By Heather Anderson
Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) became the second new stakes winner for his Darley sire in one day at Haydock Park after the victory of Flight Plan (GB) in the G2 Dullingham Park S. at Leopardstown.
A winner of an Ascot novice race on debut in July, the colt was second to Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the Listed Pat Eddery S. there at the end of the month. Content to sit near the tail of the field as Hot Fuss (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) made up the vanguard, the bay mounted his charge with 300 metres remaining and ground his way to the head of affairs by the furlong marker. Although he leaned to the left in the final strides, Al Musmak had done enough to secure the victory and become the 38th stakes winner for his Darley sire. Juddmonte's Macduff (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was second.
Said pilot Ben Curtis, “He relaxed lovely at the back, and I was keen not to give them too much rope at the two pole here as they can get away from you. He travelled into it nice and to be honest when I asked him he responded and he went to the front and saw out the mile well. It was very pleasing. He floated across the ground and that was probably the question mark as the ground up until now has been a bit slower, but he handled that beautifully. He has the right mind for it and he took it well. Hopefully he can take another step forward after that.”
The first foal out of Parton, Al Musmak has a yearling full-brother (lot 554) who is part of the Houghton Bloodstock consignment at the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, and a weanling half-brother by Too Darn Hot (GB). His granddam is the high class Dansili (GB) mare Proviso (GB), who struck four times at the highest level, and is herself a half-sister to G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero and sire Byword (GB) (Peintre Celebre).
BETFAIR DAILY TIPS ON BETTING.BETFAIR ASCENDANT S.-Listed, £40,500, Haydock, 9-9, 2yo, 8f 37yT, 1:44.30, gd.
1–AL MUSMAK (IRE), 130, c, 2, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Parton (GB), by Kitten's Joy
2nd Dam: Proviso (GB), by Dansili (GB)
3rd Dam: Binche, by Woodman
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (95,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Sheikh
Abdullah Almalek Alsabah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE);
T-Roger Varian; J-Ben Curtis. £22,968. Lifetime Record:
3-2-1-0, $62,690.
2–Macduff (GB), 130, c, 2, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Present Tense
(GB), by Bated Breath (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte;
B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd. (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £8,708.
3–Remaadd (Ire), 130, c, 2, Gleneagles (Ire)–Oojooba (GB), by
Monsun (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum;
B-Godolphin (IRE); T-William Haggas. £4,358.
Margins: 1HF, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 1.50, 3.00.
Also Ran: Portland (Ire), Marcella (Ger), Hot Fuss (Ire). VIDEO.
Nice prospect! Al Musmak books his ticket to one of the big end-of-season juvenile contests with a solid victory for Roger Varian and Ben Curtis in the @Betfair Daily Tips at betting.betfair Ascendant Stakes pic.twitter.com/Gi1QeymHVA
— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) September 9, 2023
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