Sport
Best moments of the Flat season
As with every Flat season, the 2023 summer has seen some extraordinary performances from some top class horses.
While every Flat fan will have their personal favourite horses, jockeys, and races, here is a selection from the most popular wins of the past few months.
Emily Upjohn’s win of the Group 1 Coronation Cup
Having won the Group 3 Musidora Stakes as a three-year-old, followed by the Group 1 British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ Stakes later that season, punters and spectators knew that John and Thady Gosden’s filly was talented.
Even so, her capability, of winning the Coronation Cup on her seasonal debut – without having had a prep-run of any sort – was widely debated. Emily Upjohn was due to go up against colts who were more highly rated than herself, such as Westover – who had last run in March – and Hurricane Lane, who had won his last start the previous month by six lengths. It looked as if they might have a fitness advantage over the filly, who would be running fresh.
Westover was the favourite as the stalls opened for the Coronation Cup at 5/2, expected to improve on his second in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic from earlier in the year, and was in touch with the leaders from the off. Emily Upjohn, on the other hand, went along happily at the tail end of the field, with rider Frankie Dettori biding his time. Creeping up the outside when the group began to turn for home, Dettori asked for effort in the straight and the filly delivered in great style, outpacing the colts and driving towards the finish while Westover chased in vain. It was a brilliant come-back run which was followed up by a gallant defeat in Paddington’s Eclipse.
Shaquille’s win of the Group 1 July Cup
Rated 90 as a two-year-old, Julie Camacho’s Shaquille has improved 30 pounds this season by winning a total of four races. The best of these, however, is widely considered to be the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket – his second Group 1 victory following his unexpected win of the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
The Charm Spirit colt looked to have scuppered his chances when rearing up as the stalls opened and starting slowly, and proceeded to pull hard when held in last by jockey Rossa Ryan. With four furlongs left to travel, the colt pushed his way into the lead, and looked as if he might have employed his speed too early on but, amazingly, he just kept going, keeping ahead of the field and pulling further away and crossing the line over a length ahead of Run To Freedom, the runner up.
It takes considerable talent and power to recover from a poor start in such fine style over a short trip, so Shaquille cemented himself as a top performer that day.
Live In The Dream’s win of the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes
Adam West’s Live In The Dream has improved 21 pounds this season having won the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes, quite by surprise.
The gelding was known to have plenty of ability, having placed in a Listed race as a three-year-old and been a very close second to Vadream in the G3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, but nobody believed that he could step up so well in Group 1 company that he could beat the likes of Highfield Princess, Bradsell and Khaadem.
Breaking quickly under jockey Sean Kirrane and taking the lead, the gelding made all and was simply never overtaken along the full five-furlongs. Highfield Princess and Bradsell tried their hardest to reach him, but Live In The Dream was not for catching and sped to the finish a length ahead at 28/1.
His victory was well celebrated by his delighted connections, and deservedly so.
City Of Troy’s win of the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes
Unbeaten in his two starts previous to the Dewhurst, Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy was clearly a formidable talent, having won those two races by a combined nine lengths, but he would still have to prove that he was just as good against the top two-year-olds in the Dewhurst in more testing ground than he had encountered before.
The Justify colt broke out of the stalls in a most professional manner, and took the race stride by stride, appearing far more mature and experienced than his years as he lead the field. When asked for effort in the closing stages, he maintained his distance ahead of the others but – with a furlong left to travel – slowly but surely pulled further and further away, crossing the line three and a half lengths ahead of the runner-up.
He had no trouble handing the soft ground that day, and was most impressive.
King Of Steel’s win of the Group 1 Champion Stakes
Roger Varian’s King Of Steel has been impressive on each of his runs in top company this season – never being seen finishing behind fourth place and making his presence felt with each appearance.
His plucky second in the Derby just a length behind Auguste Rodin showed what he made of, and he has only built on that performance throughout the season, turning up for a great race with each and every appearance.
Frankie Dettori rode King Of Steel for the first time in the Champion Stakes, the jockey’s last ever ride in the race before retirement from the UK racing scene, and the pair excelled together.
King Of Steel raced at the back of the field, with Frankie biding his time on the testing ground, slowly pushing the colt forwards around the bend. The pair crept up the outside towards Via Sistina’s game lead, just edging in front of her in the final yards to take the race by half a length.
The colt had read the script and gave Frankie Dettori a win on his last ever ride in the UK. The crowd’s reaction was fantastic and the race won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
