Simenon Committed To Melb Cup Bid: Mullins

Wednesday, 18 September 2013 07:30

Connections of Simenon are "committed" in their pursuit of the Melbourne Cup - even though the talented stayer is not yet guaranteed a place in the final line-up.

The six-year-old gelding, runner-up in both the Ascot Gold Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York this season, has been allotted 53.5kg for the world's richest handicap at Flemington on November 5.

Trainer Willie Mullins accepts Simonen's participation could be a closely run thing.

He told the Telegraph: "We are committed to go, even though we are not guaranteed to get a run.

"We know it's probably a 50-50 chance, but the owners are keen, and the horse has been in quarantine in Newmarket.

"He's settled in great and he's been eating and drinking OK."

Simonen is likely to have a run before the Melbourne Cup. A victory could see him incur a penalty which may help him make the cut.

Mullins said: "We are looking at several options, but I would prefer it if the race was not too close to the Cup."

British Racing Gathers To Celebrate Cecil

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 01:15

Figures from across the sport of Flat racing gathered in Ely Cathedral to celebrate the life of Sir Henry Cecil.

The huge Gothic structure, which looms over the Fens, was a building Cecil admired and it was chosen by his widow, Lady Jane, as a fitting venue for his remembrance.

The legendary trainer died after a long and dignified battle against cancer on June 11 and had a private family funeral at St Agnes Church in Newmarket. His body was laid to rest at his ancestral seat of Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Among those at a service open to all were the jockeys to have ridden for Cecil, such as Richard Quinn, Willie Ryan, Tony McGlone, Ted Durcan, John Lowe and Tom Queally, who partnered his last and greatest horse, Frankel.

Most of the current trainers were present, Newmarket rivals like Sir Michael Stoute and John Gosden, former assistants Luca Cumani, William Jarvis and David Lanigan, plus other leading members of the profession such as John and Ed Dunlop, Marco Botti, James Fanshawe and Roger Varian.

Other notable names among the congregation were National Hunt giant Martin Pipe, owners Sir Robert Ogden, Lady Howard de Walden and Maria Niarchos, British Horseracing Authority chief executive Paul Bittar, Simon Crisford of Godolphin and television presenter Clare Balding.

There were around 50 members of the staff at Warren Place stables, past and present, including staunch servants like Frank Conlon and Paddy Rudkin.

A recollection was given by Teddy Grimthorpe, the racing manager for Cecil's long-standing supporter Khalid Abdullah. The combination had enjoyed countless Classic and Group One victories years before Frankel was even born.

"If you were asked to paint a mural of the lifetime of Sir Henry Cecil, how on earth would you start this masterpiece?" he said.

After paying tribute to his three wives, Julie, Natalie and Jane, as well as his children, Grimthorpe said: "To know Henry, you'd have to understand his closest friends were his horses.

"His maxim was 'to feel our way, and let the horses tell us'.

"Perhaps Henry's greatest friend was Frankel, with apologies to all the others. Like all great friendships, neither would be the same without the other."

Tac De Boistron In Winning Form

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 23:30

Tac De Boistron will be aimed at the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on October 6 after his effortless win at Chester on Saturday.

The six-year-old returned to Europe after a stint with Mick Kent in Australia where he was unplaced in two starts in the Geelong and Melbourne Cups.

His Chester win came at his second start for new trainer Marco Botti when he bolted in by eight lengths.

"I think we'll probably send him back to France for his next race," Botti said.

"The Prix du Cadran on Arc de Triomphe day would look the next logical step.

"The way he handles soft ground is obviously a plus because the odds are it is likely to have some cut in the ground by then.

"Soft ground is the key to him. When he ran in the Melbourne Cup the ground was way too firm so there is not much point in aiming him at that again as he's very unlikely to get his ground.

"He won a Group Two in France last season on soft ground so we're hoping a return there will work.

"He was very impressive on Saturday."

Mixed Fortunes For Cup Entries In Europe

Sunday, 15 September 2013 21:30

A six length win in the Irish St Leger is unlikely to lead to a Melbourne Cup start for Voleuse De Coeurs with trainer Dermot Weld saying he would prefer to wait another year.

But 2011 Cup winner Dunaden is now being targeted at Melbourne again after failing to flatter in the lead-up race to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when eighth in the Prix Foy at Longchamp won by Japanese star Orfevre.

Sheikh Fahad's racing manager David Redvers confirmed on Twitter, the Arc was now off the agenda.

"Dunaden back off to Australia after his prep in Prix Foy. No question in my mind we saw the Arc winner today and he's made in Japan," Redvers said.

Voleuse De Coeurs gave Weld, who has won the Melbourne Cup twice, a seventh victory in the Irish Classic at The Curragh under Chris Hayes.

"Voleuse De Coeurs is a tough, genuine and consistent filly," Weld said.

"It's unlikely that she will go for the Melbourne Cup and I very much see her as a contender for the Cup races next year."

The Lady O'Reilly-owned filly hacked up under her talented pilot to take the Group One over a mile and three-quarters (2800m) in impressive fashion.

Ahzeemah, the 7-2 favourite, finished second, while Saddler's Rock was third.

Another Melbourne Cup entrant, Royal Diamond, who won the race last year, attempted to make most of the running, but he was swamped inside the final three furlongs (600m).

Weights for the Melbourne Cup will be declared on Tuesday with Dunaden, who won the 2012 Caulfield Cup, the likely topweight.

Voleuse De Coeurs To Target French Classic

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 01:45

Voleuse De Coeurs could attempt to claim further Classic honours this autumn following her resounding victory in the Irish St Leger.

The Dermot Weld-trained filly dotted up by six lengths at the Curragh on Sunday to initiate a likely visit to France in October.

With a tilt at the Melbourne Cup having been ruled out, Voleuse De Coeurs has the Prix Royal-Oak (the French St Leger) on October 27 as an end-of-season target.

James Kelly, racing manager for the four-year-old's owner, Lady O'Reilly, said: "We were over the moon with her.

"She was 100 per cent after the race and the only real option now is to run her in the French St Leger at the end of October.

"The boss (Lady O'Reilly) doesn't want to go for the Melbourne Cup, but she would be delighted to try to win another Classic with her."

Ed Dunlop Lands Doncaster Cup

Sunday, 15 September 2013 02:30

The 2013 Melbourne Cup has come around too quickly for Times Up but trainer Ed Dunlop is hoping the dual Doncaster Cup winner stays in training for a possible crack next year.

Dunlop enjoyed one of the most satisfying victories of his career when Times Up landed the Group Two race for the second time.

Family pressure was on the trainer as 12 months ago the same horse gave his father John a last big-race victory before his retirement.

To make things harder for his new handler, the season had not gone to plan for Times Up (3-1), but following an encouraging effort at York last month the seven-year-old turned up in good form to join an elite band of dual winners that include Double Trigger and Millenary.

"I've won bigger races but this means a lot. Having done very little right to get him winning again, I'm very chuffed," Dunlop said.

"My father did so well with him. He was his last big winner.

"He pushed and pushed for me to get the horse and the owners have been kind and supportive and understanding when things have not gone well.

"He had a bad infection in the spring. We thought we were over it but he didn't run well at Sandown and then he pulled too hard in the Gold Cup.

"He's a wonderful horse and has been working very well, but we were worried about the ground.

"There aren't too many races left. He'll probably go to Ascot (for the Long Distance Cup) and he's in the Cadran (at Longchamp).

"I wanted to take him to the Melbourne Cup but he hadn't done enough and it's expensive to go.

There is another stage but I doubt they will change their mind.

"He'll stay in training next year, hopefully.

Dunlop has 2011 Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux entered this year.

Brown Panther In Frame For Cup Prep Start

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 01:30

Trainer Tom Dascombe says there is "a possibility" Brown Panther could have a run before he enters quarantine for the Melbourne Cup in November.

Last month's Goodwood Cup winner had been due to contest the Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday, but he was not declared for the race after he was found to have been off colour.

Brown Panther, jointly-owned and bred by former England international footballer Michael Owen, had been required to go into quarantine for the Melbourne Cup by September 26.

But Australian regulations have now been relaxed by a week, which could see the five-year-old entire have another outing this month.

"He's much, much better. He's back eating his food again now so we are back on course (for the Melbourne Cup)," the Cheshire handler said.

"There is talk that the quarantine might be put back a week, so there is a possibility we can get a run into him beforehand.

"It's all very positive."

Leigh Jordon, international recruitment officer for Racing Victoria, confirmed the quarantine deadline had been put back until the start of October.

He said: "There is a shipment (of horses) due to arrive October 19, which is Caulfield Cup day, so the horses will now need to enter quarantine by October 3.

"I have spoken to Tom and he was thinking about giving Brown Panther another run, so this gives him more time.

"It will also give connections of some of the Irish St Leger horses an opportunity to have a rethink about whether they come here or not."

Leading Light Shines In English St Leger

Sunday, 15 September 2013 00:59

Europe's premier race seems likely to win out over the Melbourne Cup for Leading Light, winner of the English St Leger at Doncaster.

Leading Light put himself in the frame to be a late entry for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with his victory over Oaks winner Talent.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said he would discuss the Arc with the owners - Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor - over the next few days.

"The lads will make the decision on where to run next but it (the Arc) would be open to them if they wanted to do that," O'Brien said.

"We'll see, they'll probably talk about it next week I'd say.

O'Brien's jockey son Joseph erased the painful memory of defeat for Triple Crown-seeking Camelot in the St Leger 12 months ago.

The 7-2 favourite, giving O'Brien junior his first Leger and the trainer his fourth as well as completing a full set of Classics in Britain and Ireland for Smith, proved well up to the task.

Ridden positively, the Queen's Vase winner finished 1-1/4 lengths clear of Talent with twice Derby-placed Galileo Rock three-quarters of a length away third.

"I was going to take my time but there wasn't much pace early on, so I gave him a little nudge to get him up there," O'Brien said.

"I suppose this makes it a little bit sweeter after last year, but there's nothing I can about that now and you have to look forward.

"It's great to wear the cap for winning the Leger. I hope I can win another one."

Ralph Beckett was delighted to see Talent bounce back to form after a below-par effort in the Irish Oaks and she would now head to Champions Day at Ascot.

"The winner won well, but she has run well," Beckett said.

"All being well, if the ground comes up similar to today, we'll run in the fillies' race at Ascot on Champions Day."

Treve Camp Basking In Arc Trial Victory

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 01:15

Criquette Head-Maarek will be unfazed by whatever the elements throw at Treve when she runs in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in three weeks' time.

The three-year-old filly shot towards the forefront of the betting for Europe's premier middle-distance race after a startling display in the Prix Vermeille on Sunday.

Frankie Dettori's companion came from a long way back in the Longchamp Group One, but Treve still struck by nearly two lengths in a quick time.

The unbeaten daughter of Motivator has already won on variants of ground in a four-race career, with her Chantilly-based handler convinced that the conditions will not be an issue back at Longchamp on October 6.

Head-Maarek said: "I do not think the ground was that soft in the Vermeille - it was sticky and a little bit yielding.

"She has won on soft and on good ground, so I would not be concerned about what it will be like on Arc day."

The Sheikh Joaan Al Thani-owned Treve will now have a mini-break before she returns to training for the Arc, for which she is joint-favourite with some bookmakers.

Orfevre Primed For Prix Foy Repeat Victory

Saturday, 14 September 2013 02:15

Orfevre makes his eagerly awaited return to French soil when he lines up in Sunday's Prix Foy at Longchamp.

Brought over from Japan to land this trial last year, the chestnut suffered an agonising defeat in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when idling in front inside the final furlong and getting collared by Solemia.

Then beaten a nose in the Japan Cup, Yasutoshi Ikee's star made only one more appearance when an easy winner of a Grade Two at the end of March before being sidelined, reportedly with a bleeding issue.

Orfevre's life did not get any easier once he had touched down back in Chantilly as he was kicked in the nose by his work companion Blarney Stone prior to his first serious pipe-opener.

However, he has returned to his exercise regime and has been working nicely on the Les Aigles gallop under big-race pilot Christophe Soumillon.

"Last year, he acclimatised to his surroundings immediately and this year is the same," said Ikee.

The Foy is likely to determine the future of the 2011 Emirates Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden.

Mikel Delzangles' stayer was down the field back at Flemington last year but looked as if he was returning to his best when second to subsequent King George hero Novellist in his most recent outing in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

"It was a good run last time, especially with the way Novellist won at Ascot, and I'm hoping he can run well on Sunday," said Delzangles.

"After that, we will know which way we go next, if we go to the Arc or if we go back to Australia."