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| Arc 2012 2nd Orfevre The pictures above are used in conjunction with my thoughts on this years Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, I've been popping over the channel to the glorious Longchamp racecourse since 2009 and have enjoyed the 8 euro entrance fee, the free cap and racecard on entering, then the six plus group ones to work through topped off with a little red wine really makes the day special and I recommend all racing enthusiasts to go! The French big three at three... |
With the 2013 race less than two months away my mind has been firmly on reviewing the videos and wading through the runners who are likely to go to post. Firstly, we have the French 3yo's to contend with and starting with the current antepost favourite Flintshire we may indeed have an excellent son of Dansilli on our hands here and his full brother Dance Moves isn't too shabby either recently finishing 3rd in the Prix Kerkorlay. Flintshire has made excellent progression as a three year old taking most recently the Prix de Paris over the extended 1m 3f trip and looked in complete command, that run was on good ground and he lengthened his stride beautifully over the final few furlongs. Flintshire is certainly progressing and is still only three, he will need to step up again to win the Arc but all the evidence so far points to this happening.
Frankie Dettori must be rubbing his hands at the thought of riding the beautiful, scopey filly Treve. This daughter of Motivator who won the Prix de Diane winning cosily on that occassion has recently been purchased by Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani. The filly will remain in training with one of the finest handlers in the game Criquette Head-Maarak whose family run the beautiful Haras du Quesnay where Treve was bred and owned by the family. She undoubtedly has a supreme turn of foot and looks like the extended trip 1m 4f will be well within her grasp. The Prix Vermaille at Longchamp looks to be her next target and it will be interesting to see if she meets yet again the classy filly Chicquitta and if she can handle the step up in trip I see a good perfromance in order. We have had a plethera of fillies winning the Arc in recent years not least Zarkava and Danedream, could she be as classy as those two? I believe so.
Intello is an intriguing proposition, this beautiful bred son of Galileo has been kept over the shorter trip of 7 furlongs in the main but has a win to his name over 10 furlongs winning the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. My only concern here is that Intello seems to show speed throughout his races and it seems that 1 mile is more suited for him. However, from the Dam side being by Danehill it certainly shows a level of stamina and through his father Galileo we would be silly in writing off his chances just yet.
Tomorrow's blog will focus on the older horses going to the Arc and lively outsiders!
York - Day 2 Thursday 22nd August 2013
13.55pm DBS Yearling Stakes (2yo, 20 runners) (Class 2) 6f
A decidedly perplexing start to proceedings as some of these two year olds may have come on leaps and bounds from last time out and I see potential in many of these. As is always the case in a two year old race the paddock look becomes imperative but as I'm not at York I will have to use my powers of judgement to make MIRACLE OF MEDINAH for the Mark Usher yard my selection. A very progressive type and indeed may of been disappointing last time out at Goodwood, some of that may of had to do with the draw and he may not have handled the track effectively, but it was still a relatively poor effort. That said, he won the listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury beating Thunder Strike and the talented Survived, which has given him the rating of 99. He'll appreciate top of the ground conditions and will prefer this flatter track at York and I'm hopeful of a solid run at a nice each way price.
14.30pm Connolly's Red Mills Lowther Stakes (Fillies Group 2) (Class 1) (2yo) 6f
George Margason and his close knit family team are in fine fettle. He had a winner today at Brighton Artful Lady and it seems that the strong, fast, progressive LUCKY KRISTALE has definite claims here. This Luck Story bay filly has tactical speed and can come off the pace and be up in the vanguard, either way she manages to burn off her opponents. Ran extremely well in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot finishing a respectable 6th and her most recent run in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket was a scintillating performance and a repeat of that will put her right in with a chance here.
15.05pm Clipper Logistics Handicap (Class 2) 1m
You can certainly make a case for quite a few of these but I'm turning to the in form player/manager the jockey/trainer who probably wakes up pinching himself at present as Johnny Murtagh is 'sheer poetry' in the saddle at present and who in the past has had a very successful partnership with the trainer of my selection William Haggas. QUEENSBURY RULES which I'm told by my favourite Irishman (Carl Byrne) refers to the rules of boxing and were the first set of rules to introduce gloves in the ring. Now excuse the pun but 'the gloves will be well and truly off' in this competitive handicap! So what of my selection, well he has a good draw hailing from 7, he is on a workable mark and is carrying a relatively light weight. This young three year old Teofilio colt ran a blinder in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot finishing 3rd and the trip of 1 mile is his prefered distance. QUEENSBURY RULES ran no sort of race last time at Ascot but it can be argued that he was drawn on the wrong side although the winner came from stall 29 the same side as my selection but things just didn't work out. I'm willing to give him another chance at a nice each way price.
15.40pm Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Fillies' Group 1) (British Champion Series) (Class 1) 1m 4f
VENUS DE MILO is a filly I may indeed start a love affair with, this Duke of Marmalade filly is a lovely looking type and she is simply the most progressive in this very competitive renewal. Indeed, you may be right in arguing that she was very unlucky when hampered by Chicquitta in the Irish Oaks and subsequently stamped her authority in a lesser competitive race at Cork but she still won in terrifc style. Looking at her pedigree and the fact that Duke of Marmalade is new to the stallion game his first crop of three year olds has been nothing but classy, Alive Alive Oh, Count of Limonade and Childa amongst others have all won this year and it seems this will be a quality stallion for the future. VENUS DE MILO could certainly be his flagbearing daughter and I'm certain she will go very close in this race.
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