QIPCO CHAMPIONS DAY – NEWMARKET

THE QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS SPRINT STAKES, G1 (£583,130)

DONJUAN IS TRIUMPHANT FOR BALDING

Donjuan Triumphant

Trainer Andrew Balding gave way to emotion after Donjuan Triumphant won the G1 £583,130 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes. It was a first Group One for the Dream Ahead six-year-old’s owners, King Power Racing Co Ltd, and came almost exactly a year after King Power’s chairman and CEO, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was killed in a helicopter crash (October 27, 2018).

Donjuan Triumphant, ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, beat One Master by a length at odds of 33/1. “He was the first horse the Chairman ever bought, the first horse we had for him, and he would have been so proud of him right now,” said Balding. “There were a couple of anxious moments today, but Silvestre managed to get himself out. I am just so thrilled for the horse. “Historically, Donjuan Triumphant has always come good in the autumn, and I thought he ran a really good race last time out behind Cape Byron because he fluffed the start and things didn’t go according to plan. For a horse like him who has been knocking on the door, this is special. When he gets the ground at this time of year he’s really good. He is due to go to stud in France now; this was always going to be his last run. I hope he has a very long, happy life. He might get some better-looking brides now as well! He doesn’t have the best joints in the world and the staff that look after him have done an amazing job. I am just so pleased to get a G1 for King Power.”

Silvestre de Sousa completed his first season as retained jockey to King Power Racing in style when winning the race. There was a hint of pathos about the occasion, for a year ago next Saturday the chairman of King Power Racing, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, died in a helicopter crash. Donjuan Triumphant, who is now a six-year-old, was the first horse he bought, and today’s race was his last before he goes to stud in France. De Sousa’s mount, a 33/1 shot, won by a length and a neck from One Master (4/1f) and Brando (66/1).

The winning jockey said: “I wish the chairman could be here – he loved Ascot and having winners here. I hope that wherever he is he can see this win. I’ve had injuries this season and it was tough to watch other people riding horses I should have been on. Pain wise and mentally it was hard. I was champion jockey last year and while I’m concentrating on my job [with King Power Racing] I would love to get the title back. It’s been a tough year, and an emotional year, but I’ve been knocking on the door and it’s good to get a big win on the final day. It means everything to get one for King Power Racing because that’s my job, especially a big one. They went a good gallop in the ground and I was happy just to wait and pick them up near the end. Andrew loves this horse and has always said that when he gets his ground he can win a big race. Well done to all the Balding team.”

William Haggas will discuss all options for One Master (4/1 joint-favourite) after her unlucky-in-running length second to Donjuan Triumphant. However, his own inclination is to follow the Enable model by keeping her in training for another year as a six-year-old. Haggas was reluctant to say that the dual Prix de la Foret winner was unlucky, full stop, having seen the race only once, but there was no doubt that she was boxed in behind runners at a crucial stage and had to rather force her way into the clear. He said: “I need to watch it again but she was maybe a bit unfortunate, although the winner won well. She ran a very good race though. The jockey said the ground is very deep, and on this ground there was no problem coming back to six furlongs.”

Looking ahead Haggas said: “We’ve got to decide whether to keep her racing or send her to stud, and we’ll make that decision over the next month or so, but I don’t see any reason why she shouldn’t race on again next year. The owners (Lael Stable) are by their own admission quite old, and they want the fun. It’s very hard to get horses as good as this.” Haggas admitted the lack of Group 1 opportunities over seven furlongs is a frustration and said: “Seven-furlong horses have always been the twilight horses, and she’ll have a Group 1 penalty in every race bar the Foret, which makes things difficult, but we managed this year and we’ll work it out. Seven furlongs is her trip, but when conditions are like this then there’s a chance six is just as good, but this is a stiff six.”

Jockey Pierre Charles-Boudot, who won the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe on Waldgeist the same afternoon that One Master won the Foret, restricted himself to saying: “She was a bit unlucky. She ran into a lot of trouble around 300 metres out.”

GARDENS DENIES STRADIVARIUS IN THE QIPCO LONG DISTANCE CUP

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens (7/2) produced a tremendous performance to dethrone racing’s superstar stayer Stradivarius, the 8/13 favourite, in a thrilling renewal of the £450,000 G2 QIPCO Long Distance Cup over two miles. Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by his son Donnacha, Kew Gardens rallied gamely in the closing stages to deny Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori an 11^th victory in succession. The pair were separated by just a nose at the line and the winner, a son of Galileo, could take on Stradivarius once again in next year’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

The master of Ballydoyle said: “We were training Kew Gardens for the G1 Gold Cup, but he got an injury and it all went pear-shaped. We are just delighted to get him back really. He barely made it back in time to run in the Irish Leger where he finished and second and it just didn’t go right for him on the day. Kew Gardens is an incredible horse and it was a great performance. We were thinking about the Gold Cup this year and if the lads decide to keep him in training, he could go there. He pulled some muscles in his back which kept him off the track, but we’re delighted to have him back running. I would imagine that would be it for the season.”

Kew Gardens, a four-year-old son of Galileo, was a 7/2 chance and beat the 8/13 favourite Stradivarius, who had won his last 10 races prior to today. Those included four Group Ones and this race last year. The distance between the first two was a nose, and Royal Line was five lengths back in third.

  Kew Gardens is owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Sue Magnier.

“It was an epic duel and just one of those things – on the line our horse’s head was in the right place,” said Michael Tabor.

CATCHER A STAR FOR OPPENHEIMIER AND GOSDEN IN THE QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES & MARES STAKES

Star Catcher

Star Catcher justified her place as 7/4 favourite for the £550,000 G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes with a gritty victory. Her triumph was quick consolation for trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori who were beaten by the narrowest margin of a nose in the preceding race, the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, when Stradivarius lost out to Kew Gardens.

Thirty-five minutes later they were the narrow winners as Star Catcher beat Delphinia (20/1) and Sun Maiden (25/1) by a short head and one length. Gosden’s other runner, Oaks winner Anapurna, finished 11^th of the 12 runners after holding a good early position.

Sun Catcher’s owner/breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, who also raced and bred Derby winner Golden Horn, said his filly would remain in training next year, and added: “We’re all thrilled. We were very worried about the ground before the race and didn’t think she would go in it, but she has a lot of courage and really pulled on that. It was fantastic effort by her, the trainer and the jockey.”

Gosden said: “It was extraordinary to see three fillies fighting it out together, but she was determined to get her head in front and you cannot doubt her courage. She’s a wonderful filly and now she can have a winter off.

“She won the Prix Vermeille on fast ground, she won in Ireland on quick ground and now she’s won on heavy. The inner track is better than the outer track, but we’ve had a lot of rain. It’s a gorgeous day and these wonderful horses are running, and so far we’ve had three incredible races. You have to remain calm and collected for the horses – you’re no damn good if you’re jumping around and being neurotic, and when you start saddling them they feel your nerves. That’s no good to them. You need to be calm.” He added of Anapurna: “She found it too testing. She lost a shoe and was skidding all the way.”

 DETTORI ENJOYS 250^th GROUP 1 WIN ON STAR CATCHER

 In a perfect world it would have happened on Enable at Longchamp 13 days earlier, but Frankie Dettori did not have long to wait for his 250^th Group 1 winner and Star Catcher, on whom he has also won an Irish Oaks and a Prix Vermeille, was not a bad substitute.

Just 35 minutes after coming off second best to Donnacha O’Brien and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Kew Gardens on Stradivarius, the boot was on the other foot as Dettori got the better of another great battle by a short head as Star Catcher (7/4 favourite) beat Delphinia (20/1Seamie Heffernan) in the £550,000 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares.

He said: “Star Catcher has never stopped improving but once Delphinia couldn’t get away from her she found her second wind and managed to get her head in front in the last 100 yards. It was hard work in the straight but the last shower made a big difference as it’s borderline heavy, and she doesn’t mind it.

“I am still a bit sour about Stradivarius, but the ground is a lot worse than we thought. I am pleased this filly won. Like you said, from crying to smiling in half an hour! She’s lovely, she’s tough, and I think she is going to stay in training. She is a wonderful filly and provided me with my 250th G1. I love her.”

Star Catcher was Dettori’s 17^th Group 1 winner in a stellar year.

HANNON CHANGES UP A GEAR IN THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES

King Of Change

There is a new star miler on the scene after King Of Change took the G1 £1,100,000 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for trainer Richard Hannon and jockey Sean Levey. A 12/1 chance, the three-year-old Farhh colt was impressive to beat 4/1 shot The Revenant (Francis-Henri Graffard/Pierre-Charles Boudot) by a length and a quarter.

Hannon said: “People thought I was a little bit petulant after the 2,000 Guineas for not celebrating being second, but we’ve always thought the world of this horse, and to be second in the Guineas is a great run, but you don’t remember those. Now he’ll be remembered, and it was all about next year anyway.

“We gave him the summer off because he had a hard race and we thought the ground would be firm at Royal Ascot. It was the first Ascot in about 10 years where it rained for three days, so that wasn’t great. But we decided to stick to our plan, did the Listed race [at Sandown on September 18] – because he had only won his novice – and then he comes here and runs like that.

“I’m not going to lie, I thought he’d win or go very close. I nearly backed him, but I decided not to because that stops trains! It even stopped Threat in the Coventry. I’m very impressed with this horse. I took myself off to watch because when they don’t win, you have that 30 seconds where just – it’s awful – and I know it’s only a horse race, but you live it at the end of the day, and I was ready for that disappointment. The odd day it doesn’t come!”

“I think it will be a shorter winter on the back of something like that. We’d be thinking Queen Anne Stakes [at Royal Ascot], something like that.”

Sean Levey celebrated the most valuable win of his career when QIPCO 2000 Guineas second King Of Change (12/1) showed a smart turn of foot to land this race in decisive fashion, beating prolific French winner The Revenant (4/1) by a length and a quarter. Levey, who won the 2018 QIPCO 1000 Guineas for Richard Hannon on Billesdon Brook, said: “We were worried about whether he would handle the ground, but he was ticking enough boxes to suggest he would. His half-brother (Century Dream) ran third in this race last year and handled the ground, and he’s by Farhh, who handled the ground.”

“The way he’s been working I thought all he had to do was to handle it, and the other day I said to Richard that although I’d ridden Toronado, Sky Lantern and the rest of them at home, none of them gave me a feel like him. I haven’t ridden at this level that much yet so I was cautious about saying too much and sounding too confident, but I was confident behind it all e’s obliged. We are at the end of the year next year and the plan was always to keep him in training next year, so we are looking forward to that and coming back to Ascot next year.”

He added: “That was a massive performance, and he’s gone through the race like a different class of animal. When he ran in the Guineas people thought it was a bit of a fluke, but when he came back in the autumn he was a massive stamp of a horse and he’s gone the right way. It’s huge for me, as this is the highest grade I’ve got to, so my thanks go to Richard and everyone back at the yard. Hopefully it’s a stepping stone to even bigger things.”

Frankie Dettori was out of luck on King Of Comedy, who finished down the field, but on returning he was able to reflect on his 250^th Group 1 win earlier in the afternoon. He said: “Someone told me after I won the Royallieu (on Anapurna) at Longchamp that I was on 249, and it would have been great to have done it on Enable, but what a number – it must be a European record.”

“THE ULTIMATE RACEHORSE” – MAGICAL WINS THE QIPCO CHAMPION STAKES

Magical

Aidan O’Brien described Magical as “the ultimate racehorse” following a smooth performance to justify Even-money favouritism in the £1,358,750 G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot. Just 13 days on from a fifth-placed effort in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Magical, a four-year-old daughter of Galileo, travelled powerfully throughout today’s 10-furlong contest and ran on strongly to score by three-quarters of a length, defeating the staying-on Addeybb (5/1).

This was Magical’s fourth G1 victory and took her career earnings over £3.36 million. She might not be finished this season either, with a potential tilt at the Breeders’ Cup in the offing according to the master of Ballydoyle.

O’Brien said: “Magical is an unbelievable mare. From the start of her career as a two-year-old, every time she races, she turns out. Every morning she wakes up with a total clean sheet, she never holds offence to nobody even if they upset her the day before. She just takes it on the chin and asks ‘what do you want me to do today?’ Magical is the most unbelievable mare I have ever seen. Her mind is incredible. She gets a mile and a half, but I think a mile and a quarter is her ideal trip. She gets a mile and a half because of her class. The Arc was a strongly-run race and she has come out that and won here. She handles ease in the ground, goes on fast ground – what can you say? She is the ultimate racehorse – that is what she is. It’s hard to say, but it looks like she is still progressing which is amazing.”

“If she goes to the Breeders’ Cup, I would imagine that she would run in the Fillies & Mares race.

Donnacha O’Brien completed an 8/1 double on the day with Magical.

DOUBLE TOP FINISH FOR ESCOBAR

Escobar

Sporting the silks of a dart board, Adam Kirby produced a finish ‘Mighty’ Michael Van Gerwen would be proud of as he steered 16/1 shot Escobar to victory in the concluding race on QIPCO British Champions Day, the Balmoral Handicap.

Trained by David O’Meara, the five-year-old powered home under Kirby to score by two and a quarter-lengths in the mile event. Escobar was second in the race last year and connections were delighted with today’s performance.

O’Meara, who took the race with Lord Glitters in 2017, said: “It looked for a long way like Escobar was getting stopped, but he is a very classy horse on his day. He was second in this last year when Sharjah Bridge just got him late on, but I did not think he would go on this very soft ground to be honest. Escobar travels very well and Adam probably didn’t have to properly go for him until inside the final furlong. He has the talent for Group races but isn’t always the hardiest. We won this race two years ago with Lord Glitters, second last year with Escobar, and won it again this year. It is a good race for us.”

Adam Kirby enjoyed a first ever QIPCO Champions Day success when the 2018 runner-up Escobar (16/1) bolted up in this race, quickening clear impressively to put daylight between himself and a huge field and scoring by two and a quarter lengths from Lord North (3/1 favourite). Kirby, resplendent in the distinctive dartboard silks of Withernsea Thoroughbred Limited, was delighted to win such a big prize on British racing’s biggest stage and said: “Escobar is a lovely horse to ride and I ride him quite often. He likes to be ridden cold and was second here last year, and so he had the form to run a big race, but the ground was a bit of a worry. The pace is key. There was a nice gallop but it wasn’t frantic and there weren’t many lengths between the entire field. When he started to bring me there it was a great feel and he finished off well. It’s a great place to ride winners and fair play to David O’Meara, and full credit to Escobar too. He runs in a lot of these big handicaps and sometimes he’s unlucky because of the way he has to be ridden, but today he wasn’t and he’s had his big day.”