Almanzor Claims Champion Stakes
The filly, who won the Prix Eclipse (Gr 3, 1200m) at her last start, was ridden with restraint by Thierry Jarnet as Stop The Wages (Acclamation) set a strong pace on the front-end.
As the field approached the 200 metres, Sans Equivoque showed a smart turn of foot to run down Boos (Dream Ahead) close home to score by a head, with British raider Nations Alexander (Dark Angel) a length further behind in third place.
Skarino Gold (2 c Wiener Walzer – Saaleland by Lando) ran out an impressive winner of the Gran Criterium (Gr 2, 1500m) at San Siro in Milan on Sunday.
The Jean-Pierre Carvalho-trained colt sat just in behind the leader in the early stages and moved up to challenge approaching the 400 metres.
Once asked to quicken he stretched clear in taking fashion to beat Bahamas (Rip Van Winkle) by two and a half lengths, with Amyntas (Desert Prince) just a short-head further away in third.
Langtang (2 c Campanologist – La Vinchina by Oasis Dream) was an authoritative winner of the Preis der Winterfavoriten (Gr 3, 1600m) at Cologne on Sunday.
The Andreas Wohler-trained colt led at the 300 metres and galloped on well to beat Fulminato (Excelebration) by two lengths, with Real Value (Rip Van Winkle) a further length and a half behind in third place.
The Charlie Appleby-trained and Godolphin-raced D’Bai (2 c Dubawi – Savannah Belle by Green Desert) ran out a narrow winner of the Silver Tankard Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Pontefract on Monday.
The colt endured trouble in running around the home bend but kept on strongly once in the clear to beat Al Hamdany (Kodiac) by a head, with Forest Ranger (Lawman) a further length and a half away in third.
Three-year-olds
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Almanzor (3 c Wootton Bassett – Darkova by Maria’s Mon) ran out a decisive winner of the Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) at Ascot on Saturday.
The colt, who has now won three times at Group One level having already taken out the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2100m) and the Irish Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) this season, provided Rouget and jockey Christophe Soumillon with their second win in the Group One.
Despite breaking slowly from barrier one, the early gallop was not strong and Soumillon was able to sit midfield on the rail on Almanzor, who was sent off the 11-8 favourite.
As the field turned into the straight, the strong-travelling Almanzor was angled off the inside and quickened clear on the run to the final furlong to beat the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Found (Galileo) by two lengths, with last year’s Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner Jack Hobbs (Halling), who was having his first run since April, a further length and three quarters away in a running-on third.
Aidan O’Brien’s Minding (3 f Galileo – Lillie Langtry by Danehill Dancer) secured her seventh Group One victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Ascot on Saturday.
The filly, who met with defeat for just the second time this season when third to Almanzor in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown at her last start, was tackling a mile for the first time since she was narrowly beaten by Jet Setting (Fast Company) in the Irish 1000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) in May.
She was restrained just in behind the front-running Barchan (War Front) by Ryan Moore, and she showed a smart turn of foot to quicken clear just inside the two furlongs having briefly been eyeballed by the Prix Jacques le Marois (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ribchester (Iffraaj).
She began to idle in the closing stages but had enough in hand to hold off the late rally of Godolphin’s Ribchester by half a length, with Lightning Spear (Pivotal) a further length away in a never-nearer third.
The Richard Hannon-trained Ventura Storm (3 c Zoffany – Sarawati by Haafhd) took out the Premio Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2400m) at San Siro on Sunday.
The St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m6.5f) runner-up was never far away from the steady pace set by the Group Two winner Full Drago (Pounced) under Cristian Demuro, but he was one of the first to come under pressure approaching the 600 metres.
He found plenty for Demuro’s urgings, however, and wore down Full Drago in the last strides to win by a neck, with a break of two and three quarter lengths back to another British raider in Elbereth (Mount Nelson).
Voice Of Love (3 c Poet’s Voice – Snowfield by Tale Of The Cat) made all the running to win the Premio del Piazzale (Gr 3, 1800m) at San Siro on Sunday.
The Stefano Botti-trained colt was sent straight into the lead by Cristian Demuro, who set steady fractions on the front-end.
Once levelling out into the home straight, Voice Of Love galloped on strongly to fend off Circus Couture (Intikhab) by a length and a half, with Diplomat (Teofilo) just a head further behind in a never-nearer third.
Older horses
The James Fanshawe-trained The Tin Man (4 g The Tin Man – Persario by Bishop Of Cashel) emulated his half-brother Deacon Blues (Compton Place) in winning the British Champions Sprint Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Ascot on Saturday.
Deacon Blues, who was also trained by Fanshawe, won the inaugural running of the six furlong contest in 2011, and The Tin man was always smoothly just in behind the pace under Tom Queally.
French raider Signs Of Blessing (Invincible Spirit) led the field approaching the final furlong, but The Tin Man quickened up well to lead inside the final 150 yards and kept on strongly to deny 50-1 chance Growl (Oasis Dream) by a length, with Brando (Pivotal) just a short-head further behind in third.
Among the multiple Group One winners to finish well-beaten was Quiet Reflection (Showcasing), who came home seventh, and Twilight Son (Kyllachy) who finished 11th and will now retire to stand at Cheveley Park Stud.
Journey (4 f Dubawi – Montare by Montjeu) ran out a clear cut winner of the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (Gr 1, 1m4f) at Ascot on Saturday.
The John Gosden-trained filly, who ran second to Simple Verse (Duke Of Marmalade) in the race 12 months ago, was well positioned throughout in the hands of Frankie Dettori in behind in the free-going Pretty Perfect (Galileo).
She kicked clear at the two furlongs and never looked like being caught thereafter, with the last-start Prix de l’Opera (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Speedy Boarding (Shamardal) four lengths adrift in second, with Queen’s Trust (Dansili) a further neck down in a running-on third.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained dual Group One winner Seventh Heaven (Galileo) was sent off the 5-4 favourite but endured a rough trip in a slowly run race and was a never-nearer fifth at the line.
Sheikhzayedroad (7 g Dubawi – Royal Secrets by Highest Honor) ran out a game winner of the British Champions Long Distance Cup (Gr 2, 2m) at Ascot on Saturday.
The David Simcock-trained seven-year-old settled well for Martin Harley in a prominent early position and moved up to contest the lead approaching the two furlongs.
Quest For More (Teofilo) ran on bravely on the inside, but Sheikhzayedroad edged ahead in the last strides to win by half a length, with the same distance back to Simple Verse in third.
The odds-on favourite Order Of St George (Galileo) was left with plenty to do in a slowly run contest and was a never-nearer fourth at the line.
The Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained One Foot In Heaven (4 c Fastnet Rock – Pride by Peintre Celebre) won the Prix du Conseil de Paris (Gr 2, 2400m) at Chantilly on Sunday.
The colt, who ran sixth to Found in the Arc at his last start, was ridden patiently by Christophe Soumillon and ran on well to lead inside the final 100 metres, beating Tiberian (Tiberius Caesar) by a short-neck, with a break of five lengths back to Now We Can (Martillo) in third.
De Royer-Dupre confirmed this week that One Foot In Heaven is to be trained towards the Hong Kong Vase (Gr 1, 2400m) on 11 December.