Willie Mullins: trainer has won Prix de Longchamp in successive seasons

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  

Preview: France, Sunday 4.55pm BST

Auteuil: Prix de Longchamp (Group 3 hurdle) 2m3½f, 4yo

WILLIE MULLINS launches a three-pronged attack on a race he won in successive renewals courtesy of J’Y Vole (2007) and Hurricane Fly (2008).

If jockey bookings are any guide then wide-margin Punchestown winner Loch Ard (Ruby Walsh) is expected to be the pick of the trio.

“Ruby has chosen to ride Loch Ard and while his form might not entitle him to be the best of ours, I think soft ground is the key to him,” said Mullins. “Darroun might not appreciate it as much, but I’m interested to see how he handles Auteuil.”

Darroun (Paul Townend) was fourth behind Hisaabaat in the AES 4YO Champion Hurdle at the Kildare track and is one of two runners for Rich and Susannah Ricci.

The second is Gorgeous Sixty (Katie Walsh), who has yet to hit the target in five starts for Mullins but was more than useful form round Auteuil last autumn when trained by Yannick Fouin.

While horses can develop rapidly at this age it is worth noting that Gorgeous Sixty beat Chegei Has (Jean-Paul Gallorini/Gaetan Masure) by ten lengths on her last start for Fouin.

The home defence is headed by Esmondo (Guillaume Macaire/Bertrand Lestrade), whose efforts in previous group races have landed him with top weight.

Also on Sunday

Auteuil: Prix Ferdinand Dufaure (Group 1 chase) 2m5½f, 4yo (4.20pm BST)

SAINT PALOIS (Jacques Ortet/David Cottin) puts his unbeaten record over fences on the line against 14 rivals, no fewer than 11 of whom the champion-elect has already beaten.

The sequence almost came to an end when De Vous A Moi (David Berra) ran Saint Palois to half a length in the Prix Jean Stern three weeks ago.

However Ortet’s charge was giving 6lb away on that occasion, and the Pau handler couldn’t be happier with how things have gone since.

“He’s recovered very well and although he had a hard race he’s very well,” saidOrtet. “The ground won’t bother him either way, if the rain comes he handles heavy.”

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I’ll Have Another: set for Triple Crown bidat Belmont in three weeks’ timePICTURE: EquiSport Photos/Matt Wooley  

Report: USA, Saturday

Pimlico: Preakness Stakes (Grade 1) 1m1½f, dirt, 3yo

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER (Doug O’Neill/Mario Gutierrez) is on course to be the first Triple Crown winner for 34 years after catching Bodemeister in the Preakness Stakes.

Bodemeister set a more comfortable pace than he did in the Kentucky Derby but I’ll Have Another was able to catch him at the wire to score by a neck.

Third place was taken by Creative Cause, who tired after trying to follow Bodemeister.

I’ll Have Another, sent off 3.2-1, stopped the clock at 1m55.94s. “On to New York, baby!” shouted winning trainer Doug O’Neill after the race, as he considered the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

“The great part of I’ll Have Another is that any of us could have a horse like this,” O’Neill said. “He didn’t cost a million bucks. But he’s got the heart of a champion, the stride of a champion, and the mind of a champion.

“It took every bit of the stretch to get there,” he added, “but it shows you just how brilliant this horse is and how brilliant a rider Mario is.”

Bodemeister, who looks a dirt miler, again got the lead and had all the rest in trouble at the far turn before the unheralded I’ll Have Another shot him down.

The winner, a son of Travers Stakes winner Flower Alley, is now unbeaten in four starts in 2012. He paid $8.40 for the usual $2 stake.

Rookie jockey Gutierrez was overcome. “More than anything, I thank God I didn’t disappoint people,” he told NBC. “This wasn’t about me. It’s about the horse. He has a tremendous kick. He’s more smart than I am. I just let him go.”

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I’ll Have Another: set for Triple Crown bidat Belmont in three weeks’ timePICTURE: EquiSport Photos/Matt Wooley  

Report: USA, Saturday

Pimlico: Preakness Stakes (Grade 1) 1m1½f, dirt, 3yo

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER (Doug O’Neill/Mario Gutierrez) is on course to be the first Triple Crown winner for 34 years after catching Bodemeister in the Preakness Stakes.

Bodemeister set a more comfortablepace than he did in the Kentucky Derby but I’ll Have Another was able to catch him at the wire to score by a neck.

Third place was taken by Creative Cause, who tired after trying to follow Bodemeister.

I’ll Have Another, sent off 3.2-1, stopped the clock at 1m55.94s. “On to New York, baby!” shouted winning trainer Doug O’Neill after the race, as he considered the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

“The great part of I’ll Have Another is that any of us could have a horse like this,” O’Neill said. “He didn’t cost a million bucks. But he’s got the heart of a champion, the stride of a champion, and the mind of a champion.

“It took every bit of the stretch to get there,” he added, “but it shows you just how brilliant this horse is and how brilliant a rider Mario is.”

Bodemeister, who looks a dirt miler, again got the lead and had all the rest in trouble at the far turn before the unheralded I’ll Have Another shot him down.

The winner, a son of Travers Stakes winner Flower Alley, is now unbeaten in four starts in 2012. He paid $8.40 for the usual $2 stake.

Rookie jockey Gutierrez was overcome. “More than anything, I thank God I didn’t disappoint people,” he told NBC. “This wasn’t about me. It’s about the horse. He has a tremendous kick. He’s more smart than I am. I just let him go.”

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Mid Dancer: attempts to become only the third triple winner of big race

  PICTURE: Martin Lynch  

Preview: France, Sunday (3.35pm BST)

Auteuil: Gras Savoye Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Group 1 chase) 3m5f, 5yo+

FRANCE’S richest and most historic race over jumps has an unusually open look about it this year, a fact which has encouraged connections to run a near-maximum field of 19.

Mid Dancer (Christophe Aubert/Sylvain Dehez) defends the crown he won back memorably 12 months ago after a hiatus of four years.

Aubert has followed the same route to the big day as last season with the eleven-year-old, who would become only the third triple winner in the race’s history.

“Mid Dancer is in very good form as he didn’t have a difficult race last time,” said Pegasus Farms’ racing manager Herve Barjot earlier in the week. “Mid Dancer is in top condition and physically just as good as he was last year but he is a year older.”

Rubi Ball (Jacques Ortet/David Cottin) has been the heir apparent in France ever since his duels around Auteuil with Long Run.

Having beat all but Mid Dancer in his first attempt at the Grand Steeple last year, Rubi Ball then repeated his success in the Group 1 Prix La Haye Jousselin in November.

But Ortet’s preparations this spring have been undone by sloppy jumping and the seven-year-old has not been seen since taking a crunching fall in the Prix Murat at the beginning of May.

“I think he’s at 100 per cent of his abilities and he’s schooled very well in the mornings, so I have no worries on the jumping front,” said a defiant Ortet.

The trials have allowed several legitimate contenders to emerge from the shadow of last year’s principals, notably Pistolet Rouge (Guy Cherel/Cyrille Gombeau), winner of the Murat and the Prix Troytown.

Emmanuel Clayeux also has two strong representative in Net Lovely (David Berra) and Rhilaco (Christophe Pieux), the first two home in the Prix Ingre three weeks ago.

“They have both recovered well and my main worry on Sunday is traffic problems with such a big field and possible bad luck,” said Clayeux

Net Lovely has won her last six starts at Auteuil and could become the third mare to win in the last ten renewals.

“She continues to improve with every race,” continued Clayeux. “We tried not to give either of them too hard a race last time and I certainly think there’s room for Rhialco to improve.”

Jean-Paul Gallorini sends out three for the race, with Ruby Walsh is the new partner for 2009 winner Remember Rose.

“If the ground is softer that will definitely help Remember Rose,” saidGallorini, who also saddles Shannon Rock (Thierry Majorcryk) and Quarouso (Francois Pamart). “Ruby is a real champion, especially in steeplchasing, and I’m proud to have him ride my champion.”

David Casey has been booked to partner outsider Chavoy by trainer Thomas Trapenard and said: “It’s a great bonus to be having a ride in the Grand Steeple. I’ve seen this horse run and he seems to stay well so we should have a good chance.”

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Danedream set for first run on home soil since famous Longchamp victory

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

Preview: Germany, Sunday 3.45pm BST

Baden-Baden: Grosser Preis der Badischen Unternehmen (Group 2) 1m3f, 4yo+

A HUGE crowd is expected at Baden-Baden on Sunday as Arc heroine Danedream (Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke) runs for the firsttime this year.

Danedream became only the second German winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October and also finished a respectable sixth in the Japan Cup the following month.

The German champion now embarks on a 2012 campaign, which if all goes to plan will see her challenging for the same races again in the autumn. Although the Baden-Baden race is worth only a relatively modest €70,000, peanuts compared to the sums on offerin Paris and Tokyo, this event was long ago pinpointed as her opening race of the new season.

“We decided in the winter to start her off here,” says her trainer.

“Everything has gone smoothly so far – she’s fit, she’s well and I’m totally satisfied with her. We shall decide from race to race how things will continue, but obviously the Arc is the main autumn target, followed by Japan.”

A half-share in her was sold to Japanese breeder Teruya Yoshida a few days before her Paris victory.

Schiergen, who also saddles Silvaner (Terry Hellier) and Lindenthaler (Filip Minarik), added: “Danedream is not a flashy worker, but she is very well and under normal circumstances should win. I also expect my other two runners – who are here as there are no suitable opportunities elsewhere – to run well, although of course I cannot see them beating Danedream.”

They both ran last time in the Gerling-Preis at Cologne, with Silvaner a fast-finishing runner-up, while Lindenthaer was a disappointing seventh. In the same race Norwegian-trained Sir Lando (Wido Neuroth/ Fredrik Johansson) ran third and front-runner Mighty Mouse (Pavel Vovcenko/ Freddie Tylicki) sixth.

Wido Neuroth, trainer of Sir Lando, said: “He needed the race badly at Cologne, and I expect a really strong performance today.”

Pavel Vovcenko, who saddles Mighty Mouse, said: “The distance is a furlong shorter than at Cologne, where he did not get the run of the race, and that is a definite advantage.”

The only other non-German runner is Roches Cross (Josef Vana/ Daniele Porcu), winner of last year’s Czech Derby and bred in Ireland by Jim Bolger.

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Frankel powers clear of Excelebration (far left) to make it win number ten

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/(racingpost.com/photos)  

Report: Newbury, Saturday

JLT Lockinge Stakes (British Champion Series) (Group 1) 1m 4yo+

HE’S BACK. Frankel made it a remarkable ten wins from ten career starts with a scintillating reappearance in easily seeing off his old rival Excelebration for the fourth time.

The 2-7 favourite took up the running over a furlong from home and when Tom Queally asked him the response was immediate. He powered into top gear and Excelebration simply couldn’t go with him. Dubawi Gold was back in third.

This was a big day for Prince Khalid Abdullah’s colt in what was his first run as an older horse. Greater tests await in the summer, but the atmosphere had been building throughtout the afternoon as every racing fan waited for his return. Thankfully, the horse himself seemed to take the premlimaries in his stride and, much to Sir Henry Cecil’s relief, he didn’t let his supporters down.

“It hasn’t been straightforward as he had ten days off,” said the winning trainer. “It’s not been easy but we’ve got him throught it and he’s done exactly what I wanted him to do”

Not surprisingly a bit fresh in the early stages, Queally tacked his mount onto to the back of pacemaker and three-quarter brother Bullet Train, who gave a lovely lead before Queally decided to say go.

Excelebration had been tracking Frankel throughout and travelled just as well, but he simply doesn’t have the speed of his rival and was left floundering once again. The margin was five lengths at the line with a further four lengths back to Dubawi Gold.They had gone a good gallop and there was no argument as to the authority of this success. What a prospect we have for the rest of the season.

Queally was thrilled with his mount afterwards. “It’s a great relief he’s come back – I know he had a little scare a while back. It’s great for everyone – he belongs to racing,” said the winning rider.

“He showed that burst of acceleration and he’s not like anything I’ve sat on. He’s grown up, he’s a thicker set – look at him now he’s the real deal.”

Sir Henry Cecil: “He has done exactly what I wanted him to”

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

Frankel and his trainer were given a fantastic reception by the crowd when they returned to the winner’s enclosure. This colt has certainly captured people’s hearts and everyone will now want to know what his next race will be. He has a choice at Royal Ascot and it is a question of whether he stays over the same distance in the Queen Anne or goes up to 1m2f in the Prince of Wales’s.

“He’s in the two at Ascot,we’ll see,” said Cecil. “His first race is never his best and he’ll come on for this.”

William Hill now go 1-3 Frankel for the Queen Anne and make him even money (from 7-4) to remain unbeaten throughout this season, while Paddy Power go odds-on. Who would bet against it.

There will now be lots of talk of a match-up with record-breaking Australian sprinter Black Caviar now. However to expect the great mare to move up in distance and take on this monster is surely pie in the sky and the biggest test for Frankel is likely to come when he moves up in distance and has to give weight to a top-class three-year-old. Let us not forget his stamina is yet to be tested.

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John Gosden: trainer adds another winner to a productive week

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

Report: Newmarket, Saturday

poptelecom.co.uk Fairway Stakes (Listed Race) 1m2f, 3yo

THOUGHT WORTHY got up to deny Frankel’s full-brother Noble Mission in a blanket finish at Newmarket.

Noble Mission, ridden by Eddie Ahern, was settled in behind the leading pair of Thought Worthy and Farhaan and galloped on strongly when he hit the rising ground in the final furlong, but was never closer than second as the race ended in a tight finish between the first two and third-placed Rugged Cross.

The Sir Henry Cecil-trained runner-up was immediately eased by BetVictor and Paddy Power for the Investec Derby with both bookmakers making him 33-1 (from 20-1).

The John Gosden-trained winner, who shared 15-8 favouritism with the second, was cut by Betfred to 25-1 (from 40-1) forthe same Classic.

Gosden said: “We took a chance coming back in trip as the ground was on the heavy side at Sandown last time.

“He’s still in the Derby and it’s up to the owner [George Strawbridge] to make a decision if he runs.”

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Brindisi Breeze’s finest hour came on what was to ultimately be his final start, winning the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

CHELTENHAM Festival winner Brindisi Breeze died in a freak accident in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“Brindisi Breeze was tragically killed last night. At 2.30am he jumped out of his paddock and was hit by a tanker, he died instantly,” trainer Lucinda Russell told her website.

She continued: “He will be sorely missed by the whole yard and especially his sporting owner Sandy Seymour who adored his horse.

“To go from the pride of standing at Cheltenham watching Brindisi and Campbell stride up the hill to victory to the devastation of today’s bizarre incident leaves me deeply saddened.

“With the love and the care that is given to these wonderful athletes, to lose any of them is difficult but when it is a horse who has achieved so much in his short life it is deeply upsetting. It will be hard to overcome.

“Here at Arlary we have a strong team of owners, horses and staff who have all been affected by Brindisi’s greatness and his loss. Each one of us have special memories of him, and we will never forget hiskind, honest nature and his untapped talent.”

The six-year-old was unbeaten in four starts over hurdles,  culminating in a two-length victory over Boston Bob in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Bought from the pointing field in Ireland, Brindisi Breeze was beaten a head on his debut in a bumper. It was the only time he tasted defeat, and once sent over hurdles he was very impressive.

Having won his maiden hurdle, he won his next two starts by an aggregate of 25 lengths, with the latter victory coming in a Grade 2 at Haydock.

He went to Cheltenham as the 7-1 second-favourite but made virtually all to get the better of his 19 rivals and give Scotland a rare Cheltenham success and their first in ten years.

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Frankel impressed many in a racecourse gallop at Newmarket

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

WITH the Richard Hannon-trained Strong Suit a non-runner in theJLT Lockinge, Frankel has been shortened into 30-100, although Coral go as short as 1-4, as the unbeaten son of Galileo faces just five rivals.

Strong Suit, who won three times in Group company last year, wants better ground and Richard Hughes said: “He’s a good horse and he’s wintered well, but he needs good ground and we’ll wait for a better surface to take on a horse like Frankel.”

The two could meet in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, should Frankel stick to 1m, but the bookmakers feel the absence of Strong Suit has made things considerably easier for the Sir Henry Cecil-trained four-year-old,with Excelebration, who is a best-priced 3-1, the only other runner shorter than 50-1.

Cecil on Saturday morning reported that Frankel travelled down to Newbury on Friday night “better than ever” ahead of his eagerly anticipated reappearance.

Hughes, who will now ride Dubawi Gold, was a guest on the Morning Line promoting his new autobiography A Weight Off My Mind and he added: “I really can’t see Frankel getting beaten.”

Download PDF to read two revealing extracts from Richard Hughes’s autobigoraphy A Weight Off My Mind – now available to buy in the Racing Post online shop

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