All Eyes On Battaash

[Wandering Eyes]

Last year, Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) took a walk on the wild side before a renewal of the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. that he was expected to play a major hand in, but Shadwell’s lightning rod is back a year older and wiser for the York sprint feature on Friday. Paying for his preliminary antics when finishing behind Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) and even stablemate Cotai Glory (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) 12 months ago, he has been deadly elsewhere when capturing the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Chantilly and two renewals of Goodwood’s G2 King George S. In the most recent edition of the latter speed test Aug. 4, he was able to draw comparison with Dayjur who carried these silks to sprinting immortality here in 1990. “He’s drawn 14, which is fine, and we’ve been very pleased with him since Goodwood. He was impressive that day and did it really well,” commented trainer Charlie Hills, who has special measures in place to avoid a repeat of last year’s issues. “I think we’ll saddle him in the stables and then take him across the track on the horsebox,” he explained. “He’s had plenty of racing since last year and he’s generally behaved well. He had his last breeze on Tuesday morning and we were very happy with him.”

There is only one who has beaten Battaash without any excuses and that is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), who managed to do so at his beloved Ascot in the G1 King’s Stand S. at the Royal meeting June 19. Subsequently seventh in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 14, he returns to the scene of his impressive success in the 2016 G2 Gimcrack S. but is running over a faster five than he enjoyed at Ascot. “We’re in stall 16 and Battaash is in 14, so it’s not like we’re on the opposite side to him, which is good,” trainer Charlie Appleby commented. “We’re very happy with our horse going into the race. His preparation has gone well. Obviously we hope the rain stays away as he’s definitely better on quicker ground. We’ve all got Battaash to beat over this trip, on this track.”

Away from this pair, David Armstrong’s Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) represents the Michael Dods stable which conjured back-to-back renewals of the race with Mecca’s Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in 2015 and 2016 and she was a close-up third in the King’s Stand before finishing third to the 3-year-old Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) in The Curragh’s G2 Sapphire S. July 22. “If the same Battaash that turned up at Goodwood turns up on Friday, I think there’s only one winner,” her trainer said. “There’s no doubt that he’s the best sprinter around over five furlongs, but he did boil over before this race last year and you can’t be sure which Battaash will turn up. If he isn’t at his best, then it opens up the race to the rest of us. We’re very happy with our filly. We wouldn’t mind a bit of rain, just to slow the speed horses down.”

A Million Awaits…

At the other end of the distance spectrum, Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) bids to seal the deal in the race for the Stayers’ Million available to him only if he can cross the final hurdle successfully in the two-mile G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup. Bjorn Nielsen’s diminutive chestnut has gone through his first three tests of the May 18 G2 Yorkshire Cup, G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot June 21 and July 31 G1 Goodwood Cup with a degree of panache and there is nothing in this field to trouble him if he remains at that level. That is the question, however, and John Gosden is well aware of the pitfalls of counting the money in advance. “It’s not been the be-all and end-all of his year. It’s just happened those races have fitted him well and he has come out on top in all of them, so we’ll see,” he said of the bonus. “Nothing is simple as it seems; certainly not that with horses running in races. But we’re happy with him at the moment. He has won nicely at York this year, so it’s a track he likes.”

The G2 Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack S. is the meeting’s key juvenile race and Ballydoyle’s The Irish Rover (Ire) (No Nay Never) puts the form of the Aug. 12 G1 Phoenix S. under the microscope having been a close third in that Curragh feature, while last year’s winning trainer Richard Fahey saddles an unbeaten colt with considerable room to progress in Space Traveller (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}). Clipper Logistics’ relative of Crystal Music (Nureyev) took an uncompetitive five-furlong novice contest at Hamilton July 19 with ease and is certain to relish this extra distance. “He’s done everything right at home. We’re pleased with him,” Fahey said. “This is a huge step up and we’ll find out where we are with him.” One lurking is Ahmad Abdulla Al Shaikh’s promising Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal), who took a Windsor novice stakes Apr. 30 before finishing third in Newbury’s Listed Rose Bowl S. July 20.

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