A look at the two-year-old career of Mill Reef

By John Ingles

Horse Racing

Mon September 12, 2022 · 2y ago

This Saturday marks fifty years since the first running of the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Local hero honoured at Newbury

It’s usually some while after they’ve been retired before even the best horses get to have a race named after them – Frankel is still awaiting that honour, for example – but in Mill Reef’s case he was commemorated at Newbury, his local track, only a matter of weeks after his brilliant racing career was abruptly ended when he fractured his near foreleg during a canter on the Kingsclere gallops.

The inaugural Mill Reef Stakes was won by Mon Fils who might not have been in Mill Reef’s class but did succeed where that colt failed by winning the following season’s 2000 Guineas.

After being beaten by Brigadier Gerard, another of the greatest horses of the past fifty years or so, in the 2000 Guineas, Mill Reef won his four remaining starts at three – the Derby, Eclipse, King George and Arc – and both his starts at four, the Prix Ganay, which he won by ten lengths, and the Coronation Cup. Ian Balding was training him towards the Arc again when he sustained his injury. It was a serious and complex fracture but the operation on him, which was the first of its kind to be performed in Britain, was a success and Mill Reef recovered to take up stallion duties at the National Stud.

Given Mill Reef’s success in several of Europe’s top middle-distance races at three and four, it might seem odd that he should be remembered in a six-furlong contest for two-year-olds. However, he was a top-class youngster as well, as was Brigadier Gerard. But in what was an outstanding crop of two-year-olds in 1970, there was an even better colt than both of those at that age.

My Swallow was rated 134 (ahead of Mill Reef on 133 and Brigadier Gerard on 132) after winning all seven of his two-year-old starts and although he was trained in Britain, he became the first horse to win all four of France’s top juvenile contests, the Prix Robert Papin, Prix Morny, Prix de la Salamandre and Grand Criterium. Unlike his great contemporaries, however, My Swallow didn’t progress at three, finishing third in the 2000 Guineas (when he was seen as the main danger to favourite Mill Reef) and ending his career by finishing second in the July Cup.

It was My Swallow who inflicted Mill Reef’s only other defeat which came in the Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte, though there was only a short head in it. But that Mill Reef was beaten at all was a major shock given the way he had thrashed the opposition in both his races beforehand. He won his first race at Salisbury in May by four lengths and doubled that margin when following up against four rivals, at odds of 4-11, in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Outstanding York display as a juvenile

But after his defeat in France, Mill Reef got back to winning ways on heavy ground in the Gimcrack Stakes at York with a performance that ‘had to be seen to be believed’ according to his essay in Racehorses. ‘He was never off the bit, pulled his way to the front inside the last two furlongs and strode home ten lengths clear. It was by far the most impressive display by a two-year-old all season: an assessment of him based on a literal interpretation of it – Mill Reef gave the runner-up Green God a 33 lb beating – would have made him the best two-year-old we have seen!’

A more measured view was taken of the form based on the likelihood that Mill Reef was the only one who handled the ground, but it was still a top-class effort. He was less impressive when winning the Imperial Stakes at Kempton next time but ended his season with another easy win against just two rivals, the Irish-trained pair Wenceslas and Lombardo, in the Dewhurst Stakes.

Both Mill Reef and My Swallow were missing from the Middle Park Stakes but that was where Brigadier Gerard first revealed himself as a top-class two-year-old as well. He’d won his three races beforehand by an aggregate of eleven lengths but started only third favourite for the Middle Park. But he was an impressive three-length winner at Newmarket from the odds-on Mummy’s Pet who was also unbeaten beforehand.

Between them therefore, My Swallow, Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard were the winners of 15 of their combined 16 starts at two, Mill Reef’s narrow defeat to My Swallow at Maisons-Laffitte being the only loss. That set up a fascinating contest between the trio in the 2000 Guineas the following spring when Brigadier Gerard came out on top against his better fancied rivals.

Current crop still taking shape

As for the current season, one two-year-old stands head and shoulders above the rest so far but there are several with the potential at least to close the ratings gap on Little Big Bear in the remaining weeks of the turf season.

An impressive seven-length winner of the Phoenix Stakes last month when completing a four-timer, Little Big Bear missed his intended run in Sunday's National Stakes at the Curragh after returning a little sore from his latest success, with victory ultimately going the way of Al Riffa, trained by Joseph O'Brien..

Godolphin weren't represented in this year’s National Stakes but those in the royal blue likely to be contesting big two-year-old races this autumn include Noble Style, who completed an unbeaten hat-trick in the Gimcrack Stakes, and Naval Power who has won all four of his races including Listed contests at Ascot and Haydock.

Yet another promising Godolphin colt, Mischief Magic, completed a hat-trick in the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton last weekend and, along with the Gimcrack runner-up Marshman, figures prominently among those who could bid to become the latest winner of the Mill Reef Stakes.

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