Equinties - Baffert is back

Gm Equinauts 

I said it yesterday, but now I’m really sure you’ll be able to register your interest for BGP Capital today.

We had to test some bits on the site and a load of other boring bits like making sure we have a privacy policy, but we’re nearly there and now it’s just a case of working out how many of you want to be a part of it.

Registering your interest means I understand exactly how many are in and what funds we have to work with so I can produce cashflow forecasts - we don’t want to buy a load of potential superstars and run out of money for the training fees.

Honestly, the more of you buying in, the more chance I have of making this a success for us. Why? Well, you gotta have money to make money.

I truly believe in the team I have behind me to do this. Jean-Claude Rouget, John Warren (the Queen's racing advisor), James Fanshawe and David Hayes (king of Aussie racing) are just a small sample of racing powerhouses that have mentored the boys behind BGP Capital over the last 15 years. You’re going to be putting your money with people who absolutely know what they’re doing. You’ve seen some of the horses we’ve put on the track.

When considering whether you want in, ask yourself what it is you want, because I can tell you what we’re not.

We’re not a tipping service. We’re not a get rich quick scheme. We’re not a cheat code (although sometimes I feel like I am).

We’re a powerful business, led by a team who are hungry for both profits and winners.

Rather than paying for a ‘service’, only think of it as an investment. And not just for the £ returns either… the returns will be in the learning, the relationship building and the betting.

I see this as a potential turning point for those who need it.

Now, let’s dive in.

Headline Roundup

Reunited after all  

After a six-year separation, prominent Irish owner Gigginstown House Stud is set to have a ‘small team of horses’ with Willie Mullins for the upcoming national hunt season. 

This small ground heading over to Mullins will be led by the Clonmel bumper winner SHANBALLY KID, a £190,000 purchase by Mullins and Harold Kirk at the Tattersalls horses-in-training sale at Cheltenham in April – the five-year-old is a PRESENTING out of a KALANISI mare and will be followed by “two stores from the Derby and Land Rover sales”. 

Clonmel win: 

In September 2016, the entire Michael O’Leary string stabled at Closutton was taken away from the yard following a row over training fees – the last Grade 1 winner the partnership had together was APPLE’S JADE in the Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Punchestown. 

Victory: 

One of the most interesting points about this announcement is not to do with Willie, it’s to do with the apparent ‘scaling back’ of Gigginstown’s operations, something that Michael’s brother Eddie announced in 2019.  

In a 2019 article on the Racing Post, Richard Forristal wrote that Michael O’Leary’s operation, something that had an estimated value to the industry of around €15 million per annum at the time, would not be restocking at the store sales – this recent news would suggest that their intentions have shifted over the last few years, though the Irish businessman has come out and said: "We bought a few bumper horses and got a couple at the store sales so it will be a small and select approach going forward." 

More: 

Super SuperOUT 

October’s Cesarewitch Handicap was dealt a blow yesterday as one of its leading fancies, Milton Harris’ SUPER SUPERJACK, was ruled out by the trainer on Twitter. 

The five-year-old gelding by HARBOUR WATCH was as short as 9/1 for the £200,000 Newmarket contest in 25 days – David Pipe’s ADAGIO, a horse who hasn’t run on the flat for 782 days, and Nicky Henderson’s AHORSEWITHNONAME currently top the market at 8/1 the pair.  

Runner-up at Glorious Goodwood behind BGP Grad, MASTER MILLINER: 

Full list of entries: 

Baffert cleans up 

US trainer Bob Baffert was in the news yesterday (this time for a good reason) as he secured his 16th victory in the Gr1 Del Mar Futurity Stakes yesterday with the twice-raced CAVE ROCK.  

By ARROGATE, a four-time Gr1 winner between 1m1f-1m2f, out of a BELLAMY ROAD mare, the two-year-old justified his 2/5 odds in the seven-furlong contest to win by five winding lengths under Juan Hernandez.  

CAVE ROCK stopped the clock at 1m 20.99s, breaking DECLAN’S MOON’s Stakes race record of 1m 21.29s from 2004, though he was still .99s slower than the track record set by SOLAR LAUNCH in 1990.  

More: 

Risk on

14.25 SIR TIVO

Couldn’t believe this OG trackening horse was 3’s earlier. He’s by far the best horse in the race on blood and form over jumps. Archie’s fave is so so short and at 5/4 could also be a lay - yeh he’s a good flat horse but Kingmans over jumps? Nah. I’ve had a full bet on SIR TIVO at 3’s, 2’s still available.

16.30 TARHIB

Only the two runs this season, but last one was good and form to beat. Wind op should bring out some improvement too and could be well handicapped. Full bet at 6/4

19.30 DAYMAN

Finndog NAP.