High hopes on Harzand
Smullen dreams of Arc glory with Derby hero
PAT SMULLEN reckons dual Derby winner Harzand is ready, willing and able to beat favourite Postponed in tomorrow’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The Arc is one of the globe’s few iconic races to have eluded Harzand’s trainer Dermot Weld as well as world-class jockey Smullen.
“The best I’ve managed so far is fifth – on a couple of occasions,” Smullen said at Ascot yesterday. “But Harzand is a proper horse for the Arc.
“The older horses are very strong and Harzand will have to bring his A game to beat them. But I am confident he will.”
Harzand was struck into from behind during the early stages of the Irish Champion Stakes. But he is reported fully recovered now and in great form at home.
“It was all over for us very quickly that day,” Smullen continued. “I knew very quickly something wasn’t right.
“Postponed is the stand-out horse we all have to beat, but you have to have great respect for the Japanese runner Makahiki, Found and Highland Reel.
“Winning would be brilliant. Epsom was obviously a great day for both Dermot and myself and the Arc is the one race we would dearly like to win. We’re going there with a really strong chance.” Smullen and Found’s rider Ryan Moore tried out a new “inside track” at Ascot yesterday so that the course has the best chance of producing perfect racing ground for their Qipco Champions Day meeting in a fortnight’s time.
Set up on the hurdles course – which also comes into use two weeks after – the turf has not been watered all summer, except to help the grass grow and both riders reported it rode beautifully and was “good to firm.”
Switch
Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels said: “If the ground is still good to firm, firm in places 72 hours before the big day, we will switch back to the outside course.”
Smullen and Weld were out of luck when unbeaten Aydoun was outpaced in the Noel Murless Stakes, won right on the line by Alyssa.
Winning trainer Ralph Beckett is hoping to keep the narrow winner for next season as she’s progressed rapidly from handicaps.
“This race has been won by some good horses in the past, like Big Orange,” he reasoned. Josephine Gordon’s battle with Tom Marquand for the apprentice championship is more exciting than the senior tussle.
And she went two up on Symposium when beating the great Ryan Moore on the stable companion Ornate in a stirring finish to the Original Harrogate Water Handicap.
“That’s her first ride for us,” said Maureen Haggas, wife of red-hot trainer William.
“She only got the ride because Georgia Cox couldn’t do the weight.”