Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 21 October 2024

I gather there was an eerie silence in the stands as Anmaat got the better of Calandagan in the closing stages of the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

I suspect that many in the crowd had to refer to their racecards to check up on the winner’s form in the moments after the race to try to make sense of the result.

One of my golden rules when working on an in-depth analysis of a big race is to ensure every horse receives a mention, but on this occasion I erred and the six-year-old slipped through the net.

Rated 115, he was 10lbs and 8lbs adrift of the three-year-olds Calandagan and Economics having, just two weeks earlier, finished fifth to Jayarebe and Almaqam in the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp.

I note from the Racing Post analysis of that race that Anmaat clocked the fastest 200m of the race early in the straight but it was still very hard to make out a case for him in this company.

He did, though, have a very consistent record having finished in the first three in 13 of his 14 races, winning eight including the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan in 2023.

The one thing I did get right was anticipating that this could be a rough race in the closing stages. I felt this could especially apply to the favourite, who was drawn in stall one and unlikely to be given much leeway by his rivals in the closing stages.

As it turned out the winner endured an even rougher passage, losing his place two furlongs out and then having to be switched a furlong later.

Calandagan looked sure to win the race once clear inside the final furlong but the winner ran on strongly and got up about ten strides from the line.

Although the favourite had won twice in ground described as very soft and heavy, Francis Graffard had expressed concerns beforehand that his turn of foot might not be as effective on the easy ground. This didn’t seem to the case, though, as he quickened through a gap up the rails to take the lead, looking an assured winner.

He lost about three lengths at the start but that probably didn’t make much of a difference as he quickly made up the ground and was tucked in just off the pace on the rails.

Economics returned with traces of blood in his nose. William Haggas has handled the colt with great sensitivity all season, notably bypassing the Derby, perhaps mindful that breeders are not keen on sending mares to a horse with a history of breaking blood vessels.

He appeared to have a hard race when beating Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes and is probably best caught fresh.

Iresine failed to get a clear run from the home turn before staying on strongly in the final furlong to finish a never-nearer fourth while See The Fire also came home well after having to be switched two furlongs out.

I have been saying for a while now that See The Fire is bred for a mile and a half but Andrew Balding has shown no inclination to run her over that trip.

Time will show that Calandagan was the best horse in this race. Having won over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot and as a half-brother to a 1m 6f winner out of a mare who won over that trip, Calandagan may prove even better next year when returned to a mile and a half. He could even try his hand in the Cup races.

My two selections on the day were Sweet William, who ran the best race of his career to chase home Kyprios in the British Champions Long Distance Cup, and Lattam, who ran a remarkable race to finish second to Carrytheone in the closing Balmoral Handicap.

Lattam’s market drift was probably over concerns about his high draw, in stall 22, but he tacked across to make his challenge up the far rail while the winner, who had been in stall five, raced up the middle of the track.

Lattam won the Irish Lincoln for William Haggas last season and was runner-up in our Lincoln on his first run for Julie Camacho in the spring. Connections had laid out the five-year-old for this race and he looks sure to win another top handicap at some point.

Bye for now

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