Juvenile Watch: The most impressive two-year-old colt in Britain

This was an easy selection this week. The David O’Meara-trained

Rogue Supremacy

’s debut win at Wetherby was, to my eye, the most impressive visual performance from a juvenile colt in the UK so far this season.

Smartly away from the stalls, he was quickly into his stride and assumed position at the head of affairs. He travelled effortlessly to the furlong pole and, while challenging rivals were hard at work, his jockey Danny Tudhope had the luxury of sitting and waiting before nudging him out to an impressive performance without having to ask for everything.

A son of St Mark’s Basilica, for who this was a first career winner, he’s out of the speedy Acclamation mare Mighty Spirit, who was a winner over 5f. He saw this trip out well and should have little trouble in stepping up to 6f in the near future.

I’ve no doubt his name is one we’ll hear plenty of in the remainder of the season, the only niggling concern in regards to his immediate future is how much he will have learned from this race; he was in command throughout and as a breeze-up graduate, he might find things more difficult if unable to dictate in a bigger and more competitive contest. Nevertheless, I’m excited for his future.

Major Neigh Sayer

(Trainer: George Scott)

A son of No Nay Never, he caught the eye in the prelims at Ripon as a physically well-developed individual.

Slowly into stride, he needed driving along through the early stages but, through the mid-part of the race, he did travel powerfully. He was unfortunate to find himself behind a wall of horses when the pace quickened, which necessitated in jockey Callum Shepherd having to switch him towards the middle of the track, at that point his winning chance had gone. However, he stayed on well into third place.

Out of a Camelot mare who stayed 1m4f, he’s sure to have stamina for further and would be of serious interest if facing 6f on his next start.

Mayada (Trainer: Ollie Sangster)

A daughter of Phoenix Of Spain, she found things happening far too fast in the early stages of her debut at Bath when racing over 5f. She did eventually find her stride and made some nice progress wide around runners to stay on to be a never nearer fifth under tender handling.

Her pedigree suggests stamina for at least a mile, so I’d expect significant improvement as she goes up in trip. Both her owner and trainer excel with fillies and she’s well worth adding to your Racing TV tracker.

Paul and Oliver Cole are never in a hurry to get there juveniles to the track, but when they do, they’re always worthy of close attention.

In the last ten days they’ve sent out their first two-year old runners of the season and both have ran out three-length winners.

At Windsor last Monday,

American Gulf

, a speedily-bred son of Ardad and a half-brother to talented two-year old performers Master Of War, Arabie and Mammas Girl, produced a textbook debut performance.

Breaking alertly, he travelled well in a prominent position before picking up in good style. He now looks likely to head to the Coventry.

Arguably even more impressive was

Jel Pepper

, he replicated the run style of American Gulf in racing prominently and picking up well when making his own winning debut at Goodwood, drawing further and further clear under Hector Crouch. 

Both colts look well above average and will surely be challenging in pattern races later this season.

Their next two-year old representative will be Nagoya, a daughter of Kingman who is entered over six-furlongs at Goodwood on Friday. Her dam was a winner on her own debut as a two-year old over a mile in August and on pedigree it would be a surprise if were sharp enough for this test but she’s certainly worth a market check given the form of her yard.

Breeze-Up supremo Johnny Hassett of The Bloodstock Connection has steered us in the direction of plenty of winners over the last few seasons. With just one sale left in the breeze-up calendar, he talked me through a few of his graduates that he’s most excited about.

Acclamation ex Petalite – I had high hopes for this smart colt heading towards the Goffs Doncaster sale, he’d taken all his work well and had shown plenty of speed at home.

However, as I’m often reminded, they aren’t machines and he produced a surprisingly poor breeze. This year more than ever, it’s been clear that the proven nature of the breeze-up graduates give buyers confidence to pay well for what they want, but what they want is a fast breeze, and sadly on the day he wasn’t that.I have faith in him though and now own him in partnership.

Named Better And Better,he shaped well on debut at Carlisle where he was beaten a neck when finishing fast. He’s declared at Hamilton on Wednesday where, all things being equal, he should go close.

Our aim would then be to sell him ahead of the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot. He’s a nice horse.

Australia ex Tinkerbells Effect – this smart chesnut colt has always pleased us and he duly produced a breeze time that was comfortably in the top 10% at the Arqana sale. Australia hasn’t always been the most fashionable sire, but I like him, particularly if he’s crossed on to a speedy mare. That was certainly the case with Lambourn, and one of the many the appealing things about him when I bought him as a yearling was Kodiac as his damsire.

Wathnan Racing paid €260,000 for him. Now named Circle Of Light, he’s in training with Archie Watson and is declared to make his debut at Newbury on Thursday. He’s in good hands and it would be no surprise to me if he ends up being very good indeed.

Australia ex Tough Spirit – he won’t be as early as the two I’ve already mentioned, but he’s another that has a speedy dam sire in Iffraaj and his dam has already produced Miss Lamai - a Listed winner for Karl Burke who finished fourth in last year's Queen Mary.

We paid £80,000 for him as a yearling so his sale at the Craven Breeze-Up for £105,000 doesn’t represent great business for us, but I think Richard Hughes has bought some real value for his new owner Bernie Dickinson, and the reports I’ve had are that they love him. 

Havana Grey ex Geranium – this gorgeous filly will lead our final consignment of the season at the Goffs Classic Breeze-Up sale. She’s by a sire that continues to deliver and has pleased us enormously in her preparation.

I say this fully aware that horses can, and often do, make fools of us but she’s as fast as any we’ve sold this season and I sincerely believe she’ll be one of the fastest, if not the fastest to breeze in the sale.

But she certainly isn’t just “cheap speed’ as her dam was a four-time winner over ten furlongs for Hughie Morrison. I think the world of her, she has all the attributes to be a top-class filly and, once sold and named, she should be followed closely.