Gunthers' Dream Year Continues At Ascot

Fathers and sons, on the track; fathers and daughters, off it.

Sometimes the jagged and capricious lines of fortune on the Turf level off into such perfect arcs that they seem to obey a destiny more wonderful and mysterious than should find expression in anything so essentially trifling as a horserace.

In this latest instance, needless to say, there remains ample time and opportunity for the usual frustrations associated with the Thoroughbred to shatter what might prove just an illusion of inexorability. As things stand, however, only one climax could satisfactorily complete the story that yesterday maintained a cohesion of narrative and character that would seem excessively fanciful in fiction.

And that is for Without Parole (Frankel {GB}) to take on Justify (Scat Daddy) in the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of a year in which both have accelerated to stardom more or less overnight.

For each to have graduated from the same boutique breeding operation–John and Tanya Gunther's Glennwood Farm–is already so outlandish that a relatively feasible increment of extra luck would suffice for both to arrive in Louisville in November as a continent's outstanding unbeaten talent.

The dirt surface would, of course, make it “a home game” for Justify. But just as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex performed a priceless service to the sport by submitting themselves to the paparazzi here, so soon after their wedding, a similar feat of evangelism lies within reach of those to whom the royal couple presented their trophies after the G1 St James's Palace S.

That ceremony introduced one transatlantic alliance to another. And if the Duchess could be counted unfortunate to find another American lady just as elegantly turned out, anywhere on the course, how must she have felt to share a dead-heat with a compatriot on the very same podium?

As it was, the presentation sealed John Gunther's unequivocal declaration that winning this race, in their own silks, surpassed even the joy he and his daughter had found in breeding a Triple Crown winner. “Nothing will come close to this, ever,” he said. But maybe something could.

For the flair, imagination and instinct by which the Gunthers have created these parallel masterpieces have already sketched out a valid outline for bringing them onto the same canvas. The Gunthers have never taken a narrow, prescriptive view of pedigrees. Without Parole's dam Without You Babe (Lemon Drop Kid) is a half-sister to a G1 Travers S. winner in Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) and has already produced a GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner in Tamarkuz (Speightstown). And while Frankel, sadly, did not risk the Breeders' Cup Classic himself, the relentless way he carried his speed was straight out of the dirt textbook.

Actually, there was something rather reminiscent of Frankel's own performance in this race, seven years ago, in the way Without Parole settled the issue but then had to hold off the strong finish of a Ballydoyle colt: Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) here reprising the role of Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}).

But Frankel was a thunderous juvenile, and it is remarkable how Without Parole has built on the shallow foundations he laid in starting out only the week before Christmas. His progress since has been neither as rapid nor as seamless as that of Justify, as he missed the G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas with a foot problem. But at least that enabled the Gunthers to see Justify win the first leg of his Triple Crown, the same day; and conceivably spared Without Parole a rude awakening after two odds-on romps. The French have a saying for it: reculer pour mieux sauter (meaning that you get the spring required for a longer jump by taking a step or two back from the launching board).

A son of Frankel also won the last race, completing a treble for Gosden and Frankie Dettori. For they had earlier ensured that Frankel's Juddmonte studmate Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was not overshadowed, a stunning colt emerging from his debut crop in G2 Coventry S. winner Calyx (GB).

To do this 10 days after his debut leaves no doubt that he is out of the ordinary, and likewise the unflinching confidence in the betting ring–not least after the 33-1 shocker Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}) landed the opening G1 Queen Anne S.

This breakout success for Eve Johnson Houghton meant that Tanya Gunther was not the only daughter shedding tears of joy and pride in the winner's enclosure yesterday. Johnson Houghton took over her father Fulke's stable 11 years ago and endured challenging times before registering 50 winners in a season for the first time last year.

The exacta, completed by half-length runner-up Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper), paid £974. Yet it was over the same straight track only last October that Accidental Agent won a handicap by half a length from–well, from Lord Glitters, of course.

What are the chances of that? Shorter, you can be sure, than a family farm like Glennwood producing Justify, Vino Rosso (Curlin) and Without Parole from around a score of yearlings sent to the sales in 2016. Without Parole, thankfully, was bought in for 650,000gns. A different destiny was calling.