Midweek Thoughts (13th April)

I thought my selection last week had lost a leg or something after one almighty walk in the market. Handel was well-thought of by Aidan O’Brien last season even after a disappointing debut but I thought I would give the 3-year-old colt another chance. The overnight price was 3/1 which was a bit skinny but when Handel drifted to 12/1 I had given up hope, in the end he ran a cracker to finish second, a step up in trip should bring out more improvement. Evaluation is one of my three-year-olds to follow and stayed on well yesterday at Windsor, the trip was always too short and when stepped up he will be seen in a better light. Another horse I mentioned last week was the big priced 3-year-old debutant Punta Arenas for George Scott, I thought it was a nice debut to be honest but needs to settle better and the head carriage was a bit of a worry. 

Quite a few trackers on Wednesday so here we go. 

14:00 Wed 14 April 2021 Leopardstown 

I might need the luck of the Irish for this one. I have been testing a certain angle with these Irish races and will be doing so again this year. The Donnacha Aidan O’Brien trained ABSOLUTELY was made favourite for her debut at Curragh last November, infact backed in from 13/2 down to 9/4. Absolutely was always there about until the going got tough, and she dropped into midfield before running on again late in the day, a step up in trip will hopefully see some improvement. Dam Bracelet was a star for Aidan winning the Irish Oaks in 2014 but so far her offspring haven’t set the world alight, Mountain Fountain and Love Bracelet both disappointing. 

14:35 Wed 14 April 2021 Leopardstown 

Over to Joseph for this one and SOUTHERN LIGHTS, the Sea The Stars 3-year-old colt was purchased for 550,000 euros from the Orby Sales and made a pleasing debut at Naas last September. Southern Lights was made 6/5 for his debut so obviously the word had got around. I thought it was a decent debut and was just touched off into second in the end after trying to make all. Southern Lights is entitled to come on for that and the step up in trip should be right up his street. 

16:10 Wed 14 April 2021 Newmarket 

I Imagine SNOW LANTERN was scribbled into many notebooks after an eye-catching debut at Ascot last July. The Richard Hannon Frankel filly hasn’t been seen since but after the winter behind her should be ready for a fruitful flat campaign. The Ascot race was won by Zabeel Queen who then finished third in the Group 2 May Hill and fifth in the Fillies Mile. It won’t be an easy task with some lovely looking types here but hopefully Snow Lantern can go one better and get her first win. 

13:15 Wed 14 April 2021 Newmarket 

I will throw a 2-year-old in here that could be worth following, will it be CANONIZED day on Wednesday or will she need the run? The William Haggas trained and Cheveley Park owned Acclamation filly could be anything. Dam Sainted was a nice type for William and won on debut over six furlongs, one thing worth noting is she did like a bit of give in the ground. Interesting that Williams first runner in 2020 was Sacred owned by Cheveley Park and won at Newmarket, Sacred of course went onto be a star last season. Lots of competition of course and another I will be keeping an eye on this season is EL HADEEYAH who James Tate gave a good mention here on the blog. 

It’s a tough time at the minute and early days for the 2-year-olds, plenty nice types will be filling these pages before long. 

Thanks for reading and stay safe.

Three-Year-Olds To Follow (2021)

1: FLYIN' HIGH is by Siyouni (FR) out of Zee Zee Top (GB), trained by Andrew Balding and owned by Castle Down Racing High. Purchased at the Tattersalls 2019 October Yearling Sales for 150,000 Guineas. The Siyouni Bay colt comes from a lovely family most notably the John Gosden mare Izzy Top who ran at group level for most of what was an outstanding career winning the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet along the way. Flyin’ High made his debut at Sandown back in July last year in what turned out to be a pretty hot race with the winner Etonian winning the Group 3 Solario Stakes a month later. Despite a slow start and several lengths down Flyin’ High did well to finish so close to Etonian and with an early entry for the Derby a step up in trip looks on the cards this year. 

2: MUTARABES is by Dark Angel (IRE) out of Relation Alexander (IRE), trained by Charlie Hills and owned by Mr Hamdan Al Maktoum. Purchased at the Goffs 2019 Premier Yearling Sale for £145,000. Mutarabes is a full-brother to the Godolphin colt Future King who also looks a nice prospect for the season ahead. Mutarabes started off in another hot race at Newmarket in June when a relatively unfancied 14/1 shot, the fourth, fifth and six all winning nice races since. Jim Crowley gave Mutarabes a nice educational ride that day without being too hard on the Dark Angel colt who looks to have a nice turn of foot and will hopefully progress this season. 

3: HMS SEAHORSE is by Galileo (IRE) out of After (IRE), trained by A P O'Brien and owned by M.Tabor/D.Smith/Mme J. Magnier. I have to say if Hms Seahorse can’t win his maiden at least I will show my ass! Only kidding, not a sight to see. The Galileo colt is another who comes from a nice family being a full-brother to Armory who had a smart career winning over £800,000 in prize money. It’s tough trying to pick out an Aidan O'Brien 3-year-old to follow with the amount of firepower and lovely pedigrees they have at the Ballydoyle yard but I thought it was a pleasing debut finishing fourth in what wasn’t to bad of a race considering the winner Mac Swiney went onto win the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster. Hms Seahorse remains with promise and one to consider this season. 

4: THIRD REALM is by Sea The Stars (IRE) out of Reem Three (GB), trained by Roger Varian and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. The Sea The Stars colt was well-supported for his debut at Kempton in November, not really sure about the form of the race but the Beckett winner Lord Protector certainly won well with Third Realm finishing a never nearer fifth. Third Realm is a half-brother to Cape Byron, another Varian runner who got better with age and won the Group 1 July Stakes at Newmarket last year. The Derby entry is worth checking out this season and can hopefully get a win sooner rather than later. 

5: CATCH UP EFFECT is by Oasis Dream (GB) out of Daana Qatar (GB), trained by Ralph Beckett and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Tha. The Oasis Dream colt made his debut in a hot race back in June at Haydock Park and hasn’t been seen since. Pretty weak in the market that day going off a 16/1 shot. Catch Up Effect will have learned plenty from that experience and stayed on one pace to the line but with the winter behind him hopefully he has grown into a nice type for the season ahead.

6: EVALUATION is by Dubawi (IRE) out of Estimate (IRE), trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by The Queen. Hopefully Her Majesty has a nice one here and it’s pretty obvious to see the Bay colt needs a bit further than his two previous outings, well I say plain to see actually his latest run at Kempton I couldn’t see a thing with the fog. Evaluation is a full-brother to Calculation who took a few runs to get going before winning three handicaps on the bounce as a 3-year-old so I will be keeping an eye on how he progresses.

7: FIREWORKS is by Kingman (GB) out of Miss Plimsoll (USA , trained by William Haggas and owned by Mrs Fiona Carmichael. Pretty sure the Kingman colt will be a short price when next seen but as I was thinking shall I put him in my selections or not some fireworks came on the film I had on tv so if that's not a sign I don’t know what is! In all fairness Fireworks debut run at Newcastle in December looked promising when finishing third behind a nice Palmer horse called Oz Legend, well-supported in the market that day Fireworks was a touch green but finished well. The 850,000 euro purchase looks to be one to keep on the right side of this season. 

8: GEORGE PEABODY is by Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) out of Swordhalf (GB), trained by George Scott and owned by W J And T C O Gredley. Purchased for 90,000 gns at the 2019 October Yearling Sales. George Peabody is a half-brother to a nice type in Germany named Satomi who has done very well winning the Group 2 Grosser Hansa-Preis. George Peabody ran a great race at Kempton when in with a chance a furlong out before being squeezed up and losing all momentum, if you looked at the race report in the Racing Post it says no extra but I’m not having that so I will be checking out this geldings next run for sure. 

9: GOOD AND PROPER is by Dansili (GB) out of Grace And Glory (IRE), trained by William Haggas and owned by Mr Nicholas Jones. J Haggas. I will be very surprised if this Dansili filly doesn't go onto better things this season after two decent efforts last year. A half-sister to the Haggas trained Give And Take who wasn’t too bad herself winning the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York. Good And Proper stepped up to a mile last timeout and despite being a touch keen stayed on steadily to finish a close up fourth to Love Is You who won the Radley Stakes next timeout at Newbury. 

10: MAYTAL is by Sea The Stars (IRE) out of Midsummer (GB), trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by Mr K Abdullah. I'm pretty sure Maytali will be losing her maiden tag before long after a pleasing debut when unfancied at Kempton back in November. The Sea The Stars hombred will have learnt plenty from that experience when a never nearer third after running about a bit the last furlong. Maytal is a half-sister to the top class Midday who was trained by the legend Sir Henry Cecil of course. A step up in trip will hopefully bring further improvement to Maytal and another to keep on the right side of this season. 

Thanks for reading and stay safe.