Mehmas's Minzaal Strikes In The Hackwood

Winless since the 2020 G2 Gimcrack S., Shadwell's Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) put it all together to return to the first spot in a competitive renewal of Newbury's G3 bet365 Hackwood S. on Saturday. Keen early for Jim Crowley tracking the leaders, the 4-1 co-favourite who was only 13th in Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee S. last time June 18 stayed on strongly to gain the advantage inside the last 100 yards. Despite the attention of the 3-year-olds Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) and Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Owen Burrows-trained 4-year-old was too strong to beat them by 1 1/4 lengths and a head respectively. “I really thought he was going to win at Royal Ascot, so I was disappointed–he travelled a bit too well that day,” Crowley explained. “He coped with the ground here, but his action and his best form would suggest he is better with a bit of cut.”

Minzaal bounces back to form in some style, capturing the £60,000 G3 @bet365 Hackwood Stakes for @ojburrows74, @JimCrowley1978, @ShadwellStud & @hissa_hamdan

Results & free replays ➡ https://t.co/sBcsavpOzF pic.twitter.com/TRTvDZBfPP

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 16, 2022

Absent for a year after his juvenile-campaign closer when third in Newmarket's G1 Middle Park S., Minzaal had been straight back on track when second in Ascot's Listed Rous S. before running third in that track's G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. Third on his seasonal bow in the May 11 G2 1895 Duke Of York S., the bay had gone off piste for the first time in the Platinum Jubilee but was still only just over four lengths in arrears. For Burrows, that performance may have been down to the application of headgear. “We tried something at Ascot, putting the cheekpieces on him, as he is so laid-back and it didn't work,” he explained. “Jim just felt he travelled a bit too well off a strong pace and he was bang there a furlong and a half down, but within that last furlong he was a spent force. We went back to what we know and we are thrilled to get him back. Quite often there is a little bit of juice in the ground at Haydock, so the Sprint Cup is on the cards.”

Minzaal's unraced dam Pardoven (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), whose 2-year-old Maxi King (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was a 280,000gns purchase by A C Elliott at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and whose yearling daughter of Footstepsinthesand (GB) was bought by Grande Ville Breeding for 80,000gns at the latest edition of that auction, is kin to four black-type performers headed by the G3 Gordon S. runner-up Firebet (Ire) (Dubai Destination). Their dam, the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial-placed Dancing Prize (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), is a full-sister to the G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Dance To The Top (GB) whose progeny list is headed by the G2 Al Fahidi Fort winner and G1 Dubai Duty Free runner-up Bankable (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) and the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy scorer Cheshire (GB) (Warning {GB}).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
BET365 HACKWOOD S.-G3, £60,000, Newbury, 7-16, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.37, g/f.
1–MINZAAL (IRE), 135, c, 4, by Mehmas (Ire)
     1st Dam: Pardoven (Ire), by Clodovil (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Dancing Prize (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
     3rd Dam: Aim For The Top, by Irish River (Fr)
(85,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 140,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Ringfort Stud (IRE); T-Owen Burrows; J-Jim Crowley. £34,026. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Eng, 9-3-1-3, $263,824. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Go Bears Go (Ire), 133, c, 3, Kodi Bear (Ire)–In Dubai, by Giant's Causeway. (£50,000 Ylg '20 TATIRY; 150,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Amo Racing and Omnihorse Racing; B-Micheal D Ryan (IRE); T-David Loughnane. £12,900.
3–Dubawi Legend (Ire), 130, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Lovely Pass (Ire), by Raven's Pass. O-Dr Ali Ridha; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £6,456.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, NK. Odds: 4.00, 14.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Rohaan (Ire), Happy Romance (Ire), Man of Promise, Great Ambassador (GB), Chil Chil (GB), Royal Commando (Ire), Diligent Harry (GB), Sam Maximus (GB), Saint Lawrence (Ire), Method (Ire). Scratched: Run To Freedom (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.