Soldier Of Fortune Lands Juddmonte Coronation Cup
06/06/08

1st 7 Soldier Of Fortune 9/4 2F
2nd 9 Youmzain 15/2
3rd 3 Macarthur 12/1

Three-quarters of an hour before the Juddmonte Oaks, trainers Aidan O’Brien and Jim Bolger were both celebrating the result of the Juddmonte Coronation Cup after Soldier Of Fortune came with a well-timed run to score by three-quarters of a length.

The O’Brien-trained winner was bred by Bolger and looks a leading candidate for further major race glory this year. He is quoted as short as 2/1 (with Stan James and Paddy Power) for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The winner’s stablemate Macarthur took a commanding lead before coming back to the field, holding on for third.

“Soldier Of Fortune’s a very natural horse,” said O’Brien. “He’s one of those horses that it’s probably just a matter of mind with him. He’s always been a very natural horse and we are delighted with the progress he has made since three. I think it was a level pace that wasn’t that strong because Frankie (Dettori on Red Rocks) pulled the field back off the pace a bit. They had a lot to do and I couldn’t believe that Soldier Of Fortune could get there from where they were because Frankie made it a different race.

“Macarthur is a very good horse and was gone. Soldier Of Fortune did get tired but he’s an exceptional horse. When we go home on Monday everything will be discussed as to the next race he goes for. All races from a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half are open to him.

“It’s great for his first run of the year and I’d say I was a bit concerned beforehand but Johnny was extra cool.”

Jockey Johnny Murtagh added: “Macarthur’s a good horse in his own right and if my horse didn’t pick up then he would have won but mine just quickened a bit better

“It went perfect for me with two horses making the running. I said to Seamus (Heffernan) that Macarthur is a good horse in his own right. This boy quickened up and just got a bit tired in the last 100 yards. I think he’s a better horse than last year.

“He has strengthened up and is going to be serious horse this year. We thought he could win the Arc last year but he got interfered with although he probably wouldn’t have won.

“But when I rode him in work the other morning I thought he would run very well although whatever he did today I thought he would improve on.”

Owner John Magnier added: “I think for his first run of the year, we would have to be happy with that. By looking at him, you can see a lot of physical improvement from three to four but Aidan felt that like his other horses and most people’s horses that he would improve for the run do, so that was the negative before the race.

“We think a lot of the horse and after he ran in the Arc last year we thought he might be winning a similar race this season. We are not into policies and we take it horse by horse but this is a horse that everybody thought would benefit from being left in training.”

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Soldier Of Fortune A P O'Brien	J Murtagh 9st 0lbs	9 - 4 Winner
2	Youmzain M R Channon	R Hughes 9st 0lbs	15 - 2 3/4 length
3	Macarthur A P O'Brien	J A Heffernan 9st 0lbs	12 - 1 1 1/2 length
4	Papal Bull Sir Michael Stoute	R L Moore 9st 0lbs	16 - 1 Neck
5	Getaway A Fabre	S Pasquier 9st 0lbs	5 - 4 1 1/2 length
6	Red Rocks B J Meehan	L Dettori 9st 0lbs	14 - 1 3 1/2 lengths
7	Turbo Linn G A Swinbank	N Callan 8st 11lbs	40 - 1 1/2 length
8	Anna Pavlova R A Fahey	P Hanagan 8st 11lbs	33 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
9	Multidimensional H R A Cecil	T E Durcan 9st 0lbs	33 - 1 5 lengths
10	Big Robert W R Muir	Martin Dwyer 9st 0lbs	100 - 1 9 lengths
11	Song of Hiawatha A P O'Brien	C O'Donoghue 9st 0lbs	200 - 1 2 1/2 lengths

CHANNON PLEASED WITH CONSISTENT YOUMZAIN

The ever consistent Youmzain ran on from the rear of the field to claim second in the Group One Juddmonte Coronation Cup, three quarters of a length behind Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune.

The five-year-old, who was cut to 8/1 for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Ascot, was settled at the back of the field before making his run in the home straight and was always closing at the line.

Trainer Mick Channon was pleased with the five-year-old’s performance, saying: “Youmzain’s run a blinder again - he just needs everything to go right for him but he’s run a great race and I’m very happy.

“He went away from the whip a bit but that was an exception. I’d imagine we will aim him at the King George now.”

Meanwhile, jockey Richard Hughes added: “They went no gallop. Apart from the pacemakers, they walked and it didn’t suit my lad. When I hit him on the left, he went right and when I switched it and hit him on the right, he went left.”

French trainer Andre Fabre, bidding for his seventh win in the race with 5/4 favourite Getaway, who unshipped rider Stephane Pasquier leaving the paddock, felt that his runner was beaten before being boxed in inside the final furlong.

The handler said of the fifth: “Getaway was beaten when he got checked. He just pulled too hard and never settled. He was beaten by better horses.”

SOLDIER OF FORTUNE (IRE) FACTFILE

3 b c Galileo (IRE)-Affianced (IRE) (Erin's Isle)
Form: 212/115115-1 Owner: Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith Trainer: Aidan O'Brien IRE Breeder: Jim Bolger Jockey: Johnny Murtagh

Soldier Of Fortune
Bred by trainer Jim Bolger, Soldier Of Fortune is a brother to Group Three winner Heliostatic and is trained by Bolger's former assistant Aidan O'Brien. He was beaten a short-head by the Bolger-trained La Conquistadora on his debut in a Gowran Park maiden in October, 2006. He beat Mores Wells by a length and a quarter next time out at Navan and rounded off his juvenile campaign when three quarters of a length second to Passage Of Time in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Soldier Of Fortune's three-year-old season got off to the perfect start with victory in the Group Two Prix Noailles at Longchamp on April 8, 2007 and he followed up with a short-head victory over Arabian Gulf in the Group Three Chester Vase the following month. The Galileo colt was a 14/1 shot for the Vodafone Derby at Ep[som Downs on his next start when, ridden by Wayne Lordan, he ran a race of promise in finishing fifth behind Authorized. That said, few would have expected the colt to demolish the field as he did next time out in the Irish Derby at the Curragh on July 1. Racing on very soft going, Soldier Of Fortune surged clear of his rivals in the final quarter-mile to record a nine-length success over Alexander Of Hales with Vodafone Derby third Eagle Mountain a short-head back. Given a summer break, the colt returned to action in the Group Two Prix Niel at Longchamp on September 16 and handed a length and a half beating to subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe third Sagara. His latest outing came in the Arc itself on October 7. Sent to the lead at the top of the straight by Johnny Murtagh, he was unable to press home his advantage, finishing just over two lengths fifth to stablemate Dylan Thomas. He started the current campaign brilliantly, with a three-quarter length victory over stablemate Macarthur in the Juddmonte Coronation Cup. Race Record: Starts: 10; 1st: 6; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £920,475