25 September 2017

Naas Work!

Seventh win in a row and the seventeenth since 1996 for the Ballydoyle king. Aidan O’Brien achieved this impressive statistic when he saddled Saxon Warrior in the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the County Kildare track yesterday. The one-mile event was held at Naas this year, whilst its usual location, the Curragh, is being redeveloped. It is interesting to note, however, that from all these seventeen winners only two went on to Classic glory - Septimus who triumphed in 2005 and Capri last year.

Thinking out loud!

Not only Irish trainers were in the limelight yesterday at Naas. The Rugby-born, North Yorkshire-based Karl Burke claimed two of the eight races on the card. Colm O'Donoghue did the honours in the second race of the day, the C.L. & M.F. Weld Park Stakes, when he partnered Ellthea to a two-and-three-quarter-length victory. All eyes, though, were on his other filly, Quiet Reflection, who scored twice at Group One level last season, winning both the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the Sprint Cup at Haydock. The Showcasing filly, however, was a disappointment in the following race but, nevertheless, was the 5/2 favourite for yesterday's Group 3 Renaissance Stakes and travelled well under Martin Harley. There were a few anxious moments when it looked like quiet reflection was all that this filly was going to enjoy as she was hemmed in. Fortunately a gap appeared and she surged through and won by two and three-quarter lengths.

Got it Covered!

Despite his name, this David Griffiths-trained 10-year-old threw caution to the wind in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at Newbury. Take Cover, with David Allan aboard, went for it from the off and made all, being virtually unchallenged in this five-furlong sprint, coming home with an advantage of three-quarters of a length. The Nigel Tinkler-trained Caspian Prince, also known for his front-running prowess, never managed to get on terms with the Singspiel gelding, not the least, due to the fact that he slightly missed the break.