Dan Briden the inside track on Harry Eustace's exciting two-year-old team for this season.
AL THARIYAAT
8/3 b f Dubawi - Aneen (Lawman)
Owner: Shadwell Estate Company Ltd Sales price: n/a
Third foal of a Listed-placed Irish 7f 2yo winner (104) who was a half-sister to Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad (124), Irish 1m 3yo Listed winner Mehnah (102) and Group 3-placed Irish 7f 3yo winner Alghabrah (99).
“She is still in Ireland at the moment and reportedly quite immature. I haven’t even seen her yet.”
ALOULA (IRE)
9/4 b f Blue Point - Alnajmah (Dansili)
Owner: Shadwell Estate Company Ltd Sales price: n/a
Half-sister to French 7.5f/1m Listed winner Ataared (105) and 2022 French 6.5f 2yo winner Najwaa (84). Dam a French 7f-1m 2yo winner (94) who was a half-sister to French 1m 2yo Listed winner Rafaadah (99; later dam of Prix Saint-Alary winner Tawkeel (119)).
“She has a bit of quality and has done a couple of swinging bits of work, which have gone well. We’ve sent her out for a holiday as she will be one for the second half of the season and more so next year. She will probably start over 7f when the time comes.”
BOSS DOG
22/1 b g Zoustar - Lady McKell (Raven’s Pass)
Owner: D P Howden Sales price: n/a
Half-brother to useful UK/French 6-6.5f winner Buridan (98) and useful 5-6.5f 2yo winner The Great Heir (92). Dam a French 7f 3yo winner (87) who was the daughter of an unraced sister to July Cup/Nunthorpe Stakes winner Mozart (131).
“A chunky, mature horse who we’ve just gelded so as to keep on top of things with him. I haven’t really done enough with him yet to know how good he is, and I imagine he won’t be running until the second part of the season anyway.”
FLAG CARRIER (IRE)
19/1 b c Starspangledbanner - Evies Wish (Holy Roman Emperor)
Owner: J C Smith Sales price: €85,000 (Littleton Stud)
Second foal of a 6f 3yo winner (77) who was a full sister to Group 2/3-placed Irish/Hong Kong 5-6f winner Travel Datuk (103) and a half-sister to the dam of 2022 6f 3yo Group 3 winner/Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up Flotus (112; by Starspangledbanner).
“He showed a bit early on but just hasn’t thrived on his work of late, so we’ve sent him out for a holiday. I imagine he will come back in early summer, but he’s a mature, athletic colt who should be able to make some sort of impact this year if putting it all together when he returns. He looks to be what his pedigree says he is - a sprinter.”
HARRY DID
3/2 b g Exceed And Excel - Shaaqaaf (Sepoy)
Owner: Park Lodge Stables Ltd Sales price: 58,000gns (Compas Equine/Hugh Hurst)
Third foal of a useful 1m 3yo winner (100) who was a half-sister to Group 3-placed 10-12f 3yo winner Nell Quickly (107) and fairly useful 6-7f winner Oso Rapido (91) out of a 1m Listed winner (104).
“He is a very straightforward, athletic horse who has grown a tremendous amount since we got him, hence the gelding operation. I imagine he will be one for 7f/1m races from the later part of the summer/autumn. All that we’ve asked of him so far he has found very easy.”
INAPPROPRIATE (IRE)
10/4 ch c Churchill - Kimblewick (Iffraaj)
Owner: One More For The Road II Sales price: 70,000gns (De Burgh Equine/H Eustace)
First foal of a 1m 2yo winner (89) who was a half-sister to the dam of Irish 1m Group 2/3 winner Cadillac (116) out of an Irish 7f 3yo winning (91) close relation to Phoenix Stakes winner Damson (113; later dam of Flying Childers Stakes winner Requinto (110)) and 7f 2yo Group 3 winner Geminiani (104).
“He has just come back in from a break and will start doing some faster work within the next couple of weeks. He looks to be a mid-season type of two-year-old, and it will be interesting to see if he starts over six or seven furlongs as despite being by Churchill it’s quite a speedy family. It wouldn’t surprise me if he got faster with racing.”
LENNOX (IRE)
6/3 b c Muhaarar - Nurse Nightingale (Nathaniel)
Owner: O.T.I. Racing Sales price: €72,000 (Blandford Bloodstock)
Second foal of a 13.5f winner (89) who was a half-sister to Group 1-placed 6-7f winner (including at Group 2/3 level) James Garfield (121), Listed-placed 7.5f-1m winner The Shrew (108) and Listed-placed 2022 6f 3yo winner Morag McCullagh (92).
“A scopey individual who is still quite backward. We’d be looking to get a run into him at the backend of the season with a view to a three-year-old campaign with him. As with most OTI-owned horses, the plan is for him to go off to Australia at the end of his three-year-old campaign.”
MATAHIF
1/3 ch f Masar - Strawberry Martini (Mount Nelson)
Owner: Shadwell Estate Company Ltd Sales price: 110,000gns (Shadwell Estate Company)
Fourth foal of an Italian 12f Listed winner (101) who was a three-parts sister to Group 2-placed 7f-1m 2yo winner (including at Listed level) Tony Curtis (111).
“This filly has a bit of quality, but her pedigree says it all really - she’s going to need both time and distance to be seen at her very best. She is cantering away, and, like Lennox, we’ll be looking to get a run into her at the backend of the season to set her up for her three-year-old campaign. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see her at all this year.”
MOON ANGEL
13/2 b f Time Test - Lost The Moon (Authorized)
Owner: Mrs Sharon Goddard Sales price: n/a
First foal of a fairly useful 13.5-14f winner (82) who was a half-sister to useful Irish multiple 5f-1m winner Captain Cullen (100) and fairly useful 8-12f winner Battery Power (89).
“A scopey filly who whilst needing a bit of time is quite athletic. I see her running a couple of times during the latter stages of the season, and I can see her making into quite a nice three-year-old.”
MUTTASIL (IRE)
23/2 b c Kingman - Ettisaal (Dubawi)
Owner: Shadwell Estate Company Ltd Sales price: n/a
First foal of a Listed-placed French 7.5f 2yo winner (106) who was a half-sister to French dual 1m 3yo Group 1 winner Tamayuz (126), Group 3-placed French 7f 2yo winner Nuqoosh (103) and the dam of French 10f Listed winner/Prix du Jockey Club third Motamarris (117).
“He is quite forward both mentally and physically and has done really well for a break. He shows promise in his work and looks like he will have the speed to begin over 6f around June or July time. Out of the four we have for Shadwell he’d easily be the most forward of them.”
NOTHING TO FEAR (IRE)
3/2 b f Churchill - Withorwithoutyou (Danehill)
Owner: Next Wave Racing Sales price: €47,000 (de Burgh Equine/H Eustace)
Half-sister to Coventry Stakes/Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Art Connoisseur (121). Dam a 7f 2yo winner (91); family of Oaks/Irish Derby winner Balanchine (131), dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (128) and 2022 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus (127).
“This filly showed a fair level of ability before going off for a break. It’s perhaps no surprise that she looks a two-year-old type being a half-sister to a Coventry winner and out of a Danehill mare. She was bought with the remit that if she can win races on the track she holds quite a bit of residual value as a future broodmare.”
PASCAL’S PAL
7/1 b f Wootton Bassett - Kerka (Dansili)
Owner: Moyns Park Stud Sales price: 40,000gns (Vendor)
First foal of a French 1m 1f 2yo winner (86) who was the daughter of a French 5f 3yo Listed winning (104) close relation to Listed-placed French 6f 2yo winner Kerman (99) and half-sister to French 5f 2yo Group 3 winner Keratiya (105).
“She isn’t overly big but seems to find her work easy enough at this stage. While she won’t be very early, she ought to make a two-year-old. I imagine she will begin over 6/7f in midsummer.”
PAYMENT IN KIND (IRE)
13/3 b c Profitable - Caring Touch (Elusive Quality)
Owner: Mr D Bevan & Mrs D Bevan Sales price: €27,000 (DPA Bloodstock)
Second foal of a 1m 2yo winner (90) who was the daughter of a maiden (85) sister to Grade 2-placed US 6.5f-1m winner Fortify (111) and half-sister to US 1m 1f Listed winner Bay of Plenty (114).
“Quite a mature colt who I thought would be running around now, but he just had a touch of sore shins and has also changed quite a bit physically. I think quite a bit of him and he’s very much a candidate for the Super Sprint at Newbury and the Tattersalls Ireland sales race.”
PHOENIX DUCHESS (IRE)
22/4 gr f Phoenix of Spain - Kassandra (Dandy Man)
Owner: Johnstone Partnership Sales price: 42,000gns (John Johnstone)
Half-sister to Irish 7f 2yo winner Knocklane Lass (86). Dam a maiden (69) sister to 6f 2yo winner/Coventry Stakes runner-up Parbold (111) and half-sister to Group 3-placed multiple 5-7f winner (including twice at Listed level) Majestic Myles (115), very useful multiple 6f-1m winner Majestic Moon (108) and the dam of Irish triple 6f/1m Listed winner Power Under Me (115).
“She showed promise on her debut in what looked a potentially very good maiden at Newmarket. It was a real learning curve for her, but she was getting the hang of things by the end. She’s the type to give her owners some good sport throughout the season as she’s a real two-year-old sort of filly. I could see her venturing north for her next run.”
SHIMMERING MOON (IRE)
13/2 b f Kuroshio - Subtle Shimmer (Danehill Dancer)
Owner: Titanium Racing Club Sales price: £48,000 (Manor House Farm)
Half-sister to Listed-placed multiple 6-7f winner Shimmering Dawn (104). Dam a useful Irish 6-7f winner (95) who was a full sister to Irish 7f 2yo Listed winner Mister Tee (109) out of a Listed-placed 1m 2yo winner (95).
“A mature filly who looks the sort to make a two-year-old. I would like to have her running in June or July, though she may just want a bit of juice in the ground.”
SIR LES PATTERSON
24/2 b c Zoustar - Evil Spell (Dutch Art)
Owner: Hedge, Woodside & Redvers Sales price: 85,000gns (Suman Hedge Bloodstock Pty)
Half-brother to fairly useful Irish dual 5f winner Harmony Rose (93). Dam an Italian dual 6f Listed winner (104) who was a half-sister to Group 2-placed 2022 7f 2yo winner Olivia Maralda (100) and Group 3-placed UK/Hong Kong 6-7f winner King of Hearts (115).
“This colt has a lot of quality about him. He is quite a sizeable individual so won’t be seen really early, and it will be July or August time at the earliest before we see him in action. It wouldn’t surprise me if he starts at 7f and drops back to 6f as he isn’t short of pace. Everything he does comes so easily to him - he’s a really laidback character. I think he’ll make up into a cracking three-year-old.”
STAR OF JUPITER (IRE)
19/3 b c Starspangledbanner - Callistan (Galileo)
Owner: Titanium Racing Club Sales price: €85,000 (Manor House Stud)
Half-brother to useful 8-10.5f winner Snow Ocean (96). Dam an Irish 12f 3yo winner (73) who was the daughter of a maiden (56) half-sister to Doncaster Cup winner Alleluia (117) and excellent broodmares Alouette (105) and Last Second (121).
“This colt has worked to a fair level at home. While he is going to do better next year, he has shown enough to suggest he will do a fair bit of running at two. He looks to be one for 7f this year with a view to staying 1m and possibly a bit further next season. I quite like him at this stage.”
STRAIGHT A
8/4 b c Aclaim - Straight Away (Dubawi)
Owner: J C Smith Sales price: n/a
Third foal of a 7f 3yo winner (76) who was the daughter of a 7f 2yo winning (89p) sister to triple 7-10f Group 1 winner Rio de La Plata (121) and half-sister to Argentinian 7f 2yo Group 1 winner El Expresivo.
“He will start over 6f in May. I quite like what I’ve seen from him so far. He looks a hardy colt who should see plenty of action this year.”
SYLVAN SPIRIT (FR)
12/3 ch f Waldgeist - Feline Groovy (Kitten’s Joy)
Owner: J Wall, T Bater, D Redvers, Woodside BS Sales price: €26,000 (David Redvers)
Second foal of a 1m 3yo winner (84) who was a half-sister to Chesham Stakes winner Zaidan (117) and the dam of Solario Stakes winner South Seas (108) out of a Listed-placed 1m 3yo winning (95) half-sister to four-time 7f/1m Group 3 winner Ramooz (115).
“Quite a scopey individual who will be one to run once or twice at the backend of the season. She has a bit of quality and should do well in time.”
Also in the series:
Trainer interviews:
Owners, bloodstock agents & racing managers:
Pedigree guides:
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