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| Malesh Narredu with fellow riders |
At Woodbine on Sunday, Eye of The Leopard got up in the waning yards to win the million-dollar Queen’s Plate. The race was run on the polytrack. Mark Frostad trains Eye of The Leopard and Eurico Rosa Da Silva rode. Taking second was Mr Foricos Two V ridden by Mike Smith who jetted in from Los Angeles. Milwaukee Appeal was third another neck away.
It was the fourth time that Mark Frostad was winning the Queen’s Plate. It was the first time for Sam-Son Farm who own Eye of The Leopard.
Eye of The Leopard is a son of A P Indy. Trainer Frostad said, “the horse ran a super race. I was a little worried at the sixteenth pole but Eurico persevered and it all worked out.” Eye of The Leopard’s next race is the $500,000 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie on July 12.
Talking of the Prince of Wales, a horse owned by Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall, won a race at Chepstow on Monday. Jack Mitchell rode Royal Superlative to victory in a race for maidens.
Several races in Europe are becoming part of the Breeders’ Cup framework. These races are ‘win and you’re in’ and at the moment, 62 races from seven countries fall under this category. Newmarket’s Champion Stakes heads the list. The Grade I Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley in Australia is in. The Pretty Polly Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes run at the Curragh are Irish races. Another Irish contest is Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes. Dundalk’s Diamond Stakes is an addition. The QE II Mile, the Royal Lodge and the Ascot Fillies’ Mile are also in the list. France has two races-the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on Arc day. The Breeders’ Cup is becoming global.
Here is the latest about Yeats. The eight year-old may be entered in the King George VI and QE Stakes at Ascot on July 25. The Arc is being mentioned. A quote of 25-1 for the Arc has been made by Coral. No eight year-old has won the Arc. Goodwood, the Irish St Leger and Prix Cadran are all options that the Ballydoyle camp is examining.
John Murtagh told BBC. “He (Yeats) can win the Arc. In high gear, he is unstoppable. He goes 11.5 seconds a furlong and that is good enough. I am excited.”
Maxime Guyon is 20. He is fast becoming a top flight jockey in France. Guyon rode a Group double at Longchamp on Monday. He won with Golden Century and Smooth Operator.
The Kentucky Senate did not pass the legislation that would have put slots in racetracks. The Kentucky racing establishment has been trying desperately to get slots at racetracks to boost attendance.
Rachel Alexandra will race in the Mother Goose on June 27 at Belmont Park. It is a race for fillies and mares. Rachel Alexandra will be the overwhelming favourite.
Richard Hughes has received a ban for a ride at Windsor on Monday. He rode Saturn Girl to victory and the stewards held that he was guilty of careless riding. Saturn Girl ran at an angle in the closing stages and carried the second placed horse along. The six day ban will be effective when the July Cup meeting at Newmarket is run, Jockey Hughes, who is now five behind Ryan Moore in the riding race, may miss his ride on Paco Boy in the Group I Darley July Cup. He is appealing.
I spoke to Mallesh Narredu. I congratulated him on winning the two big races at Bangalore. Mallesh will be at Ascot to ride in a jockey’s tournament on August 8. It is called the Shergar Cup. There are cash incentives. Mallesh will be up against some of the top riders. I hope I will be able to watch the Ascot races in America. Mark your calendar and it is August 8.
I have one day left in London. I take a morning plane to Dublin on Thursday. Curragh races a twilight card on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, post time is around 1 PM. I may not attend the Friday meeting. Dublin has betting shops and the system works the way it does in England. Races from England and France are shown and wagers taken.
