Aidan O’Brien deserves top billing in this report for a simple reason. The Ballydoyle maestro, that is how he is referred to, had thirteen Groups I wins going into Saturday. Duke of Marmalade was victorious in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Trainer O’Briens’s tally stood at 14. Sunday dawned and the scene shifted to the Curragh in Dublin, Ireland. The race was the Group I Phoenix Stakes. Master Craftsman, ridden by John Murtagh, was the 4-1 third choice in the five-runner field. Master Craftsman ran away with the race. Sea of Marmara and Seamus Heffernan set a fast pace and Master Craftsman and jockey Murtagh tracked the pace-setter. Art Connoisseur, winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and the even money favourite, raced last. As Murtagh struck the front with 350 metres to run, Art Connoisseur switched to the out to deliver his bid. In a matter of strides, Master Craftsman put the issue to bed. The Aidan O’Brien trainee won by four and one half lengths in a time of 1:13.3 for the 1200-metre trip. Aidan O’Brien’s Group I haul in 2008 had reached fifteen.

Danehill Dancer is Master Craftsman’s sire. The dam is Starlight Dreams, a Black Tie Affair mare. Black Tie Affair is a Breeders’ Cup winner. The Phoenix Stakes carried a winner’s purse of 162,000 pounds. Master Craftsman is now three for three. His last win came in the Railway Stakes on Irish Derby day. John Murtagh had to dig deep to win by a short head over Albahan and Declan McDonough.

On Saturday at Ascot, Duke of Marmalade was the 4-6 chalk in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Red Rock Canyon and Colm O’Donoghue showed the way. Duke of Marmalade was fifth and within striking range. Youmzain and Papal Bull missed the kick and were backmarkers. Murtagh drew first blood with 400 metres to go and took the lead. Youmzain, overcoming a spot of trouble, was produced but he lacked the fire he showed in his last win in Saint Cloud’s Grand Prix in Paris in late June. Papal Bull, Olivier Peslier up, came up with a rattle to join issue with the Duke with a little over 200 metres left. Papal Bull put his neck in front. Duke of Marmalade had been headed. As Murtagh drew on his reserves, Peslier, to his dismay, was finding that his mount’s momentum had stalled. The French ace, switched the whip from right to left and then left to right. As the pair raced toward the line, Duke of Marmalade had regained the advantage. The margin was one half length. Nine lengths back in third was Youmzain.

It was the fourth Group I win for the Duke this year. The Prix Ganay was the first. The second came in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. The third was in the Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot. The time was 2 27.9 for 2400 metres on a good to firm course.

In my last report, I had referred to the King George VI as a 2000-metre race. I express regret. It is a 2400-metre race. It was the first time that Duke of Marmalade was tackling 2400 metres.

John Murtagh paid tribute to his mount’s fighting qualities. “I quickened up very well and was surprised to see another horse come with me. My horse is a great battler. He has a great will to win.”

Trainer O’Brien was restrained in his adulation of jockey Murtagh. “He may have moved earlier than he would have liked. Duke of Marmalade gets lazy when he hits the front. Johnny kept him going-it was a beautiful ride. We may take the Duke to the Irish Champion Stakes over 2000.”

Duke’s Arc odds were cut for Longchamp’s Arc de Triomphe in early October though there was no official word coming out of the O’Brien camp.

I spoke to Olivier Peslier. “I had a bad start. My horse settled well. He had a big move when I asked him. I thought I had the race won when I led. Then, suddenly, my horse stopped. He did not go on. You saw I switched the whip. The winner came back. I will see you, Tom, in Paris over the Arc weekend.”

There were two races of importance in Europe. In Munich, the Group I Grosser Dalimayr Preis was won by Linngari, ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Sir Michael Stoute. Pressing, another Stoute trainee, ran second. It was jockey Ryan Moore’s first win on German soil.

Sir Henry Cecil took Twice Over to Paris and won the Group II Prix Eugene Adam at Maisons Laffitte, a 2000-metre event for sophomores. Twice Over, the 10 to 9 on choice, was ridden by Ted Durcan. City Leader, another invader from Britain, came late on the scene to be the bridesmaid. Sir Cecil has now won the Eugene Adam three times, in 1998, in 2002 and in 2008.

Sir Henry Cecil joked, “it was my turn to win. Andre Fabre has won this race thirteen times.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy rode Collection in the Prix Eugene Adam on Sunday at Maisons Laffitte. That was his last ride for the Godolphin establishment in Europe. McEvoy has been taken off his mounts at Goodwood on Tuesday. Jockey McEvoy heads to Australia where he will have first call on Sheikh Mohamed’s horses. McEvoy was Frankie Dettori’s understudy. McEvoy is talented and has excellent judgement. I will miss him when I visit London in September.

We now turn our attention to what happened in America over the weekend.

On Friday at Saratoga, the Grade II Lake George, a turf race over 1800 metres for filles and mares, was held. My Princess Jess, Eibar Coa up, found an opening along the fence to eke out a win. The result stood after an inquiry. The return was $6.10. Braclay Tagg trains My Princess Jess who has now won four times in the last five trips postward.
 
Trainer Barclay Tagg expressed relief. “You don’t like to lose races especially after you win them. She (My Princess Jess) has a lot of ability and courage and showed that today.”

Mousse Au Chocolat, the favourite, ran last. She balked at the start, lost several lengths, caught up and suffered interference in the final turn that effectively took her out of contention.

I called jockey Christophe Lemaire. “She never picked it up. It was a poor start. I don’t know why she stalled. I almost fell down when clipping heels. Nothing went right.”

Jockey Lemaire continued, “I’ll be in New York tonight. I will leave for Paris Saturday afternoon.”

Lemaire confirmed that he will not be at Arlington Park on Aug 9 for the Beverly D stakes to ride Cicerole, a French filly. “Ioritz Mendizabal will come to Chicago,” he said.

At Saratoga on Saturday, Bustin Stones, unbeaten in six starts, was scratched from the Grade II $250,000 Alfred Vanderbilt. A stone bruise in the right front foot was the reason.

Abraaj, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Alan Garcia, was the 17-10 choice. After being outrun in the first half of the 1200-metre race, Abraaj came roaring down the lane to win by two and one half lengths in 1 10.23. Abraaj now has a berth in the BC Sprint in October.

The Grade I Diana went to Forever Together, a 9-1 chance, at Saratoga on Saturday. Trained by Jon Sheppard, Forever Together was ridden by Julien Leparoux. The time was 1 46.52 for 1800 metres on a ‘good’ turf course. Forever Together gets a place in the BC Filly-Mare Turf.

Jockey Leparoux lavished praise on his mount. “I was last early. It was nothing spectacular. I mean, she was last, relaxed. When I got her out, she took off. So that was very good.”

Commentator won the Grade I Whitney in 2005 as a four year-old. On Saturday at Saratoga, the Distorted Humor progeny made it all to win the $750,000 Whitney for the second time. The margin was four and three quarter lengths. Commentator, in the hands of John Velasquez, clocked 1:50.23 for 1800 metres on the main track. Commentator will be in the BC Classic lineup. Commentator paid $10.80 as the second favourite.

Kelso and Discovery have won the Whitney three times. One of Kelso’s wins came when he was eight.

Trainer Nick Zito was thrilled. “This is a good illustration to anyone who gets old. Don’t ever give up. Commentator is an amazing horse.”

Ginger Punch served notice that she’s ready to defend her BC title. The race was the Grade I Go For Wand at Saratoga on Saturday. Ginger Punch was the 10 to 2 on favourite. The time was 1 53.43 for 1800 metres on a fast track.

Ginger Punch, a five year-old by Awesome Again, had a ground-saving trip and lacked room until the last 200 metres. She squeezed thru an opening and quickned once there was daylight. She won by a length and a quarter. Rafael Bejarano rode.

Trainer Bobby Frankel talked about how nervous he was. “I was nervous watching the race. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I thought I was dead. I could not believe it. I don’t like to be that excited. She’s fine and everything was all right Sunday morning.”

Pepper’s Pride bid to win 17 races in a row has to wait until next Saturday. Six inches of rain (residue of Hurricane Dolly) fell in the vicinity of Ruidoso Downs (New Mexico) and the July 27 program was abandoned. The race has been scheduled for Aug 2.

Jockey Kent Desormeaux has reached a milestone. He rode his 5,000th winner on Sunday at Saratoga. The winning mount was Bella Attrice in the seventh race. Win No 4,999 came on July 23.

Kent Desormeaux became the 23rd jockey to get 5000 winners. “I’m in awe of the number. Five thousand, WOW! These numbers were attained in New York and California, the ‘A’ league. I am proud of that, “he exclaimed.

“The two wins that mean the most to me are my first win with Miss Tavern on July 13, 1986 at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana and Real Quiet in the Kentucky Derby in 1998,” Kent said.

Jockey Desormeaux won the Kentucky Derby in 2000 with Fusaichi Pegasus. Big Brown gave Kent his third Derby win this year.

Big Brown worked 1200 metres in 1 10.8 at Aqueduct on Saturday. Michelle Nevin was aboard.

Mike Iavarone, Big Brown’s primary owner, said, “I spoke to Michelle. She said it was unbelievable. She could not get him to pull up. It was very impressive because he worked by himself.”

Big Brown is racing in the Haskell Invitation on Sunday, Aug 3 at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

On Sunday at Saratoga, in the Grade II Jim Dandy, Pyro had to play second fiddle to Macho Again. Second in the Preakness and fifth in the Belmont, Macho Again, trained by Dallas Stewart, stayed away from a brisk pace, hit the front midstretch and held the fast finishing Pyro. It was a half length victory. The 1800-metre race was run in 1 51.16.

Macho Again paid $18,40. Julien Leaproux, the winning jockey, talked about his mount’s stoutheartedness.  He’s game, He ran good. Came back ready from the layoff. He finished very well.”

Macho Again’s next race is the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug 23. In 2005, Flower Alley won the Jim Dandy and went on to win the Travers. In 2006 and in 2007, Bernardini and Street Sense emulated the feat. Macho Again now attempts to make it four years in a row.

Sources: Blood Horse, Racing Post and TV reports