Equinties - one more sleep

Gm Equinauts

One. More. Sleep. The greatest racing festival in the world.

The studying has been done and the shortlists made, now time to whittle down the winners and make sure they go on the fast ground!

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

STILL PERFECT (TO OWNERS)

Is she perfect? Well, after Sunday, SHES PERFECT looked less than her name suggested in the Prix de Diane, but everyone kind of knew that was coming anyway, more on this later.

For now, let’s talk about the winner, GEZORA. She received a bit of support in the market from Saturday into Sunday, shortening from 9/1 to an SP of 11/2, and despite having to work hard to win yesterday, her tun of foot was brilliant and she flew home.

She was well-covered up, she didn’t have the clearest route through, and yet, Christophe Soumillion galvanised his mount to pass rivals late on while also saving enough juice to hold off a fast-finishing BEDTIME STORY.

She’s a true stayer, and a really likeable type. With 300m to go, the Aga Khan duo of CANKOURA and MANDANABA looked to be going the best, and it would have been easy to think either one of them would win but, ultimately, GEZORA found more for pressure, and the early energy saved from BEDTIME STORY counted in her favour at the line as she ran on nicely.

It seems like Aidan O’Brien has got BEDTIME STORY back into a good headspace, she was trained solely for that race and she is starting to show the ability that was so apparent during her Chesham Stakes win last year. She could have a good second half of the season moving forward.

As for SHES PERFECT, her run was, quite simply, ‘one of those days’. It was her first run over 1m2f, and she clearly didn’t stay, but she also didn’t look like the same horse that was first past the post in the French Guineas.

She didn’t get much cover in the early stages of the race, so that might have affected her final effort, though she could have just not turned up to the races on the day. She was quite buzzy in the prelims!

And finally, without trying to make this whole newsletter Fellowes filly-themed, here’s just a quick line on the aftermath of her loss.

Of course, losing in the Diane having turned down £2.2 million looks, with the benefit of hindsight, a bad decision now, but the key phrase there is ‘with the benefit of hindsight’. That said, we definitely know we wouldn’t have said no to that. With horses, when there’s money on the table - TAKE IT!

Anyway, they took a chance, it didn’t work, but they still have a talented Group 1 filly who will have the chance to dance the dance again this season. Furthermore, she is a mare, so some of her potential sales value as broodmare will remain - but that’s a long way down the road, they have lot’s of fun ahead of them when the lower their sights.

All the people who are gloating at the fact that the horse lost all care a bit too much about SHES PERFECT and owner Basher Watts himself, perhaps simply jealous that there is someone else living a good life as a syndicate manager with a Group 1 horse on their hands, and all they can do is log onto Twitter to share some boring comments.

Anyway, what’s next for GEZORA, BEDTIME STORY, and SHES PERFECT?

The Diane is now a ‘win and you’re in’ race for the Arc, so GEZORA could head to Longchamp in October. Trainer Francis Henri-Graffard said: "I was extremely confident I was bringing her here in the best possible shape without really knowing how high she could go. I’m not surprised she ran a big race.

"I’m delighted we now have 'win and you’re in' races here, and the filly loves soft ground. This was a huge effort for her and we’ll have a chat about how we approach the autumn but I would imagine."

Aidan O’Brien thinks BEDTIME STORY could get further, so she could maybe be one for the Yorkshire Oaks as three-year-olds have such a good record in the race, and SHES PERFECT is likely to drop back to a mile, Charlie Fellowes confirms.

He said: "Kieran felt they went a good pace and she never quite dropped it. She always looked like she was just in a gear too many. He felt coming into the straight he had plenty in the tank but she emptied very quickly.
"We’ll come back to a mile after that. It was always the big question mark and she’s got lots of speed. I think very simply she didn’t quite get home.

"I thought getting a lead would help us but she never really switched off and the last furlong and a half looked a very long way."

FUTURE TARGETS

This weekend was quite quiet on the racing front for the UK, but it's Royal Ascot week, so that was to be expected.

Over at York, AL QARERM nicely won the Listed Grand Cup, even when it looked like Willie Mullins’ ABSURDE was going to pass him.

He’s a very, very solid horse, and he did the donkey work on the weekend.
He will now have a guaranteed run in the Ebor if connections decide to run him, but Karl Burke does have other targets.

He said: "He's so honest and brave. He just does it every time you ask. Even when the commentator said the favourite loomed up, I had a little smile on as you know he's going to lengthen and keep finding.
"The Irish St Leger looks a perfect race for him. It's at a lovely, big galloping track and he stays the trip so well. There and the Curragh Cup are likely to be the next two races for him."

He might even prefer a bit of softer ground later this season as well. Nice horse.

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/reports/we-didnt-know-if-he-could-get-the-horse-here-hucklesbrook-survives-travel-chaos-to-land-feature-a5v5h5D5bNeE/

WEEKEND EYE-CATCHERS

CHILLINGHAM – 14.25 YORK SATURDAY

It may have been the Queen Mother’s Cup for female amateur jockeys, but CHILLINGHAM was an eye-catching second at York on Saturday.

On ground that might have been on the limit for quickness, he stormed down the outside with a late charge and was just denied on the line.

Miss Megan Jordan rode the winner, and her ride is getting referred as she might have used her stick four times over the allotted amount, so that’s another thing to consider.

CHILLINGHAM pulled away from the third having been at the back of the pack for much of the race, and he might just be returning to some of his promising previous form. He could be dangerous in another Class 3 handicap soon.

DANCE IN THE STORM

Well gambled and bolted up to beat our ‘risk on’ pick SANTA SAVANA into second. Balding had loads of winners Saturday but of all of them, it looked like this one was the one to follow. She’s exceptionally well bred and given they tried her at Listed level on her second start, clearly means they think a lot of her! Follow her, she’s on the up!

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