Classic Round Up – Manning & Dettori Win for the Boomers
They often say there’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle and that was completely true this weekend when jockeys Kevin Manning (54) and Frankie Dettori (50) rode their respective mounts to victory in the two Guineas races.
2000 Guineas
On Saturday, Veteran jockey Manning secured his fourth British Classic success as Poetic Flare (16/1) took top honours in a pulsating climax to the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Lester Piggott was 56 years old when he rode Rodrigo De Triano to victory in 1992, and at 54, Manning is the oldest jockey to win the 2000 Guineas since.
Manning’s Classic haul now consists of:
- Finsceal Beo in the 1000 Guineas of 2007,
- New Approach in the 2008 Derby,
- Dawn Approach in the 2000 Guineas in 2013
- And the freshest of the lot – Poetic Flare in 2000 Guineas of 2021.
And what connects all four of Manning’s Classics winners? Well, they have all been trained of course by trained by his father-in-law and long-time employer Jim Bolger, 79.
Full 2000 Guineas Result: 1. Poetic Flare (16/1) 2. Master Of The Seas (6/1) 3. Lucky Vega (12/1).
1000 Guineas
Frankie Dettori made it an amazing weekend for the over-fifties at Newmarket when collecting the 20th Classic of his career.
Dettori partnered the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mother Earth (10/1) to victory in the 1000 Guineas – making it an historic weekend for the senior jockeys of the weighing room.
O’Brien’s first string, Santa Barbara had been the talk of the town but it was the bigger-priced filly who grabbed the headlines. O’Brien has now taken his personal 1000 Guineas tally to seven, with five of those wins coming in the last six years.
Full 1000 Guineas result: 1. Mother Earth (10/1) 2. Saffron Beach (9/1) 3. Fev Rover (22/1)
Weekend Winners at Newmarket
Mohaafeth came right into the Epsom Derby betting with an easy victory in the Newmarket Stakes. Trained by William Haggas, the Frankel colt was slashed to 8/1 with bet365* from 33’s for the Epsom feature in June.
The Andrew Balding-trained Bell Rock took the Suffolk Stakes, with the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and the Wolferton being lined up as future targets.
Balding was triumphant again with Chil Chil and the mare will now be aimed at the Wokingham handicap.
The Godolphin-owned Lazuli was given a 11/1 quote from 888sport for the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot after edging out the win in the Palace House Stakes.
Mystery Angel was victorious in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes and will probably go for the Group One Prix Saint-Alary, or perhaps the Musidora at York. She currently doesn’t hold an Oaks entry.
Zabeel Champion will now be in Mark Johnson’s handicap team for Royal Ascot after coming out on top in a three-way go with Global Storm and Grand Bazaar.
Richard Hannon’s River Alwen will be sticking to 10 furlongs for the foreseeable future after taking the opening race on 1000 Guineas Day.
Dahlia Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe may well head to the Lockinge but the Duke of Cambridge at Royal Ascot is her most likely next port of call.
The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned Parachute has the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot earmarked as his main target now after his comfortable handicap success.
French Connections
Duhail, who carries the Al Shaqab Racing silks, deservedly won his first Group race in the Prix du Mugeut (Group 2) at Saint-Cloud at the weekend. The Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood are on his future agenda.
Baby Rider outbattled Smile Makers in the Group 2 Prix Geffulhe to book his ticket for the Prix du Jockey Club on June 6.
Deep Impact-filly Harajuku was successful for Andre Fabre in the colours of the Niarchos Family in the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre.
Sunday’s Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp was stolen from the front by Pierre-Charles Boudot aboard the Andre Fabre-trained Mare Australis. Betfair cut Mare Australis to 20/1 from 66/1 in the Arc betting, whilst other bookmakers even have him as low as 16/1.
Ebaiyra got the better of Raabihah in the Prix Allez France (Group 3) and she is now a 20/1 chance at bet365* for the Arc in October.
Mare Australis
, Magny Cours
, Mogul
in the parade ring before the Ganay at ParisLongchamp pic.twitter.com/P90LIJF6qx
— Anne-Louise Echevin
(@annelouechevin) May 2, 2021
Coming up this week…
Chester’s three-day May Festival starts on Wednesday where plenty of pointers should emerge for the Derby and the Oaks next month.
Next Saturday sees the only surviving mixed flat/jumps card in England taking place at Haydock Park with the two highlights being the Listed Spring Trophy Stakes and the Swinton Hurdle.
Those looking for an ante-post tip this week should consider NOT SO SLEEPY E/W (9/1 with Unibet) in Friday’s Chester Cup. The nine-year-old could well run them all ragged over the 2m 2½f trip, especially if the ground remains on the soft side.
* Horse racing odds correct at the time of writing. All betting odds are subject to fluctuations.
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