John Gosden took the wraps off more than £3m guineas-worth of juvenile talent here on Friday but returned to Newmarket with just £502 in prize money after both Emaraaty, who cost £2.6m guineas as a yearling, and Graffiti Master (£550,000g) finished fourth in separate divisions of the maiden. Both horses ran races full of promise, however, a reminder of the strength of Gosden’s hand as the Flat season begins to draw to its autumn climax.
Gosden will saddle the two-year-old Purser in the Solario Stakes and Nathra, fifth home in the 1,000 Guineas in May, in the Atalanta Stakes here on Saturday, the Group Three feature events on a relatively low-key domestic programme. This, though, is a weekend when Flat racing to all intents pauses to draw breath. Over the next few weeks few of the big Group One events will unfold without a Gosden-trained runner in the field.
Emaraaty is one of Gosden’s four entries in the Dewhurst Stakes on 14 October and, while a run on Future Champions Day may be asking too much after a debut in September, he showed plenty of raw talent for the trainer to work on here.
The son of Dubawi was the joint top lot at last year’s Book 1 sale at Tattersalls in Newmarket and, while he ended up racing in last place from a poor draw and then showed his inexperience with a jink to the right at the top of the straight, there was also a distinct change of gear about two furlongs out that suggested Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum will get at least some return on his outlay.
“He was drawn 15, which is not a help,” Gosden said, “and then he was slow away and back in last. Then he couldn’t decide whether to go inside or outside, and went inside and checked a bit, but he’s finished well and he’s a very, very promising colt.
“When [Jim Crowley] asked him to go, he was gone, and I think he surprised him really. He’s got a turn of foot there, it’s just hard from that draw if you get left.”
Graffiti Master has no entries at present in the autumn’s major Group races for juveniles, but his performance was close to a carbon-copy of that of his stable companion, as he ran on to finish fourth from an unpromising position three out.
His first run also marked a return to the racecourse for the famous maroon-and-white silks which were carried by Sheikh Mohammed’s runners in the first 15 years of his long career as an owner. Now passed down to Sheikha Al Jalila, the Sheikh’s daughter, the colours were aboard both Pebbles and Opera House for victories in the Eclipse Stakes here in 1985 and 1993 respectively, and successful too in dozens of Classics and major races from the late 1970s onwards.
Gosden has saddled five Group One winners in Europe this season and will hope to add several more over the next few weeks. He reports that all is well with Stradivarius, the Goodwood Cup winner, ahead of his run in the St Leger at Doncaster in two weeks’ time, while Cracksman, the Great Voltigeur winner, seems likely to head to the Prix Niel at Chantilly before a decision is taken on whether he will join his stable companion Enable, the even-money favourite, in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on 1 October.
Brian Meehan reported on Friday that Barraquero, who put up one of the best performances by a juvenile in Britain this year to win the Group Two Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, is on course to run in the Group One Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on 30 September.
“The Prix Morny at Deauville [in August] was always coming a bit quick after Goodwood,” Meehan said, “so we gave him plenty of time and the plan is to go for the Middle Park at the end of the month.
“Ideally it’ll be good ground at Newmarket. Even though he won and won easily at Goodwood, the soft ground pulled him about a bit and it took him a few days to recover. We’re very happy with him now and we’re looking forward to it.”
Chris Cook’s tips
Beverley
2.05 Akvavera 2.40 Van Velde 3.15 Kimberella 3.50 Dundunah 4.25 Apricot Sky 5.00 Mudaarab 5.35 Proud Archi 6.05 Judiciousolf
Chelmsford
5.50 The Happy Hammer 6.20 Tarnhelm 6.50 Algam 7.20 Cape Bunting 7.50 Mazzini 8.20 Peak Princess 8.50 Blushing Rose
Chester
1.40 Spud 2.10 My Reward 2.45 Breakable 3.20 Powerallied 3.55 Mayyasah 4.30 Liberatum 5.05 La Vie En Rose
Hamilton
4.15 Mitchum 4.50 Poet’s Pride 5.25 Colour Contrast 6.00 Isabella 6.35 Eyreborn 7.05 Clubbable 7.35 Jessinamillion
Newton Abbot
2.15 Bach De Clermont 2.50 Double Treasure 3.25 Wait For Me 4.00 Quadriller 4.35 Daulys Anthem 5.10 Bogoss Du Perret 5.40 On Alberts Head
Sandown
1.50 Monsieur Joe 2.25 Masar 3.00 Intimation (nap) 3.35 Euginio 4.10 Cheeky Rascal 4.45 Najashee (nb) 5.20 Bedouin
