REST OF THE CARD
EASILY one of the most appropriate winners of the entire weekend was the English raider Suedois in the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes, with this Group 2 being sponsored by the victorious gelding’s part-owner Steve Parkin.
A second winner of this Group 2 in three years for trainer David O’Meara, Suedois boasted the strongest form in the line up.
His placed efforts in last season’s July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup made for impressive reading but there was a lingering doubt as to whether his stamina would hold up over a mile.
Not since his two-year-old debut had the six-year-old son of Le Havre tried this trip, but a patient ride from Danny Tudhope saw him edge a bunch finish where just over two lengths covered the first six home.
The 100/30 chance had to bide his time to get a run in the straight but, when he got into the clear, he finished strongly to deny the oncoming True Valour by half a length. Psychedelic Funk held on for third ahead of Sir John Lavery who finished well from the rear.
“We changed tactics today and held him up to give him a chance of getting home,” reported the winning rider. He’s been campaigned over six furlongs mostly but he’s run well stepping up in distance on his last two starts and now that he’s won over a mile he has a lot more options.”
Aidan O’Brien’s three-strong challenge for the Group 3 Willis Towers Watson Champions Juvenile Stakes yielded a one-two-three.
However, it was Nelson (11/2) and Donnacha O’Brien who emerged victorious as the favourite and fellow Ballydoyle runner Delano Roosevelt had to settle for third.
A son of Frankel and the Irish Oaks heroine Moonstone, Nelson went to the front at an early stage of this mile contest and he was able to dictate a tempo to suit himself.
When he quickened up off the last bend his rivals had no response and he soon held an unassailable lead which enabled him to finish three lengths ahead of Kew Gardens. Delano Roosevelt appeared to labour for much of the race but finished out well to lie just a further three-parts of a length back.
“He’s improved with every run and he came here with three runs which was a big advantage to him. Donnacha got a nice easy lead on him he quickened well off the bend,” reported O’Brien.
“All three of ours are middle-distance horses for next season and we’ll keep them at this trip for races like the Beresford and Racing Post Trophy. Delano Roosevelt was very green and raw but Ryan (Moore) was happy with him.”
GRITTY SUCCESS
For the fourth year in succession, Dermot Weld struck gold in the KPMG Enterprise Stakes as Eziyra ground out a gritty success to book a return to the big time.
The Aga Khan-owned three-year-old was the 9/10 favourite to follow-up last month’s Give Thanks Stakes triumph and she had to be at her most determined to make it three wins at Group 3 level.
Eziyra was under pressure but firmly in touch turning for home and she gamely answered Pat Smullen’s every call to master the front-running Spanish Steps with less than a furlong to run. Exemplar finished off with a whirlwind charge from the rear but he was still three-parts of a length adrift at the line.
“She’s a very good, tough, genuine filly, she ran a super race to be third in the Irish Oaks earlier in the season and I think she’s improved since then,” observed Weld.
“She’s a stayer with speed and Pat was of the opinion that quicker ground wouldn’t be a problem. I’ll speak to His Highness, but her next race could be the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot next month.”
His season possibly hadn’t quite developed in the manner expected but, when it mattered most, Laws Of Spin (14/1) turned up in all his glory to secure the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap.
After ending last term with a victory in the Irish Cesarewitch, the Willie Mullins inmate was beaten on his first three outings this term, but a major resurgence was in the offing here.
Chris Hayes had the Ballylinch Stud-owned four-year-old ideally poised to unwind as the runners filed into the straight and he then launched a sustained charge that got him to the front late on.
As the line loomed, he battled on tenaciously to see off the English raider Machine Learner by a head, with Clongowes just a neck further back.
“The ground was better than we anticipated which suited him. He’s disappointed all year but we kept running him in these good handicaps in the hope he would come good,” declared Mullins.
“At the end of last season I thought he might be a group horse this year but it’s good to see him back and maybe we’ll look at one of the Cesarewitches with him. A longer trip and good ground would suit him well.”
BETTER LUCK
After enduring a near miss in the day’s other premier handicap, Declan McDonogh enjoyed better luck as Burnt Sugar capped a memorable day for the English raiders in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap. Formerly a Group 3-winning juvenile, the Roger Fell-trained raider was different class to his rivals to become the third overseas winner of this race in the last four years.
In truth, the 7/1 chance looked as if he had just joined in with a quarter of a mile to run, such was the authority of his victory. He sprinted by the fast improving Silverkode to seize control of this race early in the last furlong and he went on to defeat the former by a commanding two lengths.
“I was a little worried about the ground as he likes it soft but he’s handled that well,” reflected Fell. “He won well and Declan said that he might well be a Group 3 horse so that could be an option for him now.”
There was no shortage of interesting types in the traditional Champions Weekend curtain raiser – the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Fillies Maiden – and it produced a promising winner in Lightening Quick.
This juvenile daughter of Frankel is the second produce of trainer Ger Lyons’ Group 1-winning filly Lightening Pearl and she could possibly try to emulate her mother in the coming weeks.
The Qatar Racing-owned filly had several lengths to find on the front running Bye Bye Baby entering the last furlong and she raised her effort in fine style for Colin Keane.
The 6/1 shot closed in relentlessly over the last 200 yards and eventually found a way past in the last stride. Significantly, the front two’s battle for supremacy carried them almost five lengths clear of the remainder
“She’s a lovely filly and very like her mother and that’s what she’d been showing us early on,” reflected Lyons.
“In her recent work we felt that she was just going through the motions at home and this was much more like her early work.
“She is entered in the Cheveley Park Stakes but my initial reaction is that we won’t be dropping down in trip by a furlong, but we’ll see.”
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Hunt, L. McFerran, P. Reynolds, P. Caffrey, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
LANDSMAN (A.J. Martin): He had to settle for eighth in the handicap won by Laws Of Spin but he was quite badly hampered early on and did well to be beaten by less than a length and a half. There could be a good prize to be won with him before the end of the season.