Equinties - English invasion

Author

BGP Capital
May 27, 2024

Equinties

Gm Equinauts

Happy bank holiday.

There was a monumental amount of action this weekend to digest from both at home and overseas.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

HOT PIECE OF FORM

If there is one thing we learned from this weekend, it’s that this year’s Newmarket 2000 Guineas is already looking like a hot piece of form.

The first horse to come out of the race and win was ROSALLION as he won the Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday in a 1-2 for Richard Hannon.

The race was fairly run as the second, HAATEM, sat in third until he took up the running with two furlongs to go. Therefore, for ROSALLION to pick him up right on the line shows he does stay eight furlongs well, and HAATEM had solid form in the book from his juvenile campaign.

The rematch with NOTABLE SPEECH is set to occur at Royal Ascot next month, as Hannon said: “He was a bit keen early. It took him a bit of time to pick him up, but he's such a hyped horse, he's not going to please everybody. It's on to Ascot now for the St James's Palace and hopefully he will be in training next year. These days are very rare, we will enjoy it.”

IRELAND RAIDED

From one set of Guineas to another now, we head to Ireland where FALLEN ANGEL won the Gr1 Irish 1000 Guineas from A LILAC ROAD and favourite OPERA SINGER in third.

The winner gives her sire TOO DARN HOT a classic winner in his first crop which is a hell of an achievement. Currently standing for 110k Aus dollars this year coming and it won’t be long before he breaks the 100k barrier in the Northern Hemisphere as well.

FALLEN ANGEL finished last year as a Gr1 winner but made a disappointing seasonal debut in the English 1000 Guineas, the market was despondent in the morning yesterday but the closer we got to the race the shorter in price she got and punters were never in too much concern with the filly travelling smoothly and then quickening clear of her rivals in taking fashion under Danny Tudhope. Her next target has yet to be decided, but the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) was earmarked over 1m2f and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot over a mile.

In behind A LILAC ROAD ran a mighty race to be second, she saw out the trip well having been on the pace from the start. OPERA SINGER looked like she still retains loads of ability but needed the run. Trainer Aidan O’Brien said the Coronation stakes is her next likely target.

Other noteable performers from the race were AZADA who was having only her second run in her career, she looked to get tired and unbalanced but is clearly a top notch filly and SKELLET who had a bit of traffic trouble and was the only one who made up ground from behind.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

REBEL’S ROMANCE won the Gr1 Champions and Chater Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday, in the Godolphin blue silks with William Buick.

The son of DUBAWI is the first international winner of the race. The big bay colt has now won in Hong Kong, England, UAE, Qatar, North America and Germany. France next?

LEGEND OF TIME, in the Godolphin blue was a smart winner of the Gr2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont in the USA on Saturday. Originally sourced for a not so insignificant sum, for Sheikh Mohammed, at 150,000gns from Bk2 in 2022. His sister is Gr1 winner LOVING DREAM and he is from the family of Workforce.

DARNATION by TOO DARN HOT raided the German party with a win at Düsseldorf in the German 1000 Guineas. Following a good day for Karl Burke who also saddled the Irish 1000 Guineas with another daughter of TOO DARN HOT, FALLEN ANGEL. David Menuisier has already won the German 2000 Guineas and Richard Hannon the Irish 2000 Guineas, shame the French prizes stayed at home!

It’s worth mentioning that Billy Loughnane was only 2 lengths away from the winner in second, and HAVANA GREY had the 3rd home three HAVANA’s.

The Japanese Derby went the way of DANON DECILE. But the most interesting runner, and one that could potentially be Prix de Arc bound is SHIN EMPEROR who finished a promising 3rd in the Derby. He is the SIYOUNI colt out of STARLETS SISTER who was purchased for €2.1million at Arqana in Deauville in 2022. His sister is the ridiculously good SISTERCHARLIE who won about 7 Gr1s but their brother is the Arc winner and now Coolmore Sire SOTTSASS. So if one horse can improve and make it to France in October, SHIN EMPEROR could be the one for the Japanese.

GOOD DECISION

The second horse to come out of the Newmarket 2000 Guineas and win is INISHERIN who took home the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

Of course, the big talking point ahead of the race surrounded VANDEEK, but the unbeaten Group 1 winner failed to fire as he finished four lengths back in third.

As for INISHERIN, the Guineas sixth was stepping down to six furlongs for the first time in his career, and that was an epic decision from Kevin Ryan and the team.

Before the season started, Ryan suggested that he could get a bit further than a mile due to his pedigree as he is by SHAMARDAL out of a mare (AJMAN PRINCESS) who won a Listed race over 1m4f. However, he dealt with the shorter trip well as he travelled strongly and kicked clear when he needed to.

It might be worth having a question mark over the form going forward, however, as VANDEEK didn’t fire and ORNE was well-held on his last start.

On the performance of VANDEEK, Ed Crisford said: "He was a bit fresh early on and travelled super in the race but just got tired on that ground. All these horses had had runs, the winner ran in the Guineas. James felt that last furlong was a long way home.

"We'll keep going with the plan and head to Ascot as long as the horse is okay. It's obviously a shame he was beaten but these things happen in racing. I'm sure he'll come on a hell of a lot for the race."

Let’s hope VANDEEK is back to what we saw as a two-year-old as horses like that really set the track alight when on form.

EYECATCHERS OF THE WEEKEND

AL SHABAB STORM – SATURDAY 1.30 GOODWOOD

Connections are set to have a fun season with AL SHABAB STORM as he has shown plenty of ability without winning on his last two starts.

The first of his losses occurred at Chester because he had a bad draw, but on Saturday, he hung very badly left in the final two furlongs to throw the race away.

Saturday was his first start at seven furlongs from his last three races, though he has been tried at the trip before. Despite his antics late on, he still ran on through the line having pulled hard throughout the race from the front, so his performance can be upgraded.

The handicapper might give the three-year-old a couple of pounds for finishing second, but even if he does, he can still be competitive in a nice handicap.

STARLORE - SATURDAY 13.30 GOODWOOD

Same race as above, so could prove form to follow. This lad won his debut beating what has turned out to be good form and then pitched in to Group company where he got a bit lost, especially on soft ground on his last start as a 2yo. When he returned as a 3yo he looked like he needed the run on his first outing at Newmarket but the form has worked well. On the weekend he was drawn stall 17, in the car park, Pat Dobbs dropped him in and he travelled the best of all of them but got in to traffic problems. By the time he got out the race was over. The winner is going to the Britannia, keep a close eye on this one’s next start.

ROGUE LIGHTENING – SATURDAY 1.50 HAYDOCK

ROGUE LIGHTENING was a big talking horse ahead of the Group 2 Temple Stakes, but having been a fancied horse on the morning of the race, he went off 17/2. It seems like the market told slightly as he raced freely throughout, but he still finished his race out well to finish sixth.

The 4yo is a gelding, so it’s not as if he’s got a stallion career for connections to worry about, and they’ll be expecting more from him this season. After all, he finished last season with a staying-on fifth behind HIGHFIELD PRINCESS in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye from a bad stall, so he clearly has the ability.

RISK ON

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