Al Riffa's Arc mission on track - plus could this juvenile contest prove one of the hottest of the season?

Three key takeaways from this weekend . . .

Al Riffa can be major Arc player

A Sunday afternoon of Group 1 action across Europe produced a couple of scintillating winners.

Charyn was brilliant in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville and connections can deservedly proclaim him to be the best miler in our part of the world. It's a shame Rosallion will most likely be out for the remainder of the season, but a meeting with Notable Speech at some point would be a fascinating watch.

Just as impressive as Charyn, though, was Al Riffa 20 minutes earlier at Hoppegarten.

After giving City Of Troy a major scare in the Eclipse, a step up in trip looked the obvious next step and Joseph O'Brien said the trip to Germany for the Grosser Preis von Berlin was a "fact-finding mission".

It's fair to say the trainer found exactly what he was looking for, as Al Riffa's first attempt over a mile and a half could not have gone any better.

Future Arc winners Alpinista and Torquator Tasso feature on this Group 1's recent roll of honour and odds of 16-1 still looks decent value about Al Riffa, given the first Sunday in October at Longchamp is the number one aim for him now. 

The Prix du Jockey Club form is being rated highest by bookmakers at the moment, with Look De Vega and Sosie the top two in the Arc betting, but the ground-versatile Al Riffa could hold his own and more.
Sam Hendry

Beat could be a Haydock player

Extra spice was added to Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup when Givemethebeatboys bounced back to his best at the Curragh on Saturday.

Three-year-olds Inisherin, Elite Status and Vandeek are at the top of the betting for Haydock’s sole Group 1 on September 7, a race that has gone to three-year-olds in five of the last ten years, but there could be another to note who is lurking at 16-1.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Givemethebeatboys ran no sort of race in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot – finishing last of 14 – but an abscess was discovered under his lip in the aftermath.

Givemethebeatboys and Shane Foley (left) winning the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

It is important to remember there was lots of confidence behind Givemethebeatboys – he was backed into 4-1 from double-figure odds on the day – and he is clearly a talented sprinter.

Shane Foley’s mount returned to form when beating Commonwealth Cup fourth Kind Of Blue by a head in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes this weekend, showing a likeable attitude to prevail narrowly.

That was his first run in 50 days, so although improvement is needed to be in the mix back in Group 1 company, it could well be on the cards in a race that has an open look.
Jack Haynes

A juvenile race to follow

The 7f fillies' juvenile race on the Curragh’s Phoenix Stakes card has thrown up its share of smart horses in recent years and it should pay to follow Saturday's running.

Subsequent dual Group 1 winner Hydrangea took the contest in 2016, while A Lilac Rolla – third in last month’s Falmouth Stakes – had the high-class Opera Singer a head behind when landing the race last year.

The Coolmore-owned debutante Falling Snow, a daughter of Justify and the fourth foal out of the four-time Group 1 winner Winter, came out on top in this year's race for Donnacha O’Brien.

Falling Snow (right) gets the better of Ballet Slippers at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

The striking grey got going late to run down the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Ballet Slippers by a neck. Like the winner, Ballet Slippers has a top-class pedigree, being by Dubawi and out of the multiple Group 1 winner Magical. She conceded 3lb to Falling Snow and holds a Group 1 entry in next month’s Moyglare Stud Stakes.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Celtic Motif completed a one-two-three in the race for the O'Brien family. The €225,000 yearling buy proved no match for the first two but kept to her task well and should win her share of races.
Joe Eccles

Read these next:   

Ante-Post Angles: O'Brien is dominating the juvenile scene - but one colt did beat Ballydoyle last week and 40-1 for the Derby is generous  

Racing Post Ratings: Babouche top of juvenile leaderboard and has more to offer - as does the runner-up who is 'heading in right direction'  

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