No Doubting Stradivarius In The Lonsdale Cup

With the drying ground ruling out the G1 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), Friday's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York was teed up perfectly for Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) to register an inspiring third success in this marathon. Open to questioning following his fourth in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot June 17, Bjorn Nielsen's staying star was settled in second early by Frankie Dettori as The Grand Visir (GB) (Frankel {GB}) set off in isolation. Joined by Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) approaching two out as they loomed on the front end, William Buick had the upper hand for much of the rest of the distance and looked likely to prevail until the final yards. It was then that the 4-6 favourite was lifted by the crowd to give extra and outstay his chief rival for an 18th career and 16th pattern-race win by a head as The Grand Visir finished seven lengths adrift in third. “I'm feeling emotional,” Frankie said. “It was always going to be a messy race and I was using Richard [Kingscote on The Grand Visir] as a reference point, but Strad likes a target and so I pushed him close to William [Buick] and it worked–he only does enough and William would not go away, so it was a tremendous horse race. The reception he got–he's loved by everyone.”

One of the most consistent staying stars of all time, Stradivarius has drawn on his incredible constitution to maintain a level of ability that is still unattainable to much-younger rivals. Spanish Mission had shown when winning the G2 Yorkshire Cup and last year's G2 Doncaster Cup that he is a stayer of considerable merit and he held every chance of subduing the Gosden A-lister with everything to suit but ultimately came up short. With Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) out of action for now, Stradivarius has the opportunity to garner more of these before time is called.

Dettori thinks there is more to come from the 7-year-old. “Every time he's run here I've felt he is below-par–he fell in the last two times he won this for the bonus–and I feel he's much better at Ascot,” he said of the hero of two Yorkshire Cups and the 2018 and 2019 renewals of this race. “He's getting older, he's getting wiser. He got the job done and knows exactly what he's got to do.”

John Gosden added, “He's phenomenal. All those miles of racing. I always think flat horses are at their peak at five, but some of the great jumpers race on so we'll see how he is. He's a very happy horse and he's got a very good sense of humour as well. As long as he's happy, we can keep racing. He was a really angry chap when he came home from Goodwood and hadn't run. He used to sting like a butterfly and float like a bee, but he's a little more rope a dope now! He's still up for it and it was a proper race for everyone to watch between two fabulous horses. The [Sept. 10 G2] Doncaster Cup is a possibility and there is Champions Day, I hope it's decent ground but if it's bottomless we might have to reroute.”

Anna Lisa Balding said of the runner-up, who is bound for the G1 Melbourne Cup, “He's run a hell of a race and I actually thought we'd won when he went ahead. I thought we'd got him, but we didn't. We'll stick to Plan A, Australia here we come and let's hope he does his stuff out there.”
Stradivarius is the last foal out of Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), who was bought by Nielsen for 70,000gns at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She also produced the G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Furstenberg-Rennen scorer Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), the group-placed Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and the stakes-placed Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}). Like Peintre Celebre a descendant of the great Pawneese (Ire), who captured the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and the G1 Prix de Diane, she is also connected to the G1 Melbourne Cup hero Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}).

Friday, York, Britain
WEATHERBYS HAMILTON LONSDALE CUP S.-G2, £150,000, York, 8-20, 3yo/up, 16f 56yT, 3:30.87, g/f.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 129, 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. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 3x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 14f+, MG1SW-Eng & GSP-Fr, 29-18-3-3, $3,906,991. *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–Spanish Mission, 129, h, 5, Noble Mission (GB)–Limonar (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire). ($125,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; 60,000gns RNA 2yo '18 TATBRE). O-Team Valor LLC & Gary Barber; B-St Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Andrew Balding. £32,250.
3–The Grand Visir (GB), 129, g, 7, Frankel (GB)–Piping (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (€750,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG; 170,000gns 4yo '18 TATAHI; £40,000 6yo '20 GOFJAN). O-Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons; B-Qatar Bloodstock, Ecurie Monceaux & Skymarc (GB); T-Ian Williams. £16,140.
Margins: HD, 7, 13. Odds: 0.67, 1.88, 28.00.
Also Ran: Stratum (GB). Scratched: Trueshan (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Breeders’ Cup Winner Golden Pal Lines Up In Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes At York

The 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) champion Golden Pal lines up in the 5-furlong Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York on Friday. The Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes winner will receive an automatic berth into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

International challengers Golden Pal and Suesa (IRE) head a 15-runner field in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Golden Pal returns to the UK for the first time this season. The 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo was last seen across the Atlantic when finishing second in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in June 2020. Returning to the US, Golden Pal finished off his 2-year-old campaign in style when winning the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga, before cruising to victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Winner of the Quick Call Stakes (G3) at Saratoga in his only start this year, Golden Pal is aiming to give Frankie Dettori his fourth win in this race.

The Newmarket based jockey flew up to York on Tuesday morning to exercise Golden Pal and said, “Wesley booked me on the horse a few weeks back. He is very pleased with the horse. I've seen him race a few times, but Wesley wanted me to have a sit on him before Friday. He's in good order and looks great. I didn't let him out of third gear, it was just to get a feel of him.'

Dettori added: “Wesley is the king of sprinters so I'm with the right trainer. The Nunthorpe Stakes is probably our best sprint so it's always very hard to win, but we are going to war with a good horse. He's an explosive horse and very quick. I'm looking forward to riding him.”

George Strawbridge's Suesa was last seen winning the King George Qatar Stakes (G2) at Goodwood on July 30. The 3-year-old filly, representing French trainer Francois Rohaut, suffered her only career defeat when finishing eighth as the favorite in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot in June. Jockey William Buick is booked to ride.

Second that day in the King George Qatar Stakes was Dragon Symbol (GB), one of four occasions the son of Cable Bay (GB) has placed runner-up this season. The highly consistent 3-year-old was first past the post in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot in June but following a stewards' inquiry was demoted to second place behind Campanelle (IRE). Trained by Archie Watson, Dragon Symbol was denied another Group 1 victory when finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind Starman (GB) in the Darley July Cup (G1) at Newmarket on July 10.

The Tim Easterby-trained Winter Power (IRE) leads the home challenge for Yorkshire. The 3-year-old daughter of Bungle Inthejungle (GB) was a comfortable winner of the listed John Smith's City Walls Stakes over the same course and distance last time out, with Moss Girl (IRE), for trainer Edward Bethell, 1-length behind in second.

They are joined by last year's Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes runner-up Que Amoro (IRE), one of two runners in the race for trainer Michael Dods, who also saddles stablemate Dakota Gold (GB). Other notable runners include the Robert Cowell-trained Arecibo (FR), runner-up in the King's Stand Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in June, and the Group 1-placed Liberty Beach (GB), trained by John Quinn.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes winner to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at 5 Furlongs on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Palace Pier Wins Second Jacques Le Marois At Deauville, BC Mile Berth

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Palace Pier (GB) became the first horse to win the Group 1 Prix Du Haras De Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois in successive years since Spinning World in 1997. The win gave him his second “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Series of 2021, having won the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The son of Kingman (GB) has an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's $2 million Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races where the winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif., on Nov. 5-6.

Palace Pier, trained by John & Thady Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, traveled up on the outside of the field and showed a sparkling turn of foot to go clear of his seven rivals before having to withstand a strong challenge from Group 1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Poetic Flare (IRE) in the final furlong to hold on by a neck. The defending Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile champion, Order of Australia (IRE), was a further 1 ¾ lengths back in third.

After completing the mile in 1:35.96 over a course listed as good, Palace Pier was cut to 7/4 with Unibet for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile in November.

John Gosden speaking after the race, said: “I thought it was a very clean race. They went a sensible pace. They quickened from 600 meters out and so it was a test of speed and he's done it well. He's a gorgeous and lovely horse to be around. He's got this amazing cruising speed and acceleration. I've made no secret that he was ill. He had a blood disorder and missed the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes and we've come here on the absolute minimum amount of work. He's probably come here at 80% and as Frankie (Dettori) said, his class has got him through. He's having a strong blow after, so he was probably 10 days short of work, but they weren't going to move the Jacques Le Marois!”

Gosden indicated that QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot in October could be next for the five-time Group 1 winner.

“We'll now wait until Champions Day and go either for the 1-mile Group 1 QIPCO Queen Elizabeth II Stakes or perhaps the 1 ¼ mile Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes.”

When asked if the Breeders' Cup could be on the agenda for the son of Kingman (GB), Gosden replied: “November is a long way off! Del Mar is a track I'm very fond of and I had a lot of success there and have a lot of good friends there, but that's a long way down the road at the moment.”

Palace Pier was already a winner of the “Win and You're In” G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and is one of seven horses this year to have gained a “Win and You're In” berth for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. Jet Dark (SAF), winner of the Group 1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate in South Africa, Succeso (CHI) who claimed the Group 1 Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella in Chile, Smooth Like Strait who won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile, Danon Kingly (JPN) who captured the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen in Japan, Alcohol Free (IRE) who stormed clear in the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes, and Got Stormy who yesterday won the Grade 1 Fourstardave, are the other six.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Palace Pier to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at a mile on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Second Jacques Le Marois For Palace Pier

Coming into Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois short of his peak having suffered a blood disorder last month, Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) nevertheless had sufficient ammunition to deny Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and gain membership to an elite club on the honor roll of the feature of Deauville's month-long festival. Meeting the younger generation for the first time, the four-times group 1 winner was the subject of the most interest among the Normandy crowd and started at 7-10 drawn away from the stand's rail which often grants an advantage here. Held back by Frankie Dettori trapped out on the wing as Poetic Flare raced against the fence out of sight tracking the keen-going Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's TDN Rising Star received the go-ahead 300 metres from the finish. Delivering his customary surge to shut down the gap in a moment, he was able to subdue the Bolger runner inside the final 150 metres and score a shade cosily by a neck, with Order of Australia 1 3/4 lengths away in third. In doing so, the 4-year-old who is unbeaten this year and has suffered one excusable reversal in his three seasons of racing equalled the feat of Miesque and Spinning World in completing back-to-back successes in this French monument. “I love the horse–he's the best miler I've ridden ,” declared Frankie, who was equalling the record of Freddy Head with a sixth renewal. “He's beautiful. He's got everything, pace, a turn of foot and goes on any ground. We were rushing to get him here today–he lost a bunch of work, but he's so good we got away with it.”

Dettori's winning haul in this began in 1999 with Dubai Millennium (GB), so to hear the rider of greats at the trip such as Dubawi (Ire) and Mark of Esteem (Ire) herald Palace Pier as the top in that category underlines the quality of the pride of Clarehaven. Unbeaten in two low-profile starts at Sandown at two, the bay failed to make it to the G1 2000 Guineas as a result of a setback but showed what Newmarket had missed a month later when denying Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. Prevailing with a degree of comfort from a different Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) to the one he encountered this time in last year's Jacques le Marois on testing ground, he carried an air of invulnerability into the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. on Champions Day but lost a shoe and any prospect of winning exiting the stalls before earning third through sheer ability alone.

Giving the impression he was merely going through the motions in the Apr. 23 G2 Sandown Mile and the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 15, Palace Pier was less demonstrative in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot June 15, an hour before Poetic Flare was exactly that in the St James's Palace. While the showdown between the generation leaders among their sex was postponed from the Sussex to here, the gap between them was clear to see as the year-older colt employed his superior acceleration to settle the question. Caught wide throughout and following a rival in Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) who could not take him far enough, Palace Pier had the distinct disadvantage of the two with Kevin Manning enjoying as charmed a trip as is possible in this race. Track, trip and ground were all on Poetic Flare's side and yet the one who according to John Gosden was “80%” was able to win snugly. “I got on the tail of Mickael [Barzalona on Victor Ludorum] and kept an eye on Kevin–when he kicked, I went after him,” Dettori explained. “I raced on my own for the last 200 metres and passed him good, but he came and fought me back. Apart from losing a shoe and having a bad start in the QEII last year, he's done nothing wrong and is a credit to the team.”

While Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) goes up in trip on Wednesday, it may be that the true division champion at a mile is decided by the international handicappers at the end of the year. With Jeff Smith's electrifying filly probably headed for the QEII on Champions Day Oct. 16, Gosden Sr gave his clearest indication yet that Palace Pier could go up in distance for the G1 Qipco Champion S. “I wouldn't be frightened of stepping him up to a mile and a quarter, but I think we'll wait for Champions Day,” he said. “With a horse like this, you don't want to come back too quickly and possibly run him a bit short so we'll wait and either go for the mile or the mile-and-a-quarter race then. The Breeders' Cup is a long way off, but I'm very fond of Del Mar as I had a lot of success there and have a lot of good friends there.”

“I thought it was a very clean race and Ryan went a sensible pace on Order of Australia, controlling it and keeping it in hand. It was not a race to be sitting out the back and was a bit of a test of speed,” Gosden added. “I made it clear he was coming here 80%, on the absolute minimum of work, but his class got him through. He was having a pretty strong blow after and was ten days short for this, but they weren't going to move the Jaques le Marois and without it his season would be meaningless. He made a great move, but lack of fitness told at the end. He's a gorgeous horse, is a dual winner of the race and is top-class–he has an amazing cruising speed and acceleration.”

Palace Pier is out of the unraced Beach Frolic (GB) (Nayef), who is a half to the G2 Dante S. winner Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and to this stable's G2 Windsor Forest S. and G3 Musidora S. scorer Joviality (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who was also third in the GI Beverly D. The third dam Miss d'Ouilly (Fr) (Bikala {Ire}) is a half-sister to a past Jacques le Marois heroine in Miss Satamixa (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), who was later responsible for the GIII Cardinal H. winner Miss Caerleona (Fr) (Caerleon) who is in turn the dam of another former smart Gosden representative in Karen's Caper (War Chant). She was successful in the G3 Nell Gwyn S., GIII Noble Damsel Breeders' Cup H. and GIII Eatontown S. and was also runner-up in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and the G1 Coronation S. before producing the G2 UAE 2000 Guuineas scorer Kinglet (Kingmambo) and the G2 Derby Italiano runner-up King's Caper (GB) (New Approach {Ire}).

Miss Caerleona was also responsible for the GII Davona Dale H. winner Miss Coronado (Coronado's Quest), who in turn threw the stakes scorer and GI Las Virgenes S. third Arethusa (A.P. Indy) while the family also features the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Irish Oaks heroine Blue Bunting (Dynaformer) and the top-level performers Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) and Comicas (Distorted Humor). Beach Frolic's 2-year-old colt Highland Frolic (Fr) (Highland Reel {Ire}) was a 320,000gns purchase by McCalmont Bloodstock at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, which is where her yearling colt by Almanzor (Fr) is headed in two months' time.

Sunday, Deauville, France
PRIX DU HARAS DE FRESNAY-LE-BUFFARD JACQUES LE MAROIS-G1, €1,000,000, Deauville, 8-15, 3yo/up, c/f, 8fT, 1:35.96, gd.
1–PALACE PIER (GB), 131, c, 4, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Beach Frolic (GB), by Nayef
2nd Dam: Night Frolic (GB), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Miss d'Ouilly (Fr), by Bikala (Ire)
(600,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Highclere Stud & Floors Farming (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. €571,400. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, 10-9-0-1, €1,753,741. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Poetic Flare (Ire), 125, c, 3, Dawn Approach (Ire)–Maria Lee (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €228,600.
3–Order of Australia (Ire), 131, c, 4, Australia (GB)–Senta's Dream (GB), by Danehill. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €114,300.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.70, 3.10, 17.00.
Also Ran: Midtown (GB), Chindit (Ire), Ecrivain (Fr), Victor Ludorum (GB), Alpine Star (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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