UPI Horse Racing Roundup – October 20, 2014
October 20th, 2014By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
The British flat racing season reached an emotional climax in British Champions Day at Ascot during the weekend while a trio of defectors from that event landed big races in Canada.
Japan had a big weekend both at home and in Australia.
In U.S. racing, a trio of stakes produced some surprises.
It’s all good stuff so let’s get on with it straight away.
British Champions Day
It was a fairy tale finish in the Group 1 British Champion Stakes as Noble Mission won a dramatic battle to the wire, beating Al Kazeem by a neck, emulating the success of his full brother, Frankel, and making a dream come true for his trainer, Lady Jane Cecil, widow of Frankel’s trainer.
“I did an interview before the race and said it would be a fairy tale if he won and that’s what it feels like to me,” an emotional Lady Cecil said. “We hardly dared to dream this could happen.”
In fact, Noble Mission has lived up to both his name and heritage this year as his tactics were changed to put him on the lead. Heading to Saturday’s climactic victory, he had won four straight races before getting home second in Munich in his last outing.
In the Champion Stakes, jockey James Doyle had Noble Mission out front with Al Kazeem in close pursuit. Al Kazeem closed the margin and put his nose in front inside the final furlong. But Noble Mission found more and was home a dramatic first. The lightly raced Free Eagle was along for third but Cirrus Des Aigles, caught wide throughout, could not produce any burst in the late going and got home fifth. Ruler of the World finished last of nine.
Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager for Prince Khalid, said no decision has been taken whether to retire Noble Mission or to let him continue. But, he said, “I wouldn’t think he would run again this year because he’s had quite a race today.”
Cirrus Des Aigles apparently will race again this year. Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said the veteran arrived back in France still looking fresh and is ticketed for a fifth try at the Longines Hong Kong International Races on Dec. 14. His best previous showing was a third place in last year’s Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.
Doyle was fined and handed a ban after the race for excessive use of the whip.
Also on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday:
Charm Spirit got to the fore with a furlong to run in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and held on well to win by 1/2 length over Night of Thunder, who had a troubled trip. Toormore finished third. Kingsbarns finished sixth. Charm Spirit, trained in France by Freddy Head, was ridden by Olivier Peslier in his first outing as retained rider for Sheik Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Thani. While Peslier said he was thrilled with the outcome, he said he was a bit worried before the finish.
“I came a little bit early on that ground,” the rider said. “But he is very generous so, when I took the lead, I kept going and he always responds.”
Head said Charm Spirit could be retired to stud — or not.
“We’ll see,” he explained.
Night of Thunder, the favorite, switched to the outside under Richard Hughes, found his way blocked and had to swerve back inside to finally get room.
“It was a bit messy but that’s racing,” said Night of Thunder’s trainer, Richard Hannon.
Gordon Lord Byron came with a late run to land the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint by 1 1/4 lengths from Tropics, with Jack Dexter getting home third. G Force, winner of the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup in his last outing, showed none of that zip while finishing last of 15. Gordon Lord Byron, with Wayne Lordan in the irons, returned to the winner’s enclosure after finishing second at Haydock and again in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
“He’s just been a fairy tale for us,” said winning trainer Tom Hogan. “He’s been unfortunate in that he had to make his own running at Haydock and then they went a bit quick for him in France last time. But he’s in the money every day.”
Hogan said Gordon Lord Byron certainly will soldier on through the winter “and at the moment, it’s going to be first stop, Hong Kong.”
That presumably would be for the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint on Dec. 14, although he has contested the Mile race on that card each of the past two years.
Madam Chiang came from the back of the field to win the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Filly & Mares by 2 lengths over fellow late runner Silk Sari. Chicquita, who led into the stretch, took a left-handed detour heading for home but still managed to finish third. Madam Chiang finished only 1 1/2 lengths behind eventual Arc winner Treve in her last previous start, the Prix Vermeille.
Trainer David Simcock said, “When the ground became very soft we knew she would handle it. And, following a very good run in last month’s Group 1 Prix Vermeille, when she ran extremely well against a very strong field, we came here hopeful. You can never be confident, but we were hopeful.”
He said Madam Chiang will remain in training next year, with the possibility of dropping her back to 10 furlongs. Owner Kirsten Rausing bred Madam Chiang as well as her dam, and stands her sire, Archipenko.
Forgotten Rules prevailed in the 2-miles, Group II British Champions Long Distance Cup after drifting to the right inside the 2-furlongs marker, causing a chain reaction of unpleasantness. Leading Light had a nightmare trip and got home seventh. Estimate, the standard-bearer of Her Majesty the Queen, tailed off badly and finished last, eased. She will be retired.
Forgotten Rules, with Pat Smullen up, was near the back early in the race, began making progress inside the half mile and won by 1 3/4 lengths over Biographer after steering his erratic course. Pallasator finished third. Forgotten Rules, whose name may have seemed appropriate to the losers after the result stood, is a 4-year-old by Nayef.
Woodbine
Hillstar bypassed Champions Day at Ascot and instead landed the winner’s share of Sunday’s $1 million (Canadian), Grade I Pattison International with a well-timed ride by Ryan Moore. The 4-year-old Danehill Dancer colt was always close to the slow early pace, surged to the lead at mid-stretch and held off Big Blue Kitten at the end by 3/4 length. Dynamic Sky was up for third with the Chicago-based duo of The Pizza Man and Suntracer finishing fourth and fifth. Another British entry, Irish St Leger winner Brown Panther, tossed his rider and bolted before the start and was scratched. Hillstar, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, ran 1 1/2 miles on good turf in 2:29.00. He came into the race off a series of four straight runner-up finishes, followed by a Group 3 win at Newbury in his last previous outing.
“I was out a little bit too early but he was fine and plenty and it was going to take a good horse to get by him,” said Moore. “Like Brown Panther, he was the best horse in the race and we just felt we would keep it as simple as we could.”
Just the Judge, another British raider, albeit via Arlington Park, rallied to the lead in the stretch and held on to win Sunday’s $500,000 (Canadian), Grade I E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares. The race was dominated by Europeans as Odeliz finished second, just 1/2 length back, Wall of Sound was fourth after making the early pace and Eyeful ran evenly to finish fifth. Just the Judge, a 4-year-old Lawman filly, ran 1 1/4 miles on good turf in 2:03.47 with Jamie Spencer in the irons for trainer Charlie Hills. She started a tad slowly, then had to force an opening to get running room in the lane. Or, as Spencer phrased it, it was “very, very tight where I was. Then she had to make a little bit of room for herself early in the stretch.” Just the Judge had four wins from 11 starts in England and Ireland before finishing third in the Grade I Beverly D. at Arlington in her last outing. The win was her first since the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May of 2013. She now is targeted for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Spencer said he was mindful of that during Sunday’s race.
“She’s won but I’d prefer if it had gone a little more smoothly,” he said.
Yet another Brit, Caspar Netscher, won Sunday’s $300,000 (Canadian), Grade II Nearctic Stakes by 3/4, catching pacesetter Black Hornet in deep stretch. The favorite, Calgary Cat, was third with a late move. Caspar Netscher, a 5-year-old son of Dutch Art, ran 6 furlongs on good turf in 1:08.97 with Andrew Mullen up for trainer David Simcock. It was a rare win for Caspar Netscher, who last visited the winner’s enclosure following the Group 2 German 2,000 Guineas at Cologne in May of 2012. He had been retired to stud at the end of that season but proved ineffective and was returned to training.
“I jumped well and they were going hard in front so I just slotted him in,” Mullen said. “I gave myself an option to go in or out and when I switched him in, I got a nice run and he picked up well all the way to the line.”
Native Bombshell outfinished Disco Barbie to land Sunday’s $150,000 (Canadian), Grade III Ontario Fashion Stakes for fillies and mares, winning by a neck. Cryptic Message led most of the way and held on for show money. Native Bombshell, a 4-year-old War Front filly, ran 6 furlongs on firm going in 1:09.48 with Patrick Husbands up. It was her fourth win from just six career starts but first victory in a stakes event.
Australia
After bitter disappointment in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Japan had reason to celebrate Saturday as Admire Rakti collared Rising Romance in the final 100 yards of Saturdays Group 1 Caulfield Cup, winning by 1/2 length from that one. Lucia Valentina finished third. The Offer finished 11th and Seismos reported home 14th. Admire Rakti, a 6-year-old Heart’s Cry gelding, bounced back from a drubbing in his last outing — a 13th placing in the Group 1 Tenno Sho Spring in May in Kyoto. His previous best effort was a fourth in last year’s Group 1 Japan Cup. The international flavor of the win was compounded by winning jockey Zac Purton, who is based in Hong Kong. Admire Rakti now is among the favorites for the iconic Melbourne Cup on Nov. 4 and will be counted upon to avenge the subpar performance of the Japanese trio in this month’s Arc.
Japan
Shonan Pandora upset Sunday’s Group 1 Shuko Sho at Kyoto — the third jewel of the fillies Triple Crown, besting the favorite, Nuovo Record, by a neck. Shonan Panda, a Deep Impact filly, finished the 2,000 meters, or about 1 1/4 miles in course-record time of 1:57.0 under Suguru Hamanaka. The field effectively split into two groups through the early stages of the race with Shonan Pandora settled at the head of the second pack while saving ground. She edged closer around the turn and took the lead with a furlong to run. Nuovo Record, the Yushun Himba and Rose Stakes winner, came with a late rush and just missed. Tagano Etoile finished third. “She broke well and was able to sit in an ideal position taking an economical route,” Hamanaka said of Shonan Pandora. “I saw Nuovo Record coming from the outside and just prayed that we could hold her off until the wire.”
Keeneland
Taris was quickly on the lead in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade II Lexus Raven Run Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, wasn’t challenged and drew clear in deep stretch to score by 9 lengths. Sweet Whiskey was second and Thank You Marylou completed the generous trifecta. Taris, a Flatter filly out of the Theatrical mare Comedy, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:21.32 with Clinton Potts at the controls. She now has won four of her five starts, a run broken only by a fifth-place finish in the Grade III Honeybee at Oaklawn Park in the spring. She got a six-months rest after that one. All four wins have been by huge margins.
“I knew it was a big step for her,” said winning trainer Todd Beattie. “We’re away from home. Thought the distance, thought the timing was right. I liked all those things and she stood up to the call.”
He said he has not decided on the filly’s next start.
Sparkling Review rallied six-wide around the leaders in Friday’s $150,000, Grade III Pin Oak Valley View Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and went on to win by 2 3/4 lengths over pacesetting long shot Spring Included. Goldy Espony came from next-last of 12 to take third. Sparkling Review, a Lemon Drop Kid filly, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:44.34 with Julien Leparoux up. She has won three straight races, all on the grass, after a career-opening defeat on the Churchill Downs main track.
“She came out of the race great,” trainer Ben Colebrook said Saturday morning. “The next logical spot would be the stakes at Churchill (the Grade II Mrs. Revere). But I’ve got to talk to the owners and see how she trains between now and then.”
White Rose got first run at the leaders in the stretch drive in Sunday’s $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes and made that advantage stand, winning by a nose over the surging favorite, Caroline Thomas. Appealing Cat finished third. White Rose, a 4-year-old Tapit filly, ran 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:31.34 under Shaun Bridgmohan. She now has three wins from her last four starts, also including the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon.
Belmont Park
North Slope and Slumber both slipped by pacesetting Micromanage in the final yards of Sunday’s $100,000 Bowl Game Stakes with North Slope prevailing by a neck over Slumber and another head over Micromanage. North Slope, a 4-year-old Elusive Quality gelding, ran about 1 1/4 miles on the good inner turf in 2:05.81 with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons. The winner was stepping up from the local optional claiming ranks although he did finish a good second in last year’s Grade III National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga.
