By Sean Cronin
Julie Wood's Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) caused a 28-1 shock when prevailing by 3 1/4 lengths at Sandown in his only prior start and the form of that seven-furlong maiden contest received a hefty boost when runner-up One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) took the opening heat on the Esher track's Sunday card. He was sent postward at considerably shorter odds for the day's feature G3 Betway Solario S., over the same seven-furlong strip, and pounced late to ensure his perfect record remained intact. Etonian sought and found cover in sixth after an alert getaway from the outside gate. Making eyecatching headway on the bridle out wide in the straight, the 15-8 favourite was shaken up to seize control from the pacesetting Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) with 100 yards remaining and kept on strongly from there to comfortably hold the late rally of King Vega (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by 1 1/4 lengths. Apollo One finished a half-length adrift in third.
“He's a horse that initially stood out, in the way he moved, but he got a bit bored in his work and was just doing his bit at home,” said Richard Hannon. “I'd given him a lot of entries and we had to run him sooner or later so we came here for his debut, but I don't know how we allowed him to start at such long odds. He won very well that day, he was very professional in everything he did today and always looked like he was going better than all of them. He wasn't particularly fond of that ground, but I'd have been disappointed if he didn't win. It's lovely for [owner] Julie Wood to have a good one as it's been a fair while in between good horses for her.” Looking to both long-term and short-term targets, the trainer added, “I think he's a [G1 2000] Guineas horse for next year and maybe a [G1] Vertem Futurity horse this year. He'll have another one or two runs [this year] and we could look at the [G1 Prix Jean-Luc] Lagardere, a race his sire won, and the [G1] Dewhurst, but it all depends on what Julie wants to do.”
Etonian is the latest of three foals and lone winner produced by an unraced daughter of G3 Prix de Flore runner-up Wingspan (Silver Hawk), herself kin to MGSW GII Hall of Fame S. victor Interactif (Broken Vow) and stakes-winning GIII WinStar Distaff H. third Stretching (Red Ransom). Etonian's fourth dam Pennant Champion (Mr. Prospector), herself a daughter of unbeaten MGISW US champion Personal Ensign (Private Account), is a full-sister to GI Jockey Club Gold Cup-winning sire Miner's Mark and GI Oaklawn H.-winning sire Traditionally. She is also a half-sister to MGISW distaffer My Flag (Easy Goer), who in turn produced MGISW US champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat).
Sunday, Sandown, Britain
BETWAY SOLARIO S.-G3, £25,500, Sandown, 8-23, 2yo, 7fT, 1:28.44, gd.
1–ETONIAN (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Olympic Glory (Ire)
1st Dam: Naan (Ire), by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Wingspan, by Silver Hawk
3rd Dam: Broad Pennant, by Broad Brush
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€14,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV; 10,000gns RNA Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Mrs Julie Wood; B-Emir Alkas (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Pat Dobbs. £14,461. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $24,202. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–King Vega (GB), 127, c, 2, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Moi Meme (GB), by Teofilo (Ire). (350,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Apollo Racing & DTA Racing; B-Fortescue Bloodstock (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £5,483.
3–Apollo One (GB), 127, c, 2, Equiano (Fr)–Boonga Roogeta (GB), by Tobougg (Ire). (3,500gns RNA Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-pcracing.co.uk; B/T-Peter Charalambous (GB). £2,744.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.88, 2.75, 28.00.
Also Ran: Dubai Fountain (Ire), Dinoo (Ire), Dark Lion (Ire), Forever Grateful (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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