Stamping himself as one to follow with a visually impressive effort on debut
over seven furlongs on Newmarket’s July Course in June, Kingman was under the
knife due to a chip in a fetlock after winning the Solario in more workmanlike
fashion at Sandown at the end of August. Returning in commanding form for
Saturday’s Group 3 Greenham Stakes, a longstanding Two Thousand Guineas trial at
Newbury, the Juddmonte homebred created more than a share of Frankel fever with
a scintillating display to place himself firmly at the head of the antepost
betting for the May 3 Newmarket classic.
Keen initially under James Doyle, the bay settled a few lengths adrift of
last year’s Middle Park winner Astaire, and when asked to close, did so
effortlessly to loom between that longtime leader and Night of Thunder
approaching the furlong pole. Shaken up at that marker, he kicked clear
instantly to put daylight between him and that second choice to record a time
two seconds quicker than the fillies’ trial, the Group 3 Fred Darling, earlier
on the card.
“He’s been in good order this spring and has worked well on the bridle,”
trainer John Gosden commented. “He has passed his trial well and I was happy
with the way he settled and thrilled with the way he picked up.
“He’s got the highest cruising speed of any horse I’ve ever trained over this
trip and a mile, which is going to be his trip. The last thing we want to do is
run on fast ground so early in his career, as he got a chip last year so I hope
it’s good ground (at Newmarket). If it is, we’ll be there. We won’t be asking a
question of him between now and then.
“He’s a proper horse and has such a strong physique I think he’s a real
miler, so we won’t bother going beyond that. He could get a mile and a quarter,
but I don’t see the point at the moment.”
In the aforementioned Fred Darling, J Wonder upset 11-4 favorite Al Thakhira.
After causing an upset when scoring at 16-1 on debut over six furlongs at
this track in July, J Wonder proved that was no fluke when adding a valuable
nursery to her tally over that trip at Newmarket in early August. Subsequently
disappointing when only seventh as the joint-favorite for York’s Lowther Stakes
remaining at six later that month, the bay was put on the shelf but a notable
gamble in the minutes leading up to this comeback suggested she was in rude
health.
Restrained early to race in mid-division under cover off the initially steady
early pace, she was kept toward the inside by Jimmy Fortune as the crowd’s
choice Al Thakhira closed out wide and Joyeuse had to make up ground from rear.
Grabbing the lead with 100 yards remaining, she hung tough as Al Thakira threw
down a determined challenge to earn a first black-type success.
“I came here thinking she had to be in the first three on what we knew about
her last year,” trainer Brian Meehan said. “Fitness levels-wise, we didn’t know
where we were as she is our first turf runner of the season.
“She was brave, as she had to come through horses and Jimmy got off and said
he felt she won very easily. She just pricked her ears when she hit the front
and he just gave her a tap to keep her concentrating. We thought she was special
last year and she looked really good today.
“She’s in the French and English One Thousand Guineas and I’ll have to speak
to the owner (Andrew Rosen). We’ll have a proper conversation, put it all
together and decide.”
Al Thakira’s conditioner Marco Botti is looking at the Poule d’Essai des
Pouliches at Longchamp May 11 for the runner-up, while connections of Joyeuse
will also consider both Newmarket and Longchamp for the third.
Kicking off the stakes action at Newbury, Cubanita defeated males in the
Group 3 John Porter Stakes over 1 1/2 miles.
Like several distaffers that have passed through the hands of the burgeoning
talent of Ralph Beckett, Cubanita had slowly gained credence by winning the
Gillies Fillies’ Stakes over an extended 10-furlong trip at Doncaster in 2012.
Last term, the flashy chestnut had finished third in the Noblesse over 12
furlongs at Cork in June before finishing runner-up to the subsequent Prix
Royal-Oak hero Tac de Boistron in the Stand Cup over slightly further at Chester
in September.
Annexing the St Simon Stakes over this track and trip in late October, she
returned to defy a resulting penalty to suggest she is still on the upgrade.
Always traveling with enthusiasm settled behind the leading duo, the Kirsten
Rausing homebred took over with the race at her mercy with 2 1/2 furlongs
remaining and despite the presence of 11-4 favorite Noble Mission in the run to
the line always looked likely to best that rival.
“Miss Rausing is keen to try the Tattersalls Gold Cup (at The Curragh May 25)
if the ground is soft; otherwise there is the (May 16) Yorkshire Cup,” her
conditioner commented.
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