Equinties - Boughey’s battalion

Gm Equinauts

The racing world came together yesterday to mourn the loss of a young rising talent.

So sad but so good to see.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

GEORGE BOUGHEY STABLE TOUR

Much like yesterday’s assessment of the Karl Burke stable tour from the Racing Post, we’ve locked the intern to his computer and told him to pick out some of the more notable (and less obvious) parts of the George Boughey stable tour.

Away from the obvious horses like CHIC COLOMBINE – who was described as “quite near the top of the list for us” and will head to the French 1000 Guineas – Highclere Thoroughbreds could have another horse with Boughey to look out for in SOPRANO.

She has a plethora of form that has worked out well. Firstly, she was third to PORTA FORTUNA (a subsequent Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner) in the Group 3 Albany Stakes before her third to SHUWARI (a subsequent Group 1 Fillies’ Mile runner-up) in the Listed Star Stakes and then a second to FALLEN ANGEL (a subsequent Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner) in the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes. Woof. 

Boughey said: “I was hopeful she'd earn some black type last year but she fluffed her lines at Salisbury in the Dick Poole. She gave ten lengths away at the start and was a fast-finishing third. She could head towards the Nell Gwyn Stakes and Chelmer Fillies' Stakes. Believing competed in both last year, winning the latter, and it would be no surprise to see her do something similar. She also has a speculative entry in the 1000 Guineas.”

We’ve always known that Boughey is a good target trainer, and he has good races in mind from a while out. One who could be of note for Royal Ascot is ELEUTHEROMANIA, an INVINCIBLE SPIRIT filly out of the GALILEO mare RAJARNTNA. Her dam is a half-sister to the 2003 Prix Marcel Boussac winner DENEBOLA and comes from a good family.

Back to ELEUTHEROMANIA, Boughey is thinking about the Kensington Palace Stakes in what will probably be her first start at a mile. 

For the horses owned by Theme Valley Racing, BLESSED BOY lost at odds of 15/8 at Kempton last month, but he has been gelded since. On him, Boughey believes he’s “sure he can bounce back” and he was put up as a dark horse to follow.

Finally, Boughey isn’t afraid to send his horses abroad, and BELIEVING is one who will head around the world this season, as he said: “She's been working well this spring, although we haven't really pushed any buttons yet. She has the most fantastic attitude and has come back better than ever.

“She's going to head to Hong Kong for the Chairman's Sprint Prize this month. We're looking to travel her as she can race for a lot of prize money around the world. Some of her best performances have been around a bend and the two obvious races for her are this and the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year. She won't be over-raced during the summer and it may well be Hong Kong and straight to Royal Ascot.”

GRADE 1? WINE NOT!

One horse many people were happy to see win at the Cheltenham Festival was CHIANTI CLASSICO for Gloucestershire-based trainer Kim Bailey. It was a pretty dominant performance to beat a good field, and post-race they even thought about the Grand National with him.

He is a well-fancied horse in the yard, and he is set to be part of a small, but select, Kim Bailey team for Aintree next week.

He has two options as shown in the attached tweet, and although the Grade 1 will be a tough task, Bailey has previous history with the race as ESPOIR DE ROMAY looked a likely winner in 2021 before falling at the third-last and HOLYWELL also won the 2014 Ultima Chase before winning the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase.

Could you see CHAINTI CLASSICO as a Grand National Festival winner?

GREENHAM FORM

Adrian Keatley fired in his first win for nearly four months yesterday as CLEAR WHITE LIGHT won the 1m4f handicap at Catterick.

As much as this Class 6 0-65 won’t mean much to many, this win comes as a crumb of hope to the Keatley yard who are set to have a big month coming up as BALLYMOUNT BOY, second to VANDEEK in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, is set to run in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury later this month.

The Wathnan Racing-owned CAMACHO colt has entries in the English, Irish, and French Guineas as well, so he has the weight of hope from those connected to the Keatley yard.

“He’s loads of fancy entries,” said Keatley. “I don’t know if he needs soft ground, but he acted at a very high level on it last year so he’ll probably start off in the Greenham over seven [furlongs].

"We’ll just watch and learn from him as we go along to see the level we think he’s capable of running to. Going by last year’s form, that should be at a fairly high level.

“He’s in the French Guineas as well. Everything will be up to the owners, but we’ll have him in tip-top shape no matter where we run. It’d be good to land a big one along the way, that’d be momentous.”

RISK ON

A mixed day yesterday as our first bet missed the break by so much the intern turned him into a meme. The second bet CELTIC WARRIOR made amends for last time and obliged easily under Oisin Murphy.

Todays bets are:

17.00 ROAD TO WEMBLEY

Had his form emphatically franked last night as COCK AND BULL, who he beat lto, hacked up to be the easiest winner of the day. Should prove useful form to give Sir Alex another yet winner for the season. 11/10 a good bet.

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