Baaeed’s brilliant International win and Frankie Dettori’s dramatic Ebor success on Trawlerman were among the highlights of the four-day racing festival at York.
Baaeed impresses again! (Pic – Facebook: British Horseracing Authority)
Unbeaten in nine starts all run over a mile leading up to York, Baaeed arrived at the Knavesmire on Day 1 to contest the Gr1 Juddmonte International over ten furlongs.
The result was never in doubt approaching the final two furlongs with jockey Jim Crowley motionless in the saddle behind market rival and defending champion Mishriff.
Once asked to win his race, the William Haggas trained four-year-old quickened decisively and put 6 and a half- lengths between himself and second placed Mishriff at the line.
He returned a 2-5 favourite to great applause from the crowd and emulated his sire Sea The Stars and fellow great Frankel with victory in this prestigious race.
He is now rated the third highest horse by Timeform this century behind Frankel and Sea The Stars.
Day 4, Saturday, and race-goers were treated to yet another Frankie Dettori master-class aboard Trawlerman in the Ebor Heritage Handicap.
Faced with a very wide and poor draw of 20, Dettori elected to race wide of the balance of the field down the back straight, before coming across the field in front on the turn into the first bend.
He lead the field around the home bend and into the long straight when joined by the Irish trained favourite Earl Of Tyrone. Dettori brought the field across to the stand side rail with the field stacked up behind him and challengers on either side.
Earl Of Tyrone hit the front and with Global Storm still there and Alfred Boucher emerging from the pack, Trawlerman looked beaten.
With a furlong to run he trailed both Earl Of Tyrone on his right and Alfred Boucher on his left, but Dettori kept his mount in the fight and, as the line approached, he rallied.
With half a furlong to run the race was fought out between the grey Alfred Boucher and the Gosden trained Trawlerman. They passed the line together with the commentator unable to split them.
After a short delay the judge gave the race to Trawlerman, and Dettori provided the York faithful with his famous dismount in the winner’s enclosure.
Earlier on the card, Kinross provided Frankie with the first-leg of his winning double when finishing best over the final furlong to score impressively in the City of York Stakes over the game front-running six-year-old Pogo. His Glorious Goodwood conqueror Sandrine finished three-lengths back in third.
Winning trainer Ralph Beckett said he was confident the test would suit Kinross perfectly and he was proved right when the son of Kingman secured his second Group 2.
Beckett stated: “As he’s got older, he’s got hardier. He didn’t really start his maturity until he was gelded and then everything worked out. We minded him all through last year, but he’s been unlucky various times.”
Mention must be made of David O’Meara’s eight-year-old stalwart Summerghand, a “legend” to connections, after the popular sprinter finished strongly to land the six-furlong Constantine Handicap.
The 2020 Stewards’ Cup winner finished fourth in last Saturday’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon but made the most of his quick reappearance to win by three-quarters of a length under Danny Tudhope to record his fourteenth victory.
