Exciting prospects for Top 40

Last season's outstanding juvenile colt Native Trail was the headline act on the second day of the Craven meeting at Newmarket and Charlie Appleby's colt didn't disappoint with an authoratitive display in the Group 3 Craven Stakes. The unbeaten son of Oasis Dream showed his trade mark turn of foot when hitting the rising ground and powering clear to beat Claymore by three and a half lengths. The 2000 Guineas over the same C&D will be next and the Godolphin runner will have leading claims, although his stablemate Coroebus will ensure he doesn't have it all his own way.

The Top 40 Prospects in Ahead On The Flat had their first runners on the Rowley Mile and Ameynah (Evens) and New London (6/4) ensured it was a positive start with two smart performances. The former had shaped with plenty of promise on her only start at the same track last Autumn and Roger Varian's filly confirmed the view with a decisive victory in the seven furlongs fillies' maiden which kicked off the card. A big powerful daughter of Exceed And Excel, she travelled strongly throughout before readily pulling away for an easy three and three quarters of a length win. She looks every inch a Pattern filly in the making. 

New London had won on his debut over ten furlongs in October and the Dubawi colt returned to the same C&D for a novice stakes and defied a penalty in style. Always prominently, Charlie Appleby's colt is bred to stay well and he lengthened away inside the final furlong to beat another previous winner Aldous Huxley comfortably. Once again, he looks a future Pattern perfomer and it wouldn't be surprised to see him tackle a Derby trial this spring. The further he goes, the better he will be. 

Sir Bob Parker (47/10) is featured in the Maidens In Waiting section of AOTF and David Menuisier's colt ensured it was a good day for followers of the book by winning a ten furlongs conditions stakes at Chantilly on Wednesday. The son of Siyouni is another who is bred to stay well and he edged out Mirabad with two and a half lengths back to the third. He looks useful and it won't be long before he tackles Pattern company, too.

Ahead On The Flat attempts to highlight exciting horses for the future and Ameynah, New London and Sir Bob Parker all fall into that category.

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