Index of Stakes races, September 2007

Race report

Race video

BETFRED SPRINT CUP-G1

£300,000, Haydock Park, 9-8, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:13.11, gd/fm.

1--RED CLUBS (IRE), 129, c, 4
Red Ransom (USA)--Two Clubs (GB), by First Trump (GB).
O-Ronald J Arculli; B-John Fike; T-Barry Hills; J-M Hills; £179,027.
Lifetime Record: 24-6-4-2, £526,086.

2--Marchand d’Or (Fr), 129, g, 4
Marchand De Sable (USA)--Fedora (Fr), by Kendor (Fr).
O/B-Mme Carla Giral; T-Freddy Head; J-D Bonilla; £67,853.

3--Balthazaar’s Gift (Ire), 129, c, 4
Xaar (GB)--Thats Your Opinion (GB), by Last Tycoon (Ire).
O-Nicola Mahoney & De La Warr Racing; B-Pat Beirne; T-Luca Cumani; J-J Fortune; £33,958.

Margins: 3/4, 1/2, 1 1/4, NK, 1, NK, 2 1/2, 2 1/2, NK, 2 1/2, 1 1/2, NK, 1/2.
Odds: 9-1, 13-2, 11-1.
Also Ran: 4th (£16,932): Mutawaajid (Aus); 5th (£8,482): Sakhee’s Secret (GB); 6th (£4,257): Asset (Ire); 7th: Wi Dud (GB); 8th: Scarlet Runner (GB); 9th: Somnus (GB); 10th: Advanced (GB); 11th: Sierra Vista (GB); 12th: Amadeus Wolf (GB); 13th: Per Incanto (USA); 14th: Hellvelyn (GB).
Non-runners: Al Qasi (Ire), Fayr Jag (Ire).
14 ran.

Pedigree of RED CLUBS (IRE), 2003

As a three-year-old, Red Clubs enjoyed success in Group Two company, winning the John Guest Diadem Stakes at Ascot. He also took the Group Three Lane’s End Greenham Stakes over seven furlongs on his seasonal reappearance that year.

For his seasonal debut this year, he contested the Group Two Duke Of York Hearthstead Homes Stakes over six furlongs at York in the middle of May. The four-year-old led entering the final furlong, before being caught close home by Amadeus Wolf. Giving the winner 4lb, Red Clubs lost little in defeat.

Red Clubs finished lame on his next start in the five-furlong Group Two Betfair Temple Stakes at Sandown at the end of May.

He returned to form on good to soft ground at Royal Ascot the following month, finishing fourth, beaten just over a length behind Soldier’s Tale in the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Another excellent effort followed in the Group One Darley July Cup at Newmarket. Running on a far faster surface than he encountered at Ascot, Red Clubs made headway to lead briefly in the final furlong, before Sakhee’s Secret and Dutch Art swept past him in the shadow of the post.

After two performances over six furlongs, he returned to the minimum trip in the Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 23. Poorly drawn, the Red Ransom colt put in his best work in the closing stages to finish a creditable fourth behind Kingsgate Native, the first two-year-old to win the race for 15 years.

He finally gained the Group One success he so richly deserved in the six-furlong Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on September 8. Despite fears over the ground, he swooped in the final furlong, running on well to beat Marchand d’Or by three quarters of a length.

On his final start of the year in Europe, Red Clubs ran over seven furlongs in the Group One Prix de la Foret Casino Barriere de Biarritz at Longchamp on October 6. Unsuited by the soft going, he was never in contention, finishing down the field.

Red Clubs could make a final appearance in the Cathay Pacific Group One Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on December 9, before being retired to stand at Tally-Ho Stud in County Westmeath, Ireland, for the 2008 breeding season.