by Mike Curry
Juddmonte Farms' lineup for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 6-7 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park meeting got a boost on Saturday at Newmarket when Twice Over secured his first Group 1 win with a victory in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes (Eng-G1).
The race was expected by many to be the final steppingstone to the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for Irish classic winner Fame And Glory, but Twice Over delivered the head-turning performance.
The four-year-old Observatory colt, who twice was beaten by less than a length in Group 1 races earlier this season, surged to the lead with about a quarter mile remaining in the Champion Stakes and had plenty of stamina in reserve to hold off Mawatheeq by a half-length.
Out of the stakes-winning Caerleon mare Double Crossed, Twice Over completed 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.31 on turf rated as good to cement a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. After last year’s one-two finish by European invaders Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), however, Twice Over’s connections have an eye on the big prize.
“We hadn’t been looking at the Breeders’ Cup before today but he has come back and won this race very well, so the Classic would be under consideration,” Juddmonte Farms’ owner Prince Khalid Abdullah said. “The question mark is that the race is on a surface that he’s never raced on.”
Investec Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) winner Sariska finished third, a length behind Mawatheeq. Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-G1) winner Fame And Glory had a shot in the final quarter mile but did not fire and finished sixth as the heavy favorite.
Twice Over finished third, beaten by a half-length, in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes (Eng-G1) in May. He was beaten by three-quarters of a length while finishing fourth in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Eng-G1) in June at Royal Ascot.
Trainer Henry Cecil gave him a short break after a seventh-place finish in the Coral Eclipse Stakes (Eng-G1) on July 4 at Sandown, and he returned freshened with a conditions victory at Doncaster on September 9 and a stakes win on September 23 at Goodwood.
“Henry did the right thing in giving him a break and then having two comfortable lead up races before today,” Abdullah said. “He was aiming at this race for a long time and got the horse right; that is the genius that is Henry Cecil.
“At the moment, we are likely to take Zacinto [TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1)], Midday [Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1)], and Spanish Moon [Breeders’ Cup Turf]. Father Time may go for the Marathon, and Famous Name could run in the Dirt Mile (G1). Then we have Ventura and Proviso (GB), who are in America already.”
The Champion Stakes was one of five group stakes on the Newmarket card, which also featured the Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-G1) for two-year-olds. The Dewhurst also might have produced a couple of Breeders’ Cup contenders.
Beethoven sprung an upset for the Balldoyle stable of Aidan O’Brien, outdueling runner-up Fencing Master, third-place finisher Xtension, and Steinbeck in a thrilling finish.
Ridden by Ryan Moore, the Oratorio (Ire) colt steamrolled from off the pace to win by a neck. Beethoven completed seven furlongs in 1:23.49 to pick up his second win in ten starts this year for owners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier.
“Beethoven’s very tough and just keeps progressing with every run, and it’s possible he could go for the Breeders’ Cup—either the [Juvenile] Turf (G2) or the [Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile] on the [synthetic surface],” said O’Brien. “The advantage he has is his experience.”
Fencing Master nipped Xtension by a nose for second in the 15-horse field. Steinbeck was fourth, followed by Godolphin’s Buzzword, who also will go forward to the Breeders’ Cup.
“We were very pleased with his run today,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said of Buzzword. “We are going to aim him for the Breeders’ Cup for one of the Juvenile races but have not decided which one.”
Also on the card, Arabian Gleam secured his first victory of the year as he edged Ouqba by a neck in the Victor Chandler Challenge Stakes (Eng-G2). Donativum (GB), winner of the 2008 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, was another three-quarters of a length back in third.
Music Show sprung a 25-to-1 upset in the Lotus Evora Rockfel Stakes (Eng-G2), powering from off the pace under Kieren Fallon to defeat Atasara by a neck. Overwhelming favorite Tabassum finished third in the seven-furlong race for two-year-olds.
Ashalanda collared favorite Crystal Capella in the final strides to win the Pride Stakes (Eng-G2).
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor