Three exciting prospects for Frankie Dettori next year

John and Thady Gosden introduced a host of exciting juveniles towards the tail-end of 2022 and the following three all won on debut and earned the Timeform Large P, a sparingly used symbol that denotes the horse is capable of much better form.

Slipofthepen

Dettori would have gone into the winter last year dreaming of Derby success in the Royal colours aboard Reach For The Moon, who had won the Group 3 Solario Stakes and finished a narrow runner-up in the Champagne Stakes.

However, a setback meant Reach For The Moon wasn't ready for Derby and he ultimately proved disappointing as a three-year-old, meeting with defeat on all three outings, including when an odds-on favourite in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Dettori and the Gosdens will be hoping for better this time around with another potential Derby prospect who carries the Royal silks in the shape of Slipofthepen.

Slipofthepen may not have achieved as much as Reach For The Moon as a juvenile but that's probably down to a lack of opportunity rather than ability as he looked like an exciting prospect when winning on debut with James Doyle in the saddle at Kempton in November.

It was not a deep novice that Slipofthepen contested on debut, but it was still impressive how readily he asserted his dominance in that steadily-run affair, quickening five and a half lengths clear in the style of one destined to make an impact in Group company.

Coppice

Coppice boasts an eye-catching pedigree - she's by Kingman and out of the smart mare Helleborine which makes her a sister to Coventry Stakes winner Calyx - and she made a successful start to her career under Robert Havlin at Kempton in October.

She may not have been quite as striking as her brother on debut, but she still ran to a high level for a newcomer, creating an excellent impression as she readily quickened a length and three-quarters clear of the runner-up, Whispering Dream, who in turn pulled four and a half lengths clear of the third in a race run at a steady tempo.

The runner-up has since registered a comfortable success, putting an even more positive spin on Coppice's debut effort.

Quantum Cat

When Dettori and the Gosdens had their well-publicised 'sabbatical' during the summer it was owner Marc Chan's Lezoo (trained by Ralph Beckett) who provided the rider with a first winner on his first ride since the announcement.

Chan and Dettori also teamed up to great effect last season with the Beckett-trained Kinross, who won four times, notably in Group 1 company in the Prix de la Foret and Champions Sprint Stakes.

Lezoo and Kinross will be back for more in 2023 but Chan and Dettori have another exciting type to look forward to next season with Quantum Cat who won on his only start for the Gosdens as a juvenile.

John Gosden has no problem starting off a top talent on the all-weather - Jack Hobbs and Enable memorably did so - and Quantum Cat looked like an exciting prospect when making a winning start under Kieran O'Neill at Wolverhampton, coming from a long way back in a steadily run race to overhaul some rivals with fairly useful form in the book.

That was a highly promising start for the €300,000 son of Kitten's Joy who is a brother to US Grade 1 winner Henley's Joy.

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