By Tom Frary
With the G1 St Leger already looking a strong renewal, this race provided another potential big player ready to enter the mix for that Doncaster Classic as Defoe continued his rise to the fore when upstaging some smart older horses. His only moderate effort came on his 2-year-old finale, when he was 11th in the Listed Zetland S. at Newmarket in October won by the subsequent G2 Ribblesdale S. scorer Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and in which Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) were third and fourth respectively. Unbeaten so far at three, he captured the London Gold Cup here May 20 and another 10-furlong handicap at York July 1 before beating the subsequent G3 Rose of Lancaster S. winner Frankuus (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in Hamilton's Listed Glasgow S. over 11 furlongs July 21.
Dropped out in rear early by Andrea Atzeni, the bay was moving noticeably strongly in the straight and by the time he hit the front with two furlongs remaining already had the measure of the G1 Coronation Cup runner-up Frontiersman. Shaken up soon after, Defoe drifted across the path of Wall of Fire and sparked an inquiry in the process but had a comfortable margin over that rival at the line as his stamina came more and more into play. “He's a gentleman of a horse and is very laid-back–he travelled beautifully and got there fairly easily,” Atzeni said. “He definitely stays really well and although the Leger is turning out to be a good race, he's there with a big chance.”
Wall of Fire is reportedly G1 Melbourne Cup-bound, while Frontiersman could also go up in trip now. “I am putting Frontiersman's performance down to the ground, while it also looked like he potentially wants further than today's trip,” trainer Charlie Appleby commented. “He travelled nicely into the race but the first two have quickened away, whereas Frontiersman has just kept galloping. I would like to get him back on a sound surface and it wouldn't worry me stepping up in distance.”
Defoe, who is the first foal out of a half-sister to the MSP Akira (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), also has a yearling half-brother by Shamardal. His third dam Close Comfort is a half-sister to the G1 Prix Morny-winning champion and multiple stakes-producing Ancient Regime (Olden Times), whose descendants include Mubtaker (Silver Hawk) who won this three times when it was run as a group 2 and who was also runner-up in the 2003 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Close Comfort is also the dam of the G3 Scottish Classic-winning sire Husyan, while others to feature in this family are the GI Vosburgh S. and GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. hero Rock Fall (Speightstown) and the G3 Oh So Sharp S. scorer Tabassum (Ire) (Nayef).
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
BETFRED GEOFFREY FREER S.-G3, £60,000, NBY, 8-19, 3yo/up, 13f 61yT, 2:51.50, sf.
1–DEFOE (IRE), 122, c, 3, by Dalakhani (Ire)
1st Dam: Dulkashe (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Saik, by Riverman
3rd Dam: Close Comfort, by Far North
*1st Group win. O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Darley (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-Andrea Atzeni. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, $179,008. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wall of Fire (Ire), 131, c, 4, Canford Cliffs (Ire)–Bright Sapphire (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (92,000gns Wlg '13 TATFOA; 270,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Aziz Kheir; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £12,900.
3–Frontiersman (GB), 131, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Ouija Board (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Godolphin; B-Stanley Estate & Stud Co (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £6,456.
Margins: 3/4, 3HF, 2HF. Odds: 1.60, 14.00, 1.85.
Also Ran: Crimean Tatar (Tur), Harlequeen (GB), Agent Murphy (GB), The Tartan Spartan (Ire), To Eternity (GB). Scratched: Horseplay (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
