Aidan O’Brien’s prospects of breaking the world record for Group One wins in a year took a blow yesterday when the champion trainer had to settle for a pair of third places in France’s final top-flight races of 2016.
After Promise To Be True was third to Godolphin's Thunder Snow in the seven-furlong Criterium International, Capri finished best of a four-strong Ballydoyle team in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud at the Paris track behind the Andre Fabre-trained Waldgeist.
The latter's rider, Pierre Charles Boudot, had been unseated from Capchop leaving the stalls in the International but bounced back with aplomb just over an hour later.
Another Godolphin juvenile, Best Solution, chased Waldgeist home while Capri stayed on for third, just ahead of his stable companion, Douglas Macarthur.
Waldgeist was one of just two home-trained runners in the mile-and-a-quarter event and secured 16-1 quotes for next year’s Derby on the back of his win.
Having ruled out any more Group One runners in Europe in 2016, O'Brien's focus will be global, beginning with Bondi Beach in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup before sending a strong team to this weekend's Breeders' Cup in Los Angeles.
Group One honours
Ryan Moore warmed up for his Melbourne Cup ride on Bondi Beach when landing Group One honours in Japan yesterday. The English jockey partnered Maurice to victory in the Autumn Tenno Sho at Tokyo racecourse.
Moore had won twice before on Maurice who made light of the step up to 10 furlongs to provide his jockey with a 90th career Group One success.
Afterwards the rider flew straight to Melbourne where he will ride Bondi Beach for the first time.
“I think he is fairly weighted and the step back up to two miles on decent ground will suit,” Moore said. “With luck in running I would hope and expect him to be very competitive.”
Fourth attempt
Willie Mullins is overseeing his fourth attempt to win the Melbourne Cup but before Wicklow Brave runs at Flemington in the early hours of tomorrow morning, the trainer's ally Ruby Walsh will be in action closer to home at Wexford today.
The champion jockey has five rides and it would be ironic if his sole mount for Mullins, Bobarlee, emerges as a weak link.
However, it could transpire that Mullins's biggest rivals, Gordon Elliott and Henry De Bromhead, wind up supplying Walsh with his best chances.
Ball d’Arc and Sanibel Island have clear chances for Elliott and Burndown looks something of a standout for De Bromhead in another maiden hurdle.
Walsh’s presence on De Bromhead’s Domesday Book in the featured Listed Chase however could prove decisive.
The strapping six-year-old has plenty to do on ratings against Elliott’s Munster National hero Tiger Roll but looks a type to progress significantly this season.
