Equinties - weekender

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Gm Equinauts 

We usually stick to the big-race previews on a Saturday, but some huge (and relatively shocking/amusing) news broke last night that new bloodstock agent, Richard Knight, still owes Tatts tens of millions from his yearling ‘purchases’ in October. 

Last week Tatts sent an email out to all their database of successful Bk 1 buyers informing them of a ‘resale of horses from book 1 of the October 2022 yearling sales. 

Tattersalls are set to resell 17 juvenile horses worth 11,055,000gns that were bought at last year’s October Yearling Sale as they have yet to receive payment from the intended buyer, including a £2m FRANKEL colt, £1.8m LOPE DE VEGA filly and a £750k son of KINGMAN. 

Bought by Richard Knight for an undisclosed client, the group of now turned two-year-olds was headed by the 2,000,000gns FRANKEL colt out of BOLD LASS, a mare who has produced a 100-rated SPEIGHTSTOWN mare. 

The secret buyer (well, ‘should have been’ buyer at least) is rumoured to be a returning Classic-winning owner (we think it was the owner of AUTHORISED) who also landed a successful bid of €2,980,000 for the full-sister to BLACKBEARD at a different sale. 

16 of the horses have been broken in by jockey Adam Kirby and his partner Megan Evans at their Vicarage Farm near Newmarket - I wonder if they’ve been paid for their services?

The damage of this bad debt isn’t just felt by Tatts (who would have paid out to the seller’s of the horses with their own cash), but the repercussions of all these bids and wins back in October would have changed the whole dynamic to Book 1 and down. 

Now, let’s dive in to Saturday. 

Weekend preview 

Before we go to the Grade 1 races, it’s worth noting that the once-raced BO ZENITH and the Mares Novice Hurdle winner LOVE ENVOI are set to run in the first two races at Sandown – the former is Racing Twitter’s Triumph Hurdle horse and is 14/1 for the race at the Cheltenham Festival, whereas the latter is 8/1 for the Mares Hurdle in March.  

BO ZENITH makes his UK debut having come over from France - you know how I feel about French horses and their need to acclimatise. Seriously almost tempted to lay the bastard at 5/1 on but there’s nothing really to beat it bar Maxwell’s quarter milli horse (he too is form France) and I don’t like laying horses in two horse races - you need the field to beat them.

LOVE ENVOI is having her second run after a long break and the danger could be she bounces. Again, I’m tempted to take on but this time instead of a lay, back a mare I love, MARTELLO SKY, who is due a win. I’ll think on this. 

It’s a big day for the potential Cheltenham Festival targets. 

Grade 1 Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle 

The big race of the day is the Grade 1 Tolworth over two miles, a race that has attracted the dead eight to battle it out at Sandown. 

Gary Moore’s AUTHORISED SPEED heads the market at 7/4 having won over course and distance lto and looks to relish the softer conditions. 

As many people know, he was fifth in the Champion Bumper, a form line that many are holding onto, but how good has that race turned out to be?  

FACILE VEGA won the contest (a potential machine), AMERICAN MIKE was second who was soundly beaten in a Grade 3, JAMES’S GATE is injured, SEABANK BISTRO has yet to win in two maiden hurdles, POETIC MUSIC was swept aside by LUCCIA at Newbury, and MUSIC DRIVE couldn’t lay a glove on HERMES ALLEN at Cheltenham. 

It's not the most solid piece of form in the world but he is a worthy favourite on his current hurdles ability. 

Paul Nicholls’ TAHMURAS looks to be the next best in the market at 5/2 as he is looking to make it 3/3 over hurdles in his first race in Grade 1 company.  

He got Racing Twitter in a frenzy after his Chepstow hurdles victory and he beat the 143-rated SIZING POTTSIE lto at Haydock on soft ground so he seems to have the ability and conditions box ticked – Nicholls has admitted that this lad will want further in time (could prove useful for the sloppy Sandown hill).

Interestingly enough, Nicholls was actually the underbidder for AUTHORISED SPEED at the sales, so no doubt will know what Moore has. 

Quotes: 

ARTIC BRESIL is the Irish raider in the field for Henry de Bromhead and he brings a lofty reputation and price tag into the field following his maiden hurdle victory at Cork. 

Having cost £305,000 at the Tattersalls November Cheltenham Sale in 2021, he put in a great performance to beat MERCUREY lto and he looks incredibly unexposed on his first outing on British soil.  

It’s tough to work out how his form compares to the others, but the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th have all come out since and lost. 

 Our view: Too tough to call but it’s going to be some race. 

Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle 

This looks set to be a cracker and a good education as to which horses may end up where come March. 

The unbeaten GRANGECLARE WEST currently tops the market for Willie Mullins and Paul Townsend following his Navan success lto over course and distance. 

Having made his debut for Mullins in May 2021, a setback caused him to have 547 days off the track, but that didn’t stop him from putting in a solid performance lto – the Ballymore or Albert Bartlett debate is still up in the air for this lad and Sunday will provide a few more clues. 

One horse who could be suited better to this trip is IRISH POINT for Gordon Elliott, a five-year-old who ran a belter at 18/1 on his second start in Ireland to finish second in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, with CHAMP KEILY (who reappears) back in fourth. 

He attempted to run the finish out of his rivals over two miles lto by hitting the front early under Jack Kennedy – MARINE NATIONALE picked him off that day but a step up to 2m4f on Sunday could see his best attributes shine once again. 

A fellow unbeaten horse in the lineup is JP McManus’ INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN, a five-year-old WALK IN THE PARK gelding who beat IMAGINE at Gowran Park lto. 

He picked off IMAGINE with relative ease lto when doing his best work late and the step up to 2m4f could suit on ground conditions that he should relish. 

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Todays best stats

Aiden Coleman is 4 from 4 on MARTELLO SKY in the 12.40. Can they overturn odds on fave?

Snowden lands nearly 1 in 3 when travelling >200 miles and he sends VILLAINESS 280 miles up to Newcastle today for a weak ass bumper.

SIR IVAN has finished 3rd in the last two renewals of the 15.00 and looks set to go close again today off 11lbs lower making 20’s look big.

SEND IN THE CLOUDS 18.00 reps Fisher and Carroll who have a 50% all time sr when teaming up at Kempton.

Newcastle (aw) bumper

Unbelievably, Greatrex is flying atm with 5 winners from 20 runners and his girl has been backed to fave in this race m. She’s out of a half to LA BAGUE AU ROI who was VERY good in bumpers.

Next in market is Burkes. Crap pedigree - she’s a lay.

Snowdens interesting. A full sister to MIRANDA and half to LADY ADARE. Improvement likely.

Bar Sandy’s (yard flying), the rest can’t win.

If Greatrex’s is anything like LA BAGUE then she’ll hose up but I can’t discount Snowden who has travelled a long way for this too…. NEEDS to have improved.

Risk on

One now and then more will be on twitter.

14.95 INTERNE DE SIVOLA 4/1

Not just because it’s called Intern. The drop back in trip is in his favour and he’s dropped to a mark of 123 after 2 very quiet runs. I think different tactics will be used today where they’ll make more use of him. Medium win bet or a strong ew play at 10/3 - 4’s book dependant.