Equinties - sexy Sussex

Gm Equinauts

Imagine being so angry your horse lost you can’t help yourself but to throw your pint at a horse.

People with the low a level of emotional intelligence shouldn’t be allowed to bet, let alone be around horses on a track.

Someone reading this might know who the person -tell them from us they’re beta-male. Embarrassing.

Kick them out the sport. It might do them good.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

LOOKING AT THE ARC

In an article published in the Racing Post yesterday, LOOK DE VEGA – last seen when winning the Prix du Jockey Club - has hardened into 7/2 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

He was impressive at Chantilly, that’s for sure, and the win made it three from three for the colt by LOPE DE VEGA.

So, for people who may not be clued up too much on the current Arc ante-post favourite, here’s a bit more information.

He cost €160,000 in a private sale as a yearling and his dam, LUCELLE, is a half-sister to THE BLACK PRINCESS who won the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks in 2017.

THE BLACK PRINCESS and LUCELLE are out of LARAMIE who also produced LATICE (the 2004 Group 1 Prix de Diane), LAWMAN (a two-time Group 1 winner), and the Group 3 winner SATRI. LATICE is the dam of FENCING, a Listed-placed horse, so LOOK DE VEGA’s pedigree is strong like bull!

What might his route to the Arc look like? Well, connections want to miss the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano and will instead head to the Prix Niel on September 15th.

Co-trainer Yann Lerner said: "He will run on Arc Trials day. We all know there is nothing better than a race to tell us, but I don’t expect the distance to pose too many problems.

"He showed a lot of speed to take up a position and then win the Jockey Club, but I think he will stay."

With the likes of CITY OF TROY, SOSIE, AL RIFFA, and CONTINUOUS in the betting, we could be in for a nice little Arc this year although if the ground is it’s usual soft then we can’t imagine COT will run.

SEXY SUSSEX

Who watched the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot on Saturday?

Well, we certainly saw the pre-race market move on QUDDWAH, and his performance on the track did the talking.

With a performance like that in that class of company, connections have to think bigger, but how would he shape-up in the Sussex Stakes?

Well, the Crisfords are thinking of that race which could mean a battle against ROSALLION, NOTABLE SPEECH, HENRY LONGFELLOW, and HAATEM, all of which he would have to give weight away to.

That would be the major issue with backing him in something like the Sussex. It’s not about the quality that QUDDWAH may have under the bonnet (as all in that race will be pretty decent), it’s just about whether any weight has to be given away.

In this circumstance, he’d have to give 8lbs away which is steep enough.

Connections do have another option though, as Ed Crisford said: "He'll either head to the Sussex or the Jacques le Marois. The extra week is a consideration, but you've got to think of the track and his opposition too, with a lot of three-year-olds going to the Sussex. Sheikh Ahmed owns the horse and he'll have his own ideas as well, so we'll hopefully have some discussions over the next few days."

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/we-havent-got-to-the-bottom-of-him-yet-group-1-ambitions-for-unbeaten-summer-mile-winner-quddwah-a6W2p8P8GK6B/ 

MURPHYS IN ‘MERICA

Let’s take you back to a race that occurred back in May over hurdles.

Yes, we are deep into the Flat season and we shouldn’t be talking about the jumps (unless Norm posts a summer ground jumps bet of course), but PICKANUMBER bolted up by 15 lengths in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle for Olly Murphy.

It was a serious performance, but that is the last time we will see him with Olly Murphy as the One To Six Syndicate accepted an offer from an American syndicate – the Leipers Fork Steeplechasers – that they simply couldn’t refuse.

By SHANTOU out of the OSCAR mare POLLYWOLLYDOODLE, his first assignment in the USA is in the Grade 1 A P Smithwick Memorial Stakes on Wednesday (18.10 Saratoga), and Murphy thinks racing over in America will suit his style.

“It was a very hard decision for the owners as he won the Swinton Hurdle very readily and was the horse of a lifetime for a small syndicate.

"He had an unusual profile in that he'd won on good ground and looked progressive. He fitted the profile of a horse who could race for the good money in America.”

More: https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/runaway-swinton-winner-and-horse-of-a-lifetime-pickanumber-sold-to-race-in-the-us-where-he-runs-in-a-grade-1-on-wednesday-aukXL9f19OGD/

RISK ON

After a brilliant bet landed on Eve’s DUE TO HENRY in the Windsor slop (and others posted on X), we can only one single we can find today and it’s a shortie but should be a goodie:

14.30 COTA DE CAZA

She’s had a run and holds a very nice pedigree for the mud versus the others in this race. 11/10 is a good bet. Can see he go odds on in the pre’s.

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