Dettori eager to resume Chaldean partnership at Newbury

‘I didn’t want to let go of this one and I’m really looking forward to getting on him again’.

Chaldean will attempt to follow in his sire’s illustrious footsteps and enhance his Classic credentials when he lines up in Saturday’s Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

The son of Frankel, whose triumph in the seven-furlong contest 12 years ago was a springboard to legendary status, was last season’s top-rated British juvenile after landing the Dewhurst and he begins his three-year-old campaign with a warning from connections that he will not be fully wound up for the Group Three contest.

The Andrew Balding-trained colt won his last four starts – all over the same distance – after a debut reverse over six furlongs at Newbury.

Frankie Dettori will partner the Juddmonte-owned Chaldean, who is no bigger than 5-1 for the 2000 Guineas on May 6, as the popular Italian seeks a Classic victory in his farewell season.

Dettori even cut short his successful winter in America to resume his partnership with the colt and the World Pool ambassador said: “I could have stayed in America for longer based on the backing I was getting, and I was enjoying it a lot, but I’ve got some nice horses to get back on in the UK, starting with Chaldean in the Greenham on Saturday.

“I didn’t want to let go of this one and I’m really looking forward to getting on him again.

“He was a very good two-year-old last year, winning the Dewhurst, which often proves to be the best race juvenile race of the season. Before that, he was a comfortable winner of the Champagne Stakes, and the second, Indestructible, came out and won the Craven this week.”

Chaldean will take on 10 rivals with the Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon viewing the race as a stepping stone, having not run since taking his Group One at Newmarket in early October.

“Like all of these trials, he’s not 100 per cent tuned up, but he’s fit and well and ready to run a good race and we will see where that takes us,” said Mahon.

“These trials are so tight, it’s only two weeks to the Guineas from Newbury, so you don’t want to go there 100 per cent and have a hard race and leave your Guineas behind.

“He’ll be 85/90 per cent and in good form, and as long as he runs a race with promise, no matter where he finishes, it will build us into the Guineas in two weeks time.”

Chaldean’s dam, Suelita, is by Dutch Art, who won both the Prix Morny and Middle Park over six furlongs and was third in the Guineas when stepped up to a mile, a distance he never won over.

Asked if there were any doubts about staying a mile in the Guineas, Mahon added: “With his run style you would say no, but there is a lot of speed in his dam’s side.

“The dam is all five and six (furlongs) and there is very little seven in it.

“Frankel, we know, is a mile and 10-furlong (horse) and his progeny tend to stay, so we’re very hopeful he would get a mile, but I wouldn’t like to say it’s a foregone conclusion either.”

Zoology, owned by Qatar Racing and trained by James Ferguson, has fitness on his side.

A son of Zoustar, he won his maiden at Yarmouth impressively before finishing over 10 lengths adrift of Blackbeard in the Middle Park.

Yet he showed his well-being with a neck success over the Juddmonte-owned Covey upon his return at Southwell earlier this month, form that looked strong when the runner-up scored by four lengths in the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes at Newmarket on Tuesday.

James Ferguson has high hopes for Zoology
James Ferguson has high hopes for Zoology (Mike Egerton/PA)

Ferguson said: “He’s in great form, I’m really happy with him. He did a nice piece of work the other day and has come out of Southwell in great order.

“The form was massively franked with Covey winning at Newmarket. We obviously beat him with a 7lb penalty and I know that horse was first time out, but a 7lb penalty is enough.

“It’s obviously a massive step up, but I really hope for Sheikh Fahad and everybody he can go and run really well.”

Theoryofeverything heads into deeper waters for his second start, having won a seven-furlong Doncaster novice by six lengths three weeks ago.

Another son of Frankel, he is owned by Prince Faisal and trained by John and Thady Gosden, and holds an entry in the Dante.

“He won well on debut at Doncaster at the start of the season. He is a smartly-bred colt so we decided he should take his chance in a very competitive race,” said Thady Gosden.

“It is as strong a Greenham as we have seen for a while with plenty of smart horses in there and obviously it will be only his second run of his life.

“He is coming up against some much more experienced colts. It is a big step up from a maiden novice on soft ground.

“They’re forecast a little bit of rain on Friday night into Saturday morning and it is probably holding ground at the moment after a couple of drying days.

“He is a good-moving colt who obviously handled deep ground at Doncaster and he’ll handle the ground at Newbury.”

Eve Johnson Houghton saddles Streets Of Gold, who is unbeaten in five starts, having signed off his juvenile season with success in a valuable seven-furlong contest at York in October.

“He is really well, he has wintered well so I’m very happy with him,” said the trainer.

“He’s not the biggest horse and he hasn’t grown, but he’s filled out and muscled up. He seems in great form.

Streets of Gold took the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes at the Curragh in September
Streets of Gold took the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes at the Curragh in September (Donnall Farmer/PA)

“He has never been a flashy work horse, but he’s been working much better this year. It’s no easy feat to win five on the bounce, he just kept rolling and getting better and better.

“It’s a great starting point for him. I love Newbury as a racecourse, it is just down the road from us.

“If Streets of Gold wins the Greenham or runs well in the Greenham, he will be heading for the English 2000 Guineas. I would be very confident that he would handle the undulations at Newmarket and I have no concerns with trip.”

By Dark Angel, Charyn won two of his four starts as a juvenile for Roger Varian, including the Group Two Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly in October.

Varian said: “He’s a nice colt. He has only got four runs under his belt but has some very good form.

“He was good in his novices and then ran a nice race behind Sakheer in the Mill Reef where I felt he was still learning his trade, but he showed a good level in winning the Group Two at Chantilly in October.

Roger Varian wants to find out more about Charyn
Roger Varian wants to find out more about Charyn (Mike Egerton/PA

“He’s a pretty solid horse who shouldn’t mind the forecast cut in the ground.

“It is likely to be a strong Greenham but he is a colt we like and how he performs will give us a bit of a steer as to where we go with him. But he’s training nicely, looks the part and we’re looking forward to running him.”

Ralph Beckett is responsible for Greys Monument, who was runner-up to Knight – who re-opposes – in the Horris Hill over course and distance when last seen.

Beckett said: “He will need the run and this is on the sharp side for him.”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest