By Sean Cronin
2nd-DON, £5,000, Mdn, 4-2, 3yo, 7f, 1:25.65, gd.
+BENBATL (GB), c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Nahrain (GB) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, SW-Eng & GSP-Ire, $1,041,961), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Bahr (GB), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lady of the Sea (GB), by Mill Reef
Benbatl enjoyed the bulk of public confidence, going off as the 15-8 chalk for this 12-runner affair, and justified those short odds in emphatic style. Bouncing out of the gate to stalk the pace in second under Josephine Gordon, he powered by the pacesetting Jewel House (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) passing the quarter-mile marker and quickened clear under negligible urging before gearing down late to account for Made of Honour (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) by a hugely impressive seven lengths. “He's a very nice horse and did that easily, but is still a bit green,” explained Gordon. “He'd maybe appreciate a bit more juice in the ground and would have been happy enough to travel out in front. He is very forward and is only going to improve.” The homebred bay is the first scorer produced by G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Flower Bowl Invitational-winning British highweight Nahrain (GB) (Selkirk), whose own dam Bahr (GB) (Generous {Ire}) earned her stripes in the G2 Ribblesdale S. and G3 Musidora S. as well as hitting the board in the G1 Epsom Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks and GI Flower Bowl Invitational. The G1 Epsom Derby entry shares his third dam, Lady of the Sea (GB) (Mill Reef), with G1 Toorak H. victor Our Rokkii (NZ) (Roc de Cambes {NZ}) and the antipodean connection is enhanced by fourth dam La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen II {GB}), a multiple champion and G1SW New Zealand Horse of the Year. Benbatl is a half-brother to the 2-year-old colt Ta Allak (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Dansili {GB}). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $4,058. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
