Equinties - bumper content

Gm Equinauts

Even though Champions Day marked pretty much the end of the flat season, giving way to a stampede of once-a-year-tweed-wearing 'jumps fans' mf's who'll now just continue to unimaginatively retweet replays of Festival wins (STOP, IT'S FUCKING SHIT CONTENT!) or tip DELTA WORK for the XC, the flat still likes to poke it's little head up as the 2yo's from powerful connections get their first and probably only run before being put away for the season next year.

If you are one to get excited about debuts then you may want to watch the 19.00 at Kempton later today as a full-sister to the Gr2 Coventry Stakes winner CALYX is debuting for John & Thady Gosden.  

COPPICE, by KINGMAN out of HELLBORINE, will run in the Juddmonte silks tonight under Rob Havlin and is currently priced as the 9/4 favourite – CALYX, a sire standing at Coolmore Stud and who is yet to have any offspring hit the track despite them all being hot property last week at the sales, went 3/3 in the early part of his career, collecting the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes to add to his Group 2 success as a two-year-old.  

He was also turned over as the 2/13 fav in the Gr2 Sandy Lane Stakes on his final start, but the less said about that the better. No doubt Havlin will be under strict instructions to 'look after her' but do keep those eyes on Kempton tonight, she might be a nice horse for the future.

Anyway, let's dive in.

Headline Roundup

SANTINI sails off to eventing 

Connections of one of the biggest horses (literally) in British jumps racing, SANTINI, confirmed yesterday that their 10-year-old had been retired from national hunt racing and will embark on a new career in eventing. 

The son of MILAN had been labelled as ‘HMS Santini’ in recent years due to his characteristically slow nature, though that didn’t stop him from creating a masterful CV that included the Gr1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, three Grade 2s, and a Gold Cup second to AL BOUM PHOTO in 2020.  

Formerly with Nicky Henderson for four years, SANTINI experienced a wonderful season last year in the latter stages of his career with Polly Gundry as he ran a belter in the Cotswold Chase to finish second to CHANTRY HOUSE and finished a commendable fourth in the Grand National on his final start (not many finished that year!) – the reaction after his valiant second at Cheltenham was brilliant to see! 

Happy retirement, big boy.

And a small side note before we finish this ‘retirement’ section, MARE AUSTRALIS, Andre Fabre’s 2021 Gr1 Prix Ganay successor, has been sold to Pascal Noue and will stand as a sire at Haras de la Hetraie next year – he collected nearly £240k for connections, ran an admiral race behind STATE OF REST in the Gr1 Prix Ganay this year, and picked up Group 2 success in the Grand Prix de Chantilly three starts ago. This isn’t massive news and more will likely question why tf he's going to be a stallion than wish him well in her his new career shagging but I suppose it warrants a mention.  

Conditional jockey Donal McInerney calls it quits 

The two-time Irish champion conditional jockey Donal McInerney will temporarily vacate his position from the saddle as he looks to begin a new pre-training operation.  

The 28-year-old recorded back-to-back Grade 2 successes onboard Charles Byrnes’ BLAZING KHAL at Cheltenham last season at both the October and December meeting – these two victories added to his 89 total career wins.  

The rider told the Racing Post: “Realistically, it needed to make financial sense and I’m not sure I saw a future in it – I had two or three good years riding – but you need more consistent money coming in to do the things you want in life.” 

Elsewhere on the day, Eion Walsh announced on Twitter that he was also hanging up the boots after 10 years and 139 victories in the UK.  

Good luck to both of you in retirement.  

THE GREY GATSBY sees some support 

THE GREY GATSBY, the highest-rated son of MASTERCRAFTSMAN on RPRs, will see his covering fee ride from €8,000 to €12,000 for 2023.  

Peaking at a rating of 127 after he beat the mighty AUSTRALIA in the 2014 Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, THE GREY GATSBY will be heading into his third season as a dad in 2023 and has seen some good success this year – MYLADY was second in the Group 2 German 1000 Guineas in June, ATOMIC BLONDE ran in five Group races, placing in three and winning a Group 3 in Italy on her last start, and MASTER GATSBY looked a good winner in the Group 3 Prix Derald de Geoffre lto.  

1000 Guineas second for MYLADY:

I imagine his early supporters are feeling smug over the thought of having paid for the D at a discount.

Bumper season ahead

Right... not news, more a new bit of content. I'm going to race preview every single British bumper race starting today at Worcester. It's a proper fucking bumper.

The market is headed by the deadly combo Hendo and JP. He's well related being a full brother to IMPERVIOUS who was last seen finishing a solid 5th in the Fairyhouse G1novice hurdle in April... festival level shit. She won first time out at 4yo and her brother makes his debut today at the same age so you can expect a bold show if fit and firing.

Fergals lot liked FUJI ROCKS lto but he looked a big baby. that race was A LOT weaker than today and although he's going to turn into a lovely horse, today MIGHT just be too hot.

Snowden runs another well-bred son of SHANTOU, a full brother to MINELLA CROONER rated 142 - that's festival level shit too. You can see why this is a hot race.

TOP TARGET for Bailey (he used to be good targeting bumpers) could be anything, last seen winning a point by 17 lengths. Form is questionable but the owners buy good horses so you can expect this one to be alright too.

Twiston-Davies did well in bumpers last year so his 80k CUTBERT DIBBLE can't be discounted, has the ped to suit a bumper.

The next in line at 12/1 is by far the most interesting. Sir Mark Prescott, yep you heard it right... the Arc winning trainer plot king sends the half-brother to our own COLTRANE into the race! This is the one I'm looking at... if he's anything like the Train then surely he's the best horse in the race!? I'm trying to work out why big Mark has sent him here. My theory is SMP has him ready to go and there are no races on the flat for him so he's going to try his hand at bumpers, the perfect trip, exactly like we did with Dave (Ocean Wind). Could he be a Champion Bumper contender like Dave was?

Our view: This is ABSOLUTELY not a betting race. This is one of the better bumpers you'll see this year. I can literally make a case for every single one (including Pauling who won it in '17) bar the 150/1 shots who aren't bred for it. My hat's going on ZONISTY because of the COLTRANE blood. Everyone knows he's a beast and the cross with ZOFFANY (RIP) could be dynamite. Main danger is Hendo's. Yard in good form and JP's horse is bred to be very good so wouldn't surprise me to see him go close. Hendo lands 1 in 3 bumpers here too.

Risk on

13.20 MARIE LAVEAU

Ran well in a warm maiden at Newbury lto with that form looking good. This is a weak race and looks a good play at 15/8. Half bet.

13.55 MAMMAS GIRL

A fucking rocket apparently. Has been working with Listed 3yo's as she's too quick for the 2yo's. First time out so, as always, comes with caution - hitting the track is a daunting task for 2yo's who are still babies really and therefore anything can happen. That said, this girl has had a lot of work so it's a relatively confident bet considering circumstance. Strong ew at 11/2. If you're brave go win, that's all you'll probably need.

Finndog NAP