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Hannon praises stable stalwart
Richard Hannon hailed Chindit as one of his stable's "biggest allies" after successfully giving weight away all round to register a third success of the campaign in the Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes.
Having scored at Group Three level in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock 11 days ago, the battle-hardened son of Wootton Bassett defied a 5lb penalty for that victory in conditions that were not to his liking in the mile feature.
Racing just off the early pace, which was set by Raadobarg, the easy-to-back 7/2 chance set sail for home around a furlong out under Pat Dobbs, where almost instantaneously he was faced with a host of challengers ready to try and wrestle the lead from him.
Although 5/2 favourite Knight loomed up as a big danger, Chindit was not to be denied with Dobbs getting the perfect response from the five-year-old during the closing stages before obliging by a head.
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Hannon said: “I’m delighted with that. It is nice for Pat (Dobbs) as he has ridden him in every race apart from two. He doesn’t love that ground and he had a penalty today.
“He is one of the biggest allies our yard has had for years. He has run in all these good races and turns up on every occasion. He never runs a bad race. He is a pleasure to have. Michael Pescod, his old owner, is always the first man to ring me as he is delighted. He has been such a star for us over the years.
“Dr Poonawalla (owner) has purchased him to service his own mares. A Group One is not massively on the agenda, and he wants to enjoy the horse for what he is.
“He (Dr Poonawalla) has come over from India for today and he said Richard the horse will run come what may and I like a man like that who says what he wants. He has enjoyed the horse and he has got a huge amount of pleasure from him.
“A special mention also has to go to Sean Fox and Callum Richards. Sean has done wonders with the horse, but the two of them have done a fair bit of work with him.”
A career at stud in India beckons for Chindit upon his retirement, but Hannon has not ruled out the possibility of running him in the Group Two Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes at Newmarket on October 13 before looking at options abroad.
Hannon added: “He is in the Joel Stakes, and I’ve put him in the Challenge Stakes. I’d like to take him to America or Australia and run him on fast ground but there is also the Hong Kong option as well. There are all kind of options for him.
“The drop back to seven furlongs for the Challenge Stakes would be no problem.”
As for his delighted owner, Cyrus Poonawalla, he described his star acquisition as a ‘lion-hearted” horse following his latest success.
He said: “It was a win that we were a little worried about getting because of the ground but all the way up you could see clearly that he was handling the ground well. He is a lion-hearted horse, and he took the challenge the way he should and held on to win.
“He is by and up-and-coming champion sire and that is what you need if you want a horse to retire to stud. I’m taking him in a month’s time to India and I’ve got one hundred mares to give him.
"If the ground holds on we may run him once more. I’m very keen and the trainer is very keen to run him once more and if he wins that we may change our plans, but not for taking him to India as he is all set to go home.”
Dam bursts through late to prevail
Andrew Balding might have been left ruing another below-par performance from his beloved Southampton FC on Tuesday, however there was lots to like about the winning debut secured by Dambuster in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Sandown.
It was another match to forget for the Saints, who succumbed 0-1 to Ipswich in the Sky Bet Championship at St Mary’s Stadium, but the Classic-winning trainer had his spirits lifted in the driving rain at the Esher track thanks to the son of Kingman.
Looking held in mid division, the 17/2 chance appeared to find extra when asked for his effort when sticking on in game fashion as those in front began to tread water before doing just enough to defeat Go Daddy by a head.
Balding said: “I was very pleased. He is quite lazy at home and we didn’t quite know what to expect as he has shown glimpses of ability, but most of the time he is easily distracted. It wasn’t until Oisin (Murphy) started to get more animated that he found his stride and took off. He is bred to be a nice horse and I’m just delighted. He certainly coped with the ground well.
“I’d hope he will stay a mile and a quarter in time but not a huge amount further. I’d like to give him another run this year, but I don’t know where or when. He is a fine big horse and fingers crossed he will do well next year.”
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Owner Pat Gallagher was ready to admit defeat with Harb on his return to five furlongs, but he need not have worried after the Peter Crate-trained four-year-old sauntered to glory by two- and three-quarter lengths in the Racing TV Profits Returned To Racing Handicap.
Gallagher said of the 100/30 chance: “He has had a bit of a break as we thought he needed it and Peter said about running here so I said go on and he has done it well.
“When Tom (Queally) got off him at Epsom he said we should try a mile, but there was no way on God’s earth he was going to get it, but you have to listen to the likes of Tom and give the horse a chance.
“I actually walked away as everywhere he was going he was getting blocked in, but he has ended up doing that well.”
There was further success later on the card for Classic winning rider Queally who steered the Gary Moore-trained Miller Spirit (5/1) to glory by two lengths in the Racing TV Handicap.
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While the current Flat season might be entering its final few weeks, Gallagher has plenty to look forward to during the 2023/24 National Hunt campaign with 2022 Champion Bumper fifth Authorised Speed, who could be set for a spell chasing this campaign.
Gallagher said: “Authorised Speed is back with Gary and I will leave the plans to him. Gary was talking about chasing, but perhaps having his first couple of runs over hurdles.
“He won again after being beaten in the Tolworth Hurdle, although it wasn’t the strongest race. He has had a really good summer and Murty McGrath, who looks after them down at Maidstone, was very happy with him.
“He has filled out and strengthened up so hopefully it will be an exciting winter."
There have been plenty of smart winners of the Follow @racingtv On X Novice Stakes in recent seasons and owner Jason Goddard hopes Navy Jack can use his success in the seven-furlong contest as a springboard to launch his career.
Having finished second over course and distance on his second start the Clive Cox-trained U S Navy Flag colt had subsequently finished down the field when sent off favourite at Newbury last time out.
However, there was to be no repeat of that effort with the 9/4 favourite prevailing by a length and a quarter under Rossa Ryan in a race that was won by subsequent Group One scorer Palace Pier in 2019.
Goddard said: “It was a bit frustrating at Newbury last time. I’m not sure why he didn’t run his race, but we are back on track. It is a stiff track here and looking at that he probably needs a mile.
“There was a bit more confidence today knowing that he had run well before, and the soft ground helped us out as well. He stayed on strongly at the end and he will see a mile out well I thought."
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