Amazing debut sees horse win ‘doing handstands’ as odds instantly smashed for 2000 Guineas after monstrous win
COSMIC YEAR delivered one of the most devastating debuts in recent memory after running away with this Sandown contest.
Put in the 5-2 second favourite for a 7f contest after missing his intended first run last month, Oisin Murphy never had to seriously get to work to run out an easy six-and-a-half length winner.
The win was visually jaw-dropping.
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But it gets even better when you see that the beaten fav, 8-13 Rock d’Oro, had strong form having finished runner-up to subsequent Group 2 scorer Bay City Roller.
That horse was bought for mega money before his Doncaster win and is now rated 111.
Cosmic Year, who is by Kingman and out of Group 1-winning mare Passage Of Time, will have that mark – and much more – set in his sights.
The 33-1 Paddy Power offered for next year’s 2000 Guineas was immediately snapped up, while Coral went a more defensive 20-1.
You could still get 33-1 for the Derby, although Murphy said a mile is likely to be the target going forward.
Rock d’Oro’s trainer Ralph Beckett was one of those awestruck by Cosmic Year’s electrifying debut in a race won in 2019 by Palace Pier.
He said: “He’s pretty good, that winner. Rock d’Oro is a good yardstick. I’d say the winner is pretty smart.”
Was this debut win really all that?
By Sam Morgan
It doesn’t seem long ago that everyone was falling over themselves when £2million purchase Ruling Court made a jaw-dropping debut at Sandown over 7f.
Fast forward two months and it’s the turn of Cosmic Year.
The problem with debuts – and especially those that produce wide-margin winners – is that’s too easy to fall into the trap of a visually striking winner.
Cosmic Year was just that, absolutely hacking up by almost seven lengths under a practically motionless Oisin Murphy.
The difference between his victory and Ruling Court’s is that we have a better grasp on what he actually beat.
And this, really, is what reading form is – not merely checking to see where a horse finished in a race.
For all Ruling Court was great – and he finished third in the Group 3 Acomb on his next run – he wasn’t beating a whole lot in his win.
Sure, Best Adventure was sent off 11-2 second fav and he raced against Group 1 third Seagulls Eleven on debut.
But he was thrashed eight lengths.
Rock d’Oro, the runner-up to Cosmic Year on the other hand, only went down three-quarters-of-a-length to subsequent Group 2 scorer Bay City Roller.
Immediately it looks a stronger race, although it’s worth remembering favourite Chancellor was withdrawn from that race after breaking through the stalls.
The picture is never crystal clear in racing but the immediate 33s Paddy Power went for the 2000 Guineas after this was worth a bet.
Especially as Murphy said a mile looks Cosmic Year’s optimum trip going forward.
Was this win really all that? We won’t know until May… but the chances are it just might have been.
Punters were loving it, too, with one saying: “That was something very special from Cosmic Year.”
While another posted: “That was some debut by the Kingman colt, he’s got a proper pedigree and he’s won that doing handstands.”
Trainer Harry Charlton was delighted with what he saw on the track but, crucially, even happier with what happened before the race.
Speaking to Racing TV afterwards, he said: “It looked like they hacked round – he finished fast which he should do off a slow place.
“He picked up well but more importantly he behaved beautifully.
“We’ll go home and see what Barry [Mahon, Juddmonte’s racing manager] wants to do.
“It’s up to Juddmonte what they want to do next and see if they can juggle what is now 28 two-year-old winners.
“They’re probably struggling to fit them in all stakes races for rest of year! The quality is still strong, very strong.”
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