Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Chindit appeals in the Celebration Mile
CHINDIT has been mixing it with the best this term – but a drop to Group Two level in the tote Celebration Mile should see him return to winning form at Goodwood.
The three-year-old was a narrow winner of the Greenham Stakes on his first outing this term, having been among last year’s leading juveniles for Richard Hannon.
He went on to have a crack at the 2000 Guineas, finishing a creditable fifth to the admirable Poetic Flare, with that rival again proving too good in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot, where Chindit was again fifth.
Poetic Flare was again in front on Chindit’s latest outing in the Prix Jacques le Marois, where Palace Pier came out on top, but Hannon’s charge ran another decent race to be fifth yet again.
While Benbatl carries Group One form in this mile heat, the conditions of the race give Chindit the edge on the numbers, and the fact he also has the fitness edge over his older rival makes him an appealing prospect.
Daneh is worth another try in Group Three company, in the tote Prestige Stakes. Simon and Ed
Crisford’s charge boasts a fine pedigree as a daughter of Dubawi out of dual Group One winner Rizeena – and she made quite a splash on her racecourse bow when hacking up by four and a half lengths at Kempton.
The second and third from that race have subsequently won to give the form some added weight, and Daneh herself was placed on her first attempt at Group Three level in France this month.
Not beaten far by a fine yardstick in Oscula, Daneh could not make up lost ground after a slow start – but she should be wiser for the run.
Meanwhile, Group Three honours are on offer at Windsor, with Bangkok favoured to defy top weight in the Sytner BMW Sunningdale & Maidenhead Winter Hill Stakes, while Domino Darling hit the bar at York last week but can make a quick return pay in the Sunningdale & Maidenhead August Stakes.