By Tom Frary
Having caused a 50-1 shock in Royal Ascot's Buckingham Palace H., William Stobart's Witch Hunter (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was at it again on Saturday as he swooped to conquer in Newbury's seven-furlong G2 Hungerford S. Tried over six furlongs after his Royal success, the Richard Hannon-trained gelding had found the action a touch too quick when third in Newcastle's G3 Chipchase S. before failing to handle Chester's tight track when third in the Listed City Plate S. and running fourth over a mile in Pontefract's Listed Pomfret S. Switched off in rear early by Sean Levey, the 12-1 was delivered stand's side to overhaul the 3-year-old New Endeavour (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) with half a furlong remaining and score by a length, with 3 3/4 lengths back to the winner's stablemate and 2-1 favourite Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in third.
Richard Hannon wins the @BetVictor Hungerford Stakes, but not with the one you might have expected! 👀
The improving Witch Hunter storms home from off the pace to land the G2 feature, while stablemate Chindit, sent off 2-1 fav, was left trailing in third.@NewburyRacing pic.twitter.com/NFDnis31Vf
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 19, 2023
“He won at Royal Ascot and you can't get better then that, but he's improved all year,” Hannon said of the winner. “I'm a bit disappointed with Chindit, but he's not as good when confronted with a rain-softened surface. Chindit was the best horse and you couldn't see Witch Hunter winning, but looking back he was very unlucky not to win the all-weather championships at Lingfield, while Jamie Spencer gave him a great ride at Ascot. Chindit will go to Mr Poonawalla's stud in India.”
Pedigree Notes
Witch Hunter, who is kin to the Listed Criterium du FEE winner Medley Chic (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), is out of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg scorer Sorciere (Ire) (Orpen). She is the leading performer out of Serandine (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}), a half to the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Shaka (GB) (Exit To Nowhere) who was responsible for the listed scorer Seralia (GB) (Royal Academy), in turn the dam of three black-type performers headed by Exit To Nowhere's G3 Prix de Psyche winner Serisia (Fr).
Serisia produced the G1 Norton S. and G1 Ranvet S.-winning Australian champion miler Contributor (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), while this is also the family of this year's G2 King Edward VII S. winner and G1 Derby and G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S.-placed King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Sorciere's yearling colt by Hello Youmzain (Fr) had sold for €90,000 24 hours prior to this race to Marco Bozzi Bloodstock at the Arqana Deauville August Sale.
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
BETVICTOR HUNGERFORD S.-G2, £110,000, Newbury, 8-19, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:25.24, g/s.
1–WITCH HUNTER (FR), 134, g, 4, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Sorciere (Ire) (GSW-Fr, $120,169), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Serandine (Ire), by Hernando (Fr)
3rd Dam: Serafica (GB), by No Pass No Sale (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€115,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY; €145,000 2yo '21 ARQDEA). O-William Stobart; B-Petra Bloodstock Agency Limited (FR); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. £62,381. Lifetime Record: 23-4-6-4, $284,743. *1/2 to Medley Chic (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), SW-Fr, $136,052. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–New Endeavour (Ire), 129, g, 3, New Bay (GB)–Moody Blue (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
1ST GROUP TYPE. (€68,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV; €200,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR; £260,000 HRA '23 GOFLO). O-Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott & partners; B-Oghill House, Sledmere Stud & D Hyland (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £23,650.
3–Chindit (Ire), 134, h, 5, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Always A Dream (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (65,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Villoo Poonawalla Greenfield Farms; B-J C Bloodstock & R Mahon (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £11,836.
Margins: 1, 3 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 12.00, 8.00, 2.00.
Also Ran: Mammas Girl (GB), Misty Grey (Ire), Rodaballo (GB), Mostabshir (GB), Marbaan (GB), Pogo (Ire).
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