Champagne Lanson July Festival

Proud owner Jaber Abdullah led his Music Show into Newmarket's paddock
as winner of the Nell Gwyn Stakes followed by trainer Michael Channon (in
a suit and tie).                                  Photo copyright Sara Waterson

The Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes also provided a gasp-worthy result and a just one.

The £185,000 Group 1 race at a mile on Turf for three-year-old and plus females looked like a rematch of Royal Ascot's Windsor Forest Stakes with two older females, Spacious and Strawberrydaiqiri, fighting it out.  

Jockey Kieren Fallon took the mare Spacious into the lead setting a fast pace determined to reverse the RA winning order with her adversary. 

Rainfall, with Frankie Dettori on board, wore down filly Strawberrydaiqiri until ubiquitous Richard Hughes worked his magic on trailing Music Show IRE (Noverre USA).  

Hughes pulled her out as he did Memory and the three-year old answered his call. 

She flew wide defeating unlucky five-year-old Spacious by two lengths with Rainfall in third by another 3/4 lengths.   

Her trainer Mick Channon and adoring owner Jaber Abdullah think the world of her, but something always seemed to go wrong for her from bad draws, interference, just name it.

At home on Newmarket Racecourse, Music Show not only won the prestigious Nell Gwyn Stakes, but her cherished Group 1 beating the two favourites who won the Coronation Stakes (Lille Langtry IRE - fifth) and a double Guineas (Special Duty - seventh).  

Jim Bolger's Gile Na Greine IRE was sixth and Mick Channon's former charge Lahaleeb never got to grips with the race.  She was last and 21 lengths behind Special Duty.

Three-year-old Music Show showed athletic skill, maneuverability and the class her connections knew she had in defeating multiple Group 1 winners and older females. 

Her victory is also a coup for her famous Darley miler sire Noverre USA (Rahy USA) standing at Kildangan Stud in Ireland.



Pretty little Memory has every right to act a right Madam after winning
the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot (above) and the Cherry Hinton
at Newmarket July 7.                           Photo David Hastings

Opening day at the Champagne Lanson July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse is Abu Dhabi Day and it belonged to several extraordinary fillies.

After showing her 'superior' temperment in the paddock by kicking and bucking her way round, gorgeous Memory IRE (Danehill Dancer IRE) stamped her absolute ownership on the £70,000 Group 2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes, 6f on good-to-firm Turf, for two-year olds.

After her diva display, punters let her drift down in the market from evens to 5.4 favourite and, the way the race played out, the punters appeared to be right.

Dick Turpin's victorious jockey, Richard Hughes kept Memory covered up in back for too long and struggled to get her out of an impossible pocket to challenge.

Meanwhile, Mick Channon's 10.1 Soraaya IRE battled down Godolphin's Tanfeer and closing 9.2 Hooray looking an unassailable winner.
 
Hughes desperately dodged in and through and finally out wide. 

Then little Miss Superior took over and accelerated right up the punishing hill to beat Soraaya by 3/4 lengths and Hooray into third.

She provided enough 'gasps' to rival all the missed goals and the one that got in the net when Spain defeated Germany in the World Cup semi final.

The Highclare filly is now quoted at 8.1 for next year's 1000 Guineas giving trainer Richard Hannon a powerful Classic hand for 2011.


Champagne Lanson Ladies' Day

Yesterday at Newmarket the fillies and mares strutted their stuff, but today is Champagne Lanson Ladies' Day at the July Festival.

There is even talk of moving the Festival up a day next year which would unite the fillies and mares with the Ladies on the Thursday which is the traditional British ladies' day.

Meanwhile, today's major races are for colts, geldings and older horses with two Group 2s and one Group 3.

The first race is the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy, 1m5f for three-year olds on Turf.

So often trainers complain that their horses lose because of the handicap weights.  Mark Johnston might have said that about the race's favourite Corsica IRE (Cape Cross IRE) who lost to Harris Tweed (Hernando FR) at Musselburgh where the latter had an 18lb advantage over him.

In this race, all the colts raced with 9.0 weights and the lone filly Kithonia FR (Sadler's Wells USA) had the filly's allowance of 8.11. 

Harris Tweed led through most of the race with Corsica on his tail until Frankie Dettori took Corsica to the middle of the course where there was faster ground and he ultimately defeated HT by 3/4 lengths earning a 16.1 quote for the St Leger.

Johnston thinks that distance might be too far and may opt for York's Great Voltigeur August 17 instead. 

Despite losing, Harris Tweed is an impressive colt for trainer William Haggis and jockey Liam Jones.

Caucus (Cape Cross IRE) was seven lengths behind in third.

Feature race of the day was the Group 2 TNT July Stakes, 6f on Turf, for two-year-old colts.

Approve and Elzaam were outstanding performers at Royal Ascot and were favoured over two Godolphin inmates, Neebras and Marston Moor. 

The overlooked fifth participant was Libranno (Librettist USA) who had only one race behind him and was going for his maiden.

His unspoken advantage was this year's leading trainer  Richard Hannon (Memory's trainer).  

The big, handsome Libranno cremated the field on his debut by 3/4 length over Neebras IRE (Oasis Dream) who started poorly and ran last for most of the race, but had Frankie Dettori to wing him home.

The highest-rated colt, Elzaam AUS (Redoute's Choice AUS), managed third 3-1/4 lengths behind and seemed in trouble two furlongs out.  Perhaps the race was too soon after his Ascot battle against Strong Suit.

Libranno impressed bookies enough to earn a 20.1 quote for next year's 2000 Guineas on his second start.

Even trainers can be surprised by how well their horses have progressed. 

Jeremy Noseda was thrilled that his Sans Frontieres IRE (Galileo IRE) had recovered sufficiently from injuries to start racing again in April after almost a year off to recover.

In his three 2010 races, the four-year old had one 4th and two 6ths - hardly an advertisement for a brilliant Group 2 success in the Princess Of Wales's sportingbet.com Stakes, 1m4f for three-year olds.

Sent off at 14.1, the big powerful chestnut almost cantered home 2-1/4 lengths ahead of Redwood (High Chaparral IRE) and another 2-1/2 ahead of the race's long-time leader Tazeez USA (Silver Hawk USA).

Widely-campaigned 11.8 favourite Spanish Moon IRE (El Prado USA) made no impression in fourth another 3/4 lengths behind.   

The July Course brings surprises for trainers and punters, because they often underestimate the stiffness of the two straight left-hand courses. 

They are fair courses which ruthlessly sort out weaknesses in all but very tough and fit horses.


Darley July Cup Day

Ballydoyle's jockey Johnny Murtagh earned himself a 6-day ban for creating interference cutting across to reach the rail, but still won the Darley July Cup on Australian sprinter Starspangledbanner (shown winning the Golden Jubillee Stakes at Royal Ascot).           Photo David Hastings

The Group 1 Darley July Cup, 6f on Turf, is the third UK leg of the Global Sprint Challenge and it was held during the Champagne Lanson July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse.
 
It produced the same winner as Royal Ascot's Golden Jubilee Stakes, Starspangledbanner AUS (Choisir AUS), who defeated the winner of the first leg - Equiano FR (Acclamation) - of the King's Stand Stakes also at Royal Ascot.

Of the fourteen who ran in the Darley July Cup, five countries were represented:  Australia, England, France, Ireland and the USA,

Included were former Darley July Cup winners Fleeting Spirit IRE (Invincible Spirit IRE, Kingsgate Native IRE (Mujadil USA) and Marchand D'Or FR (Marchand De Sable USA). 

The 2.1 favourite Starspangledbanner drew stall 11 and most of the favourites drew high numbers.

The race started as a fair and balanced sprint, but developed quickly into chaos when Ballydoyle's Johnny Murtagh decided to cut his winning mount across the field to reach the left-hand rail.
 
He managed to stop or disrupt a number of contenders in the process and almost dismounted Robert Winston on Prime Defender (Bertolini USA) killing their chances.

Equiano, one of those he cut in front of, managed to get within a neck of the winner at the post despite the interference.

Equiano was followed at 3/4 lengths by the impressive Australian mare Alverta (Flying Spur AUS), Kingsgate Native by another 3/4 lengths and 2009's winning mare Fleeting Spirit by 1/2 length.

For the reckless method to his success, Murtagh was given a six-day ban which included the King George II and two days of Glorious Goodwood, but he kept the race.

He praised Starspangledbanner for his "courage" in charging across all the horses and hanging on for a neck victory.

No doubt the horse is courageous, but I have to wonder if the horse, with his previous spotty record, can win a race without having a left rail to hang on.

The rail certainly made the difference in this race and in his Royal Ascot victory (photo above).

If the incident had occurred in France, the horse would have been demoted to 11th behind Prime Defender and Equiano would have won.

Or perhaps Equiano could have won without the earlier interference.

The Murtagh incident was far more reckless than  Liliside's infraction in the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches (French Guineas) when Special Duty was awarded the race.

Summation:  a very unsatisfactory race.


The two-year olds behaved better in the 32Red.com Superlative Stakes (Group 2), 7f on Turf.

The favourite Formosina IRE (Footstepsinthesand), a two-time winner at 6f carrying .3lb more than the other five contenders, tried 7 furlongs for the first time and ended last.

Second favourite at 7.2 was King Torus IRE (Oratorio IRE) who was fourth to Zaidan USA (Street Cry IRE) in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He is the third outstanding two-year old produced at the July Festival by trainer Richard Hannon:  filly Memory, Libranno and now King Torus. 

He looked as if he could lose until Godolphin's Ecliptic USA (Kingmambo USA) hung badly to the right in the final furlong. 

Credit to jockey Ahmed Ajtebi for straitening him out to come within a neck of the winner.

Klammer (Exceed And Excel AUS) was third 2-1/4 lengths out.


Trainer Mark Johston produced two winners for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum in the 32Red Casino Handicap, 1m, and the 32Red Trophy (Heritage Handicap) (formerly the Bunbury Cup), 7f.

Young Amy Ryan did herself and her trainer father Kevin Ryan proud when she won the first race on Sea Lord IRE (Cape Cross IRE). 

Sea Lord led, tiring when challenged by First Cat and Dance East.  He faltered badly, falling back, until the amazing jockey cajoled him back to the front to win by a neck over the other two in that order.

Ms Ryan took on Sea Lord when Frankie Dettori chose Karaka Jack who ended up ninth.

Dettori got it right in the second race with favourite St Moritz IRE (Medicean) beating Kieren Fallon on Palace Moon (Fantastic Light USA) in a fighting conclusion by a neck.


Henry Cecil:  A Triumph Of Noblesse Oblige

Not every trainer is stampeded by hundreds of fans and  given three "Hip, Hip, Hoorays!" in a Winner's Circle when one of his horses wins a big one.

Henry Cecil has won his fourth Coral-Eclipse with Twice Over (Observatory) since his third Eclipse in 1978. 

He was deeply moved by the public's genuine affection for him leaving him moist-eyed and almost speechless.

But not quite.  He managed to give full credit to his team and a strong defence of his retained jockey, Tom Queally, who has been taking quite a bit of unfair flack recently after Jaqueline Quest lost the 1000 Guineas in Newmarket's Steward's Room for hanging right and interfering with the eventual winner Special Duty.
 
Cecil's natural humility represents the finest tradition of English training and the man exudes pure, natural 'class'. 

He is an inspiration to all for his "getting on with it" without self pity through the cancer death of his beloved twin and his own frequent chemotherapies which leave him depleted much of the time.

Not intimidated by his mortality, Cecil was joyful at his Twice Over's proving how good he is and is full of future plans for the five-year-old horse including the Juddmonte International at York in August and more ambitiously - a hopefully more successful reprise for TO of the Dubai World Cup next March.

The £500,000 Group 1 Coral-Eclipse, 1m2f, on Sandown Park's straight Turf course was a record-breaking, muddling affair before and during the race.

Five of the horses looked fit and ready in the paddock:  the mare Dar Re Mi, Mawatheeq, Sri Putra, Twice Over and Viscount Nelson.

Sir Michael Stoute's four-year-old Zacinto came out last for a short walk around paddock looking small and angry.  

Leaving the paddock, handsome Sri Putra was sweating profusely and agitated. 

Fireworks were staged by the most impressive-looking horse (and winner of the Best Turned Out Award), Mawatheeq, who dug in all four hooves and would not be moved into his stall despite a massive effort of course handlers. 

He was withdrawn for refusing to enter the stalls, will have to endure stall schooling and the others went without him.

Then there was the race with a fast record time of 2m 4.64s (fast by 2.36s) on firm ground.

After giving several interviews saying that the mare Dar Re Mi should never be required to force a race, her trainer gave the instructions for her jockey William Buick to take the lead.

After Twice Over's bad luck at Ascot with Byword getting a lead on him, Queally repeatedly challenged her speeding up the race to blistering and ended up with a soft lead on the remaining four.

Dar Re Mi flowed with the pace until two furlongs out when she started to fade and did not respond to Buick's urging.

Finally, the other three woke up and Sri Putra cruised through Zacinto and Aiden O'Brien's Viscount Nelson from last position. 

The three seemed to freeze in a line thinking about what to do next while smart Queally asked for a surge from Twice Over.

Sri Putra took off after him at the one furlong marker, Viscount Nelson made an effort and Zacinto faded to last behind Dar Re Mi.

Queally said " I was gifted with the lead early on.  I was screaming a lot for it to come.  Thankfully it did."

Twice Over finally got lucky.  Michael Jarvis' nervy Sri Putra got within a half length of him on the line. 

If only the three had not hesitated, there would have been another winner at 33.1 with another inspirational trainer, who has battled illness and refuses to quit, in the Winner's Enclosure.

Even Jarvis was impressed with his beautifully-muscled Oasis Dream colt and cannot wait to enhance his stallion value with a few Group 1s possibly outside the UK.

The colt is owned by HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah and bred by Glebe Stud and Partners.

Both Oasis Dream and Twice Over are products of Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms and TO won in his colours.


Barshiba:  British National Treasure

There are certain beloved, iconic horses and mares in Britain and Barshiba would no doubt be the favourite mare based on her talent, guts and resiliance.

Six-year-old Barshiba IRE (Barathea IRE), blind in one eye since an accident as a baby, won her second back-to-back Bet365.com Lancashire Oaks, 12f or a mile and a half on firm Turf, at Haydock Park.

She won by 3/4 lengths over 3.1 favourite Polly's Mark with Britain's leading female jockey, Hayley Turner, on board.

Just two weeks ago, she led the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot only to be overtaken by Harbinger and Duncan in the final furlongs.

Her trainer David Elsworth suggested that they might follow last year's plan and take her to the Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket which she won last year.

Elsworth also trained Persian Punch, who was also owned by Jeff Smith, and multiple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Desert Orchid.

He is Britain's expert keeper of its national treasures and Barshiba is one of today's greatest.


Six Declared For Coral-Eclipse

My concerns for a clean and a just result in the Coral-Eclipse have been eliminated.

Six top horses have been declared with Aiden O'Brien of Ballydoyle including only Viscount Nelson of his five previously-entered contenders.

Betting favourites remain - in the following order:  Twice Over 2.1, filly Dar Re Mi 11.4, Zacinto 9.2, Mawatheeq 6.1, Viscount Nelson 7.1 and Sri Putra at 33.1.

Twice Over and Zacinto are owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Juddmonte Farms and Sri Putra is by Juddmonte's star sire Oasis Dream.

Zacinto is trained by Sir Michael Stout and and Sri Putra by Michael Jarvis. 

It will be interesting to see if Sri Putra provides the pace for the race.   Despite the odds and favouritism, each of these horses is capable of winning a fair race.


Coral-Eclipse

Warm and dry conditions in England have caused two significant defections from the mid-distance Group 1 £500,000 Coral-Eclipse to be held Saturday at Sandown Park, Esher.

Four-year-old Sariska, who won the Yorkshire Oaks and then was defeated by Fame And Glory in Epsom's Coronation Stakes, is not at her best on hard, fast ground and has been withdrawn. 

The same is true of world traveller Presvis. 

It has been touch and go if the favourite, Twice Over (Observatory), would remain, but his trainer Henry Cecil has confirmed him.

Andrew Cooper, Director of Racing, has been watering and expects some rain this week.  Still, expected ground conditions remain good to fast.

Those remaining in the July 3 race at this point are Chabal (diverted from the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for similar ground conditions), Beethoven, Bright Horizon, filly Dar Re Mi, Encompassing, Fencing Master, Jukebox Jury, Mawatheeq, Sri Putra, Tazeez, Twice Over, Viscount Nelson and Zacinto.

Cecil's colt Twice Over is the betting favourite, but the Lloyd-Webber's filly Dar Re Mi is the Racing Post readers' favourite in their online poll. 

Both TO and Zacinto were bred by Juddmonte and owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah.

Zacinto and Mawatheeq are third and fourth favourites with Aiden O'Brien's Steinbeck fifth at 14.1.

O'Brien has entered five of the 13 - two of whom, Bright Horizon and Encompassing, are pacemakers.

The race does not have a horse of calibre of last year's winner Sea The Stars, but the addition of O'Brien's five give the field depth and balance.

The race will probably be won on tactics giving advantage to whomever controls the pace. 

Can the jockeys of the 'loner' horses position themselves to overcome their disadvantage?


Cartier Awards After Royal Ascot

Current votes for the Cartier Racing Awards by its panel of experts stongly reflect the successes of horses who won at Royal Ascot in their June 20 report.

Royal Ascot is close to the end of the three-country (England, France and Ireland) Classic season with only the Irish Derby and Oaks to be included in later votes.

The public will be allowed to vote in October, providing one third of voting share, for the Awards which will be presented November 16 at an invitation-only dinner at the London Dorchester Hotel.

The following horses lead for the Award categories:

Canford Cliffs, Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt
Canford Cliffs, Cartier Horse Of The Year
Special Duty, Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly
Byword, Cartier Older Horse
Equiano and Starspangledbanner, Cartier Sprinters
Rite Of Passage, Cartier Stayer
Approve and Strong Suite, Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt
Maqaasid, Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly

Interestingly, Europe's highest-rated horses have not made it to the top of the voting and that includes the Derby winner Workforce languishing at the bottom of the Three-Year-Old list. 

France should be particularly upset that their highest-rated male and Guineas/Derby winner Lope De Vega and the world's highest-rated female Goldikova are only poor seconds in their categories.

Goldikova is behind Byword and equal in votes to Paco Boy - both of whom she has beaten this year.  The double Breeders' Cup Mile winner is not even nominated for Cartier Horse of the Year.

But France does have Byword and Special Duty (both bred in England's Juddmonte Farms) who are trained by Andre Fabre and Criquette Head.

Equiano, bred in France of the English sire Acclamation, is trained by Barry Hills.

Perhaps the English panel just could not award four, five or six categories to French horses even though they are the best.


Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes

Newmarket's three-day Champagne Lanson July Festival at its lovely July Course promises to host some of Europe's and the USA's top horses. 

One of the most competitive Summer races for fillies is the £200,000 Group 1 Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes on Wednesday July 7.
 
Double Guineas winner Special Duty, whose trainer Criquette Head felt Ascot came too soon after the French Guineas, will return from France to challenge Ascot stars Spacious, Strawberrydaiquiri, Lillie Langtry, Music Show, Jacqueline Quest and Timepiece.

Lahaleeb, sold out of Mick Channon's yard for 1m guineas to race in the USA, won its Grade 1 E P Taylor Stakes and ran over nine and 10 furlongs this Spring in Dubai and Singapore against some very tough horses.

She will race for trainer Gerald Butler with William Buick riding.
 
Special Duty is the favourite.


Darley July Cup

US trainer Carl O'Callaghan has entered Kinsale King USA (Yankee Victor USA) in the Darley July Cup on July 9 after placing third to Aiden O'Brien's Starspangledbanner AUS (Choisir AUS) in Royal Ascot's 6f Golden Jubilee Stakes.

The Darley July Cup at Newmarket is the third and final leg of the UK part of the Global Sprint Challenge. 

Equiano FR (Acclamation) won the first and Starspangledbanner the second.

Fleeting Spirit IRE (Invincible Spirit IRE) who came fourth in the second leg, but first on the far side of the course, will meet the boys again.

She was unlucky as the lower numbers had the advantage.

O'Callaghan is determined not to let his horse's victor get a soft lead again so the Darley July Cup will be fiercely competitive with Kieren Fallon on KK.


British Champions Day?

Champions Day, sponsored by Darley Stud at Newmarket Racecourse, has long been the racing season's final Group-packed race day two weeks after the Arc de Triomphe and two-to-three weeks before the Breeders' Cup.

Over the years, British racing officials longed to create a day to compete with the Arc and Breeders' Cup weekends (both long-established events have two days of high-level Pattern racing).

The new Racing For Change hired Karl Oliver as its premierisation adviser.

Several weeks ago it was announced that Newmarket's Champions races would revert to Ascot and would be part of a British Champions Day finale to the Flat season in October.

Celebrations are on hold until the European Pattern Commitee can convene an extraordinary meeting on June 14, the day before Royal Ascot opens.

Funding pressure due to declining income from the levy on bookmakers' gross profits is the reason.

Racing Enterprises Ltd (which oversees Racing For Change) cannot provide the extra funds and prize money for a planned 35-event series.

No one is saying if Darley Stud is on board with the change of the Champions Day venue or if there are sufficient sponsors to provide prize money.

To boost prize money, some are urging that the fixture list be trimmed of lesser races.

And some trainers and owners are defecting to France where there is better funding, prize money and premiums for breeding and racing in France.

Qatar has extended its sponsorship of the Arc until 2022.

The Breeders' Cup is considering many options to assue its funding including fixing a permanent venue for the two-day event.


Early Cartier Racing Awards Leaders
 
The Cartier Racing Awards are determined by points earned in Pattern races combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph.

Early leaders up to June 6 are primarily the winners of the Irish, English and French racing Classics (the Guineas, Derby and Oaks) though the Irish will hold their Derby and Oaks later in June.

Five three-year-old colts lead:  Lope De Vega, Canford Cliffs, Makfi, Workforce, Dick Turpin.

Three-year-old fillies are Special Duty, Bethrah, Snow Fairy, Joanna and Sarafina.

Cartier older horses are Fame And Glory, Gloria De Campeao, Paco Boy, Byword, Goldikova and Sariska.

Sprinters are Equiano, Kingsgate Native, Planet Five, Prime Defender and Marchand D'Or.

Stayers are Manifest, Akmal, Harbinger, Kite Wood, Blek and Kasbah Bliss.

For Cartier Horse Of The Year, Lope De Vega and Special Duty co-lead at 98 points followed by Canford Cliffs, Fame And Glory and Gloria De Campeao tied on 60 points. 

Many of these horses will race at Royal Ascot. 


Harry Findlay

The lively owner of Denman has been warned off racecourses for six months being banned after a hearing before the British Horseracing Authority for breaking the rules against betting on his own horses.

Findlay will appeal.

Aiden O'Brien

The British Horseracing Authority will hear charges against Ballydoyle's Aiden O'Brien who refused to allow the Doncaster course vet examine Cape Blanco after he won the Dante Stakes (with Derby winner Workforce second). 

The horse was slightly injured in the race and O'Brien ignored requests to remain.


Paco Boy's On Fire

Paco Boy won his third Group 1 at Newbury Racecourse in the totesport.com
Lockinge Stakes for his deeply-moved trainer Richard Hannon. 
                                                     Photo David Hastings

Tears filled trainer Richard Hannon's eyes and he choked up repeatedly when giving the post-race interview after his five-year-old Paco Boy IRE (Desert Style IRE) won his third Group 1 in the prestigious totesport.com Lockinge Stakes (Class1) at Newbury Racecourse, 1m on the left-handed, Straight Turf Course.

Hannon described his popular horse as "a joy, happy, energetic and always willing".  He seemed almost greived when imagining what his stable would be if Paco Boy were not around.

"I've waited 40 years (as a trainer) for this."

Paco Boy was the first out into the paddock looking relaxed and content.  He had won a Group 2 at Sandown the previous month. 

Other standouts were having their first races of the season:  the much filled-out Quqba (Red Ransom USA) and Lord Shanakill USA (Speightstown USA) who has just joined trainer Henry Cecil. 

All have progressed this year and it was no surprise that they were the place horses in the order above by 3/4 and 3-1/2 lengths.

Quqba got the lead and fought back when Paco Boy cruised by and he narrowed the losing distance. 

His trainer Barry Hills confirmed that he will meet Paco Boy in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

No question the toughened colt has future big races in him.

Another Red Ransom colt was an exception to the usual slender frame of the sire's offspring, Bonfire Knight, to place fourth in a competitative totescoop6 London Gold Cup (Class 2 Handicap), 10f about 6yds on Turf, for three-year olds.

Green Moon IRE (Montjeu IRE) was an 11.1 winner of the Gold Cup for trainer Harry Dunlop, who won his first race at Newbury, and jockey Jamie Spencer. 

Green Moon, like a typical Montjeu product, was edgy in the paddock and it paid off with a record time of 2 min 05.45 and a four-length victory.

The second and third horses were also very impressive:  Monterosso (Dubawi IRE) and Doctor Zhivago (Shamardal USA). 

totepool Aston Park Stakes (Class 1) (Listed), 1m5f for four-year olds and above, brought a 1-2 victory for Godolphin's two four-year olds.
 
Young William Buick rode a perfect race on Claremont IRE (Sadler's Wells USA) for Godolphin's new trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Saeed bin Suroor's Sabotage UAE (Halling USA) was the 6.4 favourite and second by 1-1/4 lengths with Frankie Dettori riding.

Petara Bay IRE (Peintre Celebre USA) was a 20.1 third by a neck after a lengthy absence from racing.


French Win Double English Guineas

Makfi flew in from France and stole the winner's purse of £178,240 in winning
England's first Classic of the season:  the 2000 Guineas.
                                                           Photo Racing International

Last year there was a suggestion that the eventual winner of the 2000 Guineas was "a little bit special". 

It turned out that he was.  Sea The Stars IRE (Cape Cross IRE) became the highest-rated horse in the world and many consider him one of the greatest racehorses of all time.

The Group 1 £400,000 Guineas Classic is held at the home of British racing's headquarters, Newmarket, on its straight Rowley Mile on Turf.

Punters and experts believed that last year's exceptional two-year-old colt, Aiden O'Brien's St Nicholas Abbey IRE (Montjeu IRE), would succeed Sea The Stars and take all the major Classic races in 2010.

Several trainers, such as, Mark Johnston and STS's trainer John Oxx, had doubts suggesting that St Nick was more likely a middle-distance horse who could win the Derby.

St Nick had no races since winning the Racing Post Trophy last year. 

Most of the 19 had prep or trial races before the Guineas.

Two Richard Hannon horses, Dick Turpin IRE (Red Ransom USA) and Canford Cliffs IRE (Tagula IRE), were very impressive firsts and second in Newbury's Greeham as was John Dunlop's Elusive Pimpernel USA (Elusive Quality USA) in Newmarket's Craven Stakes and Xtension IRE (Great Joy IRE) a close third in the Dewhurst.

Those who listen to rumours from all countries knew that the French thought very highly of Makfi (Dubawi IRE). 

Note my article in the adjacent column about his victory in the Group 3 Prix Djebel. 

He has only raced three times and won all three.

Both he and Anna Salai (adjacent column) are great French successes for the Darley sire Dubawi who was last year's champion sire and son of Sheikh Mohammed's great and tragic Dubai Millennium. 

Makfi was bred at Sheikh Hamdan at Maktoum's Shadwell Stud out of Dhelaal (Green Desert USA) and sold as excess for £26,000.

It must have been poignant for both brothers to see Makfi win an excellent race by 1-1/2 lengths for owner Mathieu Offenstaldt and young trainer Mikel Delzangles who had no words to describe how he felt.

The race was fairly run.  All nineteen competitors broke wide across the Mile giving all horses a chance to move to the middle to challenge. 

Makfi came late with brilliant timing under Christophe Lemaire to beat Dick Turpin leader for most of the race. 

Canford Cliffs was third, Xtension fourth, Elusive Pimpernel fifth and the expected winner St Nicholas Abbey sixth.  
 
The winner is a solid, attractive horse willing to do whatever he is asked.  He is taller than his sire, but races with the same earnestness and head down on the line. 

He has earned himself a Timeform Rating of 127 and he is its leading European three-year old with St Nicholas Abbey at 126.

Delzangles is now considering the Prix Corrida followed by the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud or the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot.


Makfi parades pre-race in Newmarket's paddock.  He is now Europe's
highest-rated three-year-old colt at 127 according to Timeform.                                      
                                                      Photo Racing International


Jukebox Jury won StanJames.com Jockey Club
Stakes at Newmarket with jockey Royston Ffrench.
                                Photo Racing International

The StanJames.com Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2), 1m4f on the Cesarewitch Course, was won by Mark Johnston's handsome grey Jukebox Jury IRE (Montjeu IRE) by 3-3/4 lengths over another grey Nanton USA (Spinning World USA). 

Royston Ffrench gave the intrepid international four-year-old traveller a perfect ride and will be on board at the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown if Jukebox Jury is entered.

Ffrench said "He's very versatile--you can make the running on him or sit handy."

Johnston also won the first race of the Guineas Meet, The StanJames.com Suffolk Stakes (Class 2 Handicap), 1m1f, with Tartan Gigha IRE (Green Desert USA) in a tight but masterful close by Kieren Fallon.

The StanJames.com Palace Stakes (Group 3), 5f, provided a showcase for Barry Hills' ability to bring a horse back to his best after bad year.  Equiano FR (Acclamation) showed toughness in beating one of Britain's favourite horses Borderlescott (Compton Place) by 3/4 lengths.


1000 Guineas By Default

Jacqueline Quest hung right bumping French filly Special Duty (left) across the
field and cost herself the 1000 Guineas by demotion.       Photo Getty Images

"The lady's not for turning" could describe the two magnificent fillies who literally beat each other in the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1), 1m.
 
Special Duty (Hennessy USA) was rated as Europe's top two-year-old filly in 2009 after winning the Prix Robert Papin and an exceptional Cheveley Park for Franch trainer Criquette Head-Maarek.

Despite losing her first race of 2010 to Joanna IRE (High Chaparral IRE) in the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Lafitte April 8, she was everyone's favourite at 9.2 to win the 1000 Guineas for her owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah (Juddmonte Farms Ltd).
 
No one counted on the determination of the 66.1 Jacqueline Quest IRE (Rock Of Gibralter IRE) who is trained by the legendary Henry Cecil.

JQ was written off in the racecard as "having a lot to find".  Unfortunately, for Special Duty she found it.

She battled gamely to get to Special Duty who took the lead and the ruthless filly looked as if she intended to rough her out of the race.  Unfortunately, she was so aggressive her jockey Tom Queally could not manage her earning him a three-day ban.

JQ got past the line first by a pixel nose in the photo finish and cost Special Duty her victory.

As if that were not enough of a shock, the English stewards followed international rules and awarded the race to Special Duty and demoted Jacqueline Quest to second. 

No one was more shocked than four-time-Guineas'  trainer Criquette Head who did not file a complaint.  "I never thought about objecting.  I have never objected in my life."

Jockey Stephane Pasquier did "not like to win a race like this."

Ordinarily, the English have very soft feelings for a horse's record and do not take a race away from a horse.  Instead, they punish the jockey.  This time they did both.

The addition of a professional steward to the usual three is bringing Britain in line with other country's practices.

Cecil gamely told Jacqueline Quest's owner Noel Martin "We'll try to get our revenge at Ascot (Coronation Stakes)."

Martin, who is wheel-chair bound after a horrific beating by Neo-Nazis, accepted the heartbreak with praise for his filly.

"I always thought a lot of the horse.  I named her after my wife who died two years ago.  We waited a long time to find the right one."

"She was first past the post and she's still the winner to me."

In truth, Jacqueline Quest did everything a race horse is supposed to do--compete and win.  She is just a bit green.


Henry Cecil (left) with owner Noel Martin, friends, family, jockey Tom Queally
and the naughty girl Jacqueline Quest herself.     Photo Racing International

Gile Na Greine IRE (Galileo IRE) was an impressive third for trainer James Bolger and is third favourite for the Investec Oaks after Marcus Tregoning's Ramoush and Cecil's Aviate.

StanJames.com Dahlia Stakes (Group 3), 1m1f for four years upwards, was won by Sir Michael Stoute's grey filly Strawberrydaiquiri (Dansili) with Ryan Moore on board for her seasonal debut.

Stoute said "The runner-up (Honimiere IRE) poached a lead and my filly was a bit tired but her gameness saw her through." 

She is in the Windsor Forest Stakes and the Pretty Polly in Ireland.

Haveago@StanJames.com Pretty Polly Stakes (Listed), 1m2f across the Flat for three-year olds, brought Frankie Dettori his second victory of the day with Marie De Medici USA (Medcean) for the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

Dettori drove the filly in trainer Mark Johnston's usual front-running style and she won by 3/4 lengths.

Johnston said "She is in the Oaks at Epsom, but I think that might stretch her a bit."  He and John Ferguson (Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock agent) think the Italian Oaks would be better. 


Chester May Meet

Chester is Britain's oldest racecourse dating back to Roman times produced several outstanding winners at its May Meet to follow for the season.

The 2m2-1/2f Chester Cup was won by favourite Mamlook IRE (Key Of Luck USA) by a head over doughty Tastahil IRE (Singspiel IRE). 

Mamlook was trained by David Pipe who won the first three races at the bet365 Gold Cup Day.

Gertrude Bell (Sinndar IRE) skyrocketed to 5.2 favourite for the Investec Oaks after her brilliant performance in the 1m3f Cheshire Oaks. 

The beautiful chestnut filly is owned by lawyer Rachel Hood and trained by her husband John Gosden.

GB is named after the legendary foreign office advisor known as the "Desert Queen" who helped create the country of Iraq in the early 20th Century.

Gosden is firing with a second prospect for the Investec Derby besides Godolphin's Chabal (14.1). 

Frankie Dettori rode Azmeel (Azamour IRE), defeated by Chabal IRE (Galileo IRE) his last time out, to victory in the Addleshaw Goddard Dee Stakes (Group 3) for 3yo, 1m2-1/2f.

Dettori said "He has a good finishing kick and it was a satisfactory Derby trial."

His odds were lowered to 33.1 for the Derby.


Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Winners
 
Prince Khalid Abdulla's Juddmonte Farms won its sixth Queen's Silver Cup since year 2000.  The British-based breeder (Flat) accumulated the most money in Great Britain and Ireland from mares normally resident in the UK.  

The Farms won £2,342,000 in prize money with international Group 1 performers like Midday (Oasis Dream), Twice Over (Observatory USA) and Special Duty (Hennessy USA).   

Its leading British-based stallion Oasis Dream (Green Desert USA) for Flat earnings and fourth overall in earnings, won the BBA Silver Cigar Box.  His Midday won the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf over 10 furlongs.

Pivotal (Polar Falcon) of Cheveley Stud remains the top British-based stallion in terms of 78 individual winners in 2009--nine more than nearest rivals Kyllachy (Pivotal) and Oasis Dream.  For those accomplishments, Pivotal earned his third successive Barleythorpe Cup.

A heartwarming award went to Dubawi IRE, Classic-winning son of the late Dubai Millennium USA, as the leading British-based first season sire based on Flat earnings.  He earned the Tattersalls' Silver Salver.

Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall resident Dubawi finished second in the overall list to Darley's Shamardal USA (Giant's Causeway USA) who stands at the Sheikh's Kildangan Stud in Ireland.

Darley's Kayf Tara (Sadler's Wells USA), resident of Overbury Stud, won the Whitbread Silver Salver as the leading active British-based National Hunt Stallion according to his earnings.
 
Another Sheikh Mohammed horse standing at Mickley Stud, Overbury IRE (Caerleon USA) won the 2008 Whitbread Silver Salver and was awarded the Horse & Hound Cup as the leading active British-based National Hunt Stallion according to individual chase winners.

Sheikh Mohammed has also become the first foreign owner permitted to set up a racing operation in Japan.


Sea The Stars Is Cartier Horse of the Year 2009
A man and his horse:  Mick Kinane and Sea The Stars fly to the finish line in record time with absolute trust and confidence in The Juddmonte International Stakes Group 1 at York Racecourse.  Alex Livesey/Getty Images Sport

Not only is Sea The Stars the highest-rated horse in the world according to the World Thoroughbred Rankings, he has been voted Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in the Cartier Racing Awards (similar to the USA's Eclipse).

STS is generally acknowledged to be the best Turf horse of the decade.  Others believe he is the greatest Turf horse in history and rank him with the top Dirt champions like Man O'War, Seabiscuit, Kelso, Secretariat, etc.  

The Cartier awards are voted by a panel including members of the media and readers of the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph.


John Oxx, Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit 2009 

Sea The Stars' extraordinary trainer, John Oxx of Ireland, was awarded the Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit 2009 by the special 18-member Cartier Jury for his lifetime training achievements and for having done more for European racing than any other in 2009.

In addition to training such outstanding horses as STS, Sinndar, Alamshar, Azamour, Alandi, Kastoria, Four Sins, Katiyra, he has found time to serve on committees of the Irish Equine Centre Board (Oxx is a qualified veterinarian), Irish Horseracing Authority, Punchestown and Mallow racecourses and RACE.  He has been chairman of Leopardstown racecourse since 2007.

Oxx is a kind, gracious, thoughtful person who has always put the welfare of his horses and training team before monetary or public success.  He is widely known for his exceptional integrity and quiet courage.

Goldikova is the Cartier Champion Older Horse.

St Nicholas Abbey is the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt.

Special Duty is the Cartier Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.

Sariska is the Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.

Yeats is the Cartier Champion Stayer.

Fleeting Spirit is the Cartier Champion Sprinter.

UPDATE:  The embargo on the Cartier Awards press release was clearly honoured as none of the winners knew they won--except Sea The Stars of course.  

His trainer John Oxx was completely surprised and said "It's hard to know what to say when you've been so badly caught out."  Typically, he gave full credit to Sea The Stars, the Tsui family, the people who do the work and his "unsung heroine"--Catriona his wife. 

Sea The Stars' young owner Christopher Tsui dedicated the award to his mother Ling (at home in Hong Kong) who bred STS out of the family's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea who died earlier this year after having her final foal. 

Touchingly Tsui said, "It was her (his mother's) love and faith for Urban Sea, her relentless passion and dedication to breed from her and her understanding of the thoroughbred that made it all possible.  Fifteen years ago she was alone in thinking that Urban Sea would become the best broodmare in the world.  Today I think it would be fairly difficult to disagree with her." 

Urban Sea is also the dam of Galileo IRE (Sadler's Wells USA), sire of Teofilo and New Approach to name merely a few. 

Owner/breeder of Goldikova, Gerard Wertheimer (with his brother Alain) spoke of her great victories in the Falmouth Stakes, the Prix Rothschild, the Prix Jacques Marois and her second Breeders' Cup Mile. 

In a great understatement he said, "I think these successes have proved without a doubt that she is truly of international class."

The Wertheimer blue and white colours will be 100 years old in 2011.

Derrick Smith, co-owner of St Nicholas Abbey IRE (Montjeu IRE), said "It was apparent from very early on that St Nicholas Abbey had everything that a top two-year-old should have."

J P Magnier accepted the award for Yeats IRE (Sadler's Wells USA) on behalf of his parents and the David Nagles with the following comment:  "I'd like to thank Aidan (trainer O'Brien) and all the team at Ballydoyle for managing to keep the horse sound for so many years and winning seven Group Ones, including the Coronation Cup and four Ascot Gold Cups.  Our livers will be able to have a break next year, which is a sigh of relief!"

"Special Duty USA (Hennessy USA) is a real product of Juddmonte in that her mother (Quest To Peak USA) was trained by the late, great Bobby Frankel", according to Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager for Prince Khalid Abdulla, owner of Juddmonte Farms.  

SD was conceived in the US, foaled in England, broken in Ireland and sent to French trainer Criquette Head-Maarek who has produced everyone's favourite 1000 Guineas prospect. 

Head-Maarek's brother Freddie Head is the trainer of France's outstanding filly Goldikova.

Sir Anthonly Bamford stood in for his wife Lady Bamford who is the owner/breeder of Sariska (Pivotal).  He acknowledged not being horsey or knowing much about racing but admitted that "Sariska is now at home with us at the moment.  She hasn't yet been in the kitchen, which the ponies used to do, but perhaps next year." 

It appears that both the Bamfords love their lovely "tank". 

The Searchers were represented by Paul Roy who could not resist comparing their sweet filly Fleeting Spirit IRE (Invincible Spirit IRE) to one of the Searchers great songs 'Sweets for My Sweet'. 

"Fleeting Spirit is an absolutely wonderful filly...she will hopefully be out again next year."

All winning connections expressed gratitude to Cartier and its UK managing director Arnaud Bamberger for the company's 19 years of support for the Oscars of European horseracing.  The event was hosted by Cartier's racing consultant Henry Herbert with Bamberger presenting the Awards.

The event had drama, pathos, gratitude and deep emotion. 

What it lacked was controversy over the riches of having two fabulous fillies who are both qualified to be Horse of the Year (for those who cannot guess:  Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta).


Racing Supports USA and UK Military

To celebrate the 26th running of the Breeders' Cup, the organisers have announced that they have invited 350 service personnel from the South California military community as special guests for the BC Day on Saturday, November 7.  The reception will be co-sponsored by the USO (United Services Organizations).

In the UK, Horses For Heroes has been formed to bring riders and horses from both the racing and other equestrian disciplines together to raise at least £1 million to support British servicemen and women. 

Sponsored horses and riders will ride round Windsor Great Park (Crown Property) and end at Ascot Racecourse just before racing begins on Saturday, July 10, 2010. 

Registration closes December 18 and participants must commit to raising £500 each in sponsorship.  www.horses4heroes.co.uk