I have mentioned recently a few 2yo’s catching the eye on the gallops, here is a round up of eleven promising types coming through the ranks which can be expected to show potential in the latter part of the season.
Alhaque
Chestnut Colt – Peter Chapple-Hyam
Galileo o/o Safeen
The first foal of the Storm Cat mare Safeen who was a half sister to group performers Revere and Ermine Sea. In what has been a quiet season for the Chapple-Hyam team, Alhaque has been promising in his work with some fair unraced types and gives the impression he could be above average. He reminds connections of what Authorized was like at this early stage and he holds all the typically confident big race entries you would expect of a classy colt. He would have more scope than the likes of Sayif and Exceptional Art and whilst he is more likely to be a better 3yo than 2yo, he may just be that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that the Chapple-Hyam yard are in urgent need of.
Eastern Aria
Bay filly – Saeed Bin Suroor
Halling o/o Badraan
A decent filly for the Godolphin team who has been showing loads of toe on the gallops. The daughter of the unraced Badraan, its reassuring to know that Badraan was related to several leading sprinters in the US including T S Eliot. Early indications are encouraging and she has impressed in her last gallops including when she strode away from Racing Post Trophy entrant Al Mamoom on Friday morning. People may think the lack of big race entries stands against her but Godolphin has made no big race entries for their fillies this season, so don’t let that put you off. She is likely to need her debut run at Folkestone this week but she gives the impression she could be useful.
Evasive
Chestnut Colt – Sir Michael Stoute
Elusive Quality o/o Canda
First foal of Canda who was a listed placed daughter of Storm Cat. Dam related to Group three sprinter Moon Driver and the listed placed Helike. Not short of speed Evasive has been showing up smartly at home and looks a decent sort judged on recent work. A Middle Park entrant he has been working well with the yards potential star 2yo and he looks a 6 – 7f horse to stay on the right side of.
Fantastic Dubai
Bay Colt – Mick Channon
Storm Cat o/o Shy Lady
Labelled as the star of the Channon camp this season. The Son of Storm Cat hails from the classy mare Shy Lady whose offspring include the group 1 winner Zafeen and the group 3 placed duo Atlantic Sport and Ya Hajar. Fantastic Dubai has been giving off all the right signals at home and has impressed in gallops with Orizaba of late. He needs 7f but he is undoubtedly talented and held in the highest regard.
Highland Glen
Bay Colt – Sir Michael Stoute
Montjeu o/o Daring Aim
It’s been a while, in fact a very long while since Her Majesty The Queen had some talented juveniles but like the number 42 bus, you wait an eternity and suddenly you’re overrun with them. First of all the Hannon camp produced the Chesham winner Free Agent to give Her Royal Highness something to bring about a smile, and then on Friday Sir Michael Stoute unleashed Golden Stream, a sister to Flight Of Fancy and a half sister to Daring Aim to win a hotly contested Newmarket maiden in very easy style. Just when you think there’s enough Royal talent around, and no I’m not talking about Zara Phillips, in pops Michael Bell to produce the fine looking Four Winds. A strong colt whose dam Fairy Godmother was related to the talented stayer Blueprint, Four Winds looked rather green on debut and whilst ultimately one paced in the closing stages you couldn’t fail to notice the promise in this Bell Derby entrant. Yes that’s correct, Michael Bell and a Derby entrant. There isn’t normally many of them, but maybe the words Motivator come flooding back. However Sir Michael Stoute has another ace up his sleeve and this one just may even have Queen Liz excitedly chomping on her Corn Flakes. Any gallop watcher that hasn’t been impressed by Highland Glen probably needs to book an appointment at Donald And Aitchison’s very promptly. The son of Daring Aim simply picks them up, looks at them, then leaves them for dead on the gallops and his faultless gallop last week when striding on from the highly regarded Imposing gives the impression there is something special at Freemason’s this season. Highland Glen, the son of Daring Aim is of course the nephew of the yards classy filly Golden Stream, so remember this for the future sports quiz trivia, Which Aunty and Nephew claimed classic success in 2009?, okay its a long way off but there’s no reason why we can’t be excited, the work is breathless, the reputation is high and not even Godolphin will be able to prize this one away. A possible debut on Friday at Sandown gets me quite excited and whilst he could run green, as that isn’t uncommon for Stoute horses, something just has me thinking this could be the start of something special, It’s £22 to go to Sandown on Friday, and whilst they sold out for Girls Aloud, I feel the racing fraternity may want to sell out the Surrey venue for the right reason and that is a high quality racehorse about to start a very exciting career, that is unless he follows in his dam’s half brother’s footsteps. Desert Star, remember him?, you know the one who romped a Newmarket maiden by 5l, who was labelled a machine, well he was last seen in a class 4 novice hurdle some 41l behind the winner. I suppose that’s the highs and lows of hype horses, but I suppose we should just enjoy this one whilst he gives us the impression he is very talented.
Ithbaat
Brown Colt – John Gosden
Arch o/o Annul
John Gosden has already struck with Rainbow View, so their is no need to big her up having already done the business, but yes she is talented. The $160,000 colt Ithbaat must have done something right when breezing at Tattersalls in April as he convinced Shadwell Stud to more than treble that value when bringing the hammer down at 300,000 Gns. So it’s evidently clear already this horse has some gears. Gosden is one of those more patient approach trainers and whilst many get their breeze up horses out sharply, the tentative wait and be patient approach has served John Gosden very well over the years. Ithbaat hasn’t done loads of work but if there is a trend I’ve noticed from the Gosden yard it’s that when older horses start to lead his juveniles in pair work, they are highly regarded. Working on Saturday morning, Ithbaat worked smoothly with Novikov and gave the impression that he has plenty of ability. The Arch colt holds an entry at Sandown on Friday, yes that’s correct an early clash with Highland Glen. He probably wouldn’t be beating him, but I suppose it all adds to the value of going racing at Sandown on Friday, boy at this rate the A3 is gonna be chocker on Friday lunchtime. Ithbaat is nice and is one to note over 7f – 1m this season.
Light Dubai
Bay Filly – Mick Channon
Fantastic Light o/o Seeking A Way
Well it wouldn’t be normal to have an article about 2yo’s and not include a Channon filly would it? Well I suppose I better include one then. The second question is have you noticed a Jaber trend this season?, he seems to be adding in Dubai to the names of the better ones, maybe he’s been taking naming lessons off Sheikh Mohammed. Light Dubai was not unsupported on Friday at Newmarket in the opener and whilst it didn’t look as strong a maiden as the one that Golden Stream won, Light Dubai took the eye running on well in the closing stages of a race over a trip shorter than ideal. She was outpaced early after a slow start but under fair handling she ran on well. A step up to a mile is sure to suit her and she looks value to win her 7f – 1m maiden next time with expected improvement. For me she looks decent in her own right and I wouldn’t be too worried about anything that beat her on Friday lining up against her next time. Channon has a way with the fillies (equine of course) and the logical approach (you may notice the hint) could be that this filly has a career in group races and over middle distance trips next season.
Margarita
Bay Filly – James Fanshawe
Marju o/o Kalinka
Remember that good filly, Soviet Song?, well here’s her sister. James “Where’s Wally” Fanshawe, I’m sure you will get it if you read the books as a child seems to have got himself another nice one from Kalinka, whose offspring include the useful Soviet Song, Penzance, and Baralinka. Margarita has not been over exerted on the Limekilns of late but there has been promise in her work under Eddie Ahern and she comes across as a nice sort. She will need the run on debut by the looks of things, as she is a big strong sort, but I do like the look of her. She is deemed more of a next year type by the yard but she gives the impression she will be better than her other sister, Sister Act, so if appropriate maybe she’ll be Sister Act 2, Back In The Habit. That is the habit of a successful racehorse of course. Then again she may just “Crack The Sky” and be top class, after all that’s what the band Song’s Of Soviet Sons produced and the clue is in the name of the band. Okay less of the twaddle, her promise on the gallops is pleasing and next season she gives the impression she will be a useful filly. I would expect her to win her maiden this season however.
Monitor Closely
Bay Colt – Peter Chapple-Hyam
Oasis Dream o/o Independence
Your either a lucky owner or an unlucky one, I suppose. So how would you feel if your first racehorse turns out to be one of the better ones in the yard. When this was looking one of the smart ones in May you had to be excited, however the lack of winners from the yard shows that what it’s beating clearly isn’t high class. However the half brother to Mount Nelson looks nice and his dam Independence has only had three runners grace the track and they have all won. At 140,000 Gns Monitor Closely was not what I would class an expensive purchase for his pedigree, but obviously Mount Nelson’s Eclipse success level did only come this summer. Monitor Closely has been catching the eye on the gallops with the likes of Gibb River and Royal Executioner and whilst they are no stars they do represent a reasonable level of form. Entered in the Timeform Million at Newmarket he could one to note in his maiden before being aimed for that engagement.
North East Corner
Bay Colt – Barry Hills
Giant’s Causeway o/o Saree
I haven’t got the impression that the stars are ripping through Lambourn’s training ranks this season but Barry Hills is a trainer that is always capable of finding a good one. I hear from the gallops in the Berkshire Downs that North east Corner has been showing promise and Champagne and Dewhurst entries seem to back this up. North East Corner has reportedly been showing hooves to a recent impressive Newbury 2nd and he should be one to look out for in the latter part of the season over 7f.
On Our Way
Bay Colt – Henry Cecil
Oasis Dream o/o Singled
Well we’re down to the final horse in our collection. On Our Way collected in good style at Sandown on debut and the Cecil trained Oasis Dream colt continues to please on the gallops. Last Tuesday he impressively put daylight between himself and Newmarket 2nd Midday and in a solo spin on Saturday he looked in top order. A nice strong type he steps up in class on Friday night at Salisbury and he will be expected to win at that level. He has more experience than most of these in the article but he is a particularly pleasing sort who gives the impression he can collect in group company before long.
Well I hope you enjoyed my write up and it has given you some thoughts on what’s been catching the eye. Any feedback is always appreciated.
Good luck
Chris Beek
Alhaque
Chestnut Colt – Peter Chapple-Hyam
Galileo o/o Safeen
The first foal of the Storm Cat mare Safeen who was a half sister to group performers Revere and Ermine Sea. In what has been a quiet season for the Chapple-Hyam team, Alhaque has been promising in his work with some fair unraced types and gives the impression he could be above average. He reminds connections of what Authorized was like at this early stage and he holds all the typically confident big race entries you would expect of a classy colt. He would have more scope than the likes of Sayif and Exceptional Art and whilst he is more likely to be a better 3yo than 2yo, he may just be that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that the Chapple-Hyam yard are in urgent need of.
Eastern Aria
Bay filly – Saeed Bin Suroor
Halling o/o Badraan
A decent filly for the Godolphin team who has been showing loads of toe on the gallops. The daughter of the unraced Badraan, its reassuring to know that Badraan was related to several leading sprinters in the US including T S Eliot. Early indications are encouraging and she has impressed in her last gallops including when she strode away from Racing Post Trophy entrant Al Mamoom on Friday morning. People may think the lack of big race entries stands against her but Godolphin has made no big race entries for their fillies this season, so don’t let that put you off. She is likely to need her debut run at Folkestone this week but she gives the impression she could be useful.
Evasive
Chestnut Colt – Sir Michael Stoute
Elusive Quality o/o Canda
First foal of Canda who was a listed placed daughter of Storm Cat. Dam related to Group three sprinter Moon Driver and the listed placed Helike. Not short of speed Evasive has been showing up smartly at home and looks a decent sort judged on recent work. A Middle Park entrant he has been working well with the yards potential star 2yo and he looks a 6 – 7f horse to stay on the right side of.
Fantastic Dubai
Bay Colt – Mick Channon
Storm Cat o/o Shy Lady
Labelled as the star of the Channon camp this season. The Son of Storm Cat hails from the classy mare Shy Lady whose offspring include the group 1 winner Zafeen and the group 3 placed duo Atlantic Sport and Ya Hajar. Fantastic Dubai has been giving off all the right signals at home and has impressed in gallops with Orizaba of late. He needs 7f but he is undoubtedly talented and held in the highest regard.
Highland Glen
Bay Colt – Sir Michael Stoute
Montjeu o/o Daring Aim
It’s been a while, in fact a very long while since Her Majesty The Queen had some talented juveniles but like the number 42 bus, you wait an eternity and suddenly you’re overrun with them. First of all the Hannon camp produced the Chesham winner Free Agent to give Her Royal Highness something to bring about a smile, and then on Friday Sir Michael Stoute unleashed Golden Stream, a sister to Flight Of Fancy and a half sister to Daring Aim to win a hotly contested Newmarket maiden in very easy style. Just when you think there’s enough Royal talent around, and no I’m not talking about Zara Phillips, in pops Michael Bell to produce the fine looking Four Winds. A strong colt whose dam Fairy Godmother was related to the talented stayer Blueprint, Four Winds looked rather green on debut and whilst ultimately one paced in the closing stages you couldn’t fail to notice the promise in this Bell Derby entrant. Yes that’s correct, Michael Bell and a Derby entrant. There isn’t normally many of them, but maybe the words Motivator come flooding back. However Sir Michael Stoute has another ace up his sleeve and this one just may even have Queen Liz excitedly chomping on her Corn Flakes. Any gallop watcher that hasn’t been impressed by Highland Glen probably needs to book an appointment at Donald And Aitchison’s very promptly. The son of Daring Aim simply picks them up, looks at them, then leaves them for dead on the gallops and his faultless gallop last week when striding on from the highly regarded Imposing gives the impression there is something special at Freemason’s this season. Highland Glen, the son of Daring Aim is of course the nephew of the yards classy filly Golden Stream, so remember this for the future sports quiz trivia, Which Aunty and Nephew claimed classic success in 2009?, okay its a long way off but there’s no reason why we can’t be excited, the work is breathless, the reputation is high and not even Godolphin will be able to prize this one away. A possible debut on Friday at Sandown gets me quite excited and whilst he could run green, as that isn’t uncommon for Stoute horses, something just has me thinking this could be the start of something special, It’s £22 to go to Sandown on Friday, and whilst they sold out for Girls Aloud, I feel the racing fraternity may want to sell out the Surrey venue for the right reason and that is a high quality racehorse about to start a very exciting career, that is unless he follows in his dam’s half brother’s footsteps. Desert Star, remember him?, you know the one who romped a Newmarket maiden by 5l, who was labelled a machine, well he was last seen in a class 4 novice hurdle some 41l behind the winner. I suppose that’s the highs and lows of hype horses, but I suppose we should just enjoy this one whilst he gives us the impression he is very talented.
Ithbaat
Brown Colt – John Gosden
Arch o/o Annul
John Gosden has already struck with Rainbow View, so their is no need to big her up having already done the business, but yes she is talented. The $160,000 colt Ithbaat must have done something right when breezing at Tattersalls in April as he convinced Shadwell Stud to more than treble that value when bringing the hammer down at 300,000 Gns. So it’s evidently clear already this horse has some gears. Gosden is one of those more patient approach trainers and whilst many get their breeze up horses out sharply, the tentative wait and be patient approach has served John Gosden very well over the years. Ithbaat hasn’t done loads of work but if there is a trend I’ve noticed from the Gosden yard it’s that when older horses start to lead his juveniles in pair work, they are highly regarded. Working on Saturday morning, Ithbaat worked smoothly with Novikov and gave the impression that he has plenty of ability. The Arch colt holds an entry at Sandown on Friday, yes that’s correct an early clash with Highland Glen. He probably wouldn’t be beating him, but I suppose it all adds to the value of going racing at Sandown on Friday, boy at this rate the A3 is gonna be chocker on Friday lunchtime. Ithbaat is nice and is one to note over 7f – 1m this season.
Light Dubai
Bay Filly – Mick Channon
Fantastic Light o/o Seeking A Way
Well it wouldn’t be normal to have an article about 2yo’s and not include a Channon filly would it? Well I suppose I better include one then. The second question is have you noticed a Jaber trend this season?, he seems to be adding in Dubai to the names of the better ones, maybe he’s been taking naming lessons off Sheikh Mohammed. Light Dubai was not unsupported on Friday at Newmarket in the opener and whilst it didn’t look as strong a maiden as the one that Golden Stream won, Light Dubai took the eye running on well in the closing stages of a race over a trip shorter than ideal. She was outpaced early after a slow start but under fair handling she ran on well. A step up to a mile is sure to suit her and she looks value to win her 7f – 1m maiden next time with expected improvement. For me she looks decent in her own right and I wouldn’t be too worried about anything that beat her on Friday lining up against her next time. Channon has a way with the fillies (equine of course) and the logical approach (you may notice the hint) could be that this filly has a career in group races and over middle distance trips next season.
Margarita
Bay Filly – James Fanshawe
Marju o/o Kalinka
Remember that good filly, Soviet Song?, well here’s her sister. James “Where’s Wally” Fanshawe, I’m sure you will get it if you read the books as a child seems to have got himself another nice one from Kalinka, whose offspring include the useful Soviet Song, Penzance, and Baralinka. Margarita has not been over exerted on the Limekilns of late but there has been promise in her work under Eddie Ahern and she comes across as a nice sort. She will need the run on debut by the looks of things, as she is a big strong sort, but I do like the look of her. She is deemed more of a next year type by the yard but she gives the impression she will be better than her other sister, Sister Act, so if appropriate maybe she’ll be Sister Act 2, Back In The Habit. That is the habit of a successful racehorse of course. Then again she may just “Crack The Sky” and be top class, after all that’s what the band Song’s Of Soviet Sons produced and the clue is in the name of the band. Okay less of the twaddle, her promise on the gallops is pleasing and next season she gives the impression she will be a useful filly. I would expect her to win her maiden this season however.
Monitor Closely
Bay Colt – Peter Chapple-Hyam
Oasis Dream o/o Independence
Your either a lucky owner or an unlucky one, I suppose. So how would you feel if your first racehorse turns out to be one of the better ones in the yard. When this was looking one of the smart ones in May you had to be excited, however the lack of winners from the yard shows that what it’s beating clearly isn’t high class. However the half brother to Mount Nelson looks nice and his dam Independence has only had three runners grace the track and they have all won. At 140,000 Gns Monitor Closely was not what I would class an expensive purchase for his pedigree, but obviously Mount Nelson’s Eclipse success level did only come this summer. Monitor Closely has been catching the eye on the gallops with the likes of Gibb River and Royal Executioner and whilst they are no stars they do represent a reasonable level of form. Entered in the Timeform Million at Newmarket he could one to note in his maiden before being aimed for that engagement.
North East Corner
Bay Colt – Barry Hills
Giant’s Causeway o/o Saree
I haven’t got the impression that the stars are ripping through Lambourn’s training ranks this season but Barry Hills is a trainer that is always capable of finding a good one. I hear from the gallops in the Berkshire Downs that North east Corner has been showing promise and Champagne and Dewhurst entries seem to back this up. North East Corner has reportedly been showing hooves to a recent impressive Newbury 2nd and he should be one to look out for in the latter part of the season over 7f.
On Our Way
Bay Colt – Henry Cecil
Oasis Dream o/o Singled
Well we’re down to the final horse in our collection. On Our Way collected in good style at Sandown on debut and the Cecil trained Oasis Dream colt continues to please on the gallops. Last Tuesday he impressively put daylight between himself and Newmarket 2nd Midday and in a solo spin on Saturday he looked in top order. A nice strong type he steps up in class on Friday night at Salisbury and he will be expected to win at that level. He has more experience than most of these in the article but he is a particularly pleasing sort who gives the impression he can collect in group company before long.
Well I hope you enjoyed my write up and it has given you some thoughts on what’s been catching the eye. Any feedback is always appreciated.
Good luck
Chris Beek
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