Elm Park Cruises to Easy Racing Post Tally
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Qatar Racing and Kingsclere Racing's progressive Elm Park stepped up to the group I level with style Oct. 25 at Doncaster, scoring an authoritative win in the Racing Post Trophy for 2-year-olds.
After taking charge soon after the start with Andrea Atzeni, the son of Phoenix Reach surged clear of rivals in the final 150 yards and scored by 2 3/4 lengths from Aloft. Haydock stakes winner Celestial Path saw his perfect record end with a third-place finish.
In covering the one-mile test in 1:43.82 as the 13-8 favorite on soft turf, Elm Park stamped himself as a colt to keep an eye on for next year's Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I). The triumph marked a first European group I win for Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing and was the colt's fourth win from five career starts.
Trained by Andrew Balding, Elm Park broke his maiden Aug. 15 in his second start, going seven furlongs at Newbury and winning by three lengths. Returning two weeks later at Salisbury, he earned his first stakes win with a front-running effort in the listed Stonehenge Stakes before capturing the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Eng-II) Sept. 27 at Newmarket, both at a mile.
"He is a beautiful mover and traveled beautifully into the race," Atzeni told Racing Post. "He's got a great attitude and can only get better with age."
Aloft, a recent maiden winner at Newmarket for trainer Aidan O'Brien, settled at the back of the eight-horse field and briefly looked to challenge as he got up for second from Celestial Path in the final 50 yards.
Elm Park is the first group winner for sire Phoenix Reach. Bred by Kingsclere Stud, he is out of the winning Dashing Blade mare Lady Brora.