By Tom Frary
He may have taken a while to get there, but Saturday saw Kessaar (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) place himself firmly among the higher echelons of the juvenile division as he romped to an emphatic success in Newbury's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. Always on the front foot as Frankie Dettori sought to exploit his experience, the Sept. 8 G3 Sirenia S. winner was tackled and headed by True Mason (GB) (Mayson {GB}) with a quarter mile remaining but was back in charge less than a furlong later and surged away to record a 2 3/4-length win, with Shine So Bright (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) 2 1/4 lengths back in third. “We were worried about the ground, but he did it well,” trainer John Gosden said. “He has won a group three last time and a group two this time, so we will have to go to a group one now, but it's a big step. The [Oct. 28 G1] Criterium International could be next [at ParisLongchamp].”
Sent to Royal Ascot's Listed Windsor Castle S. while still a maiden and sent off at just 8-1, Kessaar failed to deliver anything like the promise he had shown John Gosden when 25th in that five-furlong contest June 23 but bounced out of it to get off the mark by 10 lengths in a first-time hood over this trip at Windsor July 30. Rearing at the start and disappointing when only sixth behind the subsequent G3 Prix Eclipse winner Sporting Chance (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) in the Listed Aug. 27 Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy, the bay again refused to be deterred by a negative experience when issuing a 2 1/2-length beating to Junius Brutus (Fr) (Cockney Rebel {Ire}) in the Sirenia on Kempton's Polytrack last time.
While Kessaar is going up to seven furlongs, True Mason's trainer Karl Burke is looking at reverting to five with the runner-up. “[Jockey] Ben [Curtis] said he loved the ground, travelled beautifully and relaxed in it,” he said. “He didn't want to go too soon. He came to win his race, he picked up but didn't pick up well enough, then petered out in the last 100 yards. I half had it in my mind to back him up in the Middle Park, but I think it will be a similar story, that we would get outstayed. So maybe we will go to the [G3] Cornwallis [at Newmarket Oct. 12]. If it comes up slow a stiff five will be absolutely perfect for him.”
Kessaar's dam, the unraced Querulous (Raven's Pass), is a daughter of Contentious (Giant's Causeway) who finished runner-up in the G3 Kolner Herbst-Stuten-Meile and is kin to the GII Pennsylvania Derby and GII Ohio Derby winner Gone Astray (Dixie Union). They descend from Inside Information (Private Account), whose 14 successes included six at the highest level, most notably in the Breeders' Cup Distaff and the Acorn S., before producing the GI American Oaks and GI Mother Goose S. heroine Smuggler (Unbridled). Querulous's 2018 colt is by Vadamos (Fr).
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE MILL REEF S.-G2, £75,000, Newbury, 9-22, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.23, sf.
1–KESSAAR (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Querulous, by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: Contentious, by Giant's Causeway
3rd Dam: Illicit, by Mr. Prospector
(100,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Mr M. Alqatami & Mr K. M. Al-Mudhaf; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, $111,352. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–True Mason (GB), 127, c, 2, Mayson (GB)–Marysienka (GB), by Primo Dominie (GB). (25,000gns Wlg '16 TATFOA; 120,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Mr Khalifa Dasmal; B-Simon Balding (GB); T-Karl Burke. £16,125.
3–Shine So Bright (GB), 127, c, 2, Oasis Dream (GB)">Oasis Dream (GB)–Alla Speranza (GB), by Sir Percy (GB). (57,000gns Wlg '16 TATFOA; €27,000 Ylg '17 GOFOR; £375,000 2yo '18 GOFLON). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Miss K. Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £8,070.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2 1/4, 3HF. Odds: 3.30, 4.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Garrus (Ire), Don Armado (Ire), Konchek (GB), The Irish Rover (Ire). Scratched: Marhaba Milliar (Ire), Marie's Diamond (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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