Ross Millar: Royal Ascot juvenile races review and eye-catchers

Well, what do you make of that?

Royal Ascot produced some top class action but winners were hard to find. It was a frustrating week for the column. River Tiber got us off to the best possible start but even though Relief Rally, Elite Status and Soprano all hit the frame a second winner proved elusive.

As the old maxim goes “if you aren’t wining, you’re learning” so below are my thoughts of each of the two-year old races from last week.

River Tiber caught the eye in the preliminaries and duly delivered on the track. He broke smartly and was always in a prominent position in a group racing on the far side. He battled bravely to head and then pull clear of Givemethebeatboys with half a furlong to run.

Army Ethos, positioned up the centre of the track, closed close to the line but I take the view that the winner was idling close home. The runner-up does deserve extra credit though as he was racing alone for much of the final two furlongs. On only his second run this was a big effort and he can win a Group race this season.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien suggested that River Tiber works with such ease at home that it is only on the racecourse where he finds real progression. Jockey Ryan Moore nominated the Dewhurst over seven furlongs as a likely target and it would be a brave call to oppose him at this moment.

Eye catcher: Spanish Phoenix was outpaced throughout and was never in a position to challenge, but he ran on well at the death. This run backs up his pedigree which suggests he’ll fare better over 7f. Keep him in your Racing TV tracker.

Ouch. This one stung. The selection, Relief Rally, was well found in the market in the 24 hours before the race. She ran superbly. In order to find clear passage her jockey Tom Marquand was forced to make a dramatic manoeuvre to switch her from behind tiring rivals, undoubtedly the ground that was, necessarily, forfeited here was the reason she came out on the wrong side of the verdict in a head bobbing finish to the winner Crimson Advocate who herself had the advantage of a clear passage and first run.

In a style typical with US raiders Crimson Advocate showed blistering early speed and with a furlong to run had opened up a clear gap over her rivals. The uphill finish at Ascot was something new for her to contend with and she was all out at the line.

I’m not sure whether winning connections will continue a campaign in Europe or whether they head back stateside. If she were to stay over here she would merit respect on easier tracks on mid-summer ground. Would connections consider the Nunthorpe at York where she would receive all the allowances?

Eye catchers: Midnight Affair struggled with early pace and was never close enough to challenge. Her pedigree strongly suggests 6f and maybe even 7f might be in range. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to dismiss her. French filly Balsam found this ground too lively, having raced on soft and heavy in France. She showed guts and good finishing speed. Keep her in mind for autumn targets when the ground will be more to her liking.

I’m not sure many of us saw this result coming. Big Evs showed taking early speed and ran out a comfortable winner. He had the advantage of racing on the best ground close to the stands’ rail but still should be classed as a commanding winner.

Afterwards his trainer Mick Appleby, for who this was a first Royal Ascot winner, revealed his colt had been working with Annaf who had run a huge race to finish third in Tuesdays King’s Stand. He looks full of speed and should prove himself a force over this trip in the coming months. He was a first Royal Ascot winner for first season sire Blue Point.

Johannes Brahms was well supported, eventually going off the 100/30 favourite. He had to tack across to the better ground from his draw in the middle but this didn’t effect the result. He simply lacked the speed of the winner and I’d expect to see him step back up to 6f now.

Eye catchers: Alabama was slowly into stride and raced far away from the pace on the slowest ground against the far rail. Although only fifth he pulled a long way clear of the remainder of his group. With a more favourable draw he would likely have got much closer. Ganesha was another who struggled for early speed. I loved how he finished his race off, with a good head carriage and with laser-like straightness I’d be excited to see what he can do over 6f.

More often that not when a 150/1 shot wins you can, as a punter, simply shrug your shoulders and say “no chance of finding that”.

On this occasion I along with most of Twitter was kicking myself as the form was undoubtedly there for all to find.

Although a maiden, Valiant Force had good form in the book. On debut he showed lots of early speed before tiring late on soft ground over 5f and then again on his second start he showed an abundance of pace before not staying 6f.

Over this 5f trip and on better ground he was a different proposition. He quickened well approaching the furlong pole and poached a couple of lengths that he never looked like surrendering.

He looks an out and out sprinter and surely connections now won’t deviate away from this minimum trip. Amo Racing invest heavily in fast two-year olds and finally got their reward with a first Royal Ascot winner.

Eye catchers: Elite Status didn’t travel with the same zest as he had when winning the National Stakes at Sandown. On his previous two starts he had raced on the wing of the field and thus was afforded plenty of space, but this time he was in amongst a group and I wonder if this, coupled with firmer ground disrupted his rhythm. It’s to his credit that he rallied into third place. Another furlong looks like it wouldn’t go amiss. Both Malc and His Majesty finished with purpose with the latter close to the stands’ rail away from the action. They too look like 6f would see them in a better light.

I got this one wrong. Porta Fortuna had been a nice winning selection when landing a Group Three contest over this trip on her last start. I’d been underwhelmed by her final half-furlong however and had hoped connections would aim her to the Queen Mary.

With the beauty of hindsight she was clearly only idling in the closing stages at Naas as here, having once again demonstrated her customary smart change of gear, she stayed on powerfully and never looked likely to wilt. I’d be confident that, given the same conditions, she will prove capable of upholding this form throughout the season; an easier track will only be to her advantage. She became Donnacha O’Brien’s first Royal Ascot winner.

Given her world-class connections the runner-up Matrika was cool in the market, she ran above herself on just her second start. She had the benefit of racing in the pace setting group but lacked a change of gear. Her pedigree is for middle-distances and she may yet prove herself the most talented of these fillies.

Eye catchers: Soprano wasn’t favoured by the draw and after a steady start was forced to race alone. She still looked tall and angular, and I fancy her to be significantly better as a three year old. She made good late progress and could be one for the Rockfel Stakes in September. After her striking debut I suggested Jabaara could potentially drop back to 5f. She was unfavourably positioned here against the nearside rail but travelled powerfully before briefly threatening though ultimately she faded tamely. A number of Roger Varian’s runners under-performed this week and that might be the case with her, but I’d love to see her use her obvious speed over 5f.

Gavin Cromwell is now two from two with his Royal Ascot juveniles, having previously landed the 2021 Queen Mary with Quick Suzy.

Snellen had already advertised her stamina for this 7f trip with a debut win at Limerick where she was value for more than the winning margin having hung notably to the left. This straight 7f suited her well; she travelled kindly and got to the front with a furlong to run. She again hung a little to her left and was possibly fortunate that the runner-up Pearls And Rubies did the same to her right. Her dam stayed 12 furlongs well so she’ll undoubtedly stay further than this in time.

Pearls and Rubies showed significant improvement upped two-furlongs in trip. She raced away from the winner up the middle of the track and would have benefitted from company. I’d fancy her to reverse this form if facing the winner again. A further step up in trip may yet await her later in the season.

Eye catchers: The Richard Fahey pair, Golden Mind and Matnookh, can do better yet. Oisin Orr, jockey of Golden Mind, was forced to delay his challenge as a gap closed on him. Given how powerfully he finished he must be considered unfortunate. Matnookh made a better start than he did at Windsor on debut, but still had ground to make up, and he made good progress up the stands' side rail but was given a considerate ride once his chance had gone. He can comfortably shed his maiden tag on his next start.