M M Stables Pulling Clear of the Field with Armando Duarte

Owners M M Stables have done some astute business this year and even though it has been a challenging year with the coronavirus causing havoc everywhere racing manager Armando Duarte has been busy finding talented 2-year-olds to give owners M M Stables something to shout about, well from their own home for most of the time anyway. 

NIGHT ON EARTH was out first in a Windsor maiden when showing inexperience coming out the stalls and never involved. The Kodiac bay colt was purchased for 56,000 euros at the 2019 September Yearling Sales by M M Stables and is trained by Andrew Balding. Night On Earth's second run was totally different when champion jockey Oisan Murphy had Night On Earth out the stalls like a bat out of hell, and he never looked back, winning easily. 

Next was the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood when finishing down the field in a competitive race but I’m sure Night On Earth will be winning again this season. Next up is a horse I definitely don’t think we have seen the best of yet, JACINTH is a New Bay filly trained by William Haggas. M M Stables racing manager Armando Duarte purchased Jacinth at the 2020 Craven Breeze Up Sales for a cool 120,000 gns and started her career in a nice fillies maiden at Newbury when staying on into third place. Jacinth was again at Newbury for her next race when battling on well to again finish third against a nice Andrew Balding filly called Alcohol Free. I don’t think it will be long before we see Jacinth in the winners enclosure after two decent efforts so far this season. 

Another nice one for the Haggas yard is ALENQUER who was again purchased by Armando Duarte this time at the 2019 October Yearling Sales for 80,000 gns. The son of Adlerflug made his debut at Newbury and won in impressive fashion and in doing so won the £25,000 October Book 1 Bonus which was a great start for owners M M Stables. 

The next one will be a favourite of mine forever as I actually backed this Andrew Balding Buratino colt at 20/1. ROUND SIX was a £60,000 purchase by Armando Duarte and was given a nice introduction at Salisbury by David Probert when staying on without threatening the leaders that day. Round Six made no mistake next timeout at Kempton with Oisian Murphy taking over in the hot seat was quickly away and never looked back to win a shade cosily in the end. Interesting to see what Andrew Balding will do with Round Six next.

Round Six made all, landing today's opening contest in convincing style for @oismurphy and @AndrewBalding2 pic.twitter.com/JBsgofvLAs

— Kempton Park Racecourse (@kemptonparkrace) August 18, 2020

Armando Duarte says: 

I have been in this business for 20 years - a bloodstock agent and racing manager for M M Stables. I buy good horses for little money. In addition, I buy horses for Australia and HK. 

I bought this Unnamed Starspangledbanner colt Tattersalls Book 1 for £100.000 Sterling. 

He is a big strong horse but is taking time to come to hand. Mentally and physically he wasn't here. We gave him 2 weeks in the paddocks and he come back a different horse. 

Hopefully, he will go forward and run later in the year. However, he will see more next year. We like him enough at the moment.

He is in training with William Haggas. 

Also, I bought a Vadamos colt at Tattersalls book 1 for £120.000.  We like him a lot and he give him plenty of time to develop. 

He will be out in October if everything goes well. 

He is in training with Andrew Balding. 

Also, I bought this beautiful big well-bred colt Landing System at Tattersalls Craven breeze-up sales for £75.000. 

I like him a lot too. 

He is for next year but whatever he does this year will be a bonus. 

He is in training with Andrew Balding. 

M M STABLES are very nice people and successful operation. If the money is right, they sell horses too.

Follow Armando Duarte Twitter

A Brilliant Display from Ventura Diamond at Goodwood

A pretty quiet weekend with nothing much I fancied so Instead of just writing about anything I thought I would have a break and do some research. 

Quick update on a few of my past eye-catchers that ran last week. The Marcus Tregoning trained ALKUMAIT went into the notebook after a promising debut at Newbury when finishing strong a few weeks back. The Showcasing colt made no mistake next start when winning the Class 2 event at Goodwood last Tuesday with ease.

VENTURA DIAMOND was another who went into the notebook after a promising debut at Sandown a couple of weekends ago. The 100,000 gns purchase for the Middleham Park Owners looks a serious filly after winning without getting too serious at Goodwood on Friday. 

To learn more about Middleham Park Racing visit their website here. 

One eye-catcher that disappointed was TITIAN for William Haggas who did not improve on the promise he showed on debut and finished down the field at Goodwood yesterday.

A brilliant display from VENTURA DIAMOND on only her second start for @RichardFahey! 💎 #TeamMPR pic.twitter.com/kkSixQc56W

— Middleham Park Racing (@MprUpdates) July 31, 2020

It was nice to see the Eve Johnson Houghton trained BHUBEZI who was a horse to follow in her post back in May win the second time of asking at Chepstow on Saturday after a nice performance. What a season Eve is having with her 2-year-olds with six different winners this season and three the past week, a trainer in a rich vein of form and well-deserved.

A lovely double on the night so far for jockey @KShoemark who won our fifth race - The Read Around The Paddock At https://t.co/aN5rNFlRnM Maiden Stakes for @johnsonhoughton pic.twitter.com/kRfzq4QKct

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) August 1, 2020

14:45 Haydock 03 Aug 2020 

A nice little race at Haydock and I have two trackers in this. Royal Musketeer is trained by Charlie Hills and owned by Mr. Ziad A Galadari who also owns Royal Commando who has run at a decent level for Charlie Hills and finished Fourth in the Commonwealth Cup Group 1 Stakes at Ascot this season. Interested to see the betting for the Acclamation colt and definitely one to look out for this season. One who has proven form but a short price is SOLENT GATEWAY for the Tom Dascombe yard. A decent debut when second to Et Tut Brute at Chepstow the Awtaad colt looked a certainty next timeout here but bumped into one of Richard Fahey's nice colts in the name of Rhythm Master, the fourth that day Cairn Island won in good style at Ayr last Tuesday. The £62,000 purchase looks to have a great chance to get his first win on the board here. 

15:30 Yarmouth 03 Aug 2020

Perfect Times won well on debut for Mark Johnston and looks a nice filly but with the extra weight to carry could have a tough job here to repeat that performance. Another short price tracker for me here is called JACINTH for William Haggas. A 120,000 gns purchase at the 2020 Craven Breeze up Sales for owners M M Stables. The Chestnut filly ran a promising debut at Newbury when slightly hampered and caught for pace before staying on to grab third on the line, didn't look the strongest race but Jacinth should come on plenty and know more this time out. Neptune’s Wonder is another tracker who has a nice pedigree but will need to be noted in the betting. 

16:40 Windsor 03 Aug 2020

OLYMPIC THEATRE is a Michael Bell Mayson gelding I had noted down on my shortlist after a fast-finishing third at Newmarket just over a week ago. The 30,000 euro bay gelding was a huge 40/1 on debut and slowly away before keeping on well the final furlong to finish third in what wasn't a bad race. He won’t have it all his own way especially with the form Eve Johnson Houghton is in who runs Uncle Dick here after a promising debut at Bath 20 days ago. 

19:15 Windsor 03 Aug 2020 

I do like owners Waverley Racing and always keep an eye out for the Beckett and Waverley combination. JACINTA DE VEGA is bred by Nick Bradley Bloodstock and costs 100,000 gns as a yearling. A few with experience here including the early favourite Rose Grey for Simon and Ed Crisford so another who a market check is needed on debut. Thanks for reading and stay safe.