By Tom Frary
Aidan O'Brien talked early this season about Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) possessing more scope than his full-brother Highland Reel (Ire) and the unluckiest colt of 2016 began to live up to his billing on Saturday with a smooth success in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot. In doing so, the TDN Rising Star was offering jockey Seamie Heffernan some recompense after unshipping him during the G1 St Leger at Doncaster in September. Always travelling like the winner drafting in behind Ryan Moore's 2016 hero of this race Dartmouth (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the 9-2 second favourite was sent past the Royal representative with a furlong to race and was kept up to his work from there to eke out a half-length verdict over the strong-finishing Barsanti (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}). “He was placed in two Classics when he was possibly still a bit weak, but he'd had a nice run at Epsom [when sixth behind Highland Reel in the June 2 G1 Coronation Cup],” commented Heffernan, who had been on his G1 Prince of Wales's S.-winning full-sibling Highland Reel when he was runner-up to Dartmouth 12 months ago. “I followed Ryan and my horse took me into the race sweetly. I probably should have won last year, but I dropped my stick.”
Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
HARDWICKE S.-G2, £225,000, ASC, 6-24, 4yo/up, 11f 211yT, 2:28.94, g/f.
1–IDAHO (IRE), 127, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Hveger (Aus) (MGSP-Aus), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Circles of Gold (Aus), by Marscay (Aus)
3rd Dam: Olympic Aim, by Zamazaan (Fr)
(750,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Hveger Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. £127,598. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng & Ire, 11-3-2-2, $913,282. *Full to Highland Reel (Ire), Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 11-14f, MG1SW-Eng, MGISW-US, G1SW-HK, MG1SP-Fr & G1SP-Aus, $8,591,214; and 1/2 to Valdemoro (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), MG1SP-Aus, $337,006. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Barsanti (Ire), 127, g, 5, Champs Elysees (GB)–Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic. (170,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Glenvale Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £48,375.
3–Chemical Charge (Ire), 127, h, 5, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Jakonda, by Kingmambo. (€95,000 Ylg '13 ARAUG). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Viktor Timoshenko (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £24,210.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 4.50, 20.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Dartmouth (GB), Wings of Desire (GB), Dal Harraild (GB), Western Hymn (GB), Across the Stars (Ire), Muntahaa (Ire), Stellar Mass (Ire), Prize Money (GB), Arthenus (GB). Scratched: My Dream Boat (Ire), Second Step (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Raw when fourth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud at two, Idaho was still a touch unfurnished when encountering the hard-as-nails Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) on three occasions during the intense Classic spell of his 3-year-old career. In the latter two meetings with the Aga Khan homebred, he was 2 3/4-lengths third in the G1 Epsom Derby before narrowing the gap to a half length in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh three weeks later. Returning after a break to collect York's G2 Great Voltigeur S. at this trip in August, he had St Leger winner stamped all over him and he got to the oldest Classic without a hiccup and travelled perfectly in the race itself only for the unthinkable to occur as Seamie Heffernan was pitched to the ground as he stumbled in the straight. Ryan Moore was on for the first time since the Irish Derby when he blew his chance with a tardy break and wound up fifth in the GI Canadian International at Woodbine in October.
On his comeback in the Coronation Cup, he had excuses for finishing adrift as he failed to handle the well-documented rushed shipping and late arrival to Epsom that may have also compromised Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to an extent but which his brother took in his stride with his now-famed unflinching mindset. Idaho still caught the eye late on under tender handling once his chance had gone there and Heffernan was back aboard the colt who had such a dramatic impact on his fortunes when handed a stellar opportunity at Doncaster in September with Moore on Irish Champions duty. Whereas 12 months ago Heffernan lost out in a thriller on Highland Reel as Moore rode the ultimately disappointing Stoute runner Exospheric (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), this time Coolmore's number one was on Dartmouth and that was the target horse for Idaho as the progressive Dal Harraild (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) cut out the running. With Wings of Desire (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) down on his inner and Stellar Mass (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) holding him in on his outer, the eventual winner moved with menacing stealth two lengths off the tempo and when The Queen's runner struck the front at the top of the straight the way opened as Stellar Mass tired. Rolling by Dartmouth with a furlong to race, he was kept honest late on by Barsanti who was putting in a much-improved performance but there was a feeling that the imposing bay had plenty in hand.
Aidan O'Brien was setting up an intriguing clash between the Royal Ascot-winning brothers in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. back over this course and distance July 29 as he reflected on his 61st Royal winner. “In the Leger he was travelling very strong and we couldn't believe what happened could happen, then he only arrived an hour before the Coronation Cup and was too high and never got the chance to come down,” he explained. “He came forward for the run and it's very possible he can really progress now. The difference between the brothers is that it took a little bit more time for Idaho to come, but if all keeps well with him there are plenty of races for him as he gets a mile and a half well. He galloped very strongly past the line there and the King George is a very strong possibility for him. It suits both horses.”
The two placed horses traded as outsiders and put up their finest efforts to date, but the trainers of Barsanti and Chemical Charge (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) respectively were not too surprised. The former's trainer Roger Varian said, “He's run a career-best. We're gutted not to win–he's run so well, but he's run a great race and I'm very proud of the horse. The winner wasn't stopping, but we didn't have quite as clear a run.” Ralph Beckett, who handles Chemical Charge, echoed Varian's thoughts. “It was a career-best–I think we can safely assume that,” he said. “He enjoyed the fast ground, but didn't get the gap when he needed it; whether that made the difference is academic. He might go travelling–to the States.” Dartmouth's eclipse means that Sir Michael Stoute had no winner this week and therefore stays level on the record of 75 with the late Sir Henry Cecil. “It was a game run,” he said of the Royal runner. “I thought it was looking good until it got really serious. But there you are–he wasn't good enough on the day.”
Idaho's dam Hveger was discussed after Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S. and she has the rare distinction of having produced brothers to win at the same Royal Ascot meeting. The G2 South Australian Oaks and G2 Schweppes Oaks placegetter, who also boasts the group 1 performer Valdemoro alongside Highland Reel, is a full-sister to the five-times group 1 winner Elvstroem (Aus) and a half to Haradasun (Aus) who took the G1 Doncaster H., G1 George Ryder S. and the G1 Queen Anne S. here. Also from the family of Starspangledbanner (Aus) and the G1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas heroine Amicus (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), the dam has two more Galileos to come. They are an as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly named Via Condotti (Ire) and a yearling colt.
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