Threat defies penalty to narrowly win the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster
Threat added his name to a magnificent roll of honour in the Champagne Stakes with a narrow but cosy success at Doncaster.
Richard Hannon has never hidden his admiration for the Cheveley Park-owned colt and Threat defied a 3lb penalty for his win in the Gimcrack at York last month, travelling stylishly into the race at Doncaster and always holding the challenge of runner-up Royal Crusade.
The 6-5 favourite was keen early on and despite the cosy nature of his neck success, he remains a top price of 20-1 for next year’s 2,000 Guineas.
Hannon said: “I’m delighted, a lot of two-year-olds stop here because of where the finishing line is and they sort of angle off to where they came out. But you see the way he got there and travelled, that’s what we see at home.
“It’s not really normal for a horse to travel like that in a Group 2 with a 3lb penalty. Dobbsy [Pat Dobbs] said something interesting there, he said I probably wouldn’t hit the front too soon on him.
“I think all the usual races are a possibility. The Thompson family are very lucky now that they have a stallion. If you win a Gimcrack and a Champagne in the same year, you’ve got a very good horse and he’s run extremely creditably in the Coventry and the Richmond.” (fonte : RacingPost)
Footstepsinthesand’s Threat Adds the Champagne To His Tally
| 3rd at DON, Gr. Stk, £75,000 | G2 Pommery Champagne S. | (7f 6y) | Winner: Threat (Ire), c, 2 by Footstepsinthesand (GB) |
Threat | Racing Post
By Tom Frary
Saddled with a three-pound penalty in Saturday’s G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster as a result of his win in York’s G2 Gimcrack S. Aug. 23, TDN Rising Star Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) defied the extra burden with a neck defeat of Royal Crusade (GB) (Shamardal). Held up last of the quintet early by Pat Dobbs, the 6-5 favourite cruised to the lead approaching the furlong pole and was in control when jinking right near the line. “A lot of two-year-olds stop here because of where the finish line is–angled off to where they came out,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “The way he travelled there is what we see at home and Pat said you probably wouldn’t want to hit the front too soon. All the big races are opportunities for him now and David and Patricia Thompson have a very good horse.”
1–THREAT (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Footstepsinthesand (GB)
1st Dam: Flare of Firelight, by Birdstone
2nd Dam: Shiva (Jpn), by Hector Protector
3rd Dam: Lingerie (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
(100,000gns Wlg ’17 TATFOA). O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-La Lumiere Partnership (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Pat Dobbs. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, £253,143. (fonte : TDN)
Irish Champion Success For Magical
| 5th at Leo, Gr. Stk, €1,250,000 | G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. | (10f) | Winner: Magical (Ire), f, 4 by Galileo (Ire) |
By Tom Frary
Leopardstown’s G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. proved one for the fillies on Saturday, as Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) led home stablemate Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with the Japanese mare Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) an unlucky fourth. After three seconds in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S., G1 Eclipse S. and G1 Yorkshire Oaks, the 11-10 favourite was perfectly positioned in second early by Ryan Moore who asked her to seal victory passing two out. Staying on strongly, she prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths with a head back to Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for another Ballydoyle one-two-three. Deirdre, who was denied a run in the straight, finished strongly down the outer.
1–MAGICAL (IRE), 130, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Ire & G1SP-Fr, $941,139), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahaam, by Secreto
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €712,500. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng & GISP-US, 19-8-6-0. *Full to Rhododendron (Ire), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US, $1,786,763; and Flying The Flag (Ire), GSW-Ire & GSP-SAf, $195,702.
fonte : TDN
