Index to Stakes races, October 2007

Race report

Race video

PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE LUCIEN BARRIERE-G1

€2,000,000, Longchamp, 10-7, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:28.50, gd/sf.

1--DYLAN THOMAS (IRE), 131, c, 4
Danehill (USA)--Lagrion (USA), by Diesis (GB).
O-Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Tower Bloodstock; T-Aidan O’Brien; J-K Fallon; €1,142,800.
Lifetime Record: 18 starts, 10 wins, 8 places, €4,856,582.

2--Youmzain (Ire), 131, c, 4
Sinndar (Ire)--Sadima (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells (USA).
O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Frank Dunne; T-Mick Channon; J-R Hughes; €457,200.

3--Sagara (USA), 123, c, 3
Sadler’s Wells (USA)--Rangoon Ruby (USA), by Kingmambo (USA).
O-Niarchos Family; B-Flaxman Holdings Ltd; T-Jonathan Pease; J-T Gillet; €228,600.

Margins: HD, 1 1/2, SHD, 1/2, 4, 3/4, 2 1/2, 1 1/2, SNK, 15.
Also Ran: 4th (E114,200): Getaway (Ger); 5th (E57,200): Soldier of Fortune (Ire); 6th: Saddex (GB); 7th: Mandesha (Fr); 8th: Zambezi Sun (GB); 9th: Dragon Dancer (GB);
10th: Authorized (Ire); 11th: Yellowstone (Ire); 12th: Song of Hiawatha (GB).
12 ran.

DYLAN THOMAS (IRE), 2003

Other Stakes wins

Alleged Stakes L

Prix Ganay G1

King george VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes G1

Irish Champion Stakes G1

The son of Danehill triumphed in the Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh as a three-year-old and defeated Ouija Board in the Baileys Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Having won at Listed level in the Ascon Rohcon Alleged Stakes at the Curragh on his reappearance in April, Dylan Thomas then raced exclusively in Group One company. He travelled to France to contest the Prix Ganay at Longchamp two weeks later when he was the convincing two-length victor in race record time.

Dylan Thomas returned to the Curragh at the end of May to contest the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Doing his best work late on, he narrowly went down by a head to the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Notnowcato.

At Royal Ascot in June, Dylan Thomas lined up in the Group One Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. This time he finished four lengths in front of Notnowcato, with only French raider Manduro proving a length and a quarter too strong. He started a warm favourite for the Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July. Running over a mile and a half for the first time since the Irish Derby, he put his rivals to the sword, coming home the impressive four-length victor.

Returning to 10 furlongs four weeks later, his next engagement was the Juddmonte International at York, a race in which he had finished fourth the previous year. Held up towards the rear of the field, Johnny Murtagh produced his mount with a powerful run in the final two furlongs, only to find Epsom Derby winner Authorized a length too strong, with Notnowcato three lengths back in third.

Dylan Thomas aimed for back-to-back victories in the Group One Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in early September. Well-suited by the fast ground, he was the comprehensive one and a half length winner under Kieren Fallon, with Duke Of Marmalade and Red Rock Canyon giving trainer Aidan O’Brien an historic one-two-three in the 10-furlong race.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere at Longchamp in October provided Dylan Thomas with the biggest success of his career. Settled towards the rear by Fallon, the four-year-old made smooth progress to take up the running with a furlong remaining.

He drifted right and appeared to briefly inconvenience stable companion Soldier Of Fortune and the Pascal Bary-trained Zambezi Sun. Having beaten Youmzain by a head, connections were forced to wait half an hour for the result of a stewards’ enquiry, before finally being declared the winner of Europe’s premier middle distance race.

Dylan Thomas contested the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf at Monmouth Park at the end of October. Unsuited by the soft ground after 36 hours of rain, he finished fifth behind the Todd Pletcher-trained English Channel.

He will stand for a fee of 50,000 euros at Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2008, having won six Group One races and earned more than £3.3million in prize money during his glittering career.