Dar Re Mi retired
She had been as short as 16-1 for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Blue Square, has been retired from racing, connections announced yesterday.
The John Gosden-trained mare, who was also 6-1 second favourite with Bet365 and Ladbrokes for the Filly And Mare Turf at the Breeders' Cup and a top-priced 7-1 joint second favourite for the Turf with Paddy Power.
Gosden said that minor problems had prevented him from giving Dar Re Mi the preparation that he would have liked for an autumn campaign and that he did not want to run her again under such circumstances.
The Sheema Classic heroine won six of her 17 starts and ended her career with prize-money earnings of £2,847,029.
* Cavalryman was a disappointment in Germany yesterday as last year’s Arc third could only occupy the same position behind Night Magic in the Group One Grosser Mercedes-Benz Preis Von Baden.
Settled in third in the early stages as Northern Glory cut out the running, Frankie Dettori’s mount was forced wide on the turn for home but still held every chance in the straight.
However, the field had no answer when Night Magic came flashing down the stands side.
Quijano stayed on for second, with Cavalryman just edging Northern Glory for third. Michael Bell’s Allied Powers was hampered in the straight as he attempted to challenge from the rear and finished fifth.
Ladbrokes pushed Cavalryman out to 33-1 for this year’s Arc.
* Michael Jarvis’ Pressing won the International Topkapi Trophy at Veliefendi in Turkey yesterday for a third successive year.
In a re-run from last year, Andrew Balding’s Dream Eater emerged from the pack to chase him home, but just like 12 months ago Pressing held sway.
Neil Callan had the seven-year-old sat just off the very steady early pace and it proved to be the correct decision as Jimmy Fortune had plenty of ground to make up on Dream Eater.
Pressing shot clear a furlong out but drifted from the centre of the track to the far rail and was tying up in the closing stages, the line coming just in time.
* Hitchens looks bound for the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup thanks to a gutsy victory in the Press Family Raceday Stakes at York yesterday.
The five-year-old, trained by David Barron, was cut from 20-1 to 16s with the sponsors and to 14-1 with totesport for the big sprint handicap after his battling success.
However, Barron believes the 5lb penalty he incurred, bringing his weight to 9st 2lb, will severely hinder his chances of landing the big Scottish feature on September 18.
“He’s a bit unlucky as he’s got a penalty which means he’ll definitely get in at Ayr but it will probably get him beaten,” said Barron.
