Nature Strip might be the best sprinter we have, but in Europe this year the sprinters division has been ruled by the Shadwell owned Dark Angel gelding Battaash, who won the Group I Nunthorpe Stakes (5f) at York overnight for the second year in a row.
Prepared by Charlie Hills and ridden by Jim Crowley, Battaash made it three wins from three starts this year when scoring a length victory as a hot favourite.
“It was always going to be tough, I was so proud of the horse today. For me, that was probably the best run of his career because so many things were against him," said Charlie Hills.
“Battaash knuckled down and worked really hard. All credit to the horse. His experience got him through today. On similar ground he's been beaten here as a three-year-old and a four-year-old, he's grown up and matured with age.
“The G1 Abbaye is the obvious route to take but if the ground is like it was last year I'd say we'll probably avoid it and look elsewhere. We'd need to speak to Sheikh Hamdan and make a plan. But Plan A would be to go to Longchamp.”
Battaash runs in the Shadwell colours and was a 200,000 guinea purchase from Tattersalls October Yearlings Book Two.
He has the overall record of 13 wins from 23 starts with this victory his fourth at Group I level.
Battaash is the lone winner from Anna Law, a half-sister by Lawman to Group II winner Etlaala.
Battaash is one of 64 stakes-winners for Dark Angel, whose other champion sprinting son Harry Angel is shuttling to Darley NSW this year at a fee of $166,500.
