Fame And Glory Opens Champions Day At Ascot
Game trouper, five-year-old Fame And Glory (Montjeu IRE) won the opening race of the QIPCO British Champions Day under a cleverly judged ride by Jamie Spencer at Ascot.
Of the 35 races in QIPCO British Champions Series the $200,000 Long Distance Cup (Group 3), 2m (16f, 3200m) on Turf, was added to crown the winner of the Long Distance category.
Godolphin's Opinion Poll IRE (Halling USA), winner of the Goodwood Cup and a Group 2 at York, was sent off 12/5 favourite despite coming second to FAG in Royal Ascot's Gold Cup in June.
Chiberta King's jockey Jimmy Fortune told Spencer that his horse would make a good pace and Spencer followed in his wake with Opinion Poll in his usual back position under Frankie Dettori.
It was a painfully slow race and did not improve in speed when Chiberta King faded and Fame And Glory took the lead.
Dettori gave his horse too much to do too late and lost by 1¾ lengths as result.
Colour Vision FR (Rainbow Quest USA) and Nehaam (Nayef USA) were within a nose and shoulder of Opinion Poll.
Seasoned jockeys like Dettori, Richard Hills and Silvestre De Sousa seemed to be asleep allowing the winner a very soft lead.
Spencer gave his horse the best ride commenting that "He was electric today and every time another runner came to me it was like they carried a buzzer that was setting him alight."
It was a great achievement for trainer Aidan O'Brien to keep the Gold Cup winner fit all season despite losing two subsequent races including the Irish St Leger at the Curragh - for which Spencer blamed himself.
Ballydoyle/Coolmore was the first winner of the new and very successful series which was held before over 25,000 spectators.
Fame And Glory will return to defend his Gold Cup next June at Royal Ascot and Opinion Poll will travel to Dubai for the new long-distance race added to the Dubai World Cup card on March 31.
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Of the 35 races in QIPCO British Champions Series the $200,000 Long Distance Cup (Group 3), 2m (16f, 3200m) on Turf, was added to crown the winner of the Long Distance category.
Godolphin's Opinion Poll IRE (Halling USA), winner of the Goodwood Cup and a Group 2 at York, was sent off 12/5 favourite despite coming second to FAG in Royal Ascot's Gold Cup in June.
Chiberta King's jockey Jimmy Fortune told Spencer that his horse would make a good pace and Spencer followed in his wake with Opinion Poll in his usual back position under Frankie Dettori.
It was a painfully slow race and did not improve in speed when Chiberta King faded and Fame And Glory took the lead.
Dettori gave his horse too much to do too late and lost by 1¾ lengths as result.
Colour Vision FR (Rainbow Quest USA) and Nehaam (Nayef USA) were within a nose and shoulder of Opinion Poll.
Seasoned jockeys like Dettori, Richard Hills and Silvestre De Sousa seemed to be asleep allowing the winner a very soft lead.
Spencer gave his horse the best ride commenting that "He was electric today and every time another runner came to me it was like they carried a buzzer that was setting him alight."
It was a great achievement for trainer Aidan O'Brien to keep the Gold Cup winner fit all season despite losing two subsequent races including the Irish St Leger at the Curragh - for which Spencer blamed himself.
Ballydoyle/Coolmore was the first winner of the new and very successful series which was held before over 25,000 spectators.
Fame And Glory will return to defend his Gold Cup next June at Royal Ascot and Opinion Poll will travel to Dubai for the new long-distance race added to the Dubai World Cup card on March 31.
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 10/16/2011 9:39 PM 
Categories: British Champions Day
Tags: Fame And Glory QIPCO British Champions Day QI{CO British Champions Long Distance Cup Jamie Spencer Aidan O Brien Opinion Poll Godolphin Frankie Dettori Colour Vision Nehaam Ascot
Categories: British Champions Day
Tags: Fame And Glory QIPCO British Champions Day QI{CO British Champions Long Distance Cup Jamie Spencer Aidan O Brien Opinion Poll Godolphin Frankie Dettori Colour Vision Nehaam Ascot
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