Keeneland

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana (Group 1)

AS the clock counts down to the Breeders’ Cup, the main action stateside last weekend was at Keeneland with significant European interest.

In the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Lael Stables’ She Feels Pretty raced past Caitlinhergrtness a furlong and a half out and came away to a six-length victory in the nine-furlong contest for three-year-old fillies.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux was notching her first Keeneland Grade 1 victory.

The George Boughey-trained Soprano and Billy Loughnane was in with a chance two out but looked well held until she stayed on under pressure, went second close home to edge the Canadian King’s Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness and Frankie Dettori by a neck.

Caitlinhergrtness set an uncontested pace and led the field into the stretch only to be immediately confronted by She Feels Pretty, who blew past and widened her advantage to the wire.

She Feels Pretty, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Karakontie, is now a dual Grade 1 winner, with earnings of $948,317.

Jockey John Velaquez said: “Cherie (DeVaux) has done a great job with her, coming back with her race after race. The blinkers helped her today as well, and the cover-up works with her. When she’s covered up and you pull her out, she passes horses. When I pulled her out she was ready to go, and I made sure I kept her decent down the lane, just in case one of the European horses was coming running. What a feeling when you pull her out and she gives you that quick spurt out of there. I was pretty happy with the way she did it.”

Cherie DeVaux added: “It’s extremely (gratifying) when you have a filly at this level. She puts it out there every time. She’s been unlucky; in her last two, she finished second (in the Lake Placid Stakes) and third (in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational). So we’ve been working with her with the blinkers, trying to get her to stick to her own task.”

Billy Loughnane on the second said: “This is my first ride in the States. I was out in Palm Meadows (Training Center in Florida) for a few months a couple of years ago, but this is my first ride over here. It’s great to see so many people here as well. It’s a lovely track.”

Unlucky loser

The feature at the track on the Sunday was the Grade 2 Franklin for fillies and mares and Charlie Appleby’s odds-on favourite Star Of Mystery looked an unlucky loser.

Future Is Now took command at the pole and held off a late bid from Star Of Mystery to win by three-quarters of a length.

Trained by Mike Trombetta and ridden by Paco Lopez, Future Is Now ran the five and a half furlongs in 1m 1.47secs to better the stakes record established in 2000 by Chris’s Thunder.

From last on the home turn, Star Of Mystery and Flavien Prat angled off the rail and began slicing through horses only to run out of ground and finished a half-length in front of Stuart Williams’ Pandora’s Gift under Adam Beschizza.

Paco Lopez said of the winner: “She was perfect. After a little breather, I asked her and she passed between the horses, no problem at all, and she gave me a big kick.”

Flavien Prat said of Star Of Mystery: “She broke well, but I just wasn’t fast enough. I found myself a bit too far (back) and had to make up that ground.”

Czech Republic

GORDON Elliott’s bid for the famed Velka Pardubicka failed agonisingly when Coko Beach, having coped with all the more difficult obstacles, parted company with jockey Keith Donoghue three fences from home in the famously daunting cross-country race at Pardubice racecourse. Elliott vowed to try again.

A regular in the Grand National and second in last year’s Becher Chaser, the grey was one of two Irish contenders travelling over to the Czech Republic for the unique event which runs over a distance of just over four miles and two furlongs and includes 31 obstacles, among them the huge Taxis fence.

The other Irish runner was John McConnell’s Streets Of Doyen, who unseated Ben Harvey at the eighth fence, but Gordon Elliott’s runner took well to the task and the unusual mix of banks, ditches and rails.

Coko Beach was travelling well and looked to hold a real chance, but on landing he unshipped Donoghue as Sexy Lord and Godfrey went on to dead-heat for local trainers Martina Ruzickova and Dalibor Torok respectively in a dramatic finish.

Going to plan

“Everything was going to plan, he was nicely settled and I was popping, popping at every fence, but he landed in that ditch,” said Donoghue. “I’m absolutely gutted.”

British jockey James Best rode Zataro for Marian Stangel and came home in 10th place on his fourth ride and completion in the contest.

He said: “I love riding over the famous Taxis and the course. I’ve managed to get round all four times I’ve ridden in it.”

Jeremy Pass, formerly trained in England by Paul Nicholls, was representing new connections and American trainer Joseph Davies but was pulled up.

Japan

Shuka Sho (Group 1)

THE favourite Cervinia came with a flying run through horses in the final furlong and a half to claim this year’s Group 1 Shuka Sho over 10 furlongs at Kyoto Racecourse last weekend, In winning the last jewel of the fillies’ Triple Crown, she became the fifth filly since Mikki Queen in 2015 to win this race and the Group 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks).

For Christophe Lemaire, it was his third Shuka Sho victory following top fillies Deirdre (2017) and Almond Eye (2018) while owners Sunday Racing Co Ltd were winning three in a row, following their successes with Stunning Rose in 2022 and Liberty Island last year.

The Harbinger filly Cervinia raced in a mid-pack in the field of 18. After the pacemaker extended her huge lead down the backstretch, the field closed up after the third bend.

Still with plenty to do and surrounded by her rivals turning for home, the Tetsuya Kimura-trained filly readily responded before the furlong pole to come through and go clear, stretching away to a length and a quarter victory.

“As always, it’s not easy to win a Group 1 race but Cervinia ran an incredible race today and everything went smoothly. The distance was right for her, we were able to sit in a good position, she found her own rhythm and was very calm throughout. The fast pace was also a good factor and she responded beautifully,” commented Christophe Lemaire to Japanese media after the race.

Bond Girl made a wide bid into the straight with the fastest late speed, the Daiwa Major filly closed strongly but had too much ground to make up and was second.

Japanese 1000 Guineas winner and second favourite, Stellenbosch started slowly and finished third.

France

WILLIAM Haggas made a worthwhile trip to Chantilly on Saturday last to pick up a double which included the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte for two-year-olds.

The Blue Point filly Sky Majesty, part owned by Tony Bloom, made it three wins from three runs when Christophe Soumillon partnered her to a length and quarter success in the six furlong contest, run on heavy ground. It was a smart performance as she defeated Daylight, who had previously finished third in the Group 1 Prix Morny.

Maxime Guyon had earlier ridden the stable’s favourite Yaroogh to victory in the Listed Prix Saraca for juveniles over seven furlongs.

A colt by Dubawi, Yaroogh had previously won a Doncaster nursery off a mark of 90.

Italy

ANOTHER British success came at San Siro when jockey Luke Morris and trainer Archie Watson combined to win the Group 3 Premio del Piazzale Memorial Enrico Camici with Brave Emperor.

The gelding’s last six runs have come at Doha, Sha Tin, ParisLongchamp, Ascot, Chantilly and Dussedorf so he has earned this win.