Chaldean (7/2) beat Hi Royal and Royal Scotsman to win the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday; winning rider Frankie Dettori is set to retire at the end of the 2023 season; favourite Auguste Rodin disappoints for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore
Saturday 6 May 2023 17:41, UK
Frankie Dettori's farewell tour continued in fairytale fashion as he rode Chaldean to victory in the first Classic of the British flat season, the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.
Last seen dramatically unshipping the Italian jockey in the Greenham at Newbury, Chaldean was sent-off 7/2 for the famous mile contest and had always travelled well on the rain-soaked Rowley Mile.
Dettori, who is retiring from the saddle at the end of the season, took up the lead in the final furlong and pulled away to prevail by a length and three quarters from 125/1 outsider Hi Royal and Royal Scotsman in third.
Favourite Auguste Rodin disappointed under Ryan Moore and was tailed off long before the final furlong, finishing a well-beaten 12th. O'Brien's other well-fancied runner, Little Big Bear, was last of the 14.
Dettori told ITV Racing: "I had a good spot. When I got to the top of the hill Oisin kicked on and he gave me a good fright. But once I got clear of him it was all over and I was able to enjoy it.
"I kept an eye on my left to see if the Coolmore horses were coming but there was plenty of daylight.
"It was such a surreal moment and I was thinking, 'I hope I don't wake up'. It's unbelievable. I don't want to cry but it's amazing."
Winning trainer Andrew Balding said after the race: "I was a bit worried about the mile in this ground, but he's just done a wonderful job, Frankie. We're making the most of our unconventional prep race [unseated in the Greenham], we might set a trend there!
"It was a concern beforehand, but it did him some good because he got out there. I'm just thrilled, what a brilliant ride.
"What can't you say about Frankie? Since I've been involved in the sport he's been an omnipresent superstar of the sport and what a fitting way to ride his last 2000 Guineas.
"He always looked to be travelling comfortably, I was just a bit worried about getting past Oisin [Murphy, on Hi Royal] because he can get extra lengths out of horse but once we collared him, I was fairly confident.
"I've been looking forward to this for a long while, it's a mixture of relief and elation. It will probably sink in in a bit, it's a big deal."
Saga narrowly failed to give the King and Queen a winner on their coronation day after he was beaten in a photo.
Partnered by Dettori, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Saga was sent off an 8/1 shot for the Howden Suffolk Stakes.
He travelled well throughout the contest, but Dettori briefly struggled to find a clear passage when the race began in earnest and while Saga made up significant ground in the closing stages of the nine-furlong affair, King Of Conquest had already flown.
Saga was beaten a head at the line, with the four-year-old going down by the same distance when bidding to give the late Queen a final Royal Ascot win in the Britannia Stakes last term.
Vadream (7/1) has been busy through the winter on the All-Weather but a return to turf on her favoured soft ground today saw the Brazen Beau mare record the second Group Three win of her career in today's Howden Palace House Stakes.
Partnered by Kieran Shoemark, the five-year-old got the better of Live In The Dream by half a length to take the honours in the five-furlong contest.
Charlie Fellowes, the successful trainer, said: "I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't delighted by the rain. She just loves it. She's a very good filly but she has to have her conditions and she got them today.
"I'd say (the Duke of York Stakes) is unlikely and will come a bit soon, we'll just run her where the conditions are right - she's very clearly at her best when there's 'soft' in the going. When she gets her conditions she's going to be very dangerous in whatever race she turns up in."
Azure Blue (7/2 joint-favourite) came out on top in the Listed Howden British EBF Ellen Chaloner Stakes.
The Michael Dodds-trained four year old saw off the challenge of fellow joint-favourite Heredia to take the honours in the six-furlong contest by half a length.
The opening Howden Handicap over a mile and a half went the way of 100/30 Favourite Teumessias Fox in the colours of King Power Racing.
Partnered by Oisin Murphy, the four year old went to the front two furlongs out and powered home for a three and a quarter length triumph.
Elsewhere on the card, Probe (15/2) handed a first Newmarket winner to trainer Jennie Candlish when taking the six-furlong Howden Handicap by a length and a quarter in the hands of Kieran O'Neill.
