Juvenile Watch: Keep the faith in Sandrine up in trip

After the excitement of Goodwood and York, the relatively low key racing this week allows for some reflection, although with this year’s crop of juveniles, I can’t help feeling that it is a case of the more I know, the less I understand.

The form between horses is consistently getting turned around, making it hard to find one real standout individual. I suspect that time will tell that this year’s crop does not contain a superstar. It does, however, make for some very exciting racing.

If you are a regular reader of this column, you will probably have noticed that I am prepared to forgive a bad run or two, and I will leave you to decide whether such loyalty is a strength, or a weakness.

My faith in Sandrine is undented after she lost her unbeaten tag in the Lowther Stakes when trying to concede a 3lb penalty.

Six furlongs on the less taxing, easy York track was possibly too much of a test of speed for her additionally, and she did not help her cause by being uncharacteristically slow into her stride.

I am sure her future lies over further, and I fully expect her to improve when going up in trip.

With all that said, the winner, Zain Claudette, had already won over a stiff six-furlongs and finished strongly here, suggesting an extra furlong would suit her, too.

I think the form of this race has a solid look to it, and they appear the two dominant fillies in the division.

Desert Dreamer certainly has ability, but she is yet to get much luck, and a slipped saddle in the closing stages did not help her cause here. However, I am not sure it altered the result.

The winner and runner-up look set to clash again in the Cheveley Park where I will still be firmly in the Sandrine camp.

Berkshire Shadow is certainly starting to test the faith after producing a performance that was well below what we know he is capable of for the second time in a row.

The ground certainly cannot be the excuse this time, and at no point was he travelling plus his effort folded tamely.

Oisin Murphy reported that he ran flat, so maybe something will subsequently come to light. I still retain the faith, but only just.

Lusail, like Berkshire Shadow, had to concede a penalty, and did so in fine fashion.

He was always travelling easily and put the race to bed with minimal fuss, drawing further clear all the way to the line.

It was high praise when his jockey Pat Dobbs suggested that he had more ability than his sire, Mehmas, post-race.

He holds entries in the Middle Park, Dewhust and the Lagardere and will surely be the likely favourite for whichever of those he contests.

My faith in Noble Truth has been shaken as he is failing to learn with experience and again pulled too hard in the early stages plus hung left under pressure.

I think it is a certainty that the winner was gifted the run of the race and got an uncontested lead, possibly due to Jim Crowley and William Buick paying too much attention to each other, but there is no getting away from the fact that this was a bitterly disappointing run, and he needs to get his act together in a big way.

Perfect Power was highlighted in this column as a horse to follow from the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood where he finished a luckless fourth.

He again found some trouble when winning the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville but was able to find a pocket of racing room and showed an excellent turn of foot up the stands’ rail to not only get to the front, but to also pull further clear. He was also a first Group winner for his sire Ardad, who is having an excellent debut season.

Richard Fahey has said Perfect Power’s next run will be in the Middle Park, providing the ground is not too soft, and he will take a lot of beating.

Armor had a far from smooth passage through the race as he was posted out wide in the early stages and having been short of racing room, he had to challenge even wider meaning he was a long way from the action.

He was not particularly strong through the line and it could be argued he did not stay the extra furlong. His pedigree suggests this trip should be fine and I would attribute his relatively tame last half-furlong to him using too much petrol to get into a challenging position.

Asymmetric finished in front of Perfect Power at Goodwood but could not uphold the form, and I can’t see any reason why he would exact revenge if the pair meet again.

Voodoo Ray (Gary Moore) has only had one start for this trainer having had his first two starts for Martin Smith.

He was far too keen in the first half of the race on his debut at Epsom and, as a result, failed to see out the 7f trip. He also looked to struggle with the camber up the home straight.

It was obvious to see that the aim of his second run was to teach him to settle and, having missed the break, he did settle far better, all be it away from the main body of the field. He wasn’t given a hard time in the last furlong and looked capable of finishing closer.

His final start, his first for Gary Moore, came at Salisbury in what looked like a hot Novice Stakes as the runner-up went into the race rated 98.

Voodoo Ray was again settled at the back of the field and wasn’t given a hard time in a race where he had little chance on form.

His mark of 63 could well be workable, and he finished in and around horses rated 67 and 77 on his second start.

He looks capable of being competitive over six or seven furlongs and my confidence would be boosted if he were to run at a track where he has a rail on his left, as he has has an inclination to hang slightly left.