Marcel wins Racing Post Trophy: Winx dominant in Cox Plate - By Tom Krish
Posted on - 25 Oct 2015
Marcel wins Racing Post Trophy: Winx dominant in Cox Plate
By Tom Krish
There were only seven runners in Doncaster’s Racing Post Trophy on Saturday. Foundation, John Gosden’s unbeaten colt, was the 10/11 favorite but it was Marcel, the 33/1 outsider and the longest-priced in the field, who had the last laugh.
Marcel, from Peter Chapple-Hyam’s yard, was ridden by Andrea Atzeni. Paul Hancock owns Marcel. By Lawman out of Mauresmo who is by Marju, Marcel was winning his second race in three career outings.
Jockey Atzeni kept his mount clear of traffic and took the lead with less than two furlongs to run and kept it. Aidan O’Brien’s Johannes Vermeer, took the runner-up berth. Foundation was third. Marcel won by a length and a half. Foundation was two and one half lengths behind Johannes Vermeer. The time for the 1600-metre race on ‘good to soft’ going was 1 42.19 seconds.
Andrea Atzeni had three winners in Saturday’s Doncaster card. He won the third race with Argus, the 9/4 favorite, and the sixth with Scrutineer, the 10/11 public choice.
Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam is the trainer of Authorized who won the 2007 Epsom Derby. He said that the French Derby at Chantilly in 2016 will be Marcel’s target.
It was, however, Foundation’s defeat that generated a lot of debate. Frankie Dettori chose to save ground and got into serious road woes. When Foundation shook free, the race was over. The Racing Post said that Foundation’s backers felt aggrieved with a misjudged ride by Frankie Dettori.
The point I am making and want to drive home is that the biggest, smartest and cool-under-pressure jockeys can err. Dettori’s ride is one such instance.
John Gosden put it best. “Frankie (Dettori) said that the horses died in front of him, not one of them dropped back, he could not go anywhere. That’s horse racing. That is life. C’est la vie.”
C’est la vie, in French, means that is life.
At Moonee Valley in Australia on Saturday, Winx, a four year-old filly, passed those in front as if they were standing still with an electrifying stretch charge to win the Group I Cox Plate. Moonee Valley has a short stretch. Winx, the 15/8 favorite, was ridden by Hugh Bowman. Chris Waller trains. Winx is owned by Magic Bloodstock Racing.
Winx won by four and three quarters of a length. The time was 2 2.98 seconds for the 2000-metre race on good going. Winx is by Street Cry out of Vegas Showgirl by Al Akbar. Criterion was second and Highland Reel, Ryan Moore’s mount, a distant third.
Winx has now won five races in a row. Three of those wins have been in Group I events.
On Sunday at Saint Cloud in Paris, the Group I Royal Oak was run. Vazirabad, winner of the Prix Chaudenay (Group II) on October 3 at LOngchamp, was the 12/5 favorite and justified the public confidence. A Manduro (three year-old) gelding, Vazirabad is owned by the Aga Khan, trained by Alain De Royer Dupre and was ridden by Christophe Soumillon. Vazirabad’s streak stands at five and the 2016 Ascot Gold Cup is on the agenda.
The Irish season ended on Sunday. Mrs Sue Magnier was the leading owner. Aidan O’Brien, with 98 winners, was the leading trainer. O’Brien won the title for the first time in 1998 and has not lost it since. The 19 year-old Connor King was the champion apprentice jockey with 29 winners.
The Irish champion jockey is Pat Smullen. He had 103 winners. Jockey Smullen has won the Irish riding title eight times and it’s remarkable given how competitive the Irish riding colony is.
Seth Benzel, Silveste De Sousa’s agent, has sent an email saying that New York will be the primary focus. A Chicago visit will be considered once Silvestre has a New York foundation. The entire Silvestre family is now in New York.
To those interested in knowing what out-of-country horses go through before allowed access to the track, here is some information. Golden Horn has arrived in Lexington. Cymric and Birchwood, two Breeders Cup runners, came with Golden Horn.
They will undergo blood tests. Once the tests come back with a clearance, they can train. Horses are not permitted to leave the barns until they have been there for 42 hours. It is only on October 27 that Golden Horn and his companions can set foot on the Keeneland course.
Keeneland has had rain. The main course is sloppy. I am hoping that rain will stay away. The Kentucky Derby winner will be in the BC Classic. The top female in America, perhaps in the world, will be in the Classic. The English and Irish 2000 Guineas winner will also take his chances in the Classic.
About Golden Horn, there is one little thing. No Arc winner has won the 2400-metre BC Turf. For that matter, no Arc winner has won a BC event. Golden Horn, therefore, has set out to make history of a special kind.
I am hoping to see the past performances of the Breeders Cup runners on Tuesday. I may be able to send it anyone who wishes to have it. Please let me know at harnesskrish@yahoo.com and I shall be delighted.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the author's personal views.)
