Good morning all,
The curtain descended on this strangest of flat seasons on Saturday. Granted there is still the final Group 1 of the season the Vertem Futurity and the November Handicap to be run. Mind you I’m not sure anyone really cares about the latter race these days. Do they? Yes, to all intents and purposes the flat season is done and dusted after Champions Day.
It’s hard to believe this was tenth Champions Day. Despite the many doubters when it first began, It’s still with us.
Champions Day has achieved what it set out to do and be an end of season showcase for British flat racing and occasionally we even get to see a real champion at the meeting. We didn’t see one this season but we had plenty of good stories and performances to look back on.
Over the next two days I’m going to look back at the meeting, sarting today with the first two races on the card. Plus, I have a couple of fancies from Windsor & Wolverhampton.
The Holly and Tom Show
Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand, or racing’s ‘golden couple’ as they should be referred to, grabbed all the headlines as they dominated Champions Day with two winners each.
Marquand, who was 12 when the first Champions Day was run, rode Addeybb to success in the Champion Stakes and Njord in the Balmoral Handicap. Although he may have shared the riding honours on the day. It has to be his partner who claims the prize of the top jockey on the day with her wins on Trueshan and Glen Shiel.
What a season it’s been for Hollie Doyle. A first Royal Ascot success, a five timer at Windsor and last week she broke her own record for the most winners in a calendar year by a women jockey. However, her first Group 1 success on Glen Shiel in the Champion Sprint will be the highlight of what's been an incredible year.
British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) – 2m
It was soft, heavy in places at Ascot. Ok, not as heavy as 12 months previously but still more a test of stamina rather than speed.
Stradivarius was out quickly after his abortive bid in the Arc. I was keen to take on the favourite, as I told Victor Value Subscribers on Friday:
“I’m going to take on Stradivarius with something each way. Trueshan gets his ground and is open to improvement for the step up to 2m. However, I am going to take a chance with the improving 3-year-old Dawn Patrol.
Sadly, I went for the wrong outsider. It was to be a bit of a theme for the rest of the day.
The Arc looked to have taken the edge off Stradivarius and he finished a well beaten 12th of 13. He will stay in training next season in a bid to win a fourth Ascot Gold Cup. However, I wonder if we have seen the best of the 6-year-old.
On a day when the going was more akin to the jumps game, it was ironic that the first race was won by a trainer, Alan King, better known for National Hunt runners.
Trushan who had a bit to find on official ratings had been expected to improve for the step up 2m and relish the ground. But I don’t think anyone expected the 4-year-old to win by 7 ½ lengths.
It really was a case of Trueshan first and the rest nowhere. Travelling powerfully through the race, he took it up a furlong out and strode clear of his rival for as easy a win as you will see. Connections will be hoping for a wet 2021 as he will surely be hard to beat in the Cup races next season if he gets his optimum underfoot conditions.
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) – 6f
Dream Of Dreams’s who’s form figures since a gelding operation were 211, was the one to beat after last month’s win in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock.
As with the first race I wanted to take the favourite on and this is what I wrote for Victor Value subscribers:
“Dream Of Dreams looks the most likely winner. Glen Shiel runner-up at Haydock is suited by a stiff 6f and can get into the money if reproducing his Haydock run. At bigger odds I’m happy to have a dart at Sonaiyla back at 6f.
Once again, I went for the wrong outsider. All the more frustrating as in the Monday column after the Sprint Cup I had said he would be suited by the stiff Ascot finish and can get closer to Dream Of Dreams here.
Always front rank, Glen Shiel settled better than many of his rivals. Headed a furlong out by the prominently ridden Oxted he rallied for Hollie Doyle and regained the lead in the final 100yds before holding off the late thrust of the veteran Brando.
Brando was in front a stride after the line but Doyle got Glen Shiel’s head down when it mattered to win by a nose. It was oh so close to a great end to a frustrating season for the 8-year-old who put in a seasonal best.
Three-time 7f Group 1 Prix Floret winner One Master ran another good race, on her favoured ground, to finish a ½ back in third.
Art Power did best of the 3-year-olds to finish 4th on ground that suited. He’s got scope for further improvement next season.
Oxted proves he’s a high-class sprinter
Oxted was probably a bit too keen for his own good, on his first start since winning the July Cup. He was still there pitching 100yds from the line. However, a combination of that keenness and testing ground saw the 4-year-old fade into 5th close home. He was only beaten a length at the finish and on better ground would surely have claimed a second Group 1 success. He will be competitive in all the Group 1 sprints next season.
As for Dream Of Dreams he looked to be going best of all between the final two furlongs. Sadly, for favourite backers he found nothing when asked for his effort and finished 8th.
I will conclude my Champions Day review tomorrow.
Monday racing
The racing is lower level fare today. But I have a couple of fancies at Windsor and Wolverhampton.
Windsor
2:30 – Taameen has shaped with promise on both career starts and looks the sort to improve for going handicapping. This is the softest ground he has run on but he’s by Showcasing and there are soft ground winners in the pedigree so there is plenty of encouragement that he will handle it.
Wolverhampton
6:00 – Four-time C&D winner Dynamo Walt is now 6lb below his last winning mark. Down the field on both starts since returning from a 195-day layoff, he did win third time up last year and if he bounces back to form the 9-year-old is a well handicapped horse.
Monday selections:
Windsor
2:30 – Taameen – 9/2 – Gen.
Wolverhampton
6:00 – Dynamo Walt – 25/1 – Gen.
Good luck with your Monday bets.
John