Enable Destroys King George Rivals
Two-Year-Olds
The Mark Johnston-trained Nyaleti (2 f Arch – American Nova by Verglas) ran out a wide-margin winner of the Princess Margaret Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Ascot on Saturday.
The progressive filly had finished second to a pair of smart Aidan O’Brien-trained runners in both the Chesham Stakes (Listedtant, 7f) at Royal Ascot and the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at Newmarket at her last two starts and she proved far too strong for her six rivals last weekend
She breezed through the race in the hands of Ryan Moore and quickened clear just over a furlong out to beat the previously unbeaten Dance Diva (Mayson) by five lengths, with Musical Art (Dutch Art) a further length and three quarters behind in third.
The daughter of the late Arch (Kris S) now looks likely to head to the Lowther Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at York on 24 August next up.
At Deauville on Sunday, the Shadwell-raced Tantheem (2 f Teofilo – Riqa by Dubawi) ran out a similarly impressive winner of the Prix De Cabourg (Gr 3, 1200m).
The daughter of Teofilo (Galileo) broke her maiden at the second attempt at Deauville in early July, and she took the step up in class in her stride when making all the running under Mickael Barzalona to secure an emphatic victory.
The filly was able to bag the stands rail shortly after the start and quickened clear to win by three and a half lengths from Darkanna (Dark Angel). Mister Picnic (Penny’s Picnic) was another half a length away in third.
Trainer Freddy Head has earmarked the Prix Morny (Gr 1, 1200m) at Deauville on 20 August as her next target.
The Karl Burke-trained Raydiance (2 c Mayson – Iridescence by Dutch Art) won the Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed, 7f) in testing conditions at Ascot on Saturday afternoon.
The progressive colt travelled smoothly into contention under champion jockey Jim Crowley and knuckled down well to fend off Another Batt (Windsor Knot) by a neck, with Alba Power (Fast Company) a further two and a quarter lengths further behind in third place.
The promising Tajaanus (2 f Arcano – Rayaheen by Nayef) led in the final strides to win the Star Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Sandown last Thursday for trainer Richard Hannon.
The winner’s stablemate Billesdon Brook (Champs Elysees) looked sure to win when moving clear approaching the final furlong, but she began to tire and was run down by Tajaanus and Capomento (Casamento), who were separated by nose at the line, with Billesdon Brook a further neck behind in third.
Izzy Bizu (2 f Kodiac – Dame Hester by Diktat) won the Prix Six Perfections (Listed, 1400m) at Deauville on Saturday to give Yorkshire trainer Mark Johnston a stakes double on both sides of the English Channel.
The filly battled on well to beat Model (Mastercraftsman) by a short-neck under Ioritz Mendizabal, with Hergame (Motivator) just a short-head further behind in a close third.
Three-Year-Olds
The dual Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner Enable (3 f Nathaniel – Concentric by Sadler’s Wells) ran out a hugely impressive winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m4f) at Ascot on Saturday.
The John Gosden-trained and Juddmonte Farms-raced and bred filly was sent off the well-backed 5/4 favourite and travelled powerfully throughout in the hands of Frankie Dettori on rain-softened ground as the Godolphin-raced Maverick Wave (Elusive Quality) towed the field along.
Enable and Jack Hobbs (Halling) moved into a share of the lead at the top of the straight, but the brilliant Enable left that rival trailing with a sharp turn of foot and shot clear to beat Ulysses (Galileo), who moved strongly for a long way, with Idaho (Galileo) running on to take third.
Defending champion Highland Reel (Galileo) struggled on the testing ground and could only manage a fourth place finish under Ryan Moore.
The daughter of Nathaniel (Galileo), who won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes himself in 2011, is now likely to head to the Yorkshire Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) at York on 24 August, with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) in October her end of season target.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Roly Poly (3 f War Front – Misty For Me by Galileo) continued on her upward curve when battling on gamely to win the Prix Rothschild (Gr 1, 1600m) at Deauville on Sunday.
The filly, who won the Falmouth Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Newmarket last month, set even fractions on the front end under regular jockey Ryan Moore.
She looked vulnerable approaching the final 200 metres, but she dug in bravely to repel a cluster of late challengers to win by a short-neck from Via Ravenna (Raven’s Pass), who was a short head in front of Siyoushake (Siyouni) in third.
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained favourite and defending champion Qemah (Danehill Dancer) was another short neck away in fourth, having closed strongly up the stands rail from the tail of the field.
Vue Fantastique (3 f Motivator – Exit The Straight by Exit To Nowhere) took out the Prix de Psyche (Gr 3, 2000m) at Deauville on Saturday afternoon.
The Fabrice Chappet-trained filly, who ran second behind the Charlie Appleby-trained Sobetsu (Dubawi) in the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr 1, 2000m) at the same track in May, beat Listen In (Sea The Stars) by half a length, with Onthemoonagain (Cape Cross) just a short-neck further behind in a close–up third.
The previous day at Ascot, the William Haggas-trained On Her Toes (3 f Kodiac – Dancing Jest by Averti) ran out a game winner of the Valiant Stakes (Listed, 1m).
The Cheveley Park Stud-raced filly, who was also a Listed winner as a two-year-old, was well positioned in a steadily run race by veteran jockey Joe Fanning.
She was produced to lead around a furlong from home and had enough in hand to fend off the late challenge of Pirouette (Pivotal) by half a length, with the front-running Tisbutadream (Dream Ahead) keeping on well to finish a further neck behind in third place.
Older Horses
The Hans-Jurgen Groschel-trained Iquitos (5 h Adlerflug – Irika by Areion) returned to winning ways in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (Gr 1, 2000m) at Munich on Sunday.
The five-year-old entire, who won last season’s Grosser Preis von Baden (Gr 1, 2400m) at Baden Baden, was confidently ridden towards the tail of the field by jockey Daniele Porcu.
The son of Adlerflug (In The Wings) began to creep closer approaching the 500 metres, and once asked for his effort he picked up well to run down the Godolphin-raced three-year-old Best Solution (Kodiac) by a length and a half inside the final 200 metres.
Potemkin (New Approach), who ran third in the €155,000 feature 12 months ago, filled the same finishing position again for trainer Andreas Wohler.
Iquitos was campaigned overseas last year, running seventh in the Japan Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) in November, and he could be considered for a Melbourne spring campaign.
Irish raider Success Days (5 h Jeremy – Malaica by Roi Gironde) made all the running to win the York Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2.5f) in determined fashion at York on Saturday.
The Ken Condon-trained entire was allowed to dictate at a steady tempo on the front end in the early stages, and jockey Shane Foley began to increase the pace as the seven-runner field approached the final three furlongs.
Dual American Grade One winner Mondialiste (Galileo) threw down a stiff challenge inside the final furlong, but Success Days held on bravely to win by a nose, with the patiently ridden Hathal (Speightstown) a further length and a quarter behind in a never nearer third.