The Weekly Wrap

Two juvenile sons of Scat Daddy provided Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore with another rewarding afternoon's work at the Curragh on Sunday – yet it would be difficult to find a pair that were further apart at this stage of their careers. Sioux Nation was up to the task of providing a remarkable 16th victory for O'Brien in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S., just an hour after Mendelssohn had looked anything but the finished article in a 1m maiden.

The former, a January foal from John Halley's Fethard Bloodstock, seems a colt for the here and now. There is sprinting form in the family of his dam Dream The Blues (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and this was already a sixth start for the winner of the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot. It did not seem at all surprising to learn that O'Brien is looking at pointing him towards the Middle Park and National S. and maybe even the Breeders' Cup.

For Mendelssohn, the path will have to be trodden with far more care. The $3million purchase from Keeneland's September Yearling Sale was not born until mid-May but expectations would have to be high given he is a half-brother to Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday), who were both top-level winners at two. Green on his debut behind classy stablemate The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), he wandered around on the track this time despite showing enough quality to hold off the newcomer Andesh (Ire) (Medicean {GB}).

While Sioux Nation has his Group 1 and has earned 20 times what Mendelssohn has on the track so far, it would be fascinating to know what the standings between them will be by this point next year. Ryan Moore's view would be interesting, but he would be allowed a little while to collect his thoughts. The jockey seems to be able to defy the laws of time, making it to County Kildare to ride Mendelssohn just over 14 hours after partnering Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) into third in the GI Arlington Million S.

So too does Frankie Dettori, who was out of luck with Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Chicago before being at his very best to force Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead) home in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville itself the following afternoon. Al Wukair will have blown away any of the jet lag as he took some riding, even attempting to take a chunk out of narrow runner-up Inns Of Court (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the final stages. They will have to settle their differences back at Andre Fabre's stable but both are entitled to be set grand autumn targets as third-placed Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) is a proven campaigner at this level.

Carr On Track For Record Success

Another achievement worth marking is that of Ruth Carr, who equalled her best ever tally of 43 when Racquet (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) aced a handicap at Ayr on Saturday. Carr has followed in the example of her renowned late grandfather David Chapman and places great importance in turning her horses out in the paddock. After almost identical totals for the past few seasons, the results have been outstanding with 27 winning horses from the 47 to have run in 2017. Pick of the lot has been the popular grey Sovereign Debt (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who took the G2 Sandown Mile and the G3 Diomed S. at Epsom.

“We started off pretty well so it wasn't a massive surprise, but still very nice,” said Carr. “We did put in a new gallop, which I think has helped some of them get going earlier. We used to be on natural sand, which could get difficult when it was wet, but now we have a carpet fibre gallop in a different place. We've just been doing what we're doing and having the good horse has helped. Otherwise, it's about placing handicappers in the right races.”

Menuisier Is Bouncing Back

It would not be out of the question for trainer David Menuisier to improve upon last year's best tally of 15, too, albeit from what has developed out of a rescue mission. The usually cheerful Frenchman, long-time assistant to John Dunlop but now based at Amanda Perrett's Pulborough complex, did not even get a winner on the board for 2017 until mid-July, having discovered his horses were suffering from a low-level virus.

Four more have been added since then and most excitingly with Vintager (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was a commanding winner of a strong-looking newcomers' maiden at Newmarket.

“It's made me a lot happier,” Menuisier chuckled. “It was a big call to shut the yard. From the Dante meeting until the beginning of July, we didn't have a runner and we were just hacking them for four weeks. Luckily we had the full support of all the owners and it looks as if we are getting the horses back to their best.” Vintager got loose going down to the start and left his groom with bruises, so the 65,000gns purchase for Gail Brown's syndicate will have to be on better behaviour if allowed to follow a possible route of either the G3 Acomb S. at York or the Solario S. at Sandown.

“He showed different sides we've not seen before. He's like a pony at home so his behaviour was puzzling and very out of character. Hopefully he will settle down,” Menuisier said.

“Richard Frisby bought him but I saw him at the sales and I've always liked Mastercraftsman as a stallion. You get some weak ones but this was always quite a good-looking horse. Although his dam is by Orpen, we've always thought of him as a three-year-old not a two-year-old.

“I don't tend to work my two-year-olds with older horses and I had only run my first one of the season the day before and he finished second. I suppose looking at the pedigrees in the race, he had no right to win, but I try not to think about the opposition, if you do that you get cold feet. I'm not saying he was winning his gallops by 20 lengths at home but he was working well.”

Flag-bearer Contrapposto (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}) is slowly on the comeback trail after pulling a muscle in the Dante and there could be quite a few more useful juveniles on early evidence.

“We'll have to see what happens when they run, maybe I'll end up with five Group horses, I don't know,” he said. “But I do think they're nice – I've got 16 or 17 two-year-olds and I think nine were from Tattersalls Book 1 so they're well bred.”

Anniversary Marked At Brighton

It was 40 years ago that Sheikh Mohammed owned his first winner at Brighton, so there was an enjoyable symmetry that his son Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's colours should be carried to victory in the feature race of last week's August Festival. The majestic trophy for the Marathonbet Sportsbook Brighton Challenge Cup is kept at the course and traces back more than a century, having been won twice in the late 60s by Park Top, who went on to land a Coronation Cup and King George.

Curlew River (GB) is no Park Top and the race is now a Class 4 handicap, but she is proving a good advertisement for the first three-year-old crop of her sire Casamento (Ire) as she has gone from strength to strength for trainer Mark Johnston. She took this with ease and some black type ought to be within her range.

Unfortunately some ordinary weather plagued the second stage of what used to be known as the 'Sussex Fortnight' following Goodwood, probably reducing what can be an impressive attendance to merely a decent one. It is an event at a unique racecourse in one of Britain's most vibrant towns, and one that owners Arena Racing Company must continue to nurture and cherish. If not beloved of all trainers, it is certainly a personal favourite. The great man himself ought to mark the anniversary with a visit sometime soon, too.