Ol’ Man River gives Aidan O’Brien 14th Beresford, tying
Vincent’s record
Looking every inch the beau ideal of the Thoroughbred, “TDN Rising Star” Ol’
Man River went through his first major test — Sunday’s Group 2 Beresford at the
Curragh — as if it was a strong piece of work to provide Aidan O’Brien with a
14th renewal and put the current Ballydoyle conditioner on a par with his
record-setting predecessor Dr. Vincent O’Brien.
While his maiden success here over this trip at the end of last month created
a strong visual impression, the early signals are that the form lacked real
substance, but the money was down for the bay who had created such a stir in the
nearby Kill sales ring just under 12 months earlier while setting a modern-day
record price for a yearling in Ireland.
Settled perfectly in fourth under Joseph O’Brien as barnmate Battle of
Marathon was sent up to force the pace with Tombelaine, he was angled wide as he
started to close on that pair at the top of the stretch and needed only to be
shaken up to gain the lead with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. While the whip was
drawn, it was not required, and he was pushed out with hands and heels to
readily assert from the closer Clonard Street.
“I never had a moment’s worry,” his rider said of the son of Montjeu and the
2007 English and Irish One Thousand Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo. “He relaxed
really well and I probably got to the front too soon, but he was always going
very easily. They went a nice, even gallop and it was lovely ground for him. He
can go back to seven furlongs.”
His trainer added, “He has loads of speed and came forward from his first run
and learned plenty there, so he knows enough now going into next year. All the
options are open to him and if the boys want to run him again this year he can
do, but I wouldn’t worry if he didn’t. There were some solid form horses in
there and he coasted home, so you’d have to be very happy.”
Ol’ Man River was cut to 10-1 for next year’s Derby after Sunday’s win.
Aidan and Joseph also teamed up to take the Group 3 C.L. & M.F. Weld Park
with Qualify, who added further weight to the form of the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Sixth in that seven-furlong feature last time September 14, Qualify wrapped up a
comfortable success here.
Having put up an encouraging debut effort when fourth over this track and
seven-furlong trip June 27, the bay was third behind Jack Naylor and the
subsequent May Hill scorer Agnes Stewart, with Raydara a head behind, in the
Silver Flash at Leopardstown July 24. Duly opening her account next time by 5
1/2 lengths in a maiden on Dundalk’s Polytrack August 17, she trailed Raydara in
fifth under forcing tactics in the Debutante back over this course and distance
a week later before again fading out of contention attempting to lead in the
Moyglare.
After the runner-up in that contest, Lucida , had won Friday’s Rockfel it was
clear that the latest renewal had some depth, and Qualify stepped forward to add
credence to that claim here. Restrained this time by Joseph O’Brien to race in
rear, she was delivered on the front end with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and was
untroubled thereafter as she stretched away to put Lola Beaux and the hot
favorite Stellar Glow in their places.
“Mick (Hussey) felt there was better in her when he rode her last time and
said to ride her with more patience and he was right,” the winning rider said.
“She relaxed really well and I always felt I had them covered. She loved the
quick ground and she’s a really nice filly who will hopefully get a mile.”
Aidan O’Brien added, “She has a lot of class and we were obviously riding her
wrong. She’s a great mover who loves this fast ground and gets the trip well.”
Germany
Empoli, who was demoted from second to fourth in last year’s Group 1 Grosser
Preis von Europa, gained sweet compensation by landing Sunday’s renewal at
Cologne.
Starting the 2013 Deutsches Derby as a 12-1 shot following his second placing
in this track’s Oppenheim-Union-Rennen, Empoli wound up 13th in the Hamburg
classic before regrouping to be second in Munich’s Grosser Preis von Bayern. Far
from disgraced when fourth behind Novellist in the Grosser Preis von Baden, the
chestnut ended his three-year-old campaign by being disqualified here after
interfering with Earl of Tinsdal. His spell at Meydan this spring proved
fruitful, with a second in the February 20 Dubai Millennium over 10 furlongs
followed by a fourth in the March 29 Dubai Sheema Classic before shipping to
Britain to fill the same spot in Epsom’s Coronation Cup June 7. Never a factor
when last of the seven runners contesting the June 29 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud,
he fared little better when again bringing up the rear when fifth in the Grand
Prix de Deauville at the end of last month.
Finding a perfect spot on the rail early in fourth, he traveled strongly in
the slipstream of Earl of Tinsdal and was still full of run as that rival began
to turn the screw at the top of the straight. In an incident reminiscent of last
year, he was denied a run up the inner as the longtime leader lugged back
towards the fence at the quarter pole, and he had valuable momentum to regain as
he was angled out soon after. Driven to close the two-length gap on his old
adversary, he knuckled down to wear down the gallant pacesetter and assert for
an overdue first black-type win in the final 50 yards.
Japan
One and Only, who earned his first Grade 1 when stretched out to 2,400 meters
for the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) June 1, was making his first start since
that classic victory in Sunday’s Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at Hanshin.
Dropping out to travel near the rear of the field with just three beaten
through the opening stages, One and Only began to circle the field heading into
the turn. Sticking his head in front in midstretch, One and Only had to fight to
hold off a stubborn Sounds of the Earth, but he prevailed in a thriller in this
trial for the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger).
Italy
Priore Philip, who snatched his first win in claiming company at the San Siro
in June 2013, proved a smart purchase for owner Scuderia Ste Ma. The chestnut
colt topped his juvenile season when landing the Gran Criterium, and after a
winning comeback in March, he ran second to Salford Secret in the Premio Parioli
(Italian Two Thousand Guineas) April 27, and clinched the Premio Carlo Vittadini
May 25 over Verdetto Finale.
That rival set the pace along the inside rail in Sunday’s Group 1 Premio
Vittorio di Capua back at Milan, trailed by Priore Philip while the rest of the
field moved five wide. In the last 400 meters Priore Philip came to challenge in
the middle of the track and simply outkicked his rival. The German trained
Calyxa was the best of the rest while the even money favorite, L’Amour Da Ma
Vie, finished ninth.
Trained in France by Nicolas Clement, Ming Zhi Cosmos has found her place in
Italy, where she has now made three of her last four starts, all victories.
Winner of the Premio Nogara here June 1 prior to finishing eighth in the Prix
Chloe back in France June 30, Ming Zhi Cosmos returned to garner the Premio
Bessero September 7.
In Sunday’s Group 3 Premio Sergio Cumani, she pressed the pacesetter Sweet
Fede and picked up when asked by jockey Thierry Thulliez. In the last 200 meters
Ming Zhi Cosmos turned back the challenge of the German raider, Love Happens
(GB), much more easily than the half-length margin suggests.
“When she hit the front she started to look around — I had a lot of gas
left,” Thulliez said.
Australia
Trust in a Gust just edged Dissident in Sunday’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke at
Caulfield.
A consistent performer just below the top rungs last season, Trust in a Gust
recorded four straight wins at the conditions level from November through
January. After three straight defeats, he returned to the winner’s circle at
Moonee Valley August 23 before finishing second in the Drummond Golf. He prepped
for this by winning a handicap over this course and seven-furlong distance a
week ago.
Rushing up down the backstretch to travel on the heels of the pacesetter
while three-time Group 1 winner Dissident sat two lengths back in fourth, Trust
in a Gust took the lead at the top of the lane and was confronted by Dissident
at the 200-meter mark. That rival drew even but was unable to wrangle the lead
from his stubborn rival, who held on by the narrowest of margins. Jockey Ben
Melham lodged a protest, alleging Trust in a Gust interfered with Dissident in
the stretch, but that complaint was dismissed by stewards.
Trust in a Gust’s trainer Darren Weir, celebrating his first Victorian Group
1, told RacingNetwork.com.au, “He got headed, fought back and stuck his head out
at the right time. It’s a great thrill and the people who own him are a great
bunch. For me it’s a great thrill to finally train a Group 1 winner in Victoria
— it’s taken me a long time.”
Trust in a Gust’s dam is a three-quarter sister to Irish highweight winner
Balanchine, the 1994 Epsom Oaks winner who defeated males in the Irish Derby.
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