DOMENICA 7 AGOSTO 2016 Deauville: Signs Of Blessing vince una edizione tragica del De Gheest! Caduta ed infortunio grave per Gold-Fun
Signs Of Blessing (nose band) heading to victory in the Maurice de Gheest
PICTURE: www.scoopdyga.com
Blessing wins dramatic Prix Maurice de Gheest
Report: France, Sunday, Deauville: Larc Prix Maurice de Gheest (Group 1), 6½f, 3yo+
SIGNS OF BLESSING made all to win an incident-packed Prix Maurice de Gheest, in which Hong Kong raider and favourite Gold-Fun was a fatal faller inside the last furlong.
RELATED LINKS, Prix Maurice de Gheest result , Prix de Reux result
A close third in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes behind Twilight Son, Signs Of Blessing returned victorious to claim his first Group 1 win, and a first French winner of this contest since 2013.
The drama began before the race was off, as the three horses drawn widest broke the stalls early after Jimmy Two Times reared, triggering the gates to release.
A delay ensued after the runners were reloaded, but once finally getting underway, the Francois Rohaut-trained Signs Of Blessing set a stern pace and never saw another rival, holding on for the win from the fast finishing Richard Fahey-trained Donjuan Triumphant in second, with Jimmy Two Times third.
Dutch Connection, the highly fancied winner of the Lennox Stakes, could only finish fifth for Godolphin and Charles Hills.
Rohaut said the decision to geld the five-year-old last year had reaped rewards. “This horse has always shown a huge amount of promise and I am delighted he has been able to make good on it today,” he said. “Things didn’t go well last year but this proves we made the right decision to geld him.
“He will have a break and then go back to Ascot. If all goes well he could go to Hong Kong after that.”
The race was marred by a nasty fall for Diamond Jubilee Stakes runner up, Gold-Fun, who had to be put down.
The Richard Gibson-trained seven-year-old hit the turf as jockey Christophe Soumillon was launching his challenge. Soumillon walked away from the fall but did not ride in the next race.
Following the win Sign Of Blessings was cut to as short as 12-1 for the Qipco Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot, with SkyBet a best priced 16-1.
Also on Sunday, Deauville: Prix de Reux (Group 3) 1m4½f, 3yo+
Ventura Storm completed a successful trip to France for owners Middleham Park Racing as he claimed victory in this race to go alongside the second their Donjuan Triumphant nabbed in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
The three-year-old son of Zoffany was a convincing winner of the Group 3 contest as, drawn in six, he tracked the leaders wide before asserting his authority to return victorious at 4-1.
St Leger bound
Trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Gregory Benoist, Ventura Storm won a listed contest at Hamilton before coming to France, and stepped up a furlong-and-a-half in trip for this contest.
Sarah Davey, representative of owners Middleham Park Racing, said “The key to him is the step up in trip and he was pricking his ears going away at the end.
“Now the entries in the English and German St Legers make sense. We will certainly be tempted by Doncaster. He needs to be ridden positively and Gregory gave him a great ride.”
Frosted Dazzles in Whitney
Joel Rosario had ice in his veins andFrosted was breathing fire in a scorching edition of the $1.25 million Whitney Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course. Watch Video
In his first start since a record-breaking win in the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), the 4-year-old son of Tapit dazzled again, finding a half-mile in :46.42 to be mere cruising speed as he opened a clear advantage through three-quarters in 1:09.65 en route to a two-length victory. Rosario never even asked him and Frosted was never seriously challenged in the stretch, completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.77 as the 1-2 favorite in a field of six.
“He was cooking,” Rosario said in the winner’s circle, after riding home perched motionless under the wire. “I knew he probably went a little too fast—more than normal. … (but) I was cruising the whole way, he was very relaxed, and I just tried to save something for the end. Sometimes he’s a little difficult, and you have to let him do what he wants to do, but when I turned for home I knew I had something left because I know the way he likes to run.”
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Godolphin Racing, Frosted is the second straight horse to sweep the Met Mile and Whitney—followingHonor Code last year—and just the tenth overall to win those two races in the same season.
“I was a little concerned with nine and change, but he was going the right way,” McLaughlin said. “For Joel to be there, he had to have a lot of horse. He just gets along great with this horse. I thought it was a little fast but with Joel, no. I was confident with Joel.”
McLaughlin said options for Frosted include a run in the Sept. 3 Woodward (gr. I) at Saratoga, the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont Park Oct. 8, or to train straight up to the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park. The Whitney is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” event, providing Frosted with a guaranteed berth in the starting gate for the World Championships’ signature event.
“It’s a privlege to have him in the barn,” the trainer said. “He is a special horse, great-minded, very talented. I hope one day I can say he’s the best horse I’ve ever trained. He’s creeping right up at the top (of the list). Invasor was the best, I’ll always say, but he is creeping up and now if he can go on and win the Breeders’ Cup or Dubai World Cup, he’ll be right there with him or pass him.”
Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners was thrilled with the effort of runner-up Comfort, who stepped into grade I company for the first time off three straight wins for Todd Pletcher.
“I’ve never been so happy to run second,” Wellman said, as Pletcher credited his colt’s effort.
“It took him a little while to catch his rhythm, but once he did, I thought he closed resolutely,” the trainer remarked. “It was a big effort for him; he’s come a long way in a short period of time. It was a big step up for him and he ran very credible.”
Behind Comfort came Upstart, Effinex, Noble Bird, and El Kabier. Frosted returned $3, $2.50, and $2.10, while Comfort brought $4.40 and $3.20 with Upstart paying $3.70.
Bred in Kentucky by Darley out of the graded stakes-winning Deputy Minister mare Fast Cookie, Frosted improved his record to 6-6-1 from 17 starts for earnings of $3,852,800.
Italians all’estero. I nostri alfieri vincono in Giappone, Francia, Inghilterra e Danimarca.. in attesa della domenica..
Sabato notte a Del Mar solo un terzo posto per Moonlight Drive (Red Rocks), allevato dal Centro Equino Arcadia, da cavallo favorito nel La Jolla Handicap G3 sui 1700 metri in una corsa vinta a sorpresa da Free Rose.
Caravaggio followed his Coventry Stakes win with victory at the Curragh
PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
Caravaggio different class as he slams rivals
Report: Curragh, Sunday, Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1) 6f, 2yo
CARAVAGGIO is fast, his trainer Aidan O’Brien has always said, and he looked to be going a different gear to his rivals throughout as he thumped them to win this Group 1 without coming off the bridle.
RELATED LINKS, Keeneland Phoenix Stakes result , Phoenix Sprint Stakes result
Sent off the 1-8 favourite and with far superior form to his overmatched rivals, Caravaggio breezed into contention with a furlong-and-a-half to go and was merely nudged clear to win for jockey Seamie Heffernan.
Reputation and form combined to scare off most of the rivals to Caravaggio, whose superb win in the Coventry Stakes has been franked by the performances of Mehmas and Yalta since.
And in the end it was little more than a piece of work for Caravaggio, albeit you could not be helped but be impressed by how he won. Stablemate Courage Under Fire made the running before Caravaggio moved through and settled matters with the minimum of fuss.
“It’s about speed and class and he’s not short of either,” Heffernan said. “There was plenty left today. He always showed a lot and he’s never disappointed.”
Market reaction
He became a scarcely believable 15th winner of the race for O’Brien and was cut to a general 5-2 favourite (from 3) for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas. Paddy Power remained unchanged at 4-1 for the race.
Paddy Power’s view may be influenced by the record of O’Brien’s recent winners in the first Classic of the season. Only George Washington has followed up his Phoenix Stakes win with Classic glory, with the likes of hotshots One Cool Cat and Air Force Blue beaten.
The need for speed
The Guineas trip is sure to be a hotly debated subject when it come to Caravaggio, and even O’Brien is unsure about how he will handle it.
“He has a lot of speed and speed has always been his thing,” O’Brien said. “When they have that pace you’re never sure how far they’re going to stay but everything is right with him; he has a good mind, he’s a good mover and has good wind. All the things are in his favour.
“He did 45mph on the gallops at home the other day and we’d never have a horse do that before in work so that tells you the pure, raw pace he has. It would worry me, obviously [in terms of getting further]. But he has things in his favour like I said that are pluses.”
He added: “We’ll leave him at six for now and only try him over further when we have to. The lads will think what to do next but the [Prix Morny] is an option or maybe the Middle Park.”
Also on Sunday
Curragh: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Phoenix Sprint (Group 3) 6f, 3yo+
WHILE Caravaggio’s light shone brightly at the Curragh, Air Force Blue’s was dull and may well have gone out as he finished tailed off behind Toscanini.
Sent off the even-money favourite after showing a smidgen of promise at Newmarket last time, Air Force Blue raced at the rear of the field as Toscanini and Lord Of The Land traded blows up front.
With two furlongs remaining Toscanini stretched the field and went on, chased hard by Eastern Impact and Lord Of The Land. Air Force Blue, meanwhile, quickly disappeared from view at the rear.
Toscanini went on to take the prize by a length-and-a-quarter from Eastern Impact with Lord Of The Land third.
Irlanda: #Caravaggio domina le Phoenix Stakes al Curragh! Scontro al vertice con Lady Aurelia nel Morny?
Tryster: will run in the Arlington Million on Saturday
PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)
Tryster on target for the Arlington Million
THERE will be a strong European presence in Chicago on Saturday night as four British or Irish-trained horses feature among the 15 pre-entries for the Arlington Million.
In Tryster, Mondialiste and Deauville, the European quartet includes a trio of horses who have won at the highest level before, while Decorated Knight is a progressive four-year-old and arrives on the back of a career-best effort.
Only 14 horses can compete in the $1million contest but all four European raiders are guaranteed a run.
Good preparation
Godolphin’s only success in the Million came when Sulamani was awarded the race in 2003 but they have a strong contender this time in Tryster, who, as you might expect for a horse who has proven so effective in Dubai, has reportedly taken the travelling in his stride.
“He’s travelled over well,” Appleby said. “He was out on the track on Saturday morning and the guys were very happy with him. It’s all been straightforward so far.”
Noted for possessing an explosive turn of foot, Tryster is thought to be at his most effective on turf when the ground is fast and Appleby is hoping a decent gallop on quick ground will allow the horse to produce his best.
“They are forecast thunderstorms during the week but hopefully they’ll miss them as it’s a case of the faster the ground the better for Tryster,” the trainer said. “He’s not the quickest from the gates but you wouldn’t want him to be too quickly away as he likes to be held up and come off a fast pace.”
Appleby also confirmed that Tryster would be ridden by William Buick, who won the race in 2010 on the John Gosden-trained Debussy.
Supporting card
The last European winner of the Million was Cape Blanco in 2011 and Deauville, winner of the Belmont Derby on his latest outing, carries the same Fitri Hay silks. Behind Deauville in sixth at Belmont was his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate Long Island Sound, who is the sole European pre-entry among 10 in the Secretariat Stakes, which also takes place on Saturday.
The feature race for fillies at Arlington is the Beverley D. Stakes and Aidan O’Brien is responsible for two of the 14 pre-entries with Belmont Oaks third Coolmore and Ballydoyle, a disappointment in the same race.
The Willie Mullins-trained Clondaw Warrior – who won the valuable Galway Hurdle on his latest start – is a fascinating pre-entry in the American St Leger, in which leading American stayer Da Big Hoss is sure to be popular on the back of his Belmont Gold Cup win.
The final declarations for all four races are made on Wednesday.
fonte : RacingPost
