Tag: Frankie Dettori

Epsom Names Race in Memory of Lester Piggott

Epsom Downs Racecourse has announced the introduction of the Lester Piggott Handicap S. on Derby Day, to be run in memory of the legendary jockey who died a year ago at the age of 86. Frankie Dettori will lay a wreath at Piggott's commemorative statue on Saturday.

“It is an honour to be asked to lay a wreath at Lester's statue on Derby Day,” Dettori said. “He was a hero of mine who then became a good friend and it's impossible to measure the impact he had on me, both as a person and a jockey throughout my life. I'm sure it will be a poignant and emotional moment for many reasons and I'm grateful to Epsom Downs for inviting me to lead this year's tributes to Lester on my last Derby Day as a jockey.”

Piggott rode in the Derby 36 times between 1951 and 1994 and won nine times, starting with Never Say Die in 1954 and followed by Crepello (1957), St Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1983). Nicknamed 'The Long Fellow', Piggott also won the Oaks six times and the Coronation Cup on nine occasions.

“For so many of us, Lester Piggott is synonymous with the Derby and Epsom Downs like no other jockey before or since,” said Brian Finch, Chair of Epsom Downs Racecourse. “Lester sadly passed away just six days before the Derby in 2022 and we ran the Derby in his memory. For such a distinguished figure in the long history of the Derby, and with his unprecedented achievements unlikely to be matched, we felt it was important to establish a permanent annual commemoration and celebration of Lester's life on Derby Day.”

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Gosdens’ Betfred Derby/Oaks Hopefuls Gallop at Epsom Downs

Epsom Downs saw G1 Betfred Derby and Oaks hopefuls going through their paces Monday with Frankie Dettori partnering Juddmonte's Arrest (Ire), a homebred son of Frankel (GB), over just short of a mile at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning. Now in his final year in the saddle, Dettori likes his chances in the 244th running of the premier Classic over a mile and a half to be run on Saturday, June 3.

“I have been fortunate enough to win The Derby twice and it is still the most famous race in the world for us. When I started my career as a jockey, first of all you want to get a ride in it and then try to win it. I've had over 20 rides in it and this is my last go. At least I am going into my last Derby with a great chance,” said Dettori after the gallop. “This year is a lot of lasts. I went to Rome yesterday and it was my last Derby there. I saw the vice Prime Minister and he gave me a plaque congratulating me on my career. Now it's my last Derby here and I have a live chance, which is good.”

Co-trainer John Gosden was equally pleased, adding: “This horse can change gears, absolutely. He's a big boy and he proved he stayed the other day [in the May 10 G3 Chester Vase] when he handled the conditions. He doesn't need it to be like that.

“Stamina is a requirement in this race, the same for the GI Kentucky Derby going a mile and a quarter for the Americans, they see it as a marathon. He's got the stamina, no problem.”

Arrest visited the winner's enclosure twice in 2022 and was having his first run of the season in the Chester Vase.

Running Lion and Oisin Murphy in the irons on the gallop at Epson Downs | John Hoy/The Jockey Club

Not long behind her stablemate, Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) worked just under a mile with three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the irons, who is looking to continue his noteworthy return to the races after serving a 14-month ban for alcohol and Covid breaches. The grey won the Listed Howden Pretty Polly S. at Newmarket on her last start and appeared to handle the track well Monday before pulling clear of her lead horse.

“We were obviously delighted with Running Lion at Newmarket. She came out of the race well and today she went down very relaxed,” said Murphy afterwards. “Once I got her organised, although she didn't take too much organising, I let her go forward in the straight but I resisted the temptation to ask her for an effort because I thought the Pretty Polly with a little bit of dig in the ground wasn't long ago.”

Her rider does admit, however, that he has concerns regarding the stamina requirements for a contest of this calibre, ones echoed by the senior Gosden:

“Stamina-wise you never really know until you go a mile and a half. Everyone thinks it is a downhill track but it rises 150ft before you think about coming down hill and of course that last section where it climbs again at the finish can catch a lot of them out on stamina. Both the fillies have a lot of speed. It's hard to say until you know with the trip, they're both bred to be mile-and-a-quarter fillies and the last part is always the key, we don't know. You can't practice a race over a mile and a half at home, I don't think.”

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Gold Cup Bid On The Cards For Golden Horn’s Aston Park Winner Haskoy

Further underlining the merit of last year's G1 St Leger, Juddmonte's Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) got up late to register a winning return in Saturday's G3 Aston Park S. at Newbury and enhance her claims in next month's G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Demoted from second to fourth in the Doncaster Classic, which was coming up quickly after her success in York's Listed Galtres S. in August, the homebred only just made this gig after what her trainer Ralph Beckett described as a “tough Spring” and was held up behind the early leaders with Frankie Dettori keen to let her build into a steady rhythm.

Taking time to wind up, the 5-2 second favourite arrived with strength in the final 100 yards as the past TDN Rising Stars Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) duked it out. At the line, she had edged it by a short head from the Shadwell runner, with Ballydoyle's Bolshoi Ballet continuing his return to old form a head away in third. “She hasn't really thrived all Spring–she got upset when we were trying to fit the tongue-tie beforehand and wasn't having that, so I was concerned that we were in a hole,” Beckett said. “She was a little fresh and still a little green in behind horses, so she's a pretty special filly to have done that. She made up a lot of ground in the last 100 yards–when she stayed as well as she did in the Leger on only her third start and with her pedigree, I'd have no real concerns about where we go. The Gold Cup is a possibility–we'll see nearer the time. That entry was how we felt about her beforehand and we still do.”

Introduced only in late July in a Wolverhampton novice, Haskoy has gone where her talent allows the whole way and it was significant that her trainer moved so fast with her following that seven-length debut win. Impressing Ryan Moore and just about everybody else in the Galtres, the bay was supplemented to the St Leger and ran the proverbial blinder only to lose out to Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) before being stripped of second by the officials having crossed the path of Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).

Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was fifth in the Leger, had already done enough to suggest that the form was solid but it was Friday's G2 Yorkshire Cup that confirmed we are dealing with a strong renewal of the oldest Classic. More so, it looks an edition stacked with the kind of “Cup” horses that the British public have come to love once more. Only one filly has won the Gold Cup since Dr Vincent O'Brien's Gladness in 1958 and that was The Queen's Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), so it is particularly exciting that Haskoy is a leading challenger in this year's contest.

Pedigree Notes
It was on this card six years ago that the dam Natavia (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), a rare purchase at that phase for the operation when a 600,000gns Book 1 graduate, powered into the Oaks picture when dominating the Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial. Although she was last in that Classic and failed to win again, the memory of that performance remains vibrant and Haskoy is a significant first foal. Kin to the G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Spinning Queen (GB) (Spinning World) and to the dam of the GIII Jimmy Durante S. scorer Tezzaray (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), she is a granddaughter of the important broodmare Lady Blackfoot (Ire) (Prince Tenderfoot).

Under that third dam are the likes of the GII  Budweiser International hero Alrassaam (GB) (Zafonic) and the GI Hollywood Derby-winning fellow sire Labeeb (GB) (Lear Fan) as well as the latter's GII Arlington H. and GII San Luis Obispo H.-winning full-brother Fanmore who was also runner-up in the GI Arlington Million and GI Hollywood Gold Cup. Natavia also has the 2-year-old filly Silver Sixpence (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a yearling daughter of Siyouni (Fr) and colt foal by Too Darn Hot (GB).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
AL RAYYAN S. (REGISTERED AS THE ASTON PARK S.)-G3, £100,000, Newbury, 5-20, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:32.33, gd.
1–HASKOY (GB), 125, f, 4, by Golden Horn (GB)
                1st Dam: Natavia (GB) (SW-Eng), by Nathaniel (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Our Queen of Kings (GB), by Arazi
                3rd Dam: Lady Blackfoot (Ire), by Prince Tenderfoot
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Frankie Dettori. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $193,029. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Israr (GB), 128, c, 4, Muhaarar (GB)–Taghrooda (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £21,500.
3–Bolshoi Ballet (Ire), 128, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Alta Anna (Fr), by Anabaa. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £10,760.
Margins: SHD, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 7.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Yibir (GB), Kemari (GB), Old Harrovian (GB), Gaassee (Ire).

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Free Wind Survives Middleton Enquiry

George Strawbridge's 5-year-old mare Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Alive Alive Oh {GB}, by Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), seen out just once since 2021, was fit and raring to go for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S. at York and collected a fourth straight pattern-race rosette with a narrow victory in the extended 10-furlong contest.

The April-foaled bay, whose resume also features wins in the G3 Prix Minerve, G2 Park Hill S. and G2 Lancashire Oaks, was settled off a sedate pace in sixth until turning for home. Making eyecatching progress on the bridle once into the straight, the 6-5 favourite assumed control passing the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly, despite edging right in the closing stages, to withstand the persistent threat of last term's Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial victrix Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) by a neck. The Knavesmire's stewards were called into action in the immediate aftermath, but allowed the finishing order to remain unchanged.

“She [nearly] got put through the rails at Haydock [in the Lancashire Oaks last year] and won despite that near fatal accident,” reflected John Gosden after notching a fourth win in the contest. “She has come back from a nasty injury and 10 months off and it was a long way for her to come back, physically and mentally. She's done that and showed a great attitude, so we couldn't be more pleased with her. She was running way below her [optimum] trip today. She wasn't originally in the race, but [owner] Mr [George] Strawbridge is over from America to see Epictetus run in the Dante and we thought we'd supplement Free Wind and run her, too. She's done great as this trip is a bit sharp for her. She's won a Park Hill over a mile-and-six furlongs, which is a slightly different ball game, and we're very clear that we're going a mile-and-a-half next time. She's in the [G2] Hardwicke [at Royal Ascot] and that would be a strong possibility at this stage.”

Rogue Millennium holds a special place in Tom Clover's heart and the Newmarket-based conditioner was delighted by the performance of his stable star. “She ran a lovely race and Jack [Mitchell] gave her a lovely ride,” he said. “He followed Frankie the whole way and she takes a step forward with each run. She ran well in France and ran well in the Magnolia at Kempton, when she didn't get a clear run. She didn't have a clear run in France either. She's a really lovely filly, she's improved from three to four and was well sourced by the [Rogues Gallery] team. It's great to have a high-class filly of this nature and it would be lovely to win a Group race with her this year. The obvious targets would either be the [G3] Hoppings [S. at Newcastle] or the [G1] Pretty Polly in Ireland, so we'll see.”

Pedigree Notes
Free Wind, one of her late sire's 242 pattern-race winners, is the second of four foals and one of two scorers for multiple stakes-winning G3 Dance Design S. placegetter Alive Alive Oh (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), herself half to G3 Fukushima Kinen and G3 Tanabata Sho victor Crescendo Love (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}). Alive Alive Oh is also kin to the dam of the dual stakes-placed Soldier's Minute (GB) (Raven's Pass). The April-foaled bay's second dam Higher Love (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who was runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks, is out of Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial runner-up Dollar Bird (Ire) (Kris {GB}), herself a half-sister to G2 King Edward VII S.-winning sire Amfortas (Ire) (Caerleon) and to the dam of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) and G1SP sires Chevalier (Ire) (Danehill) and Alexander of Hales (Danehill). Alive Alive Oh has a 2-year-old full-brother to Free Wind yet to come.

Thursday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI MIDDLETON FILLIES' S.-G2, £154,800, York, 5-18, 4yo/up, f, 10f 56yT, 2:10.06, g/f.
1–FREE WIND (IRE), 128, m, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Alive Alive Oh (GB) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Duke Of Marmalade (Ire)
2nd Dam: Higher Love (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Dollar Bird (Ire), by Kris (GB)
(325,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-George Strawbridge; B-Mrs Sue Ann Foley (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £87,787. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 8-6-1-0, $348,472. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rogue Millennium (Ire), 128, f, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Hawaafez (GB), by Nayef. (35,000gns 2yo '21 TATMA). O-The Rogues Gallery; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Tom Clover. £33,282.
3–Poptronic (GB), 128, f, 4, Nathaniel (Ire)–Alpine Dream (Ire), by Dream Ahead. O/B-David & Yvonne Blunt (GB); T-Karl Burke. £16,656.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.20, 20.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: State Occasion (GB), Stay Alert (GB), Sea Silk Road (Ire), Aristia (Ire). Scratched: Toskana Belle (Fr).

 

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