May 13 – Chepstow – Angel Numbers – 71
The Dr Newland & Jamie Insole operation introduced two nice youngsters to the fray during this week (Spinning Lizzie the other) and based on our data, this daughter of Profitable is certainly the sharper/better of the pair. Well fancied on debut at the Welsh venue, she raced keenly in behind a decent pace set and when asked to go and put the race to bed inside the final furlong, she did so with a smart turn of foot. Scoring in ready fashion, she left the impression she could turn out to be a stakes filly in time and at 50k, she looks money well spent at this stage.
May 14 – York – Whirl – 84
Not a particularly strong-looking Musidora on paper beforehand but as things panned out, a race with a time figure which suggested it’s form worth following and the winner looks booked to take her place in the French Oaks according to the post-race reports. Slightly disappointing on her seasonal bow at the Curragh, Aidan O’Brien’s filly was expected to improve on all fronts for the step up in trip, but even so, her performance in dishing out a five-and-a-half length was way beyond what was anticipated, Clearly relishing the galloping nature of the track and extended 1m2f, the daughter of Wootton Bassett should easily stay even further as the year progresses but she is not short of speed either and connections have a decision to make over the next few weeks whether it will be the Prix Dianne or The Epsom Oaks next.
May 15 – York – See The Fire – 84
American Affair (83) posted another smart speed figure in the opener on day two of the Dante meeting but Jim Goldie’s gelding was usurped by Andrew Balding’s filly who ran out the most impressive winner on the card. Slightly disappointing at Sandown on her seasonal bow, the daughter of Sea The Stars was extremely well supported to leave that run well behind and given a confident ride by Oisin Murphy, she came through powerfully to scoot clear to the tune of 12 lengths. The four-year-old now has plenty of options going forward with the main target likely to be the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in August.
May 15 – York – The Man – 78
Not that much to shout home about on the figures on the final day except this five furlong handicap won by a horse who left behind him a poor end to the last campaign. Returning to the fray following a break and surgeries to both his wind and gonads, Richard Spencer’s gelding fairly sprinted clear of his opponents once striking the front with a furlong to travel and his overall time figure suggested there was no fluke about his performance. On the evidence of this display, the assessor will have to rejig his sums but there could still be more to come from this lightly-raced gelding and he deserves to be followed until proven otherwise.
May 16 – Leopardstown – Italy – 74
The Dublin venue staged a varied card on Friday evening and Kyprios was, unsurprisingly, the star of the show as far as the overall time figures are concerned with a 84 in the Saval Beg. However, we would like to highlight the performance of Aidan O’Brien’s newcomer in the opening two-year-old contest as the horse to take out of the meeting going forward. Well touted beforehand, the son of Wootton Bassett settled nicely in behind the pace set by Thesecretadversary and although it took him a while engage top gear, once he did he really impressed in the latter stages. Going on strongly as the finish, the well build colt clocked a really smart time figure for a race of its kind – the quickest we have of any juvenile so far this season – and although he is likely to miss Royal Ascot due to a slight alteration to the conditions of The Chesham Stakes, there are still many big races awaiting this exciting youngster during the remainder of the campaign.
May 17 – Newbury – Saddadd – 82
You would have anticipated the Group 1 Lockinge would supply the best speed figure on the eight-race card at the Berkshire track but that wasn’t the case as pride of place went for the second year in succession to the London Gold Cup. Similarly to the contest won by King’s Gambit last season, it was run at a searching pace and the winner proved equal to the task, staying on strongly to pick off the front-running Lightening Mann close home. Seemingly taking a step forward from his previous effort behind the side-lined Gethin over the same C&D, Roger Varian’s colt has the look of the pattern race performer in-waiting and a good deal will depend on whether he goes down that route next time out with how the handicapper reacts to this performance. Of the rest, the runner-up has to be given plenty of credit for hanging tough for as long as he did after using up petrol from his outside gate, while both Asmen Warrior and Wave Rider ran better than the bare result indicates. The former’s propensity to hang into the far rail ultimately cost him from showing his true worth, while the latter was given far too much to do on his first try at the trip. Strong form.