Things to know today
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Orthodox took the Group 1 Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes by a neck from Force Noir, with Hell Of A Spin a length back in third. It was a third Middle Park for Clive Cox after Reckless Abandon and Supremacy, and a second at the top level in the race for owner Jason Goddard. Rossa Ryan said he has never sat on a two year old as fast, that the colt is electric, and that he kept changing leads and was learning as they went. Cox said the Breeders’ Cup has been talked about and that he would be disappointed if the horse were not fast enough for it. Haffner gave Aidan O’Brien a record equalling eighth Group 2 Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes, beating the previously unbeaten Burning Up by a length and a quarter with Quicken Away the same margin back in third, the trainer saying the Justify colt will be a French Derby type next year and will get the Guineas trip on his ear. Pierre Royal became the first Irish trained winner of the bet365 Cambridgeshire this century, getting his nose in front in the dying strides for Adrian McGuinness and Mikey Sheehy from Crest Of Fire, with Altareq third (Thoroughbred Daily News, Express and Star) |
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Trean led home a Paddy Twomey one two in the Goffs Million at the Curragh, beating his stablemate Hi Corbett Court by half a length under Billy Lee, with Siobhan Rutledge riding the runner up. Twomey said the pair cost 20 grand and 85 grand, that two syndicates own them, and that he told Rutledge to go out and ride to win and see what happens, and she nearly did it. Noble Exhibit gave Aidan O’Brien a 23rd Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes, the Frankel colt making all under Wayne Lordan to take the Group 2 by a length and a quarter from City Of Dubai in 1:41.53 on yielding ground, with Drumbeat a length and a half back in third. Chris Armstrong of Ballydoyle said the colt is progressing very quickly with each run and now goes into the mix with the others for the Futurity Trophy and the races in France at the back end (Express and Star, Thoroughbred Daily News) |
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France Galop expects good to soft ground for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend at ParisLongchamp. No rain has fallen at the course since 8 September, the day after the Arc trials, a spell the governing body called unusually dry for this time of year. The track rode good to soft on Friday and was watered that evening to hold it at good through to Monday, when light showers are expected, with heavier rain forecast overnight on Wednesday into Thursday. Clerk of the course Charles de Cordon and his team may water again in the middle of next week depending on the weather (Express and Star) |
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Warwick abandoned its National Hunt meeting on Wednesday for unsuitably fast ground, and Chepstow’s three day Welsh Festival early next month becomes an all hurdle fixture, keeping the Persian War Novices’ Hurdle and the Welsh Champion Hurdle. Ludlow has called off its season opener on 7 October, managing director Simon Sherwood saying additional watering would not have sufficiently addressed the conditions and that they took expert advice from agronomists. Worcester on 12 October and Ffos Las two days later both switch to all chase cards, with their hurdle races moved to Chepstow. Tom Byrne, head of racing at the British Horseracing Authority, said the aim is to ensure that racing over both hurdles and fences takes place on the best ground available, and that further updates are likely to follow on a weekly basis from this point (Sporting Life) |
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Dylan Browne McMonagle is close to a return from the fall that has kept him out since 25 August, when the filly Mosel came down fatally in the closing stages of a Bellewstown auction maiden. The 23 year old, Ireland’s champion jockey, said he will be back in two weeks and is getting better by the day. He will ride in Hong Kong from 6 January to 28 February, having taken ten winners there last winter, three of them from thirty rides for John Size, and he said he thinks he has come out of Hong Kong a better rider. He has added the English and Irish Oaks this season for Joseph O’Brien (Idol Horse) |
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Five breeders and agents were asked to pick a single filly from Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Sale on an unlimited budget. Cathy Grassick chose a Lope De Vega filly out of Witches Brew from Ballylinch Stud, a full sister to the Group 1 winner Expensive Queen, calling Lope De Vega an incredible sire of fillies. John Hayes took a Justify filly out of Multilingual from Camas Park Stud, a half sister to Minnie Hauk, liking the element of American speed and toughness. Gary Hadden, Nancy Sexton and Barry Lynch went for Lope De Vega, No Nay Never and Sea The Stars fillies, Lynch saying that if you were looking for a foundation mare his pick would be a good place to start (Thoroughbred Daily News) |
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