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Sweet William too good in the Cup
One of Britain's most beloved stayers, Normandie Stud's homebred Sweet William (Sea The Stars) came good again on Friday to add his name to an illustrious list who have won the G2 Doncaster Cup more than once. Left behind at the start, the 10-11 favourite was coaxed into contention by Robert Havlin and after moving to the 3-year-old Pendragon (Camelot) approaching two out stormed clear for an emphatic 3 3/4-length success.
“These staying races are a whole lot of fun and he's a wonderful old horse,” John Gosden said. “He answered the call–he's been running into Trawlerman and Kyprios and that's tough–but Philippa (Cooper) says that's it for the season and we'll hopefully be back this time next year. It's lovely to go out on a high.”
Runner-up in this two years ago, Sweet William has subsequently earned a reputation as a bit of a character despite showing admirable consistency in the division's top contests. Second to Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup and British Champions Long Distance Cup either side of his breakthrough success in this 12 months ago, he had chased home stablemate Trawlerman in York's Lonsdale Cup last month to underline his status in this category.
With those giants removed from the scene, he was able to enjoy a relatively straightforward outing here to join Stradivarius, Times Up, Millenary and Double Trigger as a multiple winner of this prize in recent times.
Sir Mark Prescott was impressed by the performance of the runner-up Pendragon, who was clear best of the rest. “I thought he ran a wonderful race, I was very proud of him,” he said. “It's a shame Sweet William's as good as he is, but I thought it was a great staying performance by a three-year-old and he got a lovely ride. He probably won't run again this year, he might possibly go to Saudi for that race in February. He's a firm-ground man really and then he can come back and have a summer campaign.”
Pedigree Notes: Sweet William is the third foal out of the Listed-winning Gale Force (Shirocco), with the second being Frankel's Hurricane Lane who had one of his finest hours at this venue when adding the St Leger to his tally which featured the Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris. Also responsible for his Listed-placed full-sister Frankel's Storm, she is a half to the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes winner Seal Of Approval (Authorized) from the family of Sea The Stars' luminaries Harzand and Emily Upjohn.
Her unraced 2-year-old Tornado Tower, who is a full-brother to Hurricane Lane, was a 850,000gns purchase by Blandford Bloodstock at Tattersalls October Book 1 while she also has a yearling filly by Dubawi and another Frankel, this time a filly foal.
'That extra kick makes the magic': Easterby hails Flying Childers winner Revival Power
Her Nunthorpe-winning sister Winter Power was some flying machine, but if the evidence of Friday's G2 Flying Childers Stakes is a guide Revival Power (Bungle Inthejungle) could be even slicker model. Electric in the first furlong and totally dominant on the front throughout under Oisin Murphy, King Power's Listed Roses Stakes winner was in a league of her own as she registered a seriously-impressive 1 1/2-length success from Ballydoyle's Kansas (Wootton Bassett).
“She's fast, but she goes again–she hasn't just got that initial speed but also that extra kick which makes the magic,” trainer Tim Easterby said of the 17-2 shot, who dipped under 59 seconds despite racing into a headwind on ground with ease. “She was actually very green last time at York and picked up when they came to her, so that must have put her right.
“I was very confident today, as she's done everything right,” he added. “She's great in her wind, but we keep a lid on her at home. Her sister was magical, but was really hot and this filly's got a better temperament. She can just run, she's a natural front-runner and she's definitely going to improve at three–you are lucky to get one like this.”
Off the mark at a remarkable SP of 22-1 at Thirsk on debut in May, Revival Power was down the field in the Queen Mary and second-best to Spicy Marg in Goodwood's Alice Keppel Conditions Stakes before turning the corner at York. That performance in the Roses stood up well with the previous day's Nunthorpe, so the portents were there before this tour de force.
Coolmore's Kevin Buckley said of Kansas, “We are very happy with him actually, he ran nicely. They were going very fast, as the fractions suggested, so we have to be pleased with that to be honest. We've never won that race, well Ballydoyle haven't, he ran a lovely race and we keep knocking on the door.”
Pedigree Notes: Revival Power is the last foal out of Titian Saga (Titus Livius), who was also responsible for Bungle Inthejungle's G3 Quick Call Stakes runner-up Ortley Avenue as well as the Listed scorer Hay Chewed (Camacho) and Listed-placed Flying Sparkle (Fast Company).
Her half-sister Nova Tor (Trans Island) produced Fast Company's G2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes winner Devonshire, in turn the dam of the G3 Prestige Stakes winner Fairy Cross (Dubawi), and Camacho's Listed winner Hurryupharriet who is in turn responsible for the Listed scorer Exalted Angel (Dark Angel).
Another of Nova Tor's daughters Glowing Star (Clodovil) has Starspangledbanner's Two Stars, the winner of this year's Listed Woodlands Stakes who lines up in Sunday's G1 Flying Five, and Listed-placed King Of Stars.
