G2 Joel S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Commissioning Faces Rockfel Test At HQ

After Thursday's appetiser, Newmarket's Cambridgeshire meeting steps up on Friday with the five pattern races including the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Rockfel S. for the 2-year-old Classic aspirants, a “Win And You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland in November. Currently favourite for the seven-furlong contest is Isa Salman and Abdulla Al Khalifa's impressive July Course winner Commissioning (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who looks to provide John and Thady Gosden with a first group success for their team of 2-year-olds in 2022. There are a clutch of proven black-type performers up against her and four other unexposed and unbeaten fillies, including the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) who looked a smart type when doubling her tally over this trip at Leicester Sept. 6. The race also serves as a measurement of just how good the G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) is, with Gallop Racing's Aug. 6 G3 Sweet Solera S. in attendance having finished last of 11 behind The Aga Khan's star 12 days ago.

Over To Potapova

In the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Joel S., the likes of the G3 Sovereign S. and G3 Prix Quincey winner Tempus (GB) (Kingman ({GB}) and G3 Criterion S. scorer Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) have to deal with the mercurial filly Potapova (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Reinvigorated by exaggerated hold-up tactics when beating two subsequent Group 3 winners in Sandown's G3 Atalanta S. last time Aug. 20, the Cheveley Park Stud homebred could finally be about to fulfil her potential and remains one of the autumn's potential improvers. The G3 Princess Royal Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai S. sees Sunderland Holdings' Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Godolphin's Eternal Pearl (GB) (Frankel {GB}) re-oppose, having been first and second in Goodwood's Listed Height of Fashion S. over 10 furlongs May 20. Both have been upwardly-mobile since, with Eternal Pearl particularly so having won Deauville's G3 Prix Minerve over 12 1/2 furlongs last time Aug. 14.

Ballydoyle Loaded For Saturday Group 1s

Final fields were confirmed for Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. and G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S., with Aidan O'Brien providing the likely favourite for both in the already-accomplished No Nay Never duo Meditate (Ire) and Blackbeard (Ire). Both contests are typically deep, with the nine fillies pitched against Meditate in the Cheveley Park including another No Nay Never of real substance in Rockcliffe Stud's G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Molecomb S. scorer Trillium (GB). The Middle Park includes Nick Bradley Racing and Elaine Burke's G2 Gimcrack S. runner-up Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Godolphin's impressive G3 Sirenia S. scorer Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

Click here for the fields.

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Another Joel For Benbatl As Newmarket’s Track Record Falls

Confirming his love for Newmarket's Rowley Mile once again on Friday, one of the oldest TDN Rising Stars around Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) showed up in uncompromising mood to break Kameko's track record over the 2000 Guineas track and trip when repeating his 2019 success in the G2 Joel S. Third behind that Classic hero in this 12 months ago, Saeed bin Suroor's veteran warrior had been a short-head second to Lavender's Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Goodwood's G2 Celebration Mile having blown the start on his only subsequent outing Aug. 28. Sharper for that comeback, the 13-8 second favourite tracked the forcefully-ridden Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) from the outset and eventually had his measure a furlong from home. As the 11-8 market-leader Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) made a second challenge up the stand's rail having had to switch around the front pair two out, Benbatl and Oisin Murphy were already beyond recall. At the line, the 7-year-old held a 3/4-of-a-length verdict over Pogo, with Master of the Seas half a length behind in third on his first start since being edged out in the Guineas in May. “He's been a machine for a number of years,” Murphy said. “He gave me my first ever Royal Ascot winner. We're in 2021 now and he's still winning group twos. He is the horse of a lifetime.”

Remarkably, Benbatl has only raced on this home strip on three occasions, winning this twice and finishing third in the 2017 G3 Craven S. Successful in Royal Ascot's G3 Hampton Court S. that season, he has since won eight group races including the G1 Dubai Turf, G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis and G1 Ladbrokes S. in 2018 as well as finishing two-lengths runner-up to Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 Cox Plate that same year. That defeat, as well as the aforementioned Dubai Turf success stand out among his exploits, as does his five-length success in this two years ago which was enough to place him in the upper echelons of that year's class. “When he won this race in 2019 he ran to a rating of 125,” his rider added. “He's one of the best horses I've ridden and I'm thrilled that we've got him back on track. They've done a super job at the stable to produce him year in, year out.”

Saeed bin Suroor is pondering options now. “He is the horse that is leading the stable,” he said. “We follow him really! We have had a lot of fun with him. We'll keep the options open for him. It could be Champions Day, but we'll talk to Sheikh Mohammed and make a plan for him. It could be the Breeders' Cup, we'll see. It depends on the ground at Ascot, as he doesn't like it soft.”

Benbatl was the first foal out of Nahrain (GB) (Selkirk), who captured the GI Flower Bowl Invitational and G1 Prix de l'Opera and was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She has since produced the useful filly Fooraat (Ire) also by Dubawi, who was second in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies S. and third in the Listed Rosemary S. on this card. Nahrain is out of Bahr (GB) (Generous {Ire}), who took the G2 Ribblesdale S. and G3 Musidora S. and was placed in the G1 Epsom and Irish Oaks and the Flower Bowl.

Bahr is also responsible for the dual listed winner Baharah (Elusive Quality) and the dam of this year's G2 Railway S. winner and G1 Phoenix S. third Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), who lines up in Saturday's G1 Middle Park S. with live claims. From the family of last year's G3 Palace House S. winner Far above (Ire) (Farhh {GB}), Nahrain's 2-year-old filly is a full-sister to Benbatl and Fooraat, while she also has a yearling colt by Muhaarar (GB) and a filly foal by Kingman (GB).

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
UNIBET “YOU'RE ON” JOEL S.-G2, £115,000, Newmarket, 9-24, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:34.56, g/f.
1–BENBATL (GB), 130, h, 7, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Nahrain (GB) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 9 1/2-11f, G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, SW-Eng, GSP-Ire, $1,041,961), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Bahr (GB), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lady of the Sea, by Mill Reef
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy. £65,217. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 7-9 1/2f, 2x Hwt. Older Horse-Eng at 7-9 1/2f, Hwt. Older Horse-UAE at 7-9 1/2f, Hwt. Older Horse-Ger at 9 1/2-11f, G1SW-UAE, Aus & Ger, 24-11-4-3, $7,853,165. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pogo (Ire), 130, h, 5, Zebedee (GB)–Cute (GB), by Diktat (GB). (€10,500 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; £32,000 Ylg '17 GOUKPR). O-Gary and Linnet Woodward; B-Thomas Foy (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £24,725.
3–Master of the Seas (Ire), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Firth of Lorne (Ire), by Danehill. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £12,374.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1. Odds: 1.63, 14.00, 1.38.
Also Ran: Laneqash (GB), Perotto (GB), Accidental Agent (GB), Queen Supreme (Ire). Scratched: Sir Busker (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Moment of 2020: Kameko

In Moment of 2020, the staff of TDN Europe reflect on their favourite moments in racing for the year.

Future Classic winner Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) first came on my radar with his nose second in the G3 Solario S. in August of 2019 after winning on debut at Sandown in July. I especially noticed the flashy dark bay because he bore the same Qatar Racing silks as another favourite of mine, the late Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion, also a Kentucky-bred incidentally by Kitten’s Joy.

A $90,000 Keeneland September yearling, the Calumet Farm-bred Kameko gave every indication he was moving in the right direction in his next start, this time second by a neck in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket in September of 2019 for trainer Andrew Balding. His progression continued with a smart win-by 3 1/4 lengths–in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy in November last term, but the race was also notable as the first British Group 1 race ever contested on a synthetic surface. As such, perhaps its overall form carried less clout ahead of the 2020 Classics than if it had been contested on a traditional turf course. Regardless, for me I had settled on my Classic horse for the 2020 season.

The winter of 2019/2020 seemed to be stretching endlessly, despite the weather gradually improving. And then COVID-19 hit, turned the world on its head and racing ceased in the UK on Mar. 17. By the time French racing resumed with a quartet of group races on May 11, I was just grateful for racing anywhere in Europe, let alone worrying about the impending Classics.

British racing began again on June 1 and just five days later Kameko, under regular rider and champion jockey Oisin Murphy, stamped his quality on the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in race record time, despite not having the clearest of runs late on. After failing to stay with a fourth in the G1 Investec Derby at Epsom on July 4, Kameko faced his elders for the first time in the G1 Qatar Sussex S., but he was once again fourth after a troubled trip. He fared the same in the Aug. 19 10 1/2-furlong G1 Juddmonte International S. trying older heavy weights Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and connections determined he was strictly a miler.

Newmarket’s G2 Joel S. appeared to be a top-flight race in all but name, and much was riding on the outcome of the one-mile test. Back at HQ for the first time since his Classic victory, Kameko was facing an accomplished older horse in Godolphin’s MG1SW Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) while also carrying top weight in the six-horse field. It was a definite acid test for the Qatar Racing runner, who needed to prove that his Classic win, although accomplished in a wonderfully fast clocking, had not been a fluke.

Needless to say, I was glued to my computer screen that September morning. Would Kameko bounce back to his best at his preferred distance? He’d ducked no one throughout his campaign and this was his first try outside of Group 1 company since his G2 Royal Lodge second just under a year prior.

Second choice on the board behind Benbatl, the son of GIII Senorita S. heroine Sweeter Still (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) was away in good order, but was already being scrubbed on by Murphy at the half-way point. Kameko readily responded to his pilot’s cajoling and he split horses decisively to emerge with a slight advantage in the climb to the line. He wore down the pacesetting Benbatl and fended off the rallying Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) to post a clear score. The latter edged Benbatl for second and it was on to the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile in November for the son of Kitten’s Joy.

Although unplaced at Keeneland, the 2021 Tweenhills Stud recruit deftly advertised his ample talent and class during his two campaigns and I look forward to his foals lighting up the course in years to come.

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