Equinties - Hay day

Gm Equinauts

Saturday was a tough day for punters and especially for those who wanted to take on the boys in blue in the feature race of the day, the Solario.

After MILITARY ORDER basically pulled up early doors in the Chester Stakes, it looked like Charlie Appleby’s season was going from bad to worse and no one wanted AABLAN at Sandown.

Until the money came…

Almost like a big F YOU to the doubters, just like that, Godolphin were back.

The yards recent form shows 6 winners from 11 runners, suggesting they’re making a late charge for the remainder of the season.

Everyone like’s seeing the big money horses being beaten by underdogs but Charlie Appleby is a great trainer, nice boke and even better family man. He deserves all the success he gets. Keep it up, Charlie,

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Lets dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

HAY DAY

Although the action in the UK wasn’t quite up to scratch for a Saturday, this didn’t stop the well-known owners Jim & Fitri Hay from landing a cross-continent treble to scoop well over a million in prize money.

Their runners and ambitious entries highlighted in this newsletter last week, the Hays’ big success on Saturday came in the Grade 3 Mint Millions Stakes as ANCIENT ROME, a 33/1 Glorious Goodwood winner, got up late under Jamie Spencer to win £980,000 for connections.

The 7/1-shot was bought by the Hays from Ballydoyle earlier this year in a private sale, and Charlie Hills had planned a perfect route for the four-year-old to make the most of both his handicap mark and class in winnable races.

ANCIENT ROME’s victory added to an already successful day as at Kincsem Park in Hungary, as Frankie Dettori secured a big-race double for the Hays with SPLENDENT in the Group 1 Kincsem Dij and SILENT FILM in the Group 2 Imperial Dij – SCEPTIC, also owned by the Hays, finished second to SILENT FILM for the 1-2!

Although the Hungarian races may not have been worth much, it’s good placement and sporting attitude from the Hays and trainers involved. Bravo.

GROUP 1 TARGETS

The Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot next month is the target for Patrice Cottier’s HORIZON DORE after he comfortably won the Prix du Prince d’Orange at Longchamp on Sunday.

The three-year-old by DABIRISM was sent of the 3/5 favourite for the 1m2f contest under Cristian Demuro and swept around the outside of the field to win by an easy two-and-a-half lengths.

Owned by the same team that saw SEALIWAY win the Champion Stakes in 2021, the quadruple-seeking colt will be on a plane for Champions Day next month, a race he is a general 10/1-shot for with most firms. Here is mega-rocket and trainer Pauline Cheboub’s comments post-race:

Another who is heading off to a Group 1 next time out is BEAUVATIER who won the Group 3 Prix la Rochette an hour before at long odds-on. He was well-fancied and well-found in the market for the 7f contest, and despite being a bit workmanlike once he hit the front, he was always doing enough and the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere is now on the agenda.

Let’s look at the French action more closely.

LONGCHAMP

One of the best 2yo’s in France stretched out in the Prix Le Rochette on Sunday.

BEAUVATIER was picked up by his trainer Yann Barberot at last years Arqana August Yearling Sales from the acclaimed nursery Ecurie des Monceaux. Having already taken the scalp of France’s best 2yo filly in RAMATUELLE and he did have an entry in the Dewhurst at Newmarket, connections of BEAUVATIER look like they’ll be going back to Longchamp for the Lagadere instead.

BEAUVATIER is a son of LOOE DE VEGA who was 4th in the Lagadere to SIYOUNI, but he went on to win two classics in France. He is out of ENCHANTING SKIES (who is by SEA THE STARS), herself a €500,000 yearling. LOOE DE VEGA and SEA THE STARS have nicked before, with MY ASTRA and GOLDEN LYRA.

SAUTERNE collected in the Gr1 Prix du Moulin, from BIG ROCK who was the short favourite beforehand.

SAUTERNE was in the Goffs London sale, but didn’t match her reserve at €1.2million. She’ll be worth more than that now. Since then, she has been placed in 3 Gr1 contests most recently behind MQSE DE SEVIGNE in the Prix Rothschild, but also GOOD GUESS in the Prix Jean Prat. She found BLUE ROSE CEN too hot to handle in the Pouliches at the start of the year, the same connections who race BIG ROCK.

Her dam is a sister to STACELITA who was champion in France and she in turn produced SOUL STIRRING who was a champion in France and was FRANKEL’s first classic winner when she won the Japanese Oaks, the Yushun Himba.

SAUTERNE is by KINGMAN who is having a great year; currently sitting behind FRANKEL and DUBAWI on the Leading Sires in Europe by Black type winners. That has been helped this year by KINROSS, EPICTETUS, SCHNELL MEISTER in Japan, Gr1 winner KING COLORADO in Australia and Gr1 winner FEED THE FLAME in France amongst others.

YOUNG BLOOD

16.55 WINDSOR 

HAVANAGREATTIME has placed on all three starts, the son of HAVANA GREY was only beaten a length lto and his experience will really help him today.

STARRING ROLE represents the Balding stable for the Cheveley Park team. By EXCEED AND EXCEL, dam was a 3 time winner of handicaps and a half sister to Gr1 winner INSPIRAL. Stables debutants normally come on from the run.

ST LUKES CHELSEA is saddled by Ralph Beckett who has enjoyed a fruitful couple of months with his runners. This son of TERRITORIES was third lto but beaten 13 lengths, his future lies in handicaps after this unless he improves considerably.

KING OF FRANCE is by US NAVY FLAG o/o a Gr2 winner who herself is a half sister to Arc de Triomphe winner PEINTRE CELEBRE. It’s a nice page and the trainer can get a debutant ready, market to guide.

HIYA HONEY cost 105k as a yearling, is by DARK ANGEL o/o listed placed mare PRIXELEEN who has been married to DARK ANGEL since she retired to Yeomanstown Studs broodmare band. Nice looking filly but may need the run today.

CUBAN HARRY made a sedate debut at Newmarket and is best watched again.

LET’S GET EM by WOOTTON BASSETT for the Cole’s is bred on the same cross as CHINDIT bring o/o an OASIS DREAM mare. On the drift this morning so possibly there for more educational purposes. The same goes for DAAOYE for the Richard Hughes stable.

Verdict: It’s all about HAVANAGREATTIME and can get his head in front at the fourth time of asking.

STATS OF THE DAY

After a great time last week for this stats section, we have one stat today:

CONTROL runs for Butler at Brighton in the 16.10 wearing a visor. Butler is 2 from 5 when slapping head gear on them for the first time. Maybe just last chance saloon for this girl who is 0-16.

RISK ON

The Young Blood horse should be good for the job. Other bets on:

15.00 DUELY SPICED

Two horse race between Gay’s DUELY SPICED and the well backed Johnston horse. We like DUELY SPICED to get her head in front. Hedging with Johnston’s MY CLEMENTINE paying 7’s either way. Split stake.

16.20 FOOLS GOLD

Basically a two horse race against Cole’s and this one was given a nice intro and expected to come on. A half to THE PLATINUM QUEEN, so well bred and can break his maiden today. 7/4 is a bet against the drifting Cole horse.

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