Decorated Knight swoops late to pull off giant shock under Atzeni
Decorated Knight stormed to Irish Champion Stakes glory, coming from the back of the field under Andrea Atzeni to score by half a length from fellow British raider Poet’s Word in a race in which odds-on favourite Churchill finished a disappointing seventh.
A 25-1 shot, Decorated Knight was scoring at Group 1 level for the third time and for the second time in Ireland this year following his victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May.
Winning trainer Roger Charlton said: “Ireland has been great for me. We’ve had a wonderful strike-rate in Group 1s, put it that way. We’d better keep coming back.
“I can’t believe it. I didn’t come here thinking we were going to win a race like that. We rode for luck. We dropped in and felt they’d go very quick, and his finish down the outside was amazing, absolutely amazing.”
He continued: “He is a mile-and-a-quarter horse so the Champion Stakes at Ascot would have to be on the agenda. But let’s enjoy this and wait and see.
“We were second here with Al Kazeem but I didn’t think we had a winning chance today, but there you go. That’s racing.”
Of the excellent winning ride – which prompted Jamie Spencer to tweet, ‘Atzeni, probably the most naturally gifted rider born to ride a horse, lovely to watch’ – Charlton said: “Andrea is very good. He is very confident and he rides a lot of good horses, which helps. I thought he gave the horse a wonderful ride.
“He said he had them covered. He said the horse was very relaxed and had an amazing turn of foot, quickening right to the line.
“There was nothing flukey about it. He has been a bit unlucky in his last couple of races.
“He hated the ground at York, which I couldn’t blame him for. He got bashed about at Sandown in the Eclipse, and he ran very well at Royal Ascot.
“He’s tough. He was on the go in April and March, so to keep going all season is a tribute to the horse.
“I was half-thinking it might be his last race but we’ll have to look at the Champion Stakes at Ascot.”
Atzeni, who was landing his third Group 1 in Ireland this season, said: “The plan was to give him a chance and ride him to run well and pick up the pieces. Luckily he picked up really well and we picked them all up.
“I’ve been lucky to ride some good horses in my career but this is one of my special days. I didn’t expect to win, so I went out there with no pressure.
“We knew there’d be a lot of pace in the race so I put him to sleep and rode him to finish well, which he did. He’s produced the goods.”
James Doyle, rider of runner-up Poet’s Word, said: “I’m delighted with him. He settled really nice and I got a nice tow into the race. He picked up really well and I thought we were going to get there, but Andrea got a nice lead off us and just pipped us late on.
“He has a massive future and it was a good run. Sir Michael [Stoute] doesn’t get it wrong, does he? He thought he was a superstar and chucked him in here. He was quite confident beforehand and he nearly did it.”
Frankie Dettori, who was bidding for a seventh win in the race finished third on Eminent, who made most of the running and ensured the three British-trained runners filled the first three places.
Eminent was a length and three-quarters behind Poet’s Word and Dettori said: “Eminent has run a superb race. When I got to the furlong pole and I was still in front, I said to myself, ‘Aye, aye, this is looking good’, and he was still galloping for me.
“I was just beaten by two very good horses in the end. He’s had a hard season. He started off in the Craven and then the Guineas. I couldn’t fault him at all. He gave me a lovely feel.”
Moonlight Magic fared best of the home team in finishing fourth, while Aidan O’Brien, whose Taj Mahal finished fifth, one place in front of stablemate Cliffs Of Moher, admitted to being disappointed at how the race panned out for his runners.
He said: “It was a bit messy and things just didn’t work out for Churchill and Cliffs Of Moher. They didn’t get clear runs in the straight.”
All the talk pre-race was of Churchill bouncing back to winning ways but that is now three defeats on the bounce and he has gone winless since completing the Guineas double at the Curragh in May.
While last season’s champion juvenile appeared again to run below expectations, Decorated Knight proved those too backward to dazzle at two, or during the Classics, can still have their day in the sun.
When he was Churchill’s age he had a maiden win and a handicap off a mark of 85 to his name. Two years later he has added one of Europe’s premier middle-distance races to his Meydan and Tattersalls Gold Cup successes.
fonte : RacingPost
Stunning Sprint Cup success for Harry Angel
Harry Angel put up an outstanding performance to win the G1 Sprint Cup over six furlongs at Haydock Park, UK, on Saturday, September 9.
The three-year-old Dark Angel colt broke well and went straight into the lead under jockey Adam Kirby. He continued at the head of affairs and when asked to quicken inside the final quarter mile, showed an outstanding turn of foot to go clear of his rivals.
He stayed on powerfully inside the final furlong to go on and win by four lengths from Tasleet with The Tin Man another length and a half back in third. Godolphin’s other starter in the Sprint Cup, Blue Point (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle), tracked Harry Angel but was unable to quicken entering the final furlong and came home in fourth.
The winning time was 1m 13.90s on ground described as heavy. Harry Angel was recording his second successive G1 victory over six furlongs, having previously taken the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on good to firm ground on July 15.
Winning trainer Clive Cox said: “After running Lethal Force here a few years ago, I know how deep the ground can get at Haydock.
“I am just so proud of Harry Angel. He is a champion on fast ground and is now also a champion on easier ground. It’s difficult to change gear on ground like that and to win by four lengths against soft ground horses was super.
“I hope he stays in training next year. It’s a huge relief after walking the course, as that ground is as bad as it gets.
“Thank goodness we made the right decision, he’s maturing all the time and now we know we can head to Ascot (for the G1 British Champions Sprint on October 21) without worrying what the ground does.”
Adam Kirby added: “I am a believer that a proper champion can go any ground but Harry Angel is so fast and I was concerned before the race.
“Harry Angel is a machine. He has speed to burn and amazing acceleration. I knew he would won as soon as he picked up – he found three lengths straight away.
“He is very good and still getting better. Mentally, he is getting there and relaxing better. Today was not how good he is – he will keep getting better.
“Fair play to Clive Cox and everyone in the yard. Kevin Harris who rides him out and everyone else involved have made Harry Angel the horse he is.”
fonte : Godolphin
Decorated Knight Another For Galileo In the Irish Champion
| 7th at Leo, Gr. Stk, €1,250,000 | G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. | (10f) | Winner: Decorated Knight (GB), h, 5 by Galileo (Ire) |
Decorated Knight wins the Irish Champion | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
On what turned out to be a night of upsets, Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar’s Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) swooped late to lead home a British-trained one-two-three in the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown at a huge 25-1. Scorned by those odds despite having already been successful in the top flight in this country’s Tattersalls Gold Cup, Andrea Atzeni had nothing to lose and switched him off in last as Frankie Dettori allowed Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) his head up front. Surging out wide, Decorated Knight got to the lead with 100 yards remaining and had that bit more speed than his compatriot Poet’s Word (Ire) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) to win by a half length, with 1 3/4 lengths back to the game Eminent in third. Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was strongly supported again, but the 8-11 favourite could never land a blow on the inside and ended up seventh. “He had a bad draw and we thought the ground would be too soft for him, but I put him to sleep and he picked up so well,” the winning rider said. “He looked a different horse in the paddock and relaxed really nicely, but to be honest I didn’t expect him to win today. I just went out there with no pressure, left him alone for most of the race, pulled him out to see what he had left and he picked up well. He’s shown how good he is today and he could go anywhere now.”
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
QIPCO IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, €1,250,000, LEO, 9-9, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.36, gd.
1–DECORATED KNIGHT (GB), 133, h, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Pearling, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Mariah’s Storm, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Immense, by Roberto
O/B-Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar (GB); T-Roger Charlton; J-Andrea Atzeni. €712,500. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE, MSW & G1SP-Eng, 18-8-4-1, $1,786,522. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Poet’s Word (Ire), 133, c, 4, Poet’s Voice (GB)–Whirly Bird (GB), by Nashwan. (300,000gns Ylg ’14 TAOCT). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Woodcote Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. €250,000.
3–Eminent (Ire), 127, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–You’ll Be Mine, by Kingmambo. (150,000gns Ylg ’15 TATOCT). O-Sir Peter Vela; B-Premier Bloodstock (IRE); T-Martyn Meade. €125,000.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 25.00, 10.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Moonlight Magic (GB), Taj Mahal (Ire), Cliffs of Moher (Ire), Churchill (Ire), Zhukova (Ire), The Grey Gatsby (Ire), Success Days (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
After switching from Roger Varian to Roger Charlton at the end of 2015, Decorated Knight gradually improved his portfolio with wins in the Listed Festival S. at Goodwood last May 2016 and the nine-furlong G3 Meld S. here in July. Next seen winning the Listed Winter Derby Trial on Lingfield’s Polytrack Feb. 4, the chestnut went to Meydan to capture the G1 Jebel Hatta over nine furlongs Mar. 4 before finishing sixth in the G1 Dubai Turf three weeks later. Returning to Europe to land The Curragh’s Tattersalls Gold Cup May 28, he progressed again to split Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when second in Royal Ascot’s G1 Prince of Wales’s S. June 21.
One of the main victims of the interference caused by the manoeuvre of Taj Mahal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when sixth in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown July 8, Decorated Knight continued to be a horse that the punters refused to believe in when 16-1 for York’s G1 Juddmonte International S. and he never fired there as he wound up fifth Aug. 23. Anchored at the tail of the field as the newly-liberated Eminent took off like he was taking part in the Flying Five under Dettori, he stayed out of trouble along with Poet’s Word with the pace setting up perfectly for the closers. When you are three in front of Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy) you are generally going too fast, but to Eminent’s credit he kept galloping in the straight as those bunched towards the rail struggled for room. Ryan Moore was trying to keep Churchill from lugging down to the fence, but the imposing favourite was hard to steer and he hampered stablemate Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) there before Moonlight Magic (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) delivered a promising surge. Eminent kept him at bay, but Decorated Knight and Poet’s Word swept down the outer as Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) had 12 months ago to take over inside the final furlong with the former proving too strong.
“Andrea said he knew he was going to win turning in and said he had them covered,” a surprised Roger Charlton commented. “He showed an amazing turn of foot and there was nothing flukey about it. He hated the ground at York and I don’t blame him for that, plus he got bashed about in the Eclipse but has improved and improved. He is tough and has been on the go since February and to keep going all the way through the season is a credit to the horse. I was half thinking this might be his last race, but I’ll look at the [Oct. 21 G1 Qipco] Champion Stakes at Ascot now.”
James Doyle, rider of runner-up Poet’s Word, told the Racing Post, “He settled really nice and I got a nice tow into the race. He picked up really well and I thought we were going to get there, but Andrea got a nice lead off us and just pipped us late on. He has a massive future and it was a good run. Sir Michael thought he was a superstar and chucked him in here. He was quite confident beforehand and he nearly did it.” Frankie Dettori said of Eminent, “When I got to the furlong pole and I was still in front, I said to myself, ‘Aye, aye, this is looking good’, and he was still galloping for me. I was just beaten by two very good horses in the end. He’s had a hard season. He started off in the Craven and then the Guineas. I couldn’t fault him at all. He gave me a lovely feel.”
Decorated Knight’s Pearling is a daughter of the GII Turfway Park Budweiser Breeders’ Cup S. and GII Arlington-Washington Lassie S. heroine Mariah’s Storm, who is world-renowned as the dam of the champion Giant’s Causeway who captured this at a more expected 8-11 in the millennium year. She also produced his full-sister, the G2 Cherry Hinton S. and G3 Swordlestown Stud Sprint S. winner You’resothrilling who is the dam of this stable’s high-class miler Gleneagles (Ire), the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Marvellous (Ire), the G3 C.L. & M.F. Weld Park S. scorer and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. third Coolmore (Ire), this race’s fifth Taj Mahal and this year’s G3 Silver Flash S. winner and G2 Debutante S. runner-up Happily (Ire) all by Decorated Knight’s sire Galileo. Pearling’s 2-year-old colt is by Dansili (GB).
Galileo’s Hydrangea Upsets Winter In the Matron
| 5th at Leo, Gr. Stk, €350,000 | G1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron S. | (8f) | Winner: Hydrangea (Ire), f, 3 by Galileo (Ire) |
Hydrangea | racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
She had been beaten on her last four starts by Winter, but there was one occasion when Hydrangea had got the better of her and chose a big night to wind back the clock to Apr. 8 when she had upstaged her soon-to-be dual Guineas-winning stablemate by a head in the seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial S. That seasonal return marked her as a genuine Guineas contender in her own right, but that was already known at two when she filled the runner’s-up spot behind Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in both the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh and Newmarket’s G1 Fillies’ Mile. In between, she had got the better of Rhododendron when they were second and third behind Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in The Curragh’s G1 Moyglare Stud S. proving that there was no amount of times she could be knocked down before quitting.
Despite her natural resilience, it must have been dispiriting to suffer so many blows to her confidence as after a rare disappointing effort when 10th in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 7 Hydrangea was well beaten by Winter when third in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh three weeks later and in Royal Ascot’s G1 Coronation S. June 23. Sluggish at the start of Glorious Goodwood’s G1 Nassau S. and ultimately unable to land a blow in fourth Aug. 3, the bay could have been forgiven for capitulating in this hot contest but instead had something up her sleeve to produce the first of two big shocks on the evening.
Handed a rare lead by another stable star in Roly Poly (War Front), Wayne Lordan let her bowl along in a close-up second and all was going to script as Ryan Moore sent Winter to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Hanging in there as pressure came wide from Persuasive to spur her on, the market leader failed to get away from her and the dogged Hydrangea wore her down late. “She is a very consistent filly who had run well all year and enjoys this turning track,” her rider said. “Winter quickened up away from me, but she put her head down and tried very hard.”
Aidan O’Brien had revealed that the runner-up had suffered a setback in the lead-up to this race and believed that had made the difference. “She is Winter’s work partner and maybe she turned around and said ‘you can have this one today’,” he joked. “They ran together in the trial before going to Newmarket and Hydrangea pipped Winter and it was great as she was the only one of the four who hadn’t won a group 1. We felt that Winter was going to improve a bit from the run. She was carrying a little bit of a tummy, but needed to run and that made the difference. She missed seven days and whereas she did well maybe it freshened Hydrangea up. The winner will stay further and could go for the [G1] Prix de l’Opera [at Chantilly Oct. 1]. Winter is in the Arc, and the Opera is another option.”
After playing second fiddle to his son Frankel (GB) earlier on the card, Galileo was back in charge where it mattered and Hydrangea proved one of his typically hardy products. She is the second group 1 winner for the G2 Prix du Gros-Chene and G3 Prix d’Arenberg scorer Beauty Is Truth after the G1 Ranvet S. hero The United States, who is also by Galileo, while her half-sister is the G3 Phoenix Sprint S. winner Fire Lily who also ran second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. The second dam Zelding captured the G3 Prix du Bois before producing the Listed Prix Finlande scorer and G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches runner-up Glorious Sight (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}) who was also third in the G1 Prix de Diane. The third dam Zelda produced two more group scorers in the G2 Prix Robert Papin-winning sire Zipping (Ire) and the G3 Prix du Petit-Couvert winner Nipping (Ire) (Night Shift) and is a half-sister to five black-type winners headed by the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile hero and leading sire Last Tycoon (Ire) and the Listed Prix la Camargo winner Side of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells). She is herself the dam of the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine Immortal Verse (Ire) who shares Pivotal as a sire with Beauty Is Truth. The latter also has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old full-brother to the winner named Adelphi (Ire) and filly yearling and foals by the same sire.
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
COOLMORE FASTNET ROCK MATRON S.-G1, €350,000, LEO, 9-9, 3yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:41.89, gd.
1–HYDRANGEA (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (MGSW-Fr, $226,426), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Zelding (Ire), by Warning (GB)
3rd Dam: Zelda (Ire), by Caerleon
*1st Group 1 win. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €206,500. Lifetime Record: 13-3-4-2, $688,698. *Full to The United States (Ire), G1SW-Aus & GSW-Ire, $1,684,244; and 1/2 to Fire Lily (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 5-7f, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Fr & GSP-Eng, $412,541. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Winter (Ire), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Laddies Poker Two (Ire), by Choisir (Aus). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Laddies Poker Two Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €70,000.
3–Persuasive (Ire), 131, f, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Choose Me (Ire), by Choisir (Aus). (€180,000 Ylg ’14 GOFORB). O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-J F Tuthill (IRE); T-John Gosden. €35,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 20.00, 1.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Wuheida (GB), Qemah (Ire), Roly Poly, Rhododendron (Ire), Intricately (Ire), Diamond Fields (Ire), Bean Feasa (GB). Scratched: Laganore (Ire), Unforgetable Filly (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Dark Angel’s Harry Angel Dominates Haydock’s Sprint Cup
| 3rd at HAY, Gr. Stk, 260000 | G1 32Red Sprint Cup S. | (6f) | Winner: Harry Angel (Ire), c, 3 by Dark Angel (Ire) |
Harry Angel and Adam Kirby | Racing Post
By Sean Cronin
Fresh from plundering Newmarket’s G1 July Cup in his latest start July 15, Godolphin’s champion sprinter-elect Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) advanced his credentials as Europe’s leading speedster–and allayed all concerns about his abilty to cope on heavy ground–with a dominant performance in Saturday’s G1 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock. Sharply away to race on the front end of a stellar field from the outset of this straight dash, the crowd’s 2-1 selection was threatened soon after passing the two pole, but put the contest to bed in a matter of strides when quickening clear approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly for continued rousting in the closing stages to win by daylight. At the line, he held a four-length advantage over Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) with The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) 1 1/2 lengths further adrift in third. “I believe that a proper champion should be able to go on any ground, but he’s so fast I was concerned about the [heavy] going,” admitted rider Adam Kirby. “It’s a great team effort, fair play to [trainer] Clive Cox for taking the decision to run him and it’s paid off really well. He’s a machine, he’s got speed to burn and I knew he’d won as soon as he picked up. He’s very good and is just getting better.”
First or second in each of his seven starts to date, Harry Angel’s stakes resume also includes wins in last year’s G2 Mill Reef S. and this term’s G2 Sandy Lane S., over this course and distance, and runner-up finishes in the May 3 G3 Pavilion S. and June 23 G1 Commonwealth Cup. Reflecting on a late decision to run, which was in doubt until the witching hour, trainer Clive Cox explained, “It was a case of deja vu as we had the same decision to make with Lethal Force a few years ago and he hated the ground. Harry Angel is so good on fast ground there had to be a chance he wouldn’t go on it, but he’s proved he goes on any ground now. It’s difficult to change gear on ground like that and to win by four lengths against soft-ground horses was super. It’s a huge relief after walking the course, that ground is as bad as it gets and thank goodness we made the right decision. He’s maturing all the time and we can now head to Ascot [for the Oct. 21 G1 British Champions Sprint] without worrying what the ground does. He’s a champion on fast ground and a proven champion on easier ground now and I hope he stays in training next year.”
The front three, at least, are set fair to cross swords once more with Tasleet and The Tin Man both slated for starts in Ascot’s G1 British Champions Sprint, according to their trainers. “Tasleet ran a very good race, but we’re going to have to come up with a way of beating Clive [Cox]’s horse,” said William Haggas. “We can’t just let him have an easy lead and put the race to bed. I think it’s now clear we’re better on soft ground so we’ll head to Ascot next I think.” James Fanshawe, analysing a third-place finish for The Tin Man after running second last year, added, “He ran very well again, but the [heavy] ground has blunted his speed. Ever since [winning the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at] Royal Ascot the main aim has been to head back to Ascot [for the G1 British Champions Sprint] on Champions Day, as he runs so well there.”
Harry Angel is the lone stakes winner produced by Beatrix Potter (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), a half-sister to the dual G1 BMW Champions Mile scorer Xtension (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), out of Listed BMW Preis Dusseldorf runner-up Great Joy (Ire) (Grand Lodge), who in turn is a half-sister to Listed October S. victress A La Carte (Ire) (Caerleon) and Bally Souza (Ire) (Alzao). The latter is the dam of Listed Round Tower S. victor and G1 National S. runner-up Wathab (Ire) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), with this being the immediate family of top-level winners Lord Avie (Lord Gaylord), Stephen Got Even (A.P. Indy) and Artemis Agrotera (Roman Ruler). Beatrix Potter has also produced the as yet unraced 2-year-old filly Cileopatra (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).
Saturday, Haydock, Britain
32RED SPRINT CUP S.-G1, £260,000, HAY, 9-9, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:13.90, hy.
1–HARRY ANGEL (IRE), 127, c, 3, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Beatrix Potter (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
2nd Dam: Great Joy (Ire), by Grand Lodge
3rd Dam: Cheese Soup, by Spectacular Bid
(£44,000 Ylg ’15 DNPRM). O-Godolphin; B-CBS Bloodstock (IRE); T-Clive Cox; J-Adam Kirby. £147,446. Lifetime Record: 7-4-3-0, $821,390. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tasleet (GB), 129, c, 4, Showcasing (GB)–Bird Key (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (£52,000 Ylg ’14 DNPRM). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-William Haggas. £55,900.
3–The Tin Man (GB), 129, g, 5, Equiano (Fr)–Persario (GB), by Bishop of Cashel (GB). (80,000gns Ylg ’13 TAOCT). O-Fred Archer Racing – Ormonde; B-Mrs Elizabeth Grundy (GB); T-James Fanshawe. £27,976.
Margins: 4, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 2.00, 4.50, 5.50.
Also Ran: Blue Point (Ire), Cougar Mountain (Ire), Mr Lupton (Ire), Growl (GB), Kimberella (GB), Brando (GB), Queen Kindly (GB), Magical Memory (Ire). Scratched: Spirit of Valor. Click for the Racing Post resultor the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
fonte : TDN
Irlanda: #Decorated Knight ed Andrea Atzeni, 2 furie sulle #QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes. Solo 7° #Churchill, 3° Frankie
Il veleno nella coda! Andrea Atzeni ha sfatato il mito di Leopardstown come pista per i cavalli di testa, finendo dalla coda fino al primo posto dell’edizione 2017 delle QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes G1 in sella a Decorated Knight (Galileo), uno dei cavalli più in forma dei partecipanti, beffando Poet’s Word (Poet’s Voice) trascinato dalle retrovie, con al terzo Eminent (Frankel) rimasto in quota per qualcosa di importante con un impressionante hat trick dei britannici in terra irlandese. Non pervenuto Churchill (Galileo), ma solo sul podio perchè il cavallo di Aidan O’Brien ha cercato di trovare uno spazio che non esisteva alle spalle di Eminent ed è finito quasi a non correre. Per passare di li, con un Frankie che non è scemo mica e non ti concede nulla, si sarebbe dovuto nebulizzare. Ed invece no, per lui una prestazione che se da una parte ha fatto intravedere di essersi ritrovato, dall’altro ha lasciato gli scommettitori imbufaliti per quanti soldi erano stati messi su di lui. Alla fine per lui solo un settimo posto, superato anche dai compagni Taj Mahal (Galileo), Cliffs Of Moher (Galileo), ancora allo steccato, e dal Godolphin Moonlight Magic (Cape Cross) che insieme ad Eminent in avanti ha costituito il muro su cui è andato a sbattere tutta la strada Ryan Moore. Avrà molto di cui recriminare il Coolmoriano…Eminent ha fatto la sua corsa, tirando molto nella fase iniziale ma gestito in qualche modo da Frankie alla fine ha fornito una bella prestazione correndo al massimo delle sue possibilità, e forse qualcosa potrà ancora fare se imparerà a gestirsi. Eppure Ryan Moore lo sapeva, visto che lo aveva montato, che Eminent davanti diventa un canaccio. E se a Leopardstown non trovi bene la posizione, c’è il rischio trappola. Appunto. Trionfale l’esultanza invece di Andrea Atzeni con un cavallo a 25/1 che sembrava veramente out da ogni discorso visto la stagione impegnativa. Invece si è messo li, con la pazienza di Giobbe, e quando è entrato in dirittura per ultimo rispetto ai rivali, ha cominciato a mulinare le braccia con energia recuperando metro su metro sul gruppo, ed è finito in piena spinta esultando come un ossesso.
Decorated Knight, di proprietà di Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar ed allenato da un bravissimo trainer come Roger Charlton, era all’8° uscita stagionale ma ancora completamente sul pezzo. Dopo la vittoria al Curragh nella Tattersalls Gold Cup G1, sono arrivati i secondi posti nelle Prince Of Wales’s Stakes G1 e poi il quinto ed il sesto tra York e Sandown sempre al massimo livello. Lo scorso anno valeva un 111 di rating, questa vittoria lo ha fatto salire al suo massimo picco di 121. Miglioratissimo! Si tratta di un figlio di Galileo e Pearling (Storm Cat), stretto consanguineo di Gleneagles e figlio di una sorella piena di Giant’s Causeway.
IL VIDEO DELLE QIPCO IRISH CHAMPION STAKES QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.
MATRON STAKES: Ullallà. Sorpresa a Leopardstown per le Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes G1 (su terreno colloso, vale la pena dirlo) dove a vincere è stata Hydrangea (Galileo) che aveva perso e anche nettamente gli ultimi 4 confronti con la campionessa Winter (Galileo), la quale non è riuscita a collezionare il suo 5 G1 consecutivo. Ma non è una sorpresona che abbia perso (magari gli scommettitori sono meno felici) e non che Hydrangea sia scarsa, anzi. Già ad inizio Aprile di quest’anno aveva a sua volta battuto ancora la grigia nelle Ballylinch Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes G3 nell’esatto identico margine, ed un significato c’è. Hydrangea batte Winter quando quest’ultima non è la vera Winter nel senso del massimo picco di forma, del resto fra meno di un mese c’è la giornata dell’Arc a Chantilly ed il Champions Day ad Ascot, senza dimenticare la Breeders’ Cup di Del Mar, dove deve dimostrare di fronte al mondo di che pasta è fatta. Sta di fatto che oggi ha perso mancando proprio nella fase finale, quando i polmoni devono essere bene aperti per reagire ad ogni attacco.
IL VIDEO DELLE MATRON STAKES QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.
Haydock: #Harry Angel spadroneggia nella 32Red Sprint Cup! Battuti Tasleet e The Tin Man, male Brando
Una accelerazione degna del miglior sprinter, quale è in questo momento. Harry Angel (Dark Angel) ha replicato la vittoria della July Cup G1 di Newmarket a metà Luglio, vincendo in maniera ancora più convincente la 32Red Sprint Cup G1 di Haydock con uno stile impeccabile, eccellente, cementando le credenziali di leading speedster grazie ad una prestazione tutto pepe. Con Adamo Kirby in sella, il pensionario di Godolphin alle dipendenze di Clive Cox è partito forte e si è subito messo in prima linea con tutti alle sue spalle acquattati per prenderlo di sorpresa. Harry ha accettato le regole del gioco, portandoli però tutti a spasso, tanto che quando ha deciso di venire via lo ha fatto come una saetta incrementando gradualmente le lunghezze dai rivali fino a scavare un fossato incolmabile. Alla fine 4 lunghezze comode su Tasleet (Showcasing) con The Tin Man (Equiano) al terzo. Alla fine era un vero G1 ma all’epilogo è mancato Brando (Pivotal), apparso stanco tanto da non tenere il ritmo dei primi spegnendosi metro dopo metro e terminando in gruppo ma senza acuti particolari.
Quanto ad Harry Angel, si tratta di un 3 anni in continua espansione che Godolphin ha pescato dopo averlo visto all’opera e vittorioso nelle Sandy Lane G2 di quest’anno proprio ad Haydock. Lo scorso anno aveva vinto le Mill Reef G2 mentre quest’anno ha ottenuto piazzamenti anche nella Commonwealth Cup G1 di Ascot, perdendo da Caravaggio solo perchè ha forse esagerato nella prima parte di gara. Cambiato il modo di correre, sono arrivate 2 vittorie al massimo livello che ne certificano già lo spessore di potenziale stallone. L’obiettivo è quello del British Champions Sprint G1 nel Champions Day di Ascot, qualora il terreno rimanga ancora galoppabile e non eccessivamente morbido, dato che quest’ultima condizione bagna le polveri e non consente di scoccare la scintilla.
Harry Angel è un figlio dell’ormai mitico Dark Angel (Acclamation), quest’anno disponibile a €65,000 per gli allevatori. Basti pensare che ha iniziato toccando punte, al ribasso, di €7,000 prima cominciare a diventare importante. Harry è l’unico stakes winner per sua madre Beatrix Potter (Cadeaux Genereux), mezza sorella del campione Xtension (Xaar).
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