By Sean Cronin
Godolphin's homebred Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}–Tidespring {Ire}, by Monsun {Ger}), fresh off an 18-length rout in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl S. at Newmarket, overcame seafaring conditions and bettered a third in last year's G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup to secure a career high in this term's renewal of the marathon test at Ascot.
Last year's Ebor H. victor was caught between two stools and raced in an isolated second off the clear leader through halfway and inched ahead with five furlongs remaining. Taken on and headed by Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) rounding the home turn, the 9-1 chance rallied under an inspired Frankie Dettori inside the final quarter-mile and stayed on relentlessly to deny last term's four-time Group 1 winner in game fashion by a neck. Reigning three-time champion Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) adopted hold-up tactics, but was unable to feature at the business end and finished 14 1/4 lengths off the winner in fourth.
“I heard the roar of the crowd and, oh my God, it was special; especially when I was cantering back,” beamed Frankie Dettori after opening Champions Day in perfect fashion. “I couldn't believe it and I have beaten one of my greatest rivals. I have tremendous respect for Ryan Moore and, on my final day, it was sensational. Ryan passed me comfortably and I thought he's going to go and win by three lengths, but he couldn't get away from me. I thought maybe there's a little bit left here and, in fairness, Trawlerman was very professional and a great, great battler.”
John Gosden added, “The plan was to go forward and then we heard that the other horse [Maxident] was going to go very hard, so the idea was to take a lead and use him as a target. The genius of Mr Dettori was not to throw everything at it at the head of the straight. Kyprios swept past, but to come there and collect again and come back on the line, I would say that was superb judgement on his part. Our other horse [Sweet William] ran a blinder in third. Like all of us, he [Dettori] doesn't always get it perfect, but he's a wonderful judge of pace and has great feel for the horse, as has Ryan Moore on the second. Let me tell you, they are two amazing jockeys and we are lucky to have them riding together.I knew the horse wasn't finished, but I never thought he'd come back up and win. It lifted the crowd, he lets the crowd carry him and he operates very much on that. Without doubt, he is the most phenomenal jockey I have ever put on a horse and, pound for pound, the greatest. I've been lucky enough to leg up a lot of great jockeys over the years.”
Reflecting on the performances of Kyprios and Broome, Aidan O'Brien said, “Kyprios ran a great race and I'm delighted on how he has come back this season. Obviously, he made great progress from [the G1 Irish St Leger at] the Curragh, and ran a great race. Broome ran grand and probably wants better ground now, but still ran okay. I think it's soft and maybe heavy down the back.”
Pedigree Notes
Trawlerman, the sixth pattern-race winner for his sire, is the leading performer produced by G3 Deutsches St Leger runner-up Tidespring (Ire) Monsun {Ger}), herself one of three black-type performers out of G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Sweet Stream (Ity) (Shantou). Tidespring is kin to stakes-winning G3 Munster Oaks third Loveisthehigherlaw (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Listed Radley S. third Sweet Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Sweet Stream, in turn, is the leading performer for the stakes-placed Snug Dinner (Ire) (Jareer), who is also the second dam of Listed Premio Royal Mares victrix Testa O Croce (Fr) (Orpen). Snug Dinner is the best daughter of the stakes-placed Stand By Me (Ire) (Home Guard). Tidespring has a 2-year-old full-sister to Trawlerman, named Pumakatzi (Ire), to come.
Sometimes, the script writes itself @FrankieDettori and TRAWLERMAN, roared on by the #Ascot crowd, get back up to beat KYPRIOS and claim the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup congratulations to Frankie, John & @thadygosden, and @godolphin pic.twitter.com/Mds3UZqdby
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 21, 2023
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP-G2, £500,000, Ascot, 10-21, 3yo/up, 15f 127yT, 3:22.14, g/s.
1–TRAWLERMAN (IRE), 135, g, 5, by Golden Horn (GB)
1st Dam: Tidespring (Ire) (MGSP-Ger & SP-Fr), by Monsun (Ger)
2nd Dam: Sweet Stream (Ity), by Shantou
3rd Dam: Snug Dinner (Ire), by Jareer
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £283,550. Lifetime Record: 15-7-0-3, $902,896. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kyprios (Ire), 135, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Polished Gem (Ire), by Danehill. O-Moyglare Stud, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £107,500.
3–Sweet William (Ire), 135, g, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Gale Force (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). O/B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £53,800.
Margins: NK, 13, 1 1/4. Odds: 9.00, 1.10, 8.50.
Also Ran: Trueshan (Fr), Coltrane (Ire), Broome (Ire), Maxident (GB), Stratum (GB).
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