Equinties - the last Galileo

Gm Equinauts

A man named Clive Washbourn features a lot in this newsletter today. Remember his name, you’ll be hear a lot more of him in the future… and when we say that, we mean you’ll probably actually hear him.

Let’s dive in.

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HEADLINE ROUND UP

TEMPTING TAKE ON

Following the open nature of the three-mile chasing scene over here in Britain, Gordon Elliott has opened up to the possibility of running GERRI COLOMBE in the Grade 1 King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. And the market has spoken:

The Ladbrokes Champion Chase winner was, and still may be, earmarked for the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28th, though comments from Elliott and a subsequent market moves across multiple bookmakers suggest he could be coming over to Kempton for a Christmas cracker against the likes of BRAVEMANSGAME and maybe even ALLAHO. 

Elliott, who sent DON COSSACK to the King George in 2015 and saw him fall at the second-last, said: "There's nothing confirmed as of yet with Gerri Colombe and we'll keep all options open. With the way things are working out over in Britain, the King George could be a possibility.

"He has plenty of options between Kempton, the Savills Chase at Leopardstown and the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January. We'll wait and see and we won't be making a decision until closer to the time." 

As a few people have rightly pointed out on Racing X, for a horse who seemed to lack tactical speed in his last race, a sharp three miles around Kempton may not be up his street. However, if he is to travel over, that could also open the door up for stablemate IMAGINE to run in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase after his victory on the weekend. 

SECOND REHEARSAL

In another big-name star who could be seen back on track, Nicky Henderson is tempted to run SHISHKIN in this weekend’s Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle. 

With stablemate CONSTITUTION HILL already set for the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle, the boss of Seven Barrows could to chuck his Arkle winner in the horse lorry for the £70,000 premier handicap won last year by L’HOMME PRESSE off top weight.

Speaking of top weight, the 9yo would have to carry 12-0 and if he did turn up, only two horses – the Jamie Snowden pair of GA LAW and DATSALRIGHTGINO – would not be out of the handicap due to SHISHKIN’s 173 rating. 

On Monday, Henderson said: "What can I tell you, I've put him in the race. He's entered, but that doesn't mean he's going to run. It's an option. Let's see how he is. He's been fine since Ascot and cantered yesterday and cantered today. 

"I can't say whether he will run there or he won't but he's entered. There aren't any other options on a racecourse as the Peterborough Chase is too close to the King George. We know what we've got to try to do and he's not the first horse who has tried to whip round at the start, you know."

This could be quite refreshing to see. For a long time, people have been asking for trainers to run their good horses in competitive handicaps to see a competitive contest. Admittedly, both of the Jamie Snowden runners could be Coral Gold Cup bound or are looking elsewhere, though seeing SHISHKIN try to give weight all-around at Newcastle would be fun… he if runs!

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/nicky-henderson-ponders-rehearsal-chase-for-shishkin-as-wayward-star-gives-him-major-dilemma-ab6n96N92aC4/

NEW BREED OF OWNER

We’ve found an owner with more enthusiasm (and don’t give af attitude) than the Racing Blogger… his name is Clive Washbourn. Check this out:

Washbourn, a big insurance player, spent £200,000 on a PINATUBO colt out of the DUBAWI mare NARAK and bellowed “show us your money” to his rival bidder, a certain Richard Hannon, upon making his final statement to secure the sale at Tattersalls yesterday. 

Hannon, who had placed a bid of £170,000, and Anthony Stroud, who had gone up to £150,000, had no response to Washbourn’s £30,000 increase in the bidding as he took home the top lot of the day who was bred by Gigginstown House Stud.

To back up his buy, he went on to say: “He is the greatest colt in the sale. I love Tatts. This sale is amazing value for money because quite often you get Book 1 rejects. The most important thing is understanding why they’ve been rejected. These Pinatubos look like middleweight fighters - this thing will be smashing Coolmore up the Ascot straight! Boof boof!” Time will reveal whether this will become true or not.

More: https://www.racingpost.com/bloodstock/sales-reports/this-thing-will-be-smashing-coolmore-up-the-ascot-straight-clive-washbourn-lets-rip-with-200000gns-tattersalls-top-lot-a4o9N8J7VVxJ/

BACK TO THE FUTURE 

The Tattersalls December Yearling Sale can be a fairly dreary old place on a cold and wet November day however it serves a useful purpose for those more backwards yearlings and the yearlings which may have picked up niggles when they were being prepared for the October Sales.

The top lot by PINATUBO who sold for 200k was exactly that. The buyer was the aforementioned, colourful and eccentric owner Clive Washbourn whose best horse so far has been THUNDERING BLUE. Here he is celebrating his win in the Stockholm Cup in Sweden:

This year gone he had DEVIL’s POINT who was 2nd in the Gr1 Futurity Stakes. Commenting after his purchase Clive said, "It'll be Royal Ascot: Coventry. There'll be the Coolmore boys, there'll be the Amo boys and this guy's going to go 'smack, smack, smack', rocket home". “He is the greatest colt in the sale,” said Washbourn.

“These Pinatubos look like middleweight fighters - this thing will be smashing Coolmore up the Ascot straight! Boof boof!” 

As well as breeding the aforementioned PINATUBO, Gigginstown House Stud (under Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud) bred a SEA THE STARS colt who fetched 120k to Norman Court Stud. The dam who was bought for 360k in 2020 when carrying a SIYOUNI filly (made 725k to Juddmonte as a yearling) is a half sister to Gr1W LILLIE LANGTRY who herself is the dam of Champion race filly MINDING who is the dam of Gr1W this year HENRY LONGFELLOW. 

The SEA THE STARS is bred on a similar cross to Arc de Triomphe 3rd and Gr1W ONESTO. The owner of Norman Court Stud Simon Taplin said after the Sale, “I usually buy fillies to get the stud together but I’ve always wanted a Sea The Stars colt and he took my eye yesterday. I think my trainers are going to fight over him now! We’ve bought a few fillies this year but I fancied a colt so we’ll try something a bit different. We’ll have 23 horses in training next year.” 

Three SEA THE STARS progeny finished in the top 10 highest priced lots.

One other notable story was Roddy Kavanagh of Glending Stables buying the last GALILEO to go through the ring as a yearling. Roddy sourced VANDEEK from this Sale last year and breezed him at the Craven Sale in April where he sold him to KHK Racing for 625k.

This GALILEO, purchased for 125k, will probably tread that same path. Roddy said, “He looks like a fast Galileo, physically he’s very nice. We shall see. Hopefully he gallops the way he walks because he’s a great mover. You always like to come back where you’ve made hay before, although there’s no guarantees it’ll happen again.“ 

YOUNG BLOOD

13.40 SOUTHWELL

This is Southwell’s first meeting back since the great flood of ‘23 and it has been plagued by NR’s who must not have been expecting heavy ground…really? As a consequence, this bumper has reduced to only 5 runners, and, like so many bumpers markets we’ve seen recently, a Nicholls hot pot is fave.

JUST LUCKY SIVOLA is 8/11. If you look deep enough dam side, he’s well bred, carrying the blood of Champion Hurdle and Stayers winners. The sire NOROIT is still proving himself and despite his German pedigree, his progeny tend to prefer top of the ground, Venetia’s FUNAMBULE SIVOLA, a case in point. Can this lad’s dam side get him through the slop today?

Sowden is in great form but the pedigree of his horse is a weird blend of sprint and stamina. We think he’s one for handicaps later down the line despite the squeeze into second fave.

NED CASH should be a slop lover. By super sire BLUE BRESIL, his dam side (including dam sire) all require mud. His lto effort on debut this summer was average but that was on quickish ground. Today’s surface will slow the race right down, in his favour and that might bring out the improvement needed?

RED NED reps Sandy Thomson who won the Catterick bumper last Friday (much to our annoyance). Despite the dam being a bumper winner, this horse isn’t as well bred as the Friday’s runner and is one to take on and track for a gamble in a 0-100 later next year.

Verdict: If Nicholls’ doesn’t get stuck in the mud then he has the best pedigree for this race, on better ground he’d be a strong bet or leverage for another play. We expect him to win against this field. That said, in heavy ground, NED CASH at 4’s might just be able to get the better of him…brave to take on Nicholls in races he farms but, the mud sends out odd results. Not a strong view but still the view.

15.20 SEDGEFIELD

DIAMOND GEEZER for Olly Murphy is uneasy fave here, the top two have flip flopped all early morning with McCain’s finally starting to ease out to 9/4.

McCain’s DEEP STRATO will end up the better horse long term but we’re unsure he will have the speed for today being a CLOUDINGS (the said connections best horse MANY CLOUDS, by CLOUDINGS, won his bumper) The Sedgefield straight is long and that will play to his staying strengths with the ground ideal.

The gamble of the race MUSICAL MASQUERADE. We’re not having it, he simply doesn’t have the blood for this type of race. He’ll be swinging round the bend, no doubt go close to odds on and then stop half way down the long home straight for lack of stamina. Calling it now.

The rest on pedigree can’t win either with the only exception, owed to weights, VANILLA DANCER - but even with the allowance and jockeys claim, has slim chances.

Verdict: We’re sure this is between DIAMOND GEEZER and DEEP STRATO. DIAMOND GEEZER is related to BREWIN’UPASTORM which is tempting but given his price tag of ‘only’ 50k, would be inclined to say he’s not as good as his uncle. If DEEP STRATO gets clipped back into fave, he’d be the pick otherwise its a race we’ll leave alone.

TODAYS BEST STATS

No stand out stats today.

RISK ON

No luck with yesterday’s bet on Venetia’s (and no roll on to Skelton’s mare who massively underperformed so minimal damage done). We didn’t like the NATHANIAL fave in that race - he was too slow for Ludlow, should have been a lay really. We make a bit laying horse behind the scenes but those types of bets won’t work for this newsletter.

We’re sticking Venetia today.

12.15 TREATY BOY

Pedigree pick in the slop here to take on the sortie fave. Dam no good but she herself is well bred and the mud is a bonus. Quite keen on this lad. 2/1.

14.10 MOUNTAIN LEOPARD

Fresh seems to be when to catch this horse an his form is standout vs the Woollacott horse who has been winning points we could have run and won in. 6/5.

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