Juvenile Watch: Babouche leads Juddmonte juggernaut

Juddmonte have been a powerful operation for many decades but I cannot recall a time when they had such an apparent depth of talent among their juvenile crop.

In a week when they sponsor three of the leading two-year old races of the calendar at Newmarket – the Royal Lodge, Cheveley Park and Middle Park – I've taken a closer look at a fab five who may be extra special in the famous pink, green and white silks. 

Breeding: Kodiac x Pavlosk Trainer: Ger Lyons 

She surprised me when winning the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on her latest start. 

Her win prior to that came in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes over half a furlong further and I felt it was her stamina at that trip, rather than her speed, that helped her prevail. 

However, in the Phoenix, against the colts, she was able to travel in a prominent position and from there her proven stamina was always going to be an asset. 

She has a wonderful attitude in a battle and carries her head in the perfect position. Ger Lyons has suggested that her temperament is her biggest asset. 

I mentioned at the time that the ease with which she went past the runner-up Whistlejacket might be as much down to his questionable attitude as it was her willing one.  

Her next assignment is the Group One Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes on Saturday for which she is favourite at a current best-priced 13/8. 

Her official rating of 112 makes her joint top-rated with Lake Victoria though the fact she was able to achieve that rating against colts surely means she’s worthy of a bonus point, or two. 

Unlike Lake Victoria, whose three wins have come at seven furlongs, she has the proven tactical pace for this trip and should be capable of landing a second Group One over this trip. 

That said I’m confident that, like her full sister Zarinsk, she will improve with age and when facing seven furlongs and even a mile. She’s 10/1 for next year’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas. 

Breeding: Kingman x Passage Of Time. Trainer: Harry Charlton 

This beautifully bred colt delivered the best visual debut I’ve seen this season when he bolted up on his debut at Sandown last week. 

Racing over seven furlongs, he broke smartly and then travelled like a seasoned veteran just in behind the leader. 

As the tempo quickened inside the final two- urlongs he was effortlessly able to move alongside the hard driven leader before quickening up readily under minimal urging from Oisin Murphy, easily drawing six lengths clear at the line. 

Often with visually impressive displays such as this you can question the merit of those in behind but on this occasion the form looks strong. 

Runner-up Rock d’Oro had finished runner-up on his debut to subsequent Champagne Stakes winner Bay City Roller and there are no obvious signs that the well supported Rock d’Oro failed to run to form. 

A son of Group One winning juvenile, Passage Of Time, and therefore a half-brother to dual Group Two winner and now group winning sire, Time Test, he isn’t in possession of any fancy autumn entries.  

However, that may not be a bad thing. His trainer, Harry Charlton referenced that he lost a bit of weight when travelling to Newbury for a race in which he was a non-runner back in August. 

This big debut performance, coupled with the travelling, might well have left its mark so a long break before returning as a no doubt stronger three-year old might just be a blessing in disguise. 

He’s currently a best-priced 20/1 for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas. I’m not tempted to play at this stage, but I can well understand that some might be, especially given that all of his siblings have improved with age. He’s an exciting proposition. 

Breeding: Wootton Bassett x Nisriyna. Trainer: John & Thady Gosden 

In contrast to Cosmic Year, Detain was tardy from the stalls on his debut over seven-furlongs at Kempton in late August. As a consequence, he was positioned behind a wall of horses and some way back in the 12-runner field.  

That he was able to work into a challenging position and then quicken up smartly to win is even more impressive when you factor in that he did so in a race where the early pace was moderate. 

His Finishing Speed Percentage of 113.25% strongly points to his stamina over this trip and as a half-brother to the stamina laden Group performer Arrest it’s reasonable to think he will improve again when upped in trip. 

The Kempton form has worked out well with the second, fourth and fifth placed horses all winning on their next outings.  

Detain’s only big entry this autumn is in the Group One Futurity Trophy at Doncaster for which he is a 20/1 shot. His stablemate, Field Of Gold, who is in the same ownership, is significantly shorter than him in the betting, although he does have alternative engagements. 

Regardless of where and how he runs on his next start, I fully expect Detain to make up into a pattern performer over ten-furlongs and further next season. 

Breeding: Kingman x Princess De Lune. Trainer: John & Thady Gosden 

This eye-catching grey has improved in chunks. 

He was very immature on his debut at Doncaster in late June. He got upset in the stalls, broke slowly and then looked momentarily clueless when asked to quicken in the closing stages. 

However, he did make strong late progress inside the final furlong and in hindsight it was an above average novice contest with the winner, New Century since winning a Group One in Canada. 

Field Of Gold duly put that debut experience to good use a couple of weeks later when winning comfortably at Newmarket. The form of that has worked out well with the second, fourth and sixth placed horses all winning next time. 

Upped to Group Three level on his next start, Field Of Gold travelled powerfully, arguably too much so, through the Solario Stakes and then showed two distinct changes of gear as he lengthened all the way to the line. 

The runner-up Matauri Bay was undeniably unfortunate to have a troubled passage through the race and caught the eye finishing strongly, yet it would be folly to play down the performance of the winner who won with plenty in hand and might well have found more if it had been required. 

While he will likely stay a mile in time (half-sister Zanbaq is a Listed winner at the trip) he certainly is not devoid of tactical pace. 

He holds entries in the Dewhurst and Futurity, though it was suggested immediately after the Solario that the Prix Jean- Luc Lagardere on October 6 was his most likely target. 

The long home straight at Longchamp will suit his long stride more than the undulations of the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.  

Breeding: Kingman x Lilyfire. Trainer: Ralph Beckett 

Has won both her starts and her next engagement is likely to be the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday. 

Her debut win at Newmarket over seven furlongs was impressive. After breaking smartly, she was never headed and found generously under just hands and heels riding from her jockey Rossa Ryan. I particularly liked how straight she stayed when racing up the middle of the track and therefore without a rail to aid her. 

If her debut win was full of style then her second win, when upped to Group Three level in the Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury, was full of substance. 

Dropping back in trip and on slower ground than she encountered on her debut, she again raced prominently but was one of the first to come under pressure two furlongs from home. 

She looked to be coming off second best in the closing stages before digging deep to win by half-a-length. She ended up winning a little cosily. 

Tabiti certainly did not appear to travel as well on slower ground – Rossa Ryan said on the latest Luck On Sunday that she was hating the surface - and the drop back in trip was not to her advantage, but I was impressed by her will to win. 

The fact she had to battle at Salisbury gives her a serious advantage over Formal, the Rockfel favourite, who whilst talented has yet to face a fight. 

It is only the prospect of significant rain, with up to 24mm forecast, that prevents me from nominating her as a selection. 

A deluge of early morning rain turned the ground heavy at Newbury and resulted in some notable non-runners, mostly notably Symbol Of Strength and Shadow Of Light – both of whom would have brought proven Group form into the race. 

Despite looking in difficulty at the halfway stage, Powerful Glory prevailed by virtue of not only his undoubted class but also his tremendous tenacity. 

It’s to his immense credit that on just his second start he was able to cope with ground that his jockey, Oisin Orr, felt he disliked and was able to grind out a win from what looked like an uncompromising position. 

The form isn’t one I’ll hold in high regard moving forward, with just a neck separating Richard Fahey’s son of Cotai Glory, from the thrice-raced maiden La Bellota, who held a rating of just 95 on arrival at Newbury. It’s easy to concur that this was a below par running. 

However, Powerful Glory should not be underestimated going forwards.  

‘Forwards’ in this instance means next season as Fahey has confirmed he’ll now be given plenty of time to grow and mature ahead of next season. 

To my mind his pedigree, and previous performance at Pontefract, would suggest he’s a horse with plenty of pace so I’d imagine that the Commonwealth Cup would be his target, although he did stick to his task well on Saturday so you would understand if connections elected to test his Guineas credentials by returning him in the Greenham over seven furlongs early next season, much as they did with Perfect Power in 2022. 

Brian was the disappointment of the race. After the raft of non-runners and with ground conditions favouring him, he was well supported throughout the morning and was sent off 15/8 favourite. 

He was possibly disadvantaged by racing on the far side, while the race developed up the near side. but in truth it is reasonable to conclude that he is not up to this grade.