Lady Aurelia Lands Prix Morny
The Wesley Ward-trained filly, who was a hugely impressive winner of the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Royal Ascot on her previous start, was sharp out of the gates under Frankie Dettori and set a solid gallop from the outset.
Dettori asked her to stretch 400 metres out and, while it turned out to be a race winning move, she was forced to dig in through the closing stages as Alrahma (Shamardal) and Peace Envoy (Power) finished strongly, with the pair three quarters of a length and a head behind Lady Aurelia at the line.
The winner could now return to the United Kingdom to tackle the Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket on 24 September.
Churchill (2 c Galileo – Meow by Storm Cat) made light work of the opposition in the Futurity Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at the Curragh on Sunday to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore stallion Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) with the first leg of a stakes double.
The last-start winner of the Tyros Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) was waited with in midfield under Seamie Heffernan and moved up to lead a furlong and a half from home.
Radio Silence (War Front) attempted to challenge Churchill in vain and the winner galloped on strongly to win going away by two lengths, with Arcada (Rip Van Winkle) a further three quarters of a length behind in third.
The O’Brien / Galileo double was secured when Rhododendron (2 f ex Halfway To Heaven by Pivotal) who, in landing the Debutante Stakes (Gr 2, 7f), also provided Galileo with his 231st stakes winner.
The filly, who only broke her maiden at Goodwood on 28 July, travelled strongly in midfield but had to work hard to get to the lead and was made to battle by stablemate Hydrangea (Galileo), who rallied bravely once headed.
Rhododendron, who looks likely to tackle the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) at the Curragh on 11 September, was a head clear at the line, with Intricately (Fastnet Rock) a further length and a quarter adrift in third.
Juddmonte Farms stallion Frankel (Galileo) sired the first and third in the Lowther Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at York on Thursday, with Queen Kindly (2 f ex Lady Of The Desert by Rahy) getting the better of the odds-on favourite Fair Eva (Frankel).
The Richard Fahey-trained Queen Kindly, whose dam Lady Of The Desert also won the Lowther Stakes in 2009, had plenty of cover in behind runners while 4-11 favourite Fair Eva was forced to race wide throughout.
At the furlong marker, Queen Kindly showed an impressive turn of foot to win comfortably by three quarters of a length from the running on Aidan O’Brien-trained Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) winner Roly Poly (War Front), who in turn was three quarters of a length ahead of Fair Eva.
The Godolphin-owned Blue Point (2 c Shamardal – Scarlett Rose by Royal Applause) was far too strong for his rivals in the Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at York on Saturday.
The colt, who was purchased for 200,000 guineas by John Ferguson Bloodstock from the West Moor Stud draft at Book One of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year, travelled strongly behind the leaders under William Buick, who had a tight hold on the reins as the colt moved into the lead a furlong and a half out.
Last start Rose Bowl Stakes (Listed, 6f) winner Mokarris (More Than Ready) briefly threatened, but Blue Point quickened away to win by three lengths, with Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) runner up The Last Lion (Choisir) a further length and three quarters away in third.
The Kevin Ryan-trained Syphax (2 c Arch – Much Obliged by Kingmambo) caused an upset in the Acomb Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at York on Wednesday.
The colt showed patent signs of inexperience in rear under Jamie Spencer but picked up strongly inside the final furlong to run down recent Godolphin purchase Best Of Days (Azamour) by a head, with the China Horse Club-owned Lockheed (Exceed And Excel) a further three quarters of a length away in third.
The Andrew Balding-trained and Qatar Racing-owned South Seas (2 c Lope De Vega – Let It Be Me by Mizzen Mast) preserved his three-race unbeaten record in the Solario Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Sandown on Saturday.
The colt was slowly away but made up ground rapidly in the home straight and came through inside the last 150 yards to beat Salouen (Canford Cliffs) by two and a quarter lengths, with Eqtiraan (Helmet) a further length behind in third.
Three-year-old
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Seventh Heaven (3 f Galileo – La Traviata by Johannesburg) won the Yorkshire Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) in decisive fashion at York on Thursday.
The last-start Irish Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner came under pressure near rear over three furlongs out but responded well to rider Colm O’Donoghue urgings and began to slice through the field.
Seventh Heaven went clear to beat her dual Group One-winning stablemate Found (Galileo) by two and three quarter lengths, with Queen’s Trust (Dansili) a further length and a quarter behind in third.
Seventh Heaven is now as short as 5-2 favourite in the betting to take out the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (Gr 1, 1m4f) at Ascot on 15 October.
English and Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) placegetter Idaho (3 c Galileo – Hveger by Danehill) came with a sustained run from the rear of the field to land the Great Voltigeur Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) at York on Wednesday.
A brother to Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) placegetter Highland Reel, Idaho looked up against it turning into the home straight as stablemate Housesofparliament (Galileo) got loose on the front end.
He began to find his stride two furlongs out, however, and wore down the leader inside the final 150 yards to win going away by a length and three quarters, with the same distance back to Across The Stars (Sea The Stars) in third.
Idaho is now the pre-post favourite for the St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m6.5f) at Doncaster on 10 September.
The Jeremy Noseda-trained Nemoralia (3 f More Than Ready – Alina by Came Home) ran out a clear cut winner of the City Of York Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at York on Friday.
The filly, who has been placed in Grade / Group One company three times, was restrained off a strong early gallop before bursting through on the inside under Jamie Spencer to beat So Beloved (Dansili) by a length and a quarter with Jallota (Rock Of Gibraltar) a further half a length behind in third.
Persuasive (3 f Dark Angel – Choose Me by Choisir) preserved her five-race unbeaten record in the Atalanta Stakes (Gr 3, 1m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Trained by John Gosden and owned by Cheveley Park Stud, the filly, who took out the Sandringham Handicap (Listed, 1m) at Royal Ascot in June, travelled smoothly throughout and quickened three lengths clear of Blond Me (Tamayuz), with Lucy The Painter (Excellent Art) a further three quarters of a length behind in third.
Older horses
The Roger Varian-trained Postponed (5 h Dubawi – Ever Rigg by Dubai Destination) won his fourth Group One in the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2.5f) at York on Wednesday.
Postponed had been off the track since taking out the Coronation Cup (Gr 1, 1m4f) at Epsom in early June but was never far off the pace in the hands of Andrea Atzeni, who kicked for home three furlongs out.
The front-running Highland Reel (Galileo), who could return to Australia for another tilt at the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) in October, fought on well but could not match the winner, who was a length and a quarter clear at the line despite drifting over to the stands rail.
Mutakayyef (Sea The Stars), who also holds an entry in the Cox Plate, was a further length behind in third. Postponed now looks likely to head straight to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) at Chantilly on 2 October.
A trip to Chantilly is also in prospect for the Michael Dods-trained Mecca’s Angel (5 m Dark Angel – Folga by Atraf), who successfully defended her Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) crown at York on Friday.
Aided by rainfall leading up to the race, Mecca’s Angel was always handy under jockey Paul Mulrennan before showing an impressive turn of foot to defeat July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) winner and 15-8 favourite Limato (Tagula) by two lengths. The David Griffiths-trained King George Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) winner Take Cover (Singspiel) was another two lengths back in third.
A tilt at Prix de l’Abbaye (Gr 1, 1000m) at Chantilly on 2 October is the next target for Mecca’s Angel, who will be retired to stud at the end of the season.
Meanwhile at Deauville on Sunday, the British-trained Speedy Boarding (4 f Shamardal – Dash To The Front by Diktat) took out the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr 1, 2000m).
The daughter of Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) tracked the pace before running on well to beat the Andre Fabre-trained Ame Bleue (Dubawi) by a length and three quarters. Steip Amach (Vocalised) was a head further back in third.
The success was the second in the race for trainer James Fanshawe in the past three years and provided jockey Frederik Tylicki with his first victory at the top level.
Back at York on Friday, the Roger Charlton-trained Quest For More (6 g Teofilo – No Quest by Rainbow Quest) made all to win the Lonsdale Cup (Gr 2, 2m 1/2f).
Ridden by George Baker, the six-year-old gelding held off the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Pallasator (Motivator) by three and a half lengths with the Willie Mullins-trained Wicklow Brave (Beat Hollow) a neck further back in third.
The Ed Dunlop-trained Trip To Paris (Champs Elysees), who finished runner-up in the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) before finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), finished fourth on his second start back from a layoff.
A return to Australia could still be in prospect for Trip To Paris, but Quest For More is unlikely to return to the Southern Hemisphere, according to Charlton.
Meanwhile at the Curragh on Sunday, Success Days (4 c Jeremy – Malaica by Roi Gironde) took out the Royal Whip Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f).
Third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr 1, 1m2.5f) on his last start back in May, the Kevin Condon-trained grey made all and managed to hold off Fascinating Rock (Fastnet Rock) and win by three quarters of a length.
The Jim Bolger-trained Moonlight Magic (Cape Cross) was another two and a half lengths back in third with the even-money favourite US Army Ranger (Galileo) disappointing in fourth.