British 2yo Racing - 2007 Season
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Racing Preview - June 21st 
Today's Races
  • [200] : Ascot 2:30, 5f Group 2 (1) "Norfolk Stakes"
  • [201] : Lingfield AW 2:20, 5f Fillies' Auction (5)
  • [202] : Ripon 1:40, 6f Maiden (5) Div I
  • [203] : Ripon 2:10, 6f Maiden (5) Div II

  • Checkout
    Trainer :
  • Trainer Royal Ascot records in 2yo races 2002-6.
  • Paddock Review :
  • Captain Royale has been featured in a 'Horse Of The Week' (see June 11th Preview) and is entered in the first division of the 6f maiden at Ripon, if the meeting passes the 7:30am inspection (and if he runs). He is one of a number of runners in the two divisions who were declared at York last week before that meeting was abandoned. He seems to have landed in a winnable race STO unless perhaps Choisette improves notably for 6f on easier ground. The debut second of boomtown is not that good and Kevin Ryan's newcomer Cobo Bay does not look like a high class one on profile.
  • Ratings :
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      June 20th Summary : 
     
    • A good question would be what has the first three 2yo races at Ascot on the Tuesday & Wednesday taught us? The Irish Form seems to be a little above the British average with a 1st & 4th in the Coventry and a 1st & 3rd in the Queen Mary. The form from the Listed races run so far has looked below the level required with The Marygate/Hilary Needler fillies not competing well and the 1st & 2nd from the National Stakes both unplaced in the Queen Mary. The leading horses from the 6f Woodcote have managed a 5th in the Coventry as a peak. A useful reminder that the best form is often elsewhere in early season and those Listed races 'precociousness chanpionships'. The British trained placed runners so far have previously run in Novice events at Catterick, Brighton & Windsor, an important Newmarket maiden and in one case - Kingsgate Native - hadn't run at all prior to Ascot.
    • First season sire Acclamation has a test to see how his precocious winners fare as the season develops. The results from the three races so far suggest they might not quite make the Group race grade. Cee Bargara was an honourable 6th in the Coventry with a slightly bigger and heavier version of him - Pencil Hill - was a little ahead in fourth. Dark Angel was only 11th in the Windsor Castle and the Hannon fillies Cake (5th) & Sweepstake (19th) unplaced in the Queen Mary. Oasis Dream of the freshmen sires has come closest to a winer with Starlit Sands. Elnadim isn't very fashionable but has given us Queen Mary winner Elletelle to follow up two of the best British 2yos of last season with Caldra and Wi Dud.
    • Amongst the trainers Jamie Osborne seems to have got his 2yos in top form for the meeting. Jeremy Noseda has again shown his knowledge of his horses by bringing Francesca D'Gorgio back from a laughably inept debut to a 20/1 fourth in the Queen Mary. A good sign for Baffled's chances in the Albany on Friday. Peter Chapple-Hyam hasn't had a good start with unplaced runs for Declaration Of War (a little disappointing given he beat Mount Pleasure & Cee Bargara at Epsom) and Polar Circle (as expected). Which brings us to the main 5f race at the meeting for the males with, the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. Here is the Class Ladder :-
    Class Level Norfolk Stakes
    86-90
    81-85 Winker Watson (85)

    Spirit Of Sharjah (82)
    Warsaw (81)

    76-80

    Strike The Deal (76)

    71-75 Bespoke Boy (75)
    Art Advisor (74), Kingsgate Native (74)

    Carleton (72), Silver Guest (72)

    66-70 Cracking (70)

    Enodoc (66), Roker Park (66)

    61-65
    Jebel Tara (originally 'Tarqak') (63)

    Magical Speedfit (60)

    • The Irish form is represented by Aiden O'Brien's Warsaw who now ties into the British form via both of his runs. He won a 6f maiden on debut from Irish Jig who came over to run in the Listed Woodcote Stakes and was punted down to favourite. but never got into the race from a wide draw. He made a little progress to finish 8th from 10th at halfway but made less ground than Cee Bargara. He won a Listed event in Ireland over the weekend. On his second outing he dropped back to 5f to win a Listed race from filly The Loan Express (3rd in the Queen Mary yesterday). However, reading that form is made more difficult because Mick Channon's Silver Guest was in third just over 2 lengths behind Warsaw. He went on to finish just behind Declaration Of War (on debut) next time and clear of some disappointments who have stunk the place out at shorter odds in various races since. In short a sound profile and givent he results so far the Irish angle has to be respected. But, there are two possible better prospects.
    • Winker Watson won the infamous early 5f Newbury maiden comfortably but the performance of those behind subsequently has shown he wasn't beating too much. However, he looked a very well grown and mature 2yo and one that could be relied on to improve from that effort. His trainer has always been very positive about him and it is a good sign he has always targeted this race with him. Spirit Of Sharjah is the other Listed race winners and had to achieve even less than the others so far to win a weak affair at Goodwood. On his debut he showed a notable ability to quicken but. like Winker Watson, was going away from ordinary types (the runner-up was well beaten in the Windsor Castle). He appeals as having less scope to improve than Winker Watson from what we have already seen although presents a good opponent.
    • Acclamation has two more runners with Bespoke Boy (presumably chosen by Dettori over Noseda's Strike The Deal) and Cracking. They both ran int he 6f Woodcote and drop back to 5f. Bespoke Boy showed good all round pace and after being hampered as Baytown Blaze hung off the bend took off to a clear lead and only got caught as he faded late on. The drop to 5f looks a good option but on profile he comes up short of the best. Cracking looks like a typical precocious type of his sire who isn't going to develop notable from now on.
    • Assuming that Drawnfromthepast and Dream Eater don't run the level of the Windsor Castle form may be tested by Kingsgate Native who finished 2nd on debut. The overall level of that form doesn't look that strong (initially given an estimate in the mid-70s) and the profile assumes he runs to a similar level here. The time for the Windsor Castle was fast, as were all races on the day, but it should be noted that there was a very strong tailwind up the course on Tuesday. That had moved around to being a crosswind and perhaps a very mild headwind on Wednesday for the Queen Mary. The fast times probably also owe something to the course redevelopment. At two places on the sprint course the track is very shallow in depth as it passes over a road bridge and then a pedestrian tunnel - there's a furlong and more of no 'water table' and the rest of the track has been completely regraded seems to drain very quickly.
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