Queen Anne Stakes
June 12, 2011
A small but select field. Eight line up for this Royal Ascot opener. Talk about starting with a bang. Open to 4 year olds and up and run over a mile, it usually brings the best of the previous year’s 3 year old milers to meet their older more mature counterparts in a mouth watering generational clash.
This year Canford Cliffs meets Goldikova. The mare stands on 13 for G1 wins and is described as in rude health attempting to add number 14. Richard Hannon’s colt is four on the trot at top level since his third in last years Guineas. There both pure milers though Canford will step up later in the season.
The key to sorting them out is Makfi. In taking the Guineas he had a l 3/4 L advantage on the colt and in the Jacques Le Marois in August the advantage on Goldikova was 2 1/2 L. That gives the edge to Richard Hannon who is looking to revenge last year’s defeat of Paco Boy.
Is it a two horserace? Dick Turpin finished in front of his stable companion in the Guineas but behind him on the next two occasions they met. The same can be said of his clashes with Freddie Head’s filly. He was particular disappointing in May’s Prix D’Ispahan beaten 34L though in October he was only a length behind her in the Prix La Floret over 7 f.
Cityscape, son of a champion miler Selkirk, is a lightly raced five-year old. His one run as a three-year old 24 L behind Sea the Stars in the 2009 Guineas was followed by a progressive four-year old campaign. There will be more to come from him this year.
Rio De La Plata, now a six-year-old, is persevered with by Godolphin. There have been fleeting glimpses of his classy juvenile days but his overall level of form has been disappointing.
Barry Hills Ransom Note is the outsider in the field having also run in the Prix D’Ispahan trailing in 18 1/2 L behind.
The surprise in the race is Aidan O’Brien’s decision to run Cape Blanco. He has never tackled a mile before but this is due more to circumstance than anything else. He’s a high class colt as evidenced by his two Group 1 wins last year in the Irish Derby at the Curragh and Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. In the latter he was most impressive, kicking clear of a very good field effectively having the race won at the eight furlong mark. He also had Workforce behind him twice last year and it’s forgotten that he got closest to Harbinger in the King George. His two runs this year will have brought him on.
Pace will dictate the winner here. The big two have loads of it and expect Goldikova to kick on off her stable companions even fast fractions with Canford Cliffs travelling full of running in behind. Richard Hughes will try to keep him on the bridle and bring him there. The French tactic of attempting to burn off Canford Cliffs finishing kick may well bring stamina into play. Those who can live with it may spring a surprise and if Cape Blanco is not off his feet, his stamina may collar both on the line.
Card
http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/cards/card.sd?race_id=528247&r_date=2011-06-14
