Tag: Racing

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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Horse No One Wanted: Pyledriver Wins Fairytale Edition Of The Coronation Cup

It was a battle for the ages in the Coral Coronation Cup which saw underdog Pyledriver and rising star Al Aasy fight it out for Group 1 glory at Epsom Downs.

It was Pyledriver, a horse who couldn't be sold for £10,000 (about US$12,000) two years ago, who won the war in the end for trainer William Muir. Having lost the lead with two furlongs to go, he showed incredible heart to knuckle down and deny Al Aasy at the wire. William Haggas' runner looked to have done enough in the closing stages but was just denied victory.

Things hadn't gone to plan early doors for Al Aasy having missed the break. He was settled in at the rear and the strong pace helped him find a rhythm.

The eventual winner Pyledriver was happy enough in midfield in the opening stanzas. Rounding the turn the race began to take shape, and it was Martyn Dwyer who seized the initiative down the straight. He opted to send his mount on and had all his rivals beat, bar the closing Al Aasy, at three furlongs out.

Al Aasy made effortless ground coming down the straight, with Jim Crowley's urgings sparking rapid progress as they came to the two furlong marker. He breezed past Aidan O'Brien's Japan, and it became a two horse race.

The crowds returning to Epsom for the first time this year were not disappointed. As Al Aasy moved to within a neck of his rival with seemingly plenty to give. He took a narrow lead and this looked for a moment to have settled the race.

However, Pyledriver was in no mood for settling for 2nd and knuckled down in the final stages to get his head back in front in the final strides to claim the Coral Coronation Cup.

Welcome cheers rang around Epsom, and nobody was more delighted than jockey Martyn Dwyer, who said after the race: “I'm so proud of the horse. On a personal level, there's times when I've hated racing. But days like this I can't describe in words.”

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Elevated Temperatures Knock Swiss Skydiver And Valiance Out Of Ogden Phipps

Trainer Kenny McPeek announced on Twitter Friday morning that Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, would be scratched from Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“Unfortunately Swiss Skydiver had a 104 fever this morning,” McPeek Tweeted. “We are a scratch. We've treated her to knock down the fever and will regroup later in the season. Never easy.”

The scratch reduces the Phipps field to five starters following Daily Racing Form's report on Thursday that Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and CHC Inc.'s Valiance, winner of the G1 Spinster at Keeneland and second to Monomoy Girl in the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff for trainer Todd Pletcher, was also knocked out by an elevated temperature.

Swiss Skydiver was the 5-2 co-second choice on the morning line behind 8-5 favorite Letruska, with Valiance listed at 4-1.

Swiss Skydiver's fever came after she vanned from Churchill Downs in Kentucky to Belmont Park. An experienced traveler, the daughter of Daredevil has competed over nine different tracks in a 14-race career.

On Thursday, DRF's Mike Welsch first reported the scratch of Valiance, a 5-year-old Tapit mare who would have been making her first start since the Breeders' Cup. “We're dealing with a temperature issue,” Pletcher told Welsch. “It's frustrating, She never trained better. Bad timing.”

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