Andrew Balding’s Gewan lowered the colours of some highly-fancied rivals in yesterday’s Gr.1 Darley Dewhust Stakes over 7f at Newmarket and provided sire Night Of Thunder with yet more gloss to his stellar season.
The grey raced prominently down the centre of the track and burst clear of his rivals two furlongs from home. He hung towards the near side rail in the closing stages, but stayed on well to see off favourite Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), who had been keen early, by three quarters of a length. Distant Storm (also by Night Of Thunder), who had won the Gr.3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes impressively over course and distance last month, was a further length and a half behind in third.
A debut winner over 7f at Newbury in July, the colt was then elevated into Group company and won the Gr.3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes over the same trip at York a month later, with yesterday’s rivals Italy (Wootton Bassett) and Distant Storm behind him once again. Sent off favourite for last month’s Gr.2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, he came home a disappointing fourth of five, but will now head to winter quarters as a leading contender for next year’s Gr.1 2,000 Guineas.
He has followed in the path charted by the stable’s 2023 2,000 Guineas hero Chaldean (Frankel), who had triumphed in the Acomb Stakes, Champagne Stakes and the Dewhurst as a juvenile.
Andrew Balding said: “I think he was overpriced today. His York performance was very good and I think you have got to forgive him Doncaster. I don’t think it was just the ground at Doncaster, but for some reason he just wasn’t at his best. He was today. He had been working very well and we weren’t without a hope. He was given a brilliant ride and is a very good horse.
“He and Chaldean are very similar. The only thing this horse hasn’t done is win at Doncaster, but they have followed the same route. Hopefully he is a Guineas horse. Whether we go straight there – we’ll find out.”
Bred by Overbury Stallions Ltd and Dukes Stud, he was a 100,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 purchase by Longways Stables, which later sold him to JS Bloodstock and Al Rabban Racing for €80,000 at this year’s Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale, which was topped by yesterday’s third. Purchased to run in the colours of Zhang Yuesheng after his Acomb victory, the grey is the second foal out of the Listed Gran Criterium de Bordeaux runner-up Grey Mystere (Lethal Force). His grandam is a half-sister to the Gr.1 (then) Prix Saint-Alary heroine Coquerelle (Zamindar).
Written for European Bloodstock News
