3 minute read
We focus on high-class Chesham Stakes.
The third day of the Royal meeting on Thursday will be one to savour, with the highlight undoubtedly when John Gosden's star stayer Stradivarius (Sea The Stars) attempts to win his third Ascot Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2m4f) (3:35pm GMT, 12:35pm ACT). While, Stradivarius should win the Group 1 it is not plain sailing for the son of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) and the most likely danger to his crown is the Martyn Meade-trained Technician (Mastercraftsman), who landed the Prix Royal Oak (Gr 1, 3100m) in which he beat the high-class stayer Call The Wind (Frankel). The son of Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer) is a lightly-raced four-year-old and looks open to improvement. The 2018 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Cross Counter (Teofilo) will also take his chance in the 2m4f feature. He has been somewhat out of form lately, but if he can produce close to his Flemington form, he would not be far away. Australian fan favourite Prince Of Arran (Shirocco) will also take his chance in the Group 1 and, while he would have to produce a career best to win on Thursday, his die-hard attitude means it is hard to see him not finishing in the frame.
The Wolferton Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) (1:50pm GMT, 10:50pm ACT) is always a competitive affair and this year's edition certainly doesn't buck that trend. It looks a very open race, but given the form of the yard since racing returned to Europe, it is hard to look past the Andrew Balding-trained Fox Tal (Sea The Stars), who will be on the hunt for his first stakes win. He has won over the trip and is bred to stay even further in time. The son of Sea The Stars finished a brave fourth - getting within three and a half lengths of star mare Magical (Galileo) - over course and distance in the Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) in October and on that performance he should be hard to beat. The John Gosden-trained Dubai Warrior (Dansili) is out of Australian-bred mare Mahbooba (Galileo), who proved herself top-class in South Africa and the colt comes into the race having taken out the Winter Derby Stakes (Gr 3, 1m2f) at Lingfield in February and, while he has to contend with top-weight, could be too good for this field.
John Gosden has one of the most fancied runners in the Jersey Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) (2:25pm GMT, 11:25pm ACT) when King Leonidas (Kingman) puts his unbeaten record on the line and entered the picture for his race after his ultra impressive three-year-old debut at Newmarket on June 7. The colt is out of Listed-winning Australian-bred mare Reem (Galileo), from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Rodrigo De Triano (El Gran Senor). Molatham - who is by former shuttler Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) - could prove open to improvement and will look to build on his Listed win last season and will be suited to the drop in trip. His Flying Scotsman Stakes (Listed, 7f) form received a major boost earlier in the month having beaten subsequent 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) runner-up Wichita (No Nay Never) in the 7f event.
In terms of pedigrees, the Chesham Stakes (Listed, 7f) (3:00pm GST, 12:00am ACT) - for two-year-olds -looks very interesting and could prove one of the more competitive races of the day.
Battleground
2 c War Front (USA) - Found (IRE) by Galileo (IRE)
Trainer: A P O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Owner: Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier
Breeder: Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt
The colt is the first foal out of multiple Group 1 winner Found (Galileo) who was one of the very best mares in the past years whose three Group 1 wins included the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Breeders' Cup Turf (Gr 1, 12f) in which she dealt Golden Horn (Cape Cross) one of his two career defeats. The colt finished fifth in a maiden over 6f on June 8 and will need every inch of the seven furlongs on Thursday. Found herself is from an impeccably well-bred family, being out of dual Group 1 winner Red Evie (Intikhab) - who like her daughter improved with age and over extended distances. Found herself is a sister to Group 3 winners Best In The World and Magical Dream. War Front (Danzig) is a good source of two-year-old winners, siring 159 in total, including 31 stakes winners of which seven are top-flight winners. War Front has also proved a good match for Galileo (Sadler's Wells) mares, with seven stakes winners, three elite level winners, produced from his 90 stakes winners.
Bright Devil
2 c Dark Angel (IRE) - Avenante (GB) by Champs Elysees (GB)
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Owner: Team Valor Llc & Gary Barber
Breeder: Newtown Stud
Sale: Goffs November Foal Sale V: Newtown Stud P: Hillwood Bloodstock, €65,000.
By Dark Angel (Acclamation) who is a known source of juvenile speed, Bright Devil broke his maiden on debut at Newmarket on June 4, overcoming odds of 25/1 and a highly thought of Godolphin juvenile in the shape of Magical Land (Frankel). The two-year-old colt is curiously bred, being out of Champs Elysees (Danehill) mare Avenante, whose two victories came over a mile and half. Avenante herself is from a top-class middle distance family, with her half-sister Almerita (Medicean) winning the Preis der Diana (Gr 1, 2200m) in 2006 and she produced Articus (Areion), who won a Group 3 over 2200 metres in Germany.
Clarendon Cross
2 c New Approach (IRE) - Meet Me Halfway (GB) by Exceed And Excel (AUS)
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Pat Dobbs
Owner: Macdonald, Wright, Woodcock And Partner
Breeder: Des Thurlby
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1) V: Mr Des Thurlby from Genesis Green Stud P: Will Edmeades Bloodstock, 60,000gns
The Richard Hannon-trained colt comes into the race off the back of a third place finish behind Devious Company (Fast Company) and Golden Flame (Golden Horn), who reopposes on Thursday - in a maiden over 7f at Haydock earlier in the month. The son of Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner New Approach (Galileo), Clarendon Cross on breeding looks to have his work cut out here being from the stoutly bred family of stakes-winning stayers Marbush (Linamix) and Sublimity (Selkirk).
First Prophet
2 c New Bay (GB) - Lus Na Greine (IRE) by Pour Moi (IRE)
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes
Jockey: James Doyle
Owner: H H SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Breeder: Ennistown Stud
Sale: Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale V: Manister House Stud P: Gordon-Watson / Fellowes, €50,000
The €50,000 purchase became the first winner for his multiple elite-level winning sire New Bay (Dubawi) when he produced a fine display to win over 7f at Newbury on June 12. The colt, who has changed ownership since that win, raced greenly on debut and certainly looks open to improvement, but by the look of his pedigree will thrive over the longer trips in time. Bred by Ennistown Stud, he is the second foal and becomes the first winner out of Lus Na Greine, an unraced daughter of Pour Moi (Montjeu) who is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Rehn's Nest (Authorized), who also ran second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m). This is also the family of Group 1 winners Loch Garman (Teofilo) and Eva Luna (Double Schwartz).
Golden Flame
2 c Golden Horn (GB) - Flame Of Gibraltar (IRE) by Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE)
Trainer: Mark Johnston
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Breeder: Godolphin
Owner: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
It is hard to look past any horse trained by Mark Johnston in a juvenile race and Golden Flame (Golden Horn) comes into the Listed contest after a fine second place finish at Haydock. The well-bred colt is out of Flame of Gibraltar (Rock Of Gibraltar), who finished second in the Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) in 2009. Flame of Gibraltar herself is a half-sister Echo Of Light (Dubai Millennium) who won the Prix Daniel Wildenstein Castel Marie-Louise de la Baule (Gr 2, 1600m) in 2006, while this is also the family of high-class middle distance filly Flame Of Tara (Artaius). Golden Flame's pedigree has some top-class millers on the page and that could stand him in good stead for this 7f contest.
March Law
2 c Lawman (FR) - Dookus (IRE) by Linamix (FR)
Trainer: Mark Johnston
Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
Owner: Susan And John Waterworth
Breeder: Ballylinch Stud
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 3) V: Ballylinch Stud P: Johnston Racing, 58,000gns
Another Mark Johnston-trained two-year-old, who finished fourth on debut in the same race as his stablemate Golden Flame at Haydock. The colt is out of unplaced mare Dookus (Linamix), making him a brother to Listed winner US Law and a half-brother to dual Group 3 winner Frankuus (Frankel), who was also trained by Johnston. Dookus herself is out of Group 1 winner Pharaoh's Delight (Fairy King) and is therefore a half-sister Listed scorer Pharmacist (Machiavellian), who in turn produced dual Grade 1 winner Red Rocks (Galileo) and stakes-winning trio Blue Coral (Grand Lodge), Medicinal (Linamix) and Galvaun (Galileo).
Modern News
2 c Shamardal (USA) - Modern Ideals (GB) by New Approach (IRE)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Owner: William Buick
Breeder: Godolphin
Owner: Godolphin
The colt entered many people's reckoning as a likely candidate for the Listed race when beating his more fancied Noble Dynasty (Dubawi) in, what looked on paper, a competitive maiden over 6f at Newmarket on June 7. The son of Shamardal's (Giant's Causeway) pedigree suggests he will appreciate the step up in trip, being out of a half-sister to Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ultra (Manduro) and Synopsis (In The Wings), who won the Deauville Prix Minerve (Gr 3, 2500m) in 2007. The two-year-old colt will look to emulate his brilliant Group 1-winning stablemate and another son of Shamardal, Pinatubo, who landed last year's edition of the Listed contest.
Concessions
2 f Muhaarar (GB) - Front House (IRE) by Sadler's Wells (USA)
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Harry Bentley
Owner: H H SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Breeder: Front House Syndicate & Wilgerbosdrift
Sale: Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 2) V: Lofts Hall Stud P: Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock, 125,000gns
Concessions is one of two fillies in the contest and lines up in the race having broken her maiden over 7f at Chelmsford, decisively beating Seattle Rock (Fastnet Rock) - who she will clash with again on Thursday. The two-year-old is out of top-class sprinter Muhaarar (Oasis Dream) and out of Grade 2-winning Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer) mare Front Of House, making the filly a three-quarter sister to Listed-placed Square Dance. While only beating a small field on debut in a race restricted to only fillies, she looks a major player in Thursday's contest.
Seattle Rock
2 f Fastnet Rock (AUS) - Snoqualmie Girl (IRE) by Montjeu (IRE)
Trainer: Sylvester Kirk
Jockey: David Egan
Owner: J C Smith
Breeder: Littleton Stud
The daughter of Coolmore shuttler Fastnet Rock (Danehill) finished last of three runners in the maiden won by Concessions and looks to have it all to do reverse the form on Thursday. The filly is out of dual Listed winner Snoqualmie Girl (Montjeu), who is herself a sister to fellow Listed scorer Snoqualmie Boy. Further back this is family of Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready) and Australian Listed winners Assertive Eagle (Danewin), Impressive Eagle (Rubiton) and Soaressa (Twining), who in turn produced 2015 D C McKay Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) winner Thermal Current (Exceed And Excel) and Listed scorer Forever Free (Exceed And Excel).
