Royal Ascot at Royal Ascot a War of Attrition and Duly Annihilated a Glory in Today’S G1 Coronation S
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SPANISH SUN Shines at Ascot HEADLINE p. 2 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT call 732-747-8060. BY FAX AND INTERNET www.thoroughbreddailynews.com FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2003 EASY RHYTHM GOLD CUP VICTORY FOR MR DINOS Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo) bids to become the Kieren Fallon, riding 3-1 second favorite Mr Dinos first filly since One in a Million (GB) in 1979 to follow (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}), made yesterday’s G1 Gold Cup up success in the G1 1000 Guineas with Royal Ascot at Royal Ascot a war of attrition and duly annihilated a glory in today’s G1 Coronation S. That daunting statis- class field to win the 2 1/2-mile event by six lengths. tic is the only thing to dent enthusiasm, but it is hard to Stalking the veteran Persian Punch (Ire) (Persian Heights imagine anything but the Cheveley Park livery being {GB}) throughout the contest, the champion jockey carried to victory in this contest. Russian Rhythm made asked his mount to stretch inside the final mile and he an immediate impact at two, winning a Newmarket responded to catch the old- maiden in smooth fashion before timer on the turn into the beating subsequent G2 Rockfel S. straight. Pulling further clear winner Luvah Girl (GB) in the G3 with distance, he was never in Princess Margaret S. at Ascot a danger as Persian Punch month later. Sent off a warm order gamely clutched to the in the G2 Lowther S. at York in runner’s-up honors on his sev- August, she met heavy traffic, but enth attempt at this marathon. managed to pull herself out of “It just felt to me as if we Mr Dinos Getty Images trouble with her excellent accelera- weren’t going very quick, so I tion to win. Only the flying filly thought I’d better use his stamina and head off,” Fallon Airwave (GB) has had her measure commented. “He’s traveled well all the way, even so far and the initial disappoint- though he’s lazy, and when I switched him on in the ment over her 1½-length second straight he found another gear which is the sign of a to that filly in the G1 Cheveley good horse.” Cont. p. 2 Park S. at Newmarket in October GOLD CUP-G1, £250,000, Royal Ascot, 6-19, 4yo/up, Russian Rhythm was misplaced judged on the win- 2 1/2mT, 4:20.15, gd/fm. Getty Images ner’s remarkable reappearance this 1--MR DINOS (IRE), 126, c, 4, by Desert King (Ire) term. Despite a distinct lack of 1st Dam: Spear Dance (Ire), by Gay Fandango sparkle in her work before the Newmarket Classic May 4, 2nd Dam: Lancette (Ire), by Double Jump (GB) Russian Rhythm showed her trademark turn of foot to 3rd Dam: Persian Union (GB), by Persian Gulf (GB) beat Six Perfections (Fr) by 1½ lengths, with Soviet (Ir£40,000 yrl ‘00 GOFORB; 42,000gns 2yo ‘01 Song (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) over four lengths back in fourth. TATAPR). O-Constantine Shiacolas; B-Mocklerstown It is not impossible that the latter has improved off that House Stud; T-Paul Cole; J-Kieren Fallon; £145,000. run as connections had been wracked with the equine Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 11-6-3-1, £345,658. *3/4 flu and felt she needed more time. She had looked to Risk Material (Ire) (Danehill), GSW-Ire, $128,661. smart when winning the Listed Sweet Solera S. at 2--Persian Punch (Ire), 128, g, 10, Persian Heights Newmarket in August and underlined that impression (GB)--Rum Cay, by Our Native. O-Jeff Smith; when beating subsequent G1 Epsom Oaks winner Ca- B-Adstock Manor Stud; £55,000. sual Look by 1½ lengths in the G1 Fillies’ Mile at Ascot 3--Pole Star (GB), 128, g, 5, Polar Falcon--Ellie in September. Nevertheless, Sir Michael Stoute’s Ardensky (GB), by Slip Anchor (GB). (12,000gns yrl charge has reportedly thrived since her last run and ‘99 TATDEC). O-D I Russell; B-Snailwell Stud should provide her conditioner with his fourth renewal Company Ltd; £27,500. after the exploits of Sonic Lady, Milligram (GB) and Margins: 6, 3/4, NK. Odds: 3-1, 20-1, 12-1. Cheveley Park’s Exclusive (GB). Opposition from else- Also ran: Jardines Lookout (Ire), Mamool (Ire), Savannah where seems weak, with Godolphin’s Gonfilia (Ger) (Big Bay (GB), Kasthari (Ire), Black Sam Bellamy (Ire), Shuffle) on a recovery mission having finished 15 Thojannah (Ire), Pugin (Ire), Fight Your Corner (GB), Alca- lengths adrift of Russian Rhythm in the 1000 Guineas. zar (Ire). Scratched: Cut Quartz (Fr). (859) 233-4252 FAX (859) 987-0008 www.claibornefarm.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/20/03 • PAGE 2 of 7 A Cup Crescendo (cont. from p. 1) Mr Dinos (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}) built up to yester- day’s 2 1/2-mile extreme test gradually with a progres- ROYAL ASCOT sive sophomore campaign, which began to blossom RESULTS with a half-length second to Mamool (Ire) (In the Wings RIBBLESDALE S.-G2, £140,000, Royal Ascot, 6-19, {GB}) in the G3 Queen’s Vase here 12 months ago. He 3yo, f, 1 1/2mT, 2:31.07, gd/fm. was fifth in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster in September, 1--#@SPANISH SUN, 123, f, 3, by El Prado (Ire) but relished the extra trip of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak 1st Dam: Shining Bright (GB), by Rainbow Quest (French St Leger) to win that Classic at Longchamp in 2nd Dam: Bourbon Girl (GB), by Ile de Bourbon October. Returning to win the G2 Bonusprint Henry II S. 3rd Dam: Fleet Girl (Ire), by Habitat at Sandown in impressive fashion last time May 26, he O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte; T-M Stoute; J-R had answered every question, but ground fears re- Hughes; £81,200. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, £85,834. mained for the trainer. 2--Ocean Silk, 123, f, 3, Dynaformer--Mambo Jambo, by Kingmambo. ($190,000 yrl ‘01 KEESEP). O-Robert But What About the Ground? Sangster; B-Flaxman Holdings Ltd; £30,800. “You get very wound up about the ground and you’re 3--Mezzo Soprano, 123, f, 3, Darshaan (GB)--Morn of worried you might write the horse off,” trainer Paul Song, by Blushing Groom (Fr). O-Godolphin; B-Darley Cole said. “He could easily have not gone on it and Stud Management LLC; £15,400. then you’d have felt dreadful. I’ve never had a runner in Margins: HD, 2, HF. Odds: 9-2, 7-2, 6-1. the Gold Cup, but it’s always been a race I wanted to Also ran: Sun on the Sea (Ire), Summitville (GB), Inchberry win. We’ve had a terrible six weeks with the virus and (GB), Moonsprite (GB), Humouresque (GB), Ladies Day (GB). we isolated him and have taken every single move to Spanish Sun had missed the Classics due to a set- stop him getting it. I knew he’d stay and my only worry back, but bounced back to take this contest after a was the ground, but you look for problems, really.” Jeff 269-day absence from the track. With just a Kempton Smith, proud owner and breeder of Persian Punch (Ire) maiden score in September to her name, she belied her (Persian Heights {GB}), said of the gallant runner-up, inexperience to deny Ocean Silk in a pulsating finish. “The longevity of a horse like this is astonishing and I’m Held up towards the rear by jockey Richard Hughes off enormously proud. I’m pretty certain that this is his the sensible early gallop, she was asked to quicken up 90th mile of racing.” Click here for the brisnet.com the inside in the straight and delivered the necessary catalogue-style pedigree. For the racingpost.co.uk acceleration to challenge Mezzo Soprano and jockey Frankie Dettori inside the final quarter. Heading that chart, click here. rival with 100 yards remaining, she had enough in reserve to hold the late thrust of Ocean Silk and jockey ROYAL ASCOT: Friday, June 20th Jimmy Fortune in a frantic finish. “The ground was 2:30 p.m. Albany S. (Listed) quick enough for her and she changed her legs very 3:05 p.m. G2 King Edward VII S. abruptly at the furlong marker,” commented trainer Sir 3:45 p.m. G1 Coronation S. Michael Stoute, who took this in 1990 with Hellenic 4:20 p.m. Wolferton Rated S. Showcase H. (L) (GB) and with Sally Brown (GB) in 1985. “The plan was 4:55 p.m. G3 Queen’s Vase to ride her more handy, but she didn’t jump well, and, 5:30 p.m. Buckingham Palace S. (Hcp) as she is a big, long-striding filly, she wasn’t comfort- able back there at that pace. She’s had a few niggles and the Epsom Oaks had been the original plan, but we RACING POST PP’S FOR ROYAL ASCOT walk a bit of a tightrope with this filly. She’s got a lot FRIDAY, JUNE 20 of talent.” Hughes added, “When I really got stuck into her she hit one or two of those ridges wrong and she Click Here for the Albany S. (Listed) just came back on to me a little bit. When I went past Click Here for the G2 King Edward VII S. Frankie I nearly put my stick down because she had Click Here for the G1 Coronation S. done enough, but just as I got by she blew up on me, Click Here for the Wolferton Rated S.