Racing
Nunthorpe Stakes – Can anyone beat Battaash?
It is one of the highlights of the week during York’s Ebor Festival meeting and one of the fastest five furlongs races in the UK; the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes takes centre stage on the Knavesmire and returning champion Battaash seeks to retain the crown he won twelve months ago.
Fresh from an exhilarating success in the Qatar King George V Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, where he smashed his own track record, Charlie Hills’ charge will be many people’s idea of a banker bet at the York Ebor Festival.
But is the Dark Angel gelding as nailed on as his odds suggest?
Will Battaash win the Nunthorpe Stakes?
Despite winning this race twelve months ago with an impressive four lengths’ verdict over Soldier’s Call, Battaash hasn’t always found it easy at this venue in the past and his record prior to that win was less than spectacular.
He had contested two previous Nunthorpe Stakes renewals prior to his win, finishing fourth each time when beaten by Marsha and Alpha Delfini respectively; the latter of which saw him sent off as an odds-on favourite. He floundered, however, racing freely and, although he got to the front, he downed tools rather quickly once headed.
His win here twelve months ago set the record straight to some degree, burying his York hoodoo with some aplomb. He’s since also exorcised similar Ascot-related demons when taking the King’s Stand Stakes during the Royal Meeting having been beaten on all previous starts at the Berkshire venue.
Horses for courses is an age-old piece of sagely advice and backers of Battaash will do well to heed its’ meaning; while Battaash did win here twelve months ago, he has to do it again to be considered free of his curse on the Knavesmire.
The preliminaries don’t always seem to agree with Charlie Hills’ crack sprinter who can often get on edge prior to the start, occasionally sweating up and taking a fierce hold heading to the start.
He’s a horse that tends to be mounted away from the pressures of the parade ring in a bid to keep him quiet and relaxed but, the moment he steps onto the track, he revs up and his rider often has a job to keep a lid on the precocious sprinter.
Battaash does seem a lot more relaxed than has been the case in past seasons if his runs this campaign are any indication. Previously backers would have an inkling of which Battaash was going to turn out, whether it was the highly-strung one who would burn up his nervous energy prior to the start and be a spent force, or the one who would channel the same energies in a big performance.
The Battaash of old, for all he was undoubtedly top-class, had two distinct personas and backers would be taking a chance at short odds on whether he would relax or boil over. While that behaviour does now seem to be a thing of the past, leopards rarely change their spots and many punters might still have doubts in their mind that Battaash will be on his best behaviour.
Looking through the list of entries and rivals lining up to take him on in the Nunthorpe Stakes, Battaash really should have little to fear from those who will go against him on Friday. On official ratings he has 11lbs in hand of the improving Art Power who only gets 2lbs in this contest so at the weights he should take plenty of stopping.
He’s also the only Group One winner in the field and he represents the older age group with has an excellent recent record in the race, although the last six year old to win the Nunthorpe was Borderlescott back in 2008. Since then only two three-year olds have won, which doesn’t augur well for rising stars Art Power and A’Ali. However, four seven-year olds have taken top honours which is a tick in the box for Ornate, although he was put in his place by Battaash at Goodwood.
Progressive pair Art Power and A’Ali can serve it up to Battaash. The former has won four on the bounce including a Group Two last time, beating Millisle, while Simon Crisford’s charge arrives chasing a hat-trick and was impressive at the Curragh last time when winning the Sapphire Stakes.
Neither has locked horns with one of the stature of Battaash, however, and they certainly need to improve again. Both are very capable, though, but whether either can find sufficient improvement to trouble Battaash is open to question. They should at least ensure that Hills’ defending champion doesn’t have it all his own way.
The rest of the field look up against it with Moss Gill the only other runner to be arriving on the back of a win albeit at Listed level. They have a bit to find.
All things considered it would appear that the biggest danger to Battaash’s Nunthorpe Stakes title defence is Battaash himself, should his old tendences resurface and he allows himself to get worked up. If that happens then he may well suffer a shock defeat with some young improvers in opposition.
But he has looked more assured as he has got older and, if getting to the start with a lid still on his occasionally suspect temperament, then he should prove too good for Art Power and A’Ali, although both certainly have better days ahead of them.
This track has failed to bring out the best in Battaash before despite his win in the race twelve months ago; but older and wiser he should again prove hard to beat assuming he has indeed reformed his character.
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