Brown Panther pounces in Irish St Leger; Gleneagles flies to National success

Brown Panther pounces in Irish St Leger; Gleneagles flies

to National success for Ballydoyle

Agonizingly close when a neck third in the Group 1,

€300,000 Irish St Leger two

years ago, Brown Panther was in a different category this time as he overpowered some

high-class rivals under an inspired ride from Richard Kingscote to finally gain a top-level triumph

at The Curragh.

On his best days, Michael Owen's pride and joy is a forced to be reckoned with and has never

been far from the main stage with near misses including a second in Doncaster's 2011 St

Leger at Doncaster. Things fell into place when the bay was allowed to bowl along en route to

a career-best win in last year's Goodwood Cup going two miles and, two starts later, he was finishing a game eighth

in the Melbourne Cup. While some who contest Flemington's highlight take several months to regain their momentum, Brown Panther hit the ground running this term and duly

annexed the May 9 Ormonde Stakes at Chester May 9 and Henry

II Stakes under a subsequent penalty at Sandown 20 days later.

Turning for home in the June 19 Gold Cup at Royal

Ascot, he was looking all over the winner before the extreme trip

took its toll, and he dropped to fourth before running a

labored second in Longchamp's Prix Maurice de Nieuil going 14 furlongs on July 13. Had it not been for that display and

his subsequent below-par effort in third attempting

back-to-back renewals of the Goodwood Cup at the end of July, he

would surely have started shorter than 14-1, but he alienated

even more supporters by getting on his toes during the preliminaries.

Once moving out of the

stalls, Brown Panther was allowed to stride up behind Ballydoyle's pacesetter Eye of the Storm and soon had several lengths to play with as the main group sat and waited. Sent

on at the top of the straight by Kingscote, the Shirocco six-year-old never looked likely to cave in or

let Leading Light get close enough to join any kind of battle.

"We've come up short a few

times at Group 1 standard, but he's always tried his heart out and today everything has come

right," trainer Tom Dascombe said. "He's our flagship horse and I wish we had more like him,

as he's going to be retiring next year or the year after. If he's alright, he'll probably go for

the Group 2 British Champions Long Distance Cup (at Ascot on October 18)."

Leading Light's trainer, Aidan O'Brien, was left pondering

what might have been had the Gold Cup hero been able to trade blows with the runaway winner.

"It was a bit of a mess, as a big gap developed and it didn't suit our horse, as he's very

idle and will only beat a horse a neck or a half-length," he said. "He's not a horse who makes a

lot of ground on a horse, but it didn't work and was one of those days.

"It's possible he could run

again this year, but the boys are anxious that he is one for the Gold Cup next year. He could

finish off in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran (at Longchamp on October 5), but we'll decide in the next week or

so."

O'Brien still saddled a Group 1 winner on the day when sending out Gleneagles

in the €300,000 Vincent O'Brien National

Stakes.

Settled last early by Joseph O'Brien, the Galileo juvenile was delivered

wide to take the lead with 1 1/2 furlongs to race and, despite

veering right, asserted from Toscanini to provide his trainer with a ninth renewal as he chases his predecessor Dr.

Vincent O'Brien's record of 15.

"He's a lovely horse with plenty of

pace and a real good attitude," his rider said. "Today he had to

fight and he did that. The second and third are solid horses and

he's put it to bed well."

"It was a very

solid performance and he did everything right, just being beaten by a better horse,"

said Toscanini's trainer, Michael Halford. "It

was a great run at the top level and he has probably shown improved form.

"That is it for the year.

We will see how he winters and, as a May foal, he should do well. He likes good ground and

travels very strongly in his races. We will find out next year if he stays further than seven

furlongs."

Gleneagles followed a fourth in his June 6 debut over Sunday's seven-furlong trip at Leopardstown with success in

a June 29 maiden over this track and trip in which

Australia was second, and which his stable's former stars Roderic

O'Connor, Rip Van Winkle, Duke of Marmalade and Horatio Nelson all won. Going on to a first black-type score in the

July 24 Tyros Stakes back at Leopardstown, the bay was at his most impressive when dominating the

Futurity Stakes, again at this course and distance a month

later.

"He quickens very well and then doesn't

do much, so we'd have to be very happy," Aidan O'Brien noted. "He could be a (Group

1) Dewhurst horse (at Newmarket on October 17), but he's had plenty of runs already and doesn't need it for experience. If it

comes, he won't mind and will be up for it."

Gleneagles became the second Group 1 winner on the year

for his dam, You'resothrilling, who is a full sister to Giant's Causeway. The

mare also produced this year's Irish One Thousand Guineas heroine, Marvellous,

who is a full sister to Gleneagles.

Stepping up off a debut success going six furlongs over

Kempton's Polytrack on May 21 to beat subsequent Del Mar Debutante and Sorrento

victress Sunset Glow in Royal Ascot's June 20 Albany Stakes over three-quarter

mile trip,

Cursory Glance was crying out for a rise in distance when second to the ferociously fast Tiggy Wiggy

in York's Lowther Stakes

last out on August 21.

She got just that in the Group 1, €300,000

Moyglare Stud one race before the National while going seven furlongs. Keen initially before finding cover in sixth,

the bay was pushed along for a few strides in early stretch

and had worked her way to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Gaining a length on her rivals soon after,

Cursory Glance needed to be kept up to her work by jockey Andrea Atzeni as Lucida stayed on

strongly with Found, but was game and earned her due reward.

"This is a filly we

have always thought a lot of," trainer Roger Varian said.

"Her homework has been top-class all year and her form on

the track has backed that up. It's great to win a Group 1

with her. She has a lot of class and a mile should be well within her compass

next season."

"It was a

very good run by Lucida, but I feel she was a bit unlucky as she was short of room over a

furlong out," trainer Jim Bolger commented about the runner-up. "We will see how she is after the race and there are several options that we will

discuss, such as the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes (at Newmarket on September 27) and the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes

(at Newmarket on September 26)."

Tarfasha kicked off the group action at The Curragh when taking the

Group 2, €200,000 Blandford going 1 1/4

miles under jockey Pat Smullen.

Settled in third early behind the rabbit for the

returning Chicquita, she took over from Shell House passing the quarter-pole and was always holding last year's Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita at safe

distance in the run to the line.

"That is probably her trip, as she ran out of stamina at Epsom

didn't get the mile and a half in the Oaks here as well," trainer Dermot Weld explained. "I'll ask

Sheikh Hamdan about the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera (at Longchamp on October 5) and the

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mares Turf."

Tarfasha was introduced over a mile at Leopardstown

last July and ran subsequent Beresford Stakes winner

Geoffrey Chaucer to a neck when second before

adding another renewal of the seven-furlong fillies' maiden to Dermot Weld's record at the Galway Festival at the end

of that month. Third in the C. L. Weld Park Stakes over the

latter trip in her juvenile finale in September, the chestnut

daughter of Teofilo returned to take the

May 14 Blue Wind Stakes going 10 furlongs at Naas and earn a tilt at the Epsom Oaks.

Tarfasha was no

match for Taghrooda, however,

when second-best in that June 6 classic. Below-par when fifth

in the Irish Oaks last out on July 19, she provided some

compensation with Sunday's clear-cut success.

Stepper Point followed Tarfasha into The Curragh's winner's circle by

triumphing in the Group 3, €100,000 Flying

Five with Martin Dwyer aboard.

Uniquely well qualified to assess the worth of Sole Power, having finished runner-up to the brilliant sprinter in both the

June 17 King's Stand at Royal Ascot and August 22 Nunthorpe at York, the

Kyllachy five-year-old was able to enjoy a day away from that rival and took full advantage for a deserved

first group success.

Despite missing out on previous class drops when only sixth in the Sandown

Charge on July 5 and fourth in the August 1 King George at Goodwood in between his more

exalted efforts, Stepper Point made no mistake this time, blasting from the gate to get on the

lead up the stand's rail and coming home under a hand ride for trainer William

Muir.

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