Damysus sets up Group 1 campaign with dazzling display

Frankel colt Damysus demolished the opposition on his reappearance in the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket yesterday (15th April) under James Doyle.

Taken from the Racing Post, 16th April 2026, by David Milnes:

It is not often on the Rowley Mile that the winner can be called at the Bushes, but that was the case here as the flashy chestnut trained by John and Thady Gosden was still pulling double over his toiling five rivals at the famous landmark before powering clear. Wathnan Racing's colt was cut to 10-1 (from 25) for next month's Gr.1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury by the sponsor Betway after his three-and-a-quarter-length victory over the same owners' King's Gambit.

Damysus had shown he was at home on the undulations on the Rowley Mile when winning the Group 3 Darley Stakes last October, for which he carried a 3lb penalty.

Thady Gosden said: "That was good to see. He has an explosive turn of foot and put it to good use there. He'd done well over winter and has a lot of potential. We knew he'd handle the track as he won well here last autumn. He could go up to a mile and a quarter, but he's not short of speed so he could go back to a mile."

As well as the Lockinge, the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp was mentioned as a possible target, as was the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he could clash with stablemate Ombudsman.

Wathnan's racing manager Richard Brown said: "We're delighted with that and it's not often they're pulling double two furlongs out here. Horses like this are what the team is in it for, and hopefully he's in for a big year."