Our Friends in Newmarket: Richard Spencer Stable Tour including Keyser Soze
Keyser Soze leads the pack as Richard Spencer guides us through a select bunch of his exciting team of horses for the 2020 Flat season.
Our Friends in Newmarket - Richard Spencer
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Stable star: Keyser Soze
Horse to follow: One Step Beyond
Handicapper to follow: Thrilla In Manila
Older horses
Bernardo O'Reilly
He's been a good servant and his main target all being well will be the Ayr Gold Cup and we'll work back from then. He does need some ease in the ground so we'll try and pick a spot before Ayr and only keep his runs down to a handful.
Keyser Soze
He's down to what I think is a lenient mark on the turf and I think he'll be trying to compete in all the major handicaps through the summer. He still holds potential and a lot of ability and we'll try a few new things with him this year. He's a tricky hold-up performer but hopefully we can bag a nice big handicap at some point.
Louis Treize
He was very good at two and we still hold him in high regard. We're going to try stepping up in trip which I think will help. He's one to keep on side as I can see him, once getting his head in front and getting a bit of confidence, progressing into a really nice horse for the season.
Magical Ride
He won four last year and was unlucky not to win five. He went from being rated in the 50s to 89. He loves fast ground and we'll try and target major seven furlong handicaps in the summer. His first start was at four so hopefully there's still a bit more progression in him for this year.
Revich
He's a bit of a solid handicapper and we're going to step him up in trip. He's done well from three to four and I'd like to think he can be competitive under a light weight in a quality handicap. Hopefully there's a big pot in him this year, possibly back over a mile which he hasn't run over since he was two.
Thrilla In Manila
He was very disappointing really after winning on debut at Newbury in 2018. He had nearly a year off before being too free on his return. Then he disappointed in a novice under a penalty but his opening mark looks workable. As a four-year-old sprinter we'll be looking to see a bit more than we've seen so far. He's been gelded and I think that's going to help him majorly to just concentrate and keep his mind on the job. I think he could be one that progresses through the ranks this year.
Three-year-olds
Alabama Whitman
She didn't cost a lot as a yearling but she ran very well when fourth at Royal Ascot on her second start after her debut at Windsor. She won her maiden at Carlisle and by then she'd had three quite hard runs and her last two starts didn't show her in her best light. She's done well over the winter and her first major target might be something like the German Guineas. She's an exciting filly to have on the team.
Bill The Butcher
He took three starts to break his maiden tag but did it well at Southwell. He's always looked like he was going to be a nice three-year-old and I'd like to think we'll start off in a handicap but I could see him turning up to one of the major festivals and being very competitive. And maybe even compete in Listed or Group company at some stage too, he's a very nice horse that is ticking all the right boxes at home.
One Step Beyond
He's still a maiden and picked up a little injury after his second start at Doncaster where he went off favourite. He's done very well through the winter and I'd like to think he can break his maiden and progress through the ranks. He wouldn't have any issue staying a mile either and he's a nice horse to keep on side.
Skontonovski
He was narrowly beaten at Ffos Las on his second start last year and the winner of Alan King's has done well subsequently. He was a little sore after the sales race at Doncaster but he's got a good handicap mark and I'd like to think of him as an exciting three-year-old for the season ahead. We'll probably try and win a maiden before going handicapping.
Tyson Fury
He's an unraced three-year-old and has a Derby entry. He's well balanced and a good moving horse who we've given time. His homework has been good and we're very happy with the progress he's been making. I'd like to win a maiden somewhere before possibly running in a trial and then, God willing, onto Epsom if all goes to plan.
Two-year-olds
We've got a really exciting bunch of two-year-olds I think this year. There's some very sharp ones who we'll be wanting to get out as soon as we're allowed.
One I'm looking forward to is a son of Cable Bay called Big Narstie. He's probably going to want six furlongs but he's doing everything nicely at home.
Another one would be Carlitos Way, a son of Footstepsinthesand we bought from Doncaster. He is very racy and we'll probably start him off over five furlongs. He's very natural and very sharp, everything you want to see in a juvenile at this time of the year.
He's an exciting horse, as is Insomnia a son of Due Diligence. He's probably one who will definitely want six furlongs. He's a big horse who will stay further in time but he's doing everything very nicely.
We've got one filly called Thefastnthecurious who is from the family of Jet Setting. She's by Fast Company and we'll probably see out around August time as we won't want to rush her but she's very nice.
Wings Of A Dove is a Dark Angel filly from a very sharp family, her dam won at two and was Listed placed. She looks very much a nice two-year-old in the making and she's doing everything nicely. Hopefully we'll see her in the winner's enclosure sooner rather than later.