By Tom Frary
Shadwell's Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was Saturday's most visually impressive winner as he took apart the Listed Newmarket S. to earn a tilt at the June 5 G1 Epsom Derby. Anchored in last early, the 2-1 second favourite who had won over the same course and distance in a handicap at the Craven meeting Apr. 14 cruised to the front passing two out and was not asked a single question from there as he coasted to a five-length success from the 4-5 market-leader Secret Protector (War Front). “He has clearly improved from his last run here and gave me a good feel,” jockey Jim Crowley said. “Today he was mentally better–he was shouting at the other horses last time and on his toes, but he was much more of a man today. We were thinking about Royal Ascot before today, but we might have to set our sights a little bit higher than that now. He stays that trip very well and has a good turn of foot, so hopefully he'll get a mile and a half. He was a very nice surprise today.”
William Haggas was refusing to get carried away afterwards, but was clearly enamoured with the performance. “I was pleased with the way he won his handicap and although I thought this race fell apart he was still very impressive and looked good to me,” he said. “Only two runs ago, he won what was not a great race at Lingfield. This may turn out not to be a great performance–it was the same two years ago with the filly Maqsad (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Pretty Polly at this meeting. She looked a star then and never won again. The most pressing option is the Derby and I've no idea whether he'll stay, but he relaxes well. The trials are all too close and I don't want to take a backward step, so I suspect we'll have a go as it's our biggest race. I have loved this horse ever since he was a yearling–I asked Sheikh Hamdan to see him and told him 'I think this is a Derby horse sir' and he said 'I think he might be slower than that, more of an Ascot Gold Cup horse!' It's so sad that he is not here to see him, as he would have been as excited as we are.”
The Normandie Stud-bred dam was an unbeaten TDN Rising Star in 2015 whose two starts included the Listed Lyric S. She is one of three black-type winners out of the Listed Lupe S. winner and G2 Lowther S. runner-up Foodbroker Fancy (Ire) (Halling) alongside the GIII Long Island H. winner Dalvina (GB) (Grand Lodge) and Soft Centre (GB) (Zafonic) who emulated her dam's success in the Lupe. Dalvina is in turn the dam of the dual listed scorer and G2 Sandown Classic runner-up Dal Harraild (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), while Soft Centre went on to produce the G1 Nassau S. heroine Sultanina (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). Also connected to the G3 Sandown Sprint S. winner and G1 Nunthorpe S.-placed Extortionist (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), French Dressing also has the unraced 2-year-old colt French Toast (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Kingman (GB) named French Mistress (GB).
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
BETFAIR NEWMARKET S.-Listed, £40,000, Newmarket, 5-1, 3yo, c/g, 10fT, 2:04.74, g/f.
1–MOHAAFETH (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: French Dressing (GB) (SW-Eng), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Foodbroker Fancy (Ire), by Halling
3rd Dam: Red Rita (Ire), by Kefaah
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (350,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Jim Crowley. £22,684. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, $46,385.
2–Secret Protector, 126, c, 3, War Front–Eternal Bounty (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). ($800,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-R S Evans (KY); T-Charlie Appleby. £8,600.
3–Inigo Jones (GB), 126, c, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Spacious (GB), by Nayef. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £4,304.
Margins: 5, HF, 19. Odds: 3.00, 0.80, 7.00.
Also Ran: Percy's Lad (GB). Click for the Racing Post result.
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