January (right) shows improved form at Ascot

Royal Ascot Notebook: Horses to Follow

By David Cleary

Horse Racing

Mon June 30, 2025 · 6M ago

David Cleary was Timeform's man at the track for Royal Ascot and he has more horses to note from the parade ring and the track itself.

FITZELLA - 6f 2yo fillies Group 3, Royal Ascot, 20/06/25

It's fair to say the field for the Albany was a pretty good one in terms of physique, but Fitzella came near the top of the pile. She's a good-topped, attractive filly and she looked in really good nick to boot. Her fourth-place finish was a solid effort as well, building on her victory in a maiden at Haydock on her previous outing. She looks sure to progress again and looks one to keep on the right side at this level.

Fitzella took a keen hold and raced prominently, but she found herself outpaced in the middle of the race before staying on again in the final furlong. That she got tapped for foot may just have been inexperience, tackling a much larger field than previously. The other possibility is that she is ready for a step up to seven furlongs.

Her pedigree isn't a particularly stout one on the dam's side, with the sprint-winning Shamandar's previous winning progeny scoring at between five furlongs and a mile. Fitzella's sire Too Darn Hot was beaten a length in the Dante, but showed his best form at seven furlongs and a mile. It's still relatively early in his stud career, but he's producing plenty of winners over middle distances.

GREEN STORM – 1½m 3yo colts and geldings Group 2, Royal Ascot, 20/06/25

Green Storm has won just once from nine starts, but it's possible that the best of him is still to be seen. He's a tall colt with plenty of scope and has had limited opportunities at a mile and a half, none over further. His effort at Ascot suggests a step up again in distance could well suit him.The Bahrain Trophy might be an option next.

Green Storm hadn't looked to see the trip out that well in the Derby, but lack of stamina now seems an unlikely explanation after his staying-on effort in the Edward VII. Having been keen under restraint early on from an outside draw, Green Storm met some trouble early in the straight before staying on well in the final furlong, taking fifth behind the unbeaten Amiloc.

If it's possible to have a Royal Ascot pedigree, then Green Storm certainly has one. His sire Circus Maximus gained two of his most notable victories at the meeting, winning the St James's Palace and Queen Anne in successive years, while his dam Banimpire gained her biggest win in the Ribblesdale Stakes. Circus Maximus, a son of Galileo, was bred to stay well beyond a mile, so it's not a surprise on breeding that Green Storm looked a stayer in the Edward VII.

JANUARY – 1m 3yo fillies Group 1, Royal Ascot, 20/06/25

January took a big step forward from her delayed reappearance when she finished third, never better placed than at the line, in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot. Twice a runner-up to Desert Flower as a two year old, including in the Fillies' Mile, January had run as if needing the outing in the Irish Guineas. Four weeks later, she produced a career best in a manner that suggests still more to come.

For one thing, she was ridden in a way that suggests she has still to reach her peak. The favourite Zarigana got first run on her, both travelling smoothly under patient rides. January made good progress approaching the final furlong before her effort just flattened out in the last 50 yards.

It's not a surprise that January has improved as a three year old. She's a well-made filly, plenty of size and substance to her, and her dam I Can Fly didn't show her full ability until the second half of her three-year-old campaign. I Can Fly won a Group 2 at Leopardstown on Irish Champions weekend, then was just denied by Roaring Lion in the QEII on Champions Day at Ascot. January herself may yet reach that sort of level.

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SPY CHIEF – 7f 3yo Group 3, Royal Ascot, 21/06/25

It would be easy enough to doubt the form of a race where a 25/1 and a 20/1 chance finish first and second after the pair had been in the first two throughout, racing in the smaller group in a race where the runners split. That was the outcome of the Jersey Stakes and some caution may be advised, but there are still grounds for taking a really positive view of the runner-up Spy Chief.

Spy Chief was making just his fourth start in the Jersey, having won at the third attempt in maiden/novice company over six furlongs at Kempton just nine days earlier. He's a strong gelding – he was gelded before his debut – and was taken early to post. He's clearly taken time to learn what is required, having been too free in his first two races, and he was still keen in front here. However, he had all bar the winner Noble Champion in trouble over two furlongs out. Although left behind by that rival late on, Spy Chief held on comfortably to second.

Spy Chief is bred to stay at least a mile, but it's easy to see why he's been raced over shorter. It may be that as he learns to relax in his races that he will stay further. That is also likely to see him progress a fair bit more. He's reached a good level for a horse whose debut came less than two months earlier, and he seems sure to add to his single win to date as the summer progresses.

TAHALEL – 6f 2yo fillies Group 3, Royal Ascot, 20/06/25

A 33/1 shot who finishes last of 17, beaten over 25 lengths, wouldn't usually be a candidate for a notebook of any description. However, Tahalel's performance in the Albany was so bad that it's best just to put a line through it. She had still looked green beforehand, hung right for much of the race and was always out the back, her rider giving up in the end.

Tahalel's debut effort behind the Albany fourth Fitzella – also in this list – reads well. The third, who won next time out, and fourth, both were much improved on their next start. Tahalel has a useful pedigree, rather than an outstanding one, that she was among the most expensive of her sire Blue Point's progeny sold as a yearling last autumn probably down to her physique – she's a really good looker, about the pick of the Albany field.

Obviously, after such a poor run, Tahalel might have had an issue and may need time to get over the experience. Given she's in a top yard, it seems reasonable to assume she won't reappear until she's considered ready to do herself justice. As such, she is one to bear in mind back in a maiden or novice.

THESECRETADVERSARY – 7f 2yo listed, Royal Ascot, 21/06/25

Thesecretadversary had run a race full of promise in a Leopardstown maiden on debut and he backed that up with a fine effort against a quartet of previous winners in the Chesham. Ridden handily, he put down a strong challenge to the leader Humidity and looked as if he might prevail early in the final furlong before Humidity found a bit extra.

In a good field, Thesecretadversary was just about the pick on looks, a rangy colt with plenty of scope. His physique certainly suggests he will continue to progress through the year. Given that he has already been tried and run well at listed level, it may be that he will continue to be campaigned in good races, but he could well be up to winning one.

Thesecretadversary is from the first crop of St Mark's Basilica. The sire has had just one winner from 13 runners up to yesterday, though another maiden from Fozzy Stack's yard, Cardiff By The Sea, made the frame in the Albany. St Mark's Basilica didn't make his debut as a two year old until mid-July. He won a good Dewhurst on his final start and then showed top-class form in winning four Group 1s from four starts at three. Overall, Thesecretadversary's pedigree suggests he'll stay a mile or more in due course, so to have done what he has this early is pretty impressive.

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There were a couple of Royal Ascot winners pinpointed in more recent editions of this column – My Cloud following up his win at Newbury in the Royal Hunt Cup at 3/1 and Humidity, who emulated his half-brother Holloway Boy in landing the Chesham at 4/1.

My Cloud was impressive in justifying his short price, and is surely a pattern winner in waiting, though he might first take in the International Handicap at the King George meeting. A strongly-run seven furlongs ought to pose no problems for him. Humidity, as expected, looked well served by the step up to seven furlongs and showed good battling qualities after travelling smoothly in front. He remains open to improvement and can make an impact at pattern level.

Mr Hampstead possibly didn't quite stay in the Ascot Stakes. He holds entries in slightly less competitive races at two miles and a mile and six and may be worth a chance in one of those. Brave Mission, who was among the market leaders for the Britannia, could manage only a mid-field finish. However, he raced towards the centre of the track when all the principals were close to the near-side rail. He also hung right under pressure, as if possibly feeling the ground. Brave Mission wasn't obviously beaten by lack of stamina, but it's possible he will be dropped back to seven furlongs.

Formal took her chance in the Criterion Stakes at York and for a long way looked a threat, in second and going better than any behind over two furlongs out, behind the all-the-way winner Quinault. Her response under pressure, hanging and finding little, was disappointing, but it may be that the firmer ground was against her.

Finally, Delacroix is reportedly being aimed at the Eclipse, well supported ante-post when the news broke.

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