Cheveley Park can only blame themselves for Inspiral’s defeats this season… and my 7-1 Saturday NAP at Ascot

4 months ago 28

GODOLPHIN has always been about global domination.

But it’s the sad state of British racing right now that means the operation’s main handler Charlie Appleby hopes to challenge Stateside this weekend with horses many of you will have forgotten about.

a jockey stands in front of a sign that says valet and drying room

Those were due to include former 2,000 Guineas runner-up and Breeders’ Cup hero Master Of The Seas, who is still in training at the age of six, although he now misses his engagement with a slight setback.

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But Appleby might still take centre stage across ‘The Pond.’

Indeed, while the Newmarket-based trainer will no doubt be delighted if Mountain Breeze bangs in today’s Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes live on ITV, the trainer will be in America hoping to win big.

Quite simply, the cash isn’t in this neck of the woods.

My Saturday NAP

DANCING IN PARIS (2.45 Ascot)

Looks a terrific each way bet. His best form is at this track and he’s back down in class.

Master Of The Seas was meant to tackle the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga alongside his stable companion Ottoman Fleet, while on Sunday Nations Pride goes in the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs.

Godolphin’s class rider William Buick will be in both Saratoga and Colonial weather permitting.

But it’s worth keeping an eye on that score as either fixture could be delayed due to current conditions.

In the mix of all that, King Of Conquest will be bidding to land the Group 1 Westminster 134th Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten. Have passport, will travel!

It’s hard not to love Master Of The Seas, who chased home Poetic Flare at HQ in 2021.

The gelded son of Dubawi has landed nine of his seventeen starts and has accumulated over £2m in prize money. That’s some effort.

His running style makes him exciting to watch. You may remember him coming late and fast to pick up Mawj in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, and he returned this year with another Grade 1 success in the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland.

He quickened brilliantly there to destroy his field.

In his last eight starts Master Of The Seas has only raced once in Britain, and that was at Ascot when taking the 2023 Summer Mile. He’s won much more on foreign shores than he could ever dream of doing over here.

Nations Pride once ran in the Derby at Epsom, finishing down the field in eighth behind Desert Crown in 2022.

Since then he’s not set a hoof in the UK, but has visited Dubai, Germany, Canada and Bahrain as well, of course, as the US.

The five-year-olds successes include the Canadian International and he’s a solid stayer when on his best form.

I’d expect him to win this weekend.

As I have said Appleby trains for a team which wants to conquer the world, but if British racing was in a better state there surely would be every chance a fit Master Of The Seas would be in Europe and tackling a race like Sunday’s Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois.

The mile event sees the return of former dual heroine of this event in Inspiral, as well as the Queen Anne victor Charyn and Big Rock, brilliant at Ascot last term but a super flop in 2024 for new trainer Maurizio Guarnieri.

Big Rock has been anything but solid this season.

I can barely bring myself to write about this contest, which I’m sure you know sees Ryan Moore riding Inspiral for John & Thady Gosden.

That, of course, means the joint-handlers No.1 stable rider Kieran Shoemark has been ditched.

Not by the Gosdens, though, but by Cheveley Park Stud.

In itself it’s not a big deal. Moore is one of, if not THE best rider on the planet, and Shoemark can’t ride a number of the Gosden horses who are ridden by retainers for powerful owners.

Of course, I have to now write the cliché that any owner has the right to put any jockey on their horse.

No one should expect loyalty in this world. From anyone. Even though it’s a romantic, classy way to exist.

That all said, Cheveley Park Stud have themselves said Inspiral was not ready and should not have run at Newbury in May, and once again the owners have agreed the mare did not stay in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

In both those races Shoemark got to know Inspiral in the knowledge that the daughter of Frankel would only probably come good in July or later in the year, which is just the way she rolls.

By taking off Shoemark, Cheveley Park Stud are blaming him for her defeats, nothing more nothing less. That’s a bit twisted if you ask me.

If Inspiral wins on Sunday Cheveley will no doubt be jolly and claim they did the right thing. But that’s utter tosh. Just like if she is down the field it won’t be because Moore is useless.

Or maybe that will be what Cheveley Park will say. Who knows?