York Ebor Festival 2018: 5 talking points on Day 2 as Mark Johnston becomes most successful trainer in British history
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Loading... - Tristan Lahm
- 24 Aug 2021
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It's been a packed day of racing at the Ebor York festival - and there's more to come.
Sea Of Class is 5-1 (from 14-1) is second favourite with Coral for the Qatar Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe, following her impressive victory in the afternoon's Darley Yorkshire Oaks.
And there were other milestones too. Mark Johnston has become the most successful trainer in British racing history.
Here's what we learnt from the third day at York Racecourse...
Sea of Class from the Seed of Class
Breeding, they say, is putting the best to the best - and hoping for the best.
It’s an inexact science in which Lady Luck holds a strong hand, but Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe glory at Longchamp on October 7 for Sea Of Class would represent a remarkable feat of breeding.
In 1993, the Tsui family’s Urban Sea (later dam of Galileo) won in Paris, and 16 years later her son Sea The Stars (sire of Sea Of Class) followed suit. Three generations of Arc winners? That’s going some.
Johnston finally gets into history books
Thank goodness for that - Mark Johnston finally secured his place in history as the winning-most trainer in turf history when Poet’s Society scored at 20-1 at York.
‘Braveheart’ had been stuck level with Richard Hannon snr on the 4,193 winner mark since Saturday afternoon.
For all that it’s a boring story - only the anoraks and trainspotters worry about totals - it’s a great achievement for Johnston, a vet whose training career rose and rose from humble beginnings.
Angel's Hideaway still giving it to Dettori
Angel's Hideaway must be off Frankie Dettori’s Christmas card list.
The John Gosden filly swerved away from the whip at Newmarket’s July meeting, and Dettori copped a ban that ruled him out of the winning Goodwood Cup mount on Stradivarius.
Dettori was suspended when Rab Havlin scored on Angel’s Hideaway at Ascot, so he must have felt she owed him one when lining up for the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York yesterday.
She finished last.
Glorious Autumn for Aiden O'Brien?
To rework the Bard (apologies, William), Aidan O’Brien has suffered a summer of discontent - but is a glorious autumn round the corner?
Fairyland, who has suffered from the bug that has swept through Ballydoyle in mid-season, battled bravely under Ryan Moore to lift the Lowther Stakes by a nose.
Afterwards, O’Brien, ever the sportsman in troubled times, told the racing media the yard is “over the other side of it”. You have been warned.
Passing of O'Toole leaves a mark
The passing of Mick O’Toole at 86 marks the end of a glorious life in Irish racing.
Not only did O’Toole manage eight victories at the Cheltenham Festival, capped by Davy Lad’s victory in the 1977 Gold Cup - he saddled Dickens Hill to land the Irish 2,000 Guineas and Eclipse Stakes in 1979.
That’s not to mention Marjone’s success in the Greyhound Oaks of 1965 for a hugely popular man whose life was well lived.
