Smart juveniles

Richard Hughes' juveniles have been in decent form this term with 8 winners from 39 runners (21%) and the Lambourn trainer introduced a smart looking filly at Haydock on Thursday. America Queen is a daughter of Havana Grey who was purchased for €180,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland breeze-up sale in late May. Owned by Jaber Abdullah, the grey filly may not have been the quickest into stride but she was soon on terms before unleashing a good turn of foot in the six furlongs fillies' maiden at the Merseyside track. Leading over a furlong out, she quickened away inside the final furlong to win hard held by a dozen lengths. Her owner is not averse to having a crack at the bigger prizes and it would be no surprise to see America Queen line up in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot (26th July) before having a tilt at the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York the following month. Jaber Abdullah won both those contests with the Brian Meehan trained Lady In The Desert in 2009 and he will be hoping lightning strikes twice with this potentially exciting filly.  

During the same afternoon, George Boughey unleashed an equally promising filly in the Highclere Thoroughbred owned Radiance at Yarmouth. Lining up in the fillies' maiden over seven furlongs, she was also a breeze-up buy (150,000gns) and a daughter of Farhh. Sent off 5/6 favourite, she was partnered by Ryan Moore and, having shown signs of inexperience during the first half of the contest, she led over two out and stretched away in the closing stages. A four and a quarter lengths winner, she hit the line strongly clocking a top speed of 40.71mph inside the final furlong. She looks Pattern level material and it will be interesting to see if she is fast tracked into a Listed / Group race next time. Either the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown (24th July) or the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket (9th August) could come under consideration. The same connections subsequent Royal Ascot winner Soprano was placed in both events a couple of years ago.

The Andrew Balding trained Assiri Heights was due to make his racecourse debut at Newbury on Thursday evening but was unfortunately a non runner. Owned by Juddmonte, the Frankel colt is out of Listed winner Archer's Dream and was bought for 700,000gns as a yearling. Highly regarded, he has reportedly shown plenty at home and is very much a name to keep an eye on when he does make his racecourse bow in the coming weeks. 

It is a big weekend for the Top 40 in Ahead On The Flat with Ombudsman (Group 1 Coral Eclipse), Estrange (Group 2 Lancashire Oaks) and Convergent (Group 1 German Derby) all being declared.