Opera Ballo second best as Zeus strikes in G2 Joel Stakes

Opera Ballo showed signs of immaturity on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile for a second time as he went down by two and a quarter lengths to impressive winner Zeus Olympios in the G2 Joel Stakes on Friday, 26 September.

The Ghaiyyath colt’s only previous defeat had come over the same course and distance in April’s G3 Craven Stakes, when he faded to sixth after pulling hard, and he once again over-raced after breaking smartly.

Having disputed third behind Flight Plan and Detain, Opera Ballo travelled ominously under William Buick to press for the lead on the bridle over two furlongs out. The Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old briefly took up the running over a furlong from home, although he was soon headed by Zeus Olympios.

Night Of Thunder colt Zeus Olympios, who had also raced freely, lengthened away from the field for a convincing victory, with Opera Ballo keeping on to finish a neck in front of third home Detain.  

Charlie Appleby said: “First and foremost, I think Zeus Olympios is a good horse. The winner was keen in behind and, when William made his move, I thought he would have a job to pick us up, but he did. Fair play to him.

“From our perspective, I would like to take Opera Ballo to Dubai and get him on a turning track, so we can teach him to do things the right way. We have seen what he can do when he gets cover, although we know we are not always going to get it. Today was not as bad as the Craven, but he still did too much.

“I do believe he has G1 talent. I am not going to shirk away from saying that because I have seen what he does in the mornings. It is not like he is completely fluffing his lines in the afternoon. There is just some immaturity that needs to be nurtured and I am confident that, in the spring, we will have a different horse.”