Heartache flies in the Childers
Two-Year-Olds
The Clive Cox-trained Heartache (2 f Kyllachy – Place In My Heart by Compton Place) regained the winning thead when she stayed on powerfully to win the Flying Childers Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Doncaster on Friday.
The two-year-old filly surrendered her unbeaten record at her penultimate start when she ran third in the Prix Robert Papin (Gr 2, 1100m) having taken out the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Royal Ascot in June.
She was restrained towards the tail of the field by Ryan Moore, who made his move approaching the final furlong. After a tussle with the smart Havana Grey (Havana Gold), she edged clear inside the final 50 yards to win by half a length, with May Girl (Mayson) a further four and half lengths further adrift in third.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Seahenge (2 c Scat Daddy – Fools In Love by Not For Love) came from off the pace to win the Champagne Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) in good style at Doncaster on Saturday.
The two-year-old colt, who was last seen running fifth in the Vintage Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Goodwood, travelled strongly in behind runners under Ryan Moore and moved into a challenging position two furlongs out.
Despite hanging over towards the far rail, he was always doing to enough to fend off the attentions of Hey Gaman (New Approach) by a neck with the same distance back to Mythical Magic (Iffraaj) in third place.
The Karl Burke-trained Laurens (2 f Siyouni – Recambe by Cape Cross) got up late to win the May Hill Stakes (Gr 2, 1m) at Doncaster last Thursday.
The promising filly was purchased for £220,000 at the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale in August last year and was a close second in the Prix du Calvados (Gr 3, 1400m) at Deauville at her previous start.
She came with a strong late run under P J McDonald to collar Dark Rose Angel (Dark Angel) by a head in the final strides, with the same distance back to Nyaleti (Arch) in third place.
Tip Two Win (2 c Dark Angel – Freddie’s Girl by More Than Ready) ran out a convincing winner of the Flying Scotsman Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Doncaster on Friday afternoon.
The Roger Teal-trained two-year-old colt was seen running second in the Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy (Listed, 6f) at Ripon last month and he went one better up in trip, beating Tigre Du Terre (Le Havre) by two lengths with further neck back to Aqabah (Exchange Rate) in third.
Three-Year-Olds
The Aidan O’Brien trained Capri (3 c Galileo – Dialafara by Anabaa) backed up his victory in the Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) with an impressive win the St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m6.5f) at Doncaster on Saturday.
It was Ryan Moore’s first win in the final British Classic of the season and champion trainer O’Brien’s fifth in the race, which was set up perfectly for Capri after stablemate The Anvil (Galileo) forced a fierce early gallop.
Having been asked for his effort with a little over a furlong left to travel, Capri hit the front and found plenty under pressure to beat the strong-travelling Crystal Ocean (Sea The Stars) by half a length, with another short-head back to Stradivarius (Sea The Stars).
The dual Classic winner holds an entry in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) on Sunday week and he could form part of a formidable raiding party at Chantilly for O’Brien, who saddled the first three home in last year’s race.
The David Elsworth-trained Desert Skyline (3 g Tamayuz – Diamond Tango by Acatenango) ran out a ready winner of the Doncaster Cup Stakes (Gr 2, 2m2f) on Friday.
The three-year-old gelding came into the race having run second to Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) bound Marmelo (Duke Of Marmalade) in the Prix Kergorlay (Gr 2, 3000m) last month, and he was ridden confidently off the pace by Silvestre De Sousa.
He brought the gelding with a steady run in the home straight and he surged past Thomas Hobson (Halling) in the closing stages to score comfortably by a length and a half, with Sheikhzayedroad (Dubawi) a further head back in third.
Oriental Eagle (3 c Campanologist – Oriental Pearl by Big Shuffle) secured a German Classic victory on Sunday when staying on strongly to win in the Deutsches St Leger (Gr 3, 2800m) at Dortmund.
The three-year-old colt came into the race having broken his maiden at Baden-Baden last month at his ninth start, and he was sent forward by jockey Jack Mitchell who dictated steady fractions.
He began to increase the tempo on the approach to the straight and battled on well to beat Moonshiner (Adlerflug) by a length and a quarter with another half a length back to Khan (Santiago) in third.
Older Horses
The Martyn Meade-trained Aclaim (4 c Acclamation – Aris by Danroad) showed a good attitude and a smart turn of foot to win the Park Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Doncaster on Saturday, his third stakes race victory.
The four-year-old colt had not won since he took out the Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Newmarket last October, and he was briefly short of room inside the final two furlongs as Oisin Murphy tried to make ground,
Once finding a gap, he shot clear and ran home strongly to win a shade comfortably, beating Nathra (Iffraaj) by three quarters of a length with another length back to Home Of The Brave (Starspangledbanner) in third.
Meade said after the race that Aclaim was likely to head the Chantilly on 1 October for a tilt at the Prix de la Foret (Gr 1, 1400m) next up.
The Ralph Beckett-trained Alyssa (4 f Sir Percy – Almiranta by Galileo) made all the running to win the Park Hill Stakes (Gr 2, 1m6.5f) in tenacious fashion at Doncaster last Thursday.
The four-year-old set even fractions on the front end under Pat Dobbs, who began to increase the tempo three furlongs from home.
She was challenged on either side inside the final furlong by stablemate Melodic Motion (Nathaniel) and the Luca Cumani-trained Aljezeera (Frankel), but she battled on bravely under pressure to score by half a length, with her two closest rivals finishing in a dead-heat for second place.
The Stefano Botti-trained Full Drago (4 c Pounced – Almata by Almutawakel) regained his winning sequence when he took out the Premio Federico Tesio (Gr 2, 2200m) at San Siro in Milan on Sunday.
The four-year-old colt was fifth in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil (Gr 2, 2800m) at Saint-Cloud at his previous start and he clearly relished the drop down in trip at the weekend, beating Way To Paris (Champs Elysees) by a length and three quarters.
The Corine Barande-Barbe-trained Garlingari (6 g Linngari – Garlinote by Poliglote) made most of the running to land the La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr 3, 1m2f) at Maisons-Laffitte on Saturday.
Having finished second three times in Group company earlier this season, Garlingari managed to go one better on Saturday, when he defeated One Foot In Heaven (Fastnet Rock) by three quarters of a length, with a head back to Haggle (Pivotal) in third.