Omudsman shows how good he really is
By Tom Frary
He's done some impressive things during his career, but Godolphin's Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) looks to have saved the best until last as he dominated Saturday's G1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes.
Crowning the action on Ascot's Qatar Racing British Champions Day, the heavily-backed 5-4 favourite took command two out and readily reversed last year's form with Calandagan (Gleneagles) with a power-packed 3.75-length success. Victorious Forever's Arc runner-up Bay City Roller (New Bay) was 1.75 lengths away in third in this “Win and You're In” for the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf at the end of the month.
“I wanted to be able to show everyone how good he really is,” William Buick said after steering the winner to a fifth Group 1 triumph. “Six runner races can get very tactical and I didn't want to rely on luck today, I wanted to make my own luck. He's a great horse and he showed his versatility and great racing brain today. We wanted to control things a little bit and he has that terrific turn of foot.”
This renewal was shaped very early on, with the winner sent forward from his inside draw to track his pacemaker Devil's Advocate (Too Darn Hot) and Bay City Roller and gain valuable ground on his French nemesis. Rounding the home turn, he had only the hanging and over-racing Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) on his outer and as that rival backed out it was plain sailing with Christophe Soumillon not getting a familiar tune out of last year's winner.
Despite Calandagan's typically game effort in pursuit, there was no catching Ombudsman who thrived for the switch to more forceful tactics to stamp real authority on affairs, his closing furlong in 11.95s putting him in a different category to his rivals.
After stylish wins in two renewals of the Prince of Wales's Stakes here, last year's Juddmonte International and Dubai Turf, this was his crowning moment with the autumn weather holding out in his favour.
“That was something else,” Buick said. “At York, I think the ground was wrong and there were a couple of other factors – it was a funny race, but today I think we saw the real Ombudsman. He is explosive, the fastest horse that I have ridden over ten furlongs and it's an amazing feeling when you press the button on him.”
“He has got such a good racing brain and he races so economically, but when you ask him he fills up,” he added.
“He is like a coiled spring. I could see Calandagan in the corner of my eye, but then we left him behind and it is one-one now. They are two great racehorses that produced a great race last year, but it was our turn today.”
John Gosden said, “It was a special performance from a special horse. We got off a little far back in this race last year, about 10 or 11 lengths off it, so we thought we are not going to do that again. This time the race went perfectly and he rode him just how he wanted to.
“The ground was a bit on the slow side for him as he likes it real quick, but he has shown his class which is the main thing. Either he will go to stud, or I will discuss it with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and see if he would consider putting him in the Breeders' Cup Turf. That is the only other option now, as I think the Japan Cup will be a little bit late if he is going to be a stallion. This horse will handle Keeneland well, as he is quick and agile, but we don't have to make a rapid decision.”
Pedigree: Ombudsman is the second foal out of Syndicate (Dansili), a full sister to the Premio Carlo Vittadini winner Runnymede and the dual Listed scorer and Celebration Mile runner-up Stipulate. The family features some talented Juddmonte performers including the Prix du Moulin heroine All At Sea (Riverman) and the four-time Group 1-winning champion Twice Over (Observatory). Syndicate's winning 3-year-old full sister to Ombudsman, Synchronicity, is a TDN Rising Star, while her winning 2-year-old filly by Ten Sovereigns is named Syndicale.
Almeraq: A champion overcomes it all
By Tom Frary
He left it late, but Shadwell's Almeraq (Dark Angel) found the line in time to win a third Group 1 in Saturday's Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.
As he had over the same course and distance in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in June, the William Haggas-trained homebred proved tough and tenacious as he bore down on Wathnan's Paborus (Recoletos) in the dying strides to score by a neck, with 3.5 lengths back to the winner's stablemate Division (Kingman) in third.
“He's a fantastic horse, he's overcome so much in his life – he's a hero,” Maureen Haggas said of the 11-10 favourite who had fallen at York last year and come back to win three of these including the Haydock Sprint Cup last month. “You saw what he can really do at Haydock and the softer the ground the better he is, but it's safe today and I'm thrilled for all the team. He's a champion now.”
Buried in mid-division early by Tom Marquand, Almeraq had to get past the main group before hunting down the enterprisingly-ridden Paborus who had stolen a march on the far rail under Danny Tudhope. Using that ground-devouring stride in the closing stages as he had when denying Satono Reve, Joliestar and Stolen Kiss at the Royal meeting, he was firmly on top at the line with his stamina at this trip decisive.
“He's the best in the division,” Marquand declared. “He's shown versatility all year, on good-to-firm ground, heavy ground and good ground here – he's felt like a proper top-class Group 1 horse on all occasions and to win three in a year at the distance you have to be.
“He blew Paborous out of the water at Haydock, but he didn't have to make up any ground that day. It was a tougher job, but it just shows how good he was,” he added. “He's real class and he's gorgeous – he's not revvy, he's straightforward, a proper sprinter.”
William Haggas added, “I hoped Tom was as confident as it looked, but he did well to get there. I thought the second had got away, so it was a good effort. To win three Group 1s with him is fantastic. To hopefully produce another stallion for Shadwell is also very important.”
William Haggas | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Shadwell's Angus Gold revealed that a stallion career now beckons. “He is a valuable horse for us going forward at stud, so I would be surprised if he is still in training next year,” he said. “He has been a superstar. We don't breed many like him and he has proved he is the best around and we rather need him at the stud.
“I was really impressed with the way how he went about it today. I thought the second horse had gone and won the race, but he really put his head down and Tom thought he was always going to get there. It is amazing, the versatility he has and he has a great mind.
“How he walked away from that fall at York, I will never know,” he added. “I remember watching it at home thinking he was dead, as he must have smashed both forelegs the speed he went down. To be standing here a year later is remarkable.”
Angus Gold | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Pedigree: Almeraq is the first foal out the unraced Manaajim (Muhaarar), a half-sister to the Cheveley Park Stakes, Flying Five and Lowther Stakes winner Fairyland (Kodiac) and the dual Group winner and Irish 1000 Guineas-third Now Or Never (Bushranger) who cost the operation 925,000 gns (AU$1.86 million) at the 2018 Tattersalls October Book 1.
From the family of Diktat's multiple Group 1-winning dual champion and sire Dream Ahead, her 3-year-old filly Albaydaa (Pinatubo) is a useful handicapper for this stable while she also has the unraced 2-year-old colt El Asjadi (Night Of Thunder), a yearling filly by Blue Point and a filly foal by Dubawi.
Talk Of New York peaks in G1 QEII Stakes
By Tom Frary
Coming back to Ascot a stronger model than when last here, Godolphin's Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett) peaked at the right time in Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Third behind Bow Echo and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) in the St James's Palace Stakes on the round track in June, the homebred had only been asked two relatively straightforward questions in the interim and entered this on the back of a perfect confidence boost in Newmarket's Joel Stakes.
Able to easily follow the pace under William Buick, the 3-1 second favourite was in command inside the last two furlongs and stayed on to score by 1.25 lengths from the Queen Anne hero Ten Bob Tony (Night Of Thunder), with a neck back to Rayif (Sea The Moon) in third.
“It's what it's all about,” Charlie Appleby said. “He's maturing and taking things a lot better mentally now. It's exciting, he's a 3-year-old who is progressing and he'll head into winter quarters now and start again in the spring.”
Much-vaunted after his debut win at Kempton in October, Talk Of New York had looked Classic material until beaten in the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas, where Title Role and Pacific Avenue proved more savvy. Even after he had come back to Newmarket to win a seven-furlong conditions event at the Craven meeting and earn a TDN Rising Star tag, the son of Usherette was deemed not ready for the track's mile Classic and was instead steered to the Heron Stakes at Sandown. Impressive there, he looked on the weak side in the St James's Palace and had the bias against him in Goodwood's Thoroughbred Stakes next time before it all came right in the Joel.
This was as straightforward as it gets, with Buick able to take his time and plot his route as he liked and it was only when the 7-4 favourite Gstaad began to throw out distress signals ahead of him that he was asked to seize the moment. Surging by the pace-setting 150-1 shot Needle Match (Night Of Thunder) inside the last two, he was quickly beyond the reach of the admirable Ten Bob Tony and Rayif.
“First of all, I want to give Maurizio Pasquale a lot of credit for this horse,” Appleby said. “Talk Of New York has been a challenge for everybody. Early on in his career, he was very headstrong and Maurizio has always had a lot of faith in this horse. He told me back in the spring, 'Charlie, he is one of the best 3-year-olds I have sat on' and all the team have done such a great job with him.
“He walked around the paddock today like a proper old horse, whereas earlier in his career he would get a bit on his toes and you never like to see that too much when you are coming into these bigger events. Once he hit the front, I was confident he would keep on galloping out. In time, he might get further.”
Charlie Appleby | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Pedigree: Talk Of New York is out of Duke of Cambridge and Dahlia Stakes winner and Prix d'Ispahan third Usherette (Shamardal), whose prior best was the dual Stakes-placed Star Guest (Dubawi) and who also has a colt foal by Frankel.
Usherette is a full sister to the stakes winner and Group 3-placed Show Day and a half to the Stakes winner and Canadian Stakes runner-up Magnetic Charm (Exceed And Excel), herself the dam of the Prestige Stakes third Hard To Resist (Dubawi). The family includes the Grand Prix de Paris-winning sire Vespone and Galileo's Melbourne Cup and Hong Kong Vase runner-up Purple Moon.
Minnie Hauk shows her class in G1 Champions Fillies & Mares
By Sean Cronin
Last year's triple Oaks heroine and Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk (Frankel) had tried and failed in five starts since bagging May's Listed Mooresbridge on seasonal return this term and collected a fourth victory at the highest level as Ballydoyle executed tactics to perfection in Saturday's G1 Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares at Ascot.
“Minnie Hauk is a very high-class filly and William (Buick) felt she was a lot better than on the day in the Arc,” said Aidan O'Brien. “Ryan (Moore) kept it quite simple on her today. She was drawn wide, he stayed out until he came back in and I thought he was very good on her. We know what she did last year, but she has had a lot of trouble with corns this year, so we never got a really good run into her.
“Since the Arc, she has been lovely and everything has been great with her. Corns are like having a stone in your foot; we would get them cleared up and they would come back again. She has been prone to them, but lately they have come right. The lads will decide what they want to do, whether they go to America with her or whether she is retired. I think she is going to Justify at the end of the year and, whatever happens, I am delighted for everyone involved.”
Moore added, “The race was straightforward, but getting Minnie Hauk here has not been straightforward. She ran in the Arc 13 days ago and performed today the best she has done all year. Things have not gone right for her, but she was doing everything lovely. We were able to slide outside Sugar Island, who did not go mad, and she just had more class than them today.”
Ryan Moore | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The 5-1 chance occupied the ideal slot for the most part and tracked 150-1 stablemate Sugar Island (Dubawi) until looming large off the home turn. Inching ahead with a quarter-mile remaining, she refused to surrender her advantage and was driven out in the closing stages to comfortably hold Believed (Frankel) and Lilt (Lope De Vega) by 1.5 lengths and a neck.
Sugar Island kept on gamely once headed and finished 1.75 lengths back in fourth, while Juddmonte's defending champion Kalpana (Study Of Man) never threatened and finished seventh.
Pedigree: Minnie Hauk, one of her sire's 43 Group 1 winners, is the sixth of eight foals and leading performer from three winners out of Multilingual (Dansili), a full sister to G3 Tercentenary-winning sire Remote (Dansili).
The winner is a half-sister to the dual Group-winning G1 Prix d'Ispahan runner-up Tilsit (First Defence) and a yearling filly by Justify. Her dam Multilingual is also kin to multiple Group 1-winning sire Kingman (Invincible Spirit) out of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-winning matriarch Zenda (Zamindar).
Zenda, who is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-winning sire Oasis Dream (Green Desert), also the dam of the Group 3-placed duo First Eleven (Frankel) and Sunray Major (Dubawi).
Ascot’s Long Distance Cup to Mount Atlas
By Sean Cronin
Kingsclere Racing's G3 Silver Cup winner Mount Atlas (Masar) had paid his dues in stakes marathons over the past two seasons and the Andrew Balding-trained homebred stepped forward to claim a career high, and a first Group 1 winner for his sire, in Saturday's G1 Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
“PJ (McDonald) has given Mount Atlas an absolutely stellar ride there,” said Balding. “We got out at just the right time, he does not want to hit the front too soon, and it has panned out perfectly. He is a very talented horse and needs to be delivered late, that is his style, and it could not have worked better. We were taking a chance over the two miles, but he loves Ascot and it is so appropriate in those colours as well. I am just sorry my mother is not here, she has gone to watch a hockey match, and she would have loved that because she bred him.”
McDonald added, “These are the places where you want to be riding winners and need to be riding winners. I have got more years behind me than in front of me, but it is just great to be a part of this team. It is a great team, Andrew and Anna Lisa put a lot of confidence in me, which gives you a lot of confidence moving forwards. To be riding nice horses, you need to be riding for a good stable, and I am very happy to be a small part of a huge team. Andrew, Anna Lisa and the whole team at Park House have been so good to me these last few years. That's probably the best way I can pay them back, a Group 1 winner on Champions Day.”
Patiently ridden and positioned off the pace until turning for home in the two-mile contest, the 33-1 outsider made relentless headway into fourth approaching the final furlong and found plenty under a late drive to outlast Queenstown (Galileo) and G1 St Leger hero Highwayman (Persian King) by three-quarters of a length and the same.
Pedigree: Mount Atlas is the second of six foals and one of three winners out of a multiple-winning Highland Pass (Passing Glance), a half to G1 Racing Post Trophy victor Elm Park (Phoenix Reach) and the dual Group-placed Brorocco (Shirocco).
Hailing from the family of dual Group 1-winning sire Risk Me (Sharpo), the winner is half to a yearling filly by Study Of Man and a weanling filly by Ulysses.
Balding’s Mount Atlas is a tribute to family
Sometimes a sporting season can be defined by one fleeting image. If indeed Andrew Balding ends the year by clinching the trainers' championship he so richly deserves, one such moment among many memorable highlights was the sight of the longshot Mount Atlas barging his way through a gap that barely existed to claim the first Group 1 of British Champions Day.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Minnie Hauk may yet have scuppered the Balding clan's hopes but make no mistake that Mount Atlas's first Group 1 win was a huge achievement for the family, and one which has been more than half a century in the making, long before the mating plans that would result in his birth were even drawn up.
They say it takes a village, and racing aficionados have long referred to the Baldings' Park House Stables simply as Kingsclere, the village in which the yard is based and which it dominates.
In Mount Atlas, Britain's most successful stable of the season can have no finer representative. Sure, there has been the marvellous Juddmonte trio of Kalpana, Blue Bolt and Item to keep the stable on a rolling high this year, but Mount Atlas is very much a homemade triumph. His first five dams were all bred by Emma Balding or her late husband Ian, as was Mount Atlas's damsire Passing Glance, who was trained at Kingsclere, along with the sires of the next four dams – Dashing Blade, Selkirk, Mill Reef and Silly Season.
And nothing really says Kingsclere quite like those famous colours once carried by Silly Season and Mill Reef, belonging originally to one of the stable's greatest patrons, the American owner-breeder Paul Mellon. A famed Anglophile, Mellon would doubtless have revelled in the fact that those silks played such a part on British Champions Day, borne by a horse whose bloodlines possess a fair strain of that old Rokeby influence.
Mount Atlas's breeder, who doubles as the trainer's mother, was not at Ascot. At age 77 and in this year in which she lost her husband, Emma Balding has, as usual, just completed a weeks-long stint perusing thousands of yearlings as a crucial member of the selection team for next year's intake to the stable. Instead of racing on Saturday she was watching her granddaughter Flora play hockey while Flora's parents and brothers oversaw the Group 1 team at Ascot.
Emma Balding | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
As is so often the case with one of Emma Balding's Kingsclere Stud homebreds, Mount Atlas is by a wildly unfashionable stallion in Masar, but as is also so often the case, he has outperformed any value the so-called experts might have placed on him had he been entered for a yearling sale. They'd have turned their noses up at a Masar colt out of a Passing Glance mare, even though his dam Highland Pass is a half-sister to another Group 1-winning Kingsclere graduate, Elm Park – himself by yet another in the old globetrotter Phoenix Reach.
But fashion is for those whose tastes change with the season. Emma Balding, one of the most admirable members of the dwindling cohort of British breeders, sticks instead to good old-fashioned principles of horsemanship, ably assisted in her endeavours by the new generation at the helm at Park House, Andrew and his wife Anna Lisa. Perhaps her son still has a hill to climb if he is to wrest the trainers' title from Aidan O'Brien, but a mountain was conquered on Saturday.
