David Ord is looking forward to seeing the unbeaten colt Rosallion back in action at Doncaster on Saturday.
He’s the shortest-priced British-trained colt in the betting for next season’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas and Saturday is a big day for Rosallion.
Richard Hannon’s charge is among a field of seven for the Betfred Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. He heads to Town Moor as the winner of both his starts to date and it’s the latest of those victories, in the Listed Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot, that marked him out as a potential star.
Successful in a maiden at Newbury on his June debut, he was sent off a relatively unconsidered 11/1 chance nearly two months later in Berkshire but was dominant on the track.
Facing up to three other unbeaten colts, he was the one to enhance his reputation and earn the Classic quotes after showing a sparkling turn of foot to settle the contest in a matter of strides at the furlong pole. The official winning distance was a widening four lengths.
The form had gone largely untested until runner-up Al Musmak headed to Haydock on Saturday and dented the tall reputation of Macduff with a length-and-a-half defeat of him in the Betfair Daily Tips On Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes.
There’ll be a further clue before the stalls open in the Champagne too. Alyanaabi, fourth at Ascot, is on target for Friday’s Flying Scotsman Stakes.
That’s a race chock full of exciting prospects but Owen Burrows felt Shadwell’s son of Too Darn Hot was unlucky not to finish second to Rosallion. A bold bid from him will tee things up nicely for the favourite in the Champagne.
How strong is the Ballydoyle team?
He’s four pounds and a 'p' clear of Johannes Brahms on Timeform ratings. That rival is joined in the five-day acceptors by stablemate Mountain Bear, although both have alternative engagements at Doncaster.
Johannes Brahms would be the more interesting runner having shown a chunk of improvement to chase home Lake Forest in the Gimcrack last time. This would be his first try at seven furlongs but a son of Siyouni out of a good mile winner, there’s chance he’ll at the very least prove as effective over the trip.
And then there’s Aablan. He looked rough around the edges when winning the Solario Stakes at Sandown last time, needing the hill to find the momentum in order to rally past Inishfallen having looked in trouble at the furlong marker.
There’s the chance he’ll be a different proposition when the penny does finally drop, but I’m not convinced Saturday’s test will suit him as well as the Esher one did.
Iberian is a well-built son of Lope De Vega. He finished a place and a neck in front of Mountain Bear when chasing home Haatem in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last time. A good run on only his second career start.
True, the winner did little for the form when all-at-sea dropped to six in the Gimcrack, but it was significant how strong Charlie Hills’ charge was in the betting that day and how green he was in the race.
Like Aablan, he’s a work in progress having been keen through the early stages and inexperienced off the bridle before finally organising himself and getting within a length of the winner. Likely to progress further, was the Timeform race reporter’s verdict.
Henry Longfellow’s National Stakes win at the weekend undermined the strength in depth of the Ballydoyle juvenile department and Morny winner Vanbeek needs a hand as he tries to plant a British flag in the top ten within the division.
And as promising as Aablan is, it’s Rosallion who’s the one who can join him in the upper echelons of that list on Saturday. Just watch the replay of that Ascot win again via the like below. He looked the real deal and, with the form beginning to work out too, we may just have a very significant renewal of the Champagne Stakes on Saturday.
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