A decent day yesterday with most significant juveniles either winning or placed.
Let's take a look at Thursday's races:
1:50 Newmarket -
A giant field of 19 two-year-olds. Must be one of the biggest fields seen all year.
A few of these have been noted.
Charlie Appleby's Magical Illusion returns are being beaten on debut. This son of Dubawi was sent off even-money favourite and finished fourth. I was left with the feeling connections were disappointed. The cheek pieces have been applied and stepping up to one mile may help. A well-entered horse who has valuable experience. The form of that first race has been franked, too.
A good few are significantly entered - so this will be a tough race to assess and win.
John Gosden has Kick On ran on well over seven furlongs after a slow start. This extra furlong will help.
The stable also fields Humanitarian who cost $200,000 at the yearling sales.
The fortunes of Martyn Meade read like a tale of rags to riches, when you consider many years ago he had to settle for horses at the bottom of the barrel. That isn't the case these days and he is a gifted trainer who knows how to make the most of his horse's ability. Fox Vardy is just one of three two-year-olds to receive a significant entry this season. This son of Frankel is unlikely to be up to the lofty standards of Advertise or Confiding but, nonetheless, interesting. He was a couple of lengths behind Bangkok but far from disgraced and priced at a point which may suggest he needed the run. A step up in distance will help. A big price at 28/1. May have each-way claims.
A huge priced debutante is Battle Of Waterloo. This son of Big Bad Bob cost £30,000 when purchased at the breeze-up sales. He has been given a class 2 stakes race entry a long time ago but nothing since. John Ryan can spring a surprise so nothing is impossible although this 100/1 shot needs to have hidden depths to shine here.
Conclusion: A few entrants here which make it a touch difficult to assess. Magical Illusion is well respected and could well spring back to life after a fair but disappointing debut. John Gosden has Kick On & Humanitarian going. Both have claims. The betting is the best guide for the latter. Fox Vardy is one of few horses entered by Martyn Meade which adds to confidence. He will be a bigger price after being beaten by Bangkok. May have each-way claims at big odds. Magical Illusion, Kick On & Fox Vardy are of most interest.
Kick On 11/2 1st
Humantirian 12/1 2nd
Magic Illusion 11/4 5th
Fox Vardy 20/1 Unp
Battle Of Waterloo 150/1 Unp
7:15 Kempton -
John Gosden has a few significantly entered two-year-olds going today and Buffalo River makes his third start after suffering two defeats. A narrow loss on debut and then third behind Royal Marine. That horse is a talent. The form of that contest has been franked by an effortless victory of Gosden's Turgenev. Odds-on for this, but looks a very difficult horse to beat. If drifting to a bigger price would be worth a bet.
Buffalo River 2/9f 2nd
7:45 Kempton -
A tough-looking race with a few talented two-year-olds.
San Donato has run well on all three starts and managed a short-head win after dropping in class after Listed race defeat. A battling type who has to defy a win penalty, which seems to be a problem for many juveniles this season.
Converter is another juvenile who has to shoulder that burden. Mick Channon's charge won well on debut at big odds. Noted on our 10 Dark Horse Mailing. He stepped up in class next start but struggled with a classier group of horses. Perhaps he disappointed? Connections will be hoping that is the case. Not best drawn which doesn't help.
The other significant entrant is Richard Hannon's Hua Hin who won on debut but failed to shine at all next start at Bath. A wind operation has been undertaken and a tongue tie. Clearly, there has been an issue with this horse. A wide draw is negative.
Conclusion: Most of these have to shoulder a win penalty. Interested to see if Converter can bounce back but I would have to take a watching brief.
San Donato 4/9f 1st
Converter 8/1 2nd
Hua Hin 33/1 5th
Five two-year-old races for Friday. I will detail the significant entrants and form horses worthy of note.
2:00 Goodwood -
Just a couple of entrants. Big Boots is a son of Society Rock and tidy winner on debut at Bath. He was slightly disappointing at Windsor racing under a penalty when favourite. It will be interesting to see if he can show more without an apprentice. A high draw is an advantage.
Robert Cowell has been kept busy this early season with an increased string of two-year-olds. Blame Roberta has received a couple of significant entries. This daughter of Blame races in the ownership of Khalifa Dasmal. She looks a good yearling purchase at just $27,000. She ran a respectable fourth place on debut at Yarmouth. The form has been franked with the first three horses either winning or narrowly denied. This bay filly wasn't too far behind or given a hard race. Looks capable of better.
This looks a difficult race to assess so I would advice a watching brief.
2:20 Haydock -
Mark Johnston has been in fine form this season. Axel Jacklin looked disappointing on debut but fared much better at Newmarket when stepping up to 6f. This leggy son of Iffraaj battled hard when runner up to Usain Boat. Should go well.
Five Amarones is one of a number of horses Tom Dascombe has entered this season. This son of Alhebayheb was entered to run in the Lily Agnes but didn't take part. He was fancied on debut at Pontefract but slowly into stride even though he had a prime draw. In truth, he ran on pretty well to chase home Carey Street. Five Amarones ran a similar race at Bath over the minimum trip. Always slightly outpaced, he didn't have the pace to get to grips with Barbill or Ginger Nut. That third place did suggest some limitation. The major hope here is stepping up to 6f.
Arthur Kit hasn't received any entries for Tom Dascombe, but this debutante is well bred, the mare being Ceiling Kitty who won the Queen Mary Stakes Group 2 (2012). The betting details that this colt is first string. The stable do well at this racecourse.
2:45 Bath -
No significant entrants although New Queen and Country Rose may well be in the very near future.
3:55 Bath -
An interesting Class 3 EBF Novices' Stakes over 5f 160y on firm going.
Hua Hin is well regarded by the Hannon stable. This son of Dandy Man ran well to win on debut, although tiring in the closing stages. He was entered to run in the Lily Agnes but didn't take that route. This February foal has to shoulder a 6lb win penalty and reason why Gary Mahon takes off a valuable 5lb. I would expect Hua Hin to improve for that first start after a month off course.
Charles Hills has a few decent types this season. Ynys Mon ran in a Class 2 race on debut when stuck in the mud. This son of Olympic Glory is a good-looking colt but has temperamental issue. He has been too keen on both his last starts which may have become a habit. That is a problem. He may enjoy this firm ground and this small field shouldn't bring about traffic problems which didn't help at Chester. However, I would be worried if he is keen over this extended five furlongs especially at even money. If going a stride too fast it makes winning difficult.
7:30 Pontefract -
The best race on the day this Class 2 with win prize money of over £15,000. Just the five runners. Looks a trappy heat. Will be taking a watching brief.
Another quick update. A couple of two-year-old races to take a look at for Saturday. This time of the season the significant entries are pretty thin on the ground but still worthy of note.
1:55 Thirsk -
A Maiden Stakes over 5f on soft going. Nine two-year-olds take part. Just the one horse with race experience and significant entry Wasntexpectingthat. Richard Fahey has started the season with verve. Certainly, a few winners have gone in. Sabre looked impressive at Newcastle. Mr Buttons was the stable's first juvenile success. A class trainer who is able to ready debutantes like no other.
Wasntexpectingthat ran well when making his debut in the Brocklesby Conditions Stakes at Doncaster. In the ownership of the Good, Bad, Ugly and Deaf syndicate (sounds like a fun crowd) this son of Foxwedge cost 28,000G at the yearling sales. He was pretty fancied at 7/2. This bay colt wasn't best from the stalls and made good progress throughout the race to be the closest at the line. He finished third, beaten by a couple of lengths. The form of the race has been franked by the winner [Izzer] and fourth [Lihou] and eighth [Arthur's Spirt] who, to be fair, disappointed on debut. Fahey should have this colt primed and the ground shouldn't pose a problem. Personally, I wouldn't be betting at even money because you just never know who is in opposition.
5:10 Nottingham -
A Novice Stakes on soft going. Just four horses so not too much going on here.
Richard Hannon hasn't hit the winner mark with his juveniles this season. He has had a few runners at short odds but only a matter of time before one hits the mark.
Hua Hin is just one of two horses noted by the stable so far. Dixieland was fancied on debut at Kempton but had little chance after being badly hampered. It will be interesting to see how this chestnut goes. This son of Dandyman cost 70,000 Euros at the yearling sales.He has a tongue tie for this first start. I will be taking a watching brief.
From a statistical point of view Majestic Appeal has claims. He showed little on debut and would have need to have disappointed to hold any hope today. Horses disappoint on debut all too often so Karl Burke's charge could be seen to better effect.
Step Hollinshead's Tizwotitiz wasn't fancied in the Brocklesby Conditions Stakes and finished 7th. More is needed.
Mark Johnston has been a little bit hit and miss with his two-year-olds this time of year. It isn't a surprise as they can be a touch unreliable. Blown By Wind looked a decent type when stretching clear at Windsor. Delft Dancer has no significant entries at present but fancied in the betting.
This looks a trappy affair on testing ground.