Tag: Frankie Dettori

Regal Presence Opens the Royal Meeting

While it is expected that The Queen will be at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, the fact that the monarch is not going to attend each day and that there will be no royal procession means that as far as normality is concerned we are far from out of the woods.

In an upgrade on the atmospheric void that was 2020, there will be 12,000 in attendance to create some buzz at Flat racing's magnificent summer showcase which still boasts a strong, if slightly diminished, international element. While French entries have suffered the most this year, it is debatable whether they would have supplied anything to hamper the opening race's star turn Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). One of if not the key protagonist of this year's meeting, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's 'TDN Rising Star' has all the ingredients of a “banker” with Frankie Dettori in the saddle looking for an instant addition to his 73 Royal Ascot winners.

Heading 11 declarations confirmed on Sunday for the mile contest, last year's G1 St James's Palace S. hero who has since also captured the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville and the May 15 G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury comes here with an air of invulnerability. “He's a lovely horse and has done everything right in his life,” John Gosden said last week. “We're happy with him and there's plenty to look forward to with him.”

As usual, Wesley Ward is looking strong and he kicks off the 2021 expedition with Gregory Kaufman's Kaufymaker (Jimmy Creed), who bids to become the first filly since Diadem in 1916 to win the G2 Coventry S. There is also a North American flavour to the G1 King's Stand S., in which the elite sprinter Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) faces 15 rivals including the Mar. 27 G1

Al Quoz Sprint hero Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid) and Wesley Ward's Maven (American Pharoah). Frankie Dettori has been snapped up by Brendan Walsh for Extravagant Kid after Ryan Moore was committed to Doreen Tabor's Keep Busy (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and that is not the only notable spare ride for the 50-year-old with Joseph O'Brien booking him for Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 St James's Palace S. Last of 14 in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 1, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. winner bids to bounce back along with fellow flops Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Battleground (War Front), with Ryan Moore picking the latter this time.

Of the 13 declared for the St James's Palace, the Guineas hero Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) is the current favourite for a wide-open affair with Jim Bolger happy to go again after the homebred was subsequently sixth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and runner-up in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. “It's been an extraordinary season, with just one real hiccup and another that was self-inflicted at The Curragh,” his owner, breeder and trainer said. “Nothing went right in the race at Longchamp and we've drawn a line through it. He came back very quickly to finish second at The Curragh, so he's very, very hardy–you couldn't do that with every horse. The biggest trouble I have is keeping the weight off him. He's a great doer and he still has to do plenty at home, despite the schedule.”

“Dawn Approach was pretty hardy too and took it well, but he wouldn't have been the same as Poetic Flare,” Bolger added. “I might have had one or two others like him and I remember when I won the 4-year-old hurdle at Aintree in 1978 with Beparoejojo she had to have a blow-out on the morning of the race, but I've never had a colt of his quality who needed as much work as he does. He's very well and I think he has a big chance–the bookmakers seem to think so too. He goes on any ground too, which is a big advantage. It was good-to-firm when he won at Newmarket, but personally I'd prefer it if there was no firm in the description as horses last longer that way.”

In recent times, it seems almost impossible that the meeting can escape significant rain and there is also a very real threat of thunderstorms in the middle of the week this time. Tuesday's action is certain to start on a lively surface, however, as Ascot's Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels ponders the watering policy. “Going wise we are good, good-to-firm in places and in the middle of a watering cycle,” he explained on Sunday. “It's a very warm day today–29 degrees as the afternoon goes on and we are expecting a warm, dry day tomorrow too. The track is in lovely condition. We'll end up with good-to-firm ground by the middle of the afternoon on Tuesday.”

“The question then comes what do we do in the evening after racing, depending on the forecast,” he added. “We'll have to play that one by ear when the forecast for the remainder of the week becomes clearer. We may have to put a bit of water on on Tuesday night to hold it at good-to-firm. There does look like a breakdown in the middle of the week. Certainly Wednesday night into Thursday, when some thunderstorms might develop from northern France. The nature of thunderstorms is they are hit-and-miss, but there is confidence in that forecast after racing Wednesday and on Thursday. This far out on Sunday, talking about Wednesday night, it's very difficult to imagine what is going to happen at this stage.”

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Snowfall, Rainfall And An Oaks Day To Savour

EPSOM, UK—It was an Oaks that delivered everything. An emphatic winner, bred in the purple, racing in the purple, representing a trio of the sport's most powerful owners for whom Epsom's famous winner's circle is almost a home from home. 

It was also a record-breaking winning margin by a filly who reminded us just what a loss Deep Impact (Jpn) was, not just to Japan but to breeders worldwide, when he died at the age of 17 in 2019. Next month, a handful of his final small crop of yearlings will be offered at the JRHA Select Sale in Hokkaido. The Coolmore team was among the select number of European breeders who had mares worthy of a trip to Japan, and their globetrotting endeavours have already been rewarded with the 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (Jpn). Now, in Snowfall (Jpn), they have a second British Classic winner bred on that same potent cross that blends the two extraordinarily dominant sires of Japan and Europe, Deep Impact and Galileo. 

It should not be forgotten either that last year's Prix de Diane winner Fancy Blue (Ire), is also by Deep Impact and bred in a similar fashion, being out of a sister to another Epsom hero in High Chaparral (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). And from a limited number of runners in Europe, Deep Impact also sired the 2018 Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man (Ire).

For an Oaks to remember, throw in racing's Mr Showbusiness, Frankie Dettori–in theory playing the unfamiliar role of understudy to Ryan Moore aboard the race favourite Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB})–and you have all the glitz required to light up a racecourse even with a limited number of racegoers. The Queen's Stand, usually packed to this rafters for this weekend, was sparsely populated, even with most of those on track having to take refuge indoors from the ceaseless rain which turned the track into a quagmire and brought the Classic field stand-side as they reeled off Tattenham Corner.

Snowfall clearly didn't mind the rainfall as demonstrated by the menacing way she loomed alongside and swiftly overpowered the long-time leader Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}). But take away the 16-length winner and the terrier-like runner-up, from the determinedly ambitious stable of George Boughey, had plenty of fancy fillies beaten, including the third-placed Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-sister to Snowfall's dam Best In The World (Ire) and to the brilliant Arc winner Found (Ire). While Snowfall and Divinely would have had the Oaks on their agenda even before they were weaned, it is far to say that it was probably not a race that Noelle Walsh, the breeder of Mystery Angel, had envisaged for her filly. But Boughey has already made people sit up and take notice as he has saddled winner after winner since taking out his licence only last season, and perhaps more should have taken notice of the fact that a syndicate of a very different nature to the Coolmore triumvirate had stumped up £22,500 to supplement Mystery Angel to the Oaks line-up on Monday.

As Snowfall sailed across the line in glorious isolation, Boughey, his great pal and key form ally Sam Haggas, and girlfriend Laura Toller, roared and swung each other around as their filly fought her way home. Their celebrations were every bit as wild  as they would have been for a winner, and in a way she was. For this was a massive result for the stable and for Nick Bradley's racing syndicate on a day which started with yet another impressive juvenile winner for both owner and trainer when Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {Ire}) landed the Woodcote S. on her third start. 

As the Oaks presentation took place in the winner's circle, the celebratory gaggle was joined by Georg von Opel, a huge investor in some of the Coolmore syndicated horses in recent years and part-owner of the fifth-placed Santa Barbara. Just beyond them out on the track where the placed horses unsaddle, Mystery Angel was surrounded by her large, happy band of owners for a photo that will undoubtedly grace plenty of walls. Their investment would have been far smaller but their joy no less confined. 

Just over an hour earlier there had been a similarly pleasing story to the Coronation Cup when Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), who had finished 11th in last year's Derby and third in the St Leger, enjoyed an official coming of age. 

By the admission post-race of his co-owner/breeder Roger Devlin, Pyledriver is not as regally bred as some of those he was taking on, but he has a tenacity akin to Mystery Angel's and only temporarily surrendered the advantage he had gained when bowling into the lead halfway round, before grabbing it back from the imposing favourite Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

For his jockey Martin Dwyer, who is not among the most fashionable names in the weighing-room, it brought up a hat-trick of Epsom Group 1s that few of his colleagues can match. It has been a long time in the earning, from the day he gave the then-young Andrew Balding his first Classic success with Casual Look (Red Ransom) in the Oaks of 2003, followed by the Derby victory for Sir Percy (GB) ((Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) for Marcus Tregoning and owners Anthony and Victoria Pakenham. The Coronation Cup may not be a Classic but success will have been all the sweeter for the fact that it was the first at Group 1 level for Dwyer's father-in-law William Muir, who this year added Chris Grassick to his training licence.

Devlin shared in Dwyer's joy, and as he watched the replay of the win for the colt he bred in partnership with Guy and Hugh Leach, he said, “Primarily we're delighted for William because he's been training for 30 years and this is his first Group 1 winner. We've been in it for a couple of years and we're very grateful to William for all the effort he puts in.”

He continued, “We thought [Pyledriver] would improve as a 4-year-old. He's fairly modestly bred, like the owners, and we didn't think he had huge stallion potential so it was important for us to get the Group 1 on his CV. That's job done. I'm not quite sure where we go from here. He's entered in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, but that might come a bit soon, and he has entries in the King George and the Arc, and he proved today he acts on pretty soft ground.”

The owners have much to look forward to as Pyledriver's 10-year-old dam La Pyle (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) has a 3-year-old filly by New Approach (GB) named Country Pyle (GB) who is set to make her debut in the coming weeks, as well as a juvenile Oasis Dream (GB) colt called Stockpyle (GB). 

Devlin added, “We also have a yearling filly by Frankel (GB) and La Pyle is in foal to Kingman (GB). We took the decision to invest and we hope it pays off.”

He also remembered his late friend and advisor Kevin Mercer, the former owner of Usk Valley Stud, where Pyledriver was bred. 

“If it hadn't been for Kevin we wouldn't be here today. He had the vision and the knowledge to think that the mare had it in her,” he said. 

Martin Dwyer admitted after the race that he feared he could be replaced on Pyledriver by a bigger-name jockey. He said: “I love this place, I always have. I've had some great times riding here and I've been lucky. Half my worry was losing the ride on him. It's not easy when you are not fashionable and you are not riding. You will have owners own a good horse like him and then it doesn't pan out and he doesn't win.”

He continued, “The Derby was a write-off and then there are always people saying, 'why don't you use X, Y, Z as they are riding tons of winners and why are you using him as he is not high flying at the moment?' But that is sport and that is what happens so you have to really fight your corner.”

In Pyledriver he has found a fellow battler, and the pair ensured that the day wasn't only about a 21st Classic victory for one of the world's most recognisable jockeys and a 40th British Classic for the unstoppable Aidan O'Brien, who has now won this season's 1000 Guineas and Oaks with the fillies who earned their trainer a £4,000 fine for bearing the wrong saddle cloths in last season's G1 Fillies' Mile. 

For syndicates from one end of the scale to the other, there was plenty to cheer about on Oaks day. There's currently an advertisement on the British racing channels aimed at improving diversity and inclusivity which has the simple catchline of 'Racing is everyone's sport'. On Friday at Epsom it certainly felt so.

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Snowfall Posts Devastating 16-Length Victory In Epsom Oaks

Snowfall and Frankie Dettori produced a devastating display to claim the Cazoo Oaks by an incredible 16 lengths. There were no rivals in the picture and the Aidan O'Brien filly cruised home, eased down, in the hands of the evergreen Dettori.

It sealed a 40th British Classic for master trainer O'Brien, equaling the all-time record held by trainer John Scott, set between 1827 and 1863. It was a 21st such success for jockey Frankie Dettori – to place him alongside the legendary Fred Archer.

There was a steady pace throughout the leading stages as Sherbert Lemon and eventual second Mystery Angel dictated from the front.

Having passed Tattenham Corner runners switched to the standside as jockeys one-by-one decided to play their cards. Mystery Angel, running a huge race, caught plenty of her rivals out as many found themselves several lengths behind.

As sticks were drawn, it was clear that the ice-cool Dettori had plenty under the bonnet. Using hands and heals he began to nurse Snowfall to the front. Her response was emphatic, and she powered away with ease. The Epsom crowd, who had waited so long to return to racing here we treated to an astonishing display. The more Frankie urged, the wider the gap became until all rivals disappeared into the distance.

Snowfall, in splendid isolation, sauntered home to claim an almost facile success. A fitting return to British Classics on the famous Downs.

Mystery Angel defied her odds of 50/1 by claiming second under Ben Curtis, and third was Divinity for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

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Deep Impact’s Snowfall A Class Apart In The Oaks

Aidan O'Brien saddled five in Friday's G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom, but ultimately there was only one that mattered as Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) ran away with the prize by a record-setting margin of 16 lengths under Frankie Dettori. Serving notice that she had turned around her fortunes from a largely disappointing juvenile campaign when making all in the G3 Musidora S. at York May 12, the 11-2 shot arrived from rear under a tight hold to brush aside Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) passing two out. Sprinting clear in scintillating fashion against the stand's rail, it was exhibition stuff from the relative of Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as she provided her rider with a sixth Oaks and her trainer with a ninth. Mystery Angel held on gamely for second at 50-1, heading the clutch of outclassed fillies 1 3/4 lengths in front of Snowfall's stablemate and relative Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Frankie summed up the general feeling afterwards when saying, “That was unbelievable. I wanted a better position, but they went off way too fast so I let them get on with it. Four out I had everything beat. I looked in front and they were all gone. I just cut through the middle–it was like a hot knife through butter. It was quite remarkable, because I pulled up by the stables and everybody else pulled up by the winning post! I've won many Classics, but none as easy as this one. Enable did the Irish Oaks, King George and Arc as a 3-year-old after this and I wouldn't put that past her, she's that good.”

When Snowfall beat the much-vaunted Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) and Teona (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) effectively pulling a cart at 14-1 in the Musidora, there was a sense of general surprise given that every time she had come up against quality opposition at two she had been found wanting. Incredibly, she was involved in the notorious mix-up with Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October and having been called third initially was later confirmed as having finished eighth behind that eventual G1 1000 Guineas heroine. That Frankie should ride both to separate Classic success with all at Rosegreen infatuated with TDN Rising Star Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is a twist of fate which stretches even the wildest imagination and the manner of this performance was simply extraordinary given the competitive look of the race beforehand.

If things had fallen differently for Snowfall early in her 2-year-old career, she may have been coming here as the stable number one instead of able deputy. She must have kidded them at Ballydoyle before she set foot on a racecourse, as she was introduced over an extended five furlongs at Navan in June and, with the benefit of this kind of hindsight, managed something unusual by finishing third behind the super-charged Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) with Mother Earth in second. In what could have been a sliding doors moment, she clipped heels when coming to win her second start over seven furlongs at The Curragh later that month and was lucky to stand up. Despite going back to that same course and distance to break her maiden three weeks later, that incident may have had a lingering effect as her next four starts resulted in off-the-board efforts. Fourth in Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. and fifth in The Curragh's G2 Debutante S. in August, she was only ninth in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. in September prior to another no-show running as the wrong filly in the Fillies' Mile.

Aidan O'Brien may not have been able to foresee such a dynamic performance, which puts her front-and-centre among the Classic generation and will take some matching in Saturday's Derby, but he did reveal that he had an inkling the winner was capable of something unique beforehand. “We really thought she was a proper group one filly last year and she kept disappointing,” commented the Ballydoyle handler, who is ripping up the rule books equalling John Scott's 185-year-old record of 40 British Classic winners. “Little things happened to her in races and stuff like that. She was very impressive at York and maybe she's just got a bit stronger over the winter and the extra distance helped. She's by Deep Impact out of a full-sister to Found, so it's an unbelievable pedigree. When ground turns like that, you can sometimes get extreme distances but Frankie gave her a very good ride and she looks a very special filly.”

Of Santa Barbara, who ended up fifth as the 5-2 favourite, he added, “Ryan said she cantered into the race and then, in that ground, she just emptied out on him. She'll probably go back to a mile and a quarter next. She has loads of class. We thought that she would handle that ground, but in that going staying the trip was the worry with the pace she has. She's a big, powerful, strong filly.”

Snowfall is the first foal out of the ambitiously-titled and now aptly-named Best In the World (Ire) by the stellar sire Galileo who has such a major influence again on Saturday's Derby. Her two wins in blck-type company came in the G3 Give Thanks S. and the Listed Staffordstown Stud S., while she was also runner-up in the G2 Blandford S. and third in the G3 Munster Oaks. As mentioned, she is a full-sister to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Found, as well as the G3 Park S. winner Magical Dream (Ire) and last year's G3 Flame of Tara S. winner Divinely who chased her home here. Found is in turn now the dam of last year's G2 Vintage S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Battleground (War Front). These four Galileo siblings are out of the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab). Best In the World's unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Snowfall is in training at Ballydoyle and named Newfoundland (Ire), while she also has a yearling colt by Dubawi (Ire).

Friday, Epsom Downs, Britain
CAZOO OAKS-G1, £395,000, Epsom, 6-4, 3yo, f, 12f 6yT, 2:42.67, g/s.
1–SNOWFALL (JPN), 126, f, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Best In The World (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $141,246), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Red Evie (Ire), by Intikhab
3rd Dam: Malafemmena (Ire), by Nordico
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Roncon, Chelston Ire, Wynatt (JPN); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £224,005. Lifetime Record: 9-3-0-1, $393,132. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mystery Angel (Ire), 126, f, 3, Kodi Bear (Ire)–Angel Grace (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). (£13,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR; 22,000gns 2yo '20 TATBRE). O-Nick Bradley Racing 27 & Partner; B-Mrs Noelle Walsh (IRE); T-George Boughey. £84,925.
3–Divinely (Ire), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Red Evie (Ire), by Intikhab. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £42,502.
Margins: 16, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 5.50, 50.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Save A Forest (Ire), Santa Barbara (Ire), Ocean Road (Ire), Technique (GB), Saffron Beach (Ire), Sherbet Lemon, Teona (Ire), La Joconde (Ire), Dubai Fountain (Ire), Zeyaadah (Ire), Willow (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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