Wild Clary (green colours) is beaten by the highly touted Anno Domini at Newbury on Thursday Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
The Barnane Stud and Owen Heffer-owned Wild Clary only just failed at Newbury in the UK yesterday (Thursday) in just his second career start and this was a most encouraging run, especially when considering the credentials of the race’s winner.
Wild Clary was beaten 0,75 lengths in the Novice Stakes event over six-and-a-half lengths by the Charlie Appleby-trained William Buick-ridden Goldolphin colt Anno Domini at level weights.
Anno Domini, who cost 525,000 gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, is by New Bay out of a Galileo mare who has not only produced two Listed winners but she also is the dam of the recent Gr 1 French 1000 Guineas runner up Kathmandu (Showcasing).
It has to be said Anno Domini was quite badly hampered, but still got up.
However, that should not take the gloss off Wild Clary’s performance because the winner is held in such regard the race made a Racing Post headline.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE RACING POST ARTICLE ABOUT THE RACE
Wild Clary made his debut in a twenty horse field over six furlongs at Newbury in May and stayed on well in that introduction to be beaten seven lengths.
Yesterday he travelled strongly early and was prominent. He pressed the leader from over two furlongs out, but then drifted left. He briefly led one furlong out and kept on well inside the final furlong.
He started 9/1 whilst the winner converted 11/8 favouritism.
Wild Clary is well bred himself and looks to have a bright future.
He is by Dark Angel, a Gr 1 Middle Park Stakes (6 furlongs) winner who has become known as a leading sire of sprinters.
He is out of the Danehill Dancer mare Chrysanthemum, who won two Gr 3s from seven furlongs to a mile and three Listed races from a mile to a mile-and-two-furlongs.
That makes him a half-brother to the four-year-old Joseph O’Brien-trained Frankel filly Maxux, who in six starts has already won a Gr 3 over a mile-and-a-furlong and has had an official rating as high as 109.
Wild Clary is also a half-brother to the former John Gosden-trained Frankel entire Cunco, who was in fact Frankel’s first ever foal, his first ever runner and his first ever winner, winning on debut at Newbury on May 13, 2016.
It is not surprising Wild Clary appeared at the Newbury meeting on debut last month, because he ran in exactly the same six furlong maiden race Cunco made his debut in.
Cunco went on to win a Gr 3 over a mile-and-a-half at Sandown as a three-year-old and today stands as a stallion in Chile.
Chrysanthemum has had five runners and four winners.
Wild Clary has been ridden by Sean Levey in both his starts.
