Frankie Dettori was out of luck in the feature event at Bro Park on Sunday – but still managed an undercard winner as he continued his international farewell tour.
The weighing-room great, who is planning to retire at the end of the campaign, made the trip principally to partner Hard One To Please for trainer Annike Bye Hansen in the Stockholm Cup International.
Run over just short of a mile and a half, Hard One To Please won the Group Three last year, when he beat the Archie Watson-trained Outbox in a photo.
That rival was in the field once again and chased along early he took an early lead for Hollie Doyle, with Dettori settling in early before eventually letting his mount stride on to challenge Outbox.
However, Doyle was eager to cling to the initiative and Hard One To Please dropped away before the home turn, leaving Outbox to go for home.
French raider Big Call tried his best in the final furlong, but it was Espen Hill who finished best of all down the middle of the track to grab victory for rider-trainer Madeleine Smith.
For Outbox it was a third successive runner-up spot having also been beaten in 2021, while Hard One To Please trailed home in ninth.
Dettori shook off that disappointment to team up again with Hansen in the following Listed Lanwades Stud Stakes, with Takeko coming home a cosy winner over a mile.
Doyle and Outbox’s owners Hambleton Racing also enjoyed a measure of compensation for their Stockholm Cup reverse, as the Kevin Ryan-trained Washington Heights won the Listed Bro Park Sprint Championship earlier on the card.
The exciting Ile Est Francais is set to be campaigned in Britain later in the year following a dominant success on his chasing debut at Auteuil.
The five-year-old was a Grade One winner over hurdles at the Parisian track last year for Tom George and is now trained in partnership by his son Noel and Amanda Zetterholm.
He returned from a summer break for his first start over fences on Tuesday and could hardly have been more impressive in the hands of James Reveley.
“Auteuil is not easy to jump round for your first time and he jumped round like he’d been round there a hundred times. He was very impressive,” said Noel George.
“We’ve been waiting to run him over fences for a while and now we’ve been able to do it, he impressed us as much as we thought he would. Hopefully he’s got a big career over fences ahead of him.”
Ile Est Francais is set for one more run at Auteuil this autumn before potentially being readied for major meetings on UK soil.
George added: “We have to discuss it with the owners, but I think he’ll probably run at the beginning of November at Auteuil – there’s a Listed race for a five-year-old chasers, which I’d like to think would be a penalty kick for him.
“After that we’ll maybe consider the Coral Gold Cup meeting at Newbury or Kempton at Christmas. He’ll be travelling over to the UK this year, that’s for certain, but when and where that will be, I can’t say for certain yet.
“Newbury would be a nice place for him to start for his first run in England as it’s flat with a nice, long straight.
“I think we’ll probably start him over two and a half miles because he runs over two and a half a lot over here and we can then make a decision on whether he needs to go up or down in trip.
“He’s very versatile and for me, with his speed and jumping, he could easily be a two-miler in England, but we’re dreaming of winning a French Gold Cup with him one day and that is over three and a half miles, so we don’t want him going the wrong way.”
Matilda Picotte made every yard of the running to win the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster.
Third in the 1000 Guineas in the spring, Matilda Picotte had failed to strike in three subsequent starts but returned to form in some style in this Group Three contest.
Oisin Murphy had Kieran Cotter’s charge smartly away, seizing the initiative from the off and settling into a nice rhythm on the front as Cachet, last year’s 1000 Guineas winner who was making her seasonal bow, raced on her heels.
Cachet was starting the feel the pace with a couple of furlongs to run, however, dropping back as Murphy kicked on again on Matilda Picotte, opening up a handy gap.
Nigiri tried to challenge inside the last of the seven furlongs, but Matilda Picotte (6-1) was too good, coming home three and three-quarter lengths clear, with a further two lengths back to Vetiver, who just pipped Cachet for third by a nose.
Tom Scudamore steered I Still Have Faith to victory in the Vickers.Bet Leger Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster.
Scudamore, who retired earlier this year, was having his first ride in the mile race confined to retired jockeys which raises valuable funds for the Injured Jockeys Fund Jack Berry House and the National Horseracing College.
This year’s line-up featured a range of recently-retired names, including Paul Hanagan, who only bowed out at the Ebor meeting, as well as the likes of Gary Bardwell, Gay Kelleway, Davy Russell, Robbie Power and Jamie Osborne.
The Ben Brookhouse-trained I Still Have Faith was sent off the 100-30 favourite and was covered up early on by Scudamore before launching his challenge with a couple of furlongs to run.
I Still Have Faith shot clear and while Hanagan tried his best to catch him aboard Biplane, the market leader had lots in hand, coming home a two-and-a-quarter-length victor.
Grand National-winning rider Power took third on Lion’s Pride, while Osborne finished with a flourish for fourth with Cliffs Of Capri.
Scudamore – who retired with 1,499 winners to his name over jumps – was sporting the colours of owner Roger Brookhouse, a long-term ally of his during his professional career.
He said: “It’s lovely. I had more winners for Roger than just about any other owner I rode for – I think I rode 60 or 70 winners for him. It’s a lot of winners and he was fantastic to me all through my career, right from as a claimer.
“We had some wonderful days – Western Warhouse for David (Pipe), we had some really special days. It wasn’t just Western Warhouse, I’m So Lucky – he had a fantastic family that’s still going well.
“He gave me some of my best days in racing and it’s a nice way of bowing out.”
He added: “Everybody wanted to do this, it shows the admiration and respect Jack Berry has from the whole of the sport. It was a great honour and privilege to be asked.”
Shai Hope’s controlled half-century helped Guyana Amazon Warriors complete a six wicket win and the double against the Trinbago Knight Riders as the two sides, on Saturday, played out a dress rehearsal ahead of Wednesday night’s Qualifier 1.
The Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to field first and the decision went in their favour as a Knight Riders side shorn of Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine posted a competitive 176-8. The Amazon Warriors timed their chase perfectly in reply as Hope carried on his good form with an unbeaten 54 to ensure the game was won with 10 balls to spare.
Earlier on, a much-changed Knight Riders got off to a bad start when Martin Guptil was run out for one but Mark Deyal’s quick fire 37 from 20 balls ensured the Knight Riders were able to post a healthy 49-2 by the end of the PowerPlay.
Chadwick Walton and Keacy Carty put on a 59-run partnership before Imran Tahir cleaned up Walton for 25.
However, that merely signalled the moment for Carty to press the accelerator. He took an extreme liking to Odean Smith, taking him for 26 runs in the 15th over to bring up his half century.
Carty was to go on to make a brilliantly constructed 83 before he was eventually stumped. That wicket was one of three in the 19th over as Imran Tahir halted the Knight Riders momentum.
The Knights Riders were to eventually post 176, a total that gave their bowlers something to work with.
In reply, the Amazon Warriors got off to the best possible start in the PowerPlay. Odean Smith partnered Saim Ayub and the pair reached 56-0 at the end of six overs but Ayub was to fall immediately after the fielding restrictions were lifted, skying a delivery from Akeal Hosein.
Smith was to go on to make his best score of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) – benefitting from three drops on his way to a sparkling 44, Smith’s knock ensured the Warriors only needed 60 from 44 balls with eight wickets remaining.
It was an equation the Amazon Warriors negotiated with ease as they romped to victory with two overs remaining.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 177-4 (Hope 54*, Smith 44; Deyal 1-21, Hinds 1-26) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 176-8 (Carty 83, Deyal 37; Tahir 3-12, Paul 1-11) by 6 wickets
Former champions Glenmuir High maintained a positive start to the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup season, as they outclassed last year’s beaten finalist Central High in a come-from-behind 5-1 win in what turned out to be a lopsided encounter at the former’s base on Saturday.
Nyron Allen (15th), Kyle Gordon (31st), Deandre Johnson (48th), Tajaun Cummings (52nd) and substitute Derrick Henry (69th), were on target for the Andrew Peart-coached Glenmuir side, after James Gallimore gave Central High an 11th-minute lead.
Peart welcomed the win, which was his team second on the trot, putting them in firm control of Zone L on six points.
“The result is very important at this group stage, especially also due to the fact that both teams had some level of success last season so there were a lot of talk around the town about who would win, and we came out on top,” he said in a post-match interview.
“We are just training hard and always seeking to improve, last year we laid down some foundations and we have built on them so far. So there is no pressure, I am just looking at what is in front of me, the players that are in front of me and the direction we want to take the school in,” Peart added.
With Glenmuir being gradually slow to settle, Central capitalised and grabbed the early ascendancy when James dyer sidewined his way between two defenders before playing a pass off to Gallimore, who made no mistakes from close range.
However, their lead was short-lived, as captain Gordon dispossessed a defender and found an unmarked Allen, who fired a firm right-footed effort past Davone Robinson in goal for Central.
Glenmuir suffered a setback as they lost last season’s standout player after he picked up what appeared to be a broken arm in the 25th minute. Watson tallied 17 goals and nine assist last season.
Still, Glenmuir pressed on and found the lead just past the half-hour mark when Gordon converted from the penalty spot, after Johnson was felled inside the danger area by Robinson, to put Glenmuir 2-1 up at the break.
They wasted little time to pick up where they left off on the resumption and extended the lead three minutes in when a defensive mix up, allowed Johnson to arrive on the ball and head past Robinson for his second goal of the season.
And Cummings put further daylight between Glenmuir and Central with a cool, calm and collected finish over a well-advanced Robinson, who was left in no man’s land.
Though Central tried to play their game and had a few openings from which they could have narrowed the gap, Justin Murray, in goal for Glenmuir was not for beating.
While Central’s hunt was fruitless, Glenmuir helped themselves to a fifth, as Allan slipped two defenders, before passing to Henry, who slotted home from deep inside the 18-yard box.
A disappointed Jermaine Douglas of Central High felt his team lost their composure after finding the lead.
“I thought we were playing well in the first 15 to 20 minutes, but my concern was always scoring first and then becoming complacent, it's something we try to guard against but that is exactly what happened. I don’t think we should have lost by this margin we got some chances that we didn’t put away, but such is football,” he said.
The result leaves Central pointless, while the other group contest between Porus and Old Harbour was called off due to bad weather with the latter leading 5-0.
Saturday’s results
Zone A
Cornwall College 0, Irwin High 0
Maldon 4, Green Pond 0
Spot Valley 2, St James 1
Zone D
Mannings 1, Petersfield 0
Zone I
Tacky High 3, Horace Clarke 3
Wycliff Martin 1, St Mary Technical 1
Zone J
Dinthill 6, Ewarton 0
McGrath 1. Enid Bennett 0
Zone K
Yallahs 6, Robert Lightbourne 0
Morant Bay High 1, Paul Bogle 0
Zone L
Glenmuir High 5, Central High 1
Porus 0, Old Harbour 5 (Game called off due to lightning)
Zone M
Kemps Hill 0, Vere Technical 2
Garvey Maceo 8, Tacius Golding 0
Kingston College moved to fourth place in Zone A after clipping Calabar 1-0 for their first win of the season in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup.
Zone leaders Hydel were leading Camperdown 5-1 at halftime before the rest of the game was called off due to lightning. Charlie Smith, who are second in the Zone, also had their game against Penwood called off at halftime with a 3-0 lead.
In Zone D, STATHS got their second win in as many games with a 4-0 win over Clan Carthy.
In Zone F St. George’s College secured a 2-1 win over Campion College while Waterford beat Ardenne 3-0.
A Zone G clash between St. Jago and Wolmer’s Boys was also called off at halftime due to lightning with St. Jago leading 2-0.
Jamaica Tallawahs earned a vital 59 run victory over the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to ensure they remained in contention for the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Playoff stage next week.
The Tallawahs won the toss and chose to bat first, despite losing early wickets to the spin of Ashmead Nedd and George Linde, a 62 run seventh wicket partnership between Shamar Springer and Fabian Allen hauled the side to a formidable 178/7 after 20 overs.
Despite a valiant 65 from Yannic Cariah, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots were bowled out for 119, Mohammad Amir taking 4 wickets in a brilliant spell and ensuring the Tallawahs won by 59 runs.
The Jamaican franchise were restricted in the PowerPlay by the bowling of Sheldon Cottrell and Ashmead Nedd, with the latter taking the wickets of Brandon King and Kirk McKenzie to leave the Tallahwahs reeling at 31-2 at the end of the powerplay. When spinner George Linde took two wickets in successive deliveries in the following over, the Tallawahs found themselves in crisis at 34-4.
However Raymon Reifer, Shamar Springer and Fabian Allen would all contribute with runs for the remainder of the innings, as the Tallawahs scored 72 runs from the final 5 overs to reach 178/7. The Patriots fell behind the over rate and were given a red card for the final over, with Cariah leaving the field.
The Patriots lost their experienced openers Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher in the PowerPlay, while big hitters Will Smeed and Sherfane Rutherford would lose their wickets shortly afterwards, with Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim bowling superbly. Yannic Cariah would score 65 off just 40 balls, his highest score in T20 cricket, but it was to be in vain as the Patriots were bowled out for 119, ending their CPL campaign with a 59 run loss.
Jamaica Tallawahs return to CPL action tomorrow morning where they will be taking on the Saint Lucia Kings.
Sandrine relished conditions at Doncaster to run out a convincing winner of the Betfred Park Stakes.
A Royal Ascot scorer at two, Andrew Balding’s filly had been without a victory since taking the Lennox Stakes at last year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival.
However, she got the perfect tow into this hotly-contested seven-furlong event and as the front-running Audience and 5-4 favourite Spycatcher got duelling a long way from home, Oisin Murphy switched out the 11-2 winner who came cruising by the two market leaders just inside the final furlong and galloped on gamely to hold off the rallying Audience.
Sandrine has now secured Pattern-race triumphs in all three seasons she has been in training and Anna Lisa Balding, representing her husband, was thrilled to see Kirsten Rausing-owned four-year-old back to winning ways.
She said: “What a star. It is up to Kirsten (if this is her last season), but she owes us nothing. To come back and run as well as she did in the City of York Stakes and then two weeks later run like that in this ground, she has a massive heart.
“Oisin said he was keen not to go too soon and they seemed to go pretty steady early and no one wanted to go on. He got it spot-on.”
Both Paddy Power and Betfair went 12-1 for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on October 21, but Balding was in no rush to name a next target, with the Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp on October 1 another possible option.
She added: “I think we will see how she is when she gets home as it can sometimes take quite a lot out of them on this ground. It is important with breeding prospects ahead of her to look after her.”
Annaf’s class came to the fore as he carried top-weight to a game victory in the Betfred Portland Handicap at Doncaster.
Mick Appleby’s four-year-old has been a regular in Group-race company this season and made the podium at Royal Ascot when third in the King’s Stand Stakes.
However, the 7-1 shot was remarkably still a maiden on turf prior to making his 23rd overall career start in the hands of Rossa Ryan.
Ridden with supreme confidence by the in-form jockey, the duo picked their way through a stacked field and pulled out all the stops to prevail in a photo-finish over Julie Camacho’s Significantly.
The victory continued a fine week on Turf Moor for Oakham-based Appleby who enjoyed Flying Childers success with the Breeders’ Cup-bound Big Evs on Friday.
Annaf’s class came to the fore as he carried top-weight to a game victory in the Betfred Portland Handicap at Doncaster.
Mick Appleby’s four-year-old has been a regular in Group-race company this season and made the podium at Royal Ascot when third in the King’s Stand Stakes.
However, the 7-1 shot was remarkably still a maiden on turf prior to making his 23rd overall career start in the hands of Rossa Ryan.
Ridden with supreme confidence by the in-form jockey, the duo picked their way through a stacked field and pulled out all the stops to prevail in a photo-finish over Julie Camacho’s Significantly.
The victory continued a fine week on Turf Moor for Oakham-based Appleby who enjoyed Flying Childers success with the Breeders’ Cup-bound Big Evs on Friday.
Last year’s 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet is raring to go ahead of her return to the track in the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster on Sunday.
George Boughey’s daughter of Aclaim came close to a Classic double in 2022 and was only a head away from adding the French equivalent to the 1000 Guineas triumph she achieved at Newmarket two weeks prior.
However, she has only been seen once more when finishing fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and after a long 457 days on the sidelines, drops back to seven furlongs for her comeback in the hands of Ryan Moore.
Boughey said: “She’s in good shape. The ground is a question mark, she ran very well in the Albany on soft ground but she hasn’t really seen it since.
“Her work has been smart at home and I’m pretty happy with her. She’s a very fresh horse going into the autumn and she’s in good shape.”
Cachet will face a strong cast of rivals, which includes proven Group-level performers.
Richard Hannon’s Magical Sunset relished testing conditions and had Charlie Appleby’s Dream Of Love back in third when winning a Group Three at Goodwood last month, while Ralph Beckett saddles both Dandy Alys and Nigiri, with the latter bringing up a hat-trick in style at York last month.
Samedi Rien was only two lengths behind Cachet’s stablemate Believing when last seen at Pontefract and brings some continental flare to the event from Spain, while Johnny Murtagh’s Clounmacon and Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte both make the trip from Ireland.
The latter finished third behind Mawj and Tahiyra in this year’s 1000 Guineas and having almost got back to winning ways at Tipperary recently, her handler is looking forward to her latest trip to the UK as Oisin Murphy takes over in the saddle.
“She’s back on track and we were either going to come to Doncaster or go to the Curragh next week for the Renaissance Stakes,” said Cotter.
“This is a seven-furlong fillies’ race and we opted for this and we’re hoping for a big run from her.”
He went on: “At Tipperary it was seven furlongs and 110 yards and it was the last 50 yards that did for her really, so I think she goes there with a live chance. We’re looking forward to seeing her run, she’s fit and well and we’re keen to roll the dice.”
There are only four declared for the supporting Betfred Scarbrough Stakes where Tom Clover’s Rogue Lightning has the chance to bring up a hat-trick on his return to Pattern company.
The son of Kodiac shaped with real promise in his first couple of outings at two before losing his way, but has thrived since being gelded and dropped to the minimum distance, scoring over course and distance earlier in the summer.
“We’ve always liked the horse and we tried him quite highly as a two-year-old,” explained Clover.
“Since gelding him and dropping him back to five furlongs it seems to have really helped and he looks in good shape.”
Raasel got back to winning ways at Haydock following a promising run behind Highfield Princess at Goodwood and although Clover believes Mick Appleby’s charge rates as a real danger, he is hopeful Rogue Lightning can continue on his upwards curve.
He added: “We hope this is a nice opportunity for him, but Raasel looks in good form and has produced two really good runs recently. He could be a tough horse to beat, but touch wood Rogue Lightning seems progressive and is going the right way.
“He’s been a lovely horse for the owners so far and hopefully he can take us to some more big days.”
Karl Burke’s Beverley Bullet runner-up Silkie Wilkie and Scott Dixon’s Fine Wine complete the line-up on Town Moor.
Iberian gave a glimpse of his star potential with a taking victory in the Betfred Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
Charlie Hills’ youngster went into plenty of notebooks when making an impressive debut at Newbury, but inexperience took its toll at Goodwood when immediately thrust into Group Two company in the Vintage Stakes.
A length second to Haatem on that occasion, connections retained the faith in the exciting son of Lope De Vega, who had another Richard Hannon-trained runner in his way on Town Moor in the shape of the unbeaten Rosallion.
Tom Marquand was keen to shadow the 5-6 favourite up the Doncaster straight, but whereas Rosallion was unable to land a blow when push came to shove, Iberian demonstrated his class, and once hitting the front a furlong out he surged clear to come home two lengths ahead of runner-up Sunway.
Last year’s winner Chaldean went on to land the Dewhurst Stakes before returning at three to claim the 2000 Guineas and this year’s 3-1 scorer is likely to have similarly lofty aspirations, with both Betfair and Paddy Power going 8-1 from 16s for Newmarket’s end-of-season juvenile Group One and 20-1 for the opening Classic of 2024.
Little over 24 hours after his final ride in a British Classic, Frankie Dettori will be in big-race action at Bro Park as the next leg of his farewell tour takes him to Sweden.
The Italian, who is set to retire at the end of the year, is no stranger to racing in Scandinavia and looks to continue the hot streak of British-based riders in the feature Stockholm Cup International – a race won by Pat Cosgrave the last three years and by Dettori’s great friend Rab Havlin (2019) and Fran Berry (2018) before that.
Officials in Sweden are delighted to have the 52-year-old stopping off in Stockholm during his final season in the saddle and have already seen the ‘Dettori factor’ increase media interest in Bro Park’s key afternoon of racing.
“We are obviously happy that Frankie Dettori is coming over and that Sweden and Bro Park is a part of his farewell tour. It is a big thing for a small country like Sweden,” said Dennis Madsen, Head of Racing at the Swedish Racing Authority, Svensk Galopp.
“He has been here before and rode in the Stockholm Cup in 1996 on a Godolphin horse and visited the old Taby Park again about 10 years ago. So we are familiar with Frankie, but it is still a big thing and we have been delighted to be able to use him in the promotion of this raceday.
“He has already boosted the coverage in the media. Frankie is a big name in other countries and although racing is not a big sport in Sweden, he has managed to capture good media coverage over here and we are very excited for him coming.”
Dettori has secured the mount of defending Stockholm Cup International champion Hard One To Please and the four-year-old, who won the Swedish Derby in 2021, returns to Bro Park on the back of an easy victory in a Norwegian Group Three last time.
Despite happy with the condition of her charge heading into the contest, trainer Annike Bye Hansen admitted she is extremely nervous leading up to the big occasion.
She said: “I’m not really looking forward to it to be honest, I will be relieved when it is over. That is me, I get very nervous, I always get like this coming up to big racedays like this.
“I’m very happy with the horse and he looks ready to rock and roll, so it’s game on.
“The race is not a walk in the park, the French horse is good and Ayani won the Swedish Derby and we don’t know how good he is.
“We won it last year, but last year it was weaker. But saying that I think Hard One To Please has improved from last year as well.”
Dettori tasted glory when riding in Hungary earlier this month, but if he is to add another global prize to his CV then Hard One To Please will have to see off a strong cast which includes Christophe Ferland’s French challenger Big Call and British raider Outbox, who will be partnered by Hollie Doyle.
Archie Watson’s eight-year-old is a regular visitor to Bro Park and as well as going down by a nose to Hard One To Please in the Stockholm Cup International 12 months ago, also picked up the silver medal in 2021.
“He was beaten by a very good horse two years ago and was then narrowly beaten last year by a horse who runs against him again on Sunday, so the owners are looking forward to another bold show,” said Cosmo Charlton, head racing manager for owners Hambleton Racing.
“It’s an exciting trip over and we’ve had successful raids over there in the past. We’ve got some owners going out and we’re always very well looked after.
“Outbox is a horse who owes us nothing, we paid 16,000 guineas for him and he’s earnt I think over £600,000 in prize-money for us.
“He’s an old horse now but was a really good second at Newmarket earlier the season proving he retains plenty of his old ability. A reproduction of that type of form would see him go close I would have thought.”
Hambleton Racing recorded a double at Bro Park on this card in 2022 and will also be represented in the Bro Park Sprint Championship by Kevin Ryan’s Washington Heights as the operation attempts to replicate that success.
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