Equinties - big goals

Gm Equinauts

After a slow start to the week with bad racing proceeding York, it was good to get a 10/1 winner on the scoreboard yesterday.

With the weekend fast approaching and the extra cash (plus payday) burning a hole in your pocket, why not try frontrunning a problem you absolutely know you’re going to have - a hangover.

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Lets dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

KENT SCORES AT GOFFS

The Doncaster Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale has been in full force over the last few days and, as the trend has been the last few seasons, the market is still HOT HOT HOT.

The money flow isn’t just from the usual protagonists though, the market has attracted some good attention from further afield, none more so than professional footballer Ryan Kent who spent £145,000 on a MEHMAS colt.

The Fenerbache winger came to the sale in order to find a “Royal Ascot horse” and is already involved in other areas of breeding and racing ownership. With the help of bloodstock agent Daniel Creighton, the pair secured a half-brother to MEHMAR, the 2022 Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes third.

When speaking about the purchase, Creighton said: “He already has a Sea The Stars filly with John and Thady Gosden, and he has some in training with Ralph Beckett and Karl Burke as well. He has a couple of mares with us too and he’s mad into his racing.”

And on the horse, he said: “Obviously he’s a full-brother to a good horse and the sire is very good as well. He’ll go to a pre-trainer now but there’ll be no decision made about a trainer until later on as the owner will probably have a say in where the horse goes into training.”

LEGER SUPPLEMENTATION

Melrose Handicap winner MIDDLE EARTH is set to be supplemented for the St Leger at Doncaster next month after impressing connections during his York success.

The ROARING LION colt was doing his best work at the finish during last week’s valuable handicap, won 12 months ago by the now-Australian-trained SOULCOMBE, and will be put into the race by trainers John & Thady Gosden.

This comes less than 24 hours after the news that stablemate GREGORY, the 11/4 joint-favourite, was still on course for the final UK Classic of the season.

Racing manager to owners Qatar Racing, David Redvers, said: “Oisin, John and Thady are all keen that he goes and he’s made massive strides through the summer. The Melrose is holding up as a very good trial for the Leger and the way he did it the other day at York impressed everyone.

“He’s been a big improver and John and Thady have been patient with him. He’s developed into a big, imposing horse now whereas he wasn’t as a younger horse. You want a horse who is on the serious incline going into a race like the St Leger and he looks to be that.”

MORE SUPPS

Finally, on the topic of both supplementation and MEHMAS offspring’s, connections of BELIEVING, a three-year-old filly owned by Highclere, are pondering the idea of paying £20,000 to supplement her for the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock in nine days’ time.

Trained by George Boughey, the highly-tried filly was successful in the Listed Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract earlier this month to win by a neck from a tough position.

Before that success, she won a Group 3 on soft ground at Chantilly in May before rearing up in the stalls at the same track a month later and blowing any chance she had.

However, since getting her season back on track, connections are thinking of stumping up the cash to supplement her for £350,000 contest a week on Saturday. Speaking to the Racing Post, Highclere’s Harry Hubert said: "It's possible we supplement her for the Sprint Cup. She won a Group 3, but she gave her chance away at Chantilly after that by rearing in the stalls.

"She was then impressive from a bad draw at Pontefract, so she's really smart. We'd have to supplement her on the Monday before the race and, like all these things, we need to get nearer the time and see what's what, but her rating [108] is coming up to a level for this type of thing and she's improving rapidly as well. We're giving it serious consideration."

YOUNG BLOOD

14.25 CHELMSFORD

EMPEROR’S STAR by SEA THE STARS, cost 300k as a yearling. Presumably the breeder sent the mare to SEA THE STARS because she is a half sister to the dam of CLOTH OF STARS who is also by STS, he won a Gr1 and was placed in two Arcs. He ran well on debut and then poorly second time up but the heavy ground could have gone against. Leading candidate today.

NUKANAN by first season sire MAGNA GRECIA wore a hood on debut and sports that again today, he was third but well beaten on debut, the front two had a run under their belts so with a bit more experience obvious improvement is on the cards.

CELTIC WARRIOR made an ok debut, he was well beaten in the end but behind a few who had had the benefit of a run. SAXON WARRIOR has banged in a few winners this week but this lad will need to have come on a lot to bag this deep race given the entries.

RUN BOY RUN made a really pleasing debut coming second at Newmarket. The form is yet to be tested, the time was just ok so probs deserves a market watch.

ANNAFEL was bought at the Breeze Up Sale for 220k, dam is a full sister to a Grade 3 winner. Interestingly Kieran Shoemark rides with Rab Havlin sitting in the weighing room. Market to guide on debut.

DESERT RHAPSODY is a homebred by BLUE POINT, dam was third in a listed race at 4. Best watched on debut.

The rest need to improve on what they have shown or are making their debuts for stables who aren’t renowned for debut winners.

Verdict: Godolphins EMPEROR’S STAR certainly has a lot in his favour and is the one they all have to beat but at his current price this morning doesn’t make much appeal at 4/5. There were whispers for CELTIC WARRIOR before his debut and although the vibes haven’t been the same since, might be worth keeping an eye on.

STATS OF THE DAY

Two seconds at ew prices yesterday, only one stat today:

Teal is 2 from 2 all time in 3yo handicaps at Chelmsford and runs FRANKFREYA in the 16.25 today.

RISK ON

After a 10/1 winner yesterday, we’re going for several bets today, home and away:

14.55 VELVET CRUSH

Eye catcher lto having missed the break and this is really a three horse race between this one, Shaggas’ and Stoute’s. Stoute’s in poor form and Shaggas’ is supposed to be average, so it would make sense to bet it. Half bet 11/10.

15.00 BETWEEN THE WATERS & 15.30 BACK TOMORROW

Ground key for the first here. Won well lto and can follow up. Small single on former then lev with BACK TOMORROW to 3.5/1 in a second bet. Split stake.

15.08 CELL SA BEELA (LONGCHAMP)

Shouldn’t have run in the Rockfel after her good run in the May Hill (according to Varian). Didn’t get a run at Sandown lto at Sandown, looks unexposed. Half bet ew play at 11’s all books.

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