Artorius’ European tour comes to a close with Maurice de Gheest sixth
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Artorius (Flying Artie) ended his time in Europe with a sixth-placed finish in yesterday’s Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr 1, 1300m) at Deauville for owners Newgate Farm and China Horse Club, in a stop-start race that saw the four-year-old overrace in the early stages.
Having left the Freedmans’ Mornington base back in June, the son of Flying Artie (Artie Schiller) ran a huge race to force a dead-heat for third place in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot before following that result with another third-placed effort in the July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket on July 9.
Upped to the unique 1300-metre trip for yesterday’s French feature, Artorius jumped out on terms under Jamie Spencer, who has ridden him in all three European starts, but pulled fiercely throughout the first couple of furlongs at the tail-end of a moderate early gallop.
Settling into more of a rhythm approaching the final 800 metres of the contest, the entire found himself behind a wall of horses entering the closing stages.
Upon asking for an effort, Spencer was forced to manoeuvre his mount on more than one occasion, having the door shut numerous times in a tightly-packed 14-strong bunch, with the pair gradually making their way over to the far outside of the field.
Spotting a gap between the Candy Lerner-trained Miramar (Profitable) and the weakening Japanese raider King Hermes (Lord Kanaloa), Artorius produced his customary finishing kick to grab sixth place at the line, two and a quarter lengths behind winner Highfield Princess (Night Of Thunder).
“We’re proud of him, he’s a high-class horse,” Sam Freedman said of Artorius. “Unfortunately he’s just a horse that needs luck and needs things to go right and today they just didn’t go any gallop.
“The races he’s come out of, they’ve been truly-run. He was a little bit keen today, which is something he’s never really done before. So that just showed how slow they were going. He was getting bumped around a little bit and was over travelling and left with no real room at the right time.
“When they sprinted he was left a little bit flat footed and he built to the line as we’ve seen before.
“He’s shown in this whole prep that he’s top class but circumstances dictate he can’t win all the time.
“They were all worried about getting on the ground and that took the pace out of the race. There weren’t many horses that made ground at all.
“We knew that was a risk, French racing can be like that. Hopefully we’ll come back next year for another campaign.”
Artorius is now set for a short break back in Newmarket before returning to Australia and Freedman suggested the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner could target the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 29.
“We’ll chat with Henry Field [Newgate Farm managing director] and all the connections,” Freedman said. “He’ll have a bit of a break in Newmarket and then head back. I think the Golden Eagle is probably in the front of our mind as a target. It feels like the right target for him.
“In the autumn there’s not an awful lot for him. So we’ll chat to the guys and hopefully come back and give it another crack.
“Next year he’ll be a more seasoned horse. The penny is starting to drop with him, he just needs a few things to go right.”
Quinn hails ‘massive’ Group 1 success with flagship Princess
The John Quinn stable were left ecstatic with yesterday’s Prix Maurice de Gheest result as their star mare Highfield Princess took home the £182,000 (approx. AU$318,232) first prize in ready fashion.
Having recorded a first win off a handicap rating of just 58 in September 2020, Highfield Princess, who is named after Quinn’s Highfield Stables and bred by landlord John Fairley, produced a scintillating display to claim the Group 1 prize.
Now a five-year-old mare, the daughter of Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) had previously shown her class when running away with the Clipper Logistics Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at York in May and turned in her best display yet with a smooth success in yesterday’s six-and-a-half-furlong contest.
Ranging up to tackle long-time leader King Hermes at the two-furlong pole, Highfield Princess took up the lead entering the final 200 metres and stayed on well to deny the fast-finishing Minzaal (Mehmas) by three-quarters of a length at the line, providing jockey Jason Hart with his first elite-level success.
The Charlie Hills-trained Garrus (Acclamation) also finished well to come home in third, beaten a length by the winner, while the fourth and fifth placings were held by Royal Ascot Wokingham Handicap (6f) winner Rohaan (Mayson) and Platinum Jubilee hero Naval Crown (Dubawi), meaning the first five home were trained in the UK.
“That was good, wasn’t it? Just the job”, Sean Quinn, son and assistant to John, said. “It didn’t look as if she was ideally drawn and having walked the track yesterday and this morning it’s quite poached up the stands’ rail. We had a game plan to get out and onto the fresh ground.”
Having already had top sprinters such as Group 1 winner The Wow Signal (Starspangledbanner), dual Group 2 winner Safe Voyage (Fast Company) and four-time stakes winner Liberty Beach (Cable Bay) come through the yard in recent times, Quinn said Highfield Princess was the best of them all.
“She’s the best. The Wow Signal won a Group 1 here but she’s kept improving and she’s a credit to everyone,” Quinn said.
“We’ve had good horses but every year you need a good one to come and fly the flag. She’s done that this year, we retired a few good fillies last season and you always wonder might it leave you a little bit bare but she’s really stepped up to the plate.
“It’s fantastic because John Fairley bred her, he’s the landlord at Highfield Stables and she’s named after the stables. It’s just massive.”
Highfield Princess is now a general 7-1 (from 10) chance with northern hemisphere bookmakers for the Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at York later this month.