Top 40 Prospects - 2 winners including Born A King (13/2)

It was a good day for the Top 40 Prospects in Ahead On The Flat with Born A King (13/2) and Valyrian Steel (2/7) winning at Lingfield and Beverley respectively on Tuesday. The former had proved disappointing in his first three races this summer but was given an enterprising ride by Tom Marquand when taking the ten furlongs handicap off a mark of 75. Fitted with cheekpieces for the first time and returning to a longer trip, he was committed before the home turn and had enough in reserve to win by a length and a half.

The latter hadn't been seen since winning on his racecourse debut at Newcastle on 'resumption day' at the start of June. Roger Varian's well bred son of Frankel had beaten Wise Glory at Gosforth Park but was then absent for 113 days. Returning at the East Yorkshire, he was workmanlike in victory under his penalty but was firmly on top at the finish. It will be interesting to see what rating he is allocated and where he heads next. Either way, he is a nice prospect for next year.

That comment also applies to Taqareer who is featured in the Unraced Three Year Olds section of AOTF. Runner-up on his belated racecourse bow at Chelmsford earlier this month, he confirmed that promise less than three weeks later in the ten furlongs novice stakes at Lingfield on Tuesday. Making all under Jim Crowley, he wasn't hard pressed to win by four and a half lengths and is another lovely long-term prospect for John Gosden and Hamdan Al Maktoum. 

Don't forget the Autumn Update is due to be published later this week - there is still time to order a copy via the Publications section of the site. The Update is £6.00.