Donnacha O’Brien may be living on borrowed time as a jockey and he rides as though he knows it. He seized every opportunity here on Saturday to complete a Group-race treble in little more than an hour, a run that included the card’s two Group One events. Few 20-year-old jockeys have achieved such a feat and fewer still have then conceded that they may not be riding at 21.
Ten Sovereigns, who maintained his unbeaten record in the Middle Park Stakes, was the highlight of O’Brien’s afternoon, following victories on Fairyland in the Cheveley Park Stakes and Mohawk, who led home a 1-2-3 for his father, Aidan, in the Royal Lodge Stakes. All three mounts were available because Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien’s stable jockey, had opted to cross the Atlantic to ride at Belmont Park in New York on Saturday evening and all three received polished, no-nonsense rides from a very able deputy.
Ten Sovereigns was already among the favourites for next year’s 2,000 Guineas as he cantered to post for the Middle Park, having recorded two bloodless victories in the space of eight days at the end of August.
The odds-on favourite travelled beautifully through the first half-mile and eased to the front approaching the final furlong, but Jash, who arrived with a similar two from two record, then set out to make a race of it. Jash closed to within a length of Ten Sovereigns but O’Brien’s mount visibly responded, finding just as much as necessary to ease home by half a length.
“He learned a lot today and he had to fight today,” his jockey said. “It was a big learning curve and when the other horse came to him, he did fight. He put his head down and battled hard. He’s a fast horse and a natural sprinter, but Dad has been dealing with these a lot longer than I have, so I’ll leave it to him.
“I’m very lucky to be riding these good horses and when you’re riding them, you have to deliver. It’s a fantastic day but it’s a little bit of pressure off at the same time and if I wasn’t riding them, someone else would be winning on them. You just have to make sure you don’t mess up.”
Aidan O’Brien shared his son’s reservations about Ten Sovereigns’ stamina and though the son of the speedy No Nay Never is still prominent in the betting for the Guineas, he is a shorter price for the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
As for his jockey, who is sure to be crowned Irish champion this season, the future remains uncertain. “I’ll stop riding a lot during the winter, like everyone usually does,” he said. “Hopefully, I won’t have to look at the weighing scales for a month or two, and when I come back I’ll have a look and depending on what that tells me, I’ll decide what I’ll do next year.”
Frankie Dettori bridged a 24-year gap to his last win in the Cambridgeshire Handicap as John Gosden’s Wissahickon recorded an easy success in what is normally one of the most competitive events of the season.
Dettori’s last winner of the race was Halling, also from the Gosden stable, who went on to record five wins at Group One level and establish himself as an outstanding sire. “He’s not a Halling but he’s good and we’ll have to go up to Listed class now,” Gosden said. “He’s a bit wild. Frankie was very brave for a boy of 47.”
Epsom
2.00 Feel Glorious (nb) 2.30 Persian Moon 3.05 Arigato (nap) 3.35 Corazon Espinado 4.10 De Vegas Kid 4.45 Central City 5.15 Seamster
Musselburgh
2.10 Nate The Great 2.40 Primeiro Boy 3.15 Regulator
3.45 Rasheeq 4.20 Crotchet 4.55 Big Sigh 5.25 Our Place In Loule
