Calandagan silences the doubters in France & Constitution River lands the Coral-Eclipse
Calandagan has King George double in his sights after Saint-Cloud comeback - and everything else from a big weekend of racing 🏇
What’s Happened
🇦🇺 Australia 🇦🇺
Cellarmaster came with a powerful late run to secure the G3 Winx Guineas for trainer Tom Charlton at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday. Ridden by Ryan Maloney, he got up close home to deny Platinum Pantheon by a quarter of a length.
🇫🇷 France 🇫🇷
Calandagan bounced back from defeat in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom with his sixth G1 and second in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.
Ridden with remarkable patience by Mickael Barzalona, the five-year-old passed the entire field in the straight, winning by a neck from Cualificar. Trainer Francis Graffard confirmed afterwards that a defence of the G1 King George at Ascot, on July 25th, is next up for Aga Khan Studs’ star.
At Deauville on Saturday, the featured G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis went to the Xavier Blanchet-trained Mise En Boite, who beat Charibelle by a length. The hot favourite, G2 Minster Stakes winner Elmonjed, could only manage fourth.
🇩🇪 Germany 🇩🇪
Andreas Wohler claimed his sixth G1 Deusches Derby at Hamburg on Sunday when Dardanos held off the challenge of Chiefland close home. It was a first G1 win for jockey Wladimir Panov and something of a shock, the son of Soldier Hollow having been one of the outsiders in the field.
Wohler also took the G3 Hamburger Stutenpreis for fillies, his Soreanger beating Believe In Me by a short head, under jockey Eduardo Pedroza.
🇿🇦 South Africa 🇿🇦
Leading trainer Justin Snaith picked up a sixth G1 Durban July at Greyville on Saturday, his Note To Self beating stablemate Wish List by a quarter of a length in the hands of Richard Fourie. Trainer and jockey are now the most successful combination in the history of what is billed as ‘Africa’s greatest race.’
Quickstepgal made short work of a quality field in the G1 Garden Province Stakes. Tienie Prinsloo’s filly was always up with the pace and quickened smartly to beat Mon Petit Cherie and Double Grand Slam, under jockey Keagan De Melo.
🇬🇧 UK 🇬🇧
Aidan O’Brien’s remarkable run of G1s this season continued when Constitution River followed up his Prix du Jockey-Club win with success in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday. Ridden by Ryan Moore, he strode to a three-length success over A Boy Named Susie. Next up could be a tantalising clash with Ombudsman in the G1 Juddmonte International at York on August 19th.
The main supporting race, the G3 Coral Charge, went to the Jonathan Portman-trained Rumstar, who picked up a seventh career victory and second in a row in this race under Rob Hornby.
At Newmarket, the G2 Lancashire Oaks – rerouted from Haydock due to ground issues – went to Tattycorum who beat hot favourite Tiffany by four and a half lengths. Trainer Ralph Beckett will now send the filly straight to the G1 Yorkshire Oaks on August 20th.
🇺🇸 USA 🇺🇸
A ‘Classic’ winner in the UAE and Germany, British-based Title Role added the USA to that list when landing the G1 Belmont Derby at Saratoga – just. Simon and Ed Crisford’s colt had to dig deep under John Velazquez to see off West End Kid and Remember Mamba by a nose and a neck.
It was a European clean sweep of the G1s, with the Donnacha O’Brien-trained Kensington Lane having taken the earlier Belmont Oaks. Ridden by Joel Rosario, she went into the lead early on and never looked like being caught, cruising home by a length and three-quarters from Faithful Departed.
There was a runaway winner of the G2 Suburban Stakes when Phileas Fogg defended his title in no uncertain terms. Gustavo Rodriguez’s six-year-old put ten lengths between himself and G1 winner Hit Show at the line, leaving jockey Kendrick Carmouche in raptures.
At Los Alamitos in California, Sweet Azteca won the G2 Great Lady M. Stakes for the third year in a row; her tenth Stakes win in total. Trainer Richard Baltas will now aim the mare at the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on October 31st.
What’s Happening
🇫🇷 France 🇫🇷
Deauville’s popular summer season is underway and the G1 Prix Jean Prat takes centre stage on Sunday. The Christopher Head-trained Nightime, winner of the G2 Prix Paul de Moussac, is among the likely runners.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇭🇰
Happy Valley plays host to something a little different this Wednesday when The Hong Kong Jockey Club stages "Eight to Glory, presented by Lenovo" - a one-off race timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.
Eight horses will race under the lights, each ridden by a jockey in the jersey of one of the eight nations still in the tournament. The race forms part of the Club's "Home of Football" campaign and includes a charity element, with donations made to eight organisations nominated by the competing horse owners.
🇯🇵 Japan 🇯🇵
The G3 Tanabata Sho is the feature race at Fukushima on Sunday. The 2000metre event was won last year by Cosmo Fliegen.
🇬🇧 UK 🇬🇧
Newmarket’s popular three-day July Festival gets underway on Thursday with three Group races. The G3 Bahrain Trophy, a St Leger Trial, is followed by the G2 July Stakes for Juveniles and the G2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes for older horses. 9-time G1 winner Rebel’s Romance is a fascinating entry for the latter.
Friday’s action is headed by the G1 Falmouth Stakes for fillies and mares, backed up by the G2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. Saturday’s G1 July Cup is the likely next starting point for Japanese sprinting star Satono Reve, as well as G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Venetian Sun.
🇺🇸 USA 🇺🇸
Horseshoe Indianapolis gets its big day in the sun on Saturday, staging the G3 Indiana Derby and G3 Indiana Oaks.
The G2 Bowling Green and G2 Caress Stakes, both on the turf, are the features at Saratoga. British trainer Ed Walker sends over Fort George, a G3 winner in Dubai, for the former.
