Point Of Return

With Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) sadly absent from Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. at Newmarket, the other two who have provided most of the main narrative of the juvenile season for sprinter types, Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), square up for what could be a title decider. There was no questioning the supremacy of the former when they met in the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood July 28, with Al Shaqab's G2 July S. winner racing under a three-pound penalty and still emerging a neck in front of Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star.' Second to Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when attempting to stretch his speed over seven furlongs in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh 13 days ago, Mehmas is back in his comfort zone once again. “It was worth a shot over seven furlongs in Ireland, it didn't come off, but he still ran a hell of a good race,” Al Shaqab's racing manager Harry Herbert said. “Frankie [Dettori] was kind on him when it became obvious he wasn't going to win and we're looking forward to running back over his best distance. We've beaten the Godolphin horse before. The market says he will reverse the form, but we think Mehmas has improved since Goodwood as well. It will be a fascinating contest and I suppose it's a question of which horse has improved the most. He's a fabulous horse and a tough competitor, with a fantastic will to win.”
Since his eclipse in the Richmond, Blue Point has subsequently proven the class act he looked when registering an 11-length success in a six-furlong Doncaster conditions event July 14 by winning the G2 Gimcrack S. He had the re-opposing Mokarris (More Than Ready) and The Last Lion (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) well beaten in second and third respectively in that six-furlong feature at York Aug. 20 and trainer Charlie Appleby is in bullish mood. “He was asked to race for the first time at Goodwood and he learnt a lot for the whole experience,” he explained. “It was a big learning day and he came out of that race perfectly well–both mentally and physically, you could see the difference. He was a different horse at York. Around the parade ring at Goodwood he just got a little bit wound up, but he was the ultimate professional at York. It was the first time since his maiden win that we were able to tuck him in a little bit and take a lead and he showed us what he is capable of. If he turns up in the same condition as he did at York, he is the horse that they have got to beat.”
Aidan O'Brien has a share of the record here with four wins and saddles Intelligence Cross (War Front) and Peace Envoy (Fr) (Power {GB}), with Ryan Moore on the latter. Intelligence Cross finished three lengths behind Mehmas and Blue Point when third in the Richmond, but has subsequently recorded an impressive 4 1/4-length success in the G3 Round Tower S. over this trip at The Curragh Aug. X. Peace Envoy has improved as the season has progressed, winning the G3 Anglesey S. at The Curragh July 16 before finishing strongly when third to Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville Aug. 21.