Questions Than Answers in King George Cont
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SATURDAY, 28 JULY 2018 >TDN Rising Star= Crystal Ocean looked to have a major leap to MORE QUESTIONS THAN undertake to get near either that rival or fellow Gosden celebrity Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). As the filly went to the ANSWERS IN KING GEORGE sidelines and Cracksman showed some cracks, Crystal Ocean kept performing. Without assuming the same manner of authority as one of Freemason Lodge=s best winners of this, Harbinger (GB) (Dansili {GB}), he has followed a similar Newbury-Ascot route. The opposition was far from vintage in either the May 19 G3 Aston Park S. or June 23 G2 Hardwicke S., but his progression has had a metronomic aspect to it. Poet=s Word has already been to the peak, having crushed Cracksman fair and square in the June 20 G1 Prince of Wales=s S. if Stoute has an inkling as to how it will go, he is not letting anybody in. AThe official handicapper has one pound between them and we don=t work them together at home,@ he said. AThey=re very easy and straightforward horses. There=s nothing complex about either colt. It is a very high-level race and is always competitive.@ Cont. p2 Crystal Ocean forms part of a dynamic duo in the King George IN TDN AMERICA TODAY for Sir Michael Stoute | Racing Post ANTICIPATION HIGH FOR EMPIRE MAKER YEARLINGS Lucas Marquardt chats with Gainesway’s Michael Hernon about Saturday=s G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. will only repatriated stallion Empire Maker, whose first crop since returning take its final shape hours beforehand, with the threat of to the States will sell as yearlings in the coming weeks. thunderstorms around Ascot delaying the decision regarding Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. one of its key protagonists. It is currently a race of outstanding questions. Will it rain hard enough for Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to attempt to fulfil Sir Anthony Oppenheimer=s quest to win the contest that is so close to his heart? If it does, is Cracksman the colt he was on Champions Day? Which of Sir Michael Stoute=s seemingly rock-solid duo Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Poet=s Word (Ire) (Poet=s Voice {GB}) is best? What can Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) offer as compensation for Ballydoyle=s current malaise? Can Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) give an indication of how the 3-year-olds compare with their elders? All will be answered in due course from the cauldron within a heatwave. Winning the prize as the coolest customer will be Stoute, whose ambitions for an outright record of six wins in this prestige event seemed limited at the beginning of the season. For all that Poet=s Word had proven himself a solid Group 1 performer, he had the small matter of a seven-length deficit to make up on Cracksman from the Champion S. TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 28 JULY 2018 More Questions Than Answers In King George cont. from p1 As far as fillies are concerned, we are in an era like that when Dahlia and Pawneese captured three of the four renewals between 1973 and 1976. Hydrangea may be a surprise Asubstitute@ with Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) now restricted to 10 furlongs or less and Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) taken out late, but on her performance when upstaging Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the course-and-distance G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S., she is right there with the Stoute duo. >TDN Rising Star= Coronet has looked an improved runner this term, brushing aside the subsequent G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Horseplay (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the G2 Middleton S. at York May 17 with a nose second to Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the July 1 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. THE OFFICIAL HANDICAPPER HAS ONE POUND BETWEEN THEM AND WE DON’T WORK THEM TOGETHER AT HOME. THEY’RE VERY EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD HORSES. THERE NOTHING COMPLEX ABOUT EITHER COLT. Sir Michael Stoute on Poet’s Word and Crystal Ocean. AShe=s got a bit to find with Hardwicke winners and Prince of Wales=s S. winners, that=s for sure,@ Coronet=s trainer John Gosden said. AThey set the standard in the race and I=m sure the market will reflect that.@ Rostropovich has spent much of the season under the radar, but he has come the Cape Blanco route having taken in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Irish Derby. Runner-up in the latter at The Curragh June 30, he is here on merit according to Aidan O=Brien. AHe=s a solid horse,@ he commented. AHe had a very good run in the Irish Derby, gets a mile and a half, handles quick ground and seems to be in good form since The Curragh. I think he has improved since stepping up in trip.@ TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 28 JULY 2018 Royal Opportunity... AIf all goes to plan on Saturday, we would look at the Ascot=s card also plays host to the exciting Royal Intervention Juddmonte International and other big autumn targets.@ (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G3 Princess Margaret He will be tested by the G1 Eclipse S. disappointment Forest Keeneland S., with Lord Lloyd Webber and William Farish=s Ranger (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) as the G2 Huxley S. winner also bids impressive Listed Empress S. scorer taking on the G2 Duchess of to get back on track. Cambridge S. runner-up Angel=s Hideaway (Ire) (Dark Angel AHe needs to bounce back,@ trainer Richard Fahey said of the {Ire}) and Highclere Thoroughbred Racing=s promising Newbury 4-year-old, who was last of seven at Sandown three weeks ago. novice stakes winner Scintilating (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). Royal AYou=d have to say he was probably not good enough in the Intervention=s trainer Ed Walker is relishing the biggest moment Eclipse, but he was disappointing as well. He probably ran a bit of his training career so far. AShe won very well in the Empress S. below-par, but he just wasn=t good enough.@ at Newmarket and this was the obvious next stepping stone,@ he commented. AGiven the look of the entries, the race has cut up a Plenty of Promise in Six Perfections... bit and we=d be very hopeful that she can successfully make the Deauville=s month-long meeting opens on Saturday, with the step up in grade. G3 Prix Six Perfections hosting Al Obviously, it=s warmer Shaqab=s unbeaten >TDN Rising than the Empress was, but Star= Spirit of Brittany (Fr) she=s in great form and is (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) from the growing up and improving Jean-Claude Rouget stable. She all the time.@ encounters some promising Away from Berkshire, types, including Team Valor >TDN Rising Star= Elarqam International=s recent acquisition (GB) (Frankel {GB}) returns Devant (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) for the first time since and the British raiders Beyond flopping when favourite Reason (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and for the G1 Irish 2000 Impulsion (Ire) Guineas in the G2 Sky Bet (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). York S. Shadwell=s son of In the G3 Prix de Psyche, Attraction (GB) (Efisio Ecurie De Montlahuc=s G1 Prix {GB}) failed to build on his >TDN Rising Star= Elarqam returns at York | Racing Post de Diane third Homerique fourth in the May 5 G1 (Exchange Rate) sets the 2000 Guineas when sixth in the Curragh equivalent, but he had standard but there is an unexposed Wertheimer-Fabre project in excuses for that effort. Impertinente (Ire) (Redoute=s Choice {Aus}) looming. AAfter he disappointed in Ireland, he was thoroughly checked over. He was found to have a respiratory problem--a dirty scope--which was treated and has cleared up,@ commented Richard Hills, assistant racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. AHe has been freshened up and this looks a BOOKMARK good spot for him. His Guineas run was very good and hopefully http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/getLatest.php to download the latest edition of the TDN each day. he can get back on track. TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 4 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 28 JULY 2018 FIRST-SEASON SIRES WITH RUNNERS Saturday, July 27: TATTS IRELAND RELEASES CATALOGUE UNITED KINGDOM Tattersalls Ireland has released the catalogue for Parts I and II Alhebayeb (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Tara Stud of its September Yearling Sale, which takes place at Fairyhouse 128 foals of racing age/3 winners/0 black-type winners on Sept. 25 and 26 (Part I) and Sept. 27 (Part II). 17:45-SALISBURY, 6f, AMAZING FOX (IRE) The sale that has produced Group 1 winners like Unfortunately 95,000gns Tattersalls December Foal Sale 2016; 180,000gns (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}), Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), Tattersalls October Yearling Sale 2017 - Book 2 Lethal Force (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and The Wow Signal (Ire) Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Coolmore Stud (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) this year has 560 yearlings 125 foals of racing age/3 winners/0 black-type winners catalogued for the first two days, with an additional 285 for Part 14:15-NEWMARKET, 7f, WAR EAGLE (IRE) II. Leading sires represented include Acclamation (GB), Camelot 350,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale 2017 - Book 2 (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire), Exceed and Excel (Aus), New Approach (Ire), Pivotal (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Teofilo (Ire). Buyers Charm Spirit (IRE) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Haras de Bonneval 105 foals of racing age/11 winners/0 black-type winners will also have a chance to scoop up the progeny of first-season 13:50-ASCOT, 50K GIII THE PRINCESS MARGARET KEENELAND sires like Free Eagle (Ire), Gleneagles (Ire), Golden Horn (GB), STAKES, 6f, AQUARIUS (IRE) Make Believe (GB) and Night Of Thunder (Ire).