Equinties - road to Kentucky

Gm Equinauts

We thought this newsletter was the centre of attention this weekend having landed some big bets over the weekend but the limelight was firmly stolen last night by a little 10 million dollar filly.

The daughter of Australian wonder mare WINX was bought by part-owner Debbie Kepitis yesterday for $10,000,000 (presumably she bought out her co-owners).

People though she’d make 3, maybe 4 milli but 10 is absolute fireworks. Debbie clearly loves WINX… a lot!

We wish them all the success in the world. Or down under. There’s not a hope in hell we’ll ever see her race up here.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

BIG PERFORMANCES  

This weekend was a good few days betting for the newsletter and our X handle @equinties, and although we may be looking through rose-tinted glasses, BRACKEN’S LAUGH was an eye-catchingly good performance. 

Coming into the race, the price of CAPULET was perhaps telling on paper as with the form he had, 11/10 was too good to be true. Eventually going off 8/13 and he made somewhat of a challenge under Ryan Moore but ultimately wasn’t good enough and BRACKEN’S LAUGH absolutely danced in.

After just three races, two of which being winning ones, he is a very interesting horse for the red-hot Richard Hughes stable. His blood is exemplary as he comes from the same family as GETAWAY and Hughes has already highlighted the Dee Stakes at Chester as his next target, a race that has been won by EL DRAMA, NOT SO SLEEPY, and MAGICIAN in recent years. 

DALLAS STAR looks a worthy Epsom horse, or even a Doncaster Leger horse.

Seamie Heffernan would have got a boost for this win, and Amo would be fools not to use him a lot this year. Maybe they have already struck a deal for Seammie as their stable jockey?

DALLAS STAR’s background isn’t flash, he was a €30,000 foal at Arqana and Robson picked him up for 50,000gns at Bk2 before trying to sell him as a breezer at Newmarket but he didn’t meet their reserve and was knocked down to vendor at 180,000gns. Towards the back end of last year as a juvenile he was placed in the Zealand Stakes behind Arabian Crown and Gasper De Lemos. 

Another horse to follow would be DARE TO DREAM who looked a bit classy when she won the Gr3 Prix Vanteaux at Longchamp yesterday.

Mqse Dr Sevigne and Jannah Rose have won this race in the last 2 years and they subsequently won at the highest level. DARE TO DREAM was beaten by CONTENT at the end of last year, KITTY ROSE was in second and she was second yesterday to A LILAC ROLLA. DARE TO DREAM’s mother is a sister to DANEDREAM who won the Arc and King George.

DARE TO DREAM is by CAMELOT, so there should be huge scope for improvement as a 3yo now. The Prix Saint Alary and Prix de Diane are the big targets next.

ROAD TO KENTUCKY

The Kentucky Derby field is starting to take shape and another couple of contenders emerged from this weekend.

SIERRA LEONE firmly put himself in contention after winning the Gr1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in an unbelievable demolition job having sat last through out and sweeping around the whole field to win a shade cosily from JUST A TOUCH.

He cost owners Coolmore Stud et al $2.3million at the Fasig Tipton Saratoga Yearling Select Sale. His first three dams are all Gr1 winners and he’s by the all conquering young sire GUN RUNNER. He was an unlucky second in a Grade 2 as a juvenile and is clearly thriving, connections will be hoping this lung sapping run hasn’t left its mark for the first weekend in May.

RESILIENCE put in a dominating performance in the Gr2 Wood Memorial Stakes to earn his spot in the line up. The lightly raced son of INTO MISCHIEF looks to be coming to the boil at the optimum moment. It did however give a form boost to SIERRA LEONE as he beat him by 3 lengths lto. 

Both will need to pull a bit more out to beat Mike Repole’s FIERCENESS.

WEEKEND EYE-CATCHERS

CANNON ROCK – SATURDAY 14.40 KEMPTON

We pondered why CANNON ROCK was let go by Godolphin ahead of his run in the Rosebery Handicap at Kempton, but his second run for James Owen was certainly a promising one. Owen has made a bit of a name for himself in picking up horses and improving them – as shown by what he is doing with DESTINADO from Tony Carroll’s yard – and CANNON ROCK was given an easy time of things by Aidan Keeley.

It was his first delve into big-field handicap company and with his pedigree linking with ONE RULER, he might appreciate the return to the turf as well off a mark in the 80s.

CONKWELL LEGEND - SUNDAY 15.35 EXETER

Travelled well but and only bumped into one Tizzard horse who has seemingly found a new lease of life this year. Sloppy ground staying trips should see CONKWELL LEGEND break his chase maiden.

JACKS PARROT - SATURDAY 15.55 UTTOXETER

Absolutely bolted up after we dismissed him due to his sire - what do we know! Granted it was a very bad race but he cantered in and is a half to yard hero IROCO so could be very, very well handicapped and one to follow if a price.

RISK ON

After a series of singles going in to make a mini-bull run, we want to maintain the one and done theme:

16.00 TARGET MAN

As we said yesterday on X, this really should be a penalty kick. Even money or 11/10 if you took that last night, could look huge post-race.

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