Equinties - German assault

Author

BGP Capital
May 21, 2024

Equinties

Gm Equinauts

After our column on him yesterday, it has been confirmed DANCING GEMINI is definitely going to the Derby.

Can big Roger do it!? It couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke and we really hope he wins.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

GERMAN ASSAULT

David Menuisier plundered classic honours at Cologne yesterday with DEVIL’S POINT. He was tipped by us on his seasonal debut but looked like he needed the run like so many have this year. He had some useful form as a 2yo when he was second to ARABIAN WISDOM in the Futurity. By NEW BAY he led all the way with Silvestre De Sousa who was picking up his second Classic of the year after winning the 1000 Guineas on ELMALKA.

David Menuisier has a nice string of 3yo’s that also include TAMFANA who was desperately unlucky in the 1000 Guineas storming home but not quite getting her head in front. She goes for the Oaks. SUNWAY was a Gr1 winning juvenile and the trainer was waxing lyrical about him in preparation for the Prix Du Jockey Club at the start of June. Saying he’ll win. Which is a bit of a statement to say the least. He is a full brother to Champion Stakes winner SEALIWAY so there should be further improvement as the season goes on.

Crazy Clive Washbourn owns DEVILS POINT and also owns the talented CAIUS CHORISTER. She stepped up to 2 miles against COLTRANE at Ascot recently and wasn’t disgraced. She’ll have a good time of it this week at Sandown in the Henry II Stakes but has TRAWLERMAN to contend with.

From a bloodstock angle it is worth noting the progeny of STUDY OF MAN. He stands at Lanwades for Miss Rausing who had a very nice filly win a Listed race in Germany yesterday and is now favourite for the Oaks. Called LINGUA FRANCA and trained by Sir Mark who saddled ALPINISTA to Champion status. STUDY OF MAN also had the 3rd placed horse in the German 2000 Guineas and considering nothing was coming from behind he did well to get so close to the winner and will be better for it, he’s called GHORGAN.

COURAGE NON AMI

For a few weeks, people had been wondering where the current Ascot Gold Cup champion COURAGE MON AMI was.

Connections were on radio silent for a while on his whereabouts, however, yesterday we got confirmation that he could miss Royal Ascot due to a setback.

"He had a bit of a training setback last week and had some time off, and we're now investigating this week to see whether it's serious or not," said Richard Brown, racing adviser to Wathnan Racing. "Until we really dig into it, we just don't know so we'll see what the vets find and then we can make a plan."

With COURAGE MON AMI a doubt for the Royal meeting, his owner and stablemate GREGORY looks a likely representative for connections in the season-defining staying race.

Having won at the meeting last year in the Queen’s Vase Stakes, the four-year-old blew off the cobwebs last week in the Yorkshire Cup and he is now a 7/1-shot for the Ascot Gold Cup.

Brown said: "The Gold Cup is very much the plan for him. We thought he ran a lovely race at York. James [Doyle] is quite taken with him and I think both he and John Gosden feel he'll get the extended trip. He's very much on target for that."

It’s seemingly not been a good time for Wathnan Racing recently in the setbacks department as it’s not only COURAGE MON AMI who has sustained an injury.

Both ISAAC SHELBY and REMARQUEE have suffered injuries and both are now retired as a result. The former picked his injury up in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein and the latter’s occurred in the Chartwell Stakes.

ARC RIFFA

It’s no secret how much the Joseph O’Brien team have always liked AL RIFFA.

From his win in the Group 1 National Stakes as a juvenile to his second to ACE IMPACT in last season’s Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, the four-year-old by WOOTTON BASSETT has always promised plenty of ability.

Despite his last run where he really should have won the Prix Ganay last month, O’Brien still has big targets for him and a trip to America is on the agenda.

He said: "Al Riffa is going to Saratoga for the Manhattan Stakes on June 8. He ran really well in France on his first run back, he just got a bit tired late on and the race didn't set up perfectly for him.

"He gets a 7lb allowance in America as he didn't win a Group race last year, so the conditions suit him. He could end up in an Eclipse if it went well. We're dreaming that he could be an Arc horse in the autumn, but we'll try to win a Group 1 before that."

So, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is his long-term aim, a race he is 66/1 for.

KIA’S SECOND TAKE

The news that surrounded racing over the weekend concerned Kia Joorabchian and his split with Roger Varian.

Despite an interview with Matt Chapman on ITV Racing, many were still left in the dark about what was occurring, however, he opened up on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast yesterday.

It what was a good, lengthy piece, Luck got stuck into Amo Racing’s boss and didn’t shy away from any of the tough questions, notably when asking if he blamed Varian for the injury to KING OF STEEL.

It was hard to take away any strong and clear cut points from Joorabchian’s statement, though the overriding theme was that he felt like a small fish in Varian’s pond (weird) and money had a say on things.

According to Joorabchian, rather than sending Varian 10/20 2yo’s to then find one good one, he would let Varian handpick Amo’s best juveniles in order to save Joorabchian money on training fees so he can then send other horses to smaller trainers who would give them more time and attention.

Still, it all seems a bit weird and more will surely come out soon.

RISK ON

There’s been good word for the Gosden debutant in the 15.10 but he’s first time out and will need to run to an epic standard to win so we’ll watch that. We’ll play:

17.10 NOTTINGHAM

Several small bets in this race, if we pull it off it’ll be big, otherwise limited losses. Crisfords win, Stoute ew and forecast which pays 6-7/1 depending on where you shop.

17.50 SAILING ON

Working well and should finally break the maiden. 5/3 win.