Quadrilateral to put Beckhampton back on Classic map
Thirty years ago Roger Charlton, in his first season since taking over the Beckhampton Stables from Jeremy Tree, completed a remarkable Derby double.
Quest For Fame won the Derby at Epsom on June 6 – it was still run on a Wednesday then – three days after Sanglamore had landed the French equivalent, the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. In the intervening three decades Charlton has rarely been without a flagship horse but Classics, which he picked off the tree like apples that first year, have been harder to come by.
But his turn may have come round again when he saddles Quadrilateral, the unbeaten favourite, in today’s Qipco 1,000 Guineas. The filly can become the fifth 1,000 Guineas winner to be trained at the historic yard by Charlton, and the 40th Classic winner in all since Deception, trained by William Treen, set the ball rolling in the Oaks of 1839.
Last year the daughter of Frankel won her maiden at Newbury and was made favourite for today’s race when she returned to Newbury for a conditions race and stormed nine lengths clear. She may not have beaten much, but it looked good and for her last start she went to the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.
She won that by a head from Powerful Breeze with Love back in third, but what impressed was not so much the margin of victory but the way she did it and her attitude when it looked like the race might be slipping away from her.
“She’s wintered very well,” Charlton said yesterday. “She looks great. She’s a big, strong filly, she’s 500kg and looks more like a colt.”
Lord Grimthorpe, Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager, said: “She’s strengthened up and her two-year-old form
looks solid,. The Fillies’ Mile didn’t go entirely her way. Two out she was in a bit of trouble but she came down the hill and up it even better. It looks like there’ll be plenty of speed in the race.
She got a mile fine last year, but her pedigree has a bit of zip in it. We’re happy we’re going to the right race.”
Her biggest dangers appear to be Irish fillies Love, trained by Aidan O’Brien, and Jessica Harrington’s Millisle. After taking three goes to win her maiden, Love won the Moyglare, but she has a length and three-quarters to make up on Quadrilateral on their Fillies’ Mile form. However, she is by the right sire in Galileo to improve at three.
Millisle won the Cheveley Park at Newmarket over six furlongs – beating Raffle Prize – and, by the sprinter Starspangledbanner, there has to be a small doubt about her staying a mile.
This, though, looks like another Classic notch on Beckhampton’s tally.