New post on Horse Racing in Korea |
 |
|
California Chrome Brilliant in Del Mar Breeze
If there were any lingering doubts aboutCalifornia Chrome ‘s condition in preparation for the San Diego Handicap (gr. II) after some less than sparkling recent workouts at his Los Alamitos Race Course base, the chestnut runner put those concerns away like an overmatched opponent in a July 16 breeze at Del Mar.
After a long walk from the appropriately labeled Barn CC on the Del Mar backside, the 5-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit schooled in the paddock and took several spins around the walking ring, with the occasional head toss thrown in.
Once on the track, the 2014 Horse of the Year put in his best work since returning from overseas after his score in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) March 26. A bit sluggish recently during morning drills at Los Alamitos, California Chrome apparently liked the change of scenery at Del Mar, logging a :59 1/5 work for five furlongs with the rarely issued Southern California “breezing” tag from the track clockers.
He clicked off fractions of :12 flat, :23 4/5, and :35 3/5, then galloped out to six furlongs in 1:12 and change under regular exercise rider Dihigi Gladney. Compared visually to his recent drills at Los Alamitos, California Chrome looked like a different horse. At Los Alamitos, Gladney has been asking California Chrome to finish, but at Del Mar he did it all on his own. Up to that point in the morning, no other horse had worked five furlongs faster than 1:01 flat.
California Chrome also got a look at likely San Diego rival Dortmund, who was standing at the eighth pole as the chestnut breezed by.
“He’s got his game face on and he knows when it’s time to get ready. He’s a different horse when it gets serious,” trainer Art Sherman said.
Also on hand to watch the work in the grandstand, along with a few hundred fans and other onlookers, was majority owner Perry Martin, Frank Taylor of Taylor Made Farm, and regular jockey Victor Espinoza. Espinoza, who didn’t work California Chrome before the World Cup and similarly stayed off for San Diego preparations, was happy with what he saw.
“It looked like he was doing it in 1:01,” Espinoza said. “To work :59 like that—it’s impressive.”
Sherman said California Chrome will spend the week leading up to the July 23 San Diego galloping and schooling in the Del Mar paddock every day to get familiar with his surroundings. The 1 1/16-mile race will be his fourth start of 2016, following victories in the San Pasqual (gr. II) atSanta Anita Park in January, a Dubai handicap race in February at Meydan, and the World Cup.
fonte : Bloodhorse.com
International : Seventh Heaven, Aidan O’Brien toujours au paradis (Curragh)
La réunion des Oaks d’Irlande voit les O’Brien père et fils s’illustrer sur la piste, mais dans le classique la victoire revient à Aidan. Retrouvez dans cet article les courses principales disputées ce samedi au Curragh et à Newbury
Curragh
Joseph plus fort qu’Aidan en ouverture
Le premier produit de Frankel en piste sur l’ile d’émeraude était l’objet de beaucoup d’attentions. Une fois en course Lightening Fast (photo ci contre) n’a pas brillé, ce représentant de la casaqueQatar Racing Limited termine seulement 8e à distance du lauréat.
Dans cette épreuve pour 2 ans qui sacre souvent de futurs bons Aidan O’Brien est le tenant du titre des 3 dernières éditions. Cette année l’entraîneur présente deux poulains par Galileo, un inédit Capri et Taj Mahal le favori. Ce dernier 7e pour ses début est le propre frère de Gleneagles.
Arcada, le futur gagnant aborde ce « maiden » avec un brin d’expérience. Pour sa 3e sortie publique ce produit de Rip Van Winkle ouvre son palmarès . « Piloter » par Donnacha O’Brien, le plus jeune des enfants d’Aidan O’Brien. Arcada est entraîné par l’aîné de cette fratrie, Joseph Patrick O’Brien. A l’arrivée c’est du 100% O’Brien qui est affiché avec la deuxième place de Capri et la troisième de TajMahal.
Mecca’s Angel retrouve la bonne carburation
Des derniers rangs dans les King’s Stand Stakes (Gr.1) à un net succès dans les Saphire Stakes (Gr.2)un mois s’est écoulé. Un laps de temps suffisant pour remettre le pensionnaire de Michael Dods dans le droit chemin. Mecca’s Angel n’avait pour ainsi dire jamais déçus avant sa pietre tentative à Royal Ascot, au Curragh il devance avace autorité Brando, Gracious John et Sole Power.
Aidan reprend la main dans le groupe pour 2 ans
Peace Evoy et Ryan Moore remportent les Anglesey Stakes (Gr.3) offrant à l’entraîneur Aidan O’Brienune 10e victoire dans ce épreuve. Encore 3 succès et il egalerai le records de victoires détenu par Vincent O’Brien. L’an passé la victoire avait échappé au maître de Ballydoyle, en 2016 le succès est net pour Peace Evoy qui montait en condition au fil de ses courses et ouvre la son palmarès dans le registre des course de sélection. A l’arrivée le favori est battu, jugé sur son accessit des Coventry Stakes (Gr.2) il s’annonçait redoutable, Psychedelic Funk s’octroie néanmoins la deuxième place.
Oaks d’Irlande, c’est pour papa
L’on attendait une victoire du team O’Brien, Aidan alignant 4 représentantes au départ, pas forcement celle de la partenaire de Seamie Heffernan. La favorite au sein de l’écurie se nomme Even Song, confiée à Ryan Morre elle est cadencée de bonne heure et ne peut suivre Seventh Heaven. Si le jockey décroche ces Irish Oaks (Gr.1) pour la 1er fois de sa carrière, Aidan O’brien l’accroche pour la 5e fois à son palmarès. Pas de surprise pour la deuxième place, qui revient comme pour les Oaks d’Epsom (Gr.1) à Architecture. Déjà sur le podium à Epsom, et déjà dans le sillage de Frankie Dettori, Sylvestre De Sousa prend la 3e place avec Harlequeen. Seulement 6e dans les Oaks d’Epsom, Seventh Heaven avait devancé Architecture en debut de saison.
- les 5 victoires dans les Irish Oaks d’Aidan O’Brien : Alexandrova (2006), Peeping Fawn (2007),Moonstone (2008), Bracelet (2014) et Seventh Heaven (2016.
- Galileo, Zoffany, Canford Cliffs, les étalons des 3 premières pouliches sont tous des étalons Coolmore.
Seventh Heaven strides clear to score decisively in the Curragh Classic
PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
Seventh Heaven gives O’Brien fifth Irish Oaks
Report: Curragh, Saturday, Darley Irish Oaks (Group 1), 1m4f, 3yo fillies
SEVENTH HEAVEN bounced back from a disappointing effort in the Investec Oaks to give Aidan O’Brien a fifth victory in the Curragh Classic as stablemate and odds-on favourite Even Song finished well beaten.
RELATED LINKS, Race result
The 14-1 winner stretched clear under Seamie Heffernan to score decisively from British raiders Architecture and Harlequeen in second and third.
O’Brien said: “When Ryan [Moore] picked Even Song, Seamie had second pick and he wanted to ride Seventh Heaven. He thought the Curragh would suit her a lot better than Epsom and he was spot-on.
“She had been working nicely and she loved the good ground today. We always thought she had the makings of a high class filly and we’ll consider sending her for the Yorkshire Oaks.”
Paddy Power make Seventh Heaven 5-1 joint-favourite (from 33) for the Yorkshire Oaks following her first win at the highest level.
Pretty Perfect, one of four runners trained by O’Brien, ensured there was a decent tempo to the race, though it was Frankie Dettori who went for glory aboard the Investec Oaks second Architecture with two furlongs to go.
It appeared to be a race-winning move, though not for long, as Heffernan had it covered aboard Seventh Heaven, who quickened up well in the final furlong to land a convincing win.
Favourite never involved
Even Song, who was uneasy in the market prior to the off, was held up for a late run but failed to quicken in the home straight with Moore eventually easing off the Ribblesdale winner.
O’Brien was inclined to blame himself for Even Song’s disappointing performance. He said: “It’s probably my own fault. I maybe trained her too hard for the Ribblesdale. She’s a fine big filly and will come back from this. Ryan said she was a bit slowly away and could never get into contention.”
Architecture ‘deserves a Group 1′
Hugo Palmer, trainer of runner-up Architecture, said: “We didn’t win but our filly has run another enormous race. The winner had beaten us narrowly in the Lingfield Oaks Trial and beat us further today, so she has obviously improved.
“Architecture deserves to win a Group 1 after her runs at Epsom and here today. She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks but we could send for the German Oaks.”
Ribblesdale second Ajman Princess similarly disappointed with Andrea Atzeni pushing the daughter of Teofilo along on the turn to the straight, and with little response, the Italian rider let her make her own way home at the rear of the field.
Mecca’s Angel and Paul Mulrennan win the Sapphire Stakes
PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
Mecca’s Angel crushes rivals in Sapphire Stakes
Report: Curragh, Saturday, Kilfrush Stud Sapphire Stakes (Group 2) 5f, 3yo+
MECCA’S ANGEL, the 5-4 favourite, motored to victory with a dominant performance over Brando in the Sapphire Stakes.
The Michael Dods-trained five-year-old was prominent under Paul Mulrennan, tracking the lead set by Gracious John, and went readily clear when asked for an effort.
RELATED LINKS, Full result
She had a three length advantage over Brando at the line, with Gracious John in third and old favourite Sole Power back in fourth.
It marked an emphatic return to form for the Group 1 winner, whose finest hour came in winning last season’s Nunthorpe, after she flopped in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, beating just one home.
She was cut for a repeat victory in the Nunthorpe, with Sky Bet going 5-1 (from 8) and Paddy Power 7-2 (from 7).
“There were two things about Ascot: she was in season and didn’t show in season until she was in the stalls, and also the ground. I know you lot think she wants it bottomless, but that’s her ground there,” said Dod, referring to the good to yielding going on the straight.
“When I looked at the ground I thought it was beautiful ground, just the easy side of good which is what it was in the Abbaye and the Nunthorpe. I told Paul to ride her like he did at Longchamp and she came home strong to the line.
“It was a relief because after Ascot we thought we knew what was wrong, but until you put them back on the racecourse you can never be sure. Ground permitting, we will go to York [for the Nunthorpe], just as long as firm isn’t in the ground description. Everyone’s worked hard to get her back and we’re just delighted.”
Earlier in the afternoon the James Fanshawe-trained The Tin Man, another well-regarded sprinter who failed to fire at Royal Ascot, took a cosy win in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury, beating Divine by a head after coasting home in front under Tom Queally. He could go for the Nunthorpe as well, for which he ranges in price from 8-1 to 14-1.
