May 5 – Curragh – Los Angeles – 86
No hanging around in this Group 2 with Galen ensuring it was a proper test at the trip and Aidan O’Brien’s inmate, a winner over 1m4f last season, was very much appreciative of the help. Sure to have benefitted greatly from this initial outing, the son of Camelot has a lot to look forward to for the remainder of the season and with races such as the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, King George and Arc muted as likely targets, this effort should provide him with the perfect platform from which to build. As for connections of the runner-up, White Birch, they must have been delighted the way the five-year-old grey shaped on his seasonal bow also and he too should have plenty to say at this level going forward.
May 7 – Chester – Lambourn – 81
As the rest of the week panned out, the first of the Derby trials was a precursor as to how events were to unfold with Aidan O’Brien sweeping the board with his Epsom contenders. The son of Australia was first cab off the rank in the Chester Vase and the way he went about his work in the closing stages pointed towards a horse who has many likeable and relevant attributes normally associated with previous Derby winners. Although nothing flash, he just got the job done in a thoroughly professional fashion and his overall speed figure already puts him in the conversation for possible Epsom honours.
May 9 – Chester – Two Tempting – 83
The data suggests this extended seven furlong handicap on the Roodee was one of the strongest of its kind all week and the winner seemingly keeps on improving. A winner of fives races last season, you could understand if the six-year-olds form dipped a shade this term but on the evidence of this effort, his graph seems to be going in the other direction. Always moving like the winner, he gradually exerted his superiority to wear down Partisan Hero and with the pair well clear, the form looks solid. having won over the straight mile at Ascot before, one would imagine he will go straight to The Royal Hunt Cup in a month’s time.
May 9 – Nottingham – Excellent Believe – 81
Just an ordinary maiden on paper beforehand but the numbers produced by the winner suggest it’s a race to take very seriously going forward. Jumping out to make all the running, Jack Channon’s colt soon had the field at full stretch and the further he went in the home straight, the better he looked. Posting a very fast time figure, the son of Make Believe left the impression a mile is right at the bottom of his stamina range and it will be fascinating to see what mark he receives off the assessor. One to watch.
May 10 – Leicester – Shaman Champion – 71
There were a few nice two-year-olds dotted around last week, Society Kiss, being one to catch the eye on her debut at Ascot earlier in the week (70 Speed figure), but pride of place goes to Richard Hughes’ colt who created the most impactful impression on his opening bow. Reportedly said to have been going well beforehand, the son of Shaman moved accordingly throughout the early exchanges and once set about his business inside the final furlong, he lengthened his stride impressively to notch a facile success. A 71 overall is one of the best figures we have awarded a juvenile so far this campaign and then when you add into the mix his 33.5 closing sectional, we are dealing with a horse who has to be on the shortlist for one of the two-year-old races at the Royal meeting.
May 10 – Naas – Albert Einstein – 70
Sometimes the figures just tell half the story and that may prove to be the case with this son of Wootton Bassett, Touted to be one of Aidan O’Brien’s sharpest two-year-olds in the pre-race chat, he had a useful guide in the shape of Evening Blues to beat and although it took him a while to finally master his main market rival, the manner of his victory barely does him justice. Well on top once finally finding his stride inside the final furlong, he left the impression he had only scratched the surface of his true ability and considering he still was able to post a smart overall time and backend sectionals to match, the future looks extremely bright for this powerfully-built colt. Likely to have one more spin before the Coventry at Royal Ascot, even odds as short as 3-1 could look very good value in a month’s time. Top class prospect.
May 11 – Newcastle – Sam Hawkens – 84
A well contested affair won in the style of a rapidly improving handicapper for whom bigger things are highly likely. Although he did gain an advantage by bagging the stands side rail, he left the impression he would have won anyway and the time figure points towards him being a potentially well treated horse when going back on the turf.