Much-touted Economics delivered on his promise when he recorded the first G1 success of his career in an epic battle for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday [Sept 14].
The sky, it would appear, remains the limit for the son of Night Of Thunder, who registered a hard-fought victory over multiple G1 winner Auguste Rodin for the Royal Bahrain-sponsored feature to earn a spot in the world’s Top 5 on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s Global Rankings.
Economics looked every inch a star in the making when he slammed his rivals with a six-length drubbing in the Dante Stakes, the number one Derby trial at York in May.
In a controversial move, however, he was kept out of the Epsom Classic. Moreover, he did not reappear until three months later, and then in a relatively minor G2 event at Deauville.
Trainer William Haggas’s patience was shown to be a virtue in this instance in €1.25m highlight of Day 1 of Irish Champions Weekend, which carried on at The Curragh on Sunday and featured six G1s altogether.
Despite his lack of seasoning, Economics was sent off 7-4 favourite for Ireland’s most prestigious race in which he carried the colours of sponsors in the personage of Shaikh Isa bin Salman.
Racing three wide until halfway, he was brought to challenge as they turned for home. Economics took over from the leader Luxembourg just after entering the final furlong and then held off Auguste Rodin by a neck in a thriller with commentator Jerry Hannon screaming the winner's name (“ECO–NO-MIIIIICS!”) as they passed the post.
Also worth nothing: Japanese Arc hope Shin Emperor finishing really well for third, only three-quarters of a length further away.
Given his relative inexperience, Economics emerges with lots of credit from a race with no hiding place; he moves up to #4 (from #11, +151pt) on TRC lists. Runner-up Auguste Rodin, whose status on the rankings could easily be labelled as ‘topsy-turvy’, also gets a nice bump up to #14 (from #18, +29pt).
“I kept having to change plans,” said winning rider Tom Marquand (#18 from #21, +36pt, on our jockeys’ list), who was completing a memorable G1 double at Leopardstown after winning earlier on Porta Fortuna.
“The tempo of the race wasn't right for us, and he had to battle,” added Marquand, who has partnered Economics to all four of his wins this year. “He still has lots of maturing to do, but he's so exciting.
“He was everything I was dreaming of and more. He’s not only a very good racehorse, but he’s a proper warrior. He’s very, very talented.”
Few would bet against Economics making further strides; he is likely to be seen next in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 19. “I’m really pleased with him and he’s coming along nicely,” commented Haggas. “He has a big future ahead of him as long as we don’t overdo him.”
G1 hat-trick for Porta Fortuna
Irish Champions Weekend was the stage for several other notable movers – not least the ultra-consistent Porta Fortuna (#7 from #22, +97pt), who moves into the Top Ten after completing a hat-trick of G1 wins in the Matron Stakes.
“She’s electric and clearly the best filly in Europe over this distance,” said Marquand. “She was quicker to it than I thought she would be and killed the race in three strides. She’s an absolute star and a pleasure to be a part of.”
Although the Coolmore-sponsored contest is a ‘Win and You’re In’ race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar on November 2, Porta Fortuna is more likely to target the BC Mile on the same card.
On Sunday’s card at the Curragh, superstar stayer Kyprios (#3 from #4, +33pt) completed a straightforward victory in the Irish St Leger to take his unbeaten record this year to five. Despite missing most of last season through serious illness, the six-year-old now has seven G1 wins to his name.
Nunthorpe winner Bradsell (#24 from #119, +210pt) has done much to stamp his authority on a muddled European sprint class since returning to action from a career-threatening fetlock injury.
He followed up his York success with more of the same via a classy performance in the G1 Flying Five under regular rider Hollie Doyle.
“Bradsell has so much speed and so much class and is so tough,” said trainer Archie Watson. “He is a pleasure to have anything to do with and he is so good over five. The Breeder's Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar should be right up his street.”
Bahraini connections certainly enjoyed their Irish weekend – winning owner is Shaikh Nasser’s Victorious Racing (#16 from #29, +108pt)
St Leger: Jan Brueghel wins O’Brien battle
World #1 trainer Aidan O’Brien looked in a dominant position before the St Leger, the final Classic of the British season at Doncaster on Saturday, and so it proved as Jan Brueghel (#49 from #183, +189pt) and Illionis fought out a tight finish.
Yet another G1 winner for the late, great Galileo, late-developing Jan Brueghel took his unbeaten record to four when edging home by a neck – despite still looking green. O’Brien has now won the Doncaster Classic eight times altogether.
Can’t leave Doncaster without mention of the evergreen gelding Kinross (#48 from #140, +152pt), who landed his ninth Group race in the G2 Park Stakes. “What a horse he’s been,” said trainer Ralph Beckett (#38 from #76, +98pt). “He had a small issue at the end of last year and we had to tread carefully with him.”
He added: “He’s just a very, very good horse isn’t he? And to still be doing it at seven years old is unusual in the extreme. If the ground is right he will now go to Ascot and the Prix de la Foret and possibly the Breeders’ Cup.”
Beckett was on the mark at even higher grade on Sunday at ParisLongchamp as the admirable Bluestocking (#9 from #24, +90pt) showed tenacity to match her obvious talent to claim a hot-looking renewal of the G1 Prix Vermeille.
Having performed with credit against her male counterparts in the major skirmishes of the English summer, she appreciated the soft ground and a return to her own sex for a gutsy score. A supplementary entry for an open-looking Arc is not out of the question.
Sosie is new Arc favourite
However, Grand Prix de Paris winner Sosie (#55 from #188, +184pt) is the new favourite for Europe’s richest race after winning the G2 Prix Niel. The Andre Fabre-trained three-year-old displaces Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega at the head of the Arc market after the latter could finish only third.
Iresine (#69 from #179, +147pt) claimed the G2 Prix Foy – as a gelding, like big hitters Calandagan and Goliath, he can’t run in the Arc.
Meanwhile, the new Australian season is properly hotting up and the Makybe Diva Stakes over at Flemington on Saturday featured a major clash of the nation’s equine titans.
Mr Brightside (#11 from #17, +41pt) came out on top to claim the G1 event with a killer late charge to run down a back-to-form, free-on-the-lead Pride Of Jenni (#16 from #21, +46pt) by a helf-length. The winner, who was defending his title in the mile contest, now has seven G1s to his credit.
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• Unlike traditional methods of racehorse rankings, TRC Global Rankings are a measure of an individual’s level of achievement over a rolling three-year period, providing a principled hierarchy of the leading horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and sires using statistical learning techniques. Racehorse rankings can be compared to similar exercises in other sports, like the golf’s world rankings or the ATP rankings in tennis.
They are formulated from the last three years of races we consider Group or Graded class all over the world and update automatically each week according to the quality of a horse’s performances and their recency, taking into account how races work out.