The Yorkshire Cup: 18th of May 2007

Cecil´s love-affair with The Knavesmire continued in wonderful fashion today when he won his fourth Group race and his first Yorkshire Cup in gutsy fashion. A new pair of hands (well, not THAT new as Jimmy Fortune has ridden SC before) on the reins made no difference to The Cecil who was given the usual patient ride (no doubt Jimmy got some useful tips of Frankie!) and even though the tempo was not as hot as connections would have hoped Sergeant Cecil quickened off this pace to beat Geordieland and Bulwark for the minor honours.

from www.racingpost.co.uk:

"IT was only a matter of time before Sergeant Cecil completed a clean sweep of York's major staying prizes - and the remarkable stayer signalled he is still improving, even aged eight.

In becoming the oldest winner of the Group 2 Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup, he secured his fourth win in five starts on the Knavesmire, having already captured the Ebor Handicap and Lonsdale Stakes as well as the Doncaster Cup, during its temporary transfer from Doncaster.

Having not hit winning form until the second half of last year, Sergeant Cecil fired a warning to Gold Cup favourite Yeats with his dismissal of Geordieland, despite the burden of a Group 1 penalty. He is now a 6-1 chance (from 8) with William Hill, Coral and Bet365 for the Ascot highlight, for which last year's winner Yeats is Hills's 5-4 favourite.

Sergeant Cecil was anchored at the back until the field hit the straight, from where Jimmy Fortune began to unleash his run. With two furlongs to run it was Geordieland who was travelling the better but when the pressure was applied, Sergeant Cecil's momentum carried him past Tom Queally's mount to score by three-quarters of a length, with Bulwark third.

Trainer Rod Millman said: “The lads at home said he was better than ever. He is fitter than he has ever been at this time of the year and even with a Group 1 penalty I think he has improved again. This takes some winning with a Group 1 penalty but Sergeant Cecil proves time and again what a very good horse he is.”

The Gold Cup is a certain target but Millman did not rule out running the horse again, with the Vodafone Coronation Cup among potential options.

“I think he is effective from a mile and a half upwards,” added Millman.

“He was just a bit unlucky at Newbury where he was not in the right place at the right time. He has a hell of a turn of foot for a stayer. At the end of the year he will go for the Prix du Cadran again but we could also look at some of the big international races, though not the Melbourne Cup. He would be too high in the handicap.”

Geordieland produced a run much improved on his previous two efforts since his return from an abortive trip to Australia last year. He will also head to the Gold Cup, for which he was cut to 12-1 by VCbet.

Trainer Jamie Osborne said: “When he's right he's got a lot of gears and I don't blame Tom Queally. He carried him into the lead two furlongs out and if he had followed Sergeant Cecil through, there might have been a different result. He will go to the Ascot Gold Cup and ride him cold,as you can in a race like that and then use his pace.”

Winning groom: Sue Davey "

From sportinglife.co.uk:

"Sergeant Cecil continued his love affair with York as the crack stayer came with a trademark late rattle to claim the Emirates Airlines Yorkshire Cup.

The fast-finishing eight-year-old tasted defeat in the Group Two event last year when going down to Percussionist, but extended his excellent tally at the track under Jimmy Fortune.

Rod Millman's charge has now won four of his five starts on the Knavesmire and was roared home as the 100-30 favourite.

Runner-up Geordieland mocked his rivals when cutting through to lead on the bridle two furlongs out.

But Fortune was stoking up Sergeant Cecil in behind and stormed through along the stand's rail to take command inside the final furlong.

Geordieland fought back well but went down by three-quarters of a length, with Bulwark taking third and Percussionist finishing fourth this time.

Millman's charge has developed a cult following with his style of racing, having graduated through the ranks in 2005 to become the leading British stayer.

Sergeant Cecil is now likely now clash with Aidan O'Brien's Yeats in the Gold Cup at Ascot next month.

Coral and William Hill cut the former to 6-1 from 8s to improve on his fifth-place finish in the race last year, while totesport go 11-2 - with Yeats heading their market at 11-8.

Millman said: "To be honest, the lads at home say he is better than ever, and he is fitter than he has ever been at this time of year.

"It might seem a strange thing to say but at the age of eight he seems to have improved again.

"This race takes some winning with a Group One penalty, but Cecil is a good horse and he keeps proving it again and again.

"This is his best track too, and it really suits him.

"I am very lucky to have a horse like him. He is just the same as he always has been - but he seems to be going up the gallops even faster these days!

"He'll go to the Ascot Gold Cup where he would have a good chance, and then he'll come back here for the Lonsdale and perhaps the Irish St Leger.

"The Cadran is also a possible later in the year, and I wouldn't rule going him abroad for one of the invitation races.

"He is effective from a mile and a half upwards, and we have a few options before Royal Ascot including the Coronation Cup."

Fortune was replacing regular partner Frankie Dettori, who was required to ride for Godolphin at Newbury.

The jockey, who last partnered Sergeant Cecil in September 2004, said: "That was excellent. All credit must go to Rod and team for the way they've brought this horse on through the years.

"I rode him as a handicapper a couple of years ago and he's improved two stone since then."

Trainer Jamie Osborne was satisfied with last year's Ebor fourth Geordieland, who performed much better than on his two previous runs this spring.

He said: "Tom (Queally) had underestimated how many gears he had turning in and may have just got there a bit too soon.

"If Sergeant Cecil followed us through, it might have been different.

"He's just come right the last couple of weeks and we were very hopeful coming here.

"He has a lot of class and is a very good horse. He's run a very sound race and we'll go for the Ascot Gold Cup."

Mark Perrett, husband and assistant to Bulwark's trainer Amanda Perrett, said: "We're thrilled and he's run a real good race.

"It was a proper-run race and he's gone really well.

"I don't know where we'll go next but I suspect that this mile and six furlong may be his trip."

Image:

www.racingpost.co.uk

2:45 Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup (Group 2) (Class 1) (4yo+) 1m6f

[off 2:49] £79,492.00, £30,128.00, £15,078.00, £7,518.00, £3,766.00, £1,890.00

Draw TRAINER Age Wgt JOCKEY SP

1 Sergeant Cecil 5 B R Millman 8 9-3 Jimmy Fortune 100/30F
2 ¾ Geordieland (FR) 9 J A Osborne 6 8-12 T P Queally 17/2
3 2 Bulwark (IRE) 7 Mrs A J Perrett 5 8-12 eb Jim Crowley 40/1
4 nk Percussionist (IRE) 3 J Howard Johnson 6 8-12 Eddie Ahern 10/1
5 6 Allegretto (IRE) 6 Sir Michael Stoute 4 8-12 Kerrin McEvoy 13/2
6 2½ Munsef 1 J L Dunlop 5 8-12 R Hills 7/2
7 shd Rising Cross 4 J R Best 4 8-12 Joe Fanning 14/1
8 21 Orcadian 2 J M P Eustace 6 8-12 J H Bowman 16/1
9 12 Kasthari (IRE) 10 J Howard Johnson 8 8-12 Tom Eaves 100/1
PU The Last Drop (IRE) 8 B W Hills 4 8-12 t M J Kinane 7/2

10 ran TIME 2m 59.63s (slow by 3.83s)
1st OWNER: Terry Cooper BRED: D E Hazzard TRAINER: B R Millman
2nd OWNER: Mountgrange Stud
3rd OWNER: Hesmonds Stud

A really decent field for this Group 2 race, with last year's first and second both back again in a line-up which included the runners-up in two of last season's Classics. They went a good pace, so the field was soon strung out, and that helped those held up in rear - the ultimate first three were in the last three positions on the final turn - and several others failed to give their running.
But that should not be allowed to detract too much from another fine display by the remarkable SERGEANT CECIL, improving on last year's second place. Despite his shortish odds, he had no easy task with the 5lb Group 1 winner's penalty and ran at least as well as ever, waited with in rear before making ground in the straight, ridden to lead inside the final furlong and keeping on characteristically strongly for a game win. If anything, this top-class stayer looks to be getting better with age and though the race was run to suit him, the chances are that the Gold Cup will be, too, and he appears the main dangerto Yeats at Royal Ascot next month.
Geordieland will take on the winner again there and though he will be 5lb worse off, he is likely to have his challenge delayed longer. He travelled well for a long way and made ground smoothly in the straight, moving into the lead two furlongs out, only to seem to falter in front. He is less than straightforward for whatever reason - he broke a blood vessel in the Melbourne Cup - and has yet to win in Britain, but is equally clearly a talented stayer.
Bulwark was another suited by the way the race was run, coming through from the rear in the straight to finish an excellent third and though he would have a stiff task turning the form around with the first two, he looks up to scoring in Listed or minor Pattern company.
Percussionist had run moderately on his only appearance on the Flat since last year's win in this race but showed he retains plenty of ability with a fine effort, leading briefly around three furlongs out and doing best of those who raced anywhere near prominently early as he held on for a clear fourth place. This was probably a better effort than the bare form suggests, particularly as the ground was not as soft as suits him, and he remains one to keep in mind when the mud is flying.
The remainder were fairly comfortably held at the line, with Allegretto just a respectable fifth on this reappearance - though she progressed with racing in 2006 and it could be a similar story this term. Munsef ran as though not staying the trip and will probably benefit from reverting to 1m4f, while the reappearing Oaks second Rising Cross was another who appeared not to benefit from racing closer to the pace than the first three home.
Orcadian made the running and paid the price,as did Kasthari, who chased him for a long way. Last year's St Leger runner-up The Last Drop weakened quickly before three furlongs out and was virtually pulled up. [DC]