Equinties - stocking up the profile

Gm Equinauts

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

A GOOD DEWHURST

Chepstow, the unofficial start of the jumps season, may be this weekend, but we still have some solid Flat action to be excited by.

The headline race is the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes back at HQ and the contest got a nice boost yesterday as Godolphin supplemented their impressive Group 1 Middle Park winner SHADOW OF LIGHT.

This is somewhat of a surprise as the boys in blue already have ANCIENT TRUTH, the unbeaten Group 2 Superlative Stakes victor, in the race, but they clearly think a lot of SHADOW OF LIGHT.

And why wouldn’t they? He smashed up WHISTLEJACKET by four lengths in the Middle Park, and WHISTLEJACKET’s form got a boost on the weekend as RASHABAR, the runner-up to him in the Prix Morny, nearly won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Stakes.

Furthermore, the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, a race he finished second in, looks like a hot piece of form this year with CAMILLE PISARRO and SYMBOL OF STRENGTH franking the form at Group 1 and Group 3 level respectively.

So, his inclusion in the race means we’ll get to see SHADOW OF LIGHT against THE LION IN WINTER, a clash that we probably didn’t know was going to be so exciting at the start of the season.

Who is your idea of the winner at this stage?

STOCKING UP THE PROFILE

Could BLUESTOCKING stick around and run as a five-year-old?

Well, it’s a fair question to ask. Just this year, EMILY UPJOHN and INSPIRAL continued to race at five and they were both below form all season.

It takes a good mare to uphold her form from four to five and even five to six – for example, ENABLE, as we all know won the King George at the ripe age of 6:

So, naturally, connections are mulling over whether to keep her in training next year and why not? She’s really blossomed and has been better than ever this year!

Whatever they decide, she is done for the season as they will not go to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to Juddmonte, said: "There are plenty of useful five-year-old mares around and Enable held her form into the middle of her six-year-old career. I would say it would be a hard decision to make to retire her when she's on such an upward curve."

Of course, it will all depend on what she does over the winter and how she comes back after that, but Mahon is right when he says “it would be a hard decision to make to retire her when she’s on such an upward curve” as five of her top six RPRs were achieved this year.

Keep her in training lads – she is a top-class mare!

LIVE STREAM

It’s been two months since we last saw MILL STREAM who picked up his first Group 1 this year in the July Cup.

He’s been a busy boy this campaign as he won the Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes four starts ago before chasing home KHAADEM and SWINGALONG in the QEII Jubilee Stakes and then having two subsequent starts.

His last start was his worst of the year when finishing fifth in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, but he could have been feeling the effects of the season.

Therefore, he must be of interest for the British Champions Sprint later this month, a race that will be his first start for 76 days.

He has a fine record at Ascot – one placed effort at Royal Ascot and a poor effort in this race last year – but he’ll be coming into this year’s renewal a lot fresher.

The reason we bring up MILL STREAM is he worked on the Rowley Mile yesterday in prep for Ascot, which is less than two weeks away.

For what it’s worth, he pulled away from owner and stablemate EL BODON, who runs in this weekend’s Coral Sprint Trophy at York, to cross the line a few lengths ahead.

MILL STREAM was poor on his seasonal reappearance last year but nearly won the Group 3 Abernant Stakes this year – will he be back to his best with a mid-season break under his belt?

HUNTINGDON BUMPER

Our first winter bumper preview saw us land the gamble with KAYLAN for Fergal O’Brien:

Today we look at Huntingdon’s ‘junior’ bumper for 3yo’s and as usual, we’ll highlight the best pedigree’s.

Heading the market is Boughey’s CADARN who was an unsuccessful pinhook by Megan Nicholls (in and out for a 30k loss), still, at 70k it makes him the most expensive horse in this line up. He’s well-related dam side with a couple of siblings rated in the 100’s, however he has 5 others in the low 70’s and below.

Balding is repped by CRYSTABEL, by CRYSTAL OCEAN who is a sire Balding has had success with this year in WID WAVES. Out of a NATHANIEL mare (an average dam side), her pedigree screams slow plodding stayer and if this race isn’t run too quickly, she’s guaranteed to stay the trip.

Trainer John Ryan is in good form with two recent winners. He’s repped by LAURA LOU who is by SEA THE MOON, a sire who like CRYSTAL OCEAN, is by SEA THE STARS and gets the occasional bumper winners, notably SAMYR for Joe O’Brien. You have to go back to the second dam to find any stamina, but it’s good stamina… dam is a half to COUNTRYWIDE FLAME who was Grade 1 winning hurdler (pots inc. the Fighting Fi

Rae Guest can train bumper winners (he’s a very underrated trainer in general). Guest is 4 from 13 in bumpers in recent years and his yard is in decent form atm. His filly is by FRANKEL’s brother NOBLE MISSION who gets winners over trips, think SPANISH MISSION. Dam side has some signs of stamina. Nice enough pedigree.

FRAN THE MAN is interesting for lesser known trainer Martin Dunne. Lovely pedigree but was a cheap sales purchase at £3k.

PLAYAWAY GIRL has probably the best NH pedigree in this race and should make a nice mare in time. She’s out of a half to ACES FOUR who won the Mildmay Chase back in 2007 over 3miles at Aintree. A stamina laden pedigree will be her strength here. Sean Bowen doing the steering.

The others will struggle.

Verdict: 3yo bumpers are generally a bit of a lottery and unless you get wind of a good one, it’s purely down to blood judgement and a lot of luck! The Bowen brothers have picked up rides on decent enough pedigree’s for a race like this in LAURA LOU 7/1 and PLAYAWAY GIRL 10/1 - those to girls are the pedigree picks.

BUMPER RESULTS

03/10/24 KAYLAN 11/8 SP

RISK ON

No luck with the bets yesterday and we wish we could say today will be better but it’s very tough, even at Leicester where the going is heavy - it’s a rubbish card with perhaps only one stand out pedigree for the mud:

14.53 LUISA

There is a bit of a gamble on KATHEEN MARY in this race but we’re going to take that on and go with a filly who should love these conditions. First time out so play with caution but it’s a weak enough race to have a punt on a 9/2 most books, 5’s on Will Hills. EW.

SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS OUR WEEKEND EDITION BELOW.

Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.