By Tom Frary
The tragedy that befell the family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha when he died in a helicopter crash in October will never be truly undone, but in some small way the exploits of their Derby-bound Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) will aid their recovery as he booked his ticket to the blue riband in Friday's G3 bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown. With the money speaking for the bay who had beaten the impressive subsequent winner Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in a 10-furlong Doncaster maiden Mar. 30, the 10-11 favourite made light work of this once time-honoured Epsom prep which has been mainly inconsequential since Shahrastani did the double in 1986. Positioned with one behind early by Sylvester de Sousa, King Power Racing's latest high-profile winner of this season picked up with an ease to take control approaching the furlong pole and assert for a 1 1/4-length success from Team Valor's recent acquisition Technician (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).
Trainer Andrew Balding is happy to have a tilt at the Derby now. “We do think a lot of the horse, so I'm just relieved he's won,” he said. “He's got a good turn of foot and he's going to stay further. He has matured mentally and is a very talented horse, so he deserves to run at Epsom and will probably go straight there. Silvestre was very impressed by him and I think he has won with any amount in hand. He has got good acceleration and is a tidy horse. It was important for the long-term that he learns to settle and switch off. With going further it is imperative that he settles and that was the main aim today, but I'm glad he showed a nice turn of foot. Quite possibly we could go to Breakfast With The Stars. I'd have no issues about the track for him, as he is a well-balanced horse.”
Bangkok, who had back-pedalled with fourth placings at Ascot and Newmarket in September after the initial promise of his neck second to TDN Rising Star Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on the July Course the previous month, was bringing experience to the table while Technician was out for just the third time and ran a race full of promise. Trainer Martyn Meade was looking to the future with the grey. “He didn't get the run of the race and he was the meat in the sandwich a couple of times,” he commented. “He would have been a lot closer had he had a better run. He is in the [G2] Dante [S. At York May 16] and he would need to win that. He has done nothing wrong and that was only his third run of his life. It just didn't work on the day, but there is a big day for him I'm sure.”
Bangkok was one of his owners' well-documented big-money purchases and the 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate is a half-brother to the G3 Curragh Cup-winning stayer Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and two other middle-distance black-type performers including the Listed Prix Joubert winner and G2 Prix de Malleret third Yaazy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). His win comes days after his 4-year-old half-brother Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass) slammed Wissahickon (Tapit) in Lingfield's Easter Classic, while two other of his half-sisters Zahoo (Ire) (Nayef) and Mujarah (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) have gone on to be prominent broodmares. The former is the dam of the G3 Ballycorus S. scorer Convergence (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), while Mujarah threw the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, G1 Queen Anne S., G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Lockinge S. hero Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).
The dam Tanaghum (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) was a €250,000 Shadwell cast-off at the 2014 Goffs November Mares Sale when purchased by Barronstown Stud. She is a listed-placed daughter of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Mehthaaf (Nureyev), a half to the high-class sprinter and sire Elnadim (Danzig) who also produced the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Najah (Ire) (Nashwan). This spectacular family which also features Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}), Intello (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) and several other celebrities was also enhanced recently by the G3 Prix la Force success of the Classic-bound Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal).
Friday, Sandown Park, Britain
BET365 CLASSIC TRIAL-G3, £70,000, Sandown, 4-26, 3yo, 10f 14yT, 2:09.43, g/f.
1–BANGKOK (IRE), 127, c, 3, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Tanaghum (GB) (SP-Eng), by Darshaan (GB)
2nd Dam: Mehthaaf, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Elle Seule, by Exclusive Native
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (500,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-Silvestre de Sousa. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-0, $59,073. *1/2 to Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells), GSW-Ire, SW & GSP-Eng, $142,213; Yaazy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Fr; and Zahoo (Ire) (Nayef), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Technician (Ire), 127, c, 3, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Arosa (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€40,000 Ylg '17 GOFOR). O-Team Valor 1; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Martyn Meade. £15,050.
3–Persian Moon (Ire), 127, c, 3, Makfi (GB)–Lune Rose (GB), by High Chaparral (Ire). (€42,000 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; 40,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds X; B-Mrs Louise Quinn (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £7,532.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 2HF. Odds: 0.90, 5.50, 7.00.
Also Ran: Travel On (GB), Alfaatik (GB), Kuwait Currency. Scratched: Prince Eiji (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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