JOURNEY COMPLETE
Runner-up to Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) in last year's G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S., George Strawbridge's Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) returned to Ascot in mean mood to readily brush aside top-class rivals and win the latest renewal by four lengths eased down under Frankie Dettori. Having advertised her wellbeing with an impressive succcess in Newmarket's Listed Princess Royal S. last time Sept. 23, the well-supported 4-1 second favourite who sported a blue hood cruised throughout in second and always had the field covered. When the button was eventually pressed the bay surged away for an emphatic success from Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal). “She deserves a group one, as she's been running so well,” Dettori said. “I can't believe the turn of foot she showed today and she picked up like she was on roller skates.”
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES & MARES S.-G1, £600,000, ASC, 10-15, 3yo/up, f, 12fT, 2:28.41, gd.
1–&JOURNEY (GB), 131, f, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Montare (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, $852,544), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Contare (GB), by Shirley Heights(GB)
3rd Dam: Balenare (GB), by Pharly (Fr)
O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £340,260. Lifetime Record: 13-6-3-1, $790,684. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Speedy Boarding (GB), 131, f, 4, Shamardal–Dash to the Front (GB), by Diktat (GB). (95,000gns RNA Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Helena Springfield Ltd; B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-James Fanshawe. £129,000.
3–Queen's Trust (GB), 124, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–Queen's Best (GB), by King's Best. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £64,560.
Margins: 4, NK, 1. Odds: 4.00, 14.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: Pretty Perfect (Ire), Seventh Heaven (Ire), Architecture (Ire), Zhukova (Ire), Even Song (Ire), Maleficent Queen (GB), Bocca Baciata (Ire), Promising Run, California (Ire), Bateel (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Proving a revelation since her second to Speedy Boarding as the pair pulled clear of the remainder in a 10-furlong maiden at Goodwood last May, Journey won three of her next four starts under positive tactics including Salisbury's 10-furlong Listed Upavon Fillies' S. in August and Newmarket's Listed Princess Royal S. in September. Undone by Simple Verse in this race on her first major test, the homebred was entitled to make vast improvement from three to four much as her dam had under Jonathan Pease when peaking with a win in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak in 2006. Third on her seasonal bow in the G2 Middleton S. over 10 furlongs at York May 12, she went on to take Haydock's G3 Pinnacle S. over a mile and a half 16 days later before being sidelined. Back in bullish spirits when dominating the latest edition of the Princess Royal under a penalty, Journey went to post in the shadow of the Irish fillies here but it was quickly evident that she was in no frame of mind for taking a back seat as Frankie Dettori was forced to issue restraint.
As the G2 Park Hill S. runner-up Pretty Perfect (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) provided a perfect tow into the race, Dettori had only those in behind to concern him but with Ryan Moore getting into traffic problems on the 5-4 favourite Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) he had little to fear. Full of running heading into the straight, Journey was allowed her head soon after and she opened up without second invitation as Speedy Boarding and Queen's Trust stayed on in her wake. At the line, she was arguably the day's most impressive winner with her Ascot-specialist jockey having time to soak up the moment. Trainer John Gosden said, “The ground was too soft for her last year and she just got caught, but she's incredibly talented. She's got a mind of her own and is very wilful and a wild little creature, but I just told Frankie to get her settled as she'll tell you what she wants to do and you just listen. He rode her beautifully.” George Strawbridge added, “Before her first ever race, she jocked William Buick off before the start, so she's come a long way. She showed wonderful acceleration.”
Speedy Boarding is off to the paddocks at Meon Valley Stud now and trainer James Fanshawe paid tribute to the runner-up, who had endured a tough battle when winning the G1 Prix de l'Opera. “She's run really well, it was not ideal running her 13 days after her win in France but she seemed really well in herself and Freddie [Tylicki] gave her a great ride,” he said. “I wish she wasn't being retired, but the owners want to retire her.” Chris Richardson, racing manager of Cheveley Park Stud, said of the third, TDN Rising Star Queen's Trust, “It was just a shame, but from a great draw she ended up getting squeezed out and forced to the back of the field on the outside. Andrea [Atzeni] had no option but to sit and suffer. It was a bit of a repeat of what happened to her at the Royal meeting. I don't know if she'd have won, but she'd have been up on the pace and she could have made it more of a race. She's been placed in three group ones now and was in great form today, it's just frustrating it didn't go her way. I think that's it for the year, but she stays in training.”
As well as winning the Royal-Oak, Montare who John Gosden described in the winner's enclosure as racing “with a Christmas tree on her head” during her time in France also captured two renewals of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at three and five, an edition of the G2 Prix de Royallieu and was runner-up in the G1 Prix Vermeille. She was tried in the 2007 G1 Gold Cup here, but was fifth after a troubled trip behind the great Yeats (Ire). She has passed on much of her single-mindedness but also much of her talent to Journey, with a yearling filly by Mastercraftsman (Ire) and a colt foal by Oasis Dream (GB) to come later.
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