Equinties - buy the Breeze

Gm Equinauts

It’s rocket buying season and we have reviewed the recent money moves from some of the biggest players in the breeze up world.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

‘IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVER’

On Friday, April 5th, we said in the newsletter that “with the jockeys’ championship all but done and dusted” all because Harry Cobden had taken a 15-win lead over title rival Sean Bowen.

At the time, we did genuinely think Cobden had made it impossible for Bowen come back, especially due to the fact that boss Paul Nicholls was firing everything up the wall in his own battle to be a 15-time champion trainer. However, after half of the jumps action had occurred in Britain yesterday, Bowen brought the gap back to five by firing in a double at Perth on GUNSIGHT RIDGE (tipped on X by new hire Norm) and SPACE VOYAGE with thanks to the help of long-time supporter Olly Murphy.

Cobden hadn’t ridden a winner since OUTLAW PETER five days ago!

But that all changed once Taunton got underway as in response, Cobden rode a double thanks to CENTARA and MEATLOAF, leaving the gap at seven between as play ceased on Wednesday.

With three days of racing to go, is there a way that Bowen can grab victory from the jaws of defeat?

As things stand, Cobden has 12 rides across Warwick and Chepstow over the next two days whereas Bowen has 10 across Perth’s next two days of racing with the pair both turning up at Sandown (Cobden arguably the best set of rides with HITMAN in the Oaksey and THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE in the Bet365).

DUCK-ANERO FUERTE (that defo works)

Last season, Amo Racing’s BUCANERO FUERTE was one that plenty of people had on their lips. After all, Robson Aguiar said he was “the best I’ve ever ridden”, so it probably came as a small surprise when he was beaten by 12 lengths in the Group 1 National Stakes after dominating the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes a month prior.

He’s yet to hit the track this season, but connections have taken the decision to not run him in the 2000 Guineas and instead point him at the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes at Ascot in early May.

This decision confirms that connections want to campaign him as a sprinter this season, and trainer Adrian Murray backed this up, as he said: “Bucanero goes to Ascot, he's in the six-furlong race. It's highly unlikely he will go for the Guineas.

“We're going to campaign him as a sprinter, his brother [WOODED] won a Group 1 over five furlongs and he shows us an awful lot of speed. The Guineas could just kill him in the last couple of furlongs.”

Going back further through the pedigree, he is related to plenty of sprinters, so this looks like a fair decision.

More: https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/guineas-unlikely-for-bucanero-fuerte-with-pavilion-new-goal/ 

PATIENCE PAYS?

Gordon Elliott and connections swerved the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle with TEAHUPOO earlier this month (and the rumour was that he was working badly in the days leading up to it) but Elliott has confirmed that it’s all steam ahead to Punchestown for the Stayers Hurdle winner.

The Punchestown Festival usually turns into a procession for Willie Mullins, but with his eyes on the British trainers’ title, this could open up a few gaps for the likes of Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, and Gavin Cromwell to exploit.

On TEAHUPOO, the boss of Cullentra House said: "Teahupoo is two from two this season and I thought he was nicely on top at the line at Cheltenham. He's bounced out of the race in good shape and we're looking forward to getting him back out at Punchestown. You'd like to think he will take a bit of beating in that."

As for his other stable stars, IRISH POINT is going to give STATE MAN another crack in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle with a change of tactics, as he confirmed: We might do things a bit differently to Cheltenham as we know our horse is a strong stayer and has got a great attitude. Win, lose or draw, he's had another brilliant season and he seems in good form ahead of Punchestown."

The British jumps season may be over on Saturday, but next week promises to be good fun.

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/festivals/punchestown-festival/gordon-elliott-expects-teahupoo-to-take-a-bit-of-beating-at-punchestown-as-he-eyes-strong-finish-to-the-season-ah96Z8P1yFLo/

BREEZE UPS

HAVANA GREY(VY) TRAIN

HAVANA GREY has been well documented in our articles, we’re big fans of the Whitsbury Stallion, who has gone from being a 42,000gns foal to standing for £55,000 per covering, and he’ll cover around 150 mares a year.

The top lot at Goffs Doncaster Breeze up Sales was by our man. Out of the FIREBREAK mare, IN TRUTINA who was a winner as a 3yo. Her sister though, is MAJESTIC BEAUTY who is coincidentally by HAVANA GREY and was Listed placed last year as a 2yo. So it was an obvious move to purchase this filly as yearling for £50,000 and they got rewarded spinning it for £420,000.

Here’s her having just hit the floor!

A STARSPANGLEDBANNER colt ripped up the Donny turf as Lot 220, out of the mare MOONDROP by TORONADO), a sister to KILIMANJARO who won the Lingfield Derby Trial for Aiden. From the family of GUSTAV KLIMT, he was a £36,000 yearling and a £300,000 breezer yesterday. A good judge in Richard Brown purchased him who has had recent success from the sale with PERFECT POWER to name just one.

MEHMAS stock always sell well at Donny. As do Tally Ho whose eye for a pinhook is second to none. The MEHMAS colt out of WHITE ROSA catches the eye as the mare has already produced MARSHMAN. He sold for £350,000. Tally Ho also sent the colt out of MUNAASABA who is herself a sister to the champion CAMPANELLE.

Amo Racing and Alex Elliot are always busy around the sales. They purchased the fastest breezer yesterday, a filly by KING OF CHANGE out of EVIE SPEED for £280,000. A nice profit as she cost £39,000 as a yearling!

The clearance rate was 81%, down from the 86% last year. The aggregate had climbed 3% but the average was down and there 23 more horses sold. The median was down 10%. Sobering figures!

RISK ON

No bets yesterday, one main selection today (plus a tiny stakes speccy play):

17.45 HIGHWAY ONE O FIVE

This guy was supposed to win lto but he bumped into a Nicholls horse who finally got his needed good ground. No Nicholls horse today, he should just win. 11/8 a good single.

Speccy play on Shaggas’ KALLIPPOS and Fell’s CALL ME HARSWELL straight fc pays about 24/1. Shaggas always likes to get his first 2yo ready and word that Fell’s is early enough to run well today (yard had a 40/1 second recently in a novice event).

UPDATE

Click below to meet the machine. Our update on the newsletter horse is ready below and there will be more to come as he increases his work load and starts to turn into a race horse.

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