Elarqam booked for Guineas glory
ELARQAM can foil Aidan O’Brien’s bid for a remarkable ninth 2000 Guineas success in 20 years by justifying the faith of connections in the Qipcosponsored Classic at Newmarket.
Trainer Mark Johnston and his team have made no secret of the high regard they have for a horse who goes to Headquarters unbeaten in two starts.
His lack of experience, particularly against the battle-hardened O’Brien horses, is a natural concern, but Elarqam does have course know-how, having won the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes over seven furlongs of the Rowley Mile in September.
And he had a racecourse gallop at Newmarket recently as part of his preparation.
There is no doubt Elarqam is bred to be a top-drawer performer, being the product of two Guineas winners the mighty Frankel and Attraction.
That may not be a guarantee to success, but the signs so far suggest Elarqam has inherited plenty of ability and can emulate his parents by being a Classic winner himself.
Gustav Klimt appears to be O’Brien’s number one hope, but it is generally folly to ignore any of his runners in races of this nature.
Of the others, Expert Eye was a big disappointment in the Dewhurst when sent off the odds-on favourite, but he shaped well when runner-up in the Greenham on his reappearance.
He has pleased trainer Sir Michael Stoute since that effort and has definite place prospects.
Recent John Porter Stakes winner Defoe can justify the decision to supplement him for the Dunaden Jockey Club Stakes.
Roger Varian’s four-year-old impressed that day at Newbury and is obviously giving his trainer the right signs.
Havana Grey can strike for the three-year-old generation when he goes up against his elders in the Longholes Palace House Stakes.
Karl Burke’s young sprinter took the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood last term and was placed at Group One and Two level as well.
With no top-quality established older speedster in the line-up, Havana Grey has sound prospects of becoming the first of his age group to score since in Amour Propre in 2009. LOVE DREAMS (9) M Johnston 4 9-7 (D2) .................. G Mosse 87 MEDAHIM (18) R Hannon 4 9-5 .......................... T Marquand 94 MUTAWATHEA (45) S Crisford 7 9-4 ......................... R Havlin 91 SQUATS (36) W Haggas 6 9-4 (D) ..................... Georgia Cox (3) 95 GRAPHITE STORM (14) C Cox 4 9-1 (D2) .................. H Crouch 94 RIGHT ACTION (10)RFahey48-13(D4) .................. SWKelly 92 SUMMER ICON (28) M Channon 5 8-13 (D3) ............. C Bishop 91 GALLIPOLI (36) R Fahey 5 8-13 (D) ......................... P Mathers — DONNCHA (18) R Eddery 7 8-13 (CD) ......................... D O’Neill 80 MASHAM STAR (7) M Johnston 4 8-12 (D2) ............ J Fanning 100 MISTER MUSIC (45) A Carroll 9 8-10 (C2, D4) ......... A Beech (7) 80 TAUREAN STAR (18) R Beckett 5 8-8 (D) ................. H Bentley 86 THE WARRIOR (18)MrsAPerrett68-7 ................... MDwyer 88 PASTORAL PLAYER (175) H Morrison 11 8-7 (CD2)C Bennett (3) 93 MAKE MUSIC (36) A Balding 5 8-7 (D3) .................... R Hornby — BETTING: 11-2 Right Action, 6 Medahim, 7 Donncha, 8 Gallipoli, Love Dreams, 10 Taurean Star, 12 Squats, Graphite Storm, 14 Others. SPARK PLUG (182) B Meehan 7 9-10 (BF, CD) .......... O Murphy TRICORN (296) J Gosden 4 9-6 (C) ....................... James Doyle BATTLE OF MARATHON (17) J Ryan 6 9-1 (D) ...P Mulrennan SHARJA BRIDGE (232) R Varian 4 9-0 (BF) ............... A Atzeni EXAMINER (18) S C Williams 7 8-12 (C, D) ............... Fran Berry DOMMERSEN (35) J Gosden 5 8-12 (D) .................... L Dettori OASIS CHARM (29) C Appleby 4 8-11 ......................... W Buick BANDITRY I Williams 6 8-10 ................................ J P Spencer BAYDAR (224) I Williams 5 8-10 ................................. L Morris BROROCCO (217) A Balding 5 8-9 (D) ...................... D Probert THIRD TIME LUCKY (14) R Fahey 6 8-8 (CD) .......... P Hanagan COTE D’AZUR (84)JLEyre58-8(BF,D) ........................ DAllan ANOTHER ECLIPSE (233) D M Simcock 4 8-4 (BF).. S De Sousa BREDEN (10) Mrs L Jewell 8 8-2 (C) ................... Hayley Turner PACTOLUS (23) S C Williams 7 8-0 (D3) ............ Milly Naseb (5) TRULEE SCRUMPTIOUS (288) H Spiller 9 8-0 ............ J Quinn BETTING: 5-2 Sharja Bridge, 13-2 Tricorn, 7 Oasis Charm, 15-2 Dommersen, 8 Another Eclipse, 12 Third Time Lucky, Examiner, Brorocco, 16 Others. (35) B Smart 7 9-6 (BF, D7) ............... G Lee (42) R Cowell 6 9-6 (D7) ................ James Doyle (224) Julie Camacho 6 9-6 (D9) .................... L Morris (28) R Cowell 4 9-6 (D2) ............... J Crowley (200) R Guest 11 9-6 (C, D8) ........................... M Harley (201) D C Griffiths 5 9-6 (D3) .......................... D Allan (163) R Eddery 4 9-3 (D3) .......................... A Atzeni (15) M Dods 4 9-3 (BF, D4) ............ P Mulrennan (232) K Burke 3 8-11 (BF, D4) .... P J McDonald BETTING: 13-8 Havana Grey, 5 Mabs Cross, 11-2 Alpha Delphini, 15-2 Ornate, 8 Judicial, 10 Encore d’Or, 12 Jumira Bridge, 16 Mirza, 33 Equimou. (18) A Balding 3 9-0 ............................. R Hornby (14) M Channon 3 9-0 ......... C Bishop (16) Mrs A Perrett 3 9-0 ............................... P Dobbs (379) R Hannon 3 9-0 .......................... T Marquand (175) H Candy 3 9-0 ..................... H Bentley (28) S Crisford 3 9-0 ............................. R Havlin Owen Burrows 3 9-0 .......................... D O’Neill W Haggas 3 9-0 ........................ R Kingscote (294) M Tregoning 3 9-0 ....... L Steward (15) Eve J-Houghton 3 8-9 .................... M Dwyer (119) H Candy 3 8-9 ................ K Shoemark BETTING: 5-2 Embour, 4 Cogital, 5 Honey Man, 6 Restive Spirit, 7 Hidden Affair, 10 Ballyquin, 12 Motajaasid, 20 Serjeant Painter, 25 Others. BERINGER (253) A King 9-7 ................................... W Carson RUSTANG (29) R Hughes 9-7 (D2) ............................ S W Kelly CHEEKY RASCAL (192) R Hannon 9-6 ................. T Marquand LIVA (263) Eve J-Houghton 9-6 (BF) ........................... C Bishop GROVEMAN (269) C Hills 9-5 .................................... G Mosse THE THROSTLES (196) Kevin Frost 9-5 ................ R Kingscote VICTORY CHIME (164) R Beckett 9-4 ..................... L Steward YAMUNA RIVER (70) C Gordon 9-4 ........................... D O’Neill JACK REGAN (217) I Williams 9-3 .......................... P Mathers GOODWOOD SHOWMAN (12) W Knight 9-0 ......... H Bentley VICE MARSHAL (31)CFellowes8-13 .................... SDonohoe PIPPIN (199) H Morrison 8-12 ........................... C Bennett (3) BANKSY’S ART (11) M Channon 8-11 .................. C Shepherd PEPPER STREET (14) H Palmer 8-9 .......................... R Havlin KING ATHELSTAN (11)JBest8-6 ............................ MDwyer POWERFUL SOCIETY (12) Mrs R Ford 8-5 ............... W Cox (5) SEINESATIONAL (12)WKnight8-4 .......................... KO’Neill BETTING: 9-2 Rustang, 7 Groveman, 8 Liva, Pepper Street, Victory Chime, 10 Cheeky Rascal, 12 Banksy’s Art, Vice Marshal, Pippin, Goodwood Showman, 14 Others. COUNT OTTO (36) Mrs A Perrett 9-7 (D3) ................... J Haynes CHAGATAI (22) C Cox 9-5 (D) ....................................... A Kirby BARTON MILLS (17) W Haggas 9-3 .................... James Doyle YAFTA (219) R Hannon 9-3 (D2) ............................... J Crowley TRIBAL QUEST (77) C Appleby 9-1 (D) ....................... W Buick PRESTBURY PARK (46) M Johnston 9-1 (D2) ... P J McDonald AMBIENT (18) J Chapple-Hyam 8-10 ......................... D Brock GALLOWAY HILLS (16) D Elsworth 8-10 ............... S De Sousa VJ DAY (46) K Ryan 8-9 (BF, D) ................................... A Mullen GRANDFATHER TOM (35) R Cowell 8-8 ............. E J Walsh (3) CROTCHET (168) R Fahey 8-7 ................................ P Hanagan WINGS OF THE ROCK (33) K Burke 8-4 ...................... J Quinn BETTING: 4 Tribal Quest, 13-2 Yafta, 7 Galloway Hills, Chagatai, 15-2 Barton Mills, 10 Count Otto, Crotchet, Vj Day, 14 Others. (203) J Gosden 9-0 (D) ............... L Dettori 86 (143) D M Simcock 9-0 ...................... J P Spencer — (192) C Appleby 9-0 (C) ......................... W Buick 83 (192) M Johnston 9-0 (C) ....... P J McDonald 92 (17) C Appleby 9-0 (CD) ................ James Doyle 133 (203) B Meehan 9-0 .................................. J Crowley 149 (42) J Ryan 9-0 ........................ P Mulrennan 112 (197) Ed Walker 9-0 ...... P Cosgrave 85 BETTING: 5-2 Key Victory, 3 Graffiti Master, 4 Old Persian, 13-2 Petrus, 10 Highbrow, Lynwood Gold, Stephensons Rocket, 33 Roland Rocks.