Juvenile Watch: Ross Millar shares his ones to note over the next few days

Pershaada is undeniably the correct favourite for this and sets a clear standard that others will have to surpass. However, she is an out-and-out speedster and the good-to-soft conditions might well not be optimal for her. 

Even accounting for the stiff task she faced in the Nunthorpe last time, I still feel she was below her best and two additional defeats on the all-weather at Wolverhampton and Southwell suggest to me that fast ground is a prerequisite for this daughter of Persian Force.

My alternative would be Flann Sunna. I’m keeping the faith despite a mildly underwhelming performance at this level in the Richmond last time. I was, though, taken by the manner in which he breezed into contention two furlongs out before being unable to sustain his effort. 

It's worth noting that he lacked cover early on and pulled hard and additionally may not have enjoyed the undulating track as he did change legs a few times in the closing furlong. 

The speed he showed at Goodwood points to this drop back in trip potentially suiting him well, cut underfoot shouldn’t be an issue given his dam was a winner on heavy ground, and indeed it might well draw out his stamina at this trip.

I’m a big fan of Breacher and I’m convinced he’s a group winner in the future, but this is about the here and now and to my mind this race revolves around only one horse: Desert Castle. 

He’s the least experienced runner in the field and on official figures he has the most to find, yet sometimes you just have to trust your eye and at Newmarket on his debut he looked potentially top-class. On that occasion Billy Loughnane, who retains the ride, was clearly intent on giving the sizeable son of Frankel as much education as possible, racing him in behind the leaders despite travelling with much more class. 

When asked to quicken he showed a very smart turn of foot with the only blemish coming when slightly hanging to his left late on. 

The form has yet to be franked but in truth he was in a different stratosphere to those rivals so I’m not unduly concerned. 

I expect a big performance from him.

Darkness Falls, like so many of the Ballydoyle juvenile colts this season, took a giant step forward from his first start when running out a wide-margin winner of a mile maiden at the Curragh at the end of August, staying on strongly in a style that suggested this extra furlong could only bring about further improvement; he is fully deserving of his place at the head of the market.

However, with three places available I’m going to take an each-way selection in the form of Nola Soul. 

Built like a three-mile chaser and with a stride length to match, he ran a peculiar race when fourth in the group two Futurity Stakes last time. 

He broke smartly but then pulled far too hard through the first three-furlongs. He looked green when initially asked for his effort and hung to his right, looking as if those early over-exertions had taken their toll, yet under a considerate ride from Seamie Heffernan he re-gathered himself and was closing in at the line. 

Given his physical stature, clear stamina and stride length, this additional two furlongs will suit, but only if - and it is a big ‘if’ - he consents to settle in the early stages. 

I’ll know my fate early and at around 7-1 I’m prepared to take my chance.

As we edge into the autumn we’ll return to a regular feature asking trainers for an - as yet - unraced juvenile that they’re excited to get to the track.

Charlie Fellowes has nominated three future winners from three selections in previous years and so he was the obvious place to start this season.

“I’m a big fan of Kameko as a sire, he’s worked well for me. Bloodstock Angel Will Douglas paid just £30,000 for a colt out of Katangel, a daughter of Dark Angel. Now named Desert Meeting, he’s my nomination this season. He’s a big, good-looking horse and while I expect him to acquit himself well this season, he’s certainly going to make up into an even nicer three-year old.”