Sandown wrap: Chindit stars for Listed honours

Full replay: Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes

By Graham Clark

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 at Sandown Park.

Having scored at Group Three level in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock Park 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 he was almost instantaneously faced with a host of challengers ready to try to 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 of the Listed contest before triumphing by a head.

"A pleasure to have"

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 5lb 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, however Hannon has not ruled out the possibility of running him in the Group Two Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes at Newmarket on October 13th 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.”

Dr Cyrus Poonawalla came from India for the day to see Chindit at Sandown

As for his delighted owner, Cyrus Poonawalla 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 an 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 100 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.”

Winning start for Dambuster

Andrew Black, the owner/breeder of Dambuster, explains the interesting back story of Dambuster to Nick Luck

Trainer Andrew Balding admitted that he was "delighted" after a winning start from Kingman colt Dambuster in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes. 

Looking held in mid-division, the 17-2 chance appeared to find extra at the business end and stayed on in game fashion to ultimately just do enough to prevail from Go Daddy by a head in a first racecourse run in which there was plenty to like.

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.”

Harb too sharp over minimum trip

Harb bolts up in the opener

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, jockey) got off him at Epsom he said we should try a mile - 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.”

Authorised Speed update

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 added: “Authorised Speed is back with Gary (Moore, trainer) 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.”

Navy Jack off the mark

Navy Jack sees it out best under Rossa Ryan

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 US 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.”