Equinties - top rated

Gm Equinauts

There was something FRANKEL-esque about OMBUDSMAN at Royal Ascot.

It might have just been those familiar white socks. Or it could have been the manner in which he won.

Either way, some might seriously have been calling him the next FRANKEL had he had the race fitness to maintain his unbeaten record when losing his unbeaten record at Sandown to Walkers ALMAQAM).

He isn’t FRANKEL, no one is, but every one with eyes can see just how bloody good he looked when seemingly running in to more trouble than he’d find in the Middle East but ultimately winning with incredible ease in the closing stages.

The handicapper has eyes. He’s now the highest rated horse in training!

With FIELD OF GOLD also gracing this years meeting, it was certainly a Royal Ascot fans will refer back to in years to come and we can’t wait to see them again.

Those two will be very, very sought after sires in the future.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

UP IN TRIP

One of the biggest-priced winners at Royal Ascot last week came in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes as CERECENE backed up her big Irish 1000 Guineas effort to land the contest.

She had to be good because ZARIGANA gave her a good fight. Maybe the French raider isn’t very strong in the finish, granted, but CERECENE showed formidable stamina and determination to get her head in front.

By AUSTRALIA out of the five-furlong winner, she had a mixed pedigree that suggested a mile is pretty perfect. More, she is a half-sister to the Brit Stakes winner PEROTTO, after all!

Despite this, her trainer, Joe Murphy, is keen to step her up in distance, and he’s not holding back either. 1m4f for the Irish Oaks next month is the intended target.

He said: “We've come up with a provisional plan for Cercene that we are writing in pencil but not biro. We're thinking of supplementing her for the Irish Oaks before possibly going for the Nassau Stakes, then the Matron Stakes and then on to the Breeders' Cup.

“I'd love to go up to a mile and a quarter and the extra distance of the Oaks is a big question, but it's for three-year-olds only. We're stepping up two furlongs more than we probably should on paperwork.

“If she's very well we will supplement her a week before the race. We won’t be throwing away 50 grand lightly."

This is great. At the moment, MINNE HAUK is the 8/11 favourite, and her closest market rival is her stalemate LAKE VICTORIA at 10/1 (who probably won’t even go).

The race screams of weakness. So, with CERECENE potentially going, it adds another horse for MINNIE HAUK to take on, and a different form line for her to be tried against. Furthermore, there’s no guarantee CERECENE will get the trip. It may be a heads-up match, but it certainly could be an interesting one.

BOUNCING BACK

Speaking of the Classics, DELACROIX was a big disappointment in the Epsom Derby. He never seemed to be going from an early stage in the ground, and if you were one of the unlucky few who had backed him, you knew your fate pretty early

So, where next for the Ballysax winner? After all, he did beat the eventual Derby winner, LAMBOURN, earlier in the season, so he surely isn’t a busted flush just yet.

With the likes of HENRI MATISSE set to head to the Sussex Stakes, where he will meet FIELD OF GOLD, the Coral-Eclipse is on the agenda for DELACOIX.

Aidan O’Brien said: “The Eclipse will probably come a bit quick for Trinity College so we’re probably thinking of letting Delacroix take that slot along with Camille, that’s what we’re thinking.

“Trinity looks like he’s a Group One horse now, but when the others are there the timing means it fits in a little bit better for them.

“Don’t rule out Trinity yet, but I’d imagine it will be the other two instead of him.”
O’Brien mentioned a possible American target for TRINITY COLLEGE next, so that could be for him instead of the Eclipse.

OMBUDSMAN, SOSIE, CAMILLE PISARRO, DELACROIX, HAATEM, and maybe even the likes of GEZORA and CALANDAGAN could make a tasty Sandown feature on July 5th.

WATHNAN SPRINTERS

Wathnan Racing have a great list of sprinters, don’t they? LAZZAT is the current QEII Jubilee Stakes winner, FLORA OF BERMUDA was third, NIGHT RAIDER is a nice horse, and KIND OF BLUE won the Champions Sprint last season.

We haven’t seen KIND OF BLUE since his run in the Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly earlier this month, and despite his odds of 1/2, he could only finish ninth of nine. In fairness to the unexposed four-year-old, he got upset in the stalls having been left in the gates for a long time, so that was his race over after one stride.

Well, we get to see him this weekend, and it will be his first effort on the all-weather since his Kempton debut in April 2024.

That’s because connections are lining up a tilt at the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes on Saturday, a race he is already 13/8 for with 16 entries.

SPYCATCHER, ALYANAABI, and MY MATE ALFIE look to be some of his stronger competitors, though this does look like a weak renewal and very winnable race, even if he has to give 7lbs away to come in here.

RISK ON

We’re punting from Newbury this evening so make sure you’re tuned into our X account @equinties to read about all our paddock picks - there’s a lot to be said in using your eye in the pre’s to pick the winners.

Elsewhere we going to play a little Beverley treble:

15.15 DR RIO, 16.16 SPECIAL GHAIYYATH & 16.45 QUIRKE ON PAROLE

There three quick ground horses all have faves chances so we’re going to try a small speccy 10/1 win treble to build the Newbury coffers.