Magical another for Galileo in the Champion
Backed as if defeat was unconsidered, the ever-reliable even-money favourite Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) justified the strong market support to add Ascot’s G1 QIPCO Champion S. to her G1 Irish Champion S. victory on Saturday.
Showing no ill-effects of her gruelling effort in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 13 days earlier, the bay coasted along in second with Donnacha O’Brien only committing with two furlongs remaining.
As expected, she had to wage war as the soft-ground specialist Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) closed in soon after, but she was always the stronger of the pair and held on by 0.75l, with Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) 2.25l behind in third.
“She’s so genuine, tough and classy,” Aidan O’Brien said as he finally gained a first renewal of this prize. “It is incredible that she ran in the Arc two weeks ago, but she’s an amazing filly and these Galileos don’t know when to give up. Every day they pull out the same and never hold a grudge against anybody. These days are very important for Donnacha, as he won’t be staying at it very long.”
Lesser horses would have been exhausted by her effort at Leopardstown on September 14 and an aggressive ride in the Arc where she enjoyed no peace before fading to fifth, but Magical is made of rare material.
“We would love to keep her in training, but the lads will make a decision,” her trainer added.
“They have to decide whether they want to go to the Breeders’ Cup or not and that would be the next one if they decide they want to go. Found was an unbelievable mare and you can definitely compare them well. If she goes to the Breeders’ Cup, she would go to the Filly & Mare Turf.”
QEII glory for Farhh’s King of Change
Considered by many to have enjoyed the rub of the green when runner-up in the G1 2000 Guineas, Ali Abdulla Saeed’s King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}) cocked a snook at his detractors in style in Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot.
Seen only once in the interim when enjoying a perfect warm-up when winning the Listed Fortune S., he was settled in mid-division early by a confident Sean Levey. Coaxed to the front with finesse with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the bay stayed on strongly despite drifting left and had 1.25l to spare over The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at the line, with Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) 1.5l back in third.
“He’s been a tricky horse who has had minor setbacks and the fact that they got him here is a great training performance and a team effort,” his rider said. “I rode Toronado and Sky Lantern at home, but neither of them gave me a feel like him.”
“Some people said I was little petulant not celebrating finishing second in the Guineas,” trainer Richard Hannon said.
“We always thought the world of this horse and second in the Guineas is a great run, but you don’t remember those. Now he’ll be remembered.
“I thought he’d run well in the Guineas, but he had a hard race so we put him away. We thought it would be fast ground at Royal Ascot, but we got the first one in 10 years where it rained all the time!,” Hannon added.
“It was always about next year for him, so we took our time and he came back to win his listed race well. I thought he’d win or go close today, as there was no fluke about his Guineas run and there was no fluke here. He’s taken on the Guineas winner there and beaten him."
Kew Gardens outbattles Stradivarius
Ascot’s G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup carried the promise of an epic battle and so it proved as Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) edged out Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in a pulsating finale which was arguably the day’s chief event.
Always travelling with serious intent tracking the pace, last year’s G1 St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero was sent to the front approaching two out as the favourite loomed in behind.
Headed by Bjorn Nielsen’s relentless achiever a furlong later, the second favourite stayed in the fight and regained the advantage in the final yards to prevail by a nose. Stradivarius’s stablemate Royal Line (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was another 5l away in third in a renewal that will be talked about for some time.
“He got an unbelievable ride, a very intelligent and strong ride from Donnacha and he’s a brave horse,” Aidan O’Brien commented.
“We were coming to the Gold Cup with him, but he got an injury and it set him back for the whole season and he barely got back. We didn’t think he’d get back, so there are many people to be so thankful to. He’s a classy horse.
“He pulled all the muscles in his back just before Ascot,” Aidan O’Brien added. “He barely made the Irish Leger and that race just didn’t go right. He’s an incredible horse. It’s possible he’ll be around next year, but the lads will decide what they want to do. There is a big chance he will be. I’d say the Gold Cup next year would definitely be the target if he stayed in training and I would imagine that’s it for the season."
Donnacha said, “He was the one horse in the race that you couldn’t be sure that Stradivarius was better than and these Galileos are so genuine and don’t know when to lie down. I played him plenty early and when Frankie came to me I thought he was going to go past but mine found another gear and battled real hard. He showed today he is a top-class stayer.”
Stradivarius was beaten but unbowed according to John Gosden, as he reflected on the 5-year-old’s first defeat since finishing third in this in 2017.
“I think we were brave to run, as this is not his ground but he has run a wonderful race and has come back in and had a whinny, so he is happy,” Gosden said.
“It’s not anybody’s fault and take nothing from the winner who came back and battled. He did well to win it last year, as they went no pace. This year he found it too much of a slog in the ground. He’s a top-of-the-ground horse and it’s no disgrace to go down by a nose. We will be back for the Ascot Gold Cup on good-to-firm in good shape.”
Dream Ahead’s Donjuan Triumphant wins the Sprint
A year after the tragic death of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, QIPCO British Champions Day was the stage for a momentous outcome for his King Power Racing as Donjuan Triumphant (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}) caused an upset in the G1 Sprint S.
If the result was decided on who handled the heavy ground best, it would have been handed to the 6-year-old before the start but his overall form made him a realistic 33-1 shot lining up against several contemporaries he had played second fiddle to on many occasions.
Last of 13 in this in 2016, eighth a year later and third last term, the bay who was last seen finishing runner-up in the G3 Bengough S. over this course and distance was covered up early by Silvestre de Sousa against the far rail. Stopped in his run inside the final two furlongs, he rallied bravely to reel in the joint-favourite One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock) inside the final 50 yards and prevail by 1l, with Forever In Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}) a neck away in third.
“This is the first horse the chairman [Srivaddhanaprabha] bought and I’m thrilled it’s King Power’s first group one,” trainer Andre Balding said. “He would be so proud now.
“Historically, he always comes good in the autumn and I thought he ran a really good race last time behind Cape Byron, because he fluffed the start and things didn’t go to plan,” Balding added.
“He is such a legend, there were a couple of anxious moments, but Silvestre managed to get himself out of trouble. We were quietly hopeful coming into it, but we needed everything to go right and we got a bit of luck in the end. He has been a star and has got easier to train. The head lad who works in his barn has worked hard on his joints, but this was always going to be his last race as he is off to stud in France now.”
Star Catcher prevails in Fillies & Mares battle
There had been another stay in heartbreak hotel in the previous race for Frankie Dettori on QIPCO British Champions Day, but Star Catcher (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) arrived toute de suite to offer compensation in the G1 Fillies & Mares S.
Whereas Dettori had been on the wrong side of a Gosden-Ballydoyle duel in the Long Distance Cup, this time it worked the other way with Anthony Oppenheimer’s homebred ultimately up on Delphinia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a short head.
Tending to over-race in fourth early as that rival led at an honest gallop, the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine was temporarily flat-footed in the straight as Sun Maiden (GB) (Frankel {GB}) arrived to her left. Summoning all her strength and staying power to squeeze between that duo in the final furlong, the favourite found the line before the spirited long-time leader as Sun Maiden tired to finish a length back in third.
Frankie, who was registering an 18th Group 1 win of 2019 and a 250th Group 1 or Grade I in his career, was not entirely consoled by the outcome with the eclipse of his star stayer so recent. “I’m still a bit sour about Stradivarius, as the ground is a lot worse than we thought so I’m pleased this filly won,” he said. “From crying to smiling in half an hour! She’s a lovely tough filly and I hope she’s stays in training.”
“She was extraordinarily determined to get her head in front and I have nothing but admiration for courage like that on this ground,” trainer John Gosden said.
“This is not what they are used to, but she handled it well enough to win so full marks to her. She won the Vermeille and the Irish Oaks on quick ground. Mr Oppenheimer believes in racing his horses and he enjoys it immensely, so she should be racing next year. She is a lovely filly and a brave filly. America (Breeders' Cup) is too close and you can’t go there on November 2 after running a race like that. She has just left her heart on the track. To stick her neck in between them, she was very brave.”
