Joao Moreira had no joy in the G1 City Of York Stakes as Japan’s star sprinter Satono Reve ran below his best over seven furlongs of the Knavesmire course, but the city of York itself has won his heart.
The Brazilian ace arrived in Yorkshire for the first time two days before his assignment riding the Noriyuki Hori-trained seven-year-old, and the old world charm of the city with its Medieval walls, cobbled streets, 13th-century gothic Minster, and fine racecourse left him wowed.
Sadly for him, Satono Reve was not so enthusiastic about his York experience and finished ninth of 14, well behind the victorious Notable Speech, Godolphin’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile hero who posted a dominant performance under William Buick.
“He ran under his best, that wasn’t the best, for sure,” Moreira told Idol Horse after briefing Hori. “He didn’t have the smoothest run and he caught a check at about the 1300, maybe the 1200 metres. Positioned where he was, he should still have put in a good finish because he was looked after the first half of the race, however, the last furlong and a half he was very empty.”
A couple of days of late summer rain had affected the track, and even though the day was dry, after the afternoon’s first contest, jockey Tom Marquand described the ground to Idol Horse as “testing” and “tacky”. The horses in that opening race were certainly cutting the top off in divots. But the sun had been drying the surface for another hour or so by the time of the City Of York Stakes, and Moreira did not feel the good to soft going was Satono Reve’s undoing.
“I wouldn’t blame the ground,” he said.
All had seemed well enough for Satono Reve earlier when he was led around the pre-parade ring, the warm sun on his bare back, only the odd head toss, but nothing untoward at that stage. Still no issues when he was taken inside a saddling box, door closed, and saddled up at 2:37pm, 23 minutes before the off-time.
There was a hint of nervous energy, perhaps, in the parade ring proper – ringed by knowledgeable and enthusiastic fans on three sides – as he kept twitching his head, jerking his handler’s arm a little. That all changed, though, when Moreira was legged up and took him to the starting gate. The canter down to the seven-furlong start takes the runners along a relatively narrow chute right in front of the packed grandstands. That’s when the signs became apparent.
“He wasn’t himself,” Moreira said, and things only worsened when they reached the start. “He was playing around, jig-jogging, sweating a little bit. He was a bit anxious and burned out a bit of his energy before the race by not wanting to go into the gate.”
Hori watched every movement his horse made. The trainer positioned himself on the steppings in front of the press room, just beyond the winning post, his binoculars fixed to his eyes from the moment Satono Reve reached the start until Moreira pulled him up among the beaten horses.
He watched as Satono Reve backed away from the gate; as the stall handlers got behind and shoved him. He saw Satono Reve respond in agitation, kicking out more than once, bucking backwards. And then, he watched the handlers apply the blindfold; more pushing until the bay relented and entered the gate.
“He was cranky about getting into the gate,” Moreira said. “I don’t think anywhere else has ever pushed him to the gate, so when they tried that he just started kicking out at them. But we have to move on.”
Moreira’s arms were already beginning to drive approaching half-way, a signal that Satono Reve was in trouble, just as Notable Speech ahead of him was flicking up through the gears. A trip to Keeneland to defend his Breeders’ Cup title looks to be on the cards for the winner.
“What’s lovely about coming here today is he’s shown his versatility there a little bit on slightly slower ground than we would normally encounter in a Breeders’ Cup,” winning trainer Charlie Appleby said. “And you can have that question mark going to Keeneland, whether it’s going to be quick or whether it’s going to be more autumnal ground there, so hopefully that’s given us the confidence that we can head straight to the Breeders’ Cup with him now.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Magic Man’ from Curitiba hopes that he can return to York some day. His eyes lit up as he spoke about walking along The Shambles, York’s most famous street, with its timber-framed 700-year-old shops.
“I love the place, it’s unique. I’ve never seen anything like that, it’s impressive. I love it. I’d come back here if I get the chance, I’ve not seen anywhere like this in my whole life,” he added and went on to speak in awe about the Minster.
As for Satono Reve, the two-time G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner who has chased home the great Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong, and placed a close second at Royal Ascot, an overseas win has eluded him again.
“It’s a shame but it is what it is and we move on,” Moreira added. “ He certainly wasn’t able to show his best today.” ∎
