BC Internationals: Turf Sprint contender Cotai Glory

Second in the October 15 Nearctic (G2) when the ground had turned against him at Woodbine, Cotai Glory wants a do-over for his swan song. The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar is the next logical venue, even though he’s got to engineer a substantial form turnaround against Lady Aurelia and Marsha.

As recounted in his profile for the Nearctic, the Charlie Hills trainee was a leading sprint juvenile who’s been hit-or-miss in subsequent years, but Group 1-caliber in the right constellation of circumstances.

It’s something of an accident of history that Cotai Glory doesn’t have a Group 2 win on his resume. At two in 2014, he was well clear in the Flying Childers (G2), only to take a lurch and unbalance George Baker right out of the saddle approaching the wire.

 

Hence he’s still just a multiple Group 3 victor, by way of his Molecomb (G3) (in juvenile course-record time) at Glorious Goodwood and Newbury’s World Trophy (G3) in 2016.

In another “nearly” case, Cotai Glory just missed in the 2016 King’s Stand (G1) at Royal Ascot. Although he couldn’t get past Profitable, he exceeded expectations on a soft course that typically wouldn’t suit him.

Relive newly retired PROFITABLE's finest career moment - victory in the 2016 King's Stand Stakes at #RoyalAscot... pic.twitter.com/cNFZSehIe5

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 10, 2017

Returning to Ascot for the King’s Stand this June, Cotai Glory was a well-beaten seventh behind Lady Aurelia and Marsha. He didn’t threaten either in the August 25 Nunthorpe (G1), when Marsha got up in time to nip Lady Aurelia, but did rally for a much better third. Cotai Glory was beaten 3 3/4 lengths, a similar deficit as when he was unplaced to Marsha in last fall’s Prix de l’Abbaye (G1) as well as this May’s Palace House (G3) at Newmarket.