2012

FOR the first time in 31 years, the intervention of the stewards decided the outcome of an Irish Group 1 contest.

Duntle claimed a dramatic last-gasp success in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes, only to controversially lose the race to Sir Henry Cecil’s Chachamaidee in the stewards’ room. In a thrilling renewal of this fillies’ contest, Duntle came with a powerful late charge under Wayne Lordan to edge out her fellow strong finisher Chachamaidee by a short-head.

However, in the course of making her challenge the David Wachman-trained winner was deemed by the stewards to have improved her position in relation to the runner-up, and the placings of the first two were reversed.

This was the first time that such action has been taken in a Group 1 event in this country since Kings Lake, who was subsequently reinstated on appeal, was demoted to second behind To-Agori-Mou in the 1981 Irish 2000 Guineas.

As a tightly-grouped field entered the last furlong and a half, Duntle was trapped just in behind the leaders and was looking for room. When an opening did appear for her she seized the opportunity, but in the course of making her challenge she bumped Alanza with just over 150 yards to go, and that rival in turn made brief contact with the Tom Queally-ridden Chachamaidee.

Both Duntle and Chachamaidee finished off their race with a terrific flourish to sweep by Emulous in the final yards. In a tight finish Duntle shaded the verdict, with Emulous half a length back in third and the front-running Laugh Out Loud taking fourth.

A stewards’ enquiry was then called, and following a 25-minute deliberation the placings of the first two were reversed, a decision which looked somewhat harsh and surprised some. While others felt the enquiry was very finely balanced and could go either way.

“You are always biased towards your own animal. I felt quite strongly though and expressed my views to the stewards,” Queally said afterwards.

“It’s not the way you like to win, but it was well-deserved for Chachamaidee. It wasn’t an easy decision for anyone but I think they got it right here.”

This was a first Group 1 triumph for the Cecil-trained five-year-old, whose biggest success had come in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes in July. She is due to be retired to stud at the end of the season.

Enhanced reputation

Although disqualified, Duntle enhanced her reputation with this latest showing, and the Royal Ascot winner remains a highly-progressive three-year-old.

Plans have yet to be decided for the Danehill Dancer filly, whose season began with a stunning 18-length triumph in a Dundalk maiden in April.

[What a special edition of the Matron Stakes this turned out to be. Chachamaidee, a seven-time winner who recently sold for 200,000gns, is the dam of Group 3 winner Klassique and listed scorer Valiant Prince.

Duntle, who won five times and was also placed in a couple of other Group 1 races, suffered further disappointment when she had just a single offspring, though he turned out to be triple Group 1 winner and now Coolmore stallion, Circus Maximus.

Third-placed Emulous, whose seven career victories included the previous year’s running of the Group 1 Matron Stakes, is the dam of two minor winners to date, while Laugh Out Loud, in fourth, was a Group 2 winner, is dam of three winners, and the first of these was the Grade 2 and Group 3 winner, Platinum Warrior]

Dino delivers what the Doctor ordered

2007

AS he waited for the start of the Grade 1 Man O’War Stakes at Belmont Park, trainer Richard Gibson held two fingers up side by side, indicating how close Doctor Dino has come in recent months to a major international victory.

“Maybe today, maybe next time,” said Gibson, a one-time Bill Mott assistant. “He’s a gem of consistency. One day, soon, he’s going to make it.” Happily for the Chantilly-based trainer, the wait is over.

With the help of a brilliant ride from Olivier Peslier, the five-year-old Doctor Dino completed a European sweep of Belmont’s two Grade 1 turf races in the $500,000 Man O’War. The French-bred son of Muhtathir got up in time to beat Sunriver by a head.

An elegantly made chesnut with a similarly appealing disposition, Doctor Dino was shipped directly to New York after the Arlington Million, and posted two easy workouts over the Belmont turf. He was third in his three prior appearances this season, each on a different continent, first behind Dylan Thomas in the Prix Ganay, then the Singapore Airlines International Cup, and finally in last month’s Arlington Million.

The stretch out in distance to a mile and three furlongs certainly suited the stretch-running Doctor Dino. The winning time was 2m 12.26sec, just over one second off the course record. Doctor Dino was the only horse in the field competing without Lasix.

“I was sitting well from the start and knew I had plenty of horse,” remarked Peslier after his rare New York appearance. “He’s handy and has a very good turn of foot, plus now he has the big race experience. A very impressive horse.”

Leaving the winner’s circle, Peslier received compliments from the crowd in English, French and even Japanese, reflecting the champion rider’s international reputation. The Far East is the likely season-ending destination for Doctor Dino as well.

The French-bred son of the Priolo mare Logica is not currently eligible for the Breeders’ Cup, and in lieu of being supplemented at a high cost, he is a likely candidate for the major Hong Kong races.

[Doctor Dino raced until the age of seven and added two victories in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase over a mile and a half to his record, going to stud in 2010 with nine wins and earnings of £1.95 million to his credit. He stood this season at Haras du Mesnil at a fee of €20,000.

As a flat stallion he came close to siring a Group/Grade 1 winner when his daughter Physiocrate was runner-up in the classic Prix de Diane-French Oaks, while another was second in the E P Taylor Stakes. A length or less denied him this coveted top-level winner on the flat.

Doctor Dino is one of the best National Hunt sires about, his Grade 1 winners in this sphere being Sharjah (seven Grade 1 wins), Docteur De Ballon (three), La Bague Au Roi (twice), Master Dino (twice), State Man and Sceau Royal, one each]

First English classic success for the Maktoum family

1982

TOUCHING Wood’s hard-worked victory in the St Leger on Saturday was a timely, and much needed, boost for the crumbling form of this year’s Derby.

Touching Wood, like many of the runners in the Derby, had hardly advertised the class of the Epsom classic in subsequent races, but at the weekend he returned to the form that made him such a good horse when he was second to Golden Fleece at Epsom.

Whatever about the quality of the opposition, this was a highly satisfactory result for Tom Jones, Paul Cook and Touching Wood’s owner, Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum, the eldest son of the ruler of Dubai. The sheikh is the Crown Prince and the deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, but has still found time with his two brothers to invest a massive fortune in British racing.

Together they own almost 200 horses in training and several studs, and Saturday’s success, their first in an English classic, will have done nothing to lessen their extraordinary spending sprees at the major yearling sales.

The continued interest of Arab owners can only do good for British racing. They are in the game for fun. They don’t mind how much it costs if they win, and they intend to keep, rather than sell, their best horses.

So it was not at all surprising to hear that Touching Wood is to stay in training as a four-year-old.