Cracksman impressive with Champion Stakes victory

Cracksman recorded his most impressive win to date with a seven-length victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England, giving trainer John Gosden a sweep of the two most prestigious races for older horses in Europe this month.

On Oct. 1, the Gosden-trained Enable, a 3-year-old filly, won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly Racecourse in France.

Cracksman won the $1.71 million Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on a program at Ascot with four Group 1 races. Earlier on the card, trainer Aidan O’Brien won his 25th Group 1 or Grade 1 race of the year with Hydrangea in the British Champions Filly and Mare Stakes.

Cracksman (13-8 with British bookmakers) stalked the pace to the final quarter-mile before taking the lead and drawing away from an excellent field.

Poet’s Word, second in the Group 1 Champion Stakes in Ireland last month, finished second, a neck in front of Highland Reel, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November. Highland Reel is expected to make a quick turnaround for the BC Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

Cracksman, owned by Anthony Oppenheimer and ridden by Frankie Dettori, is a 3-year-old by Frankel who has won 5 of 7 starts. Cracksman has won his last three starts, including the Group 2 Prix Niel at Chantilly last month.

Cracksman will stay in training in 2018 for a campaign likely to include the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris next October.
Hydrangea (4-1) won her first start at 1 1/2 miles in the Filly and Mare Stakes, finishing two lengths clear of Bateel, who won the 2016 Filly and Mare Stakes.

Hydrangea, who was last of 14 in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita last November, was ridden by Ryan Moore. Hydrangea stalked the pace for the first mile and took the lead with a quarter-mile remaining. She repelled a challenge from 7-4 favorite Bateel to give O’Brien the historic victory.
A 3-year-old filly, Hydrangea was second in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Chantilly on Oct. 1 behind stablemate Rhododendron. Hydrangea races for the Coolmore team of Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Susan Magnier.

O’Brien has excellent chances to surpass Frankel’s mark in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy for 2-year-olds at Doncaster, England, on Oct. 28 and with a strong team of runners expected in Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 3-4.