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Equinties - Morebattle Saturday
BGP Capital
February 28, 2026
Gm, Equinauts
Unbelievably, we’re not actually at Newbury today. We’re going Point to Pointing!
If you don’t hear from us on X @Equinties, it’s because we’re drinking pints and moving size in a muddy field with no signal. A proper Saturday.
Let’s dive in.
HEADLINE ROUNDUP
ECONOMICS
The thoroughbred world took a bad hit yesterday with the sudden death of ECONOMICS, the brilliant Irish Champion Stakes winner, who tragically passed away at only 5yo.
Reports confirm the ex-Shaggas son of NIGHT OF THUNDER died from a bout of colic while standing his first season at Poonawalla Stud Farms—one of India's premier breeding operations. We’re not sure he even covered a mare!
It’s not only a massive blow to us as fans, but the Indian breeding scene which has been aggressively importing high-profile European stock (think CHINDIT) to raise their breeding game.
The loss of ECONOMICS is a particularly tough one over here though given the potential we thought he once had. He came onto the scene in 2024 under Shaggas, romping home in the Dante Stakes at York before serving it up to AUGUSTE RODIN in the Irish Champion at Leopardstown—proving his Group 1 class against those in the top-level middle-distance echelons.
It turned out he had his issues though. A final run in the Champion Stakes at Ascot saw him finish only eighth when he bled badly. After that his career was finished and connections sold him to Poonawalla in late 2025.
The "economics" of the move were fairly straightforward, owed to the bleeding, he basically wasn’t valued over here in fear his progeny would carry the trait (despite his sire’s dominance), so India took him as one of the most high-profile off-the-track stallions in recent memory, complementing their existing roster along with TERRITORIES.
It’s a reminded of how brutal colic is. When it hits, it hits fast and is often fatal, as was the case for ECONOMICS.
RIP big lad.
BEEN THERE, DONE IT
We don’t normally rob stuff from the Racing Post as 99% of the fluff around the genuine writing is garbage tips of no value add (or consequence). The real reason (we think) punters buy the RP is for the pure facts at the back - form and stats and access to the site (which hardly works).
But in todays Post, they feature an interview with the one and only Davey Russell who is probably the biggest high profile name to have retired from the saddle most recently and they’ve asked his for his golden nugget’s on the Festival. He’s been there are done it, so why not listen?
Let’s keep it simple. Strongest fancy? It’s BALLYFAD for the Turners. He’s yet to be seen over 2miles, so that interesting in itself. He’s chosen TALK THE TALK in the Supreme. Davey clearly likes that Leopardstown form!
If forced, he thinks the NEW LION wins the Champion Hurdle and MARINE NATIONALE wins the Champion Chase but that's from the process of elimination.
The Irishman is picking Lavelle’s MA SHANTOU for the Stayers (let’s gooo) and that’s not his only Brit pick, he likes Hendo’s JANGO BAIE for the Gold Cup and LULAMBA for the Arkle! Did someone say Prestbury Cup!?
His dark horse is JALON D’OUDAIRIES in the Albert Bartlett. He’s so unexposed and cantered in last time. He’d have to win to pay back his 400k price tag!
Basically, the Davey Russell Cheltenham Lucky 15 is TALK THE TALK (Supreme), BALLYFAD (Turners), THE NEW LION in the Champion Hurdle and JALON D’OUDAIRIES in the Albert Bartlett - that’s a 3,117/1 bet.
You wouldn’t, would you?
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