Europe
Prince Of Lir's Live In The Dream wins the Nunthorpe
It was a case of carpe diem at York on Friday, as Steve and Jolene De'Lemos's Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) carried some of the minnows of the racing world aloft on his shoulders with a sensational front-running display in the feature G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S.
Rapid from the gates, rapid throughout the first three furlongs and ruthlessly determined for the final two, the kingpin of Adam West's small Epsom base strained every nerve and sinew to lift the little-known Sean Kirrane to a momentous triumph. A length behind was last year's heroine Highfield Princess (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), with another 0.75l to fellow headline-maker TDN Rising Star Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in third as the big guns wilted in his wake.
“I never thought it was possible to win. We were laughing about there being six places and how his odds were so skinny,” West said of the 28-1 winner, who now has his ticket to Santa Anita having mastered this “Win and You're In” contest. “I think we'll go to the Breeders' Cup, as I think he's 10 pounds better on a turning track. That's a big statement, but I do. He can get a breather round a bend, whereas on these straight courses he usually can't but he just nicked enough today.”
“We were going to take him for a race at Del Mar but we costed it, we're not a big yard and it was too expensive to go. Trying to make ends meet to try to get that money together and both get him over there and get him back is just all taken care of and it's some rollercoaster.”
Starting his ascent in the ratings with a brace of handicap wins last spring, Live In The Dream managed a second in Sandown's Listed Scurry S. on his black-type bow last June but was on the shelf come August with no sign that he would ultimately be able to mix it at this level. Despite that, the extremities of the sprinting and staying divisions still remain open to the possibility of these rare David and Goliath moments and this was another to add to a small yet precious collection.
In each start during this transformative season, he had carried Kirrane who had a three-pound claim for the gelding's two wins at Lingfield and Pontefract in March and April and it has proven a partnership made in heaven. Wearing his heart on his sleeve every time, the chestnut who was a bargain £24,000 (AU$47,100) buy at the 2020 Goffs Sportsman's Sale was worn down late by Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau) Newmarket's G3 Palace House S., by Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and Wednesday's handicap winner Equilateral (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) in Haydock's G2 Temple S. and when fourth in the Listed Prix du Cercle at Deauville in August.
“It's a surreal feeling and it hasn't really sunk in yet, it just feels like winning another race at the moment,” the 22-year-old Kirrane said. “The feeling in the last 60 yards when I could hear the cracks of the whips behind me, but I knew I wasn't going to get caught was like nothing I've ever felt before. A massive amount of credit goes to the horse, he's really stepped up this year and it's been an incredible journey for all of us.
“Adam has produced this horse brilliantly in top form today,” he added. “He needed the run out in France last time in a Listed race, as he'd had a month off. It brought him forward perfectly. Every time you go out on him you quietly fancy him, as he is so effective over a fast five and York can play into the hands of front runners on this ground. We make lengths out of the gate and ride him aggressively, but he has a turn of foot as well. We tried to take them off their feet in the closing stages, but today I was able to keep him on the bridle longer than I ever have as nothing ever came to me at the furlong pole. When I took him off he found another gear again.”
“I was able to keep him (Live In The Dream) on the bridle longer than I ever have as nothing ever came to me at the furlong pole. When I took him off he found another gear again.” - Sean Kirrane
For West, the outcome represents a major turning point for his 45-strong stable which like so many others of its size is struggling with the financial climate at present. “I never thought anything like this would happen,” he said. “For seven years I've been training and we've had him from a yearling and the journey has been incredible. It's a really tough game at the moment and you look at how things are and you think 'is this a future?' and then you get something like this and it changes everything.
“Epsom is the perfect mix of town and country for me, I can be out with my ferrets in 20 minutes one way and out in town with my owners 20 minutes the other. The owners in that tight-knit community have been fantastic. All this week and the last six months Epsom has been quoted saying it needs a Group 1 winner and they have just had one. The BHA do their best to govern and mind us as trainers, but realistically unless you are on the top, top scale, training is not a viable option. But money is not why any of us do it, we do it because we love the animals and we love the whole sport.”
John Quinn said of the 7-5 favourite Highfield Princess, who put in her customary honest effort, “The winner got away and well done to them,” he said. “She's run a fantastic race and she's a horse of two lifetimes. As long as she's alright we'll go to the Curragh (for the G1 Flying Five), that's the plan.”
Archie Watson said of Bradsell, “Probably the draw has worked against us, because the winner has blazed a trail and stuck on really well and that has probably favoured Highfield Princess in our battle for second. He's run a huge race and I would imagine he'll go to the Flying Five, (that) will be next. The Abbaye would probably be my least-favoured race, I would prefer to go to Ireland and then America, but we'll see.”
No Nay Never's Lake Forest on top in the Gimcrack
Silver Racing's G2 July S. runner-up Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never {USA}) was unable to concede weight all round when following up in a Newmarket novices' heat earlier this month and rebounded in style to cause a 16-1 upset for the William Haggas stable in Friday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. at York.
Comfortable in rear until surging into contention after halfway, he challenged the leading wave underneath the stands' side fence approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly, despite drifting left in the closing stages, to prevail by 1l from 'TDN Rising Star' Johannes Brahms (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), with the same margin back to King's Gamble (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in third.
“He just ran awful at Newmarket last time,” reflected William Haggas after registering a third winner at the meeting. “He got upset beforehand, he was stupid to post and he was edgy in the stalls. Today he was really calm, good going down and we saddled him in the stables and walked him across. Newmarket can be like that when you box them up at home, but whatever happened he didn't run at all. Prior to that he had run a very good race in the July S. (also at Newmarket). I had to just put a line through his last run, I had no choice. We had always planned to come for this, and after his race last time it almost put us off, but we thought why not have a go. He's owned by a new syndicate so I've no idea who will do the (traditional Gimcrack) speech. I probably put them off coming today, you couldn't fancy him really, although I did say to my son I thought he'd run well.”
Mastercraftsman's Coltrane in tune in the Lonsdale
Mick and Janice Mariscotti's ultra-consistent 6-year-old gelding Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) settled for placings in this term's G1 Gold Cup and G1 Goodwood Cup and exacted revenge on Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) with a determined effort in Friday's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York.
Coltrane, a 14l runner-up in this marathon contest last year, had risen through the staying ranks to notch victories in last term's G2 Doncaster Cup and this term's G3 Sagaro S.
“That was fully deserved, he's been incredibly consistent, and he is adored by everyone,” commented Anna Lisa Balding. “Tom (Marquand) gave Quickthorn such a great ride at Goodwood and he fully deserved that, but it was Coltrane's turn today and he's done it in brilliant style. I'm thrilled to win another Group 2 for Mick and Janice (Mariscotti) as they have been incredibly patient. He had surgery two years ago and he hasn't looked back since, but that is why he doesn't go to Australia. He's like a pet, he's adorable and I think it will be Ascot (Champions Day) next as he ran so well in the (G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup) race last year.”
Stable companion Nate The Great (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) was pulled up in the home straight and vanned off the track for treatment. “Hopefully Nate The Great will be okay,” Balding added. “They have put a compression boot on him and taken him back to the stables. The vets are there and they are doing what they can.”
Reflecting on the performance of Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami, Franke Dettori said, “He wasn't keen, but it took him a while to warm up and then he came good. The (Group 1) penalty and shorter trip made Coltrane a better horse than me. We didn't let Quickthorn go today and that made a big difference. It was the right result today, Coltrane and my horse first and second in the Gold Cup and first and second today. The Prix du Cadran over two-and-a-half (miles) would be tailor-made for him and I guess he'll come back for the Gold Cup next year without me.”
United States of America
The 'other' Curlin, Idiomatic, plunders the Personal Ensign
With the 76th renewal of Friday's GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga billed as a clash between division heavyweights Nest (USA) (Curlin {USA}) and Clairiere (USA) (Curlin {USA}), it was the other daughter in the field by Hill 'n' Dale's super sire Curlin (USA) who would prevail in a pillar-to-post mild upset. Idiomatic (USA), a Juddmonte homebred trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, threw her name into the major-league hat, winning her third consecutive graded race and first Grade I. Last year's GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (USA) (Arrogate {USA}) outbattled Nest for second, while Clairiere never got involved over the sloppy track and finished fifth.
Eclipse champion Nest suffered her first defeat at the Spa, while four-time GISW Clairiere was off the board for the first time since an uncharacteristic poor effort in last year's Personal Ensign.
“Based on the paper, I felt pretty confident (my filly) could establish a pretty solid lead,” said Cox. “I liked her (on a wet track), just the way she's made, she's big but she's not real heavy. I thought she could bounce through it, I really did.”
Cox continued when asked about his thoughts on defeating Nest and Clairiere: “It's huge. They're champions. They've accomplished so much and they're still in good form. I'm very proud of her to win by a few lengths there. Big race and I'm very proud of her.”
Fresh off back-to-back wins in the July 8 G2 Delaware H., despite an ugly stumble at the break, and the June 3 G3 Shawnee S. with corresponding dual triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, Idiomatic has done her best running when loose on the lead. She's taken an interesting path to this level, debuting with a win in April of her sophomore year at Turfway Park. Five of her first six starts–sandwiched around a seven-month, mid-year break–were on the all-weather surface at Turfway. After posting three consecutive wins there to kick off her 4-year-old campaign, which included a first stakes try in the Latonia S. on March 25, Cox shipped her to Belmont, where she made her graded debut May 6 with a distant second behind Pass The Champagne (USA) (Flatter {USA}) in the G2 Ruffian S. Idiomatic hasn't lost since.
“I want to congratulate Juddmonte, Prince Khalid, and his family for keeping the legacy going,” said Cox. “They have a tremendous operation worldwide and this is a huge update for the farm and their operation. This filly is a homebred, so it means a lot.
“The week before I ran her in the Ruffian, I told (Juddmonte's) Garrett (O'Rourke) this filly will run on the dirt. It was an unbelievable breeze. She was second that day to Pass the Champagne, but her works on the dirt have been great all spring and into the summer. She gave us a lot of confidence this spring and summer. I've been confident in her for a while.”
