Doncaster or Saint-Cloud under consideration for Arrest

Smart-looking Juddmonte two-year-old poised for Group One tilt this weekend.

Top-class prospect Arrest could line up in either Doncaster’s Vertem Futurity Trophy or the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Saturday.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt is held in high regard by both the team at Clarehaven and owners Juddmonte – and could throw his name into the Classic picture for next season when reporting for Group One action for the first time.

Third to fellow Juddmonte colt Nostrum when sent off favourite on debut at Sandown, he has since highlighted his talent in grinding down subsequent dual winner Desert Order on his return to the Esher venue for his second appearance and then following up with a facile success at Ffos Las.

Connections are willing to bide their time before committing to either a trip up the A1 to Town Moor for a race the Gosdens have never won or a journey across the Channel to the French capital where the son of Frankel would be stepping up to 10 furlongs.

However, there is no doubting Arrest’s potential, and his team believe he could develop into an “exciting middle-distance colt” in 2023 and join the likes of Nostrum and Chaldean by representing the famous green, pink and white silks in some of the biggest races of the year.

“We’re not certain where we’re going just yet,” said Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon.

“I spoke with John and Thady this morning and they will make their mind up over the next few days. They are looking at the race at Saint-Cloud as well as Doncaster. They are both on Saturday and he will run in one or the other, but we’re not sure which one.

“He is a fine big horse and I think he is all about next year really. John and Thady are aware of that, and I think are very much mindful that they don’t want to do any harm this year, so if there is one race looking a little weaker than the other then I would say that would be the way we would go.”

On hopes for next season Mahon added: “He is very much a horse for next year. He is a big horse with a big frame on him which he hasn’t built yet, and I think he could make into an exciting middle-distance colt next season.

Thady Gosden is joint-trainer of Arrest alongside his father John
Thady Gosden is joint trainer of Arrest alongside his father John (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’d say he’s definitely a 10 to 12 furlong horse. I don’t know if he’d go any further, but he could be a high class 10- or 12-furlong horse which is the important bit.

“The team at Clarehaven have always liked him from early in the summer and I do think they feel he has considerable potential.

“They are mindful that he is big and immature, and it is a case of nursing him through this year and letting him develop and strengthen over the winter. Then he can be a nice colt and hopefully he can be in the mix with the likes of Chaldean and Nostrum next year.”

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