Smart juveniles

On Wednesday, I made my penultimate trip of the year to Hamilton Park and, while the weather had an Autumnal feel to it and a crowd in keeping with a lower Scottish league fixture, it was an enjoyable trip nevertheless. Aside from catching up with the latest gossip from my esteemed colleague Gordon Brown - he's not called GB News for nothing - the highlight of the evening was the opening five furlongs maiden stakes for juveniles. It was won in convincing fashion by Sod Hall Lane, who had shaped with plenty of encouragement on his debut at Musselbugh. Racing prominently, the son of Blue Point quickened away inside the final furlong to score by two and a quarter lengths. At his best with some ease in the ground, according to his trainer Declan Carroll, he is likely to have one more run this year. Depending on his opening mark, one wonders whether he may line up in the £25,000 nursery over five furlongs at York (9th October). Either way, he is a decent prospect from a stable who have had a splinking of quality two years over the years.

Twenty four hours later, William Haggas sent out a treble at Haydock Park. The trio of winners included a most impressive debut success from the well bred Sharadd in the six furlongs novice stakes. A colt by Dark Angel and a half-brother to stablemate Binhareer, he was well touted beforehand and his supporters never had an anxious moment. Quickening up to lead a furlong out, he pulled away to win by six lengths. Entered in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket next month, it will be a surprise if he steps up in trip before the end of the year. Blessed with plenty of speed, one wonders whether he will be targeted at something like the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York (10th October) - his stable have won three of the last six renewals. I will endeavour to find out his future plans with William and will forward them in the Autumn Update. 

Subscribers to the Royal Ascot Update will be aware that Miss Miniver (11/10) was one of a selection of unraced two year olds to keep an eye on. A 800,000gns yearling, the half-sister to Group 1 winner Facteur Cheval shaped most encouragingly on her first start at Kempton last month finishing a neck. Roger Varian's filly confirmed that promise by going one better in a similar event at Salisbury on Thursday. Prominent throughout, Kieran Shoemark didn't have to get too serious aboard the Godolphin owned filly winning a shade cosily by a neck. Entered in the Group 1 Fillies Mile at Newmarket, something like the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes on the Rowley Mile (9th October) could be a more realistic next target.

The Autumn Update is available to purchase via the Publications section - it includes full analysis of the Autumn Double, namely the Cambridgeshire & Cesarewitch, the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe and the Cheveley Park & Middle Park Stakes amongst other major Autumn races. The Update will be emailed to clients on Thursday 24th September.

Just a remind, it is possible to pre order the new edition of One Jump Ahead and the Updates via the Publications section. I am continuing to work on the book which will go to the printers by the middle of this month.