James Doyle will team up with unbeaten colt at Newmarket on Thursday.
Wathnan Racing's unbeaten pointer, Diego Ventura, is set to have the biggest test of his life on Thursday as he runs in the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket. A son of Mehmas, he has very much impressed during his first two runs, and now, under the guidance of trainer Hamad Al Jehani, he is to step up in distance and class as he takes on some of the best juveniles in racing.
He caught the eye of Wathnan Racing with an impressive debut victory at Naas while trained by Gavin Cromwell, and since joining the Wathnan team, Diego Ventura has blossomed. And while confirmation over an optimum seven furlongs might be something of an unknown, racing adviser Richard Brown had no issues with the colt and said, "He's a big, strong sort of horse and will handle this step up in distance—it's more about trying to ascertain his place in the pecking order at present."
Two from two! The son of Mehmas, Diego Ventura prances through the field at @Ascot for James Doyle and Hamad Al Jehani…
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) September 6, 2024
"I was taken by him at Ascot," said Brown. "Everything went against him that day; he was squeezed at the start, wasn't good enough to get himself a clear run and got speared behind by other horses. He still changed James Doyle in time to get his man home for the win. It was a galloping, gutsy performance, and one that showed the kind of determination and class Diego has shown.
Running over seven furlongs at Newmarket injects a bit of mystery into Ventura's career path. While he does not indicate that he is bred for the distance, his glib running style makes one think otherwise. "This is a fact-finding mission really for us," admitted Brown. "His running style gives the impression he will appreciate the extra furlong, and James felt he would be better suited to seven. But until we see it in a race, we cannot be sure."
The Tattersalls Stakes, though, promises to be anything but an easy piece of work. Powerful stables Coolmore and Godolphin throw up rivals. Aidan O'Brien runs the one who sat second to Dickens in the Champagne at Doncaster for its first run for him. Serious rival number two comes in the form of Charlie Appleby's Symbol of Honor, who was runner-up behind Swift Approval in the Flying Scotsman at Doncaster. Both horses have raced in good shape and could be well-presented in Thursday's race.
The other interesting runner is Waco Kid, trained by Hugo Palmer. Finishing third with that close second to the winner Symbol of Honor at Doncaster, Palmer feels the ground could play a big role, but he's confident the colt can handle softer conditions if indeed they come that soft. He's got action with a knee action, and most of Mehmas' progeny go quite well with a little cut in the ground. I hope he can go out there and give a good account of himself.
The field will also feature Karl Burke's Assertively, Stuart Williams' Balzarini, and Huscal, who is seeking to score a third consecutive success after Saturday's card when the filly refused to run for most of the time while this gelded three-year-old took advantage of a pacemaker to win, under Charlie Hills's stewardship, over an easy-class race. Each contender is poised to present its set of problems and qualities, which would make for an interesting affair and a challenging race.
For Diego Ventura, this Group Three event is going to be a crossroads in his very young career. All those connections gearing up for what could be the biggest test of his life are looking forward to this event with high anticipation and excitement. Full of talent and confidence in his team, Diego Ventura aims to secure his place as one of the stars of the season's three-year-olds at Newmarket. He will step up in trip and strong competition against him but one thing is sure: eyes are on the Wathnan star as he faces the biggest challenge of his life.
