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6 Monday, July 20, 2009 racingpost.com Best of the blogs KING GEORGE ROAD TRIP

What our top writers are saying on – American stars could clash at home and away

times; I was just cleaning it and it In the first of a five-part NICHOLAS went off. All of these are as nothing series leading up to compared to the one that got tennis Saturday’s midsummer GODFREY ace Richard Gasquet off the hook this week after he’d tested positive for Weblog Eyes down for double-header highlight at Ascot, cocaine at a tournament in Miami in March. Steve Dennis visits the POSTED AT 10.17AM JULY 16 2009 The future looked a little bleak for oldest-surviving winner of the one-time Wimbledon semi-finalist the King George VI RECENT news that those two until it transpired that rather than American superstar females Rachel having been a knowing substance & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Alexandra and Zenyatta are unlikely abuser, he was, in fact, merely the to clash is as disappointing as it was victim of the inappropriate advances S BOB DYLAN once said, predictable. of a woman called Pamela in a you would not think, to Florida nightclub, who had kissed New Jersey-bound Rachel look at him, but he was him so often and so vigorously that Alexandra’s form is all dirt, and her famous long ago. He’s just she had contaminated the poor lamb owner Jess Jackson doesn’t want to an ordinary brown horse in risk her on a synthetic surface in with a positive dose of the old A a field, white face and one white foot, Colombian marching powder. California, where the Breeders’ Cup picking away at the grass like What this meant was that although will be held for the second year ordinary horses do. running in November. he failed the urine test, it would have Admittedly, he looks immaculate; Zenyatta’s owner, the record- been taking the piss to ban him, there is a bloom in his coat that company exec Jerry Moss (the ‘M’ to because he could rely on the defence speaks of vigour, health and plenty of Herb Alpert’s ‘A’ in the A&M record of ‘no fault or negligence’. work with a brush. And there is about label – she’s named after the Police I tried this defence on my wife him a certain indefinable something LP Zenyatta Mondatta), has last night when I came home skint that draws the attention, captures the backtracked on recent musings from a night out, having done my eye, sets a little bell ringing in the suggesting he would be sending the brains on the evening meeting at back of the mind when he raises his five-year-old to meet the Preakness Kempton and sunk 16 pints to drown head at a sudden noise, pricks his winner somewhere outside my sorrows. “I feel I must point out ears, walks towards his small knot of California. to you that no fault or negligence can Critics on either side of the pond be attributed to me, darling. I was admirers at the field gate. have already lambasted both teams standing minding my own business in He passes us, turns around and as scaredy-cats, but here is a possible the betting shop when a woman passes again, as though measuring us. solution from a transatlantic fan. named Maureen, who said her Perhaps he sees the camera, perhaps Why meet just once when they could brother worked in a pub in he hears us mumbling, warmly and meet twice? Why not make it a Lambourn, told me about one that appreciatively, perhaps he’s just been double-header, with home and away was due to have the handbrake let bottling it up. legs? off. Well, I had my conkers on it, it Down goes his head with a squeal That way we would all be happy – got stuffed, then Maureen, who had of delight, he paws the earth, digging and both horses would get the chance downed half a crate of Mackeson in, slipping a little on the wet ground. to race on their familiar territory. and a bottle of Dubonnet before she He sashays side to side, wriggling Why are these two fantastic horses came out, snogged me like a sink with exertion, blowing fiercely down so unlikely to meet up? Rather like plunger, entirely against my will, his nose, now flicking out a leg, now Nigel Tufnell’s amp in Spinal Tap, the thereby contaminating me to the tossing his head, all grace and power brilliant Zenyatta’s unbeaten streak extent you see before you now. and energy and mischief. Then he now stretches all the way to 11. Darling.” wheels away and up, up on his hind Although the vast majority of these And then she hit me in the face with legs, forelegs fighting the breeze, head victories came at home in California, a saucepan and slammed the door. thrown back as if to say ‘look at me she put up one of the best now, do you remember me now, this is performances of her career on the what I was and what I still am’. dirt at Oaklawn Park last year, so this With all four feet back on the floor, is no Lava Man-esque hometown STEVE a shiver ripples through his skin like a bully we are talking about here. DENNIS wave rolling over the ocean. Then However, there is a perfectly he’s up on his hind legs again, turning reasonable (read: easy) set of Weblog Went the day well? Ohhh back the years, 21 years. is lucrative Grade 1 events in California yeeeesssss playing to the gallery, and to see him as a prelude to the Breeders’ Cup, so doing sparks the same rush of where she might take on the colts in POSTED AT 9.29PM JULY 18 2009 appreciation and awe as he inspired in the Classic in a bid to secure Horse of the days when he used to come fast the Year honours. Like a STREAK OF LIGHTNIN’ flashing and late and irresistible, a vivid blur Zenyatta’s connections have cross the sky of brown and white and bright yellow targeted Personal Ensign’s unbeaten Like the SWIFTEST ARROW whizzing silks. record of 13, which is the spanner in from a bow At 26, Mtoto is the oldest living Mtoto in playful mood at Aston shook off , galloping away the works, as they won’t be taking Like a MIGHTY CANNONBALL he King George winner. His racing career Upthorpe Stud, where he lives in to win by two lengths. Third was Tony unnecessary risks until she gets there. seems to fly was a glorious one – twice honourable retirement Bin; that’s another story. You’ll hear about him everywhere you older horse – that blossomed only Mtoto might have gone out on the go after the late Alec Stewart had skilfully highest of highs by winning the Arc, The time will come when everyone will nurtured him through his first two Mtoto had another Eclipse in the but he was caught in a pocket at the PETER know the name of . . . seasons, taking care of the colt with locker, another knock-down-drag-out precise moment he should have been vulnerable feet and husbanding his affair with the outsider Shady surging for the line, and although it CHEVA, the Wonder Horse THOMAS talent so that it might be fully realised. Heights, by the time he lined up for took only a few strides for Roberts to Weblog There’s really no excuse [Steve gets quite excited about The race everyone remembers is the the King George VI and Queen extricate him he came up a neck short for that Monsieur Chevalier, who he has 1987 Eclipse, in which the bludgeon Elizabeth Diamond Stakes against of when the camera clicked. convinced himself he owns – Ed] of crossed steel with nine rivals. He was only second Even today, teeth are sucked and POSTED AT 9.56PM JULY 16 2009 the rapier of Mtoto in a contest that favourite behind the galloper regretful glances exchanged at what Don’t miss the Racing Post readers voted 44th in the Unfuwain, whose attritional style was might have been on the Bois de Banished through 100 Greatest Races. Reference Point expected to be enhanced by the ease Boulogne. latest blog updates set a gruelling pace, and Mtoto had to in the ground. The Guineas winner During his career at Aston Upthorpe no fault of myown use not only his dazzling turn of foot and Derby runner-up Glacial Stud, in Oxfordshire, the son of from Tom but also demonstrate his tenacity in Storm were fancied too, but victory sired a Derby winner in JUST when you thought you’d heard Dascombe wearing down the Derby winner, two was never seriously in doubt after and a Gold Cup winner in every excuse under the sun . . . Sir, sets of yellow and black silks flapping Mtoto had loomed up on Unfuwain’s , as well as producing the the cat ate my homework; the sheep and Briony like battle standards on a hot summer shoulder a furlong and a half out. outstanding jumps sire Presenting, backed into me, your honour, 53 Craven-Russell afternoon. Michael Roberts shook him up and he Prix de Diane runner-up Mousse p p q

Racing Post Monday, July 20, 2009 7

MTOTO 26 b h Busted-Amazer (Mincio) Trainer Alec Stewart Owner Ahmed Al Maktoum Breeder John L Moore Race record 3/215224/11148/111112 Wins June 86 Haydock maiden M Roberts 5-4f May 87 Sandown Stakes M Roberts 16-1 PLAYING TO June 87 Ascot Prince of Wales’s Stakes M Roberts 7-2jf July 87 Sandown M Roberts 6-1 May 88 Goodwood Listed race M Roberts 4-7f Jun 88 Ascot Prince of Wales’s Stakes M Roberts 8-15f July 88 Sandown Eclipse Stakes M Roberts 6-4f THE GALLERY July 88 Ascot King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes M Roberts 4-1 Sep 88 Goodwood Select Stakes M Roberts 1-4f also runner-up 1988 Arc, fourth 1987 Arc

detached box, a box fit for such a years, other than now he doesn’t visit AS MEMORIES horse, with a plaque on the wall in the covering shed. This is a retirement owner Ahmed Al Maktoum’s black home now, with him and and and yellow colours denoting his name the old teaser Layal, who is 30. Teaser and pedigree, the floor thickly he might have been, but he did sire carpeted with straw and a door Wollboll, who was a bit of a star in opening out on to his paddock. But it Jersey a few years ago. Now they’re evidently fulfils some inner desire, just old boys all together.” FLOOD BACK some atavistic urge, to run The Aston Upthorpe office is quiet, helter-skelter round it, always on almost reverentially so, walls lined the turn, always the same way, with paintings and photographs of running a trench in the straw. We Mtoto and his offspring. Among an must forgive our elder statesmen amalgam of Darley memorabilia, their quirks. Glacee, Irish Oaks runner-up Mot Mtoto lives in honourable retirement many commemorating minor glories Juste, Oaks third Crown Of Light, last ‘His routine at Aston Upthorpe, across the way E HAD a few problems in obscure places, sits the trophy for season’s Cheveley Park winner Serious from the bad-tempered Zilzal, who with his back a few years the 1988 King George. There is a dent Attitude and the inveterate headcase hasn’t changed disgraced himself in front of the man ago, not improved by that in the lid, you would hope dating Maylane. He was never a truly from the Racing Post by pulling off his circular habit, but from high jinks at the post-race commercial proposition, however, own headcollar and shaking it rather H otherwise Mtoto has party. never the fashion in a fickle in 20 years, as a terrier would a rat. He capers escaped the depredations of age and It’s what remains of that afternoon bloodstock world, and he covered his irascibly around his paddock, putting ill health. “He’s always been a healthy at Ascot – the gilded trophy in a silent last mares three years ago. other than now up a hare, which darts nimbly out of horse, we’ve never had any problems room and the old horse in the “He was probably still fertile reach of his hooves. His combustible with him. He’s always had good skin, paddock outside, now once again enough, but he wasn’t attracting temperament manifested itself on the never had trouble with his feet,” says cropping away at the grass. Not quite many good mares, wasn’t getting he doesn’t visit racetrack too; retirement and old age Woods. all that remains, though. Today there many full stop,” says affable stud have evidently not mellowed him. “He does what he likes,” adds was something else, the resurrection manager Denes Marrffy. “He was one the covering Not so Mtoto, though. “There isn’t a Marrffy. “As a result, he looks like a of a memory undulled by the years, of the last syndicated stallions, so his nasty streak in him,” says Bob Woods, horse ten years younger. The manager still as bright as sunlight gleaming off book never rose above 66 mares who has been his groom and before me said that he’d never make a set of yellow silks. anyway. There was more interest in shed’ companion for 20 years. “He has his old bones, but just look at him now. He might be an old man now, but the couple of years after Shaamit won habits, though, one of which is that He’s done well. For exercise, he used Mtoto’s still young at heart, still owns the Derby, but he was perceived as a he runs round and round inside his to walk around the village, but then it the spirit that moved us all those staying influence. He was very good box, lap after lap, but he only does it got a bit too busy with traffic and we years ago. He showed us; lucky us to for small breeders, though.” clockwise.” To see him do it is a had to stop that. be there to see it. I swear he winked Those days are done now, and remarkable thing. He has a big “His routine hasn’t changed in 20 at me as I walked away.