Almanzor a Worthy Champion
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SUNDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER, 2016 ASTERN GOOD AS GOLD ALMANZOR A The regard in which Astern (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) is held in the Godolphin camp was plain to see in the prolonged WORTHY CHAMPION celebrations of jockey James McDonald after Saturday=s A$1- million G1 Golden Rose S., which started before the colt had crossed the line victorious and continued all the way back down the walkway to the winner's enclosure. Beaten only once when down the field in last year's G1 Golden Slipper, Astern is now a five-time winner, with his most important triumph to date in Rosehill's G1 Golden Rose S. setting him up for a trip to Melbourne and a tilt at the G1 Caulfield Guineas on Oct. 8. Drawn in stall 12 of 14, race favourite Astern was taken back from the start by McDonald to settle in the second half of the pack as a fast first 200 metres slowed to a steadier tempo around the bend in the 1400-metre contest. Steering a wide berth off the turn, McDonald eased the colt to the front and kicked for home to leave his rivals toiling in his wake. Cont. in Worldwide News p21 Almanzor bests Found in the Irish Champion S. | racingfotos.com IN TDN AMERICA TODAY In a truly spectacular line-up for the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion TEXAS CHROME CAPTURES SUPER DERBY S. at Leopardstown swollen with the turf stars of Europe, there Texas Chrome (Grasshopper) held steady late to score his first were thankfully no excuses or hard-luck stories as Almanzor (Fr) graded success in the GII Super Derby Saturday. Click or tap here (Wootton Bassett {GB}) supplemented his previous best in the to go straight to TDN America. G1 Prix du Jockey-Club to bring the most sought-after prize in recent memory back to France. There was something in the manner of his electric performance when returning successfully from a break in the G2 Prix Guillaume d=Ornano over this 10- furlong trip at Deauville Aug. 15 to suggest that he could hold his own among the very finest, and so it proved on this unforgiving stage. Allowed to saunter around in rear by Christophe Soumillon with Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy) predictably providing the generous pace, the 7-1 shot was still on the bridle out wide at the top of the straight as the leaders started to pay for their early efforts. Swooping at the furlong pole on Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who had been spurred to life by Frankie Dettori deputising for Seamie Heffernan, Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand=s bay tenaciously fended off that spirited rival by 3/4 of a length. As a result, he was relegating her to the runner=s-up spot that she had filled 12 months earlier and in seven other Group 1 races. Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was 2 3/4 lengths behind in third with no obvious excuse, while Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was struggling before the final half-mile and trailed in eighth. cont. p2 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 23 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 11 SEPTEMBER, 2016 Qipco Irish Champion S. Margins: 3/4, 2 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 7.00, 2.25. Also Ran: New Bay (GB), My Dream Boat (Ire), Moonlight Magic (GB), Highland Reel (Ire), Harzand (Ire), Hawkbill, Sir Isaac Newton (GB), Success Days (Ire), Ebediyin (Ire). Scratched: The Qipco Irish Champion S. result cont. from p1 Grey Gatsby (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. QIPCO IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, i1,250,000, LEO, 9-10, 3yo/up, AIt=s a great feeling to beat so many champions in a very 10fT, 2:08.93, yl. highly-rated race,@ Soumillon commented. AWe know how good 1--ALMANZOR (FR), 126, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB) he is, but the first time you go overseas you never know. It felt 1st Dam: Darkova, by Maria=s Mon like the Arc de Triomphe to ride in, with so many good ones 2nd Dam: Darkara (Ire), by Halling rubbing against each other. He=s one of the best I=ve ridden.@ 3rd Dam: Daralbayda (Ire), by Doyoun (Ire) While an achievement of this stature seemed improbable as (i100,000 Ylg >14 ARQAUG). O-Ecurie Antonio Caro & Gerard Almanzor trailed in seventh in the seven-furlong G1 Criterium Augustin-Normand; B-Haras d=Etreham (FR); T-Jean-Claude International at Saint-Cloud in November and when only third Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon. i712,500. Lifetime Record: on his 3-year-old bow in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile G1SW-Fr, 9-7-0-1, $2,144,193. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for at Chantilly Apr. 20, his subsequent progression has been out of the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Found (Ire), 130, f, 4, Galileo (Ire)--Red Evie (Ire), by Intikhab. the ordinary. After making all in the G3 Prix de Guiche over nine ATDN Rising Star@ O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; furlongs also at Chantilly May 10, he helped to create a slice of B-Roncon, Wynatt & Chelston (IRE); T-A. O=Brien. i250,000. history for Caro and Augustin-Normand when capturing the G1 Prix du Jockey Club over 10 1/2 furlongs back there June 5. Once 3--Minding (Ire), 123, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)--Lillie Langtry (Ire), by his stablemate La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) added the Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & G1 Prix de Diane two weeks later, their owners now hold the Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan distinction of being the first to win both Classics in the same O=Brien. i125,000. season since Marcel Boussac in 1956. Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 23 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 11 SEPTEMBER, 2016 Irish Champion S. result cont. Oct. 15]. It all depends on how he is over the next two weeks, as we also have La Cressonniere, a great, great filly who will run in It was clear after his comeback victory in the Prix Guillaume the Arc. We might put one in each race.@ Almanzor could be in d=Ornano that he had not stopped in any way over the summer, action in 2017, with the prospect up in the air at present albeit with the Jockey-Club runner-up Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) again not entirely ruled out. AIt=s not easy for a horse from three to left to chase in vain, but he was facing a clutch of luminaries four, but we will discuss it in October and see who is retired and here and only the gold standard would suffice from the eventual who trains on. It=s another challenge for us,@ Rouget added. winner. Aidan O=Brien reflected on the runs of the fillies who did Languishing at the back along with Found throughout the early Ballydoyle proud, saying, AIt was an evenly run race and Minding stages, he allowed the scene to play out in front of him with ran very well even though she got a few tough bumps, which is internationally-renowned tactician Soumillon gauging the efforts the way it is in a race like that. It was a big field and in a of his main opponents as he considered his own move. Harzand competitive race like that you don=t always get a clear run. The was the first to crack before the end of the back straight with plan was to go to the Arc after this with Found and Minding is Pat Smullen hard at work, and as Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo hardy and well and had a good break coming to this race, so she {Ire}) was committed on the front by Colm O=Donoghue with 1 could go again.@ 1/2 furlongs to race, Ryan Moore was guiding Minding up the far Disappointment of the race was the G1 English and Irish Derby rail in preparation for the finale. Those involved in that group winner Harzand, whose jockey Pat Smullen was looking to the were quickly swamped by the wide runners, with Found Arc afterwards. AWhen I knew he wasn=t going to win today I producing a telling kick to gain a short-lived lead before the looked after him,@ he said. AUnfortunately he hadn=t got the furlong marker as Almanzor came over the top and on to an pace early to get into the position we wanted to be in. At the impressive win. furlong pole I accepted I wasn=t going to get anything today, so I Soumillon was on had to think of the next day. He hasn=t run a bad race and it=s the fastest horse on probably the best race I=ve ever ridden in. He=ll bounce back and the day and his I think back at a mile-and-a-half we=ll see the best of him.@ straightforward tactics paid the ultimate dividend. AThe trainer said before the race to make sure he was really relaxed so Almanzor and Christophe that he could Soumillon | Racing Post produce his turn of foot,@ he explained. AGoing wide in the straight was a risk to take, but I was going so well and my horse was so relaxed I thought I could go earlier than we had wanted him to. He gave me a great turn of foot and won like a champion. He=s shown he=s the best 3-year-old in Europe and will probably have to go to the Arc now.