Quartet of Group stakes on tap on ‘Glorious’ Friday
For the first time since she turned up in Britain, Ortensia has reasonable
ground conditions, and that could be the key as she lines up for Goodwood’s
Group 2 King George Stakes Friday. Compromised by rain-deadened ground when
ninth in the Group 1 King’s Stand at Royal Ascot June 19, the dual Group 1
winner had to endure an extremely testing surface when a creditable fourth in
the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket 20 days ago.
In a wide-open renewal, Clipper Logistics’ Beyond Desire enters the reckoning
based on her all-the-way win in Longchamp’s Group 3 Prix de Saint-Georges over
this trip May 13. She beat only one rival in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene on
her next start at Chantilly June 3, but trainer Roger Varian is hoping she can
regain the form which saw her finish a close fourth in this 12 months ago.
“She has had a short break since her last run and has been training nicely,”
he said. “A sharp five furlongs on quick ground are her optimum conditions, and
we are hoping for a good run.”
Bryan Smart has two high-profile contenders in last year’s Group 1 Prix de
l’Abbaye de Longchamp hero Tangerine Trees and the three-year-old filly
Excelette. The latter beat Spirit Quartz in the listed Achilles over this trip
at Haydock June 1 before finishing third under a subsequent penalty behind
Angels Will Fall in the listed Land O’Burns Fillies’ Stakes at Ayr June 23.
“Tangerine Trees is in good form, and it has just taken a while to get his
fitness right this year, as he’s a big, stuffy horse now,” Smart told PA Sport.
“He seems in good form with himself and I’m happy with him at home, so fingers
crossed, he runs very well.
“Excelette will like the ground and she’s in good order. I think she deserves
to take her chance in a race like this. Neither of them have been to Goodwood
before and we all know it’s a funny track. We’ll have to see whether they handle
it, and we won’t know until we give it a go.”
Godolphin has always placed high hopes in Dubai Prince, and he has yet to
deliver since his transfer from the Dermot Weld stable, but Friday’s Group 3
Glorious Stakes at Goodwood offers a further chance for him to revisit his
juvenile form. Having looked smart when winning conditions events at Newbury in
September and at York when last seen July 13, his last three starts in pattern
company have failed to yield even a respectable effort.
Racing Manager Simon Crisford said, “Dubai Prince is an interesting horse. He
has been very fragile mentally, and he tends to gets very nervous when the race
is building up. He looks like an absolute king in four-runner conditions races,
but he can get a bit shy when there are more runners — we found that in the
Champion Stakes (Group 1) last year and in subsequent races. He is rated 116,
which sets the benchmark for a race like this, but it is difficult to find races
that suit him. The jury is still out with him — he is a very nice horse who has
got plenty of talent.”
George Strawbridge and OTI Racing’s Gatewood is on a roll after winning his
last three starts, including Royal Ascot’s listed Wolferton Handicap over 10
furlongs June 22, and trainer John Gosden believes the stretch out to this
distance will play to his strengths.
“Stepping up to a mile and a half is long overdue for him,” Gosden said.
Last year’s Group 2 Cherry Hinton winner Gamilati makes her returns to the
races in Friday’s Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes, her first appearance since sustaining
an injury after winning the February 3 listed U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas.
Having taken to Meydan’s Tapeta surface like a duck to water, the Godolphin
filly has to transfer back to the turf, and Crisford is being realistic about
her chances.
“Gamilati looked fantastic when winning in Dubai but, to be honest, she was
running against some fairly inferior fillies,” the racing manager explained.
“Sadly, she had a small flake in an ankle which we had to remove before she came
back to England, so she did not run in the One Thousand Guineas (Group 1 at
Newmarket).
“She has had a good time out — she is fresh and well and seven furlongs will
be right up her street. She will go there with a bit of chance, as she runs well
when fresh.”
Also in the royal blue is last year’s Group 1 Myer Classic third Dysphonia,
who has yet to win a stakes race in this country despite a respectable third in
the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes over this trip at Lingfield three runs
back May 12.
“Dysphonia has looked a better mare this year, and she has improved
physically compared to previously,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented. “I think
that seven furlongs is a nice trip for her.”
One who has made an instant impact on these shores is Rennstall Directa’s
Gracia Directa, who upset some big names in York’s Group 3 Summer Stakes over
six furlongs July 13 and stays this far.
One of the few upgrades in Britain’s blacktype program this year, Goodwood’s
Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes, has drawn a cast of proven performers and potential
stars to reward the decision by the European Pattern Committee.
One who fits the first category is Princess Haya of Jordan’s Gregorian, who
takes a class drop after finishing third in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes
at Royal Ascot June 19 and runner-up in Chantilly’s Group 1 Prix Jean Prat July
1. He meets John Manley’s impressive April 19 Group 3 Craven Stakes scorer and
May 5 Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas fourth Trumpet Major, who is back after a
break, having disappointed when last of 10 in the Irish equivalent at The
Curragh three weeks later.
“Trumpet Major would have a big chance on his Guineas fourth and, while he
did not fire when we took him to Ireland, we have freshened him up and he has
worked well since,” Hannon commented. “He has that penalty to shoulder, but
Olympic Glory did it, so we have to be hopeful and we have a decent draw.
“We also run Coupe de Ville, who also ran a stormer (when fifth) in our
Guineas. He has since run well twice in France, so he, too, could be in the
mix.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Aljamaaheer beat the ill-fated The Nile
in the listed King Charles II Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket May 19
before finishing strongly to be third in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes over that
trip at Royal Ascot June 20.
“We were keen to try Aljamaaheer over a mile following his good run in the
Jersey,” conditioner Roger Varian explained. “His homework has been good since
and hopefully he can run well in what is a competitive race.”
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