By Tom Frary
He may not be an obvious 2000 Guineas candidate, with his pedigree pointing more towards sprinting prowess, but Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was nevertheless an impressive winner of Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Greenham S. at Newbury. Signing off at two with a win in the G3 Horris Hill S. over this same seven-furlong trip and track on similarly cloying ground in October, the 9-2 shot was always travelling with ease behind the leader Boitron (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Committed by Jim Crowley approaching the final furlong, the bay full-brother to the GII San Clemente H. winner Prize Exhibit (GB) quickly took command and despite drifting right held a relatively comfortable 3/4-of-a-length margin over Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}) at the line. The previously unbeaten and well-regarded Hannon trainee Urban Icon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) was 2 1/4 lengths further back in third, lending the result a solid feel. “He's definitely one of the fastest horses I've had and whether he gets a mile we'll have to see,” commented trainer Marcus Tregoning who was confirming his own re-entry into the major league after an absence. “He's very versatile and the beauty is that he settles. The Showcasings have got great minds and are sound and nice to train. He was a little bit immature last year and went to Shadwell, otherwise he could have been one of best two-year-olds in the country. He has a beautiful action and I don't think he necessarily has to have this sort of ground.”
Shadwell have now enjoyed success on four occasions in this time-honoured Guineas prep, which due to its seven-furlong trip traditionally caters to sprinters and potential milers in equal measure. The operation's best winner was Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) three years ago and it could be that Mohaather fits more into that speed category, although that colt was tried in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains before dropping back in trip. The aforementioned Prize Exhibit obviously stayed a mile well enough to win a San Clemente and also the GIII Megahertz S., but she also captured the 6 1/2-furlong GII Monrovia S. so pace was her forte. This is also the family of last year's G1 Queen Anne S. hero Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}), who is a grandson of Mohaather's pacey dam Roodeye (GB) (Inchinor {GB}). Generally speaking, sprinting comes to the fore in the dynasty with the likes of the G1 Prix Morny runner-up Gallagher (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), the G2 Gimcrack S. scorer Bannister (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), the G1 Middle Park S. hero Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus) and the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Dead Certain (GB) (Absalom {GB}) all featuring.
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
WATERSHIP DOWN STUD GREENHAM S.-G3, £70,000, Newbury, 4-13, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:26.89, g/s.
1–MOHAATHER (GB), 126, c, 3, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Roodeye (GB) (SP-Eng), by Inchinor (GB)
2nd Dam: Roo (GB), by Rudimentary
3rd Dam: Shall We Run (GB), by Hotfoot (GB)
(110,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Mrs R F Johnson Houghton (GB); T-Marcus Tregoning; J-Jim Crowley. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $88,653. *Full to Prize Exhibit (GB), MGSW & GISP-US, GSP-Eng, $697,375; and 1/2 to Harbour Master (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), SP-US. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Great Scot (GB), 126, c, 3, Requinto (Ire)–La Rosiere, by Mr. Greeley. (€2,500 RNA Ylg '17 TATIAS). O-Empire State Racing Partnership; B-Clyne, Mound, Thompson (GB); T-Tom Dascombe. £15,050.
3–Urban Icon (GB), 126, c, 3, Cityscape (GB)–Fauran (Ire), by Shamardal. (£23,000 Ylg '17 TASAYG). O-Michael Pescod; B-Minster Stud (GB); T-Richard Hannon. £7,532.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 4.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Hello Youmzain (Fr), Boitron (Fr), No Nonsense (GB), Taylormade (GB), He'zanarab (Ire). Scratched: Almufti (GB), Magic J. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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