Declaration Of War gained
his first Group One win when landing today's Queen Anne Stakes for trainer
Aidan O'Brien and his jockey son Joseph.
The victory was also a
stunning triumph for part-owner Joseph Allen, who bred Declaration Of War and
now owns 40% of him in a Coolmore partnership involving Messrs Magnier, Tabor
and Smith.
Allen said: "I'm in
bliss! It's my first win at Ascot, it's a wonderful day, my wife's here and I
could not be happier. And I have great partners.
"I bred the sire of
this horse, War Front, and I still have this colt's dam, Tempo West, who has a
filly foal full-sister to this horse at foot. She is now back in front to War
Front.
"This is a very
difficult game to really sustain yourself. As I was once told, to stay ahead
you need great partners, and these guys [Magnier, Tabor and Smith] have been in
the game a long time and add so much to it. I think this horse now has a great
future at stud, but where he stands I will leave to John Magnier, who knows so
much more than I do."
Declaration Of War was
only fifth on his most recent outing in the Group One Lockinge Stakes at
Newbury last month, but Aidan O'Brien said: "We always thought the world
of this horse. He had a very easy run the first time [this season] at
Leopardstown and we thought he was ready for a Group One, but obviously he
wasn't. I hadn't trained him hard enough for it. He is a big powerhouse capable
of taking training and I didn't get that right.
"Joseph found out in
the Lockinge he had a lot of speed, and we rode him that way today."
Asked if the winner might
take in the Coral -Eclipse Stakes next over ten furlongs, O'Brien said:
"No, I would rather see him go back in trip, rather than up in trip. He
travelled very strongly today."
Joseph O'Brien added:
"I was going very well and I went into the gap - it got a little bit tight
but I was going exceptionally well. He quickened up and idled when he got
there.
"We thought that he
was a very good horse going into Newbury, when we were a little bit
disappointed, but we had a few things and Dean, who rides him out, and all of
the lads in the yard have done a great job.
"I have a few nice
rides for the week and it's nice to start off on a good foot."
ANIMAL
KINGDOM DISAPPOINTS
Graham Motion, trainer of
the 5/4 favourite Animal Kingdom who finished 11th of the 13 runners, said:
"I am disappointed obviously.
"Johnny (Velazquez)
had to fight him a little bit early, which made me worry, and said at the
half-mile pole he started to ask him to run and there wasn't much there. He
said it rode a bit softer than it walked but I cannot really use that as an
excuse.
"I would say that is
probably it for the horse (last run). I think the experience has been
tremendous and if I ever had the opportunity to do it again then I would
absolutely.
"Animal Kingdom
trained great - I was really happy with him. This is what I always cautioned.
It is so different - the fact that he was keen early and he did not really have
any cover. He is used to being tucked in and when you are out in the open like
that, it is a different ball-game.
"I think the draw
(13) made it very awkward for him to be honest. I didn't anticipate it would be
but I think in hindsight it was.
"I am sorry it did
not work out - it is disappointing for everyone. There was such a good
reception for him. It would have been great to see him do his stuff but he clearly
didn't today.
"I always had
reservations about what we were dealing with - it became a very awkward post
(draw) and Johnny had difficulty getting him to settle early. I think that it
is probably what hurt Animal Kingdom the most. If he had been drawn in the
middle it would have been easier.
"I don't want to
offer too many excuses. I am sorry it has ended this way - we are deflated. A
lot of effort has gone into this - David Lanigan and his crew and our crew - it
has been a lot of work - that's racing.
"Everyone was
predicting him to win but they have to run the race."
John Velazquez added:
"He was keen and just didn't relax. When I let him down, he gave me no run
at all.
"He just didn't have
it at all today."
2.30pm
Queen Anne Stakes (British Champions Series) (Group 1)
£350,000
total prize fund. For 4yo+, 1m (str). Weights: colts and geldings 9st; fillies
8st 11lb. Southern hemisphere allowance: 4yo 1lb. Penalty value 1st £198,485.00
2nd £75,250.00 3rd £37,660.00 4th £18,760.00 5th £9,415.00 6th £4,725.00
1)
DECLARATION OF WAR (USA) (Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Joseph
Allen) Aidan O'Brien IRE 4-9-00 Joseph O'Brien [6] 15/2
2)
ALJAMAAHEER (IRE) (Hamdan Al Maktoum) Roger Varian 4-9-00 Paul Hanagan [7] 8/1
3)
GREGORIAN (IRE) (HRH Princess Haya Of Jordan) John Gosden 4-9-00 Tom Queally
[1] 16/1
4)
ELUSIVE KATE (USA) (Teruya Yoshida) John Gosden 4-8-11 William Buick [3]
5) TRADE
STORM (Qatar Racing Limited) David Simcock 5-9-00 Jamie Spencer [12]
6)
LIBRANNO (McDowell Racing) Richard Hannon 5-9-00 Pat Cosgrave [4]
7) CHIL
THE KITE (Hazel Lawrence & Graham Doyle) Hughie Morrison p4-9-00 Ryan Moore
[5]
8)
PENITENT (Middleham Park Racing XVII) David O'Meara 7-9-00 Daniel Tudhope [2]
9)
SOVEREIGN DEBT (IRE) (Lawrie Inman) Michael Bell 4-9-00 Adam Kirby [10]
10)
TRUMPET MAJOR (IRE) (John Manley) Richard Hannon 4-9-00 Richard Hughes [9]
11)
ANIMAL KINGDOM (USA) (Arrowfield, Sheikh Mohammed and Team Valor International)
Graham Motion USA bt5-9-00 John Velazquez [13] 5/4 Fav
12)
MONSIEUR CHEVALIER (IRE) (Racing To The Max) PJ O'Gorman b6-9-0 Darryll Holland
[11]
13)
GABRIAL (IRE) (Dr Marwan Koukash) Richard Fahey p4-9-00 Kieren Fallon [8]
13 ran
Time: 1m
38.48s
Distances:
¾, ½, 2, hd, 1¼, hd, hd, 1½, 2¾, 2, nse, 9
Breeder:
Joseph Allen Breeding: War Front (USA) - Tempo West (USA) (Rahy
(USA))
Tote
Win £9.70 Place £2.90
£2.80 £3.10 Exacta £65.10
Winning
Jockey:-Name: O'Brien, Joseph Born: May 23, 1993 Based: c/o Aidan
O'Brien, Ballydoyle Stables, Cashel, Co Tipperary, Ireland Background: Son
of champion trainers Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien. Won bronze individual
eventing medal at the European Pony Championships in Belgium in August,
2009.Tied for the 2010 Irish Apprentice Title with Gary Carroll Gary
Carroll and Ben Curtis. British Classic Wins (2): QIPCO 2000 Guineas
(2012 Camelot), Investec Derby (2012 Camelot) Irish Classic Wins (4): Abu
Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas (2011 Roderic O'Connor, 2012 Power, 2013 Magician), Irish
Derby (2012 Camelot) First Ride: Coat Of Arms (12th), Boylemobile.com
Handicap, the Curragh, May 24, 2009 Royal Ascot Wins (2): Prince Of
Wales's Stakes (2012 So You Think), Queen Anne Stakes (2013 Declaration Of War)
Other big race wins include: Dubai Sheema Classic (2013 St Nicholas
Abbey), Moyglare Stud Stakes (2011 Maybe), Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O
Stakes (2011 Reply), Racing Post Trophy (2011 Camelot), Breeders' Cup Turf
(2011 St Nicholas Abbey), Tattersalls Gold Cup (2012 So You Think), Diamond
Jubilee Coronation Cup (2012 & 2013 St Nicholas Abbey) Wins in Britain
(2009-2012): 0; 1; 2; 14 Wins in 2013 in Britain: 3
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