Steinbeck set to stun Canford

By Rory King

There were a number of very impressive performances this week, with the focus at Doncaster very much on next season with a series of taking performances from two-year-olds, none more so than the Henry Cecil-trained Frankel. The withdrawal of Farhh from the two-year-old conditions race on Friday left Frankel to stroll home alone and it is impossible to tell how good he is. One of the most important lessons I have learned from this sport is to not get carried away by juveniles winning by long distances, especially in conditions races. However it is very hard not to think that Frankel is top class. I know he only beat a filly making her debut (who incidentally ran a very creditable race) and a 90-rated colt, but the way he cruised past Diamond Geezer and then strolled clear whilst still tugging at Tom Queally’s arms crossing the line marks him down as a colt of immense potential.

With regards the St Leger, I was feeling particularly smug as the field turned for home with my strong fancy Snow Fairy clearly going best under Eddie Ahern. I thought she was ante-post value at 6/1 and so was astonished when she was available at 10/1 on the day despite the forecast rain failing to materialise in any great form. While her stamina had stretched to 12 furlongs, despite being bred for around a mile, it did not quite stretch to a mile and six, and I think it was just her sheer class and tenacity that enabled her to claw back ground on the second and third late on. Interestingly I read on Ed Dunlop’s website that she is to drop back to ten furlongs for her next run, either the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day or the Champion Stakes. I am sure I am not the only one though who would love to see her run in the Arc itself. I believe she will prove best over a mile and a half and at least she is to be kept in training next year where she will take a lot of beating in all the big middle distance Group Ones.

I think it is now pretty conclusive that Rewilding needs a break between his races. He had clearly not got over his exertions from the Voltigeur and I think it would be the wrong move to run him again this season. On his York form, he too will be a big player in the big races next year.

The other performance that impressed me on the weekend was Steinbeck’s win in the Group 3 Solonaway Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. I have long thought that Steinbeck was up to winning a Group 1 and hopefully now he will have the chance to do so in the QEII at Ascot. He has always been very highly regarded at Ballydoyle, and has had legitimate excuses for his defeats this year – needed the run in the Irish Guineas, although still ran very creditably; had to make his own running in the St James’ Palace and lost a shoe in the race; came up against a horse on his ideal conditions in the Meld Stakes; hated the kick-back on the dirt in the Jim Dandy. Now, after two confidence boosting wins he is set to head to Ascot to take on Canford Cliffs and Makfi again.

Much of the pre-race focus was on the return of Arazan after two years off the track, but it was Steinbeck who travelled best through the race and who kept on well to win by three-quarters of a length, a distance that didn’t do his superiority justice. Aidan O’Brien said after yesterday’s race that he would prefer a ‘stronger gallop and better ground’, which he should get at Ascot. Judged on his physique and run-style he should get ten furlongs no problem, but has a big chance in the QEII, a race in which three-year-olds have a particularly good record.

By Rory King