QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes |
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| Group 1, Ascot 14:00 £600,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 21st October 2017 | |
1 Librisa Breeze 10/1
2
Tasleet 10/1
3
Caravaggio 9/2
12 ran NR: Tupi Distances: 1¼l, ¾l, nk
Time: 1m 16.78s (slow by 4.38s)
Librisa Breeze gains his first success at Group One level
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The imposing five-year-old grey son of Mount Nelson travelled well throughout the six-furlong event under Robert Winston, gaining his second Group One victory [Cheveley Park Stakes, Magical Romance, 2004] and found plenty for pressure in the closing stages to score by a length and a quarter from William Haggas' Tasleet (10/1).
Aidan O'Brien's Caravaggio (9/2) kept on well to finish a further three-quarters of a length behind in third, a neck ahead of 5/4 favourite Harry Angel.
Ivory, who has a fine record with sprinters, said: "We've done well to get where we are with him and you persevere and hope for a bit of luck and the luck's come good today - it's fantastic.
"He is a horse who has never had a clear run this year and he has grown into himself this year and is now a proper horse.
"He likes this nice straight track and you can keep things uncomplicated with him here. There was one stage where I thought that he wouldn't get the gap but he got it and quickened up really nicely today.
"He is very versatile trip-wise. You can't just say that you are going to keep a horse to six furlongs as you have to train horses for where the races are.
"He's really a seven furlong horse or a miler, but I've had to train him for this race over six furlongs as there aren't many races over those trips around for him unless you go abroad.
"We've bided our time with him and taught him to run over six furlongs and it has worked out nicely.
"Robert [Winston, jockey] believes in the horse as much as we do so it was great. We had this race in our sights for a long time and it's great that it has all come together."
Winning owner Tony Bloom was also landing his first Group One success, which capped a memorable week for the Brighton & Hove Albion Chairman following his side's 3-0 victory over West Ham last night and Withhold's victory in last weekend's Cesarewitch at Newmarket.
He said: "It was a brilliant race and he is a brilliant horse. Life doesn't always go to plan but this week has gone incredibly well.
"The Albion had an incredible victory last night and I've registered my first Group One win here so I'm over the moon."
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The Showcasing four-year-old, who finished second in both the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup this season, was beaten a length and a quarter by winner Librisia Breeze.
Haggas said: "I'm very proud of him. He's been on the go all year and has run very well."
Asked whether Tasleet would stay in training in 2018, Haggas replied: "It is under discussion at the moment, but I hope so."
Crowley said: "He ran a great race. I always had Harry Angel beat. The horse has run super - apart from his blip in the July Cup [where he finished 10th of 10] he has run great all year."
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Ryan Moore, who piloted the Scat Daddy three-year-old colt, said: "He ran a good race, but the draw didn't help."
A neck further back in fourth was the 5/4 favourite, Harry Angel.
The Clive Cox-trained Dark Angel colt had come through to lead, but faded on the ground.
Cox commented: "He showed his usual class and zip when he went to the front, on much more testing ground than Haydock [his last run and win, the G1 Sprint Cup.)
"Credit to the ones that finished in front of us, we just came to the end of our run.
"I don't think that anyone has lost confidence in what he is able to do, and I think on a different day on better ground he will be back.
"We will see how he is when we get home. I would be looking forward to next year. First impressions would suggest a nice winter break would be well earned."
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 2)
£600,000 added, 3yo plus, 6f, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (3) | Librisa Breeze 10/1 | R Winston 9-2 |
D K Ivory | 5 | |
| 2nd | (5) | 1¼ | Tasleet 10/1 | Jim Crowley 9-2 |
W J Haggas | 4 |
| 3rd | (12) | ¾ | Caravaggio (USA) 9/2 | R L Moore 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 4th | (9) | nk | Harry Angel (IRE) 5/4f | A Kirby 9-1 |
C G Cox | 3 |
| 5th | (7) | 1¼ | The Tin Man 9/1 | T P Queally 9-2 |
J R Fanshawe | 5 |
| 6th | (2) | 1 | Brando 20/1 | T Eaves 9-2 |
K A Ryan | 5 |
| 7th | (4) | 1 | Washington Dc (IRE) 50/1 | D O'Brien 9-2 |
A P O'Brien | 4 |
| 8th | (11) | ¾ | Donjuan Triumphant (IRE) 20/1 | P McDonald 9-2 |
A M Balding | 4 |
| 9th | (1) | nk | Quiet Reflection 6/1 | M Harley 8-13 |
K R Burke | 4 |
| 10th | (6) | 2 | Danzeno 33/1 | L Dettori 9-2 |
M Appleby | 6 |
| 11th | (8) | 9 | Alphabet 66/1 | W M Lordan 8-12 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 12th | (13) | 1¼ | Intelligence Cross (USA) 100/1 | J A Heffernan 9-1 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| NR | (10) | Tupi (IRE) | S M Levey 9-2 |
R Hannon | 5 |
