Only a neck in it as BDS-bred Raucous denies Orvar at Newmarket
25 July 2015
Queen Mary Stakes runner-up Shyrl, dam of unbeaten 2yo Raucous
The Blue Diamond Stud-bred Raucous denied our own Orvar in a thrilling finish to the 6f juvenile conditions race at Newmarket on Saturday.
Orvar was sent off the 11/8 favourite following encouraging efforts in the Windsor Castle and July Stakes and appeared to have the race in safe keeping under Sean Levey as he travelled best in front heading into the final furlong.
However, he arguably threw away the race by veering left under pressure and then back again to his right. Meanwhile, Raucous was overcoming his own inexperience to lengthen through a gap on the inner. With a withering run, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s colt nailed Orvar on the line to score by a neck.
“Raucous is a very nice colt, but is still a bit raw,” trainer William Haggas told the Racing Post. “He´s got some fancy entries, including the Gimcrack, but I wouldn´t want to overdo him this year, so we´ll have to see.”
Raucous, a first-crop son of Dream Ahead, was bred by Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar out of their Queen Mary Stakes runner-up Shyrl, an Acclamation granddaughter of French Group 3 winner Benicia.
Shyrl has a colt foal by SAYIF and is back in foal to Dream Ahead.
Raucous, who is now unbeaten in two starts, was sold by Blue Diamond Stud through Highclere Stud for 100,000gns to John Warren at Book 2 of last year’s Tattersalls October Sale.
The 101-rated Orvar was purchased by Tony Nerses for £60,000 at the DBS Premier Sale.
