By Tom Frary
It was seven lengths 12 months ago and while the winning margin was slightly less on Saturday, the manner of the performance from Anthony Oppenheimer's Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was practically identical as he dominated the feature G1 Qipco Champion S. for a second time. Finally granted the rainfall he craves at the beginning of the week, racing's most vivid reminder of the unparalleled racing prowess of his sire strode to the line in a relative victory lap with Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) struggling six lengths behind in his wake. Capping a memorable afternoon for John Gosden, the 5-6 favourite needed restraint rather than urging from Frankie Dettori in contrast to when last seen at the Royal meeting and after surging to the fore at the top of the straight allowed his rider time to raise his whip in salute. ” He's shown what he is, a high-class horse–when he's in the zone, he's very good and he's Frankel's best son,” commented his trainer after completing a trio of wins in four of the main races on the day. “He won the Ganay in explosive style and I don't think he was quite the same after going down the hill at that pace at Longchamp–things were bothering him. He still managed to win at Epsom and run well in the Prince of Wales's when he wasn't with us mentally and he's a mighty impressive horse. I've had a lot of luck using blinkers–the great Secretariat and Northern Dancer raced in them–and sometimes they are needed to focus their minds. He had those semi-blinkers on and he's been showing me at home that he was ready to do that. Full marks to the staff at home, who work so hard to get them to hold their form deep into the season.”
The Cracksman that was on show during the British flat season's most high-octane afternoon was that which first showed flower in last August's G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York and which achieved full bloom when proving a crowd-pleaser here a year back. Able to truly let down and flourish on easy ground, he was getting back to basics having possibly stretched himself out of his comfort zone with a swashbuckling performance on slick going in the G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp Apr. 29. His two efforts in the June 1 G1 Coronation Cup and June 20 G1 Prince of Wales's S. had led to genuine misgivings about his developing unprofessional demeanour, but he had excuses for both anti-climactic runs. Reported to have hit his head in the stalls at Epsom, a track he is patently unsuited to, he was led astray by the presence of fillies and mares before the Royal contest where the dried summer turf meant he was unable to gallop freely. It was his reluctance before the start at Royal Ascot that caused most alarm, but all that is history now as he put matters to rights before embarking on a stud career that will be a fascinating new chapter in the Frankel saga.
Until Saturday, this year had been as much about what Cracksman has missed out on rather than what he had obtained. Oppenheimer, with his DeBeers family's link with the King George, must have been desperate to run in the midsummer showpiece, having passed it over last July due to the colt's immaturity. However, the summer storm that afflicted the 2017 edition failed to materialise this time and he had to swerve it once again. Whatever losses were incurred there, they have been more than made up for in this race for the past two seasons. He could have led from the outset here, giving Frankie all the signals that he was on his mettle even in the preliminaries but he was held back in fourth with the stable's Maverick Wave (Elusive Quality) leading out up ahead.
With only one or two brief lapses, most notably in Swinley Bottom when he momentarily lost his action on the heavy ground, the overall effort was as near to the smoothness of 12 months ago as is possible. William Buick on Crystal Ocean was holed up on the inside for a period before the home straight and Dettori seized the day at that juncture, asking for that familiar surge reminiscent of Frankel himself. Delivered direct from the genetic material of what must be considered the single greatest performer in at least the modern history of flat turf racing, it was immediately decisive and led to the first back-to-back winner of this prize since Twice Over (GB) (Observatory). There is that Sir Henry Cecil link again. Cracksman is also the first consecutive winner since the race was switched to Ascot where the fulfilment of a life's work of that late great master of Warren Place was played out six years ago.
Dettori had cut a glum figure at the Royal meeting, but the ebullience that has marked his career and will characterise his enduring legacy was back again. “That is the old Cracksman back,” he said. “He felt fantastic. What a horse he is–I love him dearly. Full credit to the owners and John for being patient. They were not tempted to run on firm ground and got the reward today. He did it on his own. The blinkers worked and he was concentrating. I kept him away from Rhododendron, the filly, and even in the first bit of the race I knew. It came good for me at the three-furlong pole and I knew we were in business.”
Of the contrast with his Prince of Wales's performance, his rider added, “He was very lethargic in the summer–like one of those ponies of your kids'; you have to drag it everywhere. Cool weather, autumn, a bit of rain and he was back to his best today. I was able to put him where I wanted him. Usually he makes my life difficult but today I had a beautiful position. As the race developed, the more and more he came on the bridle, and turning for home he actually couldn't wait to go. When he accelerated–not many horses can do it–I was able really to enjoy the scream of the crowds in the final furlong and raise my arm in the last 100 yards. Full credit to the Gosden stable and the trainer himself–he's a genius to me and for me the things he has done are amazing. Our all horses performed to their very best and it's been an amazing day.”
If last year's edition of this tells us anything, it is that a good horse can suffer a great reversal and still make it to the top and Crystal Ocean's connections will take heart from that fact that he was beaten just under the distance Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) was last year. Jockey William Buick said, “Crystal Ocean ran a great second, but Cracksman won very impressively today and he looked the same Cracksman he was last year. I was in a little bit of a tricky spot coming into the straight, but it opened up for me and he ran a good race. He's very effective over a mile and a half as well.” Surprise of the race was the 66-1 shot Subway Dancer (Ire) (Shamardal), who was just 3/4 of a length away in third for the Czech Republic trainer Zdeno Koplik and brother Radek who steered the gelding. Ingrid Koplikova, the trainer's daughter, said, “That is a shock for me, but very good for my family. He ran a very nice race and we are all so happy. He is a very classy horse and he loved this ground. My father bought the horse before he had run and he has progressed. After the last race, my father decided to run here, because it would be a dream for him, for my uncle and all the family. My father has 28 horses in his yard, but this is the best one and the only one that could attempt a race like this. It is a dream to come to Ascot. I have never been here, but it is the best racecourse in the world.”
After a season of fluctuating fortunes for both Cracksman and Enable, it is testament not only to their superior class but also to the handling of their campaigns that the Arc-Champion double-double was pulled off. It looked much more likely in 2017 than it did in 2018, even as recently as midsummer, but both he and his brilliant contemporary still managed it. The greatest shame of their era was that they never met, with circumstances conspiring against the eventuality. That is impossible now that Cracksman departs this scene, but his swansong only further empowers his owner-breeder's regenerated bloodlines. His listed-winning dam Rhadegunda (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who also produced the G3 Solario S. winner Fantastic Moon (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), is a granddaughter of the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Sussex S. heroine On the House (Be My Guest). This family was always able to throw up a genuine top-class individual in the past, with the G1 Coronation S. heroine Rebecca Sharp (GB) (Machiavellian) one of the most notable before the G1 Epsom Derby, G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Eclipse S. hero Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) arrived to give new gravitas to it three years ago. Whether it contains one who can eventually unearth that King George winner remains to be seen. Perhaps it will be Rhadegunda's foal full-sister to Cracksman.
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO CHAMPION S.-G1, £1,300,000, Ascot, 10-20, 3yo/up, 9f 212yT, 2:08.79, sf.
1–CRACKSMAN (GB), 131, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Rhadegunda (GB) (SW-Fr), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: St Radegund (GB), by Green Desert
3rd Dam: On The House, by Be My Guest
O-A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £737,230. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr & G1SP-Ire, 11-8-2-1, $3,692,311. *1/2 to Fantastic Moon (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), GSW-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Crystal Ocean (GB), 131, c, 4, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Crystal Star (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O-Sir Evelyn de Rothschild; B-Southcourt Stud (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £279,500.
3–Subway Dancer (Ire), 131, g, 6, Shamardal–Sub Rose (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€60,000 RNA Ylg '13 AR13; €3,000 3yo '15 DEANOV; €110,000 RNA 5yo '17 ARARC). O-Bonanza; B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (IRE); T-Zdeno Koplik. £139,880.
Margins: 6, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 2.75, 66.00.
Also Ran: Capri (Ire), Rhododendron (Ire), Verbal Dexterity (Ire), Monarchs Glen (GB), Maverick Wave. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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