By Sean Cronin
Wathnan Racing's Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}–Jane Doe {Ire}, by Hallowed Crown {Aus}) followed up an impressive debut score at Bath in May with a fifth in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk Stakes last month and was too good for five rivals to register a career high in Friday's Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown.
The £380,000 Goffs Breeze-Up graduate broke smartly from the outside gate and stalked the pace in second through halfway. Looming large at the quarter-mile marker, the 6-4 pick seized control approaching the final furlong and kept on powerfully to easily outpoint It Ain't Two (GB) (Calyx {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths.
“He ran a huge race at Ascot and, like a lot of the races there, was affected by the draw,” explained Archie Watson. “With half an eye on Goodwood, this was the obvious race to come to in the meantime. He's sharpened up and James [Doyle] was very happy. We would have preferred something better to lead us deeper into the race, but he's done everything right and I'm sure he will improve again for getting a stronger pace to run at. The Goodwood Festival is very important for these owners and we will most likely be aiming at the [G2] Richmond Stakes or the [G3] Molecomb Stakes, depending on what we think trip-wise. Before the race we were thinking Richmond, but watching that race live and immediate thoughts after, I would be thinking he would travel very well in a Molecomb. We'll see where we fit in alongside other horses owned by the owner, but I would say it will be Goodwood next for one of those two races.”
Aesterius is the first of two foals produced by a half-sister to G3 Horris Hill S. victor and G2 German 2000 Guineas third Tawhid (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). His multiple Grade III-winning second dam Snowdrops (GB) (Gulch) is out of the stakes-placed Roses In The Snow (Ire) (Be My Guest), whose descendants include G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}). The January-foaled bay is half to a yearling colt by Cotai Glory (GB).
Fifth behind Shareholder in the Norfolk, AESTERIUS lands the Listed Dragon Stakes at @Sandownpark in style for @Archie_Watson, @the_doyler and Wathnan Racing 👏pic.twitter.com/Rv1MJcCi2y
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) July 5, 2024
Friday, Sandown, Britain
DRAGON S.-Listed, £30,000, Sandown, 7-5, 2yo, 5f 10yT, 1:01.93, gd.
1–AESTERIUS (IRE), 130, c, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Jane Doe (Ire), by Hallowed Crown (Aus)
2nd Dam: Snowdrops (GB), by Gulch
3rd Dam: Roses In The Snow (Ire), by Be My Guest
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (52,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE; 60,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT; £380,000 2yo '24 GOUKB). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Sean Maguire (IRE); T-Archie Watson; J-James Doyle. £17,013. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $31,159.
2–It Ain't Two (GB), 125, f, 2, Calyx (GB)–Usra (Ire), by Requinto (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (10,000gns RNA Ylg '23 TATNOV). O-Ms Diamond & Owen Promotions Ltd; B-Crypto Bloodstock (GB); T-Hugo Palmer. £6,450.
3–The Actor (Ire), 130, c, 2, Harry Angel (Ire)–Lilian Baylis (Ire), by Shamardal. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £3,228.
Margins: 1 1/4, 4HF, 3. Odds: 1.50, 2.50, 2.50.
Also Ran: Kinetic Force (GB), End Of Story (Ire), Zminiature (GB). Scratched: Soldier's Heart (GB).
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