Equinties - early Supreme contender

Gm Equinauts 

Intern AGAIN. Soz. 

Spoke to the boys this morning, they’re knackered. 

They’ve seen hundreds of horses; checking walks, assessing confirmation and studied blood - they now have a shortlist and have till 9.30 when the first lot goes through to go round and do final checks. 

Weird to think that they’ve checked out the future champs of our risk on section. 

Anyway, let’s dive in.   

Headline Roundup

Book 2 concludes with big sales 

A total of 60,780,500 guineas was spent on 633 lots across Book 2’s three-day Tattersalls October Yearling Sale this week, a big increase on the results from 2021 and 2020.  

The top lot of the sale was Monday’s SEA THE STARS colt sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock and he continued to splash the cash on the final day yesterday, forking out 650,000 guineas on a Lope De Vega filly from Ballylinch Stud in Ireland.  

Out of GALLITEA, a half-sister to the Gr1 winner CHRISELLIAM, this LOPE DE VEGA filly is a full sister to OVIEDO, his dam’s first foal who finished third to CHALDEAN, the subsequent Gr1 Dewhurst winner, in the Gr3 Acomb Stakes earlier this year.  

Anthony Stroud, the on-site buyer for Stroud Coleman Bloodstock yesterday, revealed that she will head off to Godolphin to be raced in their famous blue silks – he also told the Racing Post that his winning bid of 650,000 guineas “would have been my last” if Tom Goff, the final underbidder, had gone in again.  

Stroud also secured a NEW BAY colt out of FACT OR FOLKLORE for 425,000 guineas earlier in the session – this chestnut yearling is a sibling to STATEMENT and has a half-brother, SELF BELIEF, running in the Listed Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.  

Elsewhere, super-agent Richard Knight locked down a STARSPANGLEDBANNER colt from Ballyvolane Stud for 600,000 guineas thanks to the backing of his mystery client. 

The 16-year-old four-time Gr1 successor has experienced a good 2022 as a sire through the high-profile victories of STATE OF REST, FLOTUS, and ARISTIA – out of GREAT DAME, a sister to the Gr3-placed DE BOSS MAN and a half-sister to the Gr2-winning DONNERSCHLAG, this lad is his dam’s first foal and, on pedigree, he could turn into a nice two-year-old. 

More: 

Punchestown performances 

Wednesday saw three good performances from three horses going places in three different divisions.  

Here is our summary of all of them.  

Starting with the opening race of the day, the two-mile maiden hurdle, MARINE NATIONALE earned quotes of 14/1 for the Supreme Hurdle in March after his comfortable four-length victory for Barry Connell and Michael O’Sullivan – he travelled like a cruise ship into the race and took his hurdles well. It’s very easy to over-hype these early-season novice hurdlers but he could be a very smart one.  

Less than two hours later, ADAMANTLY CHOSEN made it two from two over chases for Willie Mullins as he won the Gr3 Buck House Novice Chase by just shy of four lengths – he bulldozed the first fence and guessed at a couple, so it’ll be interesting to see how he progresses as the season moves forward.  

And finally, the 166-rated GALVIN returned to action with flying colours in the Gr3 Irish Daily Star Best For Racing Coverage Chase as he beat stablemate RUN WILD FRED by five lengths.  

This contest was over three miles and he didn’t look like he was stopping over the line, he will be tough to place this year as he potentially isn’t a Gold Cup horse but he will have to carry a monster weight in something like the Grand National, though he is still a cracking horse.  

Risk On

Irish boys at the Tatts bar yesterday all lumped on HARLEY STREET in the 15.10.