Ten horses to
follow for the 2018 flat season. I have tried to include the less obvious
horses that have raced at the end of the flat season and over the winter.
Cross Counter (Charlie
Appleby)
Sire – Teofilo.
Dam – Waitress.
Made a very
eye-catching debut at Wolverhampton where he was the lesser fancied of the two
Godolphin runners. Cross Counter fell
out of the stalls that day then ran quite wide throughout before effortlessly
sweeping round the field to win under hands and heals, pulling further away the
further he went. I was quite disappointed when he turned out again in January
as would no longer be under the radar going into the 2018 flat season. He most
likely needed the experience after running so green on debut. He was more
professional on second start and bolted up under a penalty. He isn’t entered in
the Derby but is a very exciting prospect for this season.
Ejtyah (David
Simcock)
Sire – Frankel.
Dam – Darysina.
Ran only once
as a two-year-old, in a small novice event at Chelmsford. Although the official winning margin was just
half a length, the front two pulled four lengths clear of the other horses. The
form of those other horses in behind does not look strong, however. She settled
at the back of the field, before making a sustained effort in the straight.
Jamie Spencer gave her just one stroke with the whip to which she responded and
won a shade cosily. David Simcock said after the race she is a horse with a
future that will eventually make a good stayer.
Glendevon (Richard
Hughes)
Sire – Scat
Daddy. Dam – Flip Flop
For me, this
was probably the most impressive winner of a novice race over the winter. On
debut, Glendevon was very green and keen throughout before staying on very
strongly into second, pulling clear of the rest of the field and given quite an
easy ride in doing so. On second start he made all, really kicking clear about
a furlong and a half out with a very impressive stride length. He destroyed
some quite useful horses in behind. The second won next time and will begin in
handicap company off a mark of 90. I hope this horse runs the Craven Stakes
before going onto the 2000 Guineas (currently 33/1) if handling Newmarket.
Mr Ritz (Jeremy
Noseda)
Sire – Oasis
Dream. Dam - Que Puntual
A half-brother
to Oceanographer, Mr Ritz was impressive on his only start. He was drawn widest
of all 13 runners, didn’t break very well from the stalls but still managed to
get a very handy position throughout the race. He then battled it out with a
horse that had already had a run; beating it whilst running green in the
straight and pulling ten lengths clear of the rest of the field. What was even
more impressive is that the horse was extremely hard to pull up after the race.
This will make a very exciting three-year-old.
Photographer (John
Gosden)
Sire – New
Approach. Dam – Approach
Very well
related – a half-brother to Midas Touch and Coronet, unsurprisingly
Photographer made his debut over 10f. He raced keenly throughout but still
picked up very well in the final straight and stayed on very well to the line.
You could say the second was a bit unlucky as Photographer got first run on him
that day and both look very promising types.
John Gosden’s colt can be backed at 50/1 for the Derby.
Showroom (Mark
Johnston)
Sire –
Motivator. Dam – Lemon Twist
Looked smart on
debut at Goodwood. Showroom looked like
a strong galloper as he made all and powered away from the rest of the field.
He could be anything and is worth keeping an eye on this season.
Symbolization (Charlie
Appleby)
Sire – Cape
Cross. Dam – Yorkshire Lass
By the
excellent sire Cape Cross, whose progeny progress well. The dam has won over a
mile and a half and two miles one furlong so I would expect Symbolization to be
able to race over middle distances as a three-year-old. He was strongly fancied
on debut in a Newmarket maiden where he ran very respectably in second behind
the 99-rated Vintager. He didn’t quite have the pace of the winner, which isn’t
surprising given his breeding. He pulled three lengths clear of Chilean, who
ran well in an excellent renewal of the Racing Post Trophy. Symbolization built
on that debut run next time when beating Glendevon at Kempton. He is a big colt
who will make a three-figure horse this season.
The Revenant (Hugo
Palmer)
Sire – Dubawi.
Dam – Hazel Lavery
I was impressed
this horse’s attitude on debut, where he battled on well to the line to
comfortably beat a horse that is now rated 87. He took a bit of time to get
going that day but he is out of a mare who won over one and a half miles and
preferred cut in the ground so will eventually be better when upped in trip. He
then ran in a conditions race on heavy ground at Epsom. He came third in this
race but I think he will turn out to be the best horse in the race. The front
two ran prominently throughout in quite a slowly run race, whereas, The
Revenant was held up in last. When The Revenant mounted his effort he ran all
over the track and looked quite inexperienced. I think he will have learnt a
lot from that and can currently be backed at 66/1 for the Derby.
Wadilsafa (Owen
Burrows)
Sire – Frankel.
Dam – Rumoush
A half-brother to
Talaayeb and Muntazah, Wadilsafa has raced once and is still a maiden. He ran
in an excellent maiden at Ascot behind Herculean, just lacking the pace of the
winner. The race was over seven furlongs so he will appreciate a step up in
trip. The form of that maiden is working out quite well, as Archie McKellar
(had race experience), was back in third and is now rated 103. Merlin Magic was five lengths behind
Wadilsafa and deemed good enough to run in the Racing Post Trophy. This horse
should contend group races this season.
Without Parole (John
Gosden)
Sire – Frankel.
Dam – Without You Babe
Hard not to be
impressed by the manner of his victory on debut at Newcastle, but it is
important to remember he was getting 4lbs from the second and third horses. He
is a half-brother to Tamarkuz and could be absolutely anything, however, I may
have raised expectations of this one after his trainer sent Enable to win at
Newcastle on her debut.
