Juddmonte newcomers could light up next few months

Laurel just one of a handful of highly-promising types in the famous pink and green silks.

Laurel has been handed a “speculative” entry in the Sun Chariot Stakes after her impressive debut win at Newmarket on Friday.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the three-year-old daughter of Kingman was well supported on her mile debut and drew readily clear of Mashaaer, who had been runner-up in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes over 10 furlongs at Headquarters in May and ran well at Royal Ascot.

Ridden by Ray Dawson, the 6-5 favourite had three lengths to spare after quickening up impressively.

The Juddmonte homebred may now take an immediate step up in class, although Barry Mahon, the owners’ racing manager, said he felt keeping her sights a little lower might be the preferred option.

“It was a very nice performance and the second obviously has a very high rating, having finished second in the Pretty Polly, which legitimises the form of it, and she did it well,” said Mahon.

“She has been a slow-burner. John and Thady have been patient with her and brought her along slowly, and we have made a speculative entry in the Sun Chariot (at Newmarket on October 2) with her, but that is probably tilting at windmills a little bit.

“She is nice filly who can progress and we will see in the next start or two how we get on with her.”

Haskoy is another Juddmonte three-year-old filly who made an eyecatching debut on Friday, winning by seven lengths on her debut in a mile-and-a-half Wolverhampton novice.

The Ralph Beckett-trained daughter of Golden Horn could move up significantly in grade, with the Galtres Stakes on the second day of York’s Ebor Festival a tentative target.

“Haskoy did it very well and the form got the little bit of a franking on Saturday with Ralph’s filly (Star Fortress) finishing third in the Chalice.

“She’d beaten the second horse (Jahoori) a length and a half on her last start, and we beat her by seven lengths, so that was a little bit of a boost.

“We will see how she comes out of it this week, but we are half-thinking about the Galtres.

“She has not been in training very long and we are a little bit on the back foot – she only went into training about six or seven weeks ago.

“So we will monitor over the next week to make sure it is not too much too soon, but if she is in good shape, we will look at that.”

Sir Michael Stoute is eyeing a pair of Group Two contests for Nostrum, a striking three-length winner of a seven-furlong Sandown maiden in the famous green and pink colours.

The two-year-old Kingman colt is now set for either the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster over a similar trip on September 10 or the Juddmonte Royal Lodge over a mile at Newmarket on September 24.

Mahon said: “Nostrum a nice colt. Michael and his team were pretty happy with him going into Sandown and he delivered.

“He would look at races like the Royal Lodge and the Champagne.

“It is very unlikely he will have another run in between. He is a big horse and he is all about next year and we don’t want to over-cook him this year.”

Connections of the Ger Lyons-trained Apricot Twist will take a look at the ground conditions ahead of racing at Naas on Monday to determine if the runaway debut course and distance winner will take her chance in the six-furlong Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes.

“She is an intended runner in the Ballyhane – if we don’t get too much more rain,” said Mahon. “We have had a lot of rain in Ireland in the last 24 hours, so we will have a look at the track in the morning and if Ger and his team are happy, she will partake in it.

“If it is too soft, we will wait for a stakes race at the Curragh in three weeks’ time instead.”

Frankel gained another notable record on Saturday
Frankel gained another notable record on Saturday (PA)

Juddmonte sire Frankel, who retired unbeaten with 10 Group One victories to his name, has made a blistering start at stud.

Having already produced three Classic winners this year in the shape of Homeless Songs, Westover and Nashwa, the son of the late Galileo gained another notable first on Saturday when Emotion captured the Chalice Stakes at Newmarket.

For that victory was Frankel’s 100th individual stakes winner and equalled the record time in order to achieve the milestone with Danehill, who also took 2,402 days to reach that tally for the late Prince Khalid Abdullah’s operation.

Mahon added: “To say that Juddmonte and Prince Khalid have bred the two fastest stallions to ever sire 100 stakes winners is an incredible feat.”

With crack miler Baaeed now unbeaten in nine races – including the last five at Group One level – Shadwell’s star colt is poised to go up in trip for the Juddmonte International over 10 furlongs at York.

And given Derby winner Desert Crown now expected to miss the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, some have suggested that the William Haggis-trained Baaeed should take his chance in the mile-and-a-half contest for his last run before embarking on a career as a stallion.

Baaeed and jockey Jim Crowley (left) made it nine unbeaten in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood
Baaeed and jockey Jim Crowley (left) made it nine unbeaten in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (Adam Davy/PA)

But Mahon believes connections are right to tackle the Juddmonte International and the Champion Stakes – both over 10 furlongs – rather than going to France.

“The Juddmonte International and the Champion Stakes are going to be lovely races for him,” said Mahon.

“He’s the best around over a mile and you know he is going to get 10 furlongs. Why go looking to try and get him beat? There is no real reason for it.

“When you are as good as that over a mile, you would be a little bit nervous going over 12 furlongs. There is no point saying you wouldn’t. I can fully understand why they are sticking to a mile and 10 furlongs.”

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