Juvenile Watch: Has Hannon got another Persian Force on his hands?

The aim of this weekly column is to keep you up to speed with the juvenile crop this season. I will be reviewing the action of the previous week and previewing what is to come.

With a lull in proceedings over the last week, I felt now was a good time to catch up with some housekeeping from the beginning of the season.

 Persian Force was the last quality act to win in the  Brocklesby, in 2022 for Richard Hannon and Amo Racing, and the the same connections were responsible for this year’s winner, Norman’s Cay. It will be interesting to see if history repeats itself. 

 The manner of victory might not have been as emphatic as Persian Force, who scored by an easy four lengths, but I certainly can see similarities in the professionalism Norman’s Cay showed as well as the potential scope for progression. 

 The son of Sioux Nation broke smartly and then travelled nicely just in behind the leaders, showing plenty of pace but without over racing. 

When asked to quicken entering the final two furlongs his response was not as instant as the 2022 winner, but he did get his head down and run straight and hard. 

Inside the final half-furlong, he showed his very best work and battled gamely to head Son Of Sarabi - who had showed a more instant turn of foot - close to the line. 

“Some horses you bring that you think are Brocklesby horses go flat out and fall in a heap,” Hannon said. “He'll get better and it looks like he wants six furlongs.” 

 The winner’s pedigree supports the visual impression that he won this race despite the trip rather than because of it. 

At first glance, he looks fairly speedy on paper, being by Sioux Nation, winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot as well as the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, out of an Acclamation mare. 

But a closer look reveals that his female side of his breeding contains plenty of stamina reserves. 

His dam, Dear Miriam, managed one victory from ten starts. That win came over nine furlongs at Lingfield, with her only other notable effort coming over 12 furlongs at Beverley. 

Her extended family including half-sisters Rockspirit and Naseem Alyasmeen, who all showed their best form when racing over in excess of a mile. This 

Thi bodes well for Norman’s Cay and he should be a certainty to improve when faced with an extra furlong. 

Time will show whether he can follow in the footsteps of Persian Force and step up to Group company but at this stage you certainly wouldn’t bet against it. 

Sucking Diesel, eight in the Brocklesby, and Alkuwarrior, who was eleventh, have been subsequent winners. 

1 MIGHTY VEGA (Trainer: Lemos de Souza) 

A son of the speedy Lucky Vega, he shaped promisingly on his debut in the Brocklesby. 

He was quick from the gates, with the RaceiQ data revealing it took him 2.49sec to reach 20mph. Nothing was brisker. 

However, Hollie Doyle, perhaps mindful of his inexperience, elected not to take advantage of his early speed and slotted in just behind the leaders. 

He travelled nicely through the early stages and initially picked up well as the pace lifted at the two-furlong pole but when asked for maximum effort with a furlong to run he got a little disorganised and rolled around before putting in some good late work. 

 With this experience behind him - and if able to show similarly fast reactions from the stalls - he should be capable of landing a maiden on his next start. 

 He holds an entry in the 1.30 at Leicester on Saturday.

2 AHEAD OF FASHION (Dominic Ffrench Davis) 

 He was a bargain basement yearling purchase at just 1,500gns but this son of Dream Ahead caught the eye with his seventh in the Brocklesby. 

He was notably keen through the early stages and it was clear to see that jockey John Egan was eager to get him in behind runners. 

In the fullness of time, that decision might well pay-off if Ahead Of Fashion races more efficiently with this education behind him. But taken in isolation it was a move that potentially cost them a couple of lengths. 

With tiring runners dropping onto him, Egan was forced to take him back off heels just as the tempo of the race was lifting and then had to switch him to the outside. 

From there he made good late progress, though he did appear to hang to his left. He should have the ability to win a race or two, but it might be that connections chose to educate him in maidens before looking at the nursery system. 

Charlie Appleby told us more about Military Code after his taking debut win at Newmarket last week. He's the early 7-1 favourite for Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Horse: Buenos Dias (Raphael E Freire) 

Race: 1.45 at Beverley on Thursday 

Like many of the Amo Racing juveniles at this time of the season, he was well supported ahead of his debut at Brighton when sent off the 13/8 favourite. 

He failed to land the spoils but showed enough to suggest that the experience would not be lost on him. 

 He broke professionally and travelled well through the first couple of furlongs but like many at the seaside venu he didn’t look comfortable coming down the hill and changed his legs a number of times. 

His final furlong of 12.14sec was the fastest in the field and augurs well for his assignment this week. 

Powder staying dry for the time being.