Juvenile Watch: Ross Millar's unmissable column is back

Stud fee: €12,500

Average yearling price in 2025: £79,000

Odds: 11-10

A son of the increasingly impressive Mehmas, he enjoyed a fine racing career winning his novice at Salisbury on his second start by an impressive four lengths, before bettering that when comfortably accounting for his eight rivals in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes at York.

His final race as a juvenile came in the Group One Middle Park Stakes, where he did himself no favours by failing to settle early on, eventually finishing third.

His three-year old campaign was interrupted by injury and yielded no further wins, it did though give glimpse to the talent he retained as, on his return from a 371-day absence, he chased home Tis Marvelous in a Listed contest over five furlongs at Ascot. He returned to that course a fortnight later where he finished a fine third in the Group One Champions Sprint over six furlongs.

His final season was his best, with two wins added to his CV. The first came in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes at Newbury where he drew away from the field in the closing stages to win by a length.

His final start and win came in the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock. On this occasion, he raced keenly in behind the leaders and, for a brief moment, lacked racing room. Eventually the split came, and he showed instant and striking acceleration to run out a near four-length winner. 

He was well supported in his first year at stud with a strong first book of 161 mares, including 40 black-type performers. This support by breeders was rewarded at the yearling sales last autumn with countless six-figure sales – including a top price of 550,000gns paid by Amo Racing for a half-sister to Group winners Asymmetric and Mill Stream.

He’s had four runners so far and is still waiting for his first winner, but it’s early days and is worth noting that he didn’t make his own racecourse debut until late July.

At his current price of 11-10, it’s hard to think he’s a bet that offers value, but he will certainly enjoy plenty of success this season.

Stud fee: €17,500

Average yearling price in 2025: £87,000

Odds: 6-4

Everybody’s favourite wild child! Blackbeard was only present on our racecourses for a sole season, but he left an impression on every racing fan, whether it was for his high-stepping theatrics before or for his top-class efforts during the race.

He enjoyed a seamless start to his racing career winning a maiden at Dundalk in April before taking a rise into Listed company in his stride when winning over five furlongs at the Curragh. Turned out again just 19 days later, he again showed further progression when trouncing the field in the Group Three Marble Hill Stakes, again back at the Curragh, but this time over six furlongs. 

Off the back of these three faultless victories, he was sent off a well-backed 7-2 favourite for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. However, on good-firm ground, he never looked in his comfort zone and did well to rally into fourth having been outpaced two furlongs from home.

He was on his worst behaviour ahead of the Railway Stakes at the Curragh, when beaten just a short head – a distance surely more than accounted for by the energy he used up pre-race. But these two high-summer defeats were swept away as his long season continued into late August and September where he bagged a brace of Group One wins.

Firstly at Deauville in the Prix Morny, where he reversed Coventry form with Persian Force, and then at Newmarket, where he overcame more post-race antics to run out a convincing winner of the Middle Park.

His first book was made up of 194 mares, of which 16 were black-type and of course among those will be well-related Coolmore mares.

From three runners in the UK and Ireland he’s yet to have a winner (though pleasingly from a small sample pool their post race behaviour has been good). He has, however, enjoyed a winner in France.

Edward Thatch was third on his debut over five furlongs at the Curragh on heavy ground having shown smart early speed. He’s worthy of adding to your Racing TV Tracker if getting on a sound surface next time.

Blackbeard was an early type and showed tremendous toughness alongside speed in his eight-race debut season. He’s going to be well-represented by an army of precocious types this season and as such, his price of 6-4 makes more appeal than that of Minzaal.

Stud fee: €10,000

Average yearling price in 2025: £45,000

Odds: 9-2

The second son of superstar sire Mehmas on this list. Trained by Richard Hannon, he was a class above on his debut in the Brocklesby winning by an ever widening margin of five lengths. Immediately afterwards though, connections were keen to voice the opinion that he was perhaps more classy than a conventional Brocklesby winner. This proved highly accurate.

He won his next start in a novice at Newbury, showing that a step up to six furlongs had yielded further improvement, and then headed to Ascot for the Coventry. He ran well there when chasing home classy winner Bradsell, before confirming himself high-class when winning the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket in striking style.

That though, proved to be the final win of his only season on the racecourse. Four further efforts at Group One level followed and, while he placed in three of them, he found that all important top-level victory just beyond him. His best effort came when beaten just half a length by Blackbeard in the Prix Morny.

His first-season book didn’t match up to either Minzaal or Blackbeard in terms of volume or quality, with 135 mares covered in his first season. Yet, he’s already on the board with a winner in France and perhaps more pertinently, his stock are proving popular at the breeze-up sales where of course he has been well supported by owner Kia Joorabchian and his Amo Racing.

It also shouldn’t be overlooked that he is a resident of Tally-Ho Stud, an establishment with an unenviable record when it comes to ‘making’ stallions. 

His price of 9-2 makes convincingly the most appeal. It’s true that Minzaal and Blackbeard achieved more on the track and will have received better mares, so the chance of them siring a ‘top’ two-year old is stronger, but Leading First Season Sire is totted up on winners not prize money, so there’s every chance that this Tally-Ho resident could out perform his odds.