup night at Meydan.

Aidan O’Brien has six possible runners as he seeks a fifth success in the Sandown showpiece. Royal Ascot disappointment Steinbeck could be joined by Ballydoyle stablemates Beethoven, Bright Horizon, Encompassing, Fencing Master and Viscount Nelson.

Connections of Mawatheeq will be hoping for an improved performance after he was well beaten on his Ascot reappearance, while Henry Cecil’s Twice Over could bid for a second Group One win following his narrow defeat in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Jukebox Jury, Sri Putra, Zacinto and Chabal complete the list.

Harbinger has been given the green light to lock horns with Derby-winning stablemate Workforce in next month’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Sir Michael Stoute’s colt, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, turned in a hugely impressive display in last weekend’s Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and will now return to the Berkshire track for his first Group One assignment on July 24.

Speaking on www.highclere.co.uk, Stoute said: “He has come out of last week’s race in good form and cantered (on Thursday morning). He deserves to take his chance and, as we saw on Saturday, he was well-suited to Ascot’s galloping track.”

Highclere’s racing manager Harry Herbert added: “We are all thrilled that Sir Michael is keen to run Harbinger in the King George and what a race it promises to be, especially taking on such an impressive Derby winner in Workforce.

“This will be Highclere’s first runner in the race and all of our owners could not be more excited at the prospect.”

Michael Jarvis admits it is highly unlikely his exciting prospect Opinion Poll will line up in Saturday’s John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.

The four-year-old has hit the target twice in Listed company this season and was due to carry top-weight in this weekend’s feature contest.

He also has an entry in the At The Races Curragh Cup, but Jarvis is not willing to risk his charge on unsuitably fast ground and said: “He probably isn’t going to run anywhere unless the weather changes in the next 24 hours, which looks highly unlikely.”

The trainer continued: “It’s just down to the ground and this horse is well worth waiting for. We’re not halfway through the year yet and there are plenty of races for him, so we’re in no great rush. The rain will come eventually – it always does.”

Jane Chapple-Hyam has two possibles in Macarthur and Tyrrells Wood, although the former seems more likely to take his chance at present.

Both were in action at Royal Ascot last week with Macarthur unplaced in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap and Tyrrells Wood down the field in the Ascot Stakes.

“I haven’t made my mind up yet, although I’m swinging towards running Macarthur and we’ve got to make a decision about Tyrrells Wood,” said the Newmarket trainer.

“I haven’t put a saddle on Macarthur since Ascot, he’s been turned out in the field to try to freshen him up. I’ll weigh him and see if he’s put the weight back on and make a decision. At this stage I’m targeting him for there.”

Godolphin’s Hibaayeb attempts to recapture her juvenile form when she lines up for today’s Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The filly was a Group One winner last season for Clive Brittain and after disappointing in the 1000 Guineas, bounced back to something like her true form when caught close home by subsequent French Oaks heroine Sarafina in the Prix Saint-Alary.

“Hibaayeb ran a good race to finish third in France and I think that a return to Ascot will suit her, having won a Group One at the course at the end of last season,” said trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

“I think the step up to a mile and a half will be no problem for her and she goes into Thursday’s race in really good form. I was pleased to see that Sarafina won so well in France at the weekend as that gives the form a boost and I’m really looking forward to running her over this trip.”

Eldalil takes a big leap up in class and distance but connections were left with little choice after the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum filly was found to be under the weather subsequent to landing a Newmarket maiden in April.

“It’s a difficult one in that she’s only run the once this year. She won well at Newmarket and I was surprised she had the speed to win a seven-furlong maiden like that,” said Angus Gold, racing manager to the owner.

“Then her blood went wrong and we had to give her a break. We haven’t had time to get another run into her which is a pity as it would have been nice to go for a mile-and-a-quarter Listed race to see if we were on the right track.

“Her pedigree certainly says she will stay. She is a nice filly, but whether she can make the jump up on this next start from a seven-furlong maiden to a mile and a half Group Two is a big ask. We’ll see what happens.”

Freddie Head has fired an ominous warning shot at Goldikova’s Queen Anne Stakes rivals by declaring his star mare to be in the form of her life.

Tuesday’s Royal Ascot curtain-raiser promises to be the race of the meeting with Goldikova being joined by brilliant Lockinge winner Paco Boy and dual Group One winner Rip Van Winkle, and Head’s five-year-old already has eight Group One successes to her credit.

The handler said: “She is in very good form and has arrived at Ascot. She travelled very well and we are looking forward to a very good race. I think she has improved since her first run of the year at Longchamp and she always does improve for her first run.”

He added: “The ground is going to be fast I hope and she loves a straight course, so I hope and think we can win. She is very well and I think she is better than ever.”

Rip Van Winkle has his first start since finishing down the field in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but he had previously won the Sussex Stakes and the QEII as well as finishing just a length behind wonder-horse Sea The Stars in the Coral-Eclipse.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien told At The Races: “He’s in good form but this is his first run of the season and we are a little bit worried as a lot of our horses have improved from their first run to their second run and their second run to their third.

“He’s as well as we could have him, but obviously it is a big championship race and ideally you would like to be going into it having got a run into him. We are very happy with him and he’s done very well since last year.

“He’s a stronger horse this year and you’re never sure until they run, but he’s been showing us all the right signs.

“Paco Boy and Goldikova are two exceptional horses and it’s a great race for everybody to look forward to.”

Freddie Head believes Goldikova to be in the best shape of her career ahead of a cracking renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

The dual Breeders’ Cup Mile heroine may be favourite at 13-8 with Stan James to land her ninth Group One, but she faces extremely tough competition headed by last year’s winner Paco Boy and Rip Van Winkle.

“I think she is very well and I have her in very good condition. Everything has been going to plan since her last run and I expect her to run a great race on Tuesday. It is hard to say if she is better than ever as she has been so good, but I would think she is in the best shape I have ever had her,” Head told At The Races.

“She won the Prix d’Ispahan over nine furlongs last time, but a mile is her distance. She is a real miler. I am happy with being drawn in stall one. Olivier (Peslier) will do his best. She is an easy to ride, you can do whatever you want with her. What we want is a clear run and I hope she runs her best.

“You can put her where you like and she has a very good turn of foot too. I know she will have to be at her best. It’s not a walkover – we know it’s a top-class race.

“I’ve got no problem with her at the start. She has been going into the stalls since her last race. Everything has been OK and she has run in England before and I think she will behave well. I am very hopeful she is in the best form and I think she will run a cracking race.

“I would love to win at Royal Ascot. I haven’t been lucky there but I think she will turn things around.”

While Head is not worried about her behaviour at the start, Peslier admits he is slightly concerned.

He said: “Obviously she has won eight Group Ones and Paco Boy is very strong, but mine broke the record last time. It depends how she starts how I will ride her. It also depends on the pace if I ride her near the front or back. She’s not easy to get in the gate. That’s the only point that is tricky with her.”

Richard Hannon’s Paco Boy confirmed his well-being when put through his paces on Sunday morning and told his website, www.richardhannonracing.tv: “Paco Boy worked well with Lucky General and is in great shape for his clash with Goldikova and Rip Van Winkle, which should be a humdinger of an opener to the meeting.”

Paco Boy, Goldikova and Rip Van Winkle all feature among 12 entries for a mouthwatering renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

Rip Van Winkle, trained by Aidan O’Brien, boasts top-level form having won the Sussex Stakes and the QEII last year, but he has been off the track since finishing down the field in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Richard Hannon’s Paco Boy is set to bid for a second successive win in the Queen Anne and could hardly be in better form having annihilated his rivals in last month’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

Freddie Head’s wonder mare Goldikova looked as good as ever on her recent reappearance, recording a remarkable eighth Group One victory in the Prix D’Ispahan at Longchamp.

The Godolphin camp could be represented by Saeed bin Suroor’s Alexandros and the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained Calming Influence. Other interesting contenders include Zacinto, Dalghar, Pipedreamer and Ouqba.