With British Champions Day recently taking place at Ascot, the 2023 British flat racing season has been concluded.
It was a strange year, with adverse weather conditions meaning many of the big meetings took place on soft ground — which is far from ideal for flat racing.
It still kept us entertained throughout the summer months, however. So, as attention now turns to the jump racing season, let’s look back at this year’s five British Classic winners.
2000 Guineas – Chaldean
While Frankie Dettori has reversed his retirement plans to take up a full-time position in the United States, there‘s still a chance this was the last time we’d see the legendary jockey compete in the 2000 Guineas.
And, what better way to mark your potential final appearance in the first Classic of the British season than by winning it?
Dettori did just that in the saddle of Chaldean. Well-backed at 7/2 by those who placed online bets, the Juddmonte horse took the lead in the final furlong, and he held on to win by almost two lengths from 125/1 shot Hi Royal.
1000 Guineas – Mawj
While Oisin Murphy fell just short of making the perfect start on his long-awaited return, following his ban from the sport in the saddle of Hi Royal, his redemption story came just 24 hours later when he won the 1000 Guineas on Mawj.
Tahiyra was the heavily-fancied favourite at 6/4, but 9/1 chance Mawj led from two furlongs out and kept on well in the closing stages to hold off the challenge of Dermot Weld’s filly by half a length.
Those two were well clear of the rest of the field, with 33/1 outsider Matilda Picotte coming home in third some eight lengths behind the winner.
Oaks – Soul Sister
Dettori landed his second Classic of the year in the Oaks at Epsom in June, winning the Fillies’ contest aboard Soul Sister for John and Thady Gosden.
Savethelastdance was the odds-on favourite for the one-mile, four-furlong race at 5/6. However, the Aidan O’Brien three-year-old was no match for the winner as Soul Sister finished almost two lengths clear of the market leader.
Caernarfon (40/1) was just a head behind Savethelastdance in third.
Derby – Auguste Rodin
Given that Dettori won the Oaks just 24 hours earlier, it was no surprise that Arrest was hammered into the 4/1 favourite (or 5.0 if you need an odds calculator to change to decimal) for the prestigious Epsom Derby on June 3.
However, the Juddmonte horse was sweating badly before the off and weakened two furlongs out to ultimately fare no better than 10th.
Instead, it was O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin who landed the spoils. He bounced back from his disappointing display in the 2000 Guineas to win the biggest race of the year by half-a-length from King Of Steel.
St Leger – Continuous
Dettori had another chance to win one of this year’s Classics aboard Arrest when it came to the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
And, with softer conditions appearing to be in his favour, he was well backed into favourite for the fifth and final Classic of the year.
Arrest could fare no better than second, however, with O’Brien’s Continuous keeping on well inside the final furlong to win by a comfortable margin of almost three lengths.
