Dan Briden: Two-Year-Olds to follow

Newbury staged a couple of two-year-old races last Tuesday which saw 16/1 and 20/1 debut victories for Sukanya and Stimulative Trip respectively, both impressing with how they sealed matters despite their rather dismissive SPs.

One that caught the eye behind the latter in the 7f fillies’ novice contest was Jonathan Portman’s Box Clever, a daughter of the unfairly-maligned Zoustar. Close up on the nearside, she was pushed along two furlongs out and beginning to wind up for a challenge when hampered by a concertina effect set off by the fading/hanging favourite, Miss Honey. Taking a while to regain her momentum, Box Clever came home strongly throughout the final 100 yards to take sixth.

The shrewd Portman is quietly having a good season and Box Clever looks another well-bought one for the handler at £3,000. From a decent family containing the likes of Bounty Box and Rohaan, Box Clever looks a winner in waiting.

Richard Hughes was most effusive about Captain Fox when contributing to the Two-Year-Old Guide, describing him as potentially being a "hell of a horse". You can also see what he meant in terms of physique (“looked like a store horse”) as he towered above most of the opposition when debuting in a 6f maiden at Kempton last Wednesday.

Racing in midfield and ridden with two furlongs left to run, the response perhaps unsurprisingly wasn’t immediate for one of his size and indeed pedigree (by Australia). However, he was starting to find top stride as the line approached to take fifth behind a pair (Cape Orator and Mr Writer) who had debuted in two of the stronger maidens contested this spring.

That experience allied with a stiffer test of stamina should see Captain Fox make a far greater impression next time out, and he might just prove capable of developing into a useful performer during the second half of the season.

The Curragh staged some interesting two-year-olds maidens on the first two days of their rather bloated three-day Irish Derby meeting.

The 7f fillies’ maiden on Friday evening is a race that is now well known for throwing up top-level winners year after year, with Lake Victoria landing last season’s renewal. Aidan O’Brien duly won the most recent edition via the once-raced Composing, but much of the interest for further down the line came from those in behind.

Ger Lyons provided the runner-up 12 months ago (Red Letter) and saddled the third this time around, namely Justiciar. A Wootton Bassett filly from a good old Wertheimer family, she was caught a little flat-footed when the tempo lifted inside the three-furlong marker but got rolling approaching the final furlong and hit the line hard. She ought to find a similar event well within her capabilities, with an additional furlong sure to suit before long.

One place behind was Jessica Harrington’s Bofa Beach (replay below). The daughter of Kameko had received a positive mention from Harrington in the Two-Year-Old Guide and shaped in a similar fashion to Justiciar, taking a while to get rolling on the outer but coming home strongly throughout the final furlong. It is fair to say it has been a far from stellar 2025 for the Harrington stable thus far, but Bofa Beach could well emerge as one of their better juvenile prospects this summer.

One other worth a mention is the Andrew Oliver-trained Celestial Siren, a daughter of promising first-season sire Starman. She broke slowly and was in rear, green and outpaced over two furlongs out but making sustained progress throughout the final 300 yards to finish seventh. While it is fair to say she received a more vigorous ride than the aforementioned pair, she also came from further back having fluffed her lines at the start.

The yard's youngsters often improve a fair chunk for their initial experience and Celestial Siren ought to prove a far more competitive force when next seen, particularly at one of the minor tracks (stable enjoys success at the likes of Dundalk and Roscommon with its youngsters).

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Saturday saw the colts and geldings equivalent of the above race, which itself boasts a rich recent history of producing top-class performers such as Gleneagles and City of Troy, while last year’s renewal proved to be one of the strongest maidens of the entire season.

Aidan O’Brien provided the first two home this time around, with both Dorset and Benvenuto Cellini (head carriage perhaps a small query going forward) looking of above-average ability. However, there were a trio of particular interest further back in the field.

By far the most interesting of them in the shorter term will be the third, namely Joseph O’Brien’s Al Haarith. A 475,000gns yearling, he’s a Lope de Vega brother to 7/12f Listed winner Antonia de Vega and out of a half-sister to Prix Jacques le Marois winner Al Wukair.

Slowest away and in rear, Al Haarith was switched across to the inner from a wide draw, going better than most approaching the two-furlong marker when denied a clear run on the far-side rail. Gaining clearer sailing soon after, he made sustained progress throughout the final furlong to work his way clear of the remainder without getting to a pair who had raced far more prominently.

Bred to be smart and sure to improve for this initial outing, Al Haarith could develop into one of his yard’s headline two-year-old acts during the second half of the season.

Joseph’s brother Donnacha introduced South Island in the same race. A Wootton Bassett first foal of a Soldier Hollow 10f Listed-winning mare (stayed 14f), he travelled better than most in midfield, shaken up and making progress when running into trouble approaching the final furlong. He rallied well and was only gathering full stride as the line approached, coming home in fifth.

Unsurprisingly for one out of a middle-distance performer, South Island shaped like one in need of a stiffer test, appealing as the type to make enough improvement to land a 1m contest next time en route to bigger and better things.

One other from the race worth a mention is Aidan O’Brien’s New Zealand, a Frankel three-parts brother to Group 3-placed 2024 Irish 10.5f 3yo winner Agenda (by Galileo) out of Albany Stakes winner/Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up Different League.

Ostensibly the third string on jockey bookings and market position (10/1), he was ridden more conservatively than his two stablemates, shaken up two furlongs out and only hitting full flow as the line approached to come home in seventh. He appeals strongly as the type to take a marked step forward next time out, with another furlong nigh on guaranteed to suit.

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