Equinties - champ on a roll

Gm Equinauts 

It seems with the uninspiring racing the way it was at the weekend, the Racing Post were clutching at stories with the BAAEED to l’Arc chat. Obviously, the Shadwell team are on weather watch but the target all along has been the Champion Stakes, so why move the goal posts now?

Let’s dive in.

Headline roundup

Buick on fire

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Buick showed Goodwood racegoers whose Champ. Now 45 winners clear of Hollie Doyle, Buick was second in the championship last year to Oisin but he must be a certainty now.

It all started with FAIRY CROSS making all in the Prestige Stakes. She’s now shortened to 10/1 for the Fillies Mile at Newmarket on future champions day. In eight days, the Appleby yard have won the Gimcrack with NOBLE STYLE and the Solario Stakes with SILVER KNOTT. A hat tick of Juvenile Group races victories. 

HOO YA MAL took the Gr3 March Stakes, another who has given the Gordon Stakes a boost (won by NEW LONDON the St Leger favourite, DEAUVILLE LEGEND won the Gr2 Great Voltigeur and CRESTA won the Listed race at Windsor on Saturday like a group horse). HO YA MAL is essentially picking up as much experience on offer before having a tilt at the Melbourne Cup and the St Leger is next for a dress rehearsal.

JADOOMI was Gr1 placed as a 2yo in France, but this was only his second start of the season. Previously a Listed winner on his seasonal debut this year and now a Gr2 winner, Gr1 targets beckon. 

Buick plundered the 3 group races on Saturday, and Sunday was continued in similar vein by winning the first two races for Andrew Balding at the Sussex track. He later got PERIPATETIC over the line in the Class 3 Handicap for Varian. Buick has the 3 rides at Epsom today, all with chances, obviously.

Hollie en France

Hollie Doyle has already won the French Oaks on NASHWA and added another group victory when steering TEMPUS to Gr3 glory in Deauville.

TEMPUS lost his form in class 2 handicaps, and subsequently went through the sales ring for £25k. He has ran the 9 times this year, only twice been out of the top 3. He was third at Royal Ascot in the Royal Hunt Cup and has since picked up wins in the Class 2 Porsche Handicap, Gr3 Sovereign Stakes and now the Gr3 Prix Quincey. 

Group 2 targets and Group 1 targets on these shores must be next, but if I were the owners, I’d book in a few trips abroad with him. Maybe another trip to France in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein Group 2, and possibly venturing out to Dubai next March.

Another British raid

DUBAWI LEGEND got his career back on track with a win at Group 3 level in Germany. This was a much easier assignment than his previous races this year and he still made quite hard work of it.

Being a DUBAWI out of a RAVENS PASS mare it wouldn’t have surprised me if he had improved from 2 to 3 at the start of the year but at the moment it doesn’t look like it, even with the win under his belt. If he was to race back in Britain or France I certainly won’t be getting too carried away with his chances. He’s won now at 3 and it’s a good feather to his hat but he’ll have to prove it first if he can win at Group level over here. The jury is still out for us whether he has trained on with the same level of ability he showed at 2. 

Hugo Palmer, his trainer, said “It’s been a frustrating time with him, because he’s got so much speed and so much talent. I said after the Hackwood that these horses need to learn to sprint and he seems to be learning which is really good. David Egan said if he had got him rolling a little earlier, he thought he would have won the Hackwood. We’re running out of options for this year, the owner is very keen to at least leave him in the Haydock Sprint Cup next Saturday and see. There is the [Oct. 1 G3] Bengough at Ascot or the Champions Sprint. I don’t think he’d want very bad ground, but he’s gone on good-to-soft there today and that’s the softest he’s ever gone on”. 

More 

Ross Coakley received a ridiculous 23-day ban for his use of the whip. Ze Germans don’t take any prisoners if a jockey breaks the rules and quite right too but 23 days was a bit harsh.

Risk on

16.35 ECLAIRANT LE MONDE/THE CHURCHILL LAD 

Straight forecast with these two. McCain targets this race and on ped is the horse to beat. Menzies schooling well and fresh from win should follow home in a bad race. Small fc pays 5/1. 

17.10 ANGE ENDORMI

Looks a good thing in the Cartmel last. It’s a really, really bad race but this lad has obviously improved a lot since leaving Paulings and can be the best horse today. Full bet at 5/4.