“He’s the perfect specimen.” Murphy Hails Lope De Vega’s Jonquil After Greenham Strike For Juddmonte And Balding

[Wandering Eyes]

Putting a disappointing juvenile finale firmly behind him at Newbury on Saturday, Juddmonte's Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) emerged best in a fascinating G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes. Labelled a TDN Rising Star after his debut at Sandown in August, the homebred relation of Frankel (GB) who had flopped when sixth in Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes in September tracked Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) towards the stand's side throughout the early stages.

Mastering that rival with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the 8-1 shot, who was switched to Andrew Balding following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute, asserted under Oisin Murphy to beat that rival by 1 1/2 lengths, with two lengths back to Saracen (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in third. Whereas the preceding Fred Darling was a demanding test throughout, this was more about finishing speed with Jonquil demonstrating his ruthless pace at the close with a final three-furlong split of :34.42.

Murphy was not 100% convinced that the 2,000 Guineas trip is a given afterwards. “I would imagine he'll go for the [2,000] Guineas if he's healthy but he's a very fast horse–if he gets a mile it'll be exciting,” he said. “His work was excellent and Ryan [Moore] liked him last year, so that was exactly what we hoped it would be. Rashabar is a really good horse and he cruised up to him on only his third start. He's the perfect specimen of the modern racehorse. If you think of the likes of Auguste Rodin and all those champions, they're not overly-big but this lad is big enough.”

Andrew Balding appeared to lean towards Newmarket afterwards. “He looked a smart horse for Sir Michael last year on debut and things didn't quite go to plan second time. I think everyone connected with the horse previously was sure that Doncaster run was just a blip and they always had a very high opinion of him. He arrived at Kingsclere before Christmas, so it's been a while and he's done plenty of work.”

“We're thrilled to win a race like this and it looks like a mile will suit him,” he added. “He's settled through the race, hit the line strong and I couldn't be happier. He's a very well-balanced horse and I wouldn't have thought Newmarket would be a problem if we decide to go there. We'll wait to see what next week's trials bring and he's in the English and French Guineas.”

Rashabar was coming off second-best again, but trainer Brian Meehan was only seeing positives. “I'm very happy–that's what we came here to do and he has needed that run a little bit,” he said. Sean [Levey] said he was just doing all the things he wouldn't have necessarily wanted to do–there was no real pace so we had to get on and go forward.”

“There is massive improvement to come and I've been saying that all week,” he added. “Today was a trial and now Newmarket is high on the list, there should be a good 20 per-cent improvement to come. I'm just glad to get that out of the way because he's weighed in there last night at 508kg, which is a huge amount of weight so he would have needed it and he's gone and run really well. We have to see how he comes out of the race and the ground will be a factor. He's been placed in two Group 1s, with one of those on ground he doesn't like, so he's going to be a great horse this year.”

Pedigree Notes

Jonquil is the first foal out of the dual listed-placed Jovial (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who found seven furlongs on a flat track as far as she wanted to go. She took after her dam in that respect, the dual listed scorer and multiple group-placed Joyeuse (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) whose tally included a third in this fixture's G3 Fred Darling Stakes. Joyeuse is responsible for five black-type performers in total, including the G2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Array (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Jubiloso (GB) by Lope De Vega's sire Shamardal who stayed a mile well enough to be third in the G1 Coronation Stakes.

The third dam Kind (Ire) (Danehill) needs no introduction, but the dam of Frankel et al was also a fast mare and seems to have stamped Joyeuse and passed that pace down this particular line. Frankel was at his quickest when winning this en route to 2,000 Guineas glory in the last decade, but he had already proven himself at a mile at two. Jovial's yearling filly is by Wootton Bassett (GB).

How high can Jonquil fly in 2025?

Now 12/1 in places for the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas… pic.twitter.com/Bkuz4AFZho

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 12, 2025

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
WATERSHIP DOWN STUD TOO DARN HOT GREENHAM STAKES-G3, £100,000, Newbury, 4-12, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:24.42, gd.
1–JONQUIL (GB), 128, c, 3, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Jovial (GB) (MSP-Eng), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Joyeuse (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
3rd Dam: Kind (Ire), by Danehill
TDN Rising Star. 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $82,255. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rashabar (Ire), 128, c, 3, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)–Amazonka (Ire), by Camelot (GB). (€120,000 Ylg '23 ARAUG). O-Manton Thoroughbreds IX; B-SARL Ecurie Haras de Beaufay (IRE); T-Brian Meehan. £21,500.
3–Saracen (Fr), 128, c, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Soteria (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€500,000 Ylg '23 ARAUG). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-China Horse Club International Ltd (FR); T-Joseph O'Brien. £10,760.
Margins: 1HF, 2, 1HF. Odds: 8.00, 6.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Diablo Rojo (Ire), Yah Mo Be There (GB), Chancellor (GB), Noble Champion (Ire), Al Qudra (Ire), Aurora Majesty (Ire), Rogue Allegiance (Ire).

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