MONDAY, 8 MAY, 2017 WINTER MAKES IT CONTENTMENT WINS TRAGEDY-FILLED CHAMPIONS MILE by Alan Carasso A GUINEAS DOUBLE Contentment (Aus) (Hussonet) rediscovered the form which saw him land the G1 Queen=s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) last FOR BALLYDOYLE season, but Sunday=s G1 Champions Mile ended on a tragic note, as heavily favored Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) suffered a fractured pelvis with a little less than a half-mile to run and, after being rushed to the on-site veterinary hospital, could not be saved. The expected pacesetter in a race void of any serious speed on paper, Contentment made an easy lead beneath Brett Prebble and walked the dog through the opening 600 metres before Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic) rolled up to take command prior to the turn. Rapper Dragon, last after a sluggish break, drove through into about fifth, but was at the tail yet again and under a Joao Moreira drive when he was pulled up abruptly out of the race at the 750m. Cont. p17 IN TDN AMERICA TODAY Winter and connections after the filly lead home a Ballydoyle 1-2 in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket | Racing Post PLETCHER & ‘ALWAYS’ RIDING POST-DERBY HIGH Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) emerged from his GI Kentucky The subject of a gamble midweek, Susan Magnier=s Winter Derby in fine order and his trainer reflects on a memorable day. (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who started at 9-1, enjoyed a Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. straightforward trip under Wayne Lordan to upstage her more troubled stablemate Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and capture Sunday=s G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket with authority. Catching the eye when second in the seven-furlong G3 1000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown Apr. 8, the former David Wachman-trained grey tracked the pace closely and after striking the front before the quarter pole, quickly built up a sizeable advantage as the 5-4 favourite had to be checked in behind. When Rhododendron was freed by Ryan Moore, Winter was away and gone. At the line, there was a two-length margin between the Magnier-owned duo who delivered another one- two for their famed sire, with Daban (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) best of the Brits a neck behind in third. AShe is a pretty straightforward filly and has a high cruising speed, so I just followed the pace,@ Lordan said of Winter, whose time was a second quicker than Churchill=s 24 hours earlier. AShe stays very well and nothing really bothers her--she=s a big filly who is progressive and I think she=ll get a mile and a quarter. I knew whoever came at me would deserve it if they came by me.@ Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 21 • THETDN.COM MONDAY • 8 MAY, 2017 Winter Makes It A Guineas Double Cont. Like the recent G3 Ballysax S. winner Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Winter was a David Wachman project prior to his retirement at the end of last year whose light stayed under a bushel as she endured a stop-start campaign under an admiring Wayne Lordan. Precocious enough to be third behind Ballydoyle=s Cuff (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on debut over six furlongs at Naas in May, she was absent for two months until returning to fill that spot again as the even-money favourite for a mile maiden at Gowran Park won by another from Rosegreen in Butterflies (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Off the mark over seven on Dundalk=s Polytrack in August, she was not seen again until her debut for her new stable in the 1000 Guineas Trial. Just denied by Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) there, with the subsequent G3 Athasi S. winner Rehana (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Sunday=s G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial scorer Bean Feasa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in third and fifth, she had forced her way into this line-up despite the commanding presence of Rhododendron who had so long dominated the ante-post market. Understandably, there was much excitement about the fortunes of Frankel (GB) heading into the Guineas meeting, but ultimately it was his sire Galileo who yet again proved that he is the daddy in the championship events. With the pace-carving Hydrangea fading out of contention late, there was to be no repeat of the Coolmore giant=s one-two-three of 12 months ago generous pace in the process, Winter was perfectly placed to and he had merely a forecast this time to satisfy his insatiable exploit her natural pace by Lordan just behind them. Winter was lust for domination of the biggest prizes. All the betting sent up to take over from that pair with over two furlongs left, suggested beforehand it would be Ballydoyle again here and so while Ryan Moore was about to become a rare victim of traffic it proved, but there were shades of Homecoming Queen (Ire) problems with Hydrangea coming back on to his mount and (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the forcing her to change direction and lose momentum. When she 2012 edition when they were 25-1 and 13-8 respectively and eventually found space between the Nell Gwyn-placed the former stormed away from the first string. Unforgetable Filly (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}) and Poet=s Vanity (GB) Winter=s preparatory work (Poet=s Voice {GB}) heading had ensured she would start down into the Adip@, her much shorter than stable companion was too far Homecoming Queen and with gone, but the favourite ate up that precedent to call upon, it the ground to inhale >TDN was no surprise to see her Rising Star= Talaayeb (GB) odds shrink from 33-1 (Dansili {GB}) and Daban and approaching the race but the narrow the winning margin. vibes for Rhododendron were It was the fourth renewal strong enough to suggest an for trainer Aidan O=Brien after upset was not on the cards. As Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) the early stages unfolded, (2005), Homecoming Queen with Hydrangea and (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor compatriot Intricately (Ire) {Ire}) (2012) and Minding (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) disputing (Galileo {Ire}) last term. the lead and forcing a Cont. p3 Winter is not for catching at Newmarket | Racing Post TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 21 • THETDN.COM MONDAY • 8 MAY, 2017 Winter Makes It A Guineas Double Cont. ADavid [Wachman] always thought the world of her and told us she was going to be a Classic filly. She=s a fine, big powerful filly and has been doing better every week. The second filly ran a great race and came home very well and we always thought that she was a filly who was going to stay very well. I would say Ryan will look forward to her the next day. Ryan thought going out VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS that she would stay very well in the future and we thought she Gary King Twitter: @garykingTDN could be an Oaks filly. Wayne said a mile and a quarter should [email protected] be no problem for Winter. After that you=re never sure, but + 1.732.320.0975 that=s a good sign.@ International Editor Michael Tabor was on hand to reflect on yet another stellar Kelsey Riley weekend for Team Ballydoyle. AIt can=t get any better than that, Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] I suppose,@ he said. AAidan is a man full of confidence that does the right thing most of the time and his horses seem to improve European Editor from two to three and their 3-year-old career seems to get Emma Berry Twitter: @collingsberry better and better. That=s the mark of the man. You got the [email protected] impression Rhododendron was unlucky, but when you looked at Contributing Editors the winner she was always travelling within herself and she Heather Anderson might have pulled out more. Whether Rhododendron with a Alan Carasso clear run would have beaten her, I wouldn=t be too sure.@ Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Daban will be dropping back in distance now according to Sean Cronin trainer John Gosden. AShe has won a Nell Gwyn and finished Tom Frary [email protected] third in a Guineas and she will go back for the [G3] Jersey [S. at Royal Ascot June 21],@ he said. AThat=s the way to go with her Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey and I couldn=t be happier with her. She ran great and put it all in. It is a strongly-run mile and, as I said before, my concern was Regular Columnists stamina as she is not bred to get a mile.@ Bill Oppenheim Andrew Caulfield John Berry Pedigree Notes... Kevin Blake Tom Peacock Winter is the second foal and first winner out of Laddies Poker Two, who was also a major gamble when taking Royal Ascot=s Send Press Releases to: [email protected] Wokingham H. in 2010. That proved to be her last outing, which perhaps denied the public something special, as she covered Send Advertisements to: [email protected] that six-furlong trip in a quicker time than the preceding G1 Golden Jubilee S. won by another of Choisir=s progeny in Starspangledbanner (Aus). The third dam Quelle Affaire, a daughter of the French juvenile champion and G1 Prix Morny heroine Ancient Regime (Olden Times), is a full-sister to the G3 Concorde S.-winning sire Rami and a half to the G3 Prix Eclipse- winning sire Crack Regiment as well as the G1 Prix de l=Abbaye de Longchamp runner-up La Grande Epoque (Lyphard).