Arabian Queen draws alongside Golden Horn (left) in the closing stages
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Golden Horn undone by 50-1 Arabian Queen
Report: York, Wednesday
Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1) 1m2½f, 3yo+
IN ONE of the biggest shocks of recent times, Arabian Queen nailed the previously unbeaten Derby hero Golden Horn on the line to spring a barely believable 50-1 surprise in the Juddmonte International.
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The sole filly in the line-up put it up to Golden Horn in the home straight and the alarm bells started to ring with the 4-9 favourite, who was keen in the early stages, not travelling with his usual zest.
The front pair drew clear as a duel developed in the final furlong and gasps could be heard from the stands as the David Elsworth-trained winner just got the verdict under runaway jockeys’ title leader Silvestre de Sousa.
For all that this was an exceptional performance from a filly last seen in the winner’s enclosure four starts ago following the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom, the inquisition into the performance of Anthony Oppenheimer’s star began almost straight away.
“The horse was more keen than usual today,” said Golden Horn’s rider Frankie Dettori.
“He was going to the King George and missed it so came here a bit fresh today. I was expending a lot of energy trying to hold him and he couldn’t use his turn of foot in that ground at the end.”
An ecstatic Silvestre de Sousa celebrates on Arabian Queen
PICTURE: Getty Images
Queen rules at end
Although Dettori was hard at work a long way out, Golden Horn loomed up large and took over the lead from Arabian Queen in the final stages.
It was to the winner’s great credit that she dug deep and fought back when it mattered, particularly as she had to curb her favoured frontrunning tactics due to the presence of Golden Horn’s tearaway pacemaker Dick Doughtywylie.
“I was doing my own fractions and not looking at the pacemaker,” said De Sousa. “She’s not very big but she has a big heart. Golden Horn got a little bit ahead of me but she just battled back.”
Arabian Queen’s owner Jeff Smith, who has enjoyed similar heady days with the likes of Lochsong and Persian Punch, said: “She’s a filly on an upward curve. I’ve been boring people by telling them that before this race no-one knew if the three-year-old fillies were as good as the three-year-old colts as they hadn’t met. She’s right up there with the fillies so we thought we’d give it a go.
“She has a wonderful temperament and loves her racing. She’s just one of those that pops out and becomes a champion.
“It’s tough to compare different horses. We’ve had Lochsong and Persian Punch win big races here, but don’t forget I’ve had a third and a second in the Juddmonte so I was due one.”
On future plans for Arabian Queen, Smith added: “She’s bred for a mile and a half so we are in the [British Champions] Fillies And Mares at Ascot so that would probably be it for the year and next year possibly train her for the Arc.”
Frankie Dettori (right) looks downcast on Golden Horn after the defeat
PICTURE: Getty Images
Golden fails to shine
Golden Horn’s trainer John Gosden agreed with Dettori’s assessment that the combination of good to soft ground, which had earlier caused the defection of Gleneagles, and the colt’s freshness on his first start since winning last month’s Coral-Eclipse were factors for the below-par display.
“It’s just a pity it rained, a pity that we didn’t have Gleneagles and a pity for this horse as well,” the trainer said.
“Our fella was fresh and keen early on, basically did too much early on, with the pace of the race. He burnt too much petrol early. We put the pacemaker in and he set a nice even gallop but look how far they stood off the pacemaker, and the pacemaker of the race – Arabian Queen – was the winner when you watch it again.
“Frankie just feel that he was hard to settle the first six. He didn’t run in the King George obviously and was a very fresh horse since the Eclipse and he’s rather gassed himself out in the ground.”
He added: “He’s gone in front of the filly and then just tired in what is dead ground. There’s no doubt he’s a much better horse on fast ground as we know which he has always run on.
“He found this ground not entirely to his liking, take nothing away from the filly, she’s outstayed them all well and if you look back to The Grey Gatsby [in third] you see the Eclipse form still there.”
Gosden said a prep race for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, for which Golden Horn was pushed out to as big as 10-1 (from 5) by Ladbrokes, is a possibility. Arc favourite and dual winner Treve was cut to 6-4 (from 5-2) by BoyleSports but can be backed at 9-4 with bet365.
Aidan O’Brien (second right) walks the course at York on Wednesday
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Gleneagles out of International Stakes
GLENEAGLES could turn out in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next month after missing the Juddmonte International due to the good to soft going.
The much-anticipated clash with Investec Derby winner Golden Horn, who was defeated by 50-1 shot Arabian Queen, was called off by trainer Aidan O’Brien after he walked the course with his son Joseph before racing started.
Gleneagles, who is owned by the Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, John Magnier and Derrick Smith, was sent to the track by O’Brien, but in the end he was declared a non-runner.
Many options
The Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 12 could be next for Gleneagles, who also missed Goodwood’s Qatar Sussex Stakes last month because conditions were unsuitable.
He is also in the Qipco-backed Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 17.
O’Brien said: “We will have a look at the Irish Champion and if the ground is good to firm or better we would love to be there – if it is not he won’t be.”
‘Unfair on him to run’
The participation of the dual-Classic winner at York had been in doubt after 9mm of rain hit York on Tuesday and was topped up by 5mm overnight, leaving the going as good to soft.
O’Brien said. “He is a very fast horse and we think it would not be fair to him to go a mile and a quarter in that ground.
“It wouldn’t be fair to him. I always thought he was a miler. The lads were prepared to give it a go and they might give it a go on fast ground.”
YORK RESULTS |
GOING: GOOD TO SOFT (6.2). Weather conditions: fine and sunny.
STALLS: 5f & 6f 2yo races – Far Side; 5f, 5f 89yds, 6f & 1m4f – Centre; Remainder – Inside
1:55 - Symphony Group Stakes (Handicap)5½f, Class 2, £37,350.00 1 Caspian Prince 20/1 20 ran Distances: ½l, 1l, nse Jockey: Robert Winston WIN £27.00 PL £6.70, £2.90, £5.30, £4.30 |
2:30 - Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3)7f, Class 1, £48,203.50 1 Recorder 4/1J 10 ran Distances: 1¼l, 3l, nk Jockey: Frankie Dettori WIN £4.50 PL £1.90, £1.90, £2.80 |
3:05 - Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings)1m4f, Class 1, £98,335.14 1 Storm The Stars 3/1 7 ran Distances: ½l, 4½l, nk Jockey: Pat Cosgrave WIN £3.20 PL £1.70, £2.30 |
3:40 - Juddmonte International Stakes (British Champions Series) (Group 1)1m2½f, Class 1, £518,542.06 1 Arabian Queen 50/1 NR: Gleneagles (IRE) 7 ran Distances: nk, 3¼l, 1¼l Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa WIN £45.50 PL £11.50, £1.10 |
4:20 - Fine Equinity Stakes (Handicap)2m½f, Class 2, £31,125.00 1 Heartbreak City 7/1 NR: Gabrial’s Star, Teak (IRE) 15 ran Distances: 2½l, 3l, hd Jockey: Franny Norton WIN £6.90 PL £2.40, £2.90, £8.30 |
4:55 - Betway Stakes (Nursery Handicap)6f, Class 2, £31,125.00 1 Mayfair Lady 12/1 NR: Dream Destination (IRE),Ravenhoe (IRE) 18 ran Distances: 5l, ¾l, hd Jockey: Jack Garritty WIN £13.70 PL £3.20, £2.60, £2.10, £4.00 |
fonte : RacingPost