Horses to follow from Newmarket Future Champions Festival

O'Brien Classic squad always expanding...

Waking up to the news that The Lion In Winter was to miss the Darley Dewhurst Stakes was not music to the ears of punters heading to Newmarket, but those well versed to the sport will know to expect the unexpected.

Most of us making our way to the Rowley Mile had done so in the hope of seeing another dynamic duel between racing superpowers Coolmore and Godolphin in Europe’s premier two-year-old contest.

But with ante-post favourite for both the Betfred 2000 Guineas and Betfred Derby The Lion In The Winter a high-profile absentee for the seven furlong Group One it looked a case of which of trainer Charlie Appleby’s pair, Shadow Of Light and Ancient Truth, would finish first.

However, you can never rule out Aidan O’Brien in races of this nature, and while without his undoubted number one, he has appeared to unearth another lively contender for next year’s Guineas in Expanded.

Thrown into the deep end just seven days after making a winning debut at the Curragh, the son of Wootton Bassett more than stepped up to the plate when splitting the Appleby-trained pair to move a few places up the O’Brien pecking order and announce his own talents.

O’Brien said: “It was incredible, and you couldn’t have expected him to do that, but he is obviously a horse with a lot of quality. When you have your first run you normally need two or three weeks to let them come back and fill up. That was right up with the top two-year-old form.

“It was mad to run him really, but there is only one Dewhurst and we only just about got him ready for his run at the Curragh. He burst through late on in his maiden with a view that he could come here if he won, but he was on a crash course at the Curragh.

“He did five pieces of work before he ran at the Curragh and he was barely ready to start. He is obviously top notch. That was mind-blowing stuff as he should not have been able to do that.

“Ryan (Moore, jockey) felt he would have won, but James (Doyle on Ancient Truth) came and challenged him two and a half furlongs down, and he said he wasn’t ready for that. We knew that he was a horse with a lot of quality and that is why he was here.

“If someone said he was going to run like that you would take that before the race. This was arguably too much to ask of him, but he came up with the goods. We brought him over for experience, and he would have had an easier day if the other horse was here. But he was pitched into the front line, and when that happens you have to stand up and he did.

“We will look forward to him over the winter and the spring. I’d imagine it will be a Classic trial before coming back for the 2000 Guineas."

'He is a horse with a big future'

When Sir Michael Stoute retires at the end of this season there will be plenty of other trainers scrimmaging for those horses looking for new homes. And close to the top of that list will be Yarmouth maiden scorer Nightwalker who confirmed his potential in the Group Three Emirates Autumn Stakes.

While unable to trade blows with the front pair, the son of Frankel finished third in the mile prize without being asked too many questions.

With plenty of growing still to do, expect the Juddmonte-owned colt to flourish next season, especially when stepped up in trip, which could come back at the Rowley Mile in the Listed Feilden Stakes in April.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to Juddmonte, said: “He is a horse that we think a fair bit of and both Sir Michael and James Savage (assistant trainer) both have a strong opinion of him. He did nothing wrong in his two maidens and he would have arguably won the first had he stayed on a straight line, but that was a lovely run out there.

“Oisin (Murphy) said he got no run and the race was over when he got the room but he stayed on well to be third. He is a horse with a big future. He will have no problems getting a mile and a half, but Oisin said he is not slow at all.

“A decision as to where he will be trained won’t be made until the beginning of December when the owners decide where they will all go. Looking ahead, maybe we could start him off in something like a Feilden Stakes next year.”

Give Peace a chance

All the plaudits in the Space Blues Darley Stakes rightly went to Lead Artist who secured the second Group Three success of his career in the nine furlong prize, but his stablemate Peace Man merits a mention after finishing two places back in third.

Despite having an absence of 470 days to overcome, the John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old held his own on his inaugural appearance at this level, and first run since being gelded. With the cobwebs now blown away, expect the son of Kingman to take even closer order on his next start, which could come in France.

Jockey Rab Havlin said: “He was entitled to need that and that will have done him the world of good. It was a great run and we might have to look at something in France now as we are running out of options at this time of year.

“It hasn’t taken me by surprise as his work has been really good. He was really progressive before we got stopped with him and we thought he would end up at Group Three or Group Two level so let’s hope he can continue going that way."

Orr takes pride in Dancer

A starting price of 20/1 suggested that last year’s Bahrain International Trophy hero Spirit Dancer was going to be in need of the run when finishing back in seventh behind Lead Artist on his first start since the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.

And although the Richard Fahey-trained seven-year-old was beaten further than when filling fourth place in the race 12 months ago his rider Oisin Orr believes that the Frankel gelding can secure further international riches.

Orr said: “He was always going to need the run as he hadn’t run in a long time. He was always going to need the race, but he ran in this last year and he probably needed that as well. He will come on plenty for this and I’m happy enough with that.

“Plan A is to go travelling again as I think he is going back to Bahrain then to SaudI Arabia. He is a bit older, but he still feels like he has got it and I think he can win one of those nice races.”

Tiger to be kept on the go

It has been a case of so near yet so far for Tiger Bay this season, who until her latest start had finished in the frame in all four of her previous outings this season.

Soft ground would not have been to the liking of the Henry Candy-trained Harry Angel filly, but despite conditions going against her she still managed an admirable sixth in the Listed Perfect Power British EBF Boadicea Stakes.

And with her black type already secured time on her career could easily be called, however part-owner Clive Brandon insisted he is tempted to continue rolling the dice with the four-year-old, who is definitely worth a follow returned to a sounder surface.

Candy, who also part-owns Tiger Bay, said: “She has run a very good race. Just that last drop of rain we had was just a bit too much for her. Normally she jumps and runs but Trevor (Whelan) said she was just slightly behind the bridle.

“She has got her black type already, but she does deserve a prize like this. Speaking to Clive I think he is keen to have another go with her.”

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