Juvenile Watch: an each-way bet for the Derby at 40-1

Ralph Beckett’s juveniles remain in excellent form and as I’d hoped Starzintheireyes duly stepped forwards for this step up in distance. He rates a highly exciting middle-distance colt fior next year. 

He was given an excellent ride by Rosa Ryan and required plenty of organising in the dip, but he showed a tremendous attitude and was comfortably on top at the line. 

He’s a powerful looking colt and I find it hard to believe that he will not mature into a smart three-year old. 

He hails from a deep and classy Southcourt Stud family, which contains a plethora of stamina laden Group performers including Crystal Ocean, and stamina certainly isn’t in short supply. 

But it should not be forgotten that he showed enough pace on debut to finish second in a 7f Newmarket maiden on debut. 

That pace is almost certainly derived from his sire, the continually underrated Starspangledbanner. He produces plenty of classy sprint types, yet to date his highest rated European performer is multiple Group One winner over ten-furlongs State Of Rest.  

Starzintheireyes deserves to be campaigned with a tilt at the Derby in a crop of colts that lacks a superstar. He rates an each-way ante-post bet at the 40-1 on offer. 

Short-priced favourite Desert Flower was simply brilliant. She was one of the first to come under pressure and as the field entered the dip her backers might well have felt a little uneasy as her nearest market rival January travelled smoothly. 

However, she found generously when hitting the rising ground and powered away in the closing stages. 

This win took her record to four wins from as many starts, and she now sits alongside Lake Victoria at the head of the market for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas. 

Her trainer, Charlie Appleby, seems confident that she will mature into a better filly when a year older and suggested that she will likely head to the Guineas without a prep run. 

She is clearly a strong stayer at this distance, though I’d have a marginal concern over her tactical speed if facing a bigger field. For that reason, I’d slightly favour Lake Victoria at this stage. 

January ran another solid race but was a touch keen in the early stages, having travelled the best into the race her effort tapered off. She will undoubtedly win Group races next season, but I don’t expect her to be at the top table of Ballydoyle fillies. 

My selection, Tabiti, appeared to have no excuse. She was tenderly handled once beaten but I’d have to concede she isn’t as good as I hoped. 

Sadly, a last-minute stone bruise ruled the strong market leader, The Lion In Winter, out of this contest. 

His absence meant Shadow Of Light catapulted to Evens favourite and he duly landed the odds with a professional and gritty if unspectacular performance. 

With the field split into two – Ancient Truth and Expanded up the near side rail and the remainder racing wider – it did briefly look like Shadow Of Light was in a spot of bother as he drifted left under a strong William Buick whilst Expanded and Ancient Truth ran gun barrel straight with the rail to aid them. 

However, just two weeks on from his Middle Park win, Shadow Of Light dug deep and collared Expanded, who had got the better of a protracted duel with Ancient Truth, close to the line. 

In a second change of heart since the Middle Park, Charlie Appleby suggested that Shadow Of Light had earned his right to be aimed at the 2000 Guineas having previously suggested he would be trained for a Commonwealth Cup. 

He did stay well on the rain softened ground, but I’d be against him over the extra furlong of the Guineas and think a fast run 6f on a stiff track would be far more suitable, though I am fully aware that Charlie Appleby has trained a greater number of Classic winners than I have! 

Just a week on from his debut win Expanded ran a tremendous race and so very nearly proved the perfect super-sub for his missing stable mate. 

It’s not inconceivable that having finally fended off Ancient Truth he was softened up for the late challenge of the winner. If the pair were to line up at Newmarket in May I would be confident that this progressive son of Wootton Bassett would reverse this form. 

Slower ground and some over exuberance in the early stages compromised Ancient Truth’s chance. He may yet prove himself to be the equal of his winning stable mate.

Delacroix isn’t an easy watch. He races a touch lazily through the early stages, but there can be no denying his tenacity and will to win. His maturity has certainly improved with racing, and this was the most focussed I’ve seen him. 

Ryan Moore enjoyed a lovely tow in to the race from Wolf Of Badenoch (who yet again disappointed) and comfortably cruised past that weakening rival two furlongs out, but Stanhope Gardens moved with him and proved a persistent threat throughout the final furlong, though in truth he never truly looked like he would overhaul the Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Dubawi. 

In a similar vein to January, I don’t envisage Delacroix making the jump to being a top tier Ballydoyle colt, although I’m sure he will win Group races. Maybe look out for him in France, where he will often get cut in the ground and have a better chance to dominate races. 

Stanhope Gardens lost little in defeat and has more improvement to come. 

However, the eye-catcher was Nightwalker who finished third. He lacked tactical pace as the race tempo quickened and didn’t look completely comfortable in the dip but made good late progress when hitting the rising ground. 

I wonder whether connections were left regretting not targeting the Zetland over two furlongs further? His sire Frankel is a strong source of stamina and on a more conventional track he can bag a Group race over ten furlongs next season.