11th February 2015
Read Mark Howard's interview on the three year olds at Beckhampton.
Mark Howard works for Racing UK and is the author of Ahead On The Flat - http://mhpublications.co.uk/
THREE YEAR OLDS
ACCRA BEACH(USA) ch g Speightstown (USA) – Didina
A half-brother to dual Listed winner Tantina (the dam of Bated Breath and Cityscape), he ran a race full of promise when runner-up at Windsor on his debut in July. He then went to Newbury the following month but became unsettled beforehand. Having been keen going to post, he was restless in the stalls and, while he was only beaten three parts of a length, I would be inclined to put a line through the run. We have gelded him since and given him plenty of time. He is a big strong horse who had been working well prior to his run at Windsor. I think six furlongs will be his trip for the time being.
ACOLYTE (
Third on his debut behind Elm Park at Newbury, he used his experience next time when producing a good performance to win at Kempton. I was disappointed with him at York and I am hoping it was due to the ground even though he handled soft conditions at Newbury. He also played up in the stalls beforehand, which may have contributed to his performance. Gelded since, I hope he will improve and be competitive off his current rating. He isn’t short of speed and six furlongs should suit him.
ALLEZ ALAIA (
An unraced filly with a very nice pedigree being by Pivotal out of a King’s Stand Stakes winner. She is a full-sister to triple Group 1 winner Halfway To Heaven and a half-sister to Tickled Pink. A strong, laid back filly, she hasn’t shown a great deal at home yet, but did a lot of growing and I hope she will make her mark this year. We will probably start her in a seven furlongs maiden.
ALLUMAGE b f Montjeu (
An unknown quantity, she is an athletic filly who had a few setbacks hence she didn’t run last year. Quite a neat, strong filly, her pedigree suggests she will stay a mile and a half.
ARROWTOWN b f Rail Link – Protectress
A half-sister to Stand Guard, she is a big, rangy filly who is bred to stay. Seventh on her only start at Kempton in the Autumn, the penny dropped late on and she stayed on at the finish. I view her as a middle distance filly in the making.
ATAMAN (
Another unknown quantity, he wasn’t ready to run as a juvenile due to a few issues. However, he is a strong good moving colt who gives the impression he will stay well.
Placed in both his races over a mile last year, he has a mixed pedigree and may be suited by a drop in trip this season. He has the look of a sprinter. Runner-up on his debut at Ffos Las on bad ground, he travelled strongly at Nottingham next time and looked like winning at the two furlongs marker. He didn’t quite finish off his race though and we will therefore start him off over six or seven furlongs this year.
CHAMPAGNE
An unraced full-sister to Clowance, she is bred to stay middle distances. She incurred a minor setback during the Autumn and is very much an unknown quantity.
CLOWANCE
Out of Clowance, he has a mixed pedigree of speed and stamina but was too backward to run last year. He is lazy at home but it is early days.
INTIZARA b f Dansili – Landela
An attractive and nicely bred filly, she showed promise at home but didn’t run in the autumn due to the ground being too soft. She will start off over a mile or ten furlongs and I hope she is above average.
JUDICIAL (
Out of Listed winner Marlinka, who we used to train, he did nothing wrong last season winning all three of his races, including two maidens (subsequently awarded the race on his debut at Newbury due to a prohibitive substance found in the winner Strath Burn). He has done well physically during the winter and there is a decent programme for three year old sprint handicappers. Although he takes a bit of settling, I hope he will stay six furlongs but not much further.
LIBBARD ch f Galileo (
A big lengthy filly, she was still on the weak side last year but ran a race full of promise when a running on fourth in a mile maiden at Doncaster at the backend. She was forced to switch but stayed on well and wasn’t subjected to a hard race. A mile and a half will suit her but she will start off in a ten furlongs maiden and she could develop into a nice staying filly.
MARMOT b c Champs Elysees– Winter Bloom (USA)
Fifth on his debut at Salisbury, I was a bit disappointed with him next time at Wolverhampton when only finishing fourth. It wasn’t a particularly good race either and I view him as a ten furlongs handicapper in the making.
MASTER ZEPHYR b g Shirocco (GER) – Missy Dancer
He appreciated stepping up to an extended mile at Wolverhampton on his final run last year. I thought he won well because he came from an unpromising position and was given a very good ride by George Baker. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree and he ought to stay a mile and a half. His dam won over middle distances and he is open to improvement.
McCREERY b c Big Bad Bob (
A half-brother to Thistle Bird, it was a nice surprise when he made a winning debut at Newbury in September. He is quite a light framed colt and I was concerned about the ground beforehand. George (Baker) was instructed not to punish him first time out and he still won in good style. The form has worked out, too, with the second, third, fourth and eighth winning since and the handicapper has given him a mark of 85, which appears fair. I don’t think he will have any trouble operating on good or fast ground and, while he will probably start in a one mile handicap, he will hopefully stay ten furlongs even though there is plenty of speed in his pedigree.
MELODICA b f Dansili – Maganda (
A big, rangy filly out of a Sadler’s Wells mare, she was weak and backward last year. I thought she ran well on her debut at Newbury in testing conditions. She then finished fourth at Lingfield and wasn’t beaten far, albeit in a weak maiden. While her form isn’t anything special, I hope she will improve when tackling ten furlongs plus.
MOUNTAIN RESCUE (
An inexpensive buy, he won well on his debut at Kempton and then probably improved to finish second next time at the same track over an extra furlong. Rated 80, he is possibly high enough but, being by High Chaparral, he should progress as a three year old. I would expect him to stay at least ten furlongs.
OOTY HILL gr c Dubawi (
A very big horse, he couldn’t have done any more on his debut at Newmarket towards the backend. He had been going nicely at home and therefore his victory wasn’t a surprise. Having said that, he had been working well on the bridle and there is always a chance a lack of experience and greenness will catch them out. However, he travelled well and powered away, despite being carried to his left entering the dip. I am not sure what will prove his optimum trip but he may stay a mile and a half because he is a half-brother to Dare To Achieve. I would expect him to start off over a mile or ten furlongs and I will be disappointed if he doesn’t progress as a three year old. I don’t view him as a Guineas horse and he doesn’t hold a Derby entry, at this stage, but that could change. I would think he will run in a conditions/Listed race in the spring and we will see how he gets on. Physically, he has done very well from two to three and Andrea Atzeni, who was having his first ride for us, said he was professional throughout at Newmarket and really listened to him by dropping in and relaxing from the outset. The ground on the Rowley Mile course was soft and I don’t know whether he will be as effective on a faster surface because his pedigree includes both Dubawi and Linamix.
ORIENTAL SPLENDOUR (
Placed in two of his five races last year, he has a few pieces of form which are encouraging. I was pleased with the manner in which he finished at Kempton last time and his mark of 69 looks reasonable. I will be disappointed if he can’t win.
PETIT TRIANON b f Dansili – Jolie Etoile (USA)
Unraced, she looked promising last year but suffered a setback in mid summer. The time off may prove a blessing in disguise because she has developed physically.
ROYAL SILK b f Royal Applause – Silky Dawn (
She surprised us when winning on her final start last year at Kempton. Even though she had worked quite well, she had been disappointing on her first two runs. The handicapper has granted her a mark of 77, which gives her a chance. Despite the fact she isn’t over big, I hope she will improve and I expect her to stay further than six furlongs.
SCOONER (USA) ch c Mizzen Mast (USA) – Palisade (USA)
A full-brother to Sea Defence, he doesn’t possess his physique and isn’t as a good as him at this stage but he ran much better on his second start at Newbury when finishing third. He held every chance inside the final couple of furlongs but probably got found out by the soft ground late on. He ought to improve from two to three and I hope he will develop into a nice ten furlongs handicapper.
SKATE gr g Verglas (
From a very good family being a half-brother to Mince and Stomp, he won his maiden at Haydock on his final run. We have gelded him and I hope he will make his mark in three year old sprints over six furlongs. It is possible he is at his best with some cut in the ground.
SUFFUSED ch f Champs Elysees– Scuffle
A nice filly who is out of Scuffle and from the family of Bated Breath and Cityscape. She had been working well prior to making a winning debut at Newmarket’s final meeting in November. It may not have been the strongest of maidens but she didn’t have a hard race and still won nicely. She is a big filly and will run in a handicap off her mark of 79. I think she will stay ten furlongs.
TIME TEST b c Dubawi (
A colt with an impressive pedigree, I was disappointed when he was beaten on his debut at Newbury. He then enjoyed the run of the race at Sandown next time against inexperienced horse, winning comfortably. Runner-up in a novice event over the same course and distance last time. He has the potential to be a nice horse and, being a half-brother to Retirement Plan, I hope he will stay a mile and a half. Rated 91, we will look for a suitable handicap to begin with.
WHEAT SHEAF b c Iffraaj – Harvest Queen (
He is a big rangy colt who is a half-brother to Listed winner Barley Mow. I thought he ran very well on his only start at Newmarket, on the same card as Ooty Hill, showing a lot of promise. Beaten a short head, greenness prevented him from making a winning debut but he didn’t have a hard race and is open to plenty of improvement. I am not sure how far he will stay but I would imagine he will start off in a one mile maiden. He wasn’t as forward as Ooty Hill even though he had worked nicely before going to Newmarket and, being a big horse, he ought to be progressive.
ZEB UN NISA b f Iffraaj – Tullynally
She is a small filly who may have shown her best form last year. A winner at Bath, she was fourth in the Listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket and the aim is to gain some black type this season. She is a fast filly who is suited by sprint trips.