Park Appeal

PARK APPEAL 
Solid and reliable with a dash of class, Qatar Racing and Kingsclere Racing’s Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {Ire}) has little to prove in 2014 but he takes his reputation to Doncaster to be tested to the full in today’s G1 Racing Post Trophy. Following a success in the Listed Stonehenge S. over this mile trip at Salisbury Aug. 29 with a defeat of the smart Nafaqa (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}) in Newmarket’s G2 Royal Lodge S. again at this distance last time Sept. 27, the pride of the Andrew Balding stable has conditions in his favor and is partnered by the current jockey sensation Andrea Atzeni. “He won on ground he doesn’t really like at Newmarket, so this [soft] ground will be fine for him,” his rider said yesterday. “His form is by far the best in the race and he is the one to beat. He’s the only proven group horse in the race, and although Aidan O’Brien and Sir Mark Prescott’s horses could be anything, the ground is important to him.” 

Successful on seven occasions, O’Brien returns with two unexposed colts in the mold of some of his best winners headed by the maiden Jacobean (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Second to stable companion Royal Navy Ship (War Front) after missing the kick on debut at The Curragh Oct. 12, Derrick Smith’s representative is far shorter in the market than his barnmate Aloft (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). William Buick teams up with the latter, who was off the mark over this trip at Newmarket Oct. 4 and he said, “It looks an open race and you can make a case for a number of them, so he’s an exciting ride. The ground was not very nice last time when he won–it was loose on top–and he’s got a nice profile.” 

Prescott’s stable is responsible for the unbeaten Celestial Path (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who looked a colt with a bright future when dominating the Listed Ascendant S. at this mile at Haydock last time Sept. 6 but his trainer has warned that he may be scratched. “He’s declared and he’ll go to Doncaster, but if the ground were to get very soft then we wouldn’t run him,” he told PA Sport. “We’d very much like to run him, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the ground and the weather. He has always worked like a nice horse and I’m pleased so far he has run like a nice horse on the track.” 

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and John Gosden have enjoyed an annus mirabilis and combine with the upwardly mobile Snoano (GB) (Nayef), who handled similar conditions with aplomb when winning Newbury’s Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. last time Sept. 19. “He is a horse who has been under the radar a bit, but he’s got a wonderful temperament and we’ll be going there thinking we’ve got a chance,” jockey Paul Hanagan commented. “There was talk of him being on the weak side, but I was quite happy with him at Newbury when the ground was on the soft side and he’s come back bouncing.” 

Another with claims is the Oct. 11 G3 Autumn S. runner-up Restorer (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and trainer William Muir is hoping for a bold show. “We felt from the very first time he ran that he’d like softer ground, but he ran a fantastic race in the Autumn S., where the ground was on the quicker side,” he explained. “Elm Park is a very decent horse and Celestial Park is very good, but I feel our form is as good as any of the rest.”