Saxon Warrior dominates Racing Post Trophy
In winning the Racing Post Trophy (Gr 1, 1m) at Doncaster on Saturday, Saxon Warrior (2 c Deep Impact – Maybe by Galileo) not only provided his trainer Aidan O’Brien with his record-breaking 26 Group / Grade One winners this season, but the win also handed his sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) with his 32nd Group / Grade One winner.
The son of Deep Impact travelled powerfully to the front but looked like being denied as the John Gosden-trained Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) took it up with around a furlong to run.
Saxon Warrior was not to be beaten though and, as Roaring Lion wandered under pressure, Ryan Moore was able to regain the advantage in the dying strides aboard the 13-8 favourite and deliver a moment of racing history.
O’Brien also took third-place honours with The Pentagon (Galileo), who finished a further two and a half lengths behind the leading pair.
Elsewhere that day, the Charlie Hills-trained Nebo (2 c Kodiac – Kindling by Dr Fong) won the Horris Hill Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Newbury.
The two-year-old colt has finished second at Group Two level on three occasions this season including on his most recent appearance in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr 2, 1200m) on 13 October.
Nebo tracked the leaders and when Frankie Dettori asked him for his effort with a furlong left to travel he hit the front and showed a smart turn of foot to defeat Tangled (Society Rock) by half a length, with another three quarters of a length back to Mythical Magic (Iffraaj) in third.
The Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Lilac Fairy (2 f Redoute’s Choice – Border Bloom by Selkirk) ran out a convincing winner of the Prix des Sablonnets (Listed, 1600m) at Nantes on Saturday.
Purchased by Blandford Bloodstock / Golden East Horse for €150,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale, the filly was having the fourth start of her career and her first in stakes company.
The two-year-old filly showed a good attitude to beat Mon Amie Chop (Captain Chop) by half a length with just a nose back to Shenoya (Zoffany) in third. The win also provided Redoute’s Choice with his third stakes winner in France.
In Germany on Sunday, a trip to Europe proved its worth when the Simon Crisford-trained Dark Liberty (2 f ex Extricate by Exceed And Excel) proved to hard to catch in the Grosser Soldier Hollow Preis (Listed, 1400m) at Hannover.
The two-year-old filly was most recently seen running second in a nursery handicap over a mile at York on 14 October and on Sunday she was able to go one better, defeating Wonderful Gorl (Areion) by half a length with another five lengths back to Sojourn (Iffraaj) in third.
Three-year-olds
The Jim Bolger-trained Goldrush (3 f Frankel – Alexander Goldrun by Gold Away) retained her unbeaten record when she took out the Cooley Fillies Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Dundalk on Friday night and also secured her second win at Listed level.
The China Horse Club-owned three-year-old filly was purchased for an eye watering €1,700,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2015 and is out of the multiple Group / Grade One winner Alexander Goldrun.
She came into Friday night’s contest off the back of a fine victory in the Carlingford Stakes (Listed, 1m2.5f) at the same track and she was able to continue her good form when she got the better of Aneen (Lawman) by half a length with another neck back to Belle Boyd (Oasis Dream) in third.
Goldrush is one of 20 stakes winners for the Juddmonte Farms sire Frankel (Galileo).
British raider Peach Melba (3 f Dream Ahead – Nellie Melba by Hurricane Sky) put in an impressive performance when she landed the Grosser Preis Des Gestut Haus Zoppenbroich (Listed, 1600m) at Hannover on Sunday.
The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old filly, who was having her first start in stakes company, was last sighted winning Breeders’ Fillies Series Handicap (1m) at Newmarket, was sent straight to the front by jockey Franny Norton.
When she was asked for her effort approaching the two furlong pole, she found another gear and eventually beat Vive Marie (Jukebox Jury) by a length and a half with Jasnin (Palace Episode) a further three quarters of a length adrift in third.
The Vincenzo Fazio-trained My Lea (3 f Dandy Man – Luvmedo by One Cool Cat) followed up her recent stakes success with another win at stakes level when she landed the Premio Carlo and Francesco Aloisi (Gr 3, 1200m) at Capannelle in Rome on Sunday.
The three-year-old filly came into the race off the back of a success in the Premio Omenoni (Listed, 1000m) in Milan on 15 October and on Sunday she held on well for pressure to beat Zapel (Kyllachy) by a short head with another three quarters of a length back to Imperial Tango (Sageburg) three quarters of a length in third.
The Irish-bred filly was purchased by Alberto Panetta for €13,000 at the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale in 2015 and has now won seven of her 17 career starts and amassed €113,985 in career prize money.
My Lea is one of six stakes winners for Dandy Man (Mozart), whose progeny is headed by Hong Kong Group One winner Peniaphobia.
Older horses
The Tony Martin-trained Laganore (5 m Fastnet Rock – Lady Bones by Royal Applause) landed the Premio Lydia Tesio (Gr 1, 2000m) at Capannelle in Rome on Sunday.
The five-year-old mare ran third in the race 12 months ago and she came into this year’s renewal off the back of an impressive win in the Lanwades Stud Stakes (Gr 3, 1m1½f).
The five-year-old mare stayed on strongly all the way to the line to eventually beat A Raving Beauty (Mastercraftsman) by a decisive two lengths with another five lengths back to the Archie Watson-trained Absolute Blast (Kodiac) in third.
The sire of 123 stakes winners overall, the victory also provided shuttler Fastnet Rock with his 29th Group One winner and trainer Tony Martin’s first elite level on the Flat.
The previous day, the Christophe Lotoux-trained Smart Whip (6 g Dylan Thomas – Green Girl by Lord Of Men) continued his winning sequence when he won the Grand Prix De Nantes (Listed, 2400m) on Saturday.
The six-year-old gelding had not been sighted since he won Grand Prix de la Ville de Craon-Mayenne (Listed, 2400m) in September having also won his two previous starts and yesterday his fine form carried on when he beat Royalicky (Slickly Royal) by a neck with Mint Julep (Mastercraftsman) a further three quarters of a length away in third.
The Stefano Botti-trained Time To Choose (4 c Manduro – Penfection by Orpen) secured his fourth win at stakes level when he won the Premio Ribot (Gr 3, 1600m) at Capannelle in Rome on Sunday.
Most recently seen running third in the Premio Vittorio di Capua (Gr 2, 1600m), Time To Choose ran on strongly to the line to score victory over Royal Julius (Royal Applause) with Aspettatemi (Red Rocks) running home in third.
Time To Choose is one of 29 stakes winners for Darley sire Manduro (Monsun).
The Daniel Paulick-trained Ostana (4 f Contat – Oviva by Lomitas) won the Grosser Preis Der Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung (Gr 3, 2200m) at Hannover on Sunday.
In winning the race the filly was able to follow up her recent success in the Grosser Preis der BMW Niederlassung Hannover (Listed, 2200m) and she did so when she narrowly beat favourite Agathonia (Street Cry) by a neck with another three quarters of a length back to Fosun (Soldier Hollow) in third.
Ostana is one of two stakes winners for her sire Contat (Diktat), the other is Group Three winner Schang.