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| Solemia Arc winner 2012 returning to the winners enclosure. |
The winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe like any race can come from the least expected places at times and as my friend Ollie Franks put it, "Sometimes on the day, horses can find one magic performance and land a big race". I think we would all agree with that splendid comment. Indeed many may have thought this about Solemia as it's questionable as to what she really achieved in her short career, she finished 3rd in the Prix Vermaille two lengths behind Shareta but previously beat her in a group 2 at Saint-Cloud. Before that she finished runner up a couple of times in some mediocre and weak group 3's. After winning the Arc she tried her hand at winning the Japan Cup but finished a poor 13th from 17 runners and is now retired to stud and I think has already met one of the most successful sires this year in the shape of Dubawi. Consequently, it's important not to be too insolent or even supercilious when declaring your feelings towards the mare as she will never have the Arc win taken away from her, it's as simple as that.
This brings me on to my final preview for the main contenders of the Arc and I'm pointing the finger firmly at a potential outsider. The Japanese bred Kizuna is under the spotlight here and I'll be looking into parts of his remarkable blood lines but first take the time to watch the video above, this was a solid performance in winning the Japanese Derby back in May of this year. Kizuna's half sister Phalaenopsis was the winner of three group races including the Oka Sho (1000 Guineas) and his half - brother finished 3rd in the 2002 Belmont Stakes. I've already mentioned his sire in my previous post Deep Impact (of which Kizuna is his 3rd crop) who won the Japanese triple crown and who undoubtedly will be remembered as one of the true great racehorses and is currently the leading sire in Japan. However, it's the dam side I'd like to focus on as it makes interesting reading. The sire of all sires which most racing/breeding enthusiast will be familiar with is present here and thats the mighty Storm Cat who is his grand sire. This horse had an excellent record in America on the track but has had much more of an impact throughout his stud career. Storm Cat sired earnings of around $127 million and his record really speaks for itself, 108 graded stakes winners including winners of the Kentucky Oaks (grade 1), Preakness Stakes and in Breeders Cup races amongst others. Indeed, he ranked 2nd on the all time Breeders Cup sire list and by osmosis carried his genes throughout european group races, a thoroughly outstanding piece of inheritance that no doubt is a huge part of this horses psychological and physiological make up.
With all this Kizuna still needs to prove and deliver on the track, he has been based in Chantilly since the middle of July and will go for the Prix Niel on September 15th at Longchamp. I am interested to see if he has the ability to travel and stay in a finish on a european racetrack against group horses. Going to be very interesting...
Only three selections for me today...
York Day 3 - Friday 23rd August 2013.
13.55pm Sky Bet Handicap (Class 2) 1m 4f
Some extremely erratic form on show from some of these and just when you think they are progressing they slap you in the face by putting in an puzzling performance. However, it may pay to look at a certain trainers form, in particular his record in this race Sir Michael Stoute has a pretty solid record at York and in this handicap alone he has saddled 4 wins and 2 placed seconds in the last 10 years. GOSPEL CHOIR is by Galileo out of Chorist, this chestnut gelding is having his first run this season but was nothing but progressive last season. His half brother Sennockian Star trained by Mark Johnson has had a very consistent season, currently rated around the 97 mark highlights the potential GOSPEL CHOIR may possess. Obviously the concern would be his fitness levels after coming back this late in the season, presumably he may have had his problems but that certainly doesn't bother me at all. This 12 furlong trip will be well within his grasp, he won a handicap at Ascot over the same trip and that would undoubtedly be the pick of his form when beating the 100 rated Sun Central who has progressed at a rate knots for the William Haggas stable and I believe that is the best form on offer in this race. The negatives for GOSPEL CHOIR is that he is under a heavy burden first time out carrying 10lbs thus being highly regarded by the handicapper who has also given him the rating of 100 the highest in the field. I believe he has a solid each way chance to start the day.
15.40pm Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1) (British Champion Stakes) 5f
Exciting isn't the word for this race, it oozes class, a race to savour. It's a tail of the two powers for me, the more I look the more I see Eddie Lynam with a 1, 2 in the winners enclosure and the owner Mrs Power overjoyed. To not want to sound fastidious I believe form lines and angles with the main three in this race are obvious to find and you can argue all you like in regards to trip, ground and the flat galloping track at York, the draw, trainer form and trends. Understandably that may well point you in the direction of Shea Shea or the very progressive Harry Redknapp owned Moviesta but I'm not so sure. SLADE POWER deserves his place in this upper echelon of sprint racing, he is thoroughly progressive, travels and settles well in his races and is ready to produce a top group one level performance here. SLADE POWER has excellent form in the book and ran a very credible 3rd in the Darley July Cup over the 6 furlong trip at Newmarket last month, that run saw him finish in 3rd 2.75 lengths behind Lethal Force and on that occassion finished in front of Sole Power and Shea Shea. This race is over a very explosive 5 furlongs and that may not be his favoured trip but I'm certain he will aquaint himself well and at a nice each way price he is worth noting. I for one am a huge fan and believe this horse is one of the most progressive with scope to improve in the field. Now on to the other power, SOLE POWER. What can I say that we don't already know about this Kyllachy colt? He is an absolute speed machine and probably ticks every box when looking at this race for the first time. SOLE POWER has formed a dream partnership with the swashbuckling, renaissance man jockey/trainer, Johnny Murtagh (legend). Indeed I saw a interview recently in which he said, "He is a brilliant horse, you get one chance to push the button and if you time it right he just goes". That really does embody the way in which this excellent six year old runs. He took this race in 2010 at odds of 100/1 he has been in excellent form this season and took the Kings Stand in an explosive turn of foot to beat Shea Shea close home. I still believe he will hold his form for a while and am certain of another positive show. We've all heard of Phil 'the power Taylor, you may even of heard about the 'power of grayskull' but theirs real power in these two.
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