Septimus
June 28th 2008 06:42
The last post looked at Efficient, the early favourite for the 2008 Melbourne Cup. At equal second quote for this year’s Melbourne Cup, along with local hopes Tuesday Joy and Kibbutz, is the Aidan O’Brien trained Irish 5 year old, Septimus, a son of Sadler’s Wells.
(photo: images.sportinglife.com)
O’Brien bypassed the Royal Ascot festival with Septimus, and elected to start his 2008 campaign at The Curragh this weekend in the Group 3 Curragh Cup over 2800m. Septimus was nominated for the Melbourne Cup last year, but O’Brien decided to leave him at home even after he impressively won the Group 3 Lonsdale Stakes (3200m) and the Group 2 Doncaster Cup (3600m), the latter in course record time and defeating Geordieland by five lengths.
As a 3 year old he would go into the Epsom Derby of 2006 as one of the leading contenders after winning the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York his previous start. The Epsom Derby has been his only failure with 6 wins from 10 starts, and two placings. And also to note that in the Epsom Derby it was the first and only time he has been ridden well off the speed. He normally races handy, this pointing to him being an ideal horse for Australian conditions. He has won on going from soft to firm.
Septimus avoided a clash with stablemate Yeats in the Ascot Gold Cup, allowing the easier passage for Yeats to win his third consecutive Ascot Gold Cup. And it was Geordieland (again) who was five lengths behind Yeats at Ascot, mirroring his identical position behind Septimus when they last met. Aidan O’Brien seems more inclined to bring Septimus to Australia than Yeats at this stage, but more will be known after Saturday and the running of the Curragh Cup.
At The Curragh on Saturday the other feature races is the Pretty Polly Stakes, which sees French mare Finsceal Beo start favourite after her third behind Haradasun and Darjina in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. The increase in distance looks ideal for her prospects.
On Sunday the Irish Derby will be run at The Curragh, with Epsom Derby winner New Approach an odds-on favourite to complete the English/Irish double. In a typically European approach (though not a New Approach) John Godsen will run Centennial after his promising 4th behind Tartan Bearer in the Dante Stakes - but it will be the supplemented inclusion (late entry at 100,000 euros) of the 250/1 stablemate, Upton Grey, that draws most interest. Why - you would ask - would you pay a late entry fee of a staggering 100,000 euros to run a hopeless outsider? Well, if this outsider is owned by Princess Haya of Jordan - who also owns the favourite New Approach - then it makes much more sense.
John Godsen admits that Upton Grey will be used as a pacemaker for the favourite, adding that with Jim Bolger only having the one horse for Princess Haya, another (to act as pacemaker) was needed from somewhere.
New Approach took a long time to settle in the Epsom Derby and the expectation is that a solid pace will work in his favour. But this is a race with depth and both Tartan Bearer (second in Epsom Derby) and Casual Conquest (third) are highly likely to benefit from more speed and the testing, and perhaps firmer, Curragh circuit. Last time New Approach raced at The Curragh he looked sore and sour when a well beaten second behind Henrythenavigator in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. The track this time will not be as hard as on that day, but it does pose as an obstacle nonetheless. I’m sure the connections of the other chances will also be relishing the inclusion of a pacemaker. This year the first six horses home at Epsom will test the winner in the Irish equivalent. The odds suggest a repeat victory for New Approach - the optimism of his rivals suggest that his quote may be a bit too short. Perhaps Tartan Bearer can turn the tables this time.
10/11 New Approach, 3/1 Tartan Bearer, 6/1 Casual Conquest, 14/1 Dr Fremantle, 14/1 Alessandro Volta, 14/1 Curtain Call, 16/1 Washington Irving.
the 2006 Epsom Derby (with Septimus unplaced):
Septimus
(photo: images.sportinglife.com)
O’Brien bypassed the Royal Ascot festival with Septimus, and elected to start his 2008 campaign at The Curragh this weekend in the Group 3 Curragh Cup over 2800m. Septimus was nominated for the Melbourne Cup last year, but O’Brien decided to leave him at home even after he impressively won the Group 3 Lonsdale Stakes (3200m) and the Group 2 Doncaster Cup (3600m), the latter in course record time and defeating Geordieland by five lengths.
As a 3 year old he would go into the Epsom Derby of 2006 as one of the leading contenders after winning the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York his previous start. The Epsom Derby has been his only failure with 6 wins from 10 starts, and two placings. And also to note that in the Epsom Derby it was the first and only time he has been ridden well off the speed. He normally races handy, this pointing to him being an ideal horse for Australian conditions. He has won on going from soft to firm.
Septimus avoided a clash with stablemate Yeats in the Ascot Gold Cup, allowing the easier passage for Yeats to win his third consecutive Ascot Gold Cup. And it was Geordieland (again) who was five lengths behind Yeats at Ascot, mirroring his identical position behind Septimus when they last met. Aidan O’Brien seems more inclined to bring Septimus to Australia than Yeats at this stage, but more will be known after Saturday and the running of the Curragh Cup.
At The Curragh on Saturday the other feature races is the Pretty Polly Stakes, which sees French mare Finsceal Beo start favourite after her third behind Haradasun and Darjina in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. The increase in distance looks ideal for her prospects.
On Sunday the Irish Derby will be run at The Curragh, with Epsom Derby winner New Approach an odds-on favourite to complete the English/Irish double. In a typically European approach (though not a New Approach) John Godsen will run Centennial after his promising 4th behind Tartan Bearer in the Dante Stakes - but it will be the supplemented inclusion (late entry at 100,000 euros) of the 250/1 stablemate, Upton Grey, that draws most interest. Why - you would ask - would you pay a late entry fee of a staggering 100,000 euros to run a hopeless outsider? Well, if this outsider is owned by Princess Haya of Jordan - who also owns the favourite New Approach - then it makes much more sense.
John Godsen admits that Upton Grey will be used as a pacemaker for the favourite, adding that with Jim Bolger only having the one horse for Princess Haya, another (to act as pacemaker) was needed from somewhere.
New Approach took a long time to settle in the Epsom Derby and the expectation is that a solid pace will work in his favour. But this is a race with depth and both Tartan Bearer (second in Epsom Derby) and Casual Conquest (third) are highly likely to benefit from more speed and the testing, and perhaps firmer, Curragh circuit. Last time New Approach raced at The Curragh he looked sore and sour when a well beaten second behind Henrythenavigator in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. The track this time will not be as hard as on that day, but it does pose as an obstacle nonetheless. I’m sure the connections of the other chances will also be relishing the inclusion of a pacemaker. This year the first six horses home at Epsom will test the winner in the Irish equivalent. The odds suggest a repeat victory for New Approach - the optimism of his rivals suggest that his quote may be a bit too short. Perhaps Tartan Bearer can turn the tables this time.
10/11 New Approach, 3/1 Tartan Bearer, 6/1 Casual Conquest, 14/1 Dr Fremantle, 14/1 Alessandro Volta, 14/1 Curtain Call, 16/1 Washington Irving.
the 2006 Epsom Derby (with Septimus unplaced):
| 56 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Leonard Marlborough
Racing Write
Septimus ran home an easy 2 1/2 length winner in The Curragh Cup overnight. Although having his first run for the year, and obviously 'soft' with much improvement to come, the class of Septimus was obvious and his win emphatic. We'll now await confirmation of what Aidan O'Brien has as his long term plan for 2008.