Equinties - weekender

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HEADLINE ROUND UP

THE GORDON ELLIOTT FESTIVAL

The Gordon Elliott festival kicked off in flying fashion for the boss of Cullentra House as he landed six of a possible seven winners at Down Royal. 

Amusingly, the first race saw every lottery acca across the country go up in flames as odds on fave BETTER DAYS AHEAD fell when travelling well 3f out, only for stablemate ZEFIRO DODVILLE to win at 12/1.

Arguably the best performance of the six came from BRIGHTDAYSAHEAD as the half-sister to MIGHTY POTTER and FRENCH DYNAMITE showed a great engine to win comfortably despite a few iffy jumps. 

Interestingly, her race was nearly 5 seconds quicker than IRISH POINT’s win over course and distance 35 minutes later and they jumped two more hurdles than the field did in the Grade 3 Bottlegreen Hurdle, so her performance can be upgraded.

Furthermore, if she can tighten her jumping up, she could be even better than that bare result. It also goes without saying that FIREFORX was impressive in the concluding bumper. He didn’t have much to beat – as shown by his 1/6SP – but he looked like a big strong horse and hopefully he will be seen over a hurdle this season. 

MORE FRANKEL

Stud fees for Shadwell’s stallions were released yesterday and MOSTAHDAF, this season’s Juddmonte International winner, will stand for £15,000 in 2024.

The 2023 Cartier Older Horse of the Year is a FRANKEL half-brother to the Group 1-winning NAZEEF and secured his maiden Group 1 success in the Prince Of Wales’s at Royal Ascot in June. Stephen Collins, Shadwell’s European bloodstock manager, said: “MOSTAHDAF has a pedigree packed with natural speed, being closely related to champion sprinters PASTORAL PURSUITS and GOODRICKE, and he was a winner himself over seven furlongs on debut. “He is a quality, well-balanced, imposing individual with an athletic walk and, being a son of the remarkable FRANKEL, he should prove very popular with breeders.”

As for the other Shadwell sires, MOHAATHER, the 2020 Sussex Stakes winner, will stand for £12,500, which is down from his fee of £15,000 having covered 99 mares, MINZAAL will stand for an unchanged £15,000, and BAAEED will still cost £80,000.

More: https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/shadwell-fees-mostahdaf-starts-out-at-15000/

Right, there’s some brilliant racing and a couple of bumpers today. Let’s gooooo.

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