If you had asked Owen Burrows and the Shadwell team a week ago what their immediate hopes were, they probably wouldn’t have dared to talk about victory. anmaat on May 29 Prix d’Ispahan (G1) like a cherry on top Hukum back after almost 12 months of absence to beat Desert Crown in Brigadier General Gerard (G3) on May 25.
That is exactly the double that was completed here at Longchamp, although deep inside the final race any of the five horses could have won the prize.
Jim Crowley looked like he was flying outside the athletes as the packed court turned home, but it took steel to go with the solid class for the overhaul light infantry And Guard like when Anmaat hit here during the Prix Dollar (G2) over the weekend Arc.
It was on a very different background, and Burrows felt the passionate son of Awtaad overcame very different circumstances to achieve his first group success.
“It was a good performance and it was a great couple of days,” said Burrows. “We were a bit slow to start, but now we’re there and giving a big credit to the team back home. To bring Hukum back and let this guy improve and make it to his group 1. is a huge effort.
“Anmaat is pretty relaxed about life, so he’s never going to win for a long period of time. He doesn’t show much at home but he’s tough. The ground goes as fast as they are. I’d like to today, but he’s not half-traveled, even on this earth.”
Anmaat was shortened by Paddy Power to 7-1 (from 11) for Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and 13-2 for Coral-Eclipse (G1) on 8 July.
When asked about the Prince of Wales, Burrows said: “He was involved and when I contacted Hukum, if it was a wet week leading up to Ascot, that would also work for him. But I don’t. I think they’ll race against each other. I think we can find enough races to separate them, at this time of year.”
Jamie Spencer may have surprised some of his opponents by opting for light infantry running, who is falling behind just nine days behind Lockinge (G1).
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Coach David Simcock said: “There’s a big risk involved and we don’t know if we’re doing the right thing; you’re just not. Today we changed tactics. On that ground, he just lacked a little bit of acceleration. If we had had a long time on the field, I think we would have won. But thanks to the horse, it ran all the way and I’m really happy.”
Light Infantry finished second in France’s 1st group for a third time and, while Cox Plate is a long-term target for his Australian co-owners, a trip to Ascot may be possible first.
Simcock said: “We will be looking at Ascot but at the same time we are also launching an aggressive campaign for him as there will be a big gap in the high summer season before he arrives in Australia.
“He’s at Queen Anne (G1), of the Prince of Wales, and he’ll have the entrance in Wolferton, just to see.”
