Juvenile Watch: City Of Troy, horses to follow and Super Sprint tip

Our juvenile expert Ross Millar shares his views on that Superlative performance from City Of Troy and the star colt’s future prospects as well as some potential ‘winners in waiting’ and one fancied to go well in Saturday’s Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury, live on Racing TV.

It’s fair to say this is an easy pick this week after City Of Troy turned the Group Two Superlative Stakes into a procession thanks to a stunning performance on the July Course at Newmarket.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Justify travelled with supreme relaxation in the early stages and was always in prime position. He took a few strides to find top gear when asked but his long and low action carried him further and further clear once he did to leave his toiling rivals look weary in comparison and it’s notable that Ryan Moore took an age to pull up City Of Troy after the finishing post. The tank was far from empty.

Frighteningly, his pedigree would suggest that a performance of this nature hints more at raw ability rather than the suitability of the trip. His sire is a US Triple Crown winner who showed an abundance of stamina when making all in the Belmont Stakes over twelve furlongs while his dam, Together Forever, was a Group One winner over a mile as a juvenile. While she did not match that form at three, she was still placed in the Irish Oaks behind Covert Love. City Of Troy’s full brother Bertinelli has been progressive this season, winning a competitive ten-furlong handicap at Newbury before finishing third off a mark of 104 in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.

This Superlative run catapulted City Of Troy to short-priced favourite at the head of the markets for the 2000 Guineas and Derby next year. The best-priced 5-2 for the Newmarket Classic is simply too short for me to entertain this far in advance, while the 4-1 on offer for Epsom seems a more sensible price but it is also all too easy to envisage a scenario where he perhaps doesn’t stay twelve furlongs.

His mother was weak at the finish in both of her efforts at the trip, while Bertinelli was a weak finisher on his sole try at the distance so far. It’s entirely possible that City Of Troy will be at his absolute peak over ten furlongs next season and, for that reason, I’m prepared to sit on my hands.

Al Waasl (Showcasing) – James Ferguson

Al Waasl was hampered on leaving the stalls on debut at Newbury last week and showed signs of greenness when racing at the tail of the field. He looked awkward entering the closing stages and appeared to hang away from his rivals - possibly because of that earlier bump – but a change of legs inside the final furlong helped him get organised and he finished to good effect for third.

This experience won’t be lost on him I’d fancy him to go very close next time. Given his dam had stamina for a mile, a stiffer track - or even stepping up to seven furlongs - would further enhance his chance.

Blue Prince (Blue Point) – Richard Fahey

After two solid efforts over five furlongs, he showed a better level of form when upped to six furlongs on his third start and battled away bravely inside the final furlong to finish a narrow second.

An opening mark of 77 doesn’t look unduly harsh and especially so given the subsequent form shown by the now 105-rated Kylian, who bettered Blue Prince by (an admittedly comfortable) six lengths at Newcastle in June.

Richard Fahey trained dam Zip Along to win two handicaps over six furlongs and it would be no surprise if son Blue Prince can do the same now entering handicaps.

The valuable five-furlong contest at Newbury never fails to be an interesting contest, with the weights carried dictated by the price paid at auction. The lower the price, the lower the weight – in conjunction with any penalties that need to be carried.

Market leader Relief Rally is a deserved short-priced favourite. She’s arguably unfortunate to not arrive here unbeaten, having won her first two starts before finishing an agonising second in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. She comes out considerably best at the weights here, with her rating of 106 meaning that - with just 9st to carry - she is upwards of 3lb ‘well in’ on official figures. Connections have placed her shrewdly and sh has no penalty to carry for her second win at Salisbury in May.

A return to a flat track is the only negative I can find. She was doing her best work in the closing stages at Salisbury and Ascot, while the soft ground at Windsor on debut turned it into a strong test of stamina at the trip.

Juniper Berries was just over a length behind Relief Rally at Salisbury when in receipt of 2lb. That distance was extended to nearly four lengths off level weights at Royal Ascot and, while this 5lb pull in the handicap will help her cause, near four-lengths off level weights when she finished fourth in the Queen Mary. A 5lb pull in the weights will help her cause but the alarming drop in form of the Eve Johnson-Houghton yard makes her hard to recommend.

Given that these contests are usually run at a frenetic pace, I’m confident that the strong finishing effort of Relief Rally will see her gain deserved compensation for narrow Royal Ascot defeat.