Juvenile Watch: a strong race to note and six horses to follow

I was surprised to see Mountain Breeze return to Newmarket last weekend given that after she had made a winning debut over five furlongs, her trainer Charlie Appleby had reported she “hated every minute of the track”. 

Happily, she looked far more comfortable this time, I suspect due to being more in her comfort zone at the pace of a six-furlong race. 

She settled nicely in behind the pace for Pat Dobbs and was comfortably the last off the bridle before effortlessly moving to the lead from where she extended away in smart fashion. 

Winning under a penalty at this time of year is easier than at later stages of the season due to the relative lack of experience of the opposition, so I wouldn’t apply too much additional merit to the performance from that regard. 

However, she looks thoroughly professional and looks to have a touch of class.

Her dam, Lava Flow, has already produced one top-class juvenile in the form of dual Group One winner Pinatubo, and might well have produced another Group performer here. 

On pedigree, she’ll comfortably stay further than this. Lava Flow was a Listed winner over 1m3f at Longchamp, and that ties in with her visual performance in the closing stages on both starts. 

The Albany at Royal Ascot was touted by connections as the logical next target and that certainly looks a good option given she’ll travel well and finish off her race strongly. 

However, at a best-priced 5-2 ante-post, I can comfortably wait until nearer the day to make a selection, given that with over a month to go, there is plenty of time for some very real opposition to appear.

At the start of the season I suggested that the Brocklesby Stakes would be a form line that I wouldn’t be attaching any value to. So far, that’s worked well with just a solitary winner coming out of that race from 22 runners.

However, sometimes you watch a race that gives you the distinct impression that it will produce plenty of future winners, and one such race was this 6f maiden at Newbury last week.

The list of eye-catchers is too long to list them all, but here are six that are certainly worth adding to your Racing TV tracker:

Mr Chaplin (Ralph Beckett) travelled exceptionally powerfully throughout this large field contest and in landing this became a first winner for his first season sire Without Parole. He’d run well on debut at Newmarket over five-furlongs and the experience had clearly served him well, as he ran out a cosy three-length winner. His trainer described him as “definitely a Royal Ascot colt”. With four weeks to go there is plenty of time for things to change but I’d be surprised if he wasn’t on my shortlist for the Coventry Stakes nearer the day.

Organ (Brian Meehan) was drawn wide in stall one and was forced to race on the wing, I was impressed how well he settled and in a race where plenty didn’t he ran straight and true to the line, simply lacking the gear change of pacier rivals. His sire Ulysses is continually under-appreciated but year on year delivers good performers. It wouldn’t surprise me if Organ were to head to the Chesham Stakes – his relaxed demeanour would be a huge positive at Royal Ascot where plenty of his age-group fail to deal with the atmosphere.

Haazeez (Charlie Fellowes) was given a stereotypical Jamie Spencer ride. Patiently ridden he tracked over to the stand side rail. Spencer appeared determined to wait for a gap up the rail and it was only late on he reluctantly switched wide to the middle of the track from where Hazeez made rapid late progress. A son of Mehmas he looks to have lots of pace and should have little trouble winning next time.

Jouncy (Andrew Balding) a superbly bred Juddmonte filly, out of Joyeuse, a half-sister to the mighty Frankel. He looked the most green in the field, requiring chasing along in the very early stages and then carrying his head awkwardly when then racing a bit keenly, before proceeding to hang slightly when asked to quicken. He made nice, if unspectacular late progress in the closing stages. By Wootton Bassett he’ll stay further in time but should be capable of winning over this trip. I’d expect him to have learned plenty for this experience.

Deauville Blue (Charlie Hills) raced in a nice relaxed manner and coped well when getting a few bumps in the mid-part of the race, he took an age to pick-up when asked but flew in the final half-furlong. Out of a Galileo mare it might be that he needs seven-furlongs – for all that his sire, Blue Point, was a speedster.

Wild Clary (Richard Hannon) endured the worst passage through the race, Sean Levey gave him plenty of time to find her stride and tracked all the way to the stand side rail from his wide draw in stall five. Like Jamie Spencer he found gaps up that rail hard to come by and had to switch left to challenge where under a hands and heels ride (as is often the case on Hannon newcomers) he was further compromised by being carried left. He’ll leave this run well behind in the near future.