Equinties - Chester day 1

Author

BGP Capital
May 08, 2024

Equinties

Gm Equinauts

Bubbles will be burst and dreams will come alive this week as horses and their connections battle it out, testing their Classic credentials at the oldest race track in the world, the Roodee.

WHAT. A. MEETING.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

FRENCH TARGETS

Two horses who ran in the Newmarket Guineas without winning are set to travel to France for another tilt at a Classic.

The first is the notable unlucky horse of the 1000 Guineas, TAMFANA, as David Menuisier is set to aim his SOLIDER HOLLOW filly at the Prix de Diane.

This isn’t new news as the trainer was very public about her next intentions (and where he thought she should have finished at Newmarket) in the post-race aftermath, but now a few days have passed since Sunday, he has had time to reflect on the race and her next race.

He said: "I told the owners the filly really had the perfect trip until 300 metres from home. At that point, I thought ‘this can't be happening’. She was the only filly still full of running – the others all looked beaten – and we were just stuck behind a wall.

"She's just very good anywhere and I don’t see Chantilly as a particular advantage to her. On soft ground, she keeps going forward but on quick ground, she has that real burst of acceleration, which she showed at Newmarket. I think that in a Prix de Diane, whether she’s drawn low or out wide, she has that tactical speed to take a position.

"You know very well that when you get shut in at Newmarket, you’re well and truly blocked. At Chantilly, if they go a good pace, even if you’re coming from behind, the gaps should appear."

As for the other horse destined for France, Clive Cox’s GHOSTWRITER is being aimed for the Prix du Jockey Club on June 2nd.

The INVINCIBLE SPIRIT colt was fourth in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday having been unbeaten during his juvenile season, so Cox is still keeping the faith that he can get a Classic under his belt.

He said: "He was bumped at the start, then he was a little bit tightened up for room and got unbalanced two furlongs out as well. Bearing all that in mind, he ran an absolute blinder.

"We’re keen to go another two furlongs and the logical step looks the French Derby because the Dante would come a little too soon after a hard race the other day. I think another couple of furlongs is going to help him hugely and I reckon we can build on that performance from last week."

WORRY FOR SHUAWRI

Although this news was released on Monday, it swept past us, so it might have swept past a few of you as well.

If it did, then you might be unaware that SHUWARI, second to YLANG YLANG in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile on her final start, is unlikely to be back until the autumn.

The three-year-old by NEW BAY was ruled out of the 1000 Guineas at the start of the year, but there was hope she could return back for the summer.

However, trainer Ollie Sangster revealed the bad news on Monday, as he said: "She’s doing okay and hopefully she’ll be back for the second half of the season. We have no timeframe for her return but I can’t see it being much sooner than the autumn.

"Naturally it’s disappointing when you lose your flagbearer, but we’ve been supported by some nicely bred quality two-year-olds. We have some nice older horses as well, maybe not the same calibre as Shuwari but some who can hopefully fly the flag for us. The horses are running well and we’re operating at a good strike rate so we can’t complain."

ROYAL ASCOT BOUND

As for the action that occurred yesterday on the track, Fozzy Stack is eyeing up Royal Ascot with UNEXPECTED ISSUES, a five-furlong maiden winner at Navan.

Stack trains the full-brother CASTLE STAR, a Group 1-placed two-year-old, and the STARSPANGLEDBANNER filly showed plenty of speed to beat HEAVENS GATE by half-a-length.

She looks like a quick filly and she could go onto better things, as Stack said: "She's going to be an early two-year-old. I suppose we'll run maybe once more and think about something at Ascot for her."

"She was a little bit green, a little bit slow away and then ran around a bit. She should come forward for that. She's only worked once on grass so she should improve.

“If you get five here you'll get six most places. We might look for a winners' race, we'll see what's there and how she comes out of it."

BIG RACE PREVIEWS

15.05 LISTED CHESHIRE OAKS

GALILEO DAME tops the market, she won on heavy ground last time out, it was a very good performance and she looks like a filly who wouldn’t mind the tight track at Chester. Progressive, from a big stable, obvious player.

FOREST FAIRY is one of two for Ralph Beckett, he had a winner over the weekend but the stable isn’t in their usual rude health at the moment. This filly won well on debut at Wolverhampton, she couldn’t have done it any better but the form is tricky to gage. Best watched for future engagements

PORT FAIRY is the sole representative for Aidan O’Brien, the daughter of Derby winner AUSTRALIA improved a lot from her first to second run and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if she has improved again.

BEELEY ran less than a fortnight ago, she’s clearly not the easiest, this looks to be an educational test for her from Gosden as the Chester course is very enclosed and busy.

LASTING LOVE ran well last time out showing signs of greenness, improvement is highly likely and the quicker ground and step up in trip is likely to suit.

SEAWARD looks an exciting filly for this year, she ran well on her first two starts but was then well beaten in a Gr1. She’s a filly who would thrive at 3 and 4, the tight turning track might not be to her liking however.

FLYING FINN by PHOENIX OF SPAIN who is turning heads with his 3yo’s, has won on her last two starts. The quicker ground will be an unknown for her and upped in class but she fully deserves her place in the line up and is clearly improving.

Verdict: We like LASTING LOVER and think she’ll be bang there but GALILEO DAME looked pretty exciting lto, the quicker ground and turning track at Chester will suit and she is entitled to improve.

15.40 GROUP 3 CHESTER VASE

It’s well documented that Ballydoyle have won the Chester Vase 10 times, but it’s worth mentioning ‘only’ twice in 5 years. Gosden won last year’s renewal with ARREST and Balding 3 years ago in 2021 with YOUTH SPIRIT. All trainers are represented today.

John Gosden saddles the twice raced PAPPANO who has had two runs on the All Weather, a route not to be dismissed after NOTEABLE SPEECH coming from an all weather background. Raised and bred by Gosden’s wife Rachel Hood, the former Mayor of Newmarket. This colt is by NATHANIEL who of course sired the wonder mare and Oaks winner ENABLE and also the Derby winner DESERT CROWN. NATHANIEL does well crossed with the son of GREEN DESERT, OASIS DREAM. QUICKTHORN is bred on the NATHANIEL/OASIS DREAM cross and DESERT CROWN is bred on the NATHANIEL/GREEN DESERT cross. Anyhow, this lad needs to improve to emulate Arrest winning for the stable.

Andrew Balding always takes a good team to Chester. CADOGAN PLACE is a full brother to QUADRILATERAL, winner of the Fillies Mile for Charlton but never tried a distance over a mile. This lad was never stopping at Southwell, he had HIDDEN LAW in behind but got first run on him. Stall 5 shouldn’t be a problem, plus it’s a small field. Would like to see him again before picking him.

HIDDEN LAW is Godolphin’s runner and by their main man DUBAWI. DUBAWI’s aren’t not natural stayers and a record of 4 Guineas winners but 0 Derby winners speak for itself. It looks like this lad inherited stamina from his mum SECRET GESTURE who was second in an Oaks, when giving Ralph Beckett the 1-2 in the race with the winner TALENT. A trip to Southwell yielded a second place finish behind CADOGAN PLACE, but he has recently won a Newbury maiden in very taking style and the further he went the better he looked. DUBAWI has never sired a Derby winner but has four promising types this year n ARABIAN CROWN, ARABIAN WISDOM, HENRY LONGFELLOW and this guy HIDDEN LAW.

GOLDEN WEST is by Godolphin’s Derby winner MASAR. 2 from 2 as a Juvenile for Karl Burke he is entitled to come on heaps now a furnished 3yo. A disappointing return to action at Longchamp in a Gr3 but that was on very soft ground. He shouldn’t be 25/1!!

Aidan is probably still licking his wounds from Newmarket. But rest assured he’ll have the last laugh. His battalion looks like they are in need of a run, after a wet and horrible spring. AGENDA has had a run, 43 days to be precise. He is second string today. Although he won his Dundalk maiden in taking fashion but is bred like sh*te, his pedigree is weak. Difficult to suggest he is one for Epsom. Plus Ryan Moore has picked the other one, and he rarely gets it wrong.

GROSVENOR SQUARE, on the other hand is bred for Epsom. By GALILEO who won the Derby, out of a mare who has produced SANTIAGO who won the Irish Derby and she is by CAPE CROSS who produced GALILEO’s famous brother SEA THE STARS who won the Derby and everything else he raced in including an Arc. However, he had been off for 200 days, is he going to ‘need the run’? His form isn’t ridiculously good either but there could be any amount of improvement on good ground and maturing into his frame.

Verdict: HIDDEN LAW for the boys in blue are going well. After such a wet and cold spring having had a recent run would have helped enormously. He’s bred in the purple, bred to be a Group 1 class we think he’ll love the bends and go round there like a motorbike! He is currently 20/1 for the Derby and we think Buick had a little sweet spot for HIDDEN LAW after his Newbury win.

RISK ON

No stand out bets todays but we’re happy with the preview selections - two small singles and 8/1 double.