Quiet Too Quick In Sprint Cup and Weekend To Savour In Store
Racing Resuts
Saturday’s Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock was robbed of its star attraction as Henry Candy’s July Cup hero Limato was withdrawn due to the late deluge of rain which resulted in soft going on the day.
In the end the race went to another high class performer with a 6f Group 1 win to their name already this season, as Karl Burke’s Quiet Reflection proved beyond any doubt that she deserves her seat at sprinting’s top table. The three year old daughter of Showcasing travelled like a dream for Dougie Costello, with the writing looking to be on the wall for her rivals some way from home as she loomed up ominously well. Once asked the question she put the race to bed in a matter of strides, with The Tin Man running on well for second but never looking like getting to the 1 ¾l winner.
Connections have reportedly already resisted a number of offers for this year’s Commonwealth Cup heroine, and this latest success will only have served to enhance her value still further. Should her current owners decide to cash in on their asset, they can expect a pay day of around the £2million mark. Whether she is sold as a broodmare or stays in training, we do look set to see her at least once more at the track, with the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot in October being earmarked as her next target. Quiet Reflection is currently vying for favouritism with another star filly in Mecca’s Angel for that Group 1 contest, and is available to back at 5/1.
Top Weekend of Racing Ahead
There are no shortage of high class contests on offer before Champions Day arrives however, with this coming weekend providing no fewer than three mouth-watering contests. All three of which have the common theme of the market being headed by an inmate from the all-powerful Aidan O’Brien operation.
Saturday sees Doncaster play host to its most famous race, and the oldest Classic contest of them all as it stages the 2016 edition of the St. Leger Stakes. Third in the Epsom Derby, second in the Irish Derby and winner of York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes, it is Idaho who heads the betting here at evens (Bet365 £200 bonus info). This high class Galileo colt looks likely to take some stopping but may not have things all his own way with the likes of the promising Muntahaa and consistent Red Verdon in opposition.
Sunday sees our second St.Leger of the weekend as the Curragh plays host to the Irish version. Last year’s Doncaster heroine Simple Verse and Goodwood Cup hero Big Orange fly the flag for Britain here, but they and everything else look to have work to do to trouble the current king of the staying division Order Of St George. The defending champion here, and winner of this seasons Ascot Gold Cup is the red hot favourite at just 1/3.
Bigger than the St Leger?
Undoubtedly the race of the weekend though is Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes, also held at the Curragh. English and Irish Derby winner Harzand, French Derby hero Almanzor and the brilliant 1000 Guineas, Oaks, Pretty Polly Stakes and Nassau Stakes winning filly Minding all look set to go to post.
With the likes of Highland Reel, Fascinating Rock, Found, Hawkbill and US Army Ranger also possible runners, this could well be the race of the season to date. The compilers make Minding the most likely winner at this stage, going 2/1 about the O’Brien star.
