Diego Velasquez makes father Frankel proud in Curragh debut
Jockey Oisin Murphy rides Shaquille (L) to victory over Ryan Moore on Little Big Bear (R) in the Commonwealth Cup on the fourth day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting in Ascot, west of London, on June 23, 2023.
All eyes in the opening two-year-maiden were on Diego Velasquez from Ballydoyle on Saturday. The new recruit is a 2.4 million guineas son of Frankel, and he justified the hype when striding to an impressive capping in a hot-looking maiden under Ryan Moore.
He raced prominently and needed to be briefly shaken up with two furlongs to travel, but when he got into gear, there was nothing going to change his mind. Guildensternc popped second at 80-1. Diego has set the Bookmakers rabbiting, dropping his price down to 12-1 for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, and, 10-1, for the Betfred Derby.
Moss Tucker (Billy Lee 3-1), is plotting a route back to the Prix de l'Abbaye on Arc weekend after he made almost all of the running to land the Group 3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint Stakes. The five-year-old got an uncontested lead and had all of his rivals, including British challenger, Commanche Falls, in trouble with more than a furlong left.
He comfortably denied Go Athletico and Ano Syra by a cozy couple of lengths. The Abbaye has been an intensive plan. He ran well in France last season, after missing the break, and does handle those testing conditions. He might go straight there but if the ground is on the right side for him Flying Five is on the cards.
Billy Lee initiated his double in the juvenile fillies' race when A Lilac Rolla made it two out of two, adding to her win at Cork last month. Stepped up to seven furlongs, the daughter of Harry Angel had to dig a bit deeper before narrowly accounting for previous winner Opera Singer, and, Red Viburnum. She is entered in the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes in September. A supplementary entry for the Moyglare Stud Stakes could also be considered.
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Virginia-bred, Gigante (Javier Castellano)made a blazing return to the winner's circle by pulling a massive 22-1 upset in Saturday's $500,000 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs. The race is being held in Virginia for the first time, making the Commonwealth that much sweeter.
Gigante, trained by Steve Asmussen, covered the one-mile over firm going in 1:35.1/10. Mo Stash was hustled hard from the starting gate in the Secretariat Stakes and was joined by the forward-placed Major Dude as they entered the first turn. Gigante was positioned in last but only 3½ lengths off the lead.
The field began to bunch as Javier Castellano began asking for more, holding off the late charge of Nagirroc. Silver Knott checked in third with Major Dude, Northern Invader and Mo Stash, behind.
