SEALIWAY was a brave winner of an enthralling Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes just 12 days on from his courageous effort in the Arc.
The data suggested the Cedric Rossi-trained colt quickened impressively at Longchamp before flattening out late on as a combination of trip and ground eroded his stamina reserves.
Back in trip on Saturday, Sealiway (122) was ridden a little more aggressively despite being keen enough in the formative stages and it was to his credit he managed to hold off the challenge of the more patiently ridden Dubai Honour (121) as his closing sectional of 38.70 – slower than both Trueshan (118) (38.00) and Eshaada (114) (36.44) in winning their respective races – was evidence of the strong early gallop.
His final furlong of 13.50 was also slower than both Trueshan (13.08) and Eshaada (12.27) which showed he paid late on for chasing a rapid gallop, but his determination saw him across the line first.
Of those in front rank before the turn for home, front-runner Addeybb (102) was beaten 12 lengths, Adayar (110), who took up the mantle on the home bend, was a spent force in strides and finished a weary fifth, while Mishriff (116) was ultimately well held in fourth.
Long season
There could be an element of a long season catching up with some of Sealiway’s rivals as Mishriff, although considerately campaigned, was prepared to win in Saudi Arabia on the dirt in February, while Adayar could well have recoiled from a tough race in the Arc, when incidentally, Sealiway was just a place behind.
The victory also did plenty to endorse the view that St Mark’s Basilica deserves to be lauded as one of the world’s premier three-year-olds given he twice comfortably defeated Sealiway in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club.
Tarnawa, Poetic Flame and Mishriff also feature on the list of scalps enjoyed by St Mark’s Basilica so maybe trainer Aidan O’Brien’s statement that he was the ‘best he ever trained’ does actually ring true.
Trueshan once again served notice he is a formidable top-level stayer when encountering a trip and his beloved soft ground as he bounced out of what appeared a searching test in the Prix du Cadran to land his third Group 1.
His final-furlong sectional was quicker than any of the Champion Stakes contenders and was only three hundredths of a second behind Snowfall in the Filles & Mares.
In the circumstances, runner-up Tashkan (116) (38.25 and 12.99) posted an incredible effort as he was nearly a second quicker than Mishriff (39.12 and 13.88) from three out and the furlong marker. He himself appears a ready-made Cadran contestant in 12 months’ time.
Fillies & Mares
The scopey Eshaada repaired her reputation from an abject performance in the Yorkshire Oaks with a display of quality in the Fillies & Mares, albeit runner-up Albaflora (113) (36.31) narrowly posted the quickest splits of the three round-track races.
The overall time may have been the slowest of the three when adjusted furlong-by-furlong, but Roger Varian’s filly relished the cut in the ground and she could develop into a serious middle-distance filly if remaining in training next term.
Jim Crowley completed his magnificent day aboard Aldaary (115), who once again showed his liking for Ascot’s straight track when there is cut in the ground.
While the son of Territories may not have matched the two Group 1 winners in the closing stages, his finishing sectional of 36.27 portrays he has the capabilities to prosper beyond handicap company.
If the middle of the track was not the place to be then both Symbolize (109), who stopped the clock at 36.78 and Magical Morning (106) who was only a shade slower at 36.96 are worthy of an upgrade.