New London Tops Sunday Cast

   Sunday afternoon is as busy as it gets, with the plethora of pattern races creating a logjam of quality which can only truly be appreciated in the aftermath. Nestled among the key events taking place across Europe is Doncaster's G1 Cazoo St Leger, where New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the true kingpin with an air of apparent superiority. That comes largely from him winning a deep renewal of Goodwood's G3 Gordon S. July 28, which aside from the Derby is the strongest piece of 3-year-old middle-distance form for the males this season. He has a staggering extra 557 yards to cover here on ground not dissimilar to that on which he floundered in the spring when beaten at Chester. That said, Godolphin's eclipsed hot favourite for the G3 Chester Vase is a different beast four months on and as a relative of the 2011 Leger hero Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and of Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) there is little not to like.

“All the signs are there with his pedigree that this distance will suit, so we are not lacking confidence with the trip,” Charlie Appleby said. “The only blip he's had on his page was in the Chester Vase. People might say was that the trip and ground at the time, but I don't think it was either. I just think he'd run a good, solid race at the Craven meeting a few weeks earlier and he's best when he's fresh. That's why after the Gordon S. we always wanted to come straight here.”

 

Watch Out!

For those who believe that New London is home and hosed, they would be well-served to remember that this is a Classic that sometimes likes to bowl a googly as they say in Britain, or throw a curveball as they do in the seaport city in Connecticut after which the favourite is named. While the last five winners have been largely predictable, it was only in 2016 that the 22-1 outsider Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) benefitted as the unthinkable happened and Seamie Heffernan was unshipped from the 4-6 favourite Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). A year before, Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) won it, lost in the stewards' room and was given it back again while this is the 10-year anniversary of the 25-1 shot Encke (Kingmambo), who did for the Triple Crown dream of Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). There is plenty to fear not only from the fates but also from KHK Racing Ltd's G2 Queen's Vase-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Go Bloodstock and Partners' Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and the still-promising and possibly underestimated filly Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the sole representative from Ballydoyle no less.

 

Blink And You'll Miss It

The first of six Group 1 contests across Britain, Ireland and France on Sunday takes place on the talent-rich Curragh card, with Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) looking to extend her dominance on the sprinting division having completed the taxing double of the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and five-furlong G1 Nunthorpe S. in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five S. Ordinarily, the switch from York's flat track and lively surface to this stiff test on yielding going would be a concern for lesser mortals but this is a mare that is proven in all spheres. Stripping sprinting back to the bare basics of how quickly the furlongs can be ticked off from pillar-to-post, she has risen from unlikely beginnings to become a true force of nature and the sporting nature of connections is to be cherished. With no constraints on her versatility, it is up to this cast which includes last year's one-two Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass) and A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) to make it as tough for her as possible.

 

Meditate On That

Aidan O'Brien has won 13 of the 21 juvenile group races where he has had a runner in 2022 and, while Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) is absent from Sunday's Curragh fixture, the stable remains highly likely to come up with at least one able substitute. It is the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. which has to deal with Little Big Bear's temporary void, but there is still a keen sense of excitement in the air where fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) is concerned. How good he is remains to be seen, but he appeared to win the course-and-distance G2 Futurity S. Aug. 20 on ability alone. This slightly different test on different ground, which sees Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's July 26 G2 Vintage S. winner Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) pitched in, will give a truer gauge. Ballydoyle's G2 Debutante S. and G3 Albany S. scorer Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) appears to have been around a lot longer due to her fine blend of obstinacy and class and she is an imposing figurehead for her unrivalled yard in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. For all the raw material of the favourite, there will nonetheless be a few disappointed members of The Aga Khan's operation and the Dermot Weld stable if the 'TDN Rising Star' Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), the wildflower that her trainer planted at Galway July 26, does not impose herself on this contest at the business end.

 

His True Measure

Denied his ideal ground all summer, Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) finally has all in his favour as he takes centre stage in what would have been Friday's headlining G2 Coral Doncaster Cup. Eventually tried on a fast surface when third defending his title in the G1 Goodwood Cup July 26, Alan King's flag-bearer lost nothing in defeat there having already achieved a remarkable feat by registering a weight-carrying record in Newcastle's Northumberland Plate June 25. While his stature as staying division leader is currently intact despite the inevitable withdrawals that pepper his record, it has seemed that every time he has been either forced out of competition or undermined by the dry spell there has been one more challenger to his assumed title.

 

Rapid Response

While the ball is back in Trueshan's court on Town Moor, it may only be so for an hour and a half maximum before Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) again contests his premiership, this time in The Curragh's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger. Having beaten Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) fair and square at Goodwood following his G1 Gold Cup exploits at Royal Ascot, Ballydoyle's young buck in this category now has to do it on the easier ground that his chief British foe relishes, which is not even to mention the upwardly-mobile Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) who has emerged front and centre since the last time that Moyglare's colourbearer was viewed. With the exception of the Haggas challenger Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}), who has a habit of springing up to remind everyone how talented he is and who is fresh having been kept under wraps since his May 5 G3 Ormonde S. success, this is undeniably Kyprios's race to lose.

 

Coming Verry Soon

While Sunday's racing is outstanding in its own right, the ongoing daisy chain of the Flat season demands that thoughts of the future are never far away. As far as ParisLongchamp's fixture is concerned, it is all about the Arc in three weeks' time with the door still only slightly ajar for Jomara Bloodstock's remarkable Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) following her flop on her French debut in Deauville's G1 Prix Jean Romanet Aug. 21. Francis-Henri Graffard was quick to forgive that effort, but it seems a long time since she was seen in her prime and she has to kick that door wide open in what is a substandard edition of this time-honoured prep, the G2 Qatar Prix Foy. Connections are convinced she can get back to the level that was still in evidence as she brought up an 11th Group 1 win in Randwick's Chipping Norton on heavy ground Feb. 26, so it's a case of over to you…

 

Arc Angels?

If Verry Elleegant is indeed on the way down, the opposite is certainly true of Ballydoyle's Oaks heroine Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who continues her ascent towards the Arc in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille. With her stamina for this mile-and-a-half doubted in some parts after she had prevailed in what was a slowly-run renewal of the Epsom Classic, they were put firmly to the side as she split Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}), with the Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) well beaten, in the Aug. 18 G1 Yorkshire Oaks. The full-sister to Minding (Ire) looks to have more stamina than her sibling at this stage and could yet prove to have as much class. Fellow 3-year-old La Parisienne (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) shook up Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly June 19 and is in deep again, but Peter R Bradley III's colour-bearer still carries the dream. That is also true of another big Arc player who headlines the G2 Qatar Prix Niel in the May 29 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). Yutaka Take heads back to Paris to reignite yet another Japanese fire ahead of the one the nation wants so badly next month.

 

More Champagne Moments

The afternoon's frantic group-race action begins with the G2 Coral Champagne S. at Doncaster, which is some appetiser given that is one of Britain's key juvenile staging posts en route to the following year's Classics. Bizarrely or not, given your take on the malnourished state of field sizes in this country this season, just three turn up but they are all worthy and make for a fascinating if tactical conundrum. William Buick and Frankie Dettori will have to ponder how they play the hands of their Aug. 20 G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Aug. 17 G3 Acomb S. scorer Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) respectively, but the latter looked s strong stayer at this seven-furlong trip at York so expect the Juddmonte silks to be there to be shot at. There is also a heady clash just over an hour later between Middleham Park Racing's Aug. 19 G1 Nunthorpe S. runner-up The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) and Rockcliffe Stud's July 27 G3 Molecomb S. scorer Trillium (GB) (No Nay Never) in the rescheduled five-furlong G2 Wainwright Flying Childers S. The third of Doncaster's Group 2s, the Cazoo Park S., features Marc Chan's accomplished 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) with that man Frankie again, flying dismount at the ready.

 

Click here for the fields.

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Champagne Next For Undefeated Isaac Shelby

The Sept. 10 G2 Champagne S. is next for the unbeaten Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), according to trainer Brian Meehan. Owned by the Manton Thoroughbreds VII partnership led by Sam Sangster, the chestnut won at Newbury on debut, and followed up in the July 9 G2 Superlative S. If the colt continues to progress, a crack at the G1 2000 Guineas is on the horizon next spring.

“We put him in the Champagne S. at Doncaster and that is probably likely to be his next spot,” said Meehan. “He has taken the race well. He has had a little break and we couldn't be happier with him.

“He was impressive in the way he battled like that. He wasn't going to stop. There is lots to look forward to and we are looking forward to the autumn.

“The plan is to definitely train him as a Guineas horse going forward. He is a colt with huge potential. Physically, you'd think there would be massive improvement to come, but he has plenty of time before Doncaster.”

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New Bay’s Bayside Boy Takes The Champagne

With the Gosdens and Frankie in such hot form and given the silks he carries, there was understandably a keen focus on The Queen's G3 Solario S. winner Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Saturday's G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster. Patriots and Frankie followers were in for a late shock, however, as Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud's highly-regarded Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) ripped up the script to subdue the royal runner in the final strides and prevail by a head. Last seen finishing runner-up in Newbury's Listed Denford S. over this seven-furlong trip Aug. 14, the 5-1 shot was keen early under restraint from David Egan as Dettori set out to test his three rivals in front. Travelling apparently easily for much of the contest, that 8-13 favourite failed to get away from the outsider Twilight Jet (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) and the warning light was on long before the Roger Varian trainee swooped to wear him down close home. “I was so disappointed last time, as he was in front before and after the line,” Egan said. “He is a nice, progressive horse and we came into today knowing it could be trappy as a four-runner race, so I nursed him along and I thought he hit the line hard and won a shade cosily in the end.”

Bayside Boy started out with an emphatic 3 1/4-length defeat of the useful Find (GB) (Frankel {GB}) over this trip at Newbury July 16, only to lose out in a photo to the more-experienced Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) in the race previously known as the Washington Singer over the same track and trip. Egan blames greenness for that narrow reversal. “I thought when I hit the front at Newbury, he was inexperienced and had a look at the stands,” he added. “He'll keep progressing into an even better 3-year-old, it's just a case of getting him switched off and saving as much energy as possible on that slow ground. He's so straightforward and getting him to relax early on is probably the key. That slow ground takes the turn of foot away from the others and maybe when it rides quicker he will need to be more handier.”

Varian is keen to try Bayside Boy in the Oct. 9 G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket if he gives the right signals in the interim. “He looked good when he won his novice at Newbury and probably showed his lack of experience when he was worried out of it back at Newbury,” he commented. “He showed he'd learned from Newbury and really stuck his head out–he was tough when he needed to be. He's quite a neat horse, he's not a giant. He looks a miler and saw the trip out well today. He'll be a miler next year. We'd like to run him again, but it depends on how he comes out of this. He is in all the big races and you'd have to be thinking of something like the Dewhurst.”

John Gosden said of Reach For the Moon, “The jockey said he wasn't in love with the ground, he wasn't travelling on it like he normally does. It's gone a bit dead, it's drying out after last night's rain and trying to make all into a headwind was just a bit much. Better ground, better horse is all I can say. He could run again, there are some nice races left at Newmarket and we'll see what the ground is like.”

Bayside Boy is the second group winner out of the Listed Prix Occitanie scorer Alava (Ire) (Anabaa) after the four-times pattern-race scorer Forest Ranger (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who captured two renewals of the 10-furlong G2 Huxley S. Alava, who also produced the listed-placed Home Cummins (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), is out of the triple listed-placed Cerita (Ire) (Wolfhound) whose half-siblings include the G3 Prix de Flore scorer Tamise (Time For a Change) and the GII La Canada S. and GII El Encino S. runner-up Luthier's Launch (Relaunch). Her descendants include the G3 Prix de Saint-Georges-winning sprinter Sestilio Jet (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}) and the GI Personal Ensign H. winner Passing Shot (A P Indy). Alava's yearling colt by Lope de Vega (Ire) is due to sell at the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2.

Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
CHAMPAGNE S.-G2, £120,500, Doncaster, 9-11, 2yo, c/g, 7f 6yT, 1:27.88, g/s.
1–BAYSIDE BOY (IRE), 126, c, 2, by New Bay (GB)
     1st Dam: Alava (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Anabaa
     2nd Dam: Cerita (Ire), by Wolfhound
     3rd Dam: Tanapa (Fr), by Luthier (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Teme Valley & Ballylinch Stud; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £71,336. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $120,295. *1/2 to Forest Ranger (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), MGSW-Eng, $498,136. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Reach For the Moon (GB), 126, c, 2, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Golden Stream (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. O/B-The Queen (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £26,980.
3–Twilight Jet (Ire), 126, c, 2, Twilight Son (GB)–My Lucky Liz (Ire), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). (€28,000 Ylg '20 GOFFEB; £210,000 2yo '21 GOFTY). O/T-Michael O'Callaghan; B-Tom Radley (IRE). £13,484.
Margins: HD, 1 1/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 5.00, 0.62, 25.00.
Also Ran: Lusail (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Reach For The Moon Camp Eyes Champagne

Progressive colt Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is a likely starter in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster on Sept. 11. The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt, who carries The Queen's silks, was a last out winner of the G3 Betway Solario S. at Sandown on Aug. 21.

“Reach For The Moon is in really good form,” said The Queen's Racing Manager John Warren after Reach For The Moon's stablemate Saga (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won at Ascot on Friday. “He had a good blow yesterday [Thursday] and I think we're all just getting our heads around his next start.

“He's got an entry in the Champagne S. next week, so I think we'll be looking strongly at that to see whether or not that's where he ought to go next. He's a horse that needs keeping on top of himself as he's full of himself.”

Second in his first two starts, including the Listed Chesham S. behind top G1 Derby contender Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Reach For The Moon drew off by four lengths to win a novice stakes over seven furlongs on July 16. The colt is second choice for next spring's Derby at this stage.

Warren added, “I think John and Thady and Frankie [Dettori] think it wouldn't do him any harm to come out again and get a bit streetwise if he's going to be a Group 1 horse–the more education going into Group 1s the better. There's a strong possibility that we'll take a good, hard look at the Champagne.”

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