Kitten’s Joy’s Kameko The Guineas Victor
Kameko takes the 2000 Guineas | Racing Post
There was a real buzz surrounding Qatar Racing’s Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) as the delayed G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas approached and the G1 Futurity Trophy winner justified all the expectation as he swooped to conquer the Newmarket Classic on Saturday. Arriving at the forefront of his generation with an emphatic win in Doncaster’s traditional juvenile feature which was re-arranged on Newcastle’s Tapeta in November, the bay had earned rave reviews from Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere base during this year’s prolonged waiting period. In mid-division on the rail as the pace proved strong here, the 10-1 shot was able to work out and around Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) in the closing stages and after passing the Ballydoyle runner 100 yards from the line asserted for a neck success in race-record time. Pinatubo, the 5-6 favourite, looked the likely winner with William Buick oozing confidence with over two to race but could only finish a length away in third.
Oisin Murphy was on cloud nine afterwards as he reflected on his first British Classic success for the trainer that nurtured his skills during the formative stage of his career. “This means the absolute world to me, it’s the stuff of dreams,” he said. “To do it for these connections on a son of Roaring Lion’s sire–you couldn’t make it up. As a physical, he’s not super tall but is so broad and obviously has huge heart room. He could have hardly blown out a candle just now, so he must have a tremendous amount of ability.”
Kameko had scored on debut over seven furlongs at Sandown in July prior to being nosed out by Positive (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) when 14-1 for the G3 Solario S. over the same course and distance the following month. Again denied narrowly by Royal Dornoch (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in the G2 Royal Lodge S. over this track and trip in September, he was a different proposition on his juvenile finale at Newcastle with Andrew Balding having tightened the screw in the interim. Out on his own in the Futurity Trophy when 3 1/4 lengths and more ahead of the Ballydoyle contingent there, he brought undisputed gravitas to this test and was a genuine threat to Pinatubo whatever the exploits of that brilliant rival last term.
As in 2019, this keenly-awaited opening salvo of the English Classic season was preceded by heavy rain, but the sky was clear as the stalls opened. There was instant misfortune for Kenzai Warrior (Karakontie {Jpn}) as his rider Jason Watson almost exited the saddle in the middle of the track, but no such drama on the stand’s side with Kameko finding perfect cover. Relaxed behind the forwardly-ridden pace-setter Persuasion (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the rail runner Juan Elcano (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Ballydoyle’s Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never), it was quickly apparent that as in last year’s edition the hard race-shaping tempo was all on the fence.
It was three out that the first major move was made as Frankie Dettori sent Wichita to the fore with Pinatubo directly behind and half a furlong later William Buick was alongside taking a momentary pull. At that juncture, the champion juvenile looked full of his customary intent and purpose and he may even have been briefly in front running downhill, but his old dominating flourish never came to fruition. Wichita had regained the lead by the furlong marker, but as Dettori’s mount started to emerge triumphant from his personal prolonged war with the favourite all the time in behind Kameko was working his way into contention. Having come from the fence, Qatar Racing’s flagbearer was forced to divert around them both and despite veering away from Oisin Murphy’s whip took control on the climb to the line.
“I expected Ryan [Moore] to go forward on Arizona, as the Ballydoyle pacemakers were too far across and so I got behind him and had a good trip to halfway,” Murphy explained. “Pinatubo was not in my thoughts–I had to focus on Ryan, Frankie and Andrea [Atzeni on Juan Elcano] and what I could control. I wasn’t that comfortable passing halfway–whether it was the track or the loose ground or the fact that he is not used to racing at that high intensity, I don’t know. He’s never encountered anything like that and got a litle bit lost, but once I said go two out he really stuck his neck out. There have only been two horses to have won this in recent years who have not been in front at the furlong pole, so this was a gutsy performance.”
As always after this Classic, talk turned quickly to the July 4 G1 Epsom Derby and Murphy was neither promoting nor throwing cold water on the discussion. “Before today, we viewed him as a mile-and-a-quarter horse and all winners of the Guineas have to be considered for the Derby, so that will have to come into the equation. It is not a decision that has to be made yet and everybody will think about it. He has the mental attitude to go there and he will be fine, but it’s the extra distance that is the question.”
Andrew Balding was leaning that way. “I would be keen on the Derby and I’ve got the feeling that Sheikh Fahad would be too,” he said. “I’ve just got to persuade David Redvers, as he’s worried about what breeders think if you win a Derby but I can’t get my head around that. There are mixed messages on pedigree, but I think he could stay a mile and a half.” Reflecting on the race, he added, “This is a fantastic feeling–it is quite surreal in an unusual year, but I don’t feel any less elation than if 500,000 people had been here. I wasn’t around when Mill Reef was running, but since I started training he’s one of the best I’ve had. He’s a machine–he eats, sleeps and works faster than anything you put him with. He was always professional last year, but a bit raw and he improved with racing so I would hope it would be the same this year. He got a bit disorganised there, but was well on top at the end and wasn’t exactly blowing hard aftewards. He has thrived on his work at home and wanted more. My team have played an amazing part in this horse’s preparation during the lockdown and so it is fantastic for them all.”
Of the favourite, trainer Charlie Appleby said, “Pinatubo travelled well into the race there when he had Frankie’s horse as his target, but when he made his move he got up to their girths and just didn’t go any further forward. It is obviously disappointing when you taste your first defeat with a horse like Pinatubo but, taking the positives out of the race, I think that he has shown that he has trained on. He was beaten by two good horses in a very quick time, so take nothing away from them. I think that we will see an improvement with Pinatubo mentally going forward, because he is a very relaxed horse at home. He improved with racing throughout his two-year-old season and it could be a similar situation this year. Hopefully, we can regroup and get him back on track for the [June 20 G1] St James’s Palace Stakes [at Royal Ascot].”
Saeed bin Suroor will be hoping that the old adage “fourth in the Guineas, first in the Derby” is true again after watching Military March (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) finish on the premises. “Military March ran well and I think that stepping up to a mile and a half will be better for him,” he said. “It was a nice first run of the season and we can think about the Derby for him.”
Kameko’s dam Sweeter Still (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) was bred by Ann Marie O’Brien and raced once for Ballydoyle when fourth in a six-furlong Curragh maiden in 2007. Racing in the States thereafter, the half-sister to the G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Kingsbarns (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) went on to annexe the GIII Senorita S. and place in the GII Providencia S. and GII Honeymoon H. Sold originally to Royal Oak Farm for $750,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January Sale, she was a $35,000 purchase by Kameko’s breeder Calumet Farm at Keeneland November two years later before being sold for just $1,500 to T. Lesley Thompson at the most recent edition of that auction.
Also a half to the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. winner Belle Artiste (Ire) (Namid {GB}), Sweeter Still hails from the family of Danehill’s GI Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up Ace (Ire), G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup scorer Danish (Ire) and triple group 1 runner-up Hawkeye (Ire). Her 2-year-old daughter of Big Blue Kitten sold to Atlantic Bloodstock for only $5,000 at the recent Keeneland September Sale, while she also has a yearling filly by Optimizer.
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS S.-G1, £250,000, Newmarket, 6-6, 3yo, 8fT, 1:34.72, g/f.
1–KAMEKO, 126, c, 3, by Kitten’s Joy
1st Dam: Sweeter Still (Ire) (GSW-US, $311,603), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Beltisaal (Fr), by Belmez
3rd Dam: Ittisaal (GB), by Caerleon
($90,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £141,775. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $380,969. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wichita (Ire), 126, c, 3, No Nay Never–Lumiere Noire (Fr), by Dashing Blade (GB). (140,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-W Maxwell Ervine (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. £53,750.
3–Pinatubo (Ire), 126, c, 3, Shamardal–Lava Flow (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £26,900.
Margins: NK, 1, 2HF. Odds: 10.00, 7.50, 0.83.
Also Ran: Military March (GB), Juan Elcano (GB), Kinross (GB), Starcat (GB), New World Tapestry, Kenzai Warrior, Royal Dornoch (Ire), Arizona (Ire), Cepheus (GB), Persuasion (Ire), Al Suhail (GB), Mums Tipple (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
fonte : TDN
A dream comes true for champion Murphy as Kameko lands the ghost town Guineas
Odds-on favourite and leading juvenile Pinatubo only third in Newmarket clash
There was almost nobody there to see it happen, yet by wearing the colours of his boss, Sheikh Fahad, and riding a horse trained by Andrew Balding, the man who did so much to launch his career, Oisin Murphy enjoyed a practically perfect first Classic success when guiding Kameko to Qipco 2,000 Guineas glory.
In late November, Murphy, by then already crowned Britain’s champion jockey, landed the Japan Cup in front of 80,826 frenzied fans.
There were no fans at all on the Rowley Mile, just a smattering of essential professionals, but as Kameko galloped past the winning post in front, the 24-year-old let out a roar to rival the noise made in the huge Tokyo grandstands on that autumn afternoon.
If that was a memorable triumph for Murphy, this one was unforgettable, for it was achieved in the most weirdly unique circumstances on a racecourse that resembled a ghost town and in a race staged five weeks late, on what should have been Derby day.
Now, however, Kameko – who cost just $90,000 when bought by David Redvers for the Sheikh Fahad-fronted Qatar Racing – is favourite at between 3-1 and 4-1 for the world’s most famous Flat race, which Balding’s father, Ian, claimed with turf icon Mill Reef 49 years ago.
Mill Reef found Brigadier Gerard too strong in the Guineas, but there was none too good for last season’s Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Kameko, who delivered a challenge towards the centre of the track before overhauling the Frankie Dettori-ridden Ballydoyle raider Wichita.
A neck separated first and second, with a length back to last season’s outstanding champion juvenile Pinatubo, who held every chance but was beaten fair and square as 5-6 market leader. The winning time of 1m 34.72s was a record for the 2,000 Guineas.
“This is the stuff of dreams,” said Murphy.
“There isn’t the same atmosphere – in fact there’s no atmosphere – but it means just as much to me.
“The only two people shouting were Frankie and I. He was shouting at me and I don’t know what I was shouting at. It was absolutely fine, though. When I look back on this race in a few years’ time, I won’t remember there was no crowd. I’ll just remember Kameko gave me my first win in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas.”
Describing his path to success, Murphy added: “At halfway, before we started going downhill, he got a little bit lost. I don’t know if that’s the track, the ground, or just that he’s not used to racing at such high intensity, but he came home really well and he’s got loads of guts.
“I did waste ground by coming to the outside, but I was playing it safe, rather than taking the more direct route. Really and truly, Kameko is a very good horse.”
He is a very good horse always viewed by connections as likely to be at his best over ten furlongs. Even so, a trip to Epsom surely beckons on July 4.
“There’s only one Derby and I’d be very keen to go that way,” said Balding. “He’s probably the best three-year-old around. There would be a slight stamina doubt but there’s only one way to find out. His optimum trip would probably be a mile and a quarter but I think for one day only he might be able to stay a mile and a half.
“This is a massive thrill. It’s a bizarre experience, but I promise you I didn’t feel any less elation than if there had been 500,000 people here.
“We’ve obviously been looking forward to the race for a long time and it’s fantastic they could get it on. We’ve been thinking about this since November. The Guineas is the Guineas whenever it’s run – and Dad always wanted to win the Guineas, so he’ll be absolutely over the moon.”
Certainly over the moon was Sheikh Fahad, whose family also sponsored the race through Qipco.
After watching it unfold from his Newmarket home, he said: “To be able to win the Qipco 2,000 Guineas in our tenth year of sponsorship is just incredible and for it to be the fastest Guineas in history makes it even more special.
“I remember watching Frankel win in our first year of sponsorship. I would like to thank my amazing team and especially Oisin for giving Kameko such a sensational ride. This gives me and my family a huge amount of pleasure and pride.”
When asked to talk about each other, Balding and Murphy expressed pleasure and pride in abundance.
“Oisin has been an amazing asset to racing, not just to Kingsclere, so for us to give him his first Classic winner is special,” said Balding. “He does an exceptional amount for the sport. He can talk the talk and walk the walk. Long may that continue.”
Balding may not have been so generous had his jockey given in to his inner urges, for Murphy revealed: “I wanted to carry Andrew on my shoulders, swing him around and make him dizzy, but first of all I’m not big or strong enough to do that and, secondly, there would have been a lot of bad press in the morning.”
Fortunately, there is only the very best sort of press. At long last in this surreal year we have a 2,000 Guineas winner. Thanks to the horse and his humans, Kameko is one well worth celebrating.
fonte : RacingPost
