CLASH OF THE TITANS
Gosden’s dynamic duo head for battle
THE owner of Cracksman, brilliant sevenlength winner of Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot, says he is relishing a clash next year with the colt’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winning stablemate Enable.
Anthony Oppenheimer said the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July and the Arc at Longchamp in October would be the main 2018 targets for his John Gosdentrained son of Frankel.
Oppenheimer had previously stated that his decision not to run Cracksman in this season’s Arc had in part been influenced by the fact Frankie Dettori would have chosen to ride five-time Group One filly Enable.
But after Cracksman came of age and landed his first Group One prize on Saturday, Oppenheimer said he was open to other jockeys partnering his Derby third should Dettori jump ship.
Oppenheimer said: ‘It’s up to Frankie, he will have to choose one day! Frankie has steered him brilliantly but now we know how good Cracksman is I would be quite confident with many other British jockeys.
‘I certainly have my eye on one or two other riders. I would definitely relish a race against Enable. They both go on the same ground and it will be very exciting.
‘I would think our targets next season will be the King George followed by the Arc. What we do before the King George I don’t know. I am not terribly keen on the Coronation Cup but I haven’t told Mr Gosden yet! I watched in the Derby and Cracksman found it very difficult to go down the Epsom hill. I think it cramps his style a bit.’
Oppenheimer said he had been surprised by the margin of Cracksman’s win from Poet’s Word. ‘We knew he was good but the way he won was absolutely staggering. It is entirely down to John. After his third in the Irish Derby, Pat Smullen, who rode him, said: “Look after this horse and he will be a champion as a four-year-old’’ and we said fine.’
Oppenheimer’s breeding operation has now produced two top champions in two years following 2015 Derby and Arc winner Golden Horn.
Cracksman is the first offspring of Frankel to win a Group One race in Europe. The unbeaten wonder horse successfully signed off his career in 2012 in the same race.
Oppenheimer can also look forward to racing a sister of Cracksman. His dam Rhadegunda is carrying a filly foal sired by Frankel.
Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien, who equalled the record of 25 Group One wins in a year when Hydrangea won Saturday’s Filly & Mare Stakes, will have his first chance to set a new best in Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. Group Two Beresford Stakes winner Saxon Warrior and Group Three Tyros Stakes winner The Pentagon are both fancied.
O’Brien, who will also have Group One runners in two two-year-old races in France on Sunday, will then launch his annual attack on the Breeders’ Cup, when his squad will include Champion Stakes third Highland Reel.
QATARI sponsors Qipco want a Group One two-yearold race added to the Champions Day card.
It is understood talks about the possibility of adding the Racing Post Trophy to the meeting have taken place. The race at Doncaster is outside the ‘official’ Flat season which ended on Saturday at Ascot.