By Sean Cronin
Wathnan Racing's Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}–Jane Doe {Ire}, by Hallowed Crown {Aus}) registered a second stakes success in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at the beginning of this month and embellished his record with a game victory in Friday's G2 Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
The £380,000 Goffs Breeze-Up graduate and 7-2 third choice broke swiftly and raced on the front end throughout this five-furlong dash. Coming under pressure at halfway, he refused to buckle in the closing stages and was driven out to deny familiar foe Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}) by a neck after a thrilling ding-dong tussle. Irish raider Magnum Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) finished 1 1/4 lengths adrift in third.
“He hasn't done a lot wrong, I perhaps rode him too conservatively and felt I did a couple of things wrong in the [G3] Molecomb [when defeated by Big Mojo],” explained James Doyle. “When we went to France, I was keen to make use of his speed and did so again today. I spoke to Archie [Watson] beforehand and he told me to let him get out and do his thing. We raced pretty much by ourselves most of the way and he did have a look at the crowd when I put him under pressure, so that can only be a good sign.”
Watson added, “James said he's still very babyish and he came off the bridle early enough today. He's still looking at things beside him as he's running down the track. He won the Prix d'Arenberg last time out and just 12 days later he has backed it up, which is the same double we did with Soldier's Call [in 2018]. He's a very talented two-year-old and we're very lucky to train him. I think next year is the time to explore six furlongs. The Breeders' Cup will be his end-of-season target and it should really suit him. The question mark is do we have a crack at the [G1] Prix de l'Abbaye in the meantime. He'll get 18 pounds off his elders and Soldier's Call was only just beaten by Mabs Cross after winning this, so that will be discussed. It's obviously going to be trickier next year for him so I often think it's worth running them [in the Abbaye] at two if you're happy with them. He'll either have two more runs this year or one.”
The Breeders' Cup remains the target for Big Mojo, according to Mick Appleby. “He's run well, the ground has probably just gone a little softer than he'd like, but he's run well,” the trainer said. “He maybe just hit the front a bit too soon today. Maybe he just needs holding on to a bit longer as, when he hits the front, he thinks he's done enough. It was another great run, we're happy with that and the plan is to still head for the Breeders' Cup.”
Pedigree Notes
Aesterius is the first of three 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 and a weanling colt by Cotai Glory (GB).
AESTERIUS wins Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes at the St Leger Festival for @Archie_Watson & Wathnan Racing! 🇬🇧🤝🇶🇦
The @Tattersalls1766 Book 2 graduate has now won three Stakes races in six career starts. This year's sale takes place in one month!pic.twitter.com/tR7vEp7NqO
— GBRI (@GBRI_UK) September 13, 2024
Friday, Doncaster, Britain
CARLSBERG DANISH PILSNER FLYING CHILDERS STAKES-G2, £130,000, Doncaster, 9-13, 2yo, 5f 3yT, :59.11, gd.
1–AESTERIUS (IRE), 129, 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
(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. £73,723. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $196,405. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Big Mojo (Ire), 129, c, 2, Mohaather (GB)–Jm Jackson (Ire), by No Nay Never. (175,000gns Ylg '23 TADEY). O-RP Racing Ltd; B-Ringfort Stud Ltd & The Ladies (IRE); T-Michael Appleby. £27,950.
3–Magnum Force (Ire), 129, c, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Tropical Rock (GB), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Abdulla Al Khalifa; B-Sheikh Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. £13,988.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 3.33, 2.75.
Also Ran: Tropical Storm (GB), Zayer (Ire), Ain't Nobody (Ire), Mr Lightside (Ire), King's Call (Ire), Maw Lam (Ire), Make Haste (GB). Scratched: Arizona Blaze (GB), Coto De Caza (Ire).
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