Heartache, one of the most impressive winners at the Royal meeting last month when she stormed clear in the Queen Mary Stakes, will have a new jockey in her saddle but just five rivals to beat when she lines up for the Group Two Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte on Sunday.
Four of the declared runners for the race on Sunday will arrive from British stables, including Richard Hannon’s De Bruyne Horse, who has been unexpectedly diverted from the Super Sprint at Newbury the previous afternoon.
Heartache, though, is the runner that seems to have scared off most of her potential threats, and Clive Cox’s filly seems sure to start favourite to maintain her unbeaten record. If so, it will be the first time in her three‑race career that Heartache has headed the market, as Wesley Ward’s Happy Like A Fool was an odds-on chance for the Queen Mary last month. Heartache brushed her aside, however, and stayed on strongly through the final furlong to cross the line two‑and‑a‑half lengths clear with Adam Kirby already starting to ease down.
Gerald Mosse, a regular and very successful ally of Cox in the past, will replace Kirby in the saddle on Sunday as Heartache is set to carry 56.5kg, about a pound and a half below Kirby’s minimum of 9st. Mosse rode Reckless Abandon to win the Prix Robert Papin for Cox in 2012, and then followed up aboard the same horse in two Group One events, the Prix Morny and the Middle Park Stakes.
“She’s maturing all the time,” Cox said on Thursday. “She’s got some class about her and a wonderful temperament, so I just hope there are no ill effects travelling to France. She’s got [just under] 8st 13lb and Adam is rock bottom at 9st and we wouldn’t want to be carrying any overweight.
“We’ve got a good relationship with Gerald, especially in France, and at one stage I think he’d ridden something like six or seven Group winners for us from less than 20 rides. We’ve got an impressive record together and I’m always pleased when I can share his services.”
Cox mentioned the Nunthorpe Stakes at York as a possible target for Heartache after her win at Royal Ascot, but has now ruled that out and will hope instead to step her up another half-furlong after Sunday’s race, in the Group Two Lowther Stakes on the Ebor meeting’s second afternoon.
The Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in the autumn is now Heartache’s ultimate target this season.
“She’s still a baby and that [the Nunthorpe] is a different kettle of fish altogether, even with a feather-weight,” Cox said. “We’ll stick in her own age group for the time being.
“The timing from Ascot to Sunday is perfect and it’s another step going to five‑and‑a‑half. We can take it a step at a time. I trained her dam [Place In My Heart] who was very fast and best over the minimum distance and if she gets six furlongs I’ll be delighted, but I’d hope that’s very possible as we move forwards.”
Adam Carter, one of five individuals facing a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel this week on corruption charges arising from his controversial ride on Blazeofenchantment at Southwell in June 2014, was described as “dishonest and disreputable” on Thursday by the barrister representing two of his co-accused.
Robin Leach, who represents John Wainwright, the horse’s trainer, and John Wright, a bookmaker turned professional gambler, said that Carter had given “conflicting accounts” of his ride during the course of the investigation and his evidence was “totally unreliable”.
Leach also suggested that a conspiracy to profit from the defeat of Blazeofenchantment, who was never put into the race by his jockey, could have involved only Carter and the two remaining individuals facing charges, Paul Bradley and Peter Bennett. The panel has now retired to consider its decision, which will be published at a later date.
Friday’s tips
Haydock Park 1.50 Jabbarockie 2.20 Quayside 2.55 Merlin 3.30 Punkawallah 4.05 Joshua Reynolds 4.35 Sharja Bridge 5.05 Abushamah
Newbury 1.40 Al Jellaby 2.10 Stage Magic 2.40 Elation 3.15 Flight Of Fantasy 3.50 Madeline 4.25 Aurora Gray 4.55 Cadeaux Boxer 5.25 Field Of Vision
Nottingham 2.00 Picture No Sound 2.30 The Love Doctor 3.05 Bourbonisto 3.40 Englishman 4.15 Mahabba 4.45 Madroos 5.15 Beverley Bullet
Hamilton Park 5.45 Hernando Torres 6.20 Austin Powers 6.50 Hee Haw 7.20 Get Knotted (nap) 7.55 Call To Mind (nb) 8.25 Regal Mirage 8.55 Indian Chief
Newmarket 5.35 Auntie Barber 6.10 Quivery 6.40 Turning Gold 7.10 Duke Of Firenze 7.45 Clon Coulis 8.15 Song Maker 8.45 Strictly Carter
Pontefract 6.30 Armed Response 7.00 Mancini 7.35 Signore Piccolo 8.05 Candelisa 8.35 Sir Gnet 9.05 Mr Orange
