Equinties - Tom's tank engine

Gm Equinauts

Well, Friday was good with the mud acca landing, Saturday was a bit average but at least the max bet landed with LIAM SWAGGER,

but yesterday was extraordinary.

When we hit one, no one can do it like us.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

GROUP 1 GLORY

Believe it or not, but it’s rare when you walk away from a day that included two Group 1s and think ‘You know, they were both really good winners’.

Sometimes, a loser gets an unlucky run through, or the race turns into a bit of a mess, but both the Cheveley Park and Middle Park winners put in big performances that can only be praised.

Starting with LAKE VICTORIA, ‘The Lads’ got stuck in before the off to make her the outright 6/4 favourite ahead of the fellow Group 1 winner BABOUCHE (SP 2/1) and she delivered with a three-length success.

What was the most eye-catching thing about her win was that she made her own way on the near side, was one of the last off the bridle, and kicked away with a notable turn of foot when Ryan Moore asked.

It was rather impressive.

Aidan O’Brien describes her as “unusual” as she is able to win a Moyglare over seven and still return to six for a Cheveley Park, yet Moore thinks she should next appear in the Fillies’ Mile.

By FRANKEL out of the Commonwealth Cup winner QUIET REFLECTION, her dam obviously has that speed influence yet her siblings (THE EQUATOR, BLUEGRASS) all stayed further than a mile.

She deserves her chance at a mile, but she has plenty of speed to the eye and they probably went quite hard in the Moyglare, allowing her to pick up the pieces in the final furlong.

She is now 9/4 for the Fillies’ Mile if she is to head there.

As for the other Group 1, plenty thought WHISTLEJACKET was going to oblige at odds-on, but SHADOW OF LIGHT took a step forward to win comfortably.

As you can see from the side angle on ITV, William Buick gives him a small nudge approaching the two-furlong pole, but Buick actually came back onto the bridle when his mount responded so quickly.

His win gives another form boost to the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes from the York Ebor Festival, adding to SYMBOL OF STRENGTH and BIG MOJO who have both franked the form so far.

He’s going to be put away for the winter now and the Commonwealth Cup is his big target, so there’s no temptation of the Guineas. That’s probably because they have a nice hand already, which we’ll talk about in our next section.

CRUISING KAMEKO

As first seasons go, KAMEKO has had a great one as his progeny have won some big, big races.

NEW CENTURY won the Listed Stonehenge Stakes before going on to secure the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine recently, and the list of honours gathered further momentum for KAMEKO on Saturday.

That’s because WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE travelled well into the Group 2 Royal Lodge and kicked clear under James Doyle to win. Although ANGELO BUONARROTI and PUPPET MASTER were backed before the off, the best horse won.

His success not only boosts the form of the 2000 Guineas winner from 2020, but it also gives a nice nod to the Group 3 Acomb Stakes which was won by THE LION OF WINTER. He was second that day, and the fourth – THE WACO KID – won Thursday’s Group 3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes.

THE LION IN WINTER is the current favourite for the Dewhurst and Charlie Appleby confirmed that the unbeaten ANCIENT TRUTH is on track for the same race, so he looks like Godolphin’s big Guineas hope for next year.

RULING COURT has also been entered for Dewhurst, but there has been no word for him yet. WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE was ahead of RULING COURT in the Acomb and three-and-a-half lengths behind ANCIENT TRUTH in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes in July.

So, WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE’s win gives us a good piece of form to circulate around, and it’ll certainly give the Godolphin chiefs something to be excited by.

As for James Owen’s Group 2 winner, connections are looking forward to some big targets over the next year.

Tim Gredley said: "We'll have a look at Doncaster but he's very much a next-year horse and we could have a Guineas horse on our hands. Beyond that, we have some unfinished business in the Derby after Ambiente Friendly's near-miss this year."

LAST WEEKS EYE-CATCHERS

AL NAYYIR - THURSDAY 15.55 NEWMARKET

We have to start with A NAYYIR. He absolutely bolted up for up and coming trainer Tom Clover. Clearly improved from being his the right hands, this horse looks a monster and might, just might, be the only horse in training right now to be able to lay upsides KYPRIOS and give him a race.

We now call him Tom’s Tank Engine!

TRILBY - SATURDAY 14.40 HAYDOCK

The six-furlong Class 3 handicap at Haydock on Saturday was won by WOVEN on his first start for just over two months, and he is a horse that goes well fresh.

The horse that chased him down was TRILBY who had to wait to make his manoeuvre up the near side, so he certainly caught the eye.

The four-year-old is on a career-high mark of 76, which is a small worry, but soft ground is something he enjoys and he is clearly in good form.

Watch him for the latter half of this season.

SUPER SOX - SUNDAY 15.15 CURRAGH

A rare Irish horse here who really caught the eye.

The Group 3 Renaissance Stakes was quite an open contest pre-race, but there was a bit of a market move.

The move came for Paddy Twomey’s SUPER SOX who went off 3/1 on her second start in Group company.

She jumped out of the stalls and instantly reared, which gave her and Billy Lee a really tough task.

However, the pair stuck to it and she finished an eye-catching fourth, only beaten by two lengths.

Twomey isn’t in the best form at the moment either, so she should be one to watch in Ireland’s future sprint contests this season.

RISK ON

Unfortunately, the meetings we had eyed up are now off. Stay tuned this week though, with all this rain - there will be some bets!

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