There was a second successive German-trained winner of the Group 1 King
George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday when the Andreas Wohler-trainer
Novellist set a new course record of 2:24.60 in the 1 1/2-mile showpiece.
The writing was soon on the wall for Novellist’s rivals — as under a
textbook ride from Johnny Murtagh — the four-year-old came home five lengths
clear of Irish Derby winner Trading Leather. The time was over two seconds
quicker than the previous best of 2:26.78 set by Harbinger in the same race in
2010.
“To win like that is unbelievable but even more so to do it in a record
time.” Wohler said. “The hardest thing for Johnny was pulling the horse up after
the race. We couldn’t have said beforehand that he would have won that easily.
“I was quite confident because the horse was really well coming here and that
gave me confidence to go for this race. At first they didn’t go too fast today
and then the pace quickened and quickened but my horse still cruised. I started
walking down the steps a furlong before the winning post.
“His main target now is the (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) and he will have one
race beforehand. The two options are the Prix Foy and Grosser Preis von Baden
and it’s more likely we’d go for the Grosser Preis. He’s won a Group race in
Germany and a Group 1 in Italy last year, but to make a stallion he needs more
international form so we went to Saint-Cloud and then on to here.”
Murtagh added: “He was a very impressive winner and he’s up there with the
good ones that I’ve ridden. It went exactly the way I’d imagined it would. We
settled in fourth with Crirrus des Aigles in fifth, it was how I dreamt it would
happen last night and it went exactly as I thought.
“It didn’t feel like a track record but I was always cruising and in my
comfort zone. When we got into the straight I hung off the back of Kevin Manning
(on Trading Leather) and then let him go. I was worried that something was going
to come from behind but nothing did. It would have taken a fair one to get me
because we quickened so well. It’s a demanding mile and a half here and there
was always going to be a good pace on.”
Jim Bolger, trainer of three-year-old Trading Leather, who was meeting his
elders for the first time after winning the Irish Derby last time out, said:
“That was very satisfactory. Everything went well — except for the last
furlong!
“We probably could have done with a little more pace early on, but all in all
we’re very happy. We’ll stick to the original plan, all being well — he’ll go
to York for the Juddmonte International, then to Leopardstown (for the Irish
Champion Stakes) and then back here for the Champion Stakes on British Champions
Day.”
Sir Michael Stoute said that the rapidly-improving third-placed Hillstar, for
whom this was a first Group 1 attempt after being supplemented on Monday at a
cost of £75,000, was “going the right way. We’re delighted with him and I don’t
think we’ll be dropping him back in class now.”
Corine Barande-Barbe, trainer of beaten favorite Cirrus des Aigles, reflected
after her charge came home in fourth place.
“Christophe said he needed a run — he took a breath three times which showed
he needs a race and this (the rain) is coming too late. The going was quite
fast. But I am not disappointed, competition always improves him. Even if we do
work at home, it is not the same and he knows a lot as well.
“We might go to York next for the Juddmonte International but we have a date
here in October (Champions Stakes).”
Christophe Soumillon, rider of Cirrus Des Aigles, added: “He ran very well —
he wasn’t really fit — the horse needs a race. The speed we went and the track
conditions, it was hard to follow that pace.”
In the day’s opener at Ascot, Princess Noor responded to first-time blinkers
to spring a 25-1 upset in the Group 3 Princess Margaret. Tracking the pace
beneath Andrea Atzeni, the Roger Varian juvenile drove to a two-length decision
over the late-running Queen Catrine.
“She traveled really well,” Atzeni said, “and she was going so well two
furlongs out that I knew I was going to win. The blinkers have done the job
today because she was much sharper and she quickened well.”
Princess Noor was a debut winner over Kempton’s Polytrack on May 29, but was
only ninth in the June 21 Albany at Royal Ascot and fifth in the July 12 Duchess
of Cambridge (formerly the Cherry Hinton) at Newmarket.
“We’ve run her in nice races because we think she’s a nice filly and she’s
always worked quite well,” Varian said.
“The only place to judge a horse is on the racecourse, and she’s not quite
come up this level in the Albany and the Cherry Hinton. She was a little bit
inexperienced when she ran at Royal Ascot and then maybe lacked a bit of focus
coming down the dip at Newmarket, when she didn’t run badly.
“She traveled very well (in the Princess Margaret). The blinkers might have
just helped her focus today. There’s nothing ungenuine about her, but they
helped her focus and it came off.”
The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor holds entries in the August 22 Lowther
Stakes at York and the September 28 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
“We’ll get today out of the way first,” Varian said of making plans.
The Richard Hannon-trained Washaar followed in the hoofsteps of stablemate
Toronado by capturing the Winkfield. Third in the July 13 Superlative at
Newmarket, the two-year-old Kodiac colt struck the front at about the halfway
stage and forged 1 1/2 lengths clear of Emirates Flyer.
“He’s very athletic and a good-moving horse,” the trainer’s son and assistant
Richard Hannon Jr. said. “He disappointed us at Newmarket last time, we thought
he was better than that, but bounced back today.
“He might be one for the Royal Lodge Stakes (September 28 at Newmarket) but
we’d find something in between. He’s a real two-year-old but I think he’ll train
on next year as well.
“We won this race with Toronado last year and it would be nice if he is as
good, although I’m not sure about that.”
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