Mark Howard with horses who could make their mark on the Classics

When it comes to discussing the Classic generation for 2020, there is no better place to start than with last year’s outstanding juvenile.

PINATUBO, who began his career at Wolverhampton in May, won six out of six earning an official rating of 128 and is rightly at the forefront of the ante-post market for the 2000 Guineas. Charlie Appleby’s colt produced two breathtaking performances to win the Vintage Stakes and National Stakes at Goodwood and the Curragh respectively by an aggregate of fourteen lengths.

While his win in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket lacked the wow factor of his two previous successes, it was still at the expense of the Coventry Stakes winner Arizona and it proved the Rowley Mile doesn’t hold any fears for the son of Shamardal.

By all the accounts, his preparation for the first Classic has gone smoothly and it will take an exceptional performance to end his winning sequence, if displaying the same level of ability he exuded during 2019. It is seven years since Godolphin claimed the 2000 Guineas.

Pinatubo’s biggest threat early next month may be provided by the twice-raced KINROSS who also boasts a victory on the Rowley Mile.

Ralph Beckett’s Kingman colt couldn’t have made a more striking start to his career when blitzing fourteen opponents by upwards of eight lengths on Cambridgeshire day last October.

Those in behind included subsequent winners Raaeb and Vatican City. Less than a month later, he was sent off 13/8 favourite for the rescheduled Vertem Futurity Trophy at Newcastle and, while Harry Bentley’s mount could only finish fifth, it would be premature to write him off as far as this year’s Classics are concerned.

Beckett is adamant Kinross didn’t show his best that evening having been lit up early on, plus the artificial surface may not have been to his liking. It was a big ask to go from winning a novice stakes to tackling more experienced rivals at the highest level in less than four weeks.

The Hampshire based trainer, who has three Classics on his CV, feels a mile on fast ground will prove to be his optimum conditions and, given the recent weather, that looks entirely feasible in early June.

It may be 25 years since Pennekamp provided Andre Fabre with his second win in the 2000 Guineas but France’s 30-times champion trainer must always be feared with his UK runners, especially at HQ.

There is every indication that Group 1 winning juvenile ALSON will have his first run for Fabre in the colt’s Classic next month. A son of Areion, he raced half a dozen times as a two-year-old for Jean-Pierre Carvalho, winning on three occasions, including a twenty lengths demolition of Aidan O’Brien’s Group 2 winner Armory in a match in the Group 1 Criterium International at Longchamp in late October.

Three weeks earlier, he finished three parts of a length in arrears of his new stable companion Victor Ludorum in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at the same venue over a furlong further. Interestingly, Frankie Dettori partnered him on both those occasions and, given the newly enforced quarantine regulations involving the UK and France, it is possible the Italian will be in the saddle once again at his local track.

Currently available at 16/1 with Sky Bet, expect that price to contract once the foreign raider is confirmed.

Get ready for racing - download our new app

Our new apps for both Apple and Android devices offer our complete racing service, combining FAST Results with our editorial including Value Bet and Simon Holts tips; our new Oisin Murphy column; the last racing news; and you can watch FREE race replays. Click here for more details and to download

Due to the unusual circumstances over the last few months, ante-post betting on this year’s Classics has never been so difficult with the uncertainty over when the races will take place and whether horses will gain enough experience beforehand. I have therefore discussed a handful of horses who could develop into major contenders for the Epsom Derby or Oaks. Equally, if the Classics come too soon in their careers, they are still expected to make up into top grade performers later in the year.

William Haggas has won both the English and Irish Oaks during the last ten years, thanks to Dancing Rain (2011) and Sea of Class (2018). There doesn’t appear to be a shortage in terms of quality amongst the stable’s three year old fillies this season either.

The well-bred Born With Pride won the Listed Montrose Stakes at Newmarket on her racecourse bow in early November and is a half-sister to Raheen House and Sea Of Faith, who both reside at Somerville Lodge. She is set to take on the colts in the Classic Trial at Kempton next week.

However, it is her stablemate DOMINO DARLING who could be of even more interest when looking towards the Oaks at Epsom. Like Born With Pride, she is one from one having reeled in the highly regarded Gold Wand close home at Doncaster in October.

Competing in the same one mile fillies’ maiden at Town Moor, which has been contested by the likes of Izzi Top, Pilaster, Speedy Boarding and Star Of Seville during the last ten years, the Anthony Oppenheimer owned filly stayed on strongly to collar Roger Varian’s charge in the shadows of the post with four and a half lengths back to the third. Bred to stay well, she is a daughter of Golden Horn and a half-sister to Mark Johnston’s Queens Vase winner Namibian. If asked to nominate an Oaks filly at this stage, Domino Darling would be very near the summit of the list.

Lodging alongside the Golden Horn filly at Somerville Lodge is the similarly once raced AL AASY. A colt by Sea The Stars, he has been the subject of support for the Epsom Derby in recent weeks, which is not a major surprise given the regard in which he is held by the Haggas team.

Purchased for 300,000gns as a yearling, his trainer believes ten or twelve furlongs on top of the ground will bring out the best in the Hamdan Al Maktoum owned three year old. A running on third at his local track in a seven furlongs novice stakes in late October behind the more experienced Tom Collins, the slow ground wouldn’t have played to his strengths.

Expect him to prove a different proposition over middle distances this season and, by all accounts, his work this spring has been very good. The fact William Haggas was thinking in terms of the Listed Feilden Stakes followed by the Group 2 Dante Stakes for Al Aasy when I spoke to him in February, tells its own tale.

Following the victories of future Group 1 winners Enable, Jack Hobbs and Without Parole, it has become commonplace for John Gosden to unleash an above average juvenile on the all-weather during the autumn/winter in recent years.

Time will tell, but it will be a surprise if that trend doesn't continue this season. HYPOTHETICAL looked a horse of considerable potential when making a winning start at Chelmsford in mid December.

Bought for a hefty 550,000gns as a yearling, the son of Lope De Vega showed a sharp turn of foot before quickening away to win a mile novice event by a handful of lengths from a subsequent winner. Earlier in the year, the champion trainer entered him in the English and French 2000 Guineas, Prix du Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris.

Obviously, Hypothetical lacks match practice but it will be a surprise if he doesn’t develop into a Pattern horse at some stage this year.

Stablemate WALDKONIG appears to be cut from the same cloth being an expensive yearling (600,000gns) and a runaway winner of his sole start on an artificial surface.

Like the aforementioned Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs five years earlier, the son of Kingman made his first public appearance over a mile at Wolverhampton in December. Despite edging towards the stands inside the final furlong, the Gosden trained colt powered clear to win hard held by nine lengths. The clock confirmed it was a smart effort as Waldkonig covered the last two furlongs in 22.51 seconds.

Being a half-brother to the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist, he is bred to excel over middle distances and it was no surprise to see the head of Clarehaven Stables give the unbeaten colt entries in the Epsom Derby, Prix du Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris. The pair can be filed under the ‘could be anything’ category.

Further along the Bury Road in Newmarket, adjacent to Clarehaven Stables, is Freemason Lodge, the home of five times Epsom Derby winner Sir Michael Stoute.

It is ten years since Workforce won Flat racing’s Blue Riband for the ten times champion trainer. HIGHEST GROUND has a long way to go before he can be considered a prime contender for the 2020 renewal but he looked a horse with a big future when overcoming a slow start on his debut at Leicester in September. Owned by the Niarchos Family, who combined with Stoute a few years ago with dual Group 1 winner Ulysses, he is a son of Frankel and was partnered by Ryan Moore at the Midlands track.

Sluggish leaving the starting gates and forfeiting ground in the process, he warmed to his task and, having made good progress passing the two marker, he pulled away in the closing stages beating Macho Boy by nearly three lengths. Given some fancy entries during the spring, including the Derby, he has reportedly had an issue with the stalls at home and such a problem will need to be ironed out, if he is going to climb through the ranks.

It is worth recalling Workforce won his only start as a juvenile before winning by seven lengths at Epsom on his third career run.

Mark Howard, author of Ahead On The Flat, One Jump Ahead & Racing TV pundit.

Ahead On The Flat, which includes exclusive interviews with Andrew Balding, Ralph Beckett, Roger Charlton, Tim Easterby, Charlie Fellowes, William Haggas, Jedd O’Keeffe, James Tate and Roger Varian, can be purchased for £10.99 (including postage) from www.mhpublications.co.uk

Responsible gambling

We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.

Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.