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| Royal Ascot News 2012 |
Juveniles Colts That Caught The Eye At Ascot
26/06/12
With the first of this season’s two year old Group races completed at Royal Ascot last week, there are already a number of juvenile colts who have caught the eye of racing fans and bookmakers alike as potential Classic contenders for next season.
There are still a number of top two year old events throughout the Summer and many contenders may still have yet to race with the major Group One races for two year olds not starting in earnest until September but of those who have raced, here's the pick of the potential superstars for 2013 and beyond.
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Dawn Approach
– Trainer: Jim Bolger
Four races and four wins have confirmed this son of 2008 Derby winner and first season sire, New Approach, as the best two year old that has so far been seen in either Britain or Ireland in 2012. He won his maiden over five furlongs at the Curragh in May before going on to emphatically win the Fishery Lane race over six furlongs at Naas. The Listed Alfred Noble Rochestown Stakes also over six furlongs at Naas came next and then last week at Royal Ascot he looked very impressive when winning the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, once again over six furlongs.
His performances thus far have earned him 12/1 favouritism for the 2000 Guineas and a 20/1 quote for the Epsom Derby. He has entries for both the Phoenix and the Group 1 National Stakes later in the season and that should give more indication what distance he is likely to get. On breeding, Dawn Approach should easily handle a mile and if inheriting the stamina from his Sire, middle distances should be well within his scope too and given how forward this Colt is (was actually 1 year and 11 months when winning his first race) the future looks promising.
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Finished just over ¾ of a length behind Dawn Approach in third place in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and this well bred colt by 2008 Two Thousand Guineas winner, Henrythenavigator, will surely improve for that run. He is one of a number of two year olds at Ballydoyle that has reportedly shown great promise at home and he should be seen next in the Phoenix Stakes where he is likely to take on Dawn Approach again.
Other Aidan O'Brien trained two year olds who didn't make the trip to Ascot last week but have growing reputations include, Pedro The Great, also by Henrythenavigator and beaten by by Dawn Approach in his first start at Naas earlier this month. He is currently the 16/1 second favourite for the 2013 English 2000 Guineas after bouncing back from that first time out defeat in an easy 4 1/4 length maiden win over six furlongs at Leopardstown last week. He too is likely to line up in the Phoenix Stakes next month.
Theatre is another Ballydoyle hopeful that having run green on his racecourse debut, this Galileo Colt ran a blinder at Leopardstown a couple of weeks ago, bolting up by over six lengths. He is already sat at the head of the Derby betting, alongside another O'Brien Galileo Colt, Mars, who is currently unraced and will be one to keep an eye out when making his debut.
Tha’Ir – Trainer: Saeed Bin Suroor
Another colt by New Approach who won the Listed Chesham Stakes over seven furlongs at Royal Ascot last week in very impressive style. His Royal Ascot win came in a race where there were one or two fancied to beat him, notably the Jim Bolger trained, Move To Strike and Richard Hannon’s apparent "good thing" Jalaa, both previous winners this season but Tha'Ir was more than a match and built on his Ripon success earlier in June which gave him a quote of 25/1 as he was probably not quite as impressive as the Irish Raiders who once again look to have set the benchmark for young horses in 2012.
Special mention must also go to the John Gosden trained filly, Newfangled, who was installed the 10/1 favourite for next year's 1,000 Guineas following her Albany Stakes win. That stretched her her unbeaten run to two races following an equally as impressive debut win at Newmarket and she looks very much a filly to keep an eye on later come the Autumn given her clear love of soft ground.
