I’m sure very few of you would have missed the live simulcast action of Frankel last Saturday evening, as this super horse ended his magnificent career on a high note with his comfortable victory in the G1 Champion Stakes.
The sold-out crowd at Ascot, and his huge legion of worldwide fans watching via TV broadcast, had to endure an early scare as this champion horse made a sluggish start to the race and conceded a couple of lengths to his rivals. However, the horse was unfazed and he picked up quickly to join the field. His jockey Tom Queally was ice cool throughout, despite the uncertainty of the horse racing on the softest going he had encountered, and when he pressed the button entering the 300m zone Frankel responded brilliantly to win his farewell race by a comfortable margin of 1 3/4 lengths.
It was a real pleasure for us all to have the chance to watch this phenomenal horse extend his unbeaten record to 14. For those racing fans at Ascot on Saturday, it will be something that they can tell their grand children about, saying they were there to see Frankel’s farewell race. His Owner Prince Khalid Abdullah has now retired him and I know I’m not alone in saying that I’m already looking forward to seeing whether this racing great’s progeny will light up the thoroughbred industry in the future.
Apart from Frankel, the performance of race runner-up Cirrus des Aigles also caught my eye, and I would say this French runner ran an exceptional race. It was no disgrace when you consider that he was challenging Frankel and succumbed to the world’s best horse by less than two lengths. By comparison, and as a measure of Frankel’s greatness, the previous G1 race on the card, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, was won impressively by the hugely talented Excelebration by an easy three lengths – Frankel has brushed aside that horse each time they have met. Cirrus des Aigles’s was a brave defeat as he forced Frankel to really race down the Ascot straight.
Post-race reports quoted the French gelding’s trainer Corine Barande-Barbe as saying that the horse was thriving after the run and she will possibly point him to Hong Kong, for the Longines Hong Kong International Cup on 9 December, a race meeting he has taken part three times previously. Cirrus des Aigles finished a slightly unlucky 5th in the same race last year, but since then he has further progressed and added two more G1 titles in Dubai and France early this year, not forgetting a nine-length victory in the G2 Prix Dollar last month.
For sure we would be delighted to see this popular French star bring Frankel’s form to our international races in Hong Kong. His present rating of 130 places him second in the World Thoroughbred Rankings, and so Cirrus des Aigles would become the highest-rated overseas runner ever to take part in our premier international event. We will do our very best to facilitate his trip to Hong Kong and hopefully this horse can produce his peak form and treat us to the same stylish run on our home turf on 9 December.
While Cirrus des Aigles may bid to become another horse to earn success in both Hong Kong and Dubai, there’s a piece of sad news regarding a former regular Sha Tin visitor. Last week the Luca Cumani-trained Presvis passed away after suffering from acute colic, having just retired from racing a few months ago. Presvis at his best always gave racing fans a thrill with his flying come-from-behind finish. With his successes in lucrative races such as the APQEII Cup and Dubai Duty Free, his career earnings amounted to more than 4.3 million pounds sterling, which also made him the top earner in British racing history.
I think ambassadors like Presvis and Cirrus des Aigles are very important for the development and success of international racing. These tough and talented Group 1 globetrotters, participating in top races in different countries over a number of seasons, help raise the international profile of various major races, which in turn encourages competition between racehorses and horsemen of different racing jurisdictions. Although their achievements may not carry quite the glamorous merits of a Classic-winning wonder horse like Frankel, their contributions – especially for their ambassador role in connecting racing fans from different nations – should also never be undervalued.
Back to local racing, again at Happy Valley tonight we will be hosting the second Oktoberfest themed meeting. So make sure you come and join us earlier so as not to miss the great German party atmosphere there.
In the High Island Handicap which is run as a Class 3 over 1650m, the pace is expected to be good to slow which normally favours horses in the front of the field. Good Luck Win should lead with Soldier and Hollywood Kiss. Costa Del Sol and Circuit Star can be well placed near the rail and in midfield with Classic Jewellery looking for cover in midfield from Gate 7, as well as Forgive And Forget sitting just behind midfield. This race is wide open and very competitive, and I expect a good performance from Hollywood Kiss who seems now on a rating level which makes him being more competitive, and Good Luck Win who is working well. Classic Jewellery has always seen as a horse with potential but is not consistent in his performance. He has his first run in Happy Valley after a heart irregularity in July, and he has a place chance for me as has Victor Delight.
The Aberdeen Handicap as last race of the day is run as Class 3 over 1200m. It has attracted some very progressive horses and the pace should be fast which should help horses coming from off the speed. Romantic City and Vintage Hussler from their wide draws of 11 and 9 will have to go forward to get across to lead, with Lucky Scepter and Cape Canaveral compete for a good position just off the pace. Tour De Force from Gate 10 will likely try to find a position behind midfield, with Best Win also in midfield from Gate 2 and Sea The Pearls from Gate 7 behind him. Cape Canaveral is working very well and his last performance against Tour De Force was very good. He has a better draw than last time and he’s my pick together with Tour De Force which has a difficult draw but should benefit from the fast pace to find a good position. Best Win is in good form too as well as Sea The Pearls who is working very well. That’s why they are both my next choices.
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