Juvenile Watch: A 16-1 tip for the Albany Stakes

The juvenile scene is getting increasingly informative as we head towards June, with several of this year’s crop having had, or are getting to have, their second run. 

It’s important to remember that progression with any horse is rarely linear. These are young equine athletes we are dealing with, and while we often throw out the line “bound to have improved for his/her debut” we must consider that the opposite can also be true; the initial racecourse experience can see a horse regress either mentally, physically, or both. 

I was especially taken by the performance of Balantina at the Curragh on Sunday. A daughter of Ten Sovereigns, she had been well supported for her course and distance debut three weeks previously, but showed notable signs of immaturity before keeping on well to be fourth to Andab. 

The benefit of that debut experience clearly was not lost on her. This time, racing against her own sex, she broke alertly and travelled well towards the head of the field switching to the near side rail. 

She travelled comfortably the best towards the final couple of furlongs under Oisin Murphy and, while she didn’t show an electric turn of foot, she continued to lengthen all the way to the line. 

My instinct tells me she was still green in front and I fancy she was not all out to repel the closers by a cosy length. 

A long legged, athletic filly she doesn’t strike me as a typical two-year old and I’m certain she will progress with time. 

The Albany, which the same connections won with Porta Fortuna in 2023, looks sure to be her next target. I have mild reservations, given it will be her third start in a little over six weeks, plus she looks light and athletic, rather than strong and robust. But the positives outweigh the negatives and, with 16-1 on offer, I’m happy to make my first ante-post investment of the year. 

I’d mentioned after his debut win at Naas that Albert Einstein was a particularly impressive physical specimen and that was once again my overwhelming thought when watching him land the Gain Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. 

On the face of it, a win by under a length when sent off a 4-11 favourite is perhaps not much to get excited by, but if that reflects your sentiments then I urge you to go back and take another look at his last half-furlong. 

Racing keenly and in behind the two leaders against the near side rail, he travelled much the best entering the final stages but crucially lacked racing room. Ryan Moore had to switch him two-horse widths to his right before asking him for an effort. Temporarily,  Albert Einstein looked unbalanced but that was soon rectified and he picked up smartly to win by three quarters of a length, a distance that would have expanded rapidly in a couple more strides. 

I was taken with Moore’s post-race interview with Gary O’Brien at the end of what had been a productive afternoon with four winners to his name. 

Never a man to use ten words when one would be sufficient, I was struck by how eager he appeared to be to reference the strapping son of Wootton Bassett. 

Albert Einstein fully deserves his place at the head of the market for the Coventry Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot and I daresay plenty could argue a best price of 6/4 represents value. 

Personally that’s not an ante-post bet that appeals. There is still time for a star to emerge. 

Noel Fehily enjoyed a tremendously fruitful career as a National Hunt jockey and is enjoying similar success with his Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate, run in partnership with another former jockey Dave Crosse. 

Until now these syndicates had been exclusively focussed around Jumps racing but, keen to expand the operation, they are now venturing into the summer game with four two-year olds in their ownership for this season. 

Crosse kindly gave me the lowdown on them. 

“National Hunt Racing is in our blood but both Noel and I have always taken a keen interest in the Flat scene,” Crosse said. “Noel has an exceptional eye for a horse, so we felt we were well positioned to search for some yearlings at last year’s sales, eventually purchasing three. 

“This spring, with the help of bloodstock agent Toby Jones, we added a fourth horse to the string from the breeze-up sales. A few people have asked us if we found the buying for the Flat a more difficult endeavour than buying for the Jumps and the simple answer is “no”. We’re essentially looking for the same individual, primarily one with good conformation, a nice head and an athletic walk.” 

The four we have are: 

Ascending Star (Starman x Dense Star) 

“We saw many Starman’s at the sale and liked a lot of them. Dense Star showed plenty of speed as a two-year old for Joseph O’Brien and we hope this 38,000gns purchase from Tattersalls Book Two will do the same. He’s with James Owen, is showing all the right signs and should be ready to run in two weeks. 

Mr Tony (Kodiac x River Sands) 

“Is a full-brother to a Group Three winner in Italy. We paid 80,000gns for him, again out of Book Two. He’s with Joseph O’Brien in Ireland and pleased us all with a racecourse gallop two weeks ago. He’s been lightly trained since then and we aim to have him out in mid-July.” 

Unamed colt (Showcasing x Divanova) 

“Another Book Two purchase and our most expensive yearling at 100,000gns. We loved him and had to push the budget to get him, as lots of the right faces were on him. Two good judges in Mick Murphy and Clive Cox were underbidders. He’s now with Clive Cox and should be ready to run in around six weeks’ time. There are some shares left in him. 

Unamed colt  (Ghaiyyath x High Zaff) 

We secured this gorgeous horse at the Arqana Breeze-up sales purchasing him from another former jump jockey Norman Williamson - us Jump jockeys like to stick together. We love him. He’s got plenty of stamina in his pedigree and won’t be out until later this season. We’ve been asked if he’s a dual-purpose prospect  . . . no he’s our Melbourne Cup prospect!” 

Eve Johnson Houghton told us more about Goldwork after his win at Goodwood on Friday. "We've always thought he's one of our best, and not just for this year" she says.