Prix de l’Abbaye on radar for the age-defying Borderlescott

RETIREMENT? No chance after the veteran Borderlescott rolled back the years to land the Betfred Beverley Bullet sprint.

Both the Ayr Gold Cup and the Prix de l’Abbaye – Europe’s most prestigious sprint – are targets after Robin Bastiman’s horse of a lifetime won for the first time in two years.

“It was great to see him win again. The way they were clapping and cheering, you would have thought he had won another Group One,” Wetherby-based Bastiman told the Yorkshire Post.

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“I know Frankel is the greatest racehorse in the world but this old boy, to show those young ’uns how to run at the age of 10... well that’s something else.”

Three elements fell into place to enable the dual Nunthorpe winner to win the Beverley Bullet, a race won 12 months ago by Bryan Smart’s Tangerine Trees prior to landing the l’Abbaye.

First, the rain stayed away from the picturesque East Riding track. Second, Bastiman’s charge made the most of an advantageous low draw. And, finally, the pace was sharp, enabling Borderlescott to make the most of an extra gear in the dramatic closing stages.

As Borderlescott, resplendent in his blue and red colours, burst through at the two-furlong pole under his first-time jockey Freddie Tylicki, he will have heard the cheer as course commentator Ian Bartlett proclaimed: “The old boy’s taking it up now.”

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Though he wandered around in the final furlong, the 9-1 chance had enough in hand to beat Kevin Ryan’s well-regarded Masamah, a mere whipper-snapper at the age of six and the 7-2 favourite, by a length.

The significance of the victory – Borderlescott had lost the Beverley Bullet by a short-head five years ago – was not lost on Channel Four Racing’s John Francome.

The former champion jockey said it was one of the most popular wins of 2012, adding: “Well done the old boy. He’s just been slowly coming back to form.”

Bastiman accepted that the ground, draw and nature of the race fell into place, but he pointed out: “This is what happens if a Group horse runs against a good handicapper. The faster the pace, the better.

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“He’s eaten up grand. There’re the Ayr Gold Cup or a Group race at Newbury on September 22, then the Prix de l’Abbaye.

“It’s likely to be ground dependent, but I do know the owners are keen on another trip to Longchamp.”

Borderlescott’s two previous runs in the Prix de l’Abbaye saw him finish third in 2008 to Marchand D’Or before a sixth place win the following year.

It would require an unlikely career-best performance for this veteran to conquer France and record a 15th win of a memorable career.

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Yet this pocket rocket of a horse keeps proving the doubters wrong. If Bastiman had listened so some paddock experts, the horse would have been long retired. Instead, he provided Beverley with one of its great racing days.

Meanwhile Blaine, stablemate to Masamah, will be stepped up to Group One level following his impressive victory in the Gimcrack Stakes at York’s Ebor festival.

He will line up in the Group One Middle Park Stakes on Newmarket’ Future Champions Day on September 29, with Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan saying: “Any Group winner has to show class, bravery and a will to win, but for a horse to show these qualities on only his second run, it is very impressive.”

Another horse with 2013 Classic aspirations is the Jeremy Noseda-trained Fantastic Moon, who swept from last to first under an inspired William Buick to land Sandown’s Solario Stakes.

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The Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in late October is a possible target after Buick hit the front in the final stride in yet another tactical masterpiece.

Fantastic Moon is a 25-1 chance for next year’s 2000 Guineas and is well-regarded by the winning jockey who said: “It was a big step up here. He’s done well and I’m very happy.”

In-form Buick, the rider of 2012, will be looking for similar speed next Saturday on horseback – and in the skies.

He hopes to ride Australian supermare Ortensia, who came from near-last to first to land York’s Nunthorpe 10 days ago in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock before jetting off to partner Eclipse hero Nathaniel for his boss John Gosden in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.With just two hours and 20 minutes between the Group One races, the travel plans could be as tight as Fantastic Moon’s winning margin of a head – or the one minute, two seconds that it took Borderlescott to land the Beverley Bullet.

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Danedream produced a workmanlike performance to successfully defend her crown in the Longines – Grosser Preis Von Baden. German Derby winner Pastorius and talented mare Ovambo Queen both refused to go down without a fight, but Danedream responded. Coral left Danedream unchanged at 6-1 for the Arc next month behind their 9-4 favourite Camelot.

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