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George Washington imperious in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot
By Tom Krish | 25 Sep 2006 |
BBC had requisitioned the services of a horse psychologist to monitor the behavior of George Washington. The Aidan O’Brien-trained sophomore colt, the favorite in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, had been branded ‘arrogant.’ Kelly Marks, the psychologist, called arrogance a human characteristic. “Aidan O’Brien is spinning when he says that George Washington is arrogant. The colt is insecure and immature. He puts his head in the air and that is what a frightened horse does. He seems to lack confidence and he goes sideways when hit, Kelly Marks said in a statement.
All the hype and the resulting analysis became moot when George Washington, in the hands of Mick Kinane, roared past the leaders to win Europe's premier mile race. The race was run over the round mile. The winning margin was 1 1/4 lengths. The time was 1 40.06 on a yielding track. There was a rarely seen act of exultation on the part of O’Brien. “He grew up after Goodwood. He was doing a canter today. You saw what he did and how he did it,” O’Brien said.
Eight horses went postward in the Group I extravaganza. It had rained heavily on Friday in London. Saturday broke with the sun out and you could not have asked for better weather as the seven-race card got under way. The racing surface had a little cut. George Washington, the English 2000 Guineas champion at Newmarket in May, opened at 2 to 1 and his odds shortened to 13-8 at post time. After winning the 2000 Guineas with an imperious display of speed and stamina, George Washington could not beat Arrafa in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh under testing conditions. At the ‘Glorious Goodwood’ meeting, George Washington carried the public purse and finished a tame third in the Celebration Mile. Discerning observers were able to grant the colt the benefit of the doubt for the two losses.
Arrafa was well-beaten in the English 2000 Guineas, turned the tables on George Washington in the Irish version and went on to win the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Bet to the exclusion of the others in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, Araafa tracked the leader and lacked a response when asked for an effort. Christophe Soumillon took the place of the injured Alan Munro. Arrafa was 8 and 7-1.
Librettist, beaten only once in eight lifetime starts, was seeking his third consecutive Group I success. He had won the Prix Jacques le Marois at Longchamp and the Prix du Moulin at Deauville, two French tracks. Frankie Dettori was the rider. The British pundits belived that Dettori's mount had beaten much softer fields in those two wins in France. Librettist was 11-4 and 3-1.
Court Masterpiece, the Sussex Stakes champion, was in the field with Jamie Spencer. Proclamation the 2005 Sussex Stakes winner, was only making his second 2006 start and was only 5-1 despite apparent doubts about his readiness. Ivan Denisovich, River Tiber and Killybegs who had been runner-up to Court Masterpiece in the 2006 Sussex Stakes, completed the line up.
River Tiber and Ivan Denisovich set a tepid pace. Librettist lay a`handy third albeit wide and very wide for the most part. Araafa stay in striking range. George Washington raced in middivision, not more than 5 lengths away at any point and had a great ground-saving trip. Araafa moved up to gain control midway through the stretch and Librettist was giving out distress signals after being bumped and pushed wide coming into the last turn. Kinane, on George Washington, was looking for a way out of the pocket. With a furlong left, Kinane found daylight after switching a lane or two and went in chase of Araafa. It was a brief tussle and as they approached the wire it was George Washington who had drawn clear. Court Masterpiece was late on the scene to salvage third.
The race was worth 141,950 pounds (approx. Rs.1.25 crores) to the winner. George Washington now heads to Churchill Downs at Louisville for the Breeders' Cup mile. The Breeders' Cup races will be run on Saturday, November 4, 2006. There are only two Group I events left in the British racing season, the Sun Chariot and Champion Stakes, coming up in the following weeks.
A delighted Kinane said, “he was only half-speeding as he passed the front horses. He’s a very classy horse and he is exceptional. I have ridden some good ones but none better. He was fresh and broke in the air in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood. I told Aidan that it will be a different story at Ascot.”
"We were beaten by a better colt. I am delighted with his performance," said Jeremy Noseda. Araafa's trainer. Jamie Spencer, Court Masterpiece's jockey, stated, "my horse ran very well. He was beaten by two superior horses."
Frankie Dettori and Librettist finished sixth and Dettori complained to the stewards that Seamus Heffernan, Ivan Denisovich's rider, had delibertately interfered with him and effectively ruling him out of the race by forcing him wide. Dettori's claim of foul play and 'team tactics' found favor with the judges who suspended Heffernan for 14 days. That was the only silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud for Dettori. Ten years to the day, Dettori won all seven races and there is a statue of the famed Italian at Ascot.
Danehill progenies dominated the day at Ascot. Admiralofthefleet, a Danehill colt, won the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes for O’Brien and Kinane. Simply Perfect, a Danehill filly, proved the best in the Group 1 Meon Valley Stud Mile. Darryll Holland was the jockey and the winning trainer was Jeremy Noseda.
It is now on to Paris for the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc is on Sunday, October 1, at Longchamp. The forecast is for rain all of next week in the French capital. It is a two-day meeting at Longchamp on Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1. On Sunday, there are six Group I races in the eight-race program. Hurricane Run, Shirocco and Deep Impact, the Japanese superstar, are at the top of the market for the Paris showpiece.
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