There was high drama at the beginning of Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. at Newbury when Frankie Dettori parted company with G1 Dewhurst S. hero and leading G1 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) upon exiting the stalls, which allowed Manton Thoroughbreds VII's reopposing Dewhurst seventh Isaac Shelby (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Kentucky Belle {Ire}, by Heliostatic {Ire}) a free run to make all for a second pattern-race triumph in the seven-furlong feature. Last term's G2 Superlative S. victor was swiftly into stride, away from the early carnage, and gained immediate control. Unflustered on the front end for the most part, the 15-2 chance was shaken up approaching the final furlong and, with just the riderless Chaldean for company in the closing stages, kept on strongly to hit the line with an impressive three-length buffer back to G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte victor Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), himself 5 1/2 lengths clear of Doncaster maiden winner Theoryofeverything (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Brian Meehan, absorbing a first success in the contest, commented, “He is smart and I've always thought so. Things went wrong at Newmarket and he came back lame, but luckily it wasn't serious. We got him right within a couple of weeks and, touch wood, he's been 100 per cent since. I was so disappointed in the Dewhurst, because he was not the finished article and there was so much more to come. Mentally he's always been a calm horse, but Newmarket was only his third run. He has won a Group 2 on good-to-firm and he seems to go on everything. Chaldean was very unfortunate and nobody wants to see that happen to anyone. It is a shame for Andrew and Juddmonte.”
However, Isaac Shelby will not be returning to Newmarket anytime soon, according to the trainer, and is set on a course for ParisLongchamp's May 14 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. “He is in the French Guineas, which was always the plan. He didn't go to the [G3] Craven because I was spooked by Newmarket and I don't want to go back there until he's a little older and more mature. It will be the French Guineas and then we'll take it from there.”
Despite an unexpected turn of events for the 5-4 favourite, trainer Andrew Balding reflected in positive tones. “He was fit and well and ready to run a big race, but it was one of those unfortunate things,” he said. “We are just thankful it was a trial, the horse seems to have come back fine and Frankie is fine. It is real bad luck, but it is what it is and we've got two weeks to the [G1 2000] Guineas. The Guineas was always the main aim and that's where we're going. He pulled up pretty quick, but it would have been a big problem if had he gone and done another circuit of the track. He's had a decent workout and probably enjoyed it.” Juddmonte's Barry Mahon added, “It was one of those freak things. The main thing is the horse is okay and the jockey is okay. Frankie said the horse beside him just came over and caught his leg and ripped it out of the stirrup. The horse was a little slow [from stall seven] and the horse on his outside [Streets Of Gold] came across [from stall eight] and caught his leg. No harm done and the horse has had a day out, which was the whole aim of today.”
Pedigree Notes
Isaac Shelby, one of 19 pattern-race winners for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the third of four foals and one of two winners produced by an unraced half-sister to GII Mac Diarmida H. victor Ramazotti (Honor Grades) and to the dam of dual stakes scorer Vow To Recover (Broken Vow). The April-foaled chestnut is half to an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Al Kazeem (GB). His second dam, the stakes-placed Mine Inning (Mining), is a daughter of Listed Revidere S. second Weed It Out (Clever Trick), herself kin to four pattern-race winners headed by GI American Derby hero Pocket Zipper (Full Pocket). Descendants of Weed It Out also include Listed Debutante S. winner She's My Warrior (Warrior's Reward), Listed Minnesota Derby scorer Thealligatorhunter (Overanalyze), Listed Oak Tree Sprint S. victrix Annie's Candy (Twirling Candy) and the Puerto Rican champion juvenile Wicked Runner (Wicked Strong).
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
WATERSHIP DOWN STUD TOO DARN HOT GREENHAM S.-G3, £90,000, Newbury, 4-22, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:32.65, sf.
1–ISAAC SHELBY (GB), 128, c, 3, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Kentucky Belle (Ire), by Heliostatic (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mine Inning, by Mining
3rd Dam: Weed It Out, by Clever Trick
(£92,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Manton Thoroughbreds VII; B-Elaine Chivers (GB); T-Brian Meehan; J-Sean Levey. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $136,191. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Charyn (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £19,350.
3–Theoryofeverything (GB), 128, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Persuasive (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (325,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £9,684.
Margins: 3, 5HF, HF. Odds: 7.50, 14.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Zoology (GB), Wiltshire (GB), Streets Of Gold (Ire), Knight (Ire), Grey's Monument (GB), The Ridler (GB), Classic (GB). DNF: Chaldean (GB) – unseated rider.
High drama in the Greenham!
Hot favourite Chaldean unships Frankie Dettori coming out of the stalls, leaving Isaac Shelby to make all the running under @LeveySean!
Brian Meehan appears to have a good horse on his hands but is he a genuine 2,000 Guineas contender? pic.twitter.com/8rJ0hLwvf9
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 22, 2023
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