Next outing pivotal as owner Cyrus Poonawalla considers Chindit's stallion career

Dr Cyrus Poonawalla's flying visit to Sandown proved worthwhile as he got to see another winning effort from Chindit, who is set to start his stallion life in India next year.

In July it was announced that the five-year-old by Wootton Bassett would be switching to Poonawalla's ownership from Michael Pescod within the Richard Hannon stable. Having finished second in the Lockinge, Chindit built upon an impressive total of Group victories in the Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock earlier in the month. Despite a penalty and unrelenting rain in Esher, he was able to grind out the Listed Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes.

"It was a win that we were a little worried about because of the ground but all the way up we could see clearly that he was handling it well," Poonawalla, who was only visiting from India for the day, said.

"He’s a very lion-hearted horse and he took the challenge the way he should and held on to win."

It seems likely the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket will be Chindit's next target and after that there is likely to be a discussion as to whether he heads straight to Poonawalla's stud or chances his arm in adding a Group 1 win internationally before retiring.

"He’s by an up and coming champion sire and that’s what you need if you want a horse to retire to stud," he added.

"I’ve got 100 mares to give him of my own and he has got a good female line [Derby winner Motivator is under the third dam] and that could carry him through.

"We may if the ground holds on run him once more, I’m very keen, the trainer's keen to do that. Well, if he wins that we may change our plans, not for taking him to India, but otherwise he’s all set to go home."

The result was one boost for Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, where Kilminfoyle House Stud consigns a full-brother to Chindit.

Dambuster (Oisin Murphy,left) beats Go Daddy in the 1m maiden at Sandown Credit: Edward Whitaker

Earlier in the card there had been another update for Chasemore's Andrew Black after Dambuster made a promising winning debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes over a mile.

The Kingman colt reached 750,000gns at Book 1 last year but was one of those caught up in the non-payment episode involving owner Saleh Al Homaizi and Black bought him back privately from the auctioneer.

A half-brother to Uncle Bryn, now a Listed winner in Australia, and brother to Prestige Stakes winner Boomer, the Andrew Balding-trained juvenile looked quite green but had enough in his armoury to beat Go Daddy by a head .

His half-brother by Sea The Moon is catalogued in this year’s Book 1 and is considered a similarly good middle-distance type for the future.

"We got very well paid for him and 750,000gns is the biggest price we’ve sold a horse for, so it was quite a big decision to buy him back especially when you’ve budgeted for the following year," said Black.

"We take the decision to sell all the colts but he was one we thought a lot of."

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