JC / Railbird

International Archive

Inside Court 12

“Racing’s ‘trial of the century’ lived up to its billing last week as Kieren Fallon and his codefendants fought race-fixing allegations” (Times).

Posted in International on October 14, 2007

Dylan Thomas Wins Arc

I guess the ground, labeled very soft earlier this week, dried out enough for Dylan Thomas: The Irish colt survived a lengthy stewards’ inquiry to win the Arc by a head over Youmzain (Sporting Life), giving trainer Aidan O’Brien his first Arc win and jockey Kieren Fallon something to savor on Monday morning while sitting through his race-fixing trial at Old Bailey (Times). You can watch the replay on the official Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe site, or click on the YouTube video below.
Dylan Thomas will start next in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, O’Brien said after today’s trophy presentation (DRF). Previous Arc winners have not fared so well in the Breeders’ Cup, with the best finishes being 2001 Arc winner Sakhee’s second in the Classic and 1987 Arc winner Trempolino’s second in the Turf. O’Brien has won the Turf twice before, in 2002 and 2003 with High Chaparral.
Making his final career start, hot Arc favorite Authorized “was beaten before he started,” finishing tenth of 12. The Epsom Derby winner is headed to the breeding shed after making seven starts in two years; he’ll stand at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud in 2008.

Posted in International on October 7, 2007

Yeats Repeats at Ascot

– Yeats went to post at 8-13 odds and looked every bit the well-bet favorite in today’s Ascot Gold Cup, romping home to take consecutive runnings of the 2 1/2 mile race. The win was the third of the meet for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who’s already considering bringing Yeats back for a third shot at the Gold Cup next year. “This race is the ultimate staying race and a third crack at it would be on the agenda. It would be great to be back again” (Sporting Life).
– Today was Ladies’ Day at Ascot: Topshop topped Dior in the fashion stakes (Guardian), and there are rumors of a palace leak after cream, “untouched as an 8-1 shot all week,” suddenly emerged as the prohibitive favorite for the Queen’s hat color (Times), leaving bookmaker Paddy Power with a £15,000 bill when the Queen arrived at Ascot in a cream-and-chocolate number (BBC).
– Superfecta is agitating for a Ladies’ Day stateside, perhaps on Breeders’ Cup Friday. It’s a fine idea, and would be a nice way to showcase the newly added races to the BC program.

Posted in International on June 21, 2007

Tuesday Evening Notes

– A blanket finish in the Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot, with the Godolphin-owned Ramonti coming out a head in front of the rest, giving Sheik Mohammed his first Group 1 winner in Britain since 2005. “We needed that, badly,” said trainer Saeed bin Suroor afterwards (Guardian). Hot favorite George Washington finished fourth. “We were delighted with his run. After going to stud and covering 60 mares you would be a bit fresh, wouldn’t you?,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien of the colt’s effort (Sporting Life Ascot blog).
– Aidan O’Brien had better luck in the Saint James Palace Stakes, in which his starters finished one-two-three (ThoroTimes).
– An intriguing idea from Bill Finley for keeping racing stars in training: “Imagine what would happen if every Grade I race in the country, or even just the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup races, were restricted to horses whose sires were 5-years-old or older at the time the horse was conceived” (ESPN).
– Saying she’s “already proven herself against the boys,” owner Michael Tabor said it was unlikely Belmont winner Rags to Riches would face colts again this year. Rather than run in the Travers, she may start next in the Coaching Club American Oaks and then in the Alabama. “We plan to run her next year, and who’s to say she won’t run as a 5-year-old?,” said Tabor. “We have all the time in the world to consider running her against the boys” (NY Times).

Posted in International on June 19, 2007