THREE YEAR OLDS
by kind permission of Mark Howard author of AHEAD ON THE FLAT & RACING UK
ABATED b f Dansili – Tantina (USA)
A very well bred filly being a full-sister to Bated Breath and a half-sister to Cityscape, she showed promise in both her races last year. She has always worked nicely at home and, having finished sixth on her debut at Newbury, she was runner-up at Kempton next time. Both her races have been over six furlongs but I hope she will stay further. She has shown enough to suggest she can win a maiden before climbing the ladder.
CANDOLUMINESCENCE b or br f Dansili – Flash Of Gold
A half-sister to Moidore, she is a big scopey filly who showed progressive form in her two maidens last Autumn. She won’t be running until a bit later than the others but her pedigree suggests she is going to stay well as a three year old.
DAWN OF EMPIRE b f Empire Make (USA) - Didina
A big rangy unraced filly, she is well bred being related to Bated Breath and Cityscape. However, she is very much an unknown quantity at this stage.
DEFIANT SPIRIT ch g Compton Place - Muffled (USA)
He is an unraced gelding by Compton Place and a half brother to five winners over sprint distances. He was immature last year but he has strengthened up well over the winter.
DON MARCO b g Choisir (AUS) – Dolma (FR)
He showed plenty of promise on his debut at Newbury finishing fourth before winning readily next time at Goodwood. A shade keen early on, he did the job well. Although he isn’t over big, he possesses ability and is progressive. He has worn a hood on both starts but it is a family trait because his half-sister Thistle Bird is the same. We will be aiming him at the good three year old six furlongs handicaps, he has a BHA rating of 88.
DUNDONNELL (USA)
DUNDONNELL (USA) b c First Defence (USA) – Family (USA) I have been pleased with him during the winter because he has done well and grown again. Twice a winner last year, including the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York, I thought he ran very well in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. I was delighted with the way he handled the preliminaries because he had been edgy at Doncaster on St Leger day on his previous start. There was a huge crowd on that occasion to see Camelot and he got worked up beforehand. However, I think the run at Santa Anita helped him grow up. I thought he did well to finish fourth. A horse with lots of scope and potential, I view him as a miler and he is likely to be given a Guineas preparation. Fast ground suits him well.
FIRST SECRETARY b f Nayef (USA) – Spinning Queen
An inexperienced filly, she is related to Gallipot and Trade Commissioner who both improved with age. She is a nice looking filly who showed promise on her only outing at Lingfield racing wide turning for home. I would expect her to come into her own over middle distances.
GREENERY (IRE) b f Green Desert (USA) – Go Between
A small neat filly, she won handily at Wolverhampton on her final start. Despite the fact she lacks a bit of scope, I would be disappointed if she couldn’t win more races off her current mark of 71. She has plenty of speed and is a sprinter.
INAUGURAL b g Invincible Spirit (IRE) – Anasazi (IRE)
Well held on a couple of occasions, he ran well on his second start at Newbury when finishing fourth. The handicapper has given him a mark of 75 and he will head down that route straightaway. I would expect him to stay at least a mile this year and I hope he will improve.
IMPASSE b f Dansili - Meetyouthere (IRE)
She is the first foal of a winning mare from the family of Infamy, Innuendo & Moon Queen. She is still an unknown quantity but she is bred to stay and moves well.
LIBERTY JACK (IRE) b g Sakhee (USA) – Azeema (IRE)
A half-brother to Trader Jack and a relation of Al Kazeem, he showed promise at home prior to his debut at Newbury. Still immature both mentally and physically last year, he is a horse of potential.
MAGOG br g Dansili – Margarula (IRE)
He won the other division of a maiden race at Salisbury in October to So Beloved on his debut but the form hasn't really been franked as yet. He is a scopey horse though and his dam won the Irish Oaks for Jim Bolger suggesting he will stay ten and twelve furlongs. His rating of 75 gives him a chance, especially as he still looked immature last year. He clearly enjoyed soft ground at Salisbury and Ian Mongan said he could tell he liked it on the way to the start. It remains to be seen whether it is a necessity.
MAWSON b g Starcraft (NZ) – No Fear No Favour (AUS)
Sixth on both his starts at Newbury and Kempton last season, he suffered with sore shins .He was an immature horse last year but I am hoping he will have benefited from being gelded and from a winter break.
PYTHAGOREAN b g Oasis Dream – Hypoteneuse (IRE)
Despite being placed in all four of his starts, I was disappointed he couldn’t get his head in front last year. His homework was encouraging but his pedigree has a mixture of speed and stamina. We have gelded him since and hopefully he will win a maiden before going down the handicap route. He possesses the size and scope to make a nice three year old and he is rated 78.
QUEST FOR MORE (IRE) b c Teofilo (IRE) – No Quest (IRE)
Fourth at Kempton on his second start, he is a rangy, leggy horse who will want a trip this year. He needs one more race before going handicapping and is a big galloping horse. I hope he is the type to improve as the year goes on.
RAILSTAR b f Rail Link - Widescreen
Unraced, she has shown promise in her work at home and she's a full sister to Newnton Lodge. She is an unknown quantity at this stage.
RANDOM SUCCESS b.f. Sharmadal (USA) - Foreplay (IRE)
She was bought at the Doncaster breeze-up sales in April last year. Foreplay won twice and she is the dam of two winners from two runners. She moves well and we will know more about her next month.
RUSSIAN LINK b f Rail Link - Zathonia
Another unraced filly, she is slightly highly strung but is attractive and I hope she will make her mark and is related to Top Offer.
SECONDO (FR) b c Sakhee’s Secret – Royal Jade
A nice looking colt who had shown promise last season. I thought he ran well on his debut at Newbury before running slightly below par next time at Windsor. He has been enjoying a winter break at his owner's stud and I would like to think he can win a maiden before going handicapping over sprint distances.
SERENITY SPA gr f Excellent Art – Molly Mello (GER)
Runner-up on her debut at Ascot, it is possible she was flattered by that performance because she failed to win either of her next two starts on the AW. She is a scopey filly though who ought to improve as a three year old. A half-sister to Brunston, she will hopefully stay a mile and has a rating of 73.
SIBAYA b f Exceed And Excel (AUS) – Abunai
An unraced lightly framed filly, she has plenty of speed in her pedigree, her dam Abunai won three times for us over 5 and 6 furlongs in 2006 and we will probably start her off in a six furlongs maiden shortly. She is a good mover who didn't come into training until mid summer last year.
SO BELOVED b c Dansili – Valencia
A very big horse measuring 16.2hh who I have always liked. He is a lovely moving horse and I think weakness caught him out on his debut at Newbury when he got tired. He travelled well and won comfortably next time at Salisbury but I made a mistake running him again at Newmarket. When he got to the start, he got upset and worked up and was fractious in the stalls. He then pulled too hard in the race and didn’t get home. I have been pleased with him during the winter and he will start off in a handicap, currently rated 88, over either seven or eight furlongs.
TARTARY (IRE) b c Oasis Dream – Tamso (USA)
He confirmed the promise he showed on his debut by winning next time at Kempton over 6 furlongs and is a colt with plenty of scope. The form looks fair with the runner-up and fifth winning since. Nicely bred, he will start off over six furlongs but should stay further. There is a possibility he will get a mile.
THE DARK WIZARD (IRE) gr g Dark Angel (IRE) - Knapton Hill
He is an unraced gelding by Dark Angel and a half brother to the winning two year old Pitlochry. His second dam Torgau won the Cherry Hinton Gr. 2. He is still an unknown quantity but he is a big and strong horse who looks like a sprinter.
TOP TRAIL (USA) b or br f Exchange Rate (USA) – Trekking (USA)
A half-sister to Deck Walk who we used to train, she displayed a bit of promise on her only outing at Kempton towards the backend and is another from the family of Cityscape and Bated Breath. Hopefully she will improve as a three year old and ought to be effective over six and seven furlongs.