By Tom Frary
Something of a “forgotten horse” entering Friday's G1 Investec Coronation Cup, the now-gelded Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) proved what a dose of Epsom magic can do in revitalising the soul as he sprang from the clouds to register a career-defining success. Runner-up in the most recent renewal of Newmarket's G2 Jockey Club S. that had been the stage of his last win when in peak form in May 2018, the 11-1 shot was settled in rear early by Andrea Atzeni alongside Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Enjoying a rail run approaching the straight, the grey needed room on the inner as that Ballydoyle representative struck the front looking to have it won two out. Getting the gap in time to swamp him 100 yards from the line, he asserted to score by a half length, with the pair pulling five lengths clear of last year's runner-up Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}). “He deserved it–he's a horse that's been very highly tried in the top races and keeps knocking on the door,” Andrea Atzeni said of the winner, who was providing his owner with his third Epsom group 1 success after his 1998 Derby hero High-Rise (Ire) and 2016 winner of this Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). “I wanted to be closer to the pace, but he was a little bit slowly away from the stalls and I didn't have the early speed to get up there. I thought Ryan had won, but once he got the split he took off and won nicely.”
By the time Defoe registered an easy win in the Jockey Club S. last May, he seemed on the way to the top but was only third as favourite for the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh later that month. When he eventually reappeared in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden in September, he was a neck second to Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) which was a solid enough effort to warrant a tilt at the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Only 15th in that ParisLongchamp feature, he was gelded after a subsequent second in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern in November. Fourth behind Marmelo (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) under forcing tactics on his first start back in the G3 John Porter S. at Newbury Apr. 13, he was unable to peg back the brilliantly-ridden Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) but beat all else in the May 4 renewal of the Jockey Club.
Trainer Roger Varian was delighted that Defoe had finally had his day by means of a happy accident. “You dream about results like that,” he said. “As it turned out, missing the break worked in our favour and he got a lovely split and quickened up very well. On his day, he has looked like a group one horse but on his last four or five runs he didn't measure up to his best form. I had said that I hadn't seen him look better than recently and this is fully deserved. He will get an entry in the [July 27 G1] King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. [at Ascot] and we'll see.” Aidan O'Brien said of Kew Gardens, “He ran a lovely race and I'm delighted with him really. Ryan was delighted and felt like he ran a great race. We will see how he is. He has races at Ascot and we can step him up any time, as we know he stays further.”
Defoe is the first foal out of a half-sister to the multiple listed-placed Akira (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) who is connected to the G1 Prix Morny-winning champion and multiple stakes-producing Ancient Regime (Olden Times). This is also the family of the GI Vosburgh S. and GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. hero Rock Fall (Speightstown) and Mubtaker (Silver Hawk), who was a triple G2 Geoffrey Freer S. winner who was also second to Defoe's sire in the 2003 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The dam has an as-yet unraced 3-year-old colt by Shamardal named Ghanim (Ire) and a 2-year-old filly by Toronado (Ire).
Friday, Epsom, Britain
INVESTEC CORONATION CUP-G1, £445,000, Epsom, 5-31, 4yo/up, 12f 6yT, 2:33.94, gd.
1–DEFOE (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Dalakhani (Ire)
1st Dam: Dulkashe (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Saik, by Riverman
3rd Dam: Close Comfort, by Far North
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Darley (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-Andrea Atzeni. £252,360. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Ger & G1SP-Ire, 17-8-4-1, $793,030. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kew Gardens (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Chelsea Rose (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £95,675.
3–Salouen (Ire), 126, h, 5, Canford Cliffs (Ire)–Gali Gal (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€85,000 Ylg '15 GOFSPT). O-H Balasuriya; B-Silvercon Edgerodge Ltd (IRE); T-Sylvester Kirk. £47,882.
Margins: HF, 5, 2. Odds: 11.00, 3.30, 10.00.
Also Ran: Communique (Ire), Marmelo (GB), Lah Ti Dar (GB), Old Persian (GB), Morando (Fr), Cypress Creek (Ire). Scratched: Coronet (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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