Ralph Beckett is eyeing a run at the Breeders’ Cup following Westover’s brave second in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.
The son of Frankel, who was an Irish Derby winner at three, had to settle for sixth in his first crack at Europe’s richest middle distance prize.
But returning to the French capital on the back of a fine four-year-old campaign, the colt thrived in the unusually quick ground to find only the imperious Ace Impact too good in the closing stages.
Westover finished a length and three-quarters behind Jean-Claude Rouget’s impressive victor, but Beckett could not hide his pride in his charge who has now earnt a trip to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Turf next month.
“What a run, I’m delighted, what a run,” said Beckett.
“Hukum came across and sort of helped the pace along it looked like to me. He seemed a bit lazy out of the gate and then has got his place.
“At the top of the straight I thought we were in business, but there was just one better.
“He’s gone and done it again, which is terrific for everyone. I’m so proud of him.”
He went on: “I always fancied the Breeders’ Cup Turf for him because he’s a horse who enjoys his time away, as we saw in Dubai.
“So I’ve always kind of fancied that for him. The Breeders’ Cup Turf is shaping up to be the best ever isn’t it, but that’s life and I think we will probably go.”
Westover was once again picking up a silver medal having also filled the runner-up spot behind Hukum in a thrilling renewal of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes earlier in the season.
However, Owen Burrows’ five-year-old could not repeat his Ascot heroics from a tricky position in stall 14, with the quick ground blunting his challenge.
“The ground was a lot quicker than ideal. We didn’t expect it to be so quick, it was on the fast side of good,” said jockey Jim Crowley.
“From stall 14 I had to use up a little bit (of energy) but I actually got a good position and was happy. I got a breather into him down the hill but he just couldn’t pick up on the quick ground.
“He owes us nothing, he has come back from injury and won a King George, he is a very special horse.”
Fabrice Chappet’s Onesto claimed third, while Japan’s wait for a first Arc winner goes on after Tomohito Ozeki’s Through Seven Seas kept on for fourth, but ultimately could not land a telling blow at the business end.
“There was no pace on and so our jockey held her up,” said Ozeki.
“It was a sprint in the straight but I am pleased at the way she finished. We don’t know whether she will run again. It depends how she is because the Arc is such a great challenge for a horse.”
A place further back in fifth was Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous, who having been supplemented into the contest at a cost of 120,000 euros, was unable to add this middle-distance showpiece to the St Leger success he claimed at Doncaster.
The Ballydoyle team are now eyeing some overseas adventures with the son of Heart’s Cry later in the year.
O’Brien said: “We’re very happy. We made the decision to take our time and let him relax.
“They sprinted the last two furlongs, but he wasn’t finished and ran all the way to the line.
“He looks like he wants a strongly run mile-and-a-half so obviously we can look at Japan, Hong King, America and Dubai.
“He’s a very legitimate horse and a ready-made four-year-old. He loves travelling, and the best is yet to come.”
Meanwhile Bay Bridge could be set for a defence of his Champion Stakes crown having faded into sixth after racing keenly in the early stages.
He was just a little free and needs more moisture in the ground” said trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
“If he comes out of it well he could go for another shot at the Champion Stakes.”
Ace Impact once again displayed his sensational turn of foot as he sprinted to glory in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.
Unbeaten in five previous runs for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, the Prix du Jockey Club winner was trying his hand at 12 furlongs for the first time in the European middle-distance championship.
Employing his usual waiting tactics, Cristian Demuro settled Ace Impact – who got very worked up in the paddock beforehand – at the back of the field before unleashing his electrifying burst in the closing stages to overhaul the gallant Westover and pull away for an impressive triumph.
Opera Singer hit all the right notes to land Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac in supreme style at ParisLongchamp.
Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of Justify headed to the French capital on the back of an emphatic six-and-a-half-length victory in a Curragh Group Three last month and proved that performance was no flash in the pan with an equally impressive display.
Having matched strides with chief market rival, the Karl Burke-trained Darnation in the early stages, Ryan Moore asked his mount to stride along as the field passed the cut away, with the result immediate.
Opera Singer powered well clear of her rivals, with the imperious triumph sending the youngster straight towards the top of the markets for next year’s Classics.
Coral go 6-1 for the 1000 Guineas and 8-1 for the Oaks, while both Paddy Power and Betfair are 7-1 and 8-1 respectively for those two races.
O’Brien said: “Ryan said she was very straightforward. She really appreciated the step up to a mile like we thought she would.”
Rosallion bounced back from Doncaster disappointment in style with victory in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.
An impressive winner at Ascot on his penultimate start, Richard Hannon’s charge suffered a shock defeat when only third as the odds-on favourite in the Champagne Stakes last month.
However, the son of Blue Point put that performance well behind him as he swooped late to deny Unquestionable.
Settled towards the rear by Sean Levey as Henry Adams and the keen-going Ballymount Boy cut out the early running, Rosallion was clearly still travelling well entering the straight and launched his decisive run down the outside to grab the glory.
Favourite Beauvatier did not enjoy the smoothest of passages, and while he tried a similar late finish he could catch the Hannon runner, coming home third.
Levey said: “I was always going to win today. He had his ground and that’s how good he is.”
In a riveting display of talent and skill, Hayley Matthews scored a blazing 99 not out from just 74 deliveries in the first T20 International against Australia at the North Sydney Oval. However, her lone effort couldn't save the day for the West Indies Women, who were soundly defeated by eight wickets.
Matthews took the opposition bowlers to the cleaners, hitting boundaries at will, and missing her well-deserved century by a whisker. Her innings was adorned with 12 fours and 4 sixes, making it one of the most memorable performances of her career.
The West Indies, riding on Matthews' brilliance, posted a defendable total of 147-3 in their 20 overs. However, the opposition seemed unfazed by the challenge and chased down the target in 13.2 overs, losing only two wickets in the process, to finish the game on 149-2.
Skipper Alyssa Healy scored 56 off 29 while Tahlia McGrath finished on 60 not out from 32 deliveries to guide the home team to the opening win.
Although the day belonged to the home team, Matthews won countless hearts with her valiant effort. Head Coach Shane Deitz remarked, "Magnificent innings, she really deserved the hundred. It's one of the best innings I've seen for a long time. She's been brilliant around the group as a leader, batter, and bowler."
Deitz also touched upon the team's overall performance, sharing his perspective on the outcome. He added, "I think we were a bit short as the wicket started playing better in the second half. It was a pretty good total, and maybe if we had taken our chances while fielding, things could have been different."
No surprise that Matthews was the Player of the Match for her 99 not out and bowling figures of 2-0-17-1.
The West Indies Women will now regroup for the second T20I Sunday night, hoping to bounce back stronger.
Roger Charlton has announced his son Harry will assume full control of the training licence at Beckhampton at the end of the season.
Charlton famously saddled Quest For Fame and Sanglamore to win the Epsom Derby and French Derby respectively in 1990, his first year in charge at the yard having previously served as Jeremy Tree’s assistant since 1978.
He subsequently sent out a string of top-class winners with the likes of Tamarisk, Patavellian, Tante Rose and Avonbridge striking Group One sprint gold, while Cityscape, Thistle Bird, Al Kazeem and Decorated Knight were middle-distance stars and Quest For More was a Group One stayer.
His son was added to the licence last year and will now take full control, although Charlton senior underlined he will still maintain his presence at the yard.
He told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday: “We had a joint-licence and I discussed with Harry whether that was the right approach and we thought it was, you have a sort of seamless transition and the owners get to know him better. I think it’s right now, as he’s extremely experienced, very able and bright person, I think it’s right for him to hold the licence.
“I think it’s right for Beckhampton’s image to have a slightly younger image going forward, so we thought at the end of this season it (coming off the licence) was a sensible thing to do. It was just a case of when it was going to be announced and I have managed to ring all the owners already.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been there 45 years really doing the same thing I’ve been training for 33 years and I’m not suddenly not going to get up in the morning. I like doing it. I like horses and I love going round evening stables every day and I love going out on the downs and mowing the grass on the tractor and doing everything to keep Beckhampton going.”
Despite conceding for the first time this season, last year's beaten finalist St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) extended their unbeaten run in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup with a 4-1 beating of Excelsior High in a Group D top-of-the-table clash at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Saturday.
A brace from Leon Brown (2nd, 68th) and one each from Kalonji Watson (47th) and Andre Salmon (70th), made the points safe for the Bumper Hall-based team. Jkivann Salmon (75th) got Excelsior's consolation.
With the win, STATHS are now sole leaders of the group on 15 points, three ahead of Excelsior, who were suffering their first defeat of the season.
Winning coach Phillip Williams expressed pleasure with his team's progress so far.
"I am very happy today was a good test for my team, I think the Excelsior team is a good team and we embrace these types of games, and the boys showed their quality today. This is a more mature team, so we keep doing what we have been doing and it's paying off. We have another shot to win the title this year and we will give it our best try," he said in a post-match interview.
It was a frantic start by STATHS, as Brown picked up a loose ball and worked his way around two defenders before unleashing a stinging left-footer from the top of the 18-yard box that gave Jadavin Waul, in goal for Excelsior, no chance at a save.
Though STATHS bossed possession from there and had a few chances from which they could have converted, Excelsior were not without hope and did play their game but found the Bumper Hall team's defence in defiant mode.
As the score went unchanged at the break, STATHS, like they did at the start, came out spiritedly on the resumption and doubled the lead two minutes in when Watson fired home from the top of the 18-yard box, beating Waul all ends up.
They continued to apply consistent pressure and pushed even further ahead courtesy of Brown, who applied an easy finish from close range to a Dwayne Atkinson pass, moving his tally to 10 goals this season.
And before Excelsior could catch their breaths Salmon delivered another punch when he fired home while under pressure from two defenders.
However, the Mountain View Avenue-based team gave their fans something to celebrate, as Jkivann Salmon finished off a well-worked build up with a sweet right-footed strike from deep inside the 18-yard box, beating STATHS's custodian Jaheem Williams, at his near post.
Excelsior's Head coach Keon Broderick took heart from his team's performance to an extent.
"The goal we scored is evident that we have quality in the team. But credit must be given to STATHS the way they transitioned and came at us really quickly. I also thought we could have done much better defensively, but as we move on into the latter stages I think we will be much better," Broderick said.
Meanwhile, defending Walker Cup champions Tivoli High were among other winners on the day, as they moved to the top of group B thanks to a dominant 7-0 win over Cumberland. The win saw Tivoli up to 10 points from four games, one point more than defending champions Jamaica College.
After a long, hard-fought season, Rams Village Superstars were crowned 2023 SKNFA Premier League Champions when they defeated SL Horfords St. Paul’s United 8-7 on penalty kicks in the ultimate game 3 of the Super Six finals at Warner Park on Friday night.
It took sudden death penalty kicks after both teams were locked 0-0 after regulation extra time. Both teams also ended the match with 10 men with one of each sent off with red cards. This is Village’s 6th Premier League title and their triumph denies St. Paul’s United from winning their 3rd straight Premier League title after dominating other cup competitions this season.
After an electrifying championship final between Rams Village Superstars and SL Horsfords St. Paul’s United, the curtain falls on the Premier League 2023. This season will be remembered for its breathtaking moments, coming down to the very last penalty kick.
This season has been a display of tenacity, skill, and sportsmanship at every level. Each match showcased the best of football, with teams giving their all and fans unwavering in their support.
The SKNFA extends heartfelt gratitude to all participating teams for a season pulsating with excitement and memorable moments. As we celebrate the triumphs, let's honor the exceptional talents of this season with our League Awards:
League Awards
Premier Division
Coach of the Year:
Iroy Jeffers (SL Horsford St. Paul’s United FC) - $1000
Golden Glove:
Clifford Samuel (Sol Island Auto Conaree FC)- $1000
Best Defender:
Denis Fleming (Rams Village Superstars FC)- $1000
Best Midfielder:
Yohannes Mitchum (Newtown United FC)- $1000
Golden Boot:
Keithroy Freeman (SL Horsford St. Paul’s United FC) - $1000
Regular Season MVP:
Keithroy Freeman (SL Horsford St. Paul’s United FC) -$10,000
Finals MVP:
Zaykeese Smith (Village Superstars FC)- $5,000
Division 1
Coach of the year:
Jevon Francis (Trafalgar Southstars FC)- $500
Best Goalkeeper:
Abasti Tyrell (Trafalgar Southstars FC)- $500
Best Defender:
Ricaldo Archibald (Trafalgar Southstars FC)- $500
Best Midfielder:
Orlando Mitchum (Conaree Fireball International FC)- $500
Golden Boot:
Reynaldo Matthew (Dieppe Bay Eagles FC)- $500
MVP:
Abasti Tyrell (Trafalgar Southstars FC)- $5,000
As he prepares for his final ride in the race, Frankie Dettori reflected on a kaleidoscope of memories from three decades of riding in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, labelling his 1995 triumph on Lammtarra as his greatest.
But the Italian would not let the ink dry on that revelation without recalling Golden Horn in 2015 as his best ride in the race widely regarded as the greatest in the world.
Dettori drew a blank on his three mounts on the eve-of-Arc-day card, but from the sanctuary of the weighing room looked back into the race’s archive and extracted the name of Lammtarra.
He recalled: “To win the Arc is every jockey’s dream, and so the best memory of my winners has to be the first and that was Lammtarra. He was inexperienced but very good, and we don’t know how good he might have been.
“But the ride that gave me a lot of personal satisfaction was on Golden Horn. I did something out of the box in that, I went out on my own and it worked to perfection. He was a very good horse, and especially on that day which is a special memory for sure.”
His mount in his Arc swansong is the John and Thady Gosden-trained mare Free Wind, carded to start as around a 20-1 outsider.
The rider is taking a realistic approach to her match up with older and younger males without totally eliminating the possibility of an earning display from the George Strawbridge-owned five-year-old.
He added: “I’ve won on her three times, but I’m realistic because she’s had her problems and is coming back. She’s a Group Two winner and she’s worked well and has a good draw. But it’s still a big ask.
“If she gets a place I will be delighted – if she won it would be totally amazing and I’m not sure how I would react.”
Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Astro King pounced late to land the bet365 Cambridgeshire under top-weight at Newmarket.
The six-yar-old gelding was a 20-1 chance under Richard Kingscote and travelled on the inside as the 34-strong field split into several groups down the Rowley Mile.
At one stage the race looked to be happening on the other side, but as Greek Order, the smooth-travelling 5-2 favourite, accelerated down the centre as a gap finally came for Harry and Roger Charlton’s hotpot, he took with him the Kubler challenger.
In the final strides the two locked horns and it was Astro King that just put his head down to seal a valuable triumph by half a length under the burden of 9st 12lb.
Vandeek demonstrated his class with a tremendously impressive victory in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.
The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Havana Grey colt came into the race unbeaten having landed a Nottingham maiden, the Richmond at Goodwood and the Prix Morny throughout the year.
He was the heavily-backed 5-4 favourite under James Doyle and left the stalls a touch slowly before being tucked in behind rivals in the early stages of the race.
When a gap appeared Doyle guided him through it and from there he accelerated readily to leave the whole field behind him and triumph by two and a quarter lengths from Task Force, with River Tiber a head further back in third.
Porta Fortuna came out on top for Donnacha O’Brien in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
A 9-2 chance under Oisin Murphy, the Caravaggio filly gravitated towards the centre of the track and travelled in the outer of the two groups throughout the six-furlong Group One.
The field spread across the course in the closing stages and from the middle Porta Fortuna – winner of the Albany at Royal Ascot – was able to accelerate past her rivals to emerge victorious by a length and a half.
Rogue Millennium will bid to give connections another day to remember when she lines up for the Prix de l’Opera Longines at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
The Dubawi filly made dreams come true when landing the Duke of Cambridge Stakes for trainer Tom Clover and owners The Rogues Gallery at Royal Ascot in June and ran a brilliant race to finish second to Tahiyra in the Group One Matron Stakes at Leopardstown when last seen.
She now heads to France for the third time this season after a course and distance effort in Prix Allez France in April, where she finished third behind India and Mqse De Sevigne.
The former has won since in a German Group One and the latter has landed two French contests at the same grade, form that bodes incredibly well for Rogue Millennium’s return to both the track and the trip.
Clover said: “Rogue Millennium is in stall eight and she seems in really good form.
“Fingers crossed she can go well, that was a lovely run behind Tahiyra in the Matron and I’m looking forward to seeing her back up to 10 furlongs.”
Of her prior trip to Longchamp he added: “It’s strong form I’d say, Mqse De Sevigne has won two Group Ones and India won again about a week ago.
“This is a step up from that but I am excited to see her go further and run over 10 furlongs again.”
A key rival is Christopher Head’s Blue Rose Cen, winner of a string of Group races earlier in the term as she took both the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks.
Beaten in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, she was also out of luck when tried at a mile and a half in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp.
She now reverts to a mile and a quarter for what is likely to be the final race of her campaign.
“She’s running in the Opera and I think that’s pretty much going to be the end of the season for her,” Head said.
“She’s going back to the 2,000 (metres), she’s a very interesting filly.
“She has had a tremendous season and we can’t wait to see her on the Arc de Triomphe weekend.”
Aidan O’Brien will be represented in the race by Jackie Oh, a Galileo filly last seen finishing second to Lumiere Rock in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh.
The trainer said: “She was second at the Curragh last time, if any ease in the ground comes that will suit her.
“We thought that she was a little bit unlucky, she got back a little bit, but we’re looking forward to this race.
“She has form on better ground, but her performance would probably be a little bit better with ease in it.”
Lumiere Rock is in action again for Joseph O’Brien, whereas Al Husn is another fancied runner for Roger Varian after her Nassau victory ahead of Blue Rose Cen.
Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter remains unbeaten after a taking victory in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.
The Invincible Spirit two-year-old was a wide-margin maiden winner at the July course on debut and then took an Ascot novice in convincing style in early September.
Stepped up to Group Two level on the Rowley Mile and ridden by Richard Kingscote, the bay was not hard pressed to ease ahead of eight rivals and prevail by a length at 100-30, in what looked a good renewal. Al Musmak and Capulet took second and third respectively.
The Jeff Smith-owned colt was subsequently given a 16-1 quote by Coral for next year’s 2000 Guineas.
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