Frankie Dettori | Horse Racing Free Tips

Woodbine Mile Has Open Feel

Saturday's GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar in six weeks' time, and a legitimate case can be made for at least half of the 10 runners set to face the starter.

Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), promoted to third in this event in 2019, is the proven Grade I runner in the field, having scored three times at the highest level. The Peter Brant colorbearer made the most of his seasonal debut, belying a five-month absence to post a two-length success in the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Apr. 9. Unlucky when denied by Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom) in the GIII Poker S. at Belmont June 20, the bay took all the pari-mutuel action for Saratoga's GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 14, but never really landed a blow, finishing sixth of eight behind Got Stormy (Get Stormy). With Frankie Dettori accepting the call, Raging Bull should take plenty of beating, but he will need to bring his 'A' game.

Mark Casse has three chances for a third Mile, all of whom are lined up next to one another. Drawn lowest of the trio in gate two is Gary Barber's in-form Olympic Runner (Gio Ponti), a longshot fourth to Starship Jubilee (Indy Wind) last year and exiting a 1 1/4-length success in the course-and-distance GII King Edward S. Aug. 15. March To the Arch (Arch) ran on to complete the exacta 12 months ago, rallied into a strong past to annex the July 25 Niagara S. going nine panels and was a latest third, with some traffic trouble, in the King Edward. Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) was runner-up to Raging Bull in the Maker's Mark, raced too close to the pace from a high draw in the nine-furlong GI Old Forester Turf Classic May 1 and finished well to be third behind Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

Town Cruise (Town Prize) looks to be the controlling speed of the race and is favorably drawn in the inside stall for Daisuke Fukumoto to make best use of that weapon. The 6-year-old wired a field going a mile and a sixteenth at 70 cents on the dollar July 4 and set a cracking pace in the King Edward before clinging on for second. If able to settle early on, he could prove sneaky at a big price.

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Stradivarius Makes It Look Easy In Doncaster Cup

It was the simplest of assignments for a modern day great on Town Moor, as John Gosden's star stayer made light of the Doncaster Cup field.

Stradivarius backed up his hard-fought victory at York with another win, although today he barely had to break into 4th gear.

He began the day a heavy-favorite, with Trueshan, his archrival in the staying division, declared a non-runner with the rain coming too late for him to take his chance. The short odds were justified as he turned the Group 2 into a procession.

The Grand Visir took them round at a medium gallop, with Frankie Dettori happy to sit in fourth off the lead for much of the first circuit. The field content to maintain their positions for much of the way round turning into the straight.

With the leader beginning to tire, all eyes were on Frankie and Stradivarius, the former motionless as he bided his time. Jamie Spencer loomed to his right, looking to cover any potential move. Bute still Dettori waited.

As they came to three furlongs out, there was a casual look around from the pilot for dangers, before he engaging his mount for a challenge. Stradivarius then sauntered to the lead and when Frankie said go, the response was instant.

Stradivarius utilized his trademark turn of foot and in a matter of strides the race was won. He glided across the Doncaster turf to the joy of the crowd. All was left to take care of was Dettori's customary flying dismount and more cheers ensued. The simplest of wins.

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Stradivarius Supreme In The Doncaster Cup

With his stayers' division dominance seemingly on the wane this term, Bjorn Nielsen's talisman Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) assuaged any doubts that the old lustre had been lost by outclassing a reduced field in Thursday's G2 Doncaster Cup. Shorn of G1 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) in the build up, the 18-furlong marathon was led by The Grand Visir (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as Frankie Dettori anchored Stradivarius five lengths off the tempo passing the judge first time. That margin had nearly doubled by halfway, but it was as far adrift as 7-year-old veteran became during the race. Bounding forward on the bridle in the straight, the 4-11 favourite was in full control inside the final quarter mile and extended clear in the closing stages to secure a second edition of the contest by 2 1/2 lengths from the outclassed Alerta Roja (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}). Old foe Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished a further four lengths back in third.

“He's a phenomenon,” stated John Gosden. “He's a wonderful horse and has been great at home. He's enjoyed all his training, he loves his racing and likes coming racing. I had no qualms about coming here and I couldn't have been more thrilled with him. He senses a horse coming to him and plays cat and mouse with them now. I'm sorry the other horse [Trueshan] didn't, run but maybe we'll meet one day. He's had a great season and won three out of four, but Frankie's ride in the [G1] Gold Cup [at Royal Ascot] wasn't his greatest. That said, the winner was mighty impressive. The sad thing for me in the year is that we couldn't run at Goodwood, because he adores Goodwood. His enthusiasm is there 100 per cent and I can assure everyone who loves him, the moment it's not there he will be retired. Until that day comes, which he will tell us, he will race. He lives a bit on the edge and lets us know what he wants. I've always adored stayers and to train him is a dream come true.”

Looking ahead to targets later in the season, Gosden added, “There are two races in the autumn, the [G1 Prix du Cadran] and [G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup at] Ascot, but Ascot last year was heavy and he hated it. Those are the options and it will be one not both. He'll go on summer soft, but not when it goes autumn deep as he cannot take it. It was a mistake to run him in it last year and in the Arc.”

Regular partner Frankie Dettori, whose first of five winners in the 255-year-old contest was provided by the enigmatic Arcadian Heights (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) in 1994, commented, “That was great and it's probably the easiest race he's had since last year when he was here. He still loves his racing and made it look easy again.”

Stradivarius, the latest of seven foals and leading performer for the dual stakes-placed Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), is kin to the black-type trio of G3 Furstenberg-Rennen and G3 Bavarian Classic victor Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), G3 Abu Dhabi Championship third Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and South Africa's Listed Scarlet Lady S. placegetter Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}). His second dam Poughkeepsie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who is also the ancestress of G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin-winning sire Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), is a daughter of G1 Epsom Oaks, G1 Prix de Diane and G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. heroine Pawneese (Ire) (Carvin {Fr}). Pawneese, in turn, is a half-sister to Petroleuse (Ire) (Habitat), herself the granddam of MG1SW sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev).

Friday, Doncaster, Britain
DONCASTER CUP S.-G2, £110,000, Doncaster, 9-10, 3yo/up, 17f 197yT, 3:53.02, g/f.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 134, h, 7, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £62,381. Lifetime Record: 3x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 14f+, MG1SW-Eng & GSP-Fr, 30-19-3-3, $3,993,323. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger})), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Ger, $121,198; Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-UAE, $167,081; and Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}), SP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alerta Roja (GB), 116, f, 3, Golden Horn (GB)–Albaraka (GB), by Selkirk. O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Sir Mark Prescott. £23,650.
3–Nayef Road (Ire), 131, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Rose Bonheur (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (100,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mohamed Obaida; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £11,836.
Margins: 2HF, 4, 3 1/4. Odds: 0.36, 16.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Rodrigo Diaz (GB), Eagles By Day (Ire), The Grand Visir (GB). Scratched: Trueshan (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Another Day At The Office For “Strad”

Friday at Doncaster's St Leger festival means Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), and after John and Thady Gosden and Frankie Dettori's Group 2 double and a treble overall on Thursday the tide is rising for the esteemed combo as the G2 Doncaster Cup looms. Bjorn Nielsen's golden boy of the staying scene since 2018 needs no introduction and this special week on Town Moor is there for turf's icons such as him to enjoy widespread adulation. If there were any doubts as to the appetite of the 7-year-old, those were dispelled in York's G2 Lonsdale Cup Aug. 20, where one of the chief younger stayers Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) was unable to subdue him after a prolonged pugilistic tussle. This task could be made far simpler by the removal of the ground-dependant July 27 G1 Goodwood Cup winner Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and with the way the weather is heading, that looks a likely scenario.

Dettori is relishing the opportunity to do battle in front of the crowds once again. “He's been great for the sport, I love him dearly,” he said. “He got a tremendous reception at York and he'll probably get one at Doncaster. He's not going to be here forever, so let's enjoy him. I think he only does what needs to be done these days and as for tactics, I usually improvise with him and play it by ear. Luckily, he knows where the winning post is.”

Trueshan was taken out of the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and the Lonsdale Cup and trainer Alan King is ready to pull him from this test if the rain fails to come. “I won't get up to walk the course, because I'm at Sandown tomorrow and I've been at the sales all day today,” he explained. “If the current forecast of very little rain is correct then he won't run, unfortunately but I will just wait until the morning to make the decision. We needed plenty of rain and it did look promising at one stage that we might get it, but we wouldn't run him as it is.”

Surprisingly, given the weight-for-age scenario, few 3-year-olds have been asked to tackle this near 18-furlong test but there have been a trio of winners in that age group since 1990 including the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Alleluia (GB) (Caerleon) in 2001. The master of Heath House is involved again here, with Kirsten Rausing's unexposed Alerta Roja (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) who gets a huge 18 pounds from Stradivarius and 20 from Trueshan with the penalties added in. Whether the relative of Alleluia is up to this level remains to be seen, with her only try in black-type company being a latest second in the 14-furlong Listed Hoppegartener Steher-Preis Aug. 8, but she is a fascinating contender from one of the most astute yards in Europe.

“Alerta Roja is wonderfully tough and she's already exceeded what we thought was possible for her,” Prescott commented. “On the figures she doesn't have a chance, but we did win it with Alleluia who was very similar and was also a 3-year-old filly. Alleluia won five and this one, who is from the same family, has won three and been listed-placed. While ostensibly she's got no chance, she seems in good form and she gets a lot of weight. Nothing is impossible with this family.”

Preceding the marathon encounter is the five-furlong G2 Wainwright Flying Childers S. for juveniles, offering a contrast rarely so wide in such a short space of time on a racecard. Al Shaqab Racing's Armor (GB) (No Nay Never) will be looking to regain the winning thread after his fourth in the six-furlong G1 Prix Morny at Deauville Aug. 22, where he may have run out of gas late having dominated the quick five of Goodwood's G3 Molecomb S. July 28. Among his rivals is Nick Bradley Racing's Sept. 2 G3 Prix d'Arenberg-winning filly Corazon (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) and Clipper Logistics' Aug. 21 Listed Roses S. scorer Attagirl (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

In the Listed Cazoo Flying Scotsman S., Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's 'TDN Rising Star' Razzle Dazzle (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) bids to build on his 5 1/2-length success over this seven-furlong trip at Newmarket Aug. 27. Ahmad Al Shaikh's Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}), who captured the Aug. 20 Convivial Maiden at York, offers stern opposition in this often-informative affair along with Shadwell's impressive Aug. 11 Salisbury six-furlong novice scorer Ribhi (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Oisin Murphy said of Hoo Ya Mal, who hails from the Andrew Balding stable strong with their 2-year-olds this season. “He's a gorgeous horse who bolted up in the Convivial at York,” he said. “His work before then was good and though he probably wants to go a mile, hopefully he'll have sharpened up since his last run. I have a high opinion of him and hope he'll be bang there.”

Thursday saw the draws for Saturday's key contests, with Ballydoyle's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) set to take on The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and just one other in what is certain to be a tactical renewal of Leopardstown's G1 Irish Champion S. As he suggested earlier this month, Aidan O'Brien has taken out all other entries for the 10-furlong contest, which is made up by last year's G3 Meld S. winner Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}). Small and select fields have been the order of the day in 2021, with the G1 Eclipse S. and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. attracting no more than five runners so this feature fits in with that trend and presents a fascinating quandary for Ryan Moore, Colin Keane and Kevin Manning. In contrast, there will be 13 fillies lining up in the G1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron S. where Ballydoyle's G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Prix Rothschild winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will be a warm order.

At Doncaster the same afternoon, the G1 Cazoo St Leger will see Godolphin's G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) face nine rivals including Amo Racing's G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Aidan O'Brien has confirmed a quartet including 'TDN Rising Star' High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the unexposed Interpretation (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will sport the Peter Brant silks. Frankie Dettori is on the supplemented High Definition, with Wayne Lordan partnering the G2 Great Voltigeur S. runner-up The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), James Doyle on that race's fourth Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Hollie Doyle aboard the Aug. 12 Listed Vinnie Roe S. winner Interpretation.

Having impressed with two prior front-running rides for Ballydoyle including a third in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks on the 150-1 outsider La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), it was no surprise to see Hollie Doyle booked for one of the team's contenders here. “It's a great ride to pick up. He looks highly progressive and is unbeaten this year,” she said. “He's certain to stay and it's my first ride in the Leger and I'm really looking forward to it.” They help to make up a six-strong Irish representation in the extended 14-furlong Classic, with Johnny Murtagh looking for a breakthrough English Classic success with the G3 Gordon S. winner Ottoman Emperor (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}).

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