It could be a ‘Glorious’ summer for our Listed winning two-year-old AESTERIUS, who will step back up in class in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood’s big summer festival.
Wathnan Racing’s exciting son of Mehmas earned a crack at the five-furlong juvenile dash with a resounding success in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown on Friday 5th July on only his third career start.
“It’s fantastic to make Aesterius a stakes winner and very important to get a Listed win on the board for Wathnan Racing,” says Archie. “It is a great honour to train for them and I’m incredibly grateful for their support.
“He ran a very good race in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and we thought this race was a nice stepping stone towards the Qatar Glorious Goodwood Festival.
“He went through the race very well and James Doyle felt he had sharpened up again. The Molecomb Stakes will be his next aim. He is a gorgeous colt with scope for a sprinter and can continue to progress in Group Races now.”
Aesterius, a £380,000 purchase by Blandford Bloodstock from the spring breeze-ups, was sent off the 6-4 favourite at Sandown, travelling powerfully and quickening clear to beat dual winner It Ain’t Two by a comfortable length and a quarter.
He got off the mark at the first attempt at Bath in May and produced a fine performance to be fifth in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at the Royal Meeting, finishing little more than a length behind Wathnan Racing’s winner Shareholder and coming home second in his group.
The colt also holds an entry in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August.
By Simon Mapletoft
