Tom Fanshawe talks Dan Briden through yard's two-year-old team for the season ahead.
Dan offers pedigree guides to the strings of all the leading trainers and gets insight from many of them on the horses and their prospects for the year ahead.
He also speaks to leading owners, racing managers and bloodstock agents to leave you as well prepared as you can be for the newcomers to the Flat racing scene.
Previously published as a book, it's digital content this year and links to the previous instalments are below too.
More trainer interviews...
James Fanshawe Two-Year-Old Guide
BACK IN BLACK (IRE)
3/3 gr c Dark Angel - Sacred Dance (Sea The Stars)
Owner: Justwow Ltd Sales price: 130,000gns (Noel Wilson)
First foal of a 7f 2yo winner (77p) who was a half-sister to Grade 1-placed 7f-1m winner (including twice at Listed level) Awesometank (110) out of a useful Irish 6f 2yo winner (98).
“We have just given him an entry for Yarmouth next Wednesday (May 22). He has been working nicely, but we don’t tend to overstretch our two-year-olds ahead of their debuts. Hopefully he shows promise there and goes on to be a nice two-year-old during the summer months."
BEHIND THE CLOUDS (IRE)
6/3 ch f New Bay - Chasing The Rain (Toronado)
Owner: Mrs A M Swinburn Sales price: 135,000gns (Stroud Coleman Bloodstock)
Second foal of a 6f 2yo winner (64p) who was a half-sister to 12/13.5f Group 3 winner Buccellati (119) out of an unraced sister to Listed-placed 5f 2yo winner Selking (104).
“This is a straightforward filly who should be running around June time. There is speed on the dam’s side and I expect her to begin over 6f.”
CANCEL CULTURE
29/3 gr c Dark Angel - Marasima (Barathea)
Owner: Justwow Ltd Sales price: 50,000gns (Noel Wilson)
Full brother to French 1m 3yo Listed winner Markazi (101) and a half-sister to the dam of French dual 1m 1f Group 3 winner Makaloun (110). Dam a once-raced French 1m 2yo winner.
“A nice, scopey colt who isn’t quite as forward as the other Dark Angel owned by the same people. He moves well but will be more of a miler for later on in the season. I expect him to be running in late summer and could start in one of those six-and-a-half furlong races you tend to get.”
CASTELLINA
5/5 ch f Territories - Firenze (Efisio)
Owner: Hot To Trot Racing 2 & The Hoppers Sales price: n/a
Half-sister to eight winners including Irish 6f Listed winner Harry’s Bar (115), Listed-placed UK/UAE multiple 5-6f winner Mazzini (115) and useful multiple 6f winner Justcallmepete (100). Dam a dual 6f Listed winner (109) who was a full sister to July Cup winner Frizzante (120) and a half-sister to 6f Listed winner Zidane (113).
“This is a muscular, medium-sized filly from a family we know incredibly well having trained just about everything out of the first and second dams! She looks to be the type that we can get going with at two, though it’s obviously a family that simply thrives with age. I hope to get her started in the late summer or early autumn.”
CLUB CLASS
8/4 ch f Frankel - Speedy Boarding (Shamardal)
Owner: Helena Springfield Ltd Sales price: n/a
Half-sister to useful 8-12f winner Legend of Dubai (104). Dam a French dual 10f Group 1 winner (117) who was a half-sister to several winners including Grade 3 placed US 7-8.5f winner (including at Listed level) Value Proposition (111) out of an 11f Listed winner (105).
“It is nice to have one out of Speedy Boarding, who was such a terrific horse for the yard. This filly is an athletic individual, but she has only been with us a month and hasn’t done much yet. Speedy Boarding only ran once at two and it may be a similar story with this filly.”
COSI BEAR (IRE)
3/4 b f Kodi Bear - Mrs Hoo (Lawman)
Owner: A Boyd-Rochfort and D Russell Sales price: 50,000gns (Tom Fanshawe)
First foal of a 1m 2yo winner (77) who was the daughter of a Group 3/Listed-placed French/US 8-10f winning (111) half-sister to US 1m 1f 3yo Grade 2 winner Interactif (113).
“This is a big, scopey filly who moves well. She will be one for the second half of the summer though might require some cut in the ground.”
ELIZA BENNET (IRE)
7/3 b f Kodiac - Fond Words (Shamardal)
Owner: Fred Archer Racing - Nellie Rose Sales price: 85,000gns (Tom Fanshawe/Fred Archer Racing)
Closely related to fairly useful dual 7f winner Arabic Charm (92; by Exceed And Excel) and a half-sister to 6f 2yo winner Love Affairs (85) and 7f 3yo winner Lord Lovelace (88p). Dam a French 6.5f 3yo Listed winner (95) who was the daughter of a four-time 7-10f Listed winner (114).
“The Kodiac/Shamardal cross is a good one, and this filly has done really well since we bought her at auction. She is probably about a month away from running and should begin over 6f though will get another furlong before long.”
ENACTING (IRE)
11/3 b g American Pharoah - Auntinet (Invincible Spirit)
Owner: Ben CM Wong Sales price: 270,000gns (S A Roberts)
Half-brother to fairly useful French 7f-1m winner Kid Conte (95). Dam a 7f 2yo winner (83p) who was a full sister to 5f 2yo Group 2 winner Zebedee (113) out of a Listed-placed 10f 3yo winner (105).
“A big, strong horse who hasn’t long been gelded. He was bought with Hong Kong in mind, as per almost all of Mr Wong’s horses, and hopefully he can win a race before going over there. I see him running in the late summer or early autumn.”
GLITTERING LEGEND
17/3 b c Too Darn Hot - Eastern Belle (Champs Elysees)
Owner: K K Ho Sales price: 67,000gns (Avenue Bloodstock for Legend Racing)
Half-brother to Group 2-placed 8-8.5f winner (including at Group 3/Listed level) Megallan (119). Dam a 10f 3yo Listed winner (107) who was a half-sister to four-time 10/12f Group 1 winner Golden Horn (134) and Group 3/Listed-placed 7f 2yo winner Dhahabi (113).
“We are just stepping this colt’s work up a notch with a view to running him once the 7f races begin next month. He looks to be a particularly nice colt at this stage.”
HARRYELLA
13/4 b c Postponed - Luang Prabang (Invincible Spirit)
Owner: Des Thurlby Sales price: n/a
Closely related to 7f 2yo winner Nuvolari (91; by Time Test) and a half-brother to useful multiple 6f winner Woodhay Wonder (101). Dam a 7-8.5f winner (81) who was closely related to fairly useful triple 1m winner Bassara (92) out of a US 11f Grade 2 winner (104).
“His half-sister Woodhay Wonder has done really well for Tom Ward and this fellow wouldn’t be at all slow despite being by Postponed. He is eligible for the Band C/D events and, given the ability he shows us, one would hope he can be competitive in those races. He will stay 7f but I think we will start him off over 6f to see if he can win one of those valuable restricted events over that trip.”
HAVANA BLAST
20/2 gr c Havana Grey - Bhangra (Showcasing)
Owner: Justwow Ltd Sales price: 80,000gns (Noel Wilson)
First foal of a 5f 3yo winner (72p) who was the daughter of an unraced half-sister to Cheveley Park Stakes winner Airwave (120) and Nunthorpe Stakes winner Jwala (119).
“We were really pleased with his debut third at Yarmouth earlier this month. He had never really been taken off the bridle at home and that perhaps caught him out at the business end on debut having got there pretty smoothly. He could go for a race at Leicester at the end of the month (May 28) providing the ground isn’t too soft.”
KORDYLIA
27/4 b f Kingman - Tribute Act (Exceed And Excel)
Owner: Elite Racing Club Sales price: n/a
Third foal of a Group 2-placed 7f-1m winner (108) who was a half-sister to French 10f Group 1 winner Ribbons (119; later dam of Australian 13f Group 3 winner Soulcombe (119)) out of a 1m 3yo winning (85) sister to five-time 1m Group 1 winner Soviet Song (126).
“It is lovely to have been sent a daughter of a talented filly we trained called Tribute Act. Although she got better with age in keeping with most of the family, this is an uncomplicated, forward-going filly who looks the type to have a productive two-year-old campaign. I anticipate starting her off over 6.5/7f in late June or early July. We like her.”
LEADENHALL STREET
18/2 b c Oasis Dream - Montana Spring (Shamardal)
Owner: The Gredley Family Sales price: n/a
First foal of an unraced daughter of an unraced sister to 12f 3yo Group 2 winner Centennial (115) and half-sister to Irish 10f 3yo Listed winner Siren’s Song (102).
“A homebred of the Gredleys who is a big, scopey colt and moves nicely, but no questions have been asked of him yet. One for later on.”
LOVE BEACH (IRE)
8/4 b c New Bay - Kendal Mint (Kyllachy)
Owner: Justwow Ltd Sales price: 150,000gns (Noel Wilson)
Half-brother to very useful 6-7f winner Fresh (110), fairly useful multiple 5.5-6f winner Temple Bruer (93) and fairly useful 5-6f winner Al Ameen (84). Dam a 6f 2yo winner (82p) who was the daughter of a dual 7f 3yo winning (81) half-sister to 6f 2yo Group 2 winner Nevisian Lad (113).
“We’ve got to know this family well in recent times given we train Fresh and also Al Ameen, who won first time for us last season. This is a lovely colt who has been doing everything nicely on the hill. However, he won’t be ready to run until the late summer at the earliest given he’s still a little immature.”
LUISA
3/5 ch f Ulysses - Nannina (Medicean)
Owner: Cheveley Park Stud Sales price: n/a
Half-sister to very useful prolific 5-6f winner Duke of Firenze (116) and useful multiple 6f winner Duke Cosimo (91). Dam a Fillies’ Mile and Coronation Stakes winner (121) who was a half-sister to 7f 2yo winners Groom Raider (94) and Queen Scarlet (90).
“A neat sort of filly who arrived around a month ago. She goes okay and looks a two-year-old type like her mother and one or two of her relations rather than taking after Ulysses.”
PHILANTHROPIST
13/4 b g Sergei Prokofiev - Noble Cause (Showcasing)
Owner: Fred Archer Racing - Atholl Daisy Sales price: £28,000 (Fred Archer Racing/Stroud Coleman)
Half-brother to Listed-placed Italian 5.5-10.5f winner Fighting King (80) and UK/Italian 5.5-7.5f 2yo winner Padre Daniele (85). Dam a maiden (23) half-sister to triple 7f/1m Listed winner Dubai’s Touch (110) and UAE 7f Listed winner Grantley Adams (111).
“A strong, attractive individual who was bought with the Harry Beeby sales race at York in August in mind. He is showing all the right signs at present and we hope to have him ready to roll by June.”
PIETRO (IRE)
7/3 b c Sands of Mali - Volkovkha (Holy Roman Emperor)
Owner: D I & F M Russell Sales price: £40,000 (Tom Fanshawe)
Half-brother to fairly useful Irish 7-8.5f winner Mister Wilson (92) and 5f 2yo winner Port Winston (72). Dam a French 7f 2yo winner (79) who was a half-sister to US dual 11f Grade 2 winner Astronaut (116).
“A similar story to Philanthropist in many ways, in that he was also bought with the York race in mind. He has settled in well since we purchased him from the breeze ups and we will look to get him going fairly soon. There’s a 6f restricted race at Leicester for him early next month (June 4).
RIFT VALLEY (IRE)
24/4 b f Invincible Spirit - Divine (Dark Angel)
Owner: Des Thurlby Sales price: 30,000gns (Des Thurlby)
Half-sister to French 1m 3yo winner Wensleydale (89p). Dam a 6f Group 3/Listed winner (115) who was a full sister to useful prolific 5-8.5f winner Alejandro (105) out of a Listed-placed Irish 6f 3yo winner (101).
“This filly has settled in well and should be in action during the second half of the year, though we’ve asked no real questions of her so far.”
SO SASSY (IRE)
2/2 b f Bated Breath - If So (Iffraaj)
Owner: My Racing Manager Friends Sales price: 98,000gns (Stroud Coleman Bloodstock/My Racing Manager)
Full sister to 2023 5f 2yo winner Tan Rapido (84) and a half-sister to useful 6-7f winner Final Option (97) and useful UK/UAE 7f-1m winner Kaheall (97). Dam a useful multiple 6f winner (101) who was a half-sister to triple 6f Group 1 winner The Tin Man (124) and 6f Group 2 winner Deacon Blues (130).
“Another one from a family we know all about and it’s nice to have one out of the mare given we’ve been underbidder on one or two of them, including her full brother. She is a strong, forward-going filly who has worked very nicely so far. All being well, we’ll look to get her going around July time.”
SOHO SQUARE
17/2 b f Showcasing - Cuban Treasure (Havana Gold)
Owner: Mrs A M Swinburn Sales price: 45,000gns (Stroud Coleman Bloodstock)
First foal of an unraced half-sister to Listed-placed 7-9.5f winner Lat Hawill (107), Listed-placed 13.5-14f winner Bellajeu (94) and useful 7f 2yo winner William Bligh (97) out of a 12f Listed winner (106).
“This is a strong, square filly who will hopefully be racing from the middle of the summer. I wouldn’t quite know yet what trip she wants although being a Showcasing, there’s every chance it could be six furlongs. Everything she has done so far has been pleasing."
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