JUST WILLIAM: Horses To Follow (Flat)

Hello, one and all!

Spring is here, and that brings many sporting joys – including the start of the flat season. Now whilst the jumps are nowhere near done with yet – we have three Grand Nationals and Punchestown to go – some of the top names on the level are getting ready to go and there are a whole host of promising horses set to hit the track.

With that in mind, here’s a mix of horses – some more high profile than others, mainly leaning towards three-year-olds – that can hopefully provide a good interest over the next few months.

Anmaat (Owen Burrows)

One of the most impressive horses of last season, landing the John Smith’s Cup on his comeback before smashing the 118-rated Grocer Jack in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes. Sent to the Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Arc weekend, he coped with very soft ground and showed a good attitude to take the Group 2 prize, and he can surely make an impact at the highest level this year.

Arecibo (Robert Cowell)

A hint of recency bias here – as Arecibo flashed home to take second at Lingfield in a good class 2 event there – but Robert Cowell’s veteran could be well handicapped off 103 if getting a strong pace to run at, and he can be a value option in big field sprint handicaps. A contest or two at Ascot could be of particular interest for him.

Bluestocking (Ralph Beckett)

Bred to be high class (out of Dermot Weld’s Group 1 winner Emulous) and showed a massive engine to catch her rivals after running all over the place at Salisbury on debut. The third has since won twice to boost the form but Bluestocking is surely much better than she showed there and the Oaks could be a target down the line.

Infinite Cosmos (Sir Michael Stoute)

Looks a typical improver for Sir Michael Stoute, having just failed to overcome a slow start on her debut at Doncaster when she conceded too much ground to Sea Of Roses, who’d enjoyed the benefit of previous experience. That form reads even better now after Sea Of Roses was second in the Prix Penelope to the high-class Pensee Du Jour on her seasonal reappearance, and this filly could be pattern class herself.

Israr (John and Thady Gosden)

Was a disappointment in the November handicap when strongly fancied, having won impressively at Doncaster the time before. He’d shaped like a pattern performer when landing the London Gold Cup last May and he can make his mark in group company this season, with a stiff 10 furlongs and upwards likely to suit.

King Of Steel (Roger Varian)

Looked like a superstar when smashing his rivals on debut at Nottingham before finding the step upto Group 1 company in the Vertem Futurity Stakes when he was only seventh. He’s better than that result suggests and can pick up the winning thread in calmer waters this season before his sights are raised.

Mascapone (David Simcock)

Fourth in the Brocklesby to begin last season and ended it in eye-catching style when an unlucky fourth in a Newmarket Nursery off 89 (winner Desert Orders had previously won the Convivial Stakes at Ascot). He can obviously rate better than that and he shaped as if a mile is within his compass this season.

Tarjeeh (Owen Burrows)

There can’t be many maiden winners with stronger form than Tarjeeh, who had eight subsequent winners behind him at Newbury (was stepping upto 7f after finding 6f too short on debut). He holds a Dante Stakes entry but he would be well worth trying at a mile beforehand, especially given his breeding.

The Gatekeeper (Charlie Johnston)

Formerly a useful juvenile, he won his handicap debut after a long time out with a fractured leg (sustained in the 2021 Coventry). Bred to stay at least a mile, he was impressive when landing a Newcastle handicap over 7f off 85, and he ran with real credit in the Spring Mile at Doncaster on very testing ground. He could improve for a better surface and could enjoy more early season success over both 7 furlongs and a mile.

Tough Talk (Ger Lyons)

The only horse who’s ever beaten Little Big Bear, Tough Talk probably didn’t run upto that level when comprehensively beaten by Blackbeard but as it turned out he was clashing heads with another Group 1 horse and if he’s over the issues that kept him off the track last season, then Tough Talk can rate highly amongst the sprinters this year. There’s a fuller programme for 3-year-old sprinters now and the Commonwealth Cup could be a good target.

And if that wasn’t enough, here are a couple more suggestions to whet your appetite…

Jordan Cox, Star Sports Trader

Dubai Mile (Charlie Johnston)

When Thady Gosden was asked which horse is most likely to win a classic for the Gosden’s this season he mentioned Arrest. The horse that beat him in a Group 1 on the back end of last season was Dubai Mile. An extremely likable son of the belated Roaring Lion, Dubai Mile will be very interesting as a 3yo, he could be a massive player in the Dante especially if it comes up soft or heavy, a race the yard won with Thunderous in 2020.

Steve Mullington, Freelance Journalist

Mostabshir (3-y-o)
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

Great things are expected of this grey son of Dark Angel who made a pleasing start to his fledgling career at Kempton. Jockey Jim Crowley is keen to see what they can achieve with him this term.

Bespoke (2-y-o)
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes

Already entered for races such as the Weatherby’s Super Sprint, and a couple of Tattersalls Auction Stakes at Newmarket, this bay filly looks like being a sprinter to be reckoned with for her Highclere Racing owners.

Aldous Huxley (4-y-o)
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

Runner up in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last term, the Godolphin-owned gelding Aldous Huxley will turn out to be a formidable opponent in middle-distance races this coming summer, I’m sure.

Steve Ryder, Oddschecker Tipster

Deceiver (Daniel and Clare Kubler)

Daniel & Claire Kubler have made a good start to the year and Deceiver should be a handicapper to follow this season. He finished 3rd behind Group 1 runner-up Arrest and next time out winner Sea Of Roses at Ffos Las on his debut over a mile before struggling over 6 1/2f on his next start at Newbury.
The three-year-old got off the mark on his reappearance this year on his first start since being gelded at Kempton over 7f. Being a son of Cracksman he should appreciate a step up in trip on in handicaps and he should prove better than an opening rating of 79.

Neil Watson, freelance journalist 

Naval Power (Charlie Appleby)

When it comes to picking a flat horse to follow I often find it’s best to look through those that I saw on course myself and with that in mind I’m going back to Sprint Cup Day at Haydock last year when I was very much impressed with this one as he won the Ascendant Stakes as a 2yo over a mile in eye catching style.

After that he ran poorly in the Dewhurst at Newmarket, but he did burst a blood vessel in that race and might have been inconvenienced by the drop down to 7f from 1m, he has been wintered in Dubai and back in January he won a Listed contest over 1m1f at Meydan.

He holds some good entries with both English and Irish 2000 Guineas along with the Derby at Espom and I can see the Derby being the main aim with his trial race probably coming in either the Dante or the Lingfield Derby Trial, he’s very much one to keep an eye on as the flat season builds towards the Classics.

WILLIAM KEDJANYI

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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