Almanzor retired
Chris Cook: Almanzor, a devastating winner of last year’s Champion Stakes at Ascot, has been retired after his comeback flop at Deauville last week. The colt pulled two lengths clear of the Arc winner, Found, in the highlight of his career last autumn but struggled to make it to back to the track this year, having been affected by a virus at Jean-Claude Rouget’s yard and then suffered a physical setback during his recovery.
When he finally made it to Deauville last Tuesday for a Group Three contest, he was sent off at odds of 1-2 and dead-heated for last place in a six-runner field. His odds for this year’s Arc had drifted to 20-1 by the time of Monday’s announcement, having been a general 6-1 a week ago.
Speaking for the owners, racing manager Sylvain Vidal said: “I spoke with all the team, and we have taken the decision to retire the horse. It was not an easy decision to take, but everyone was in 100% agreement that it was the right thing to do.
“The plan was to go to the Arc but after his performance last week we could not have gone there expecting to win. He was a very good horse and was the best three-year-old in Europe. He has done everything he needs to do on a racecourse.”
Today’s best bets, by Chris Corrigan
Roger Varian’s stable collected a first prize worth £122,000 when Ajman Princess won the Group One Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on Sunday, to crown a fine sequence of success - the trainer having won with six of his last 11 runners before the start of Monday’s action in Britain.
Varian is due to run five on Monday’s cards, but his best chance looks to be at Windsor with Qianlong (5.20). Andrea Atzeni, who rode Ajman Princess at Deauville, partners Qianlong, a two-year-old who finished a short-head runner-up on his debut in heavy ground at Nottingham a fortnight ago.
The overnight rain that was forecast for the Windsor area will have encouraged the colt’s connections. The bookmakers, too, have unfortunately been encouraged enough to make Qianlong a tight favourite at around 5-4.
Later on the Windsor card, Tomily (6.50) is available at 18-1 and appeals as an each-way selection, although, alas, a non-runner has reduced the field from the original 16 runners, so only three places will be paid.
The Richard Hannon three-year-old seems to handle most types of ground and, although he has slipped down the weights only a few pounds this summer, that could be enough to help him be competitive in this sprint.
At Thirsk, Worlds His Oyster (3.15), who finished well into third place at Carlisle last time, appears as a major contender for the John Quinn stable.
Tips for Monday’s racing
Lingfield
2.00 Take A Turn 2.30 Love Conquers 3.00 Piedita 3.30 Radio Source 4.00 Harba 4.30 Sing Out Loud 5.05 Ravenhoe
Thirsk
2.15 No I’m Easy 2.45 Perfect Symphony 3.15 Worlds His Oyster (nb) 3.45 Fruit Salad 4.15 Naaeebb 4.45 Sepal 5.15 Surround Sound 5.45 Bop It
Hexham
5.00 What Happens Now 5.30 Costa Percy 6.00 Final Fling 6.30 Brian Boranha 7.00 Stetsonsnstilettos 7.30 Miss Mackie 8.00 Rose Tree
Windsor
5.20 Qianlong (nap) 5.50 Michael’s Mount 6.20 UAE Queen 6.50 Tomily 7.20 Lydia’s Place 7.50 Ennjaaz
