2013

CHARLIE Hills made his first runner in Ireland one that he will forever cherish, as Just The Judge gave the trainer a first classic triumph with an assured display in the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas.

In a race that his father, Barry, won with Nicer and Hula Angel in 1990s, Hills was gaining ample compensation for an agonising last gasp defeat with this filly in the English 1000 Guineas. Further symmetry was supplied by winning jockey Jamie Spencer, as he cemented his alliance with the powerful Qatar Racing outfit in a race that launched his career when he scored on Tarascon all the way back in 1998.

Undefeated in three starts at two before running so well in the English 1000 Guineas, Just The Judge was sent off a well supported 2/1 favourite. Pitted against her was a decent home defence, headed by the returning Big Break and the English 1000 Guineas fifth Snow Queen. Ultimately the Qatar Racing and Sangster Family-owned filly enjoyed a straight forward triumph.

From the furlong pole it was Just Pretending and Just The Judge doing battle, and Spencer never had to get too animated on his filly to take charge over the last 150 yards. Just The Judge stayed on well and she had a length and a half to spare at the line. Rehn’s Nest, who hadn’t enjoyed the clearest of runs at a vital stage, finished with a flourish to edge out Just Pretending for second, while Big Break was a creditable fourth.

“It feels good, but it’s more relief than anything else at the moment. I’ll probably wake up in the middle of the night and think it’s great,” commented Hills who took over from his father in August 2011. “She won well today. Jamie never really had to take up the stick on her. He gave her a beautiful ride and he had her in the right position throughout. Qatar Racing have been fantastic to the sport for the last few years. They’ve given great support to the sport throughout the world and for them to win is fantastic.

“The plan would now be to head for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. We have 26 days from now until then, so the timing looks ideal and, all being well, that is where we will head.”

Spencer reflected: “On the day at Newmarket, Sky Lantern was the better filly and I don’t think that we could have done anything different, but I feel my filly has improved since then. I’ve always felt that she would stay further and she shouldn’t have any trouble stepping up to 10 furlongs in due course.”

[A daughter of Lawman, Just The Judge was third in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes, while her trips abroad resulted in a victory in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes and a placed effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She sold as a four-year-old to Qatar Racing and China Horse for 4,500,000gns, all three of her foals won, and her Dubawi daughter Nash Nasha won a listed race in Germany]

Talent rises to the top in Oaks

2013

ON a day he will never forget for as long as he holds a licence, and almost certainly beyond, Ralph Beckett landed a magnificent one-two in the Group 1 Investec Oaks on Epsom Downs yesterday.

His virtually unconsidered ‘second string’ Talent, who was giving Richard Hughes a second British classic after it took him so long to win one, came home an easy three and three-quarter lengths ahead of stable-companion Secret Gesture. The Lark just held Aidan O’Brien’s Moth at bay in third.

In a race of rapidly changing fortunes, Talent was almost last, but threatening to pull Hughes’s arms out, as Miss You Too led at a good clip. Running to the two-furlong pole, Liber Nauticus came with a determined run towards the centre, with Moth close enough if good enough. Secret Gesture set sail for home, looking for all the world the likeliest winner.

However, with a truly remarkable late run, sustained all the way to the line, Talent materialised on the outside and reeled in her stable-companion. It was a dazzling display and, while there will be one or two complaints from those short of room when the race developed in earnest, there is little doubt the best filly won on the day. The Lark deserves great credit for keeping on to the line, with 1000 Guineas third Moth also doing well after late money forced her down to 5/2 favourite.

Talent, who won a listed race at Newmarket last month, is a daughter of Derby winner New Approach, and may well have set up a highly successful weekend for her sire, responsible for Dawn Approach. She has been lightly-raced, like most of Beckett’s fillies, but won with complete authority for owners James Rowsell and Mark Dixon, whose uncle, Dick Hollingsworth, won this many years ago with Bireme, trained by Major Dick Hern.

Beckett seems to have the magic touch, having also won with 33/1 shot Look Here five years ago. He managed to exclaim: “It just doesn’t happen, does it? I can’t believe I’ve won one Oaks, never mind two, and now I’ve got first and second. Richard came down to ride her and I thought he didn’t fancy her much and I wasn’t really watching her until she came with that run on the outside. What a day!”

[Talent later was runner-up in the Group 1 St Leger, and her first foal, the first of two successful offspring, was the Group 2 winning Dubawi filly Ambition, and she was runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet. Talent has a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot, and a filly foal by St Mark’s Basilica]

Peslier supreme with Silasol

2013

THE highlights of the Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary were the riding of Olivier Peslier, and the toughness of Silasol who completely redeemed her reputation which had become a little tarnished since her game pillar-to-post victory in the Group 1 Total Prix Marcel Boussac last October.

The filly was the first leg in a Group 1 double for Monsun [Maxios was the other] and she did it the hard way. She may have saved the Saint-Alary from being downgraded in the future, although the first five past the post were covered by half a length.

When Silasol won the Marcel Boussac, Peslier rode a canny waiting-in-front race before suddenly injecting pace soon after entering the straight. On this occasion, he employed the opposite tactics by dropping his mount last of the eight runners. She did run a little free early on before accepting the change.

The pair were still last entering the straight and, indeed, in the same position with a furlong and a half left to run. Under strong pressure, she gradually began to cut down her rivals and had her head in front at exactly the right moment. The winning distance was a short-head over the outsider Alterite, and then came the supplementary entry Ferevia, and Artiste Divine who dead-heated for fourth place with Alumna.

The favourite Siyenica was last but one, having tried to make most of the running when there were no other takers. The result of the race was very similar to the Marcel Boussac, as Silasol again finished just ahead of Alterite. She tried to make all when second in the Prix Vanteaux after which the decision was made to change tactics.

Carlos Laffon-Parias remarked: “It was today or never to try these waiting tactics, and she showed great courage. She is from the same family as Solemia [Arc de Triomphe winner], and they are tough. She was a little outpaced early in the straight and then stuck to the task ahead. All being well, the target now is the Prix de Diane.”

The Wertheimer brothers racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau added: “Today proved that her victory in the Marcel Boussac was no fluke. Quite simply, Silasol is very good.” The Jean-Claude-trained Alterite ran her heart out, and the decision by Laffon-Parias to supplement Ferevia certainly paid a big dividend. She had previously taken on the colts in the Group 2 Prix Hocquart and finished a close fifth and will now be allowed to take her chance in the Diane.

[Silasol never won again, and finished third in the Group 1 Prix de Diane-French Oaks. She is the dam of three winners, one of them stakes-placed, and she has a yearling colt by Dubawi and a colt foal by Night Of Thunder]