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Colt resumes with narrow win in Greenham Stakes at Newbury
Having surrendered his unbeaten juvenile record when running ninth in the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) at Newmarket last October, the Richard Hannon-trained Chindit (3 c Wootton Bassett - Always A Dream by Oasis Dream) put himself in the reckoning for the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) next month with a hard-fought victory in the Greenham Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) at Newbury on Sunday.
The three-year-old son of Coolmore Stud shuttler Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) took a bit of time to pick up, but once he found top gear he was able to pass longtime leader Mehmento (Mehmas) in the shadow of the winning post, eventually beating him by a neck. The Lir Jet (Prince Of Lir) was the same distance away in third.
Chindt landed three races as a juvenile headed by a victory in the Champagne Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Doncaster in September.
“He was workmanlike, but I’d rather see that as he was very relaxed in his work so it suggest he wants a mile,” said Hannon. “That’s changed, as in the winter he was working like a six-furlong horse.
“He will go for the Guineas and I hope he can build up the momentum at Newmarket in the same way he did today towards the finish.
“I just worry if the undulations at Newmarket will let him build up that momentum.
“The French and Irish Guineas would be more convenient tracks, but the (races like) English Guineas are the ones you want to win.”
Purchased by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock for 65,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling from the Kilminfoyle House Stud draft, Chindit is out of winning Oasis Dream (Green Desert) mare Always A Dream.
The colt’s third dam is Listed winner Out West (Gone West), who is herself the dam of dual Group 1 winner and now sire Motivator (Montjeu), Hardwicke Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) winner McArthur (Montjeu) and Listed winner Imperial Star (Fantastic Light).
The colt is one of 17 stakes winners for the now Coolmore Stud-based sire Wootton Bassett, who will cover his first book of mares at Coolmore’s New South Wales base this spring, while his Group 1-winning son Almanzor shuttles to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand.
