NEWS
Excellent Art thwarts Cockney Rebel’s bid for triple
Posted: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 7:31 PM
EXCELLENT ART
Racing Post photo
by Tony Smurthwaite
The historic triple proved trouble for Cockney Rebel on Tuesday at Royal Ascot, where Excellent Art stole the spotlight in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-G1).
Cockney Rebel was attempting to duplicate Rock of Gibraltar’s trio of victories in the English and Irish Two Thousand Guineas as well as the St. James’s Palace Stakes, but the triple collapsed when he was overwhelmed by three colts from the same yard as the phenomenon of 2002.
If the outcome of the St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-G1) was a personal triumph for Aidan O'Brien, whose runners took the first three spots, it was a sobering reversal of fortune for connections of Cockney Rebel. The Val Royal (Fr) colt with the $20-million price tag completed a remarkable classic double in the Stan James Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) and Boylesports Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) in May.
Right Tack and Rock of Gibraltar remain the only horses to complete the sweep of the three Group 1 races.
For Olivier Peslier, the one-mile race was a personal frustration as he was unable to keep Cockney Rebel from veering left off a true line in the closing stages. Up ahead, or more correctly to Peslier's right, the O'Brien trio of Excellent Art, Duke of Marmalade, and Astronomer Royal bagged the first three places.
Excellent Art completed the distance in 1:39.33 on turf rated as good. The bay Pivotal colt finished a neck in front of Duke of Marmalade, who was 1 1/4 lengths clear of Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Fr-G1) (French Two Thousand Guineas) winner Astronomer Royal.
"It was quite a training performance," said John Magnier, the Coolmore Stud's managing director.
Dutch Art finished fourth, a nose in front of Cockney Rebel, the even-money favorite in the field of eight.
Excellent Art had threatened such an achievement when fourth to Astronomer Royal after a troubled run in the French Guineas.
“He was the unknown horse in the race, I guess,” Magnier said.
However, the extent to which Cockney Rebel failed to excel or compromised his chances with a dart to the left was evident in the performance of Duke of Marmalade, who finished fourth to the classic hero both at Newmarket and the Curragh.
Defeat was too much for Cockney Rebel's owner Phil Cunningham.
"I'm absolutely gutted, but I would be if I'd been beaten in a selling race at Folkestone as I'm a racing man," Cunningham said. "This horse owes us absolutely nothing."
Bred by Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket, Excellent Art was trained in the town last season by Neville Callaghan until owner Matthew Green sold a majority share to Magnier's wife, Susan, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor. The winner could now take on older horses for the first time in the BGC Sussex Stakes (Eng-G1) at Goodwood on August 1.
Tony Smurthwaite is an England-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
