Aidan O’Brien is nervous – he knows this horse could fill a Galileo-shaped hole
If you were in the grandstands or betting ring on a humid afternoon at Sandown, you will have heard the occasional burst of Football’s Coming Home or God Save The Queen. If you were Tom Marquand or David Egan entering the closing stages of the Coral-Eclipse, you will have heard a rapid and ominous whoosh.
It was the sound made by St Mark’s Basilica as he swept past two mighty athletes, both giving their all in vain. The sight made by a dazzling new star of the Flat was equally thrilling.
So many things meant this Eclipse was a bit different. There was that strange soundtrack produced without request by several musically ambitious racegoers. There was the fact only 4,000 people were allowed through the gates. It also felt rather odd to have just four runners contesting one of the year’s middle-distance highlights.
Yet perhaps the thing most different about the Eclipse of 2021 was the horse who won it. He could just be a very different sort of beast indeed.
Nobody could say we were not warned. St Mark’s Basilica had started the day a 7-4 shot. The sponsors even preferred Mishriff in their betting. Soon enough, however, it became apparent only one horse was going to head the market.
From one hour to the next the Ballydoyle three-year-old went shorter and shorter, at one point even touching odds-on with some firms. He won as an even-money favourite. He won like a horse who could start shorter than evens next time.
“The winner is impressive,” said Mishriff’s joint-trainer John Gosden after expressing great satisfaction with the effort of his own contender, a horse who had already amassed career earnings of £10 million. This time he added only £64,560 to the coffers, for having moved easily into the lead two furlongs out, he was ultimately outbattled for second by Addeybb.
Early in the straight you might have preferred Mishriff to St Mark’s Basilica. Ryan Moore was having to work harder than Egan, yet when St Mark’s Basilica hit top gear he positively surged forward, storming up Sandown’s hill to score in a manner that stamped him as something special.
As a juvenile he landed the Dewhurst Stakes, while in his Classic campaign an electric turn of foot propelled him to victory in France’s 2,000 Guineas and Derby. We therefore already knew he was good. What we had not known is he could be this good. Aidan O’Brien and Michael Tabor were evidently well aware.
“The vibes from Aidan were really strong – he just couldn’t see him getting beat,” said Tabor, who, as one must, and as he probably expects, was asked if his own punting money had been on the winner.
“I did back him today but it was certainly at shorter than the morning prices,” said Tabor. “He returned even-money, so it was at around that price.
“Quite rightly, bookmakers run their businesses to suit themselves. You must remember those morning prices are really just a shop window. The people who back those horses in the morning are doing it for little money but the horses shorten up. That’s the way the system works today.”
The Coolmore system works another way.
“Let’s face it, this is not a poor man’s business,” said Tabor. “To make things pay, you need to create stallions. If you do, it can be quite lucrative.”
There was some understatement in his analysis. Expanding on the theme with gentle encouragement, Tabor spoke glowingly of both St Mark’s Basilica and his sire. One of Siyouni’s sons is last year’s Arc winner Sottsass, 50 per cent owned by Coolmore and described on the operation’s website as “the best son of top French sire Siyouni”. That description may need to be slightly tickled if another of his boys continues to win races as he won this Eclipse.
“Galileo is not going to last forever, is he?” pointed out Tabor. “He is pretty near done. Siyouni could fill a big hole, but St Mark’s Basilica has won the Poulains, the Jockey Club and now the Eclipse. He can’t be too bad. He’s not too shabby.”
Not too bad, not too shabby and now of huge significance to his owners. The 23-year-old Galileo may not appreciate being referred to as almost finished, but age is clearly not on his side. St Mark’s Basilica – out of a Galileo mare himself – will one day become an exceptionally valuable addition to the Coolmore stallion roster. Given Ballydoyle’s other colts are currently failing to hit the heights of the fillies, the operation’s standout colt is potentially priceless.
Thinking aloud, Tabor mentioned the Qatar Sussex Stakes. O’Brien suggested the Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes. Neither man scoffed at the idea of an Arc challenge. St Mark’s Basilica could go anywhere. He could be anything.
“You would be nervous wherever you run him now because he has turned into a very important horse,” said O’Brien.
Very important and every bit as talented. The quality of the communal singing on this Eclipse afternoon was questionable. The quality of the Eclipse winner is beyond doubt.