Stormy Antarctic and Crystal Ocean stamp Group One potential
Although good ground prevailed at Randwick earlier in the month, the two-day meeting has often been run on quite testing conditions and with the rain continuing to fall in Europe, now seems a prudent time for identifying those horses with the right credentials to compete at The Championships next April.
Two such candidates emerged at Sandown on Friday. The Ed Walker-trained Stormy Antarctic (Stormy Atlantic) ran right up to his best when chasing home the rapidly-improving Addeybb (Pivotal) in the bet365 Mile (Gr 2, 1m) and he could prove a live contender for the the Doncaster Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) as a strong-travelling five-year-old who acts particularly well with cut underfoot.
The two and three quarter-length winner looks a Group One colt in the making but Stormy Antarctic stuck to the task pleasingly on his second start this season, finishing a neck in front of the 112-rated Aljazzi (Shamardal) and achieving a similar level of form to his reappearance success in the Prix Edmond Blanc (Gr 3, 1600m) at Saint-Cloud, in which he made all on heavy ground.
Stormy Antarctic was Group One-placed as a three-year-old, running second in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr 1, 1600m) at Chantilly, and he has developed into a consistent performer throughout his career, recording a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of at least 114 on nine separate occasions – the same personal-best figure achieved twice by 2017 Doncaster Mile winner It’s Somewhat (Dynaformer), who had previously been trained in Britain by Mark Johnston.
With a fine record in France paying testament to his tactical speed over a mile, Stormy Antarctic would not be inconvenienced by the relatively sharp test of Randwick and given he is likely to fall shy of Group One level in Europe now, perhaps the riches of the Australian autumn could tempt his connections to look elsewhere.
Stormy Antarctic was beaten a short-head by Morando (Kendargent) in the Midsummer Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Windsor last season and the latter made a bright start to his career under the tenure of Andrew Balding when finishing third in the Gordon Richards Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f) earlier on the Sandown card.
A 290,000 guineas purchase at the Tattersalls October Horses In Training Sale, the 112-rated Morando ran to at least that figure on his seasonal debut, getting caught in a pocket when the tempo began to quicken but finishing with plenty of running left on his first start beyond a mile.
This race is often won a by a top-notch performer, with four of the previous five winners subsequently triumphing at Group One level, and this year’s victor looks no different, St Leger (Gr 1, 1m6.5f) runner-up Crystal Ocean (Sea The Stars) providing Sir Michael Stoute with his ninth win in the contest despite running over a trip short of his best and conceding race fitness to runner-up Fabricate (Makfi), who proved a ready winner of the Magnolia Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) on his return at Kempton in March.
Beaten just over a length and a quarter by the winner, Morando emerges with plenty of credit from this effort and his strength at the finish opens up a range of options moving forward, not least a potential tilt at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
The brilliance of Winx aside, recent renewals of this race have lacked strength in depth, with the mean RPR of the second to fifth home amounting to 109.5 this year and 108 last year, while Lucia Valentina (Savabeel) ran to a figure of 114 when winning by two and a quarter lengths in 2016.
Morando has already shown he is capable of achieving superior form to this level and with conditions likely to suit and a lucrative preparatory programme in place – the Ranvet Stakes (registered as Rawson Stakes) (Gr 1, 2000m) at Rosehill, for instance, is worth almost six times as much as the Gordon Richards Stakes alone – he could prove a serious money-spinner in Sydney.
On an informative day at Sandown, the John Gosden-trained Sevenna Star (Redoute’s Choice) confirmed his progressive profile by landing bet365 Classic Trial (Gr 3, 1m2f) under Frankie Dettori.
An all-the-way winner of a Windsor novice stakes (1m2f) on his seasonal reappearance, Sevenna Star was ridden with more restraint on this step up in class. Despite taking a little time to find top gear, he dug deep to beat a pair of promising colts in the shape of Ispolini (Dubawi) and Hunting Horn (Camelot), with recent Prix La Force (Gr 3, 1800m) winner Chilean (Iffraaj) giving the form a solid look back in fourth.
Sevenna Star is a dour galloper who shapes like he will be well suited by at least 2400 metres – characteristics not commonly associated with the progeny of his sire – but he is undoubtedly a classy colt who should continue to improve with time and racing.
On Saturday, the China Horse Club-owned Emmaus (Invincible Spirit) won the King Richard III Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Leicester and given his upwardly-mobile profile and high-class pedigree, it is feasible to think he could develop into an Australian stallion prospect further down the line.
The burgeoning reputation of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) has paid a handsome compliment to Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) as a sire of sires in the southern hemisphere and Emmaus has depth to his page being out of the Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Prima Luce, making him from the family of Verglas (Highest Honor) and Group One-producer Cassandra Go (Indian Ridge).
Trained by Roger Varian, Emmaus ran to around a mark of 110 when sluicing through the field on this reappearance success – his third win from four starts – and while the second and third have shown their best form over shorter trips, Emmaus has improved significantly on his course and distance handicap victory as a three-year-old and looks a colt with Group-race potential.
Finally, the Prix de Barbeville (Gr 3, 3100m) has proven a significant pointer to the Spring Carnival in recent seasons, with Dunaden (Nicobar) landing the spoils in 2011 prior to his victory in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) later that year and the Christophe Ferland-trained Funny Kid (Lemon Drop Kid) could follow a similar path having shown a bright turn of foot to land this season’s renewal at Longchamp on Sunday.
The five-year-old has improved nicely for a greater emphasis on stamina in recent starts, quickening up well from an uncompromising position to land the All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes (2m) at Lingfield on Good Friday prior to posting a career best at the weekend, travelling strongly and only needing to be ridden-out under hands and heels to get the better of Group Two winner Doha Dream (Shamardal), despite having plenty of ground to make up in the straight.
Funny Kid might lack a little of the requisite class to develop into a legitimate Melbourne Cup contender, but he stays well, has a turn of foot at extreme trips and continues to improve, so connections might consider trying to qualify him for the race over the course of the European summer.