This time last year the Wathnan Racing colt was being prepped for the Derby but now he's a miler in the making after showing a sharp gear-change last start.
A year ago this week, Damysus was looking the part of a solid each-way Derby prospect: Epsom's mile and a half was locked in his sights after a sound and progressive second in the G2 Dante Stakes over 10 furlongs at York. But since then the white-faced chestnut with eye-catching white stockings has undergone a gradual metamorphosis and in Saturday's G1 Lockinge Stakes, he has the opportunity to emerge as a top-class miler.
The colt ended up 18th of 18 in the Derby last June, the one blot on his record. Afterward he won a 10-furlong Listed race at Deauville, then a nine-furlong Group 3 at Newmarket to round off his three-year-old season. He kicked off this term with another nine-furlong Group 3 win at HQ, the Earl Of Sefton Stakes, showing enough to give trainers John and Thady Gosden confidence to drop him down to the mile and up in grade.
It's not an easy task. The Newbury feature is Britain's first big test for its older milers and the race has gone to some of the greats down the years, most notably Brigadier Gerard and Damysus' own sire Frankel. That's as high company as you'll get, but while this year's Lockinge looks a solid one, there's no all-time-great to worry about.
And Damysus showed the Gosdens and his owner Wathnan Racing at Newmarket last time that he has a quite potent change of gear. Thady Gosden is not surprised by that.
"He's always been a horse with a great turn of foot," he told Idol Horse. "He's matured very well from three to four. Last year he ran the Dante into the Derby and then he came back and won well a couple of times.
"Over the winter, he developed very well and he's a strong horse now, he's got plenty of muscle on him. And he seems to have a great deal of speed this year. You know, he's quickened up smartly in the Earl Of Sefton and that's a slick mile, one. And after coming out of that race well, the Lockinge over the mile is the natural place to go with him."
Damysus is the early favorite for the race, despite the Derby being his only Group 1 experience, and the opposition looking likely to include some proven top-class performers.
Godolphin's G1 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Notable Speech is a standout, and another emerging miler, Zeus Olympios, was unbeaten in four until placing third to the impressive Opera Ballo first-up in the Sandown Mile last month. Opera Ballo, Godolphin's 'other' potential runner, won the G1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai in February and is two from two this year.
"He's taking on Group 1-winning horses, it looks a very good renewal of the Lockinge this year, but he's done everything right since running in the Derby," Gosden said.
"He's a very well-bred colt. He was bred at Newsells Park Stud not too far away from Newmarket, sold to Wathnan, and he's an exciting colt running at this level. He's a pleasure to train, he's got an enthusiastic attitude. He just relaxes very well in his work and in his races, and then shows that turn of foot he has when he's asked."
Aidan O'Brien mopped up all the classic trials at Chester last week, where last year's Derby winner Lambourn also returned with victory in the G2 Huxley Stakes. The colt won last year's Chester Vase en route to Epsom glory.
O'Brien's potential Derby colts this time, Constitution River and Benvenuto Cellini, were particularly impressive in winning the Listed Dee Stakes and the G3 Chester Vase respectively. But Thursday's G2 Dante Stakes at York will likely have a bearing, too, with G3 Ballysax Stakes winner Christmas Day carrying the Ballydoyle torch.
Meanwhile, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown, the G1 Preakness Stakes, is this Saturday at Laurel Park – Pimlico race track is being redeveloped – and neither the first nor second from the G1 Kentucky Derby will be in the line-up.
Jose Ortiz famously won the Kentucky Derby on the Cherie DeVaux-trained Golden Tempo, from his brother Irad Ortiz on Renegade. This time Jose will partner Chip Honcho while Irad is booked for Talkin.
Chip Honcho is around 5-1 on the Morning Line in what looks like an open field of 14 and Ortiz told Idol Horse "he's got a shot" against the early favorite Iron Honor. And with Golden Tempo heading to the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 6, if Chip Honcho can win, Jose Ortiz would be in line for winning all three Triple Crown races with two different horses.
This Week In Horse Racing History
Alonzo 'Lonnie' Clayton became the youngest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby on May 11, 1892, when at age 15 he rode Azra to victory.
Louis Schaefer earned a rare distinction on May 13, 1939 when he became the first person to have ridden and trained the winner of the Preakness Stakes. He won the 1929 Preakness as a jockey on Dr Freeland, and his win as a trainer came with Challedon. Johnny Longden emulated Schaefer's feat when he saddled Majestic Prince to win the Preakness in 1969, having ridden Count Fleet to victory in 1943.
Reads Of The Week
In this week's Idol Thoughts column, Shane Dye breaks down the importance of track bias and the different biases that might come into play and which anyone putting down their money on the sport should pay close attention to.
Mirco Demuro speaks to David Morgan about his return to Japan from a nine-month stint in the United States, the need for change, the challenge he faces, and the friend helping him try to get his storied career back on track.
Adam Pengilly and Michael Cox teamed up to produce a great read this week about Zac Purton and his early days in Queensland, including getting sacked by his trainer after just three race rides as an apprentice.
Racing Pic Of The Week
Rodeo Drive's late surge to win the NHK Mile Cup in a photo finish was a thrill a second, but as this picture by Shuhei Okada shows, pre-race he was a coiled spring ready to ping at any moment, so much so that he wore distinctive mesh pacifiers over his eyes to help keep him calm.
Global Blackbook
The focus this time lands on the Gold Coast, Queensland and last weekend's brilliant G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner St Gotthard. The well-bred colt showed a slick and swift change of pace to put the race to bed and drew clear for a dominant four-length win under James McDonald.
The colt runs out of the powerful Chris Waller super-stable and carries the colors of an ownership group that includes Coolmore partners. He was a AU$2.7 million purchase by Coolmore's Tom Magnier out of the 2025 Inglis Easter yearling Sale, being a Snitzel full-brother to the G1-winning stallion Switzerland.
St Gotthard maintained his unbeaten record, having won his maiden at Warwick Farm on April 15.
McDonald was taken with the youngster, noting his "beautiful temperament, killer looks and incredible acceleration" and opining that "he's all class."
While Waller said: "St Gotthard is going for a spell and we will get him ready for the spring. We feel he is good enough to be running in the big (three-year-old) races next season."
The Gold Coast race has not produced a top-class winner for a few years, but has been won in the past by elite level runners Gold Edition, Hot Snitzel, the subsequent Hong Kong Group 1 winner Stronger, and Spirit Of Boom. It was 16 years ago that local hero Spirit Of Boom took the spoils, and it was poignant that the stallion passed away just three days before this year's race.
St Gotthard has all the credentials to rise to Group 1 level judging by this win and should benefit from being given time to mature rather than contest the juvenile majors earlier in the season, like the G1 Golden Slipper.
What's Coming Up? World racing calendar
Doomben 10,000 Day Doomben, Australia, May 16
Grafterburners is taking Hong Kong's champion jockey Zac Purton back to his roots for the Doomben 10,000, a race the former Queensland champion has not won before. Jimmysstar is the likely favorite for another Hong Kong-based fly-in, Ethan Brown, while the in-form Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes stable has Devil Night
Lockinge Stakes Day Newbury, England, May 16
Damysus and Zeus Olympios look like vying for favoritism as they attempt to emerge as Group 1 milers, but they are set to face the proven force of last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Notable Speech from the Godolphin operation. Godolphin's fellow Group 1 winner Opera Ballo may sidestep this following his impressive Group 2 win at Sandown recently, a race in which he had Zeus Olympios in third. Last year's longshot G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Cicero's Gift is in the mix, as well as The Lion in Winter, the progressive five-year-old More Thunder and last season's G1 Prix du Moulin winner Sahlan from France.
Irish 2,000 Guineas Day Curragh, Ireland, May 23
With Bow Echo not attempting to add the Irish classic to his mightily impressive win in the English 2,000 Guineas last time, those behind at Newmarket will get their chance. G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Gstaad was second that day and Godolphin's Distant Storm third. Gstaad's trainer Aidan O'Brien also has the two-time Group 1 winner Puerto Rico prominent in the market as he aims for a 13th win in the race.
Champions & Chater Cup Day Sha Tin, Hong Kong, May 24
Romantic Warrior will face Japanese raiders Rousham Park and Deep Monster in an attempt to complete the Hong Kong Triple Crown. But only two horses have ever achieved the feat and Romantic Warrior will have to stretch to 2400m, a distance he has attempted only once before, when a neck second in this race three years ago.
Tattersalls Gold Cup Curragh, Ireland, May 24
Last year's Derby winner Lambourn returned to winning form last week at Chester, albeit in workmanlike fashion, and he holds an entry to this race, as does his Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Minnie Hauk. The latter, a Triple Oaks winner last year and second in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, won first-up in the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes.
Irish 1,000 Guineas Curragh, Ireland, May 24
Last weekend's French 1,000 Guineas winner Diamond Necklace holds an entry in this but could be routed to the G1 Prix de Diane. That leaves her stablemate True Love, winner of the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, as the O'Brien team's likely pick. The trainer has won the Irish 1,000 Guineas 11 times, including last year with Lake Victoria. Meanwhile, the Karl Burke-trained Evolutionist could seek revenge on True Love after finishing second to her at Newmarket.
This story first appeared in Idol Horse as "World Racing Weekly: Damysus, Thady Gosden & St Gotthard".
