Future plans for Yorkshire's Ascot Champions Day heroes Poptronic and Art Power
Karl Burke’s four-year-old was sent off at a rather unfancied 22-1, but produced a career-best effort in the hands of Sam James, showing real bravery as she made every yard for a first success at the highest level.
It was a welcome return to form for the Lancashire Oaks scorer, who had disappointed in her two previous starts and Burke believes the switch to the inner track allowed her stamina to come to the fore in testing conditions on British Champions Day.
“She was brilliant and did very well,” said Burke.
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Hide Ad“She has always been a very good filly and was given a great ride by Sam James.
“I think the switch to the inner track was to her advantage. It was half a furlong shorter and the way the race was run we got our own way in front. It all worked out brilliantly well.
“She’s a strong stayer over a mile and a half and over one-three and a bit we could make more use of her. She’s a galloper, but a high-class galloper.”
Poptronic’s Ascot success means she now has victories in every season she has been in training at Spigot Lodge, with the final act of her on-track career seeing her add a Group One triumph to her enviable CV.
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Hide AdOwned and bred by David and Yvonne Blunt, the daughter of Nathaniel is catalogued to be sold at Tattersalls later in the year where she will be one of the features in the Sceptre Sessions during the December Mare Sale.
“She’s got a date at the sales and as far as I know she will be going there at the beginning of December,” continued Burke.
“The owners were on a high on Saturday and thinking that over, but I think it is probably the right thing to do with her.
“She’s a winner at two, three and four with a couple of Group races in there and we’ve been very happy with her.”
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Hide AdStorm Babet continues to affect racing in Britain and Ireland, with this afternoon’s meeting at Yarmouth and tomorrow’s card at the Curragh the latest casualties.
There are also now inspections planned at Fontwell ahead of tomorrow’s fixture and at Clonmel for Thursday.
Yarmouth were forced to abandon their seven-race Flat card after an early-morning inspection, as “considerable rainfall overnight” left the track waterlogged.
Officials at the Curragh have cancelled Wednesday’s meeting following 21mm of rain last night, with the course currently unfit for racing and facing an unfavourable weather forecast.
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Hide AdClerk of the course Brendan Sheridan said: “The forecast is for a further 5mm of rain today with the possibility of more rain moving in tomorrow, so there was no prospect of the situation improving here prior to racing.
“We’ve had a total of 77mm in the last week and the ground has been heavy since entries closed last Thursday.”
Fontwell have called a precautionary inspection for tomorrow morning at 7.30am.
The going is currently described as soft, good to soft in places, but “further significant rain” is expected this evening and early on Wednesday.
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Hide AdAt Clonmel, the ground is heavy but currently fit for action ahead of racing on Thursday.
However, clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer reported: “Having spoken with Met Eireann, there is the possibility of a further 5-10mm of rain and some spot flooding tomorrow afternoon which will be on top of the 54mm of rain the track has had in the last week.
“With that additional rain forecast for tomorrow, we felt it was prudent to let people know as early as possible that we will need to have a precautionary inspection at 7.30am on Thursday morning.”
Last Saturday’s scheduled meetings at Stratford and Market Rasen were lost to the weather, along with Wednesday’s Worcester card and four upcoming fixtures at Southwell.