Damysus dominant in Earl Of Sefton

Damysus looks set to make his mark at the highest level this season judged on a dominant comeback success in the Betway Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.

While the Derby at Epsom proved a bridge too far for the son of Frankel last summer, subsequent wins at Listed level in France and in the Group Three Darley Stakes over the Earl of Sefton course and distance proved he is a colt of major potential.

Carrying a 3lb penalty for the latter of those wins six months ago, Damysus was the 7-4 favourite for the father-son training partnership of John and Thady Gosden and after taking over from Cambridgeshire winner Boiling Point racing out of the dip, he quickly went through the gears to seal the deal in a few strides.

In the end he only had to be pushed out hands and heels by James Doyle to secure victory by three and three-quarter lengths with another Wathnan Racing-owned runner, Harry Charlton’s King’s Gambit, staying on best of the rest to grab second.

John Gosden said: “I think he will be better this year and he’s not a big horse, but he’s more powerful now and when James asked him to go the acceleration was instant.

“He’s more mature as a four-year-old and anything from a mile to a mile and a quarter is what James feels will be right for him.

“He won a Group Three last year and has won another here, so we could see what he does now in a Group Two and then have a look at the Group Ones.”

While Damysus’ odds for next month’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury were widely cut, Gosden suggested his charge is more likely to return to the highest level over a longer trip, teeing up a potential clash with esteemed stablemate Ombudsman at Royal Ascot in June.

“I wouldn’t be frightened at looking at a Prix d’Ispahan, a race like that would not be out of the question at all, and that would lead into Ascot where you could be looking at the Prince of Wales’s Stakes,” the Clarehaven handler added.

“He ran in the Derby last year which was a bit of a calamity of a day for us – he kicked the back of the gate, got very upset, got a cut and was out for two months afterwards. He’s been great since, he’s come back well from his winter quarters and there’s plenty of opportunities for him.

“He might wind up running against Ombudsman if they both get to the Prince of Wales’s and I would not be surprised to see Damysus in that race.

“I think an easier mile and a quarter rather than the stiff mile and a quarter of Ascot is what this horse will really enjoy, but we’ll have to see. I wouldn’t want to be running them against each other really unless it was Royal Ascot.”