Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes
 QuinnBet
Group 3, Newbury 14:35
£100,000 guaranteed,
3yo only,
7f, Class 1   
Saturday 12th April 2025

SureWIn

1 Jonquil 8/1
2 Rashabar 6/1
3 Saracen 13/2
10 ran Distances: 1½l, 2l, 1½l
Time: 1m 24.42s (slow by 1.62s)

In a race billed as a key stepping stone towards Classic honours, it was Jonquil who emerged with his credentials enhanced and reputations reshuffled, delivering a performance of real promise.

Sent off at 8-1 in a field packed with potential, the son of No Nay Never had been a talking horse last season following a stylish debut win at Sandown for Sir Michael Stoute. But his final juvenile appearance—beaten nearly ten lengths in Listed company—sowed enough doubt to take him off the radar in a division still finding its shape.

Now trained by Andrew Balding following Stoute’s retirement, and with time to settle into new surroundings at Kingsclere, Jonquil turned that narrative on its head with a composed and ultimately commanding display.

Al Qudra, representing Charlie Appleby, tried to dominate from the front under William Buick, but became the third of the Godolphin team to underperform on the day. Chancellor made a brief move two out but faded as quickly as he came, leaving the race to be decided by two that had always looked most comfortable in the rhythm of the contest.

Oisin Murphy had barely moved on Jonquil approaching the final furlong, but in Rashabar, the Coventry Stakes winner from last summer, he faced a rival with proven top-level form and a will to battle. For a few strides, it was a genuine duel—but once Murphy asked his question, the response was smooth and decisive. A length and a half at the line, with Joseph O’Brien’s late-finishing Saracen running on into third, told the tale of a colt going places.

“He picked up really well,” said Balding afterwards. “He looked smart on debut last year and things just didn’t go to plan second time. Everyone close to him felt Doncaster was a blip, and he’s come to us in great shape. He’s been with us since before Christmas and his work’s been very good.

“He’s well balanced, he settles, he stays on—it looks like a mile will be no problem. We’re in both the English and French Guineas and we’ll see what happens next week, but after that you’d have to keep those doors open.”

Murphy, typically understated but never short on insight, was quietly impressed:

“He’s very fast, very professional. Ryan [Moore] thought plenty of him last year and he’s exactly what you’d want in a modern racehorse. He’s got scope but he’s not massive—just the right stamp. If he gets a mile, we could be looking at a proper one.”

Behind him, Rashabar lost little in defeat, and trainer Brian Meehan was quick to underline the bigger picture:

“That was the trial we needed. Sean [Levey] said he wasn’t doing things quite how we’d like, and the lack of pace didn’t help, but there’s a lot to come. I’ve been saying all week he’d come on for the run, and I’d expect 20 per cent improvement from here.

“He’s a 508kg horse, so he’s entitled to need it. But he’s been placed in two Grade Ones already—one on ground he hated—and I think we’ll see a proper version of him next time. Newmarket is firmly on the radar.”

With the Guineas just weeks away and other trials yet to unfold, nothing is set in stone. But on the evidence of Newbury, Jonquil has planted himself squarely in the Classic conversation—and may yet bloom into something very special.

Boylesports

Greenham Stakes
£100,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 7f, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places

POS. (DRAW) FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 (9)    Jonquil 3 9-2 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 8/1
2 (10) 1½ Rashabar 3 9-2 Brian Meehan Sean Levey 6/1
3 (6) 2 Saracen 3 9-2 Joseph O'Brien Christophe Soumillon 13/2
4 (7) 1½ Diablo Rojo 3 9-2 Raphael E Freire David Egan 16/1
5 (8) hd Yah Mo Be There 3 9-2 Richard Spencer Jamie Spencer 25/1
6 (5) hd Chancellor 3 9-2 John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin 5/1
7 (3) nk Noble Champion 3 9-2 Ed Walker Kieran Shoemark 14/1
8 (1) 3 Al Qudra 3 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 11/4F
9 (2) 1 Aurora Majesty 3 9-2 Archie Watson Hollie Doyle 9/1
10 (4) 7½ Rogue Allegiance 3 9-2 David O'Meara Daniel Tudhope 14/1

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