Some of us may try to look the other way, but with the Breeders' Cup behind us and the November handicap just days away, we have to admit that it really is jumping season.
There is still some flat excitement on the international calendar with the possible appearance of Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon). {Ger}) in the Japan Cup at the end of this month, but if National Hunt isn't your thing then it's certainly never too early to take a look at next Flat season.
In this respect, one of the most captivating elements will be to see how well this first Irish sired crop of Wootton Bassett (GB) performs at the age of three. There's no denying that they looked pretty spectacular as juveniles. There is the ancient saying that behind every great man there is an even greater woman (or something to that effect) and the quality of Wootton Bassett's mares was already on the rise due to the success of his early years at Haras d'Horse. Etreham went up a notch or two on his arrival at Coolmore. His Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Henri Matisse (Ire), who followed another of his sons, Unquestionable (Fr), and won this race, is out of the brilliant racing mare Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who it She also proved to be a gem of a broodmare when she produced Group 1 and 2 winners Tenebrism and Statuette to Caravaggio and Justify.
Henri Matisse, already winner of the G2 Futurity Stakes, follows a rush of Group/Grade 1 winners for Wootton Bassett in the last month or so, starting with Camille Pissaro (Ire) in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, followed by Tennessee Stud ( Irish) and Twain (Ire) on the same day in Saint-Cloud the weekend before last.
Wootton Bassett now has a record-breaking number of 10 youth group winners from his 2022 crop of 213 foals. Let's hope there is one or two Classic winners among them.
When mentioning Wootton Bassett it is worth noting that he came from the same compact Hertfordshire breeders as last weekend's G1 Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}, who is currently the highest rated horse in the world. Congratulations to Colin and Melba Bryce of Laundry Cottage Stud for producing two such remarkable Thoroughbreds.
I'm keen on Keane
The clout of British and Irish horses around the world undoubtedly remains mighty, as this weekend's results and the action at last week's Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale underline. Five winners at the Breeders' Cup meeting between Ger Lyons, Ralph Beckett, Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien were proof of this.
It was also pleasing to see a major international win outside of Europe for 24-year-old jockey Rossa Ryan, and another Breeders' Cup success for Colin Keane after just five rides at the meeting. Keane is now Ireland's champion jockey for the sixth time.
Ger Lyons, for whom he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Magnum Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and put the meeting on an excellent footing from a European perspective, lamented Keane's lack of international recognition. That will certainly change soon.
On Saturday, my Argentinian friend and colleague Jose Nelson walked into the Del Mar press box and said, “Emma, I have to tell you, I've watched this race over and over again and I LOVE COLIN KEANE!”
Here you go, Ger. The word is out.
The Ralph and Rossa Show
Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan have barely left the winner's enclosure this year and can certainly look forward to more massive days next spring with an impressive team of two-year-olds from this year on the rise. From two to three, Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) has developed into a top-class performer and is the second Group/Class 1 winner for Steve Parkin's breeding operation in this one after Fallen Saison Angel (GB) (Too Darn Warm {GB}).
Too Darn Warm has also helped Beckett, who had stakes winners on both sides of the Atlantic on Saturday, including listed Montrose Fillies' Stakes scorer Smoken (GB), who remained unbeaten in her second start for Andrew Rosen, Marc Chan and Sonia Rogers.
After a season that featured Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Arc heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) and seven stakes winners through October alone, After Starlust's win, Beckett was asked how he would maintain his stable's form next year.
“With difficulty,” he replied with a grin.
With some talented youthful horses on the farm and no doubt some decent yearlings on the way, including Amo Racing's leading Wootton-Bassett stallion from Book 1, he may just be modest.
Golden day for Haggas
And let's not forget the success of Lake Forest (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill on Saturday for the William Haggas team, who have achieved notable success with runners Down Under.
For those of us who appreciate the excellent Derby day card at Flemington on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, the launch of the up-and-coming $10 million Golden Eagle looked a bit like Racing NSW park his tanks on the Racing Victoria lawn.
But within six years it quickly caught on and last year the Keiji Yoshimura-trained Obamburumai (Jpn) won for Japan. This time Lake Forest and Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) took the top two places for England and France, but not without some controversy. Jockeys Cieren Fallon and Antonio Orani each received a one-month ban and hefty fines for disruption.
Then farewell…
The Breeders' Cup marked the end of racing for a number of top horses that we have had the pleasure of following over the past few seasons.
City Of Troy is poised to become the first son of Justify in Europe, and at least one major breeder who was in Del Mar over the weekend already has mares lined up for him. “I’m just waiting to see how much it’s going to cost,” he said. Aren't we all?
Bradsell (GB) and Gigantic Evs (Ire), who both scored horror draws in the Turf Sprint, are destined for the National Stud and Tally-Ho Stud respectively, having secured their places through previous excellent performances.
We also saw the last of Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who came so close to winning the Oaks and went on to win the British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes and Coronation Cup. This season has undoubtedly been frustrating for her contacts, not least her swansong at the Breeders' Cup Turf, where she appeared to be full of running on the rails and going nowhere.
Ramatuelle (Justify) is likely to be one of the highlights of the Night of the Stars Sale on Monday in Fasig-Tipton. Theoretically, she could still keep racing even though her vet scored points in the Breeders' Cup. And that has indeed been a feature of the past week, this added tension and stress for owners and trainers caused by the increased veterinary controls at both the Breeders' Cup and major meetings in Australia.
It is entirely understandable that increased control is felt to be necessary, but there will still be unlucky stories of excluded horses who could or will win further races while remaining fit.
The current situation will certainly mean that some smaller organizers who come across a massive horse will be less inclined to take the chance to travel to some of these international meetings for fear of being left out after exorbitant trips. The welfare of the horses must always take precedence over financial considerations – that's a given – but this will almost certainly mean that only those with the greatest means will be able to compete on the international stage.
