It’s never a huge surprise when the progeny of the legendary Frankel turns out to have a tremendous turn of speed and power.
But when Adayar lost in a Derby trial race at Lingfield Park in May 2021, most thought that this was a horse that lacked his sire’s notorious ‘extra gear’.
How wrong they were. The three-year-old bounced back on firmer ground to win the Epsom Derby, and then became the first horse in two decades to follow up with victory in the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Charlie Appleby’s champion will return to the track in the weeks ahead, and there’s plenty of interest as to where he will be pointed. Many racing tips will have Adayar down as a ‘must back’ for the Coral Eclipse, while a tilt at the Coronation Cup – for which he is the bookmakers’ favorite at +300 – is another possibility during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend.
And then, later in the year, that could set up a right royal collision with a fierce old rival…
Sandown Bound
If all goes to plan in the two camps, Adayar will face off with Mishriff in that upcoming edition of the Coral Eclipse.
The two horses will renew acquaintances after their first meeting in that titanic King George renewal last year proved to be one of the standout races of the 2021 campaign.
A year older and carrying around nine pounds extra in weight, Mishriff – from the ever-dependable training yard of John Gosden – made fantastic progress after being held up at the back of the field at Ascot, and in the end finished less than two lengths adrift of Adayar, who stayed on in impressive fashion.
Much will depend on the weather – both of these horses prefer faster ground, which was evidenced when they finished behind Sealiway on a slightly spongier surface in the Champion Stakes in October.
A decent start to the UK summer will see Adayar and Mishriff at their best, and that could set up a fascinating contest – which was seemingly confirmed by Ted Voute, the advisor to Mishriff’s owner Prince Faisal, after the horse’s return from competing in the Saudi Cup. “He’s had a bit of ‘R and R’ after Saudi, and he’ll be put in the right races at Ascot and probably the same races as last year, the Eclipse, the Juddmonte, all the right races really.”
While neither has a previous win at Sandown, home of the Eclipse, to their name, it’s interesting to note that Gosden has trained two of the last four winners of the race – could that be a happy omen for his team?
The ante-post betting market for the Eclipse, scheduled for July 2, also prominently features Baaeed. The colt from Sea the Stars was in stellar form when claiming the Lockinge Stakes earlier in May, and so his ascendance could set a tremendous three-way battle for summer honors.
In a Flat racing season full of landmark fixtures and intriguing rivalries, this is a battle for supremacy that will take some topping.
