3 minute read

Wahaaj may have lost his unbeaten record when second in the Solario Stakes, but the performance of the son of Gregorian only adds to trainer Patrick Owens’ confidence he has a smart colt on his hands.

The relatively inexpensive €20,000 yearling was faultless in his first two outings, scoring by three and a half lengths over six furlongs at Nottingham on debut before doubling up by the same distance when upped to seven furlongs at Yarmouth.

Those victories were enough to warrant a place in the line-up for the Sandown Group Three that has been won in the past by Classic heroes Kingman and Masar and last year by the Queen's Reach For The Moon.

Although no match in the closing stages for the latest hot prospect from Godolphin, Silver Knott, Owens was delighted with the performance and reports the horse to have thrived from what he sees as the first real test of the colt's potential.

He said: "The horse had been training really well at home and we had been really pleased with him since Yarmouth, he's been really professional.

"We were hoping for a good run and thought he belonged in the race, so we were very happy with the run.

"They all got a bit bunched up round the turn and it lit a few of them up and lit our guy up a little bit as well. But I thought he ran a superb race and I think, taking everything into consideration, you can mark it up a little bit.

"Coming out of the race, he's had his few days to recover. Physically he looks good, he's not too light and eating well and everything. I really couldn't be happier with him since the race, he's really grown into a real professional. He's a racehorse, he's telling us he wants to be a racehorse and thankfully he is showing it on the track."

Wahaaj holds entries in both the Curragh's Goffs Million over seven furlongs on September 24 and also the Darley Dewhurst Stakes over the same trip at Newmarket on October 8.

However, he will run in just one of those potential assignments, with Owens minded to take care of the talented youngster believing his best days lie ahead.

"He's in the Dewhurst and he's also in the Goffs Million at the Curragh," Continued Owens.

"He's a lovely moving horse, he's got a beautiful stride length, so the Curragh might suit him better – he's a powerful, strong horse. But saying that, he's still going to mature physically over the winter.

"Track wise, the Curragh may be the best option, but I'm going to have to speak to connections and we want to see how he's training after Sandown before we make a decision.

"But I think, if you are going on the track and the best thing for the horse, the Curragh is the place to go. It would be lovely to go to the Dewhurst, but a track like the Rowley Mile, we've got to look after this guy. We're a small yard and we're dreaming big, so we've got to do the right thing and we have huge belief in the horse.

"I've said it a few times and I'll say it again, with racing this horse is mentally going the right way. You could say Sandown was his real first run. If you look at his first two starts he won very easily both times and it was a very big step up in grade.

"Like I say, we thought the horse belonged there, but it was the first time he had a tough race and he had some nice horses behind him and I think the way he has come out of it and his physical shape, I think you're going to see a better three-year-old. Louis (Steward, jockey) is of the same opinion and we're going to look after him this year and probably just have the one more run. But I do believe he will be better next year."

The Newmarket-based handler also provided an update on Adaay To Remember, who was a creditable fifth when sent off the 5-2 favourite for the Ballyogan Stakes at Naas.

It was the second successive occasion the four-year-old filly has acquitted herself well at Group Three level, but her trainer is keen to give her a well-earned week off, pointing out the effort she puts into each and every run.

"She's a little tired after the trip," said Owens. She ran a huge race and I was thrilled with her. We'll give her plenty of time to get over this, she'll have at least the rest of the week off.

"Once her characteristics are the same as before she went over for the race, then we'll start her back, as the trip took a bit out of her.

"The race just didn't go according to plan. We were hoping they would stay over on the far side and they didn't. She had a little stumble coming out of the gate and was left on a wing on her own which didn't help and then one of the other horses drifted across and pushed her left a little bit.

"But she was still only beaten a length and three-quarters and the betting indicated that it was a pretty competitive event. So, she ran big and things just unfortunately didn't work out, but she picked up prize-money and she's picked up prize-money every time she has run for us.

"She's unreal, she just tries so hard, even the other day she didn't disappoint. Even with everything going against her she still ran her heart out. She just tries so hard and she deserves those breaks in between races because if you ran her too soon, I think she would bounce and I don't really want that and she doesn't deserve that.

"We'll just let her get over this now, regroup and then make a plan from there."