THE RACING FORUM Eight h rses fresh from Maidens to look out for in 2017
Published in 2016 by The Racing Forum Copyright David Cormack 2016 The right of David Cormack to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers. All photographs copyright David Cormack
CRYSTAL OCEAN b c Sea The Stars (IRE) - Crystal Star (Mark Of Esteem (IRE)) Trainer Sir Michael Stoute Crystal Ocean had just the one run in his two year old campaign, racing on 17th September at Newbury in a 7 furlong maiden where he finished a 1/4l runner-up behind Richard Hannon s Warrior s Spirit. He broke well from the stalls and settled into a stride quickly, Ryan Moore dropping him towards the rear of the 9 runners where he raced just behind the eventual winner. Moore started urging about two and a half out and Crystal Ocean responded, gradually making his way to the front, up the centre of the group coming between horses, about 3/4 of a furlong out but he was quickly Crystal Ocean s trainer Sir Michael Stoute overhauled by Warrior s Spirit, who had travelled well throughout, and went under by a quarter of a length at the line. There was a lot to like about the performance. Moore wasn t hard on him and the horse responded well to the hands and heels urgings, looking like he d relish further. He looked game and talented. The time was about half a second slower than the first division of the maiden, won by the well-touted Swiss Storm, but they looked a more forward bunch on paper and seemed to go a slightly stronger gallop. Crystal Ocean is a half brother to several winners, most notably Hillstar and Crystal Capella, both of whom were also trained by Sir Michael Stoute and both of whom also started quietly as two year olds before progressing through handicaps into group company at three, improving as they stepped up in distance, both staying a mile and a half well. By Sea The Stars, it s easy to imagine Crystal Ocean will get a mile and a half and it ll be interesting to see where Stoute starts him. I d guess a ten furlong maiden followed by a step into handicap company and onward from there. If he were to run encouragingly early on he d be interesting if Stoute felt he was up to following Hillstar by going to Ascot in the King Edward VII. But that is some way off, all we can say for now is that he made a bright start, exactly the beginning Stoute would have been looking for you would imagine, and is an intriguing prospect. ANEEN b/br f Lawman (FR) - Asheerah (Shamardal (USA)) Trainer Kevin Prendegast Aneen started off in a Leopardstown maiden over 7 furlongs on 10th September. Sent off at 5/1 second favourite in a field of 18 she was towards the back and had plenty to do when sent on as they rounded the turn into the home straight. She made eye-catching headway and wasn t knocked about to finish fourth behind Rain Goddess. Next time out she went to the Curragh and again raced over 7 furlongs in a big field (25 runners). She started favourite at 5/2 and won in very good style. Ridden much more prominently, on the outside, she travelled well and was close up behind the leading trio at the half mile mark. Driven along steadily, she passed the others readily enough and extended clear to win by just over four lengths. It was a visually impressive performance and she gave every indication that staying further wouldn t be a problem. Aneen is a half sister to the Prendegast trained 2016 Irish Guineas winner Awtaad, the pair the first two foals of a winning mare, Asheerah, that Prendegast also trained. By Lawman, Aneen will stay a mile for sure and possibly a little further and will presumably be trained with the hope that she ll develop into a filly for whom the Irish 1,000 Guineas will be a suitable target. She certainly gave every indication with the style of her win at the Curragh that she has the talent and the will to make up into a three year old that may have those at Ballydoyle looking on anxiously come Irish 1,000 Guineas day at the end of next May.
TALAAYEB b f Dansili Rumoush (USA) (Rahy (USA)) Trainer Owen Burrows Talaayeb made the sole start of her two year old season in a 7 furlong maiden at Newmarket on 24th September. There was some money for her (opened 25/1 in to 10/1) but, according to the market, she appeared to be the owner s second string behind the Charlie Hills trained 7/4 favourite Neshmeyah. But the race told a different story and it was Talaayeb who came out comfortably on top, winning by two and a half lengths with Neshmeyah in the runners up berth. Out smartly enough from the stalls she was steadied into a position at the rear but quickly made progress in the first furlong and a half to take a midfield position, tracking Neshmeyah. Two and a half furlongs out she was the only one of the leading half dozen still on the bridle, jockey Paul Mulrennan waiting patiently. When he eventually urged her forward she quickened readily between horses and asserted, taking it up about three quarters of a furlong out and quickly going clear. It was an eye-catching performance and immediately drew 1,000 Guineas quotes from the bookmaking firms who were clearly suitably impressed, as were most onlookers. What was most likeable was the way Mulrennan was able to put the filly where he wanted, her ability to travel strongly and then quicken readily when asked. She gave every indication of being a filly who won t be out of place in any company. Talaayeb is from an outstanding family with a female line that could hardly be stronger. Out of Oaks third Rumoush, her grand-dam Sarayir finished ninth in her Guineas and was a Listed winner at two. The third dam is the outstanding racer and broodmare Height Of Fashion, dam of Nashwan, Unfuwain and Nayef among others. Fourth dam is the Queen s 1,000 Guineas winner Highclere. So the Owen Burrows trained Talaayeb has something to live up to but the way she won that maiden showed she may have the ability to do just that and the 20/1 available for the 1,000 Guineas looks very fair with a few of those ahead of her in that market having question marks around them. There is plenty of stamina in the pedigree so the Oaks could be on the cards also and she s very much a filly to have in mind going into next season. TITUS b c Dansili Mirror Lake (Dubai Destination (USA)) Trainer Dermot Weld Dermot Weld enjoyed a fantastic year courtesy, primarily, of dual Derby winner Harzand and there seemed to be no containing the relish with which he was looking forward to the three year old season of Titus after the colt won his maiden, over a mile at Leopardstown on 23rd October. He s a gorgeous big horse, 16.2, and we like him a lot. He s immature and I think today is a bonus. He can only improve. What I like about him is he s big and looks like he ll stay but he isn t short of pace. He ll be back here for a classic trial, said Weld after the race. Enthusiasm could be tempered by looking at the race time, a full four seconds slower than the fillies maiden half an hour earlier, but the pacemaker in that race was pushed along and the two races were run very differently. Titus broke reasonably from the stalls and was immediately hurried up by Sullen to take a prominent position in the front four. He was then steadied off what looked a moderate enough gallop and retained that position until they turned for home and the pace quickened. At that point he was clearly going well and ranged up with minimum urging from the saddle. Drawing alongside leader Clongowes he Legendary Irish trainer Dermot Weld, trainer of Titus was
then asked a stronger question by Smullen and responded well, going past readily and keeping on well to the line, where he had half a length to spare over Aidan O Brien s Venice Beach (more on him to come). By Dansili, a good source of stamina, Titus is out of a Dubai Destination mare, Mirror Lake, who was trained by Amanda Perret to win four races at around ten furlongs, wining at Listed level on her final start. He is a second foal, the first, a filly called Catchment, by Oasis Dream, was a minor winner at Kempton over 7 furlongs in August. The second dam, Reflections, was a once raced mare by Sadlers Wells who was herself out of a Vaguely Noble mare so there is plenty stamina around in the pedigree. Given a 33/1 Derby quote after the race it was hard not to be impressed, both by the performance and also by Weld s obvious enthusiasm and his reappearance next year will be well worth keeping track of. Whether Weld will consider he has enough speed to warrant an Irish Guineas run or whether he starts him off over longer with a Derby in mind will also be of interest. I liked the way he travelled and he looked to have a good attitude. It was a race full of very well bred types and I think it could turn out to have been a good maiden. VENICE BEACH (IRE) b c Galileo (IRE) - Danedrop (IRE) (Danehill (USA)) Trainer Aidan O Brien Venice Beach raced only once, finishing runnerup in the same maiden won by Titus, who I have also highlighted. While Titus raced relatively professionally, Venice Beach looked to be much more a work in progress. Starting outsider of the five Aidan O Brien trained runners at 16/1, Venice Beach broke well enough and was quietly settled in midfield, tracking the eventual race winner. He maintained that position, racing amongst horses, until the pace quickened up front about two and half out, at which point his jockey, Michael Hussey, immediately became one of the first to get busy. To Venice Aidan O Brien at Epsom with sons Donnacha and Joseph Beach s credit he responded and kept tabs on the leaders but when Titus was sent forward a furlong and a half from the line he had no immediate response and went two lengths down. Again to his credit, he picked up well in the final furlong and got back to within half a length at the line, all the while looking like the experience would do him the world of good. Venice Beach is by the mighty Galileo out of the Danehill mare Danedrop. Danedrop is feted primarily for producing the German trained Arc winner Danedream and has enjoyed a chequered career at stud. Prior to producing Dandream she was sold for only 17,000 euros at a time when her record stood at one winner from four foals. She hasn t produced anything remotely as good since Danedream, her progeny including an unraced full sister to Venice Beach called Only Me. There was plenty to like about Venice Beach s performance and, although his place in the pecking order at Ballydoyle is a matter of guesswork, he raced like a horse who will relish both a stronger gallop and a longer trip. Wherever O Brien starts him next year I think he will be worth keeping an eye on and I think it s only when he s asked to tackle a mile and a half or further that we ll see him at his peak. ASTRONOMY S CHOICE b f Redoute s Choice (AUS) - Astronomy Domine (Galileo (IRE)) Trainer John Gosden Newmarket s 7 furlongs on the 7th of October was the venue for the debut, and only race to date, of Astronomy s Choice. She looked well in the paddock, having lots of scope and looking well in her coat, and ran accordingly,
winning under Frankie Dettori. Starting slowly, she was settled towards the rear and was then stoked up just approaching the three pole, where she still had plenty to do. Dettori urged her, hands and heels, from that point right to the line and she kept finding for him, emerging a half length winner at the post. Although the quality of the opposition may not have been particularly strong, there was an awful lot to like about the way she knuckled down to things, giving every indication that a longer trip would do nothing but benefit her. Trainer John Gosden was keen to point out how much scope she had and he was clearly pretty keen on her suggesting, with a glint in his eye, that we ll see you back here for the Pretty Polly, intimating that a winter s maturing behind her and a step up in trip will both be very much in her favour. Astronomy s Choice is the first foal of a Galileo mare, Astonomy Domine, who raced only once (also trained by Gosden) when unplaced in a Doncaster maiden. Astronomy Domine is herself out of a Zafonic mare called Platonic who produced the useful French Group 3 winning filly Pacifique when mated with Montjeu. The stallion Redoute s Choice has enjoyed great success in Australia and was available to European breeders for the first time in 2013, the year Astronomy s Choice was conceived. There is enough speed and stamina in the pedigree to suggest that distances of ten furlongs and more will not be a problem. I liked the way this filly galloped resolutely to the line at Newmarket and I also liked what Gosden had to say afterwards and she is clearly one that has to be given close scrutiny next season when stepping up beyond a mile. VIA EGNATIA (USA) b c Distorted Humor (USA) - Honest Lady (USA) (Seattle Slew (USA)) Trainer John Gosden Via Egnetia had been beaten twice over 6 furlongs during the summer months when he arrived at Newmarket on 1st October to step up in distance and tackle the Rowley mile. Ridden differently, he d been held up on both runs previously, he was smartly out of the stalls and sent straight into the lead by Robert Tart. Dictating in front, he had them on the stretch as far out as the four pole and by the three furlong marker everything else in the field was under pressure. When Tart bustled him along two and a half out the response was immediate and he drew right away, winning by seven lengths. The runner-up, Never Surrender, had previously ran creditably in a good Doncaster maiden, going under in fourth by two heads and a neck behind Glencadam Glory with Aidan O Brien s The Anvil in third. A form line through that marks Via Egentia s run, at face value at least, as highly creditable. On his previous two starts he d looked green on both occasions. First time, at Yarmouth at the end of June, he was held up in a five runner race but was fighting for his head for much of the race. Despite that he ran on well enough and was as close at the finish as he d been for much of the race. The story was much the same over the same 6 furlong trip next time, a month later at Newbury. Again held up, he settled slightly better this time but had no answer to the turn of foot of several of the others, finishing fifth of the eight beaten about three lengths. The winner that day, Majeste, is evidently well thought of as he was stepped up to Group 2 company in the Champagne Stakes next time where he finished fourth. Via Egnetia had clearly thrived during his two and a half month break and equally clearly benefitted from both the longer trip and from being allowed to bowl along in front. A son of the American stallion Distorted Humor,who has enjoyed worldwide success and may be best known here most recently for Cursory Glance, Via Egnetia is out of a Seattle Slew mare, Honest Lady. Honest Lady produced John Gosden trainer of Astronomy s Choice and Via Egnatia the Grade 1 winner First Defence, winner of the Forego Handicap over 7 furlongs and also a Listed winner, Honest Quality, who was trained by Sir Henry Cecil and won the Star Stakes at Sandown (7 fiurlongs) at 2. It s difficult to say how far Via Egnetia will stay, possibly ten furlongs may be his limit, but he looked ideally suited by a mile and it is likely that is the trip he ll be started off at.
SOUND BAR b c Oasis Dream - Milford Sound (Barathea (USA)) Trainer Ralph Beckett While I am sure Ralph Beckett wouldn t wish away any of his previous winners, and certainly none of his classic winners, I am equally sure he won t want to be pigeon-holed as a specialist in training fillies. Classic winners Look Here, Talent and Simply Verse established Beckett s reputation as a man capable of handling horses at the top level but also established him as a dab hand with the fair sex. A top class colt will change all that and he ll be hoping that in Sound Bar he has something who can develop into just that. Sound Bar ran three times, starting off in a 7 furlong Sandown maiden in the middle of August. He ran better that day than his finishing position suggests. Breaking a little awkwardly from the stalls he raced in midfield, made some headway approaching three out while never really getting into contention and then ran on steadily before folding in the last furlong and a half. Better was to come on his second outing where he raced relatively prominently in a ten runner Leicester maiden, again over seven furlongs, keeping on much better this time and going under by only a neck to Emmaus, a Roger Varian colt who was making his debut and is probably decent. On his final outing Sound Bar was stepped up to a mile in a good Newbury maiden and this time he made no mistake. Breaking well, he made the running under Fran Berry, who started to niggle two out with most of the rest already under pressure. Sound Bar responded and quickened clear to win well by a couple of lengths. The only question mark was a high head carriage which in itself would not have been a particular issue but he also veered away markedly from the whip when given a couple of strikes inside the final furlong. I would be hopeful that it was simply greenness but that may be something to watch out for in him next year. He has a pretty potent pedigree with his 4th generation stallion roster numbering Northern Dancer x 2, Sir Ivor, Lyphard, Mill Reef, Habitat, Nureyev and Riverman. Plenty class there without doubt but also plenty potential for some character. He is a half-brother to Beckett s Carntop, who was second in the Lingfield Derby Trial this season before proving a little disappointing thereafter. The dam raced five times for Andre Fabre, all in her three year old season, winning a maiden on her second outing before finding a step up in class beyond her. Sound Bar stayed a mile well and ten furlongs should certainly be within his compass. He showed an exciting turn of foot from the front at Newbury, having progressed well through his three races to date. As mentioned, I have a slight worry over temperament but it hasn t appeared to get in the way of his racing to date and he s definitely one I ll be monitoring closely wherever he starts next year.