Ron asked me to list what I considered were promising 2yos (+one 3yo) for the 2025 flat season. A bit early, maybe, but (for example) Kalpana did run on the All-Weather last year.
Most of the background to these selections are from posts put up on the Breeding Bits thread as these horses ran. I intend to post on this thread (and not Breeding Bits) when the above are entered or run so will make their case then. Two (Contacto and Point of Contact) are not from the Breeding Bits thread but I'll cover them in the same way as and when they come up. I'm sure some of them will be duffers and probably in the wrong list. In the main they are selections based mostly on first impressions.
Irish Oaks Entries out and 4 of my list get entries. They are Smoken, Alobayyah, Rhapsody and Secret of Love.
Somehow I omitted one of my Flat hopes for 2025 and that is another Haggas trained 3yo called Crown Of Oaks. He made his debut in a 7f Newmarket maiden in early October and appeared likely to finish with the washing as Marquand was scrubbing along some way out. However he ran on strongly in the last half furlong and finished a closing third. Of course you could choose the winner from this race, Secret Theory, as he won comfortably but I thought Crown of Oaks had more scope. He's by Wootton Bassett out of a Royal Applause mare who is the dam of Royal Ascot winner English Oak (by the same sire). His 5th dam is Crimson Saint, the dam of Royal Academy and Terlingua (herself the dam of Storm Cat). So there's plenty of class in the pedigree. He may be suited by 7f-8f. One to watch for in one of those Newbury maidens in April. I'd place him in the Others list but he could graduate to be a Group horse.
The entries for the first four French classics were released yesterday. Here are the entries from my list: - French 2000G: Scorthy Champ, Rashabar and Crown of Oaks French 1000G: Alobbayah and Vertical Blue French Derby: Bowmark, Rashabar, Gethin, Stanhope Gardens and Crown of Oaks French Oaks: Alobbayah, Smoken, Vertical Blue, Falakayeh and Rhapsody. Meanwhile it's a guess who runs in the English Classics.
The Derby entries are published and only two of my list make it (not a surprise). They are Owen Burrow's Gethin and Ralph Beckett's Stanhope Gardens. Both of them are sons of Ghaiyyath. Not sure when the Oaks and Guineas entries are out.
Rhapsody dodges the Snowdrop Stakes (used to be the Masaka and before that Kempton 1000G Trial) on Saturday to go for the next race on the card. Mr Marquand is absent so Buick gets the ride. Hopefully she'll confirm the promise of her only start at Yarmouth last year.
Scorthy Champ in to 10-1 for the 2000G. Rashabayer and Crown of Oaks are also entered for the May Classic. Virtual Blue is my only representative in the 1000G, so Alobayyah is only entered for the French 1000G and not the UK version.
Total rubbish Backed into 2nd favourite but couldn't have been more disappointing. Buick reported that the filly ran too freely. She also lost a shoe.
A good win by Gethin yesterday at an SP of 7/2. Now goes for a Derby Trial. His win was rather overshadowed by the leader breaking down. However it looked as if Gethin had his measure. Burrows says he's still a baby but will go for a trial. A relatively big horse he may be suited to more of a galloping track. Certainly moved impressively in the last furlong. Rabashayer and Crown of Oaks go today. .
Point of Contact wins with Crown of Oaks 3rd. That make Runs 5 Wins 2 Placed 2 Rashabayer ran 2nd in the Greenham but can improve on that. More likely to go for the French 2000G I would think.
Bowmark, a Kingman colt, made his seasonal debut at Newcastle today but found one too strong for him in the gelding Glittering Legend. Shoemark was at the rear of this field of 6 before making his move at the 2f marker. He was immediately in a battle with the eventual winner who went ahead by about a half length. Bowmark was coming back at him but was held by a neck, and the winner may have found more even if he did have the harder race. This Newcastle race is favoured by Gosden and Palace Pier won it. On paper the form looks reasonable as 3rd was Royal Playwright who finished 2nd in the Royal Lodge. He has an OR of 110, but he would have finished a good deal nearer if Murphy had found a way through, so don't read the form too literally. Runs 6 Wins 2 Placed 3.
Getting seconditis at the moment with Miss Wong finishing a distant 2nd to Queen of Thieves at Yarmouth. The 3rd horse was 36 lengths behind the winner, while Miss Wong was just 11 lengths adrift. Queen of Thieves is a full-sister to Cracksman and unlike her brother is not inconvenienced by firmish ground. She could be very useful. Her next outing is eagerly awaited. Runs 7 wins 2 Placed 4
I wonder why they didn't give Queen Of Thieves an Oaks entry? OK she was only 5th in an average maiden on her only run as a 2YO but given her pedigree you'd think they would have given her a speculative entry.
