British racing officially given green light
Two days before British racing is set to return on Monday, the British government officially confirmed it will be one of the first sports to return on June 1 with spectator-less racing.
Set to run a 10-race card at Newcastle with all races attracting full fields, the first week will be headlined by the Guineas meeting at Newmarket next weekend. Racing in the country has been suspended since March 18 with the British Horseracing Authority last week releasing strict guidelines that must be followed with all attending the races required to complete a three-stage screening process that includes medical checks.
“Our plans for returning safely have been developed with the assistance of all the representative bodies in our sport and I believe the public can be reassured by the measures we will have in place,” said Nick Rust, the Chief Executive of the BHA. “People understand how important it is for industries like ours to get back to work. Our participants know what will be asked of them when they attend a race day. Together, we’ll stick to social distancing rules and prevent the virus spreading.”
The resumption of racing means that Royal Ascot can start on its original date of June 16, though there have been changes made to the week’s schedule – including the addition of new races throughout the week.
Contrail emulates sire with Derby win
Contrail (Jpn) has emulated his sire Deep Impact (Jpn) by winning the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and remains unbeaten through five starts.
The Yoshito Yahagi-trained colt added the Derby to his earlier Group 1 success in the Hopeful S. and the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), defeating Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who was ridden by Australian jockey Damian Lane, by 3l, with Weltreisende (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}).
Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga settled him just in behind the pace and got Contrail to the outside of the leaders at the top of the straight, Salios looked to be closing the gap at the 200 metre mark, but Contrail responded and on the line was stretching the margin on his main rival.
Deep Impact also won both the Satsuki Sho and the Tokyo Yushun in 2005, and would go on to complete the Japanese Triple Crown by winning the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) later that year.
Orfevre (Jpn) is the only horse to have completed a sweep of those races since, having done so in 2011.
Laura’s Light adds another stakes victory in Grade 3 Honeymoon
Already a two-time stakes-winner, Laura’s Light (USA) (Constitution {USA}) added the Grade 3 Honeymoon to her record when just holding off Epaulette’s Stela Star (Ire) at the line.
It was a game of cat-and-mouse from the start as Parkour (USA) (Carpe Diem {USA}) and Mike Smith shot to the lead and tried to run away from the field. Everyone was willing to let her go up front with Laura’s Light leading the rest of the field in the 1800 metre race. As the field approached the far turn, Parkour’s double digit lead started shrinking with Laura’s Light quickly at her hindquarters in the turn.
Parkour started flagging in the stretch with the winner flying past her with 250 metres left to go with the new danger coming from behind. The wire came just in time for Laura’s Light with race favourite Stela Star a neck length back in second and Croughavouke (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) 0.5l behind in third at the line.
It was the third stakes victory for Laura’s Light who started her season off with a victory in the Grade 3 Sweet Life S. after ending her 2-year-old season with a Listed Blue Norther S. win. The filly is one of two stakes winners from five runners out of Listed placed Light of a Star (USA) and provided a timely update for her Mineshaft (USA) half-brother, who goes through the ring as Lot 54 at the rescheduled OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds on June 9.
Secret Message prevails in Mint Julep S.
Looking for her first win in a year, Secret Message (USA) (Hat Trick {Jpn}) dropped down in class on Saturday in the Grade 3 Old Forester Mint Julep S. to win her fourth career stakes.
The 5-year-old daughter of Sunday Silent's (USA) son Hat Trick (Jpn), raced a few paths off the rail in midpack as Mitchell Road (USA) (English Channel {USA}) set the pace in front. It wasn’t until the stretch of the 1700 metre race that anything changed when the battle was on. It was anyone’s race in the final 200 metres as three battled for the lead and Secret Message led a second group just behind them.
Secret Message held the advantage with clear running room in front of her as she raced to the outside of the duel while La Signare (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) found a hole on the rail in the final 50 metres to see the pair flash past the wire together. Secret Message was able to win the photo by a head with La Signare a neck ahead of Zofelle (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). The finish proved to be a competitive finish all around with the first five finishers within 1l of each other at the line.
One of 34 stakes winners for her sire, Secret Message is a granddaughter of Listed winner and Grade 2-placed Zawzooth (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), who is also the dam of Listed-placed Bay Numbers (USA) (Algorithms {USA}) and granddam of R Prerogative (USA) (Drill {USA}).
