Ralph Beckett
Such a high-profile split, whether temporary or not, between Frankie Dettori and the John and Thady Gosden stable, has naturally dominated the headlines of the last week. Whatever one's thoughts of the events during and post-Royal Ascot, there was no mistaking the affection in which Dettori is held among racegoers as he was cheered back into the winner's enclosure on his sole ride in Britain since the Saturday of the royal meeting. He has nothing booked for this week either, but intriguingly Dettori has been snapped up by Charlie Appleby...
The Curragh, IRELAND--Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby revolved around Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and he didn't disappoint. The fact that Colin Keane was handed the ride at the expense of Rob Hornby, who was aboard the colt at Epsom, provided a fascinating sub-plot to the race and both men emerged from the weekend with reputations not only intact but enhanced. Westover was the winner the Curragh needed and his victory tees up a fascinating rematch between himself and the Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the...
Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby had been teed up as a match between Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Mirabilis, by Lear Fan) and Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), but in the ultimate assessment it was really a matter of no contest as Ralph Beckett's powerhouse colt overwhelmed all assembled for the Curragh Classic. Always travelling in a beautiful rhythm for Colin Keane granted a perfect lead by French Claim (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}), the 11-8 joint-favourite took control at the top of the straight and had already stretched into an unassailable...
Frankie Dettori had spoken briefly of his sabbatical from the Gosdens at Newmarket on Saturday and duly made his sole ride a winning one on Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) in the six-furlong Listed Maureen Brittain Memorial Empress Fillies' S. Off the mark on debut over five furlongs at Bath June 11, the bay who was a 77,000gns Book 3 and €110,000 Arqana May Breeze Up graduate becomes the first black-type winner for her sire (by Northern Meteor {Aus}). Buried in mid-division early, the 16-5 second...
Following a quiet few days in the aftermath of Ascot and Chantilly, things get moving again on Saturday with The Curragh staging one of the most interesting renewals of the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for some time. A race that has from time to time in recent years been under the shadow of the European Pattern Committee's guillotine has pulled a trick out of the hat this year to ensure it keeps its exalted status for the immediate future at least. Aidan O'Brien has come to tick off...
Overnight contenders for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish were reduced by half, leaving eight declared for the Curragh's €1,000,000 12-furlong Classic. Aidan O'Brien took the most drastic measures and reduced his team of six to just one with G1 Cazoo Oaks heroine Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set to depart from stall one in her bid to become the first filly to prevail since Balanchine (Storm Bird) in 1994. Her chief rival, Juddmonte's G1 Cazoo Derby third Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), has drawn stall five.
Colin Keane will replace Rob Hornby aboard the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby favourite Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the Curragh on Saturday. Westover endured a luckless run under Hornby to finish third behind Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom and connections have explained that Keane's experience of riding at the Curragh swung the vote in his favour ahead of Saturday. The three-time Irish Champion Jockey has already tasted Classic success in the Juddmonte silks, courtesy of 2020 Irish Guineas winner Siskin, who was trained...
Ralph Beckett trainee Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) has been withdrawn from Sunday's G1 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary due to travel issues en route to France. Second in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas on May 1, the filly and Beckett's staff are stranded in Dover. The market leader for the 10-furlong contest prior to her defection, the race is now wide open and sees Charlie Appleby and Godolphin hunting for their second edition of the race with Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Appleby saddled Sobetsu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})...
Dual Group 1 winner Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will pass on the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Apr. 30 and wait for the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains in France. Successful in the G2 Vintage S. in July, the grey earned a pair of Group 1 wins in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp and in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud, both in October. The Marc Chan silkbearer resumed with a third-place effort in the G3 Greenham S. at Newbury on Apr. 16. Trainer Ralph Beckett...
Banstead Manor Stud's first-crop sire Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) notched his first winner when the Ralph Beckett-trained debutant Sunny Orange (Ire) raced to an ultimately snug victory in Saturday's Madri Excepcional Maiden S. over five furlongs at Leicester. Juddmonte's 70,000gns Tattersalls December Foals acquisition went postward as the well-backed 2-1 second choice for the straight dash and was well away from an outer gate to track the leaders in fifth through the initial fractions. Making smooth headway from halfway, he was ridden to launch his challenge approaching the final...
Last year's G3 Sandown Classic Trial was a momentous renewal and Friday's is another to keep a close eye on after a trio of likely types finished clear led home by Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Last seen finishing runner-up in Pontefract's Listed Silver Tankard S. in October, Juddmonte's imposing bay raced freely for Rob Hornby tracking the 6-5 favourite Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout the early stages. Edging ahead a furlong from home, the 5-1 shot was initially wayward but honest enough to give extra and hold off the late...
If Ralph Beckett was ever in danger of becoming a victim of his own success, having patiently developed three staying fillies to win Classics, then the precocious achievements of Angel Bleu (Fr) have surely taken care of that pretty unequivocally. The Dark Angel (Ire) colt made his debut a year ago this week, and was still on the go in October when he exported two Group 1 prizes from France inside 20 days. In between, he had won the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood three days after finishing second at...