Graham Clifford Reviews Day 3 of the Challenge Finals (Stayer Distance)

Day 3 of the Challenge Finals – Stayers review

With Graham Clifford

Laid-back approach wins the day

It was like a bevy of swans were on the attack. As Friday evening fell in Canada King Mojo from the Free and Easys stable led a charge of four grey speed merchants in the Stayers Challenge Final.

As the line approached King Mojo held off the challenges of Jemchipsa Picard and Snow Shift to land a sensational win and the first challenge series victory for a stable that makes nonchalance look like an art.

But if the title of the winning stable implies they get by on luck rather than skill it’s utterly misleading. Since opening their stable in October of last year the Free and Easys have had 17 runners in Challenge finals so it was about time that one of their charges finally broke the duck and delivered a winning cheque.

Speaking afterwards the victorious stable owner said “I was actually writing a poem in one of the loos at the course during the race and lost track of time. When I came out of the men’s room I was swarmed by well-wishers and people congratulating me. I thought to myself ‘well yes it’s a good poem but this is a bit of an over-reaction!”

Steak Pie with victorious sauce

Two years and one day after Lupus in Fabula handed the Steakpie stable its greatest ever win in a Classic Challenge Final another lucrative race was won with aplomb in Australia.

The brilliantly named Tequila Cooler got off to a flyer in the stayer’s challenge final and led from start to finish. With Charlie Saxon working his magic this was arguably the most commanding performance by any horse in the three day end of season challenge final extravaganza.

Officially second-placed Virtual Star from the Top star stable finished just over half a length behind the champion but in reality this win was in the bag from very early on.

An official trackside in Oz told me that he even noticed Saxon sending a text on his mobile around the half way mark so dominant was Tequila Cooler.

It would be wrong to review this race without a quick mention for Fable Countess who finished third in the end. For much of the race the 2-year old filly labored at the very back of the field before cutting through it to land a highly credible placed finish.

This ones for King Kenny

The clearly emotional Bottle Top Stud owner wiped a tear from his cheek. Wearing a Liverpool FC tie he told reporters after his 3-year-old Red Anfield had taken the St Ledger final on Friday that this win “was for King Kenny”.

Local reporters in Dubai thought he was referring to a local member of the Royalty famous for his obsession with ballet and so were initially perplexed.

A quick word in their ear from yours truly clarified the situation for them though and when Kop goalkeeping legend Bruce Grobbelaar joined the celebrations it was obvious this was for a certain Scot who’s enduring a terrible time as boss of the Reds.

The win itself was as action packed as a night out with Andy Carroll. Undoubtedly this was the most unlikely win of the week as Red Anfield came from nowhere to land the St Ledger final for fillies.

As they took the last bend in Dubai the eventual winner was third from last and seemingly well out of contention. China Emperor Ii led the field for almost all the race and showed no signs of relinquishing that advantage.

But once Red Anfield found a gap in the home strait she went for it blowing the rest of the field away and just getting her nose in front less than 10 feet from the finishing line.

How Kenny could do with some of the inspiration and confidence seen in the Bottle Top Stud!

No one can topple the Temple of Artemis

When Sky Castle Stables paid £275 for Temple of Artemis last November there were one or two who wondered if it was money well spent.

The ‘Virtual racing gazette’ ran a piece which asked “why would anyone pay good money for a temple which was destroyed in 401AD?”

A week later they ran an apology outlining that they thought Sky Castle stables had actually purchased the ruins of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and not the virtual gg.

On Friday evening in Hong Kong there were no Greek tragedies on show as Temple of Artemis added yet another challenge finals win to the stable’s amazing collection.

So a temple does the job for a castle winning the St. Ledger!

No can escape Charlotte’s web

It was the perfect way to finish three days of exhilarating racing. Under the picture of the London bus the 14 runners and riders set off over the maximum distance in England with only one thing in mind.

The Shotgun_mike stable, which half an hour earlier had celebrated victory for Obsessive Cure in the Cesarewitch Challenge Final for 4-7year old colts, was now aiming to land the female version of the race with the pair of Lisa Lipps and La Yequa Colorado heavily backed.

Lisa Lipps took up the early running but after a quarter of the race had been run Charlotte’s Web from the North and South stable made a break away and built up a lead she would never let go of.

This was the stable’s first challenge final win and the celebrations went on late into the night. Hopefully the first of many North and South – the first of many!

Spare a thought for the Jemchipsa Magic stable

As owners old and new celebrated challenge final victory over the last three days a warm feeling of euphoria spread across virtual winner’s enclosures in the USA, Hong Kong, Australia, Dubai and England.

But for the Jemchipsa Magic stable these end of season finals will forever be known as ‘the bridesmaid’s finals.’

Still waiting for a first finals win the yard endured three second placed finishes in a frustrating series.

Firstly Jemchipsa Nova came closest to catching So Theatrical in the Oaks Final on Thursday while later that evening Rachels Paradox was pipped in the King George by Service Resumes from the Sky Castle Stables.

And then on Friday Jemchipsa Picard came so close to winning the Stayers Challenge Final for colts but had to settle for runner up after King Mojo captured the wonderful win.

Better luck next time Jemchipsa Magic, you’ll be in that winner’s enclosure before you know it.

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