Review of the Flat 2009 – Part 7

So here are my top 10 flat horses of 2009.

10 – Delegator had been 5^th in the Dewhurst in 2008 and started the new season well when landing the Craven Stakes. He was made favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and was only headed by Sea the Starts inside the final furlong and had to settle for the runners up spot. He made no show in the Irish Guineas at the Curragh when unsuited by the heavy ground but bounced back to form at Royal Ascot when only beaten a neck in the St James’ Palace stakes. Delegator produced a blistering display in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on his first start for Godolphin. Frankie Dettori was forced to sit for a few strides before the gap appeared but once open he quickened up smartly.

He quickened away well to finish first past the post in the Goodwood Celebration Mile only to be later disqualified after failing a drugs test. He was a bit disappointing when 3^rd of 4 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes at Ascot and ended the season when 5^th in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

9 – Monitor Closely ran creditably all season despite only winning once. He was only beaten a head in the valuable Timeform Trophy at Newmarket before finishing 8^th in a pretty strong 2,000 Guineas. He was 4^th in the Dante and 3^rd behind Glass Harmonium in the listed Hampton Court Stakes. He was then 5^th of 9 in a Group 2 at York where he was the only 3 year old in the field. He was included in Timeform’s 50 to follow but many punters had probably given up on his by the time he won the Great Voltigeur at York at 28/1. Looking back this was a pretty generous price given his proximity to some class opposition in his previous starts. Not surprisingly perhaps he was supplemented to the St Leger but finished 3^rd in a race where he probably didn’t quite get the trip.

8 – Aqlaam, a 5 year old started the season with only 3 previous runs, his career being seriously disrupted with injury problems. He earned his place on this list with wins in the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, a Group 1.

7 – Borderlescott is one of the most popular flat horses in training, his success story made all the more romantic by the fact that he is trained at a small family run yard. He rarely runs a bad race and put in a number of sterling performances during 2009. He was 3^rd to Amour Propre in Newmarket’s Palace House Stakes early in the season before chasing home Look Busy in the Temple Stakes in heavy ground at Haydock. Sandwiched between a 5^th in the King’s Stand at Ascot and a 4^th in the Audi Stakes at Goodwood was a win in listed company at Chester. The seven year old has done tremendously well for his small West Yorkshire yard.

6 – Twice Over posted some decent efforts early in the season, not least when 3^rd to Virtual in the Lockinge, but he hit a real purple patch in the Autumn running up a memorable hat trick. Wins in a Conditions Stakes at Doncaster and a listed race at Goodwood clearly gave his confidence a real boost as he went on to land the Champion Stakes at Newmarket in October, a race he had finished 2^nd in the previous season. He ran a fine race in defeat when 3^rd in the Breeder’s Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

5 – Midday, like Twice Over is trained by Henry Cecil. She proved a most consistent filly finishing in the first 3 in all her 7 starts. After winning the Lingfield Oaks Trial she only went down in the Epsom Classic after a thrilling battle with Sariska. She was no match for that rival in testing conditions in the Irish Oaks but in August she won the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood beating Rainbow View proving that she is as good over 10 furlongs as she is over 12. She was a little below her best when 3^rd in the Prix de L’Opera at Longchamp but ended the season in fine style winning the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

4 – Rip Van Winkle suffered a slight setback prior to the 2,000 Guineas but still finished 4^th and the first of the O’Brien runners. He occupied the same finishing position in the Epsom Derby and dropped back to 10 furlongs he beat all bar Sea the Stars.

He deserved Group 1 success and duly got it with an impressive display back at a mile in the Sussex Stakes and also won the Queen Elizabeth ii Stakes at Ascot before disappointing in the Breeder’s Cup at Santa Anita.

3 – Sariska earned her place in the top 10 with wins in the Musidora at York and both the English and Irish Oaks. At Epsom she just got the better of Midday in a tight finish but at the Curragh she won in a canter, in one of the easiest classic victories I have ever seen. Back at York for the Yorkshire Oaks she had to settle for the runners up spot after just being worried out of it by the 4 year old Dar Re Mi. She ran a blinder on her last start when 3^rd to Twice Over in the Champion Stakes.

2 – Conduit competed in handicaps before tackling Group company, with his first win coming in a heritage handicap at Epsom in June 2008. He enjoyed a successful campaign in 2009 winning the King George Vl and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot from his stable companions Tartan Bearer and Ask and went on to win the Breeder’s Cup Turf for the second year in a row. He also ran well in defeat a number of times, notably when 3^rd in the Eclipse.

1 – Sea the Stars completed a perfect 3 year old campaign, winning 6 Group 1 races in 6 months, including 2 English Classic races and 1 French Classic race. His 3 year old record is puts him right up there with the all times greats, if not the best ever.

His first win came in the 2,000 Guineas where he pulled clear of his field to score by a length. Despite doubts about his stamina and a strong field, notably from Ballydoyle who fielded 6 of the 12 runners, Sea the Stars won the 2009 Epsom Derby beating the favourite Fame and Glory, and Masterofthehorse (making it a 1-2-3 to Ireland). Wins in the Eclipse and the Juddmonte International were followed by success back in Ireland in their Champion Stakes.

Some pundits expressed doubts about his ability to add the Arc to his tally of group 1 wins but he unleashed a devastating turn of foot to maintain his perfect record.