Trackside Live: Horses to Follow from Aintree and Nottingham

Bay Royale (Harry Eustace)

April 8, Nottingham - Ladies Day 9th May "Confined" Novice Stakes

Half of the Trackside team is delighted that the Flat season is underway, and a quick trip to sunny Nottingham paid early dividends (replay below). Loyal readers of the column may notice that Bay Royale has already featured in a Horses To Follow piece at the end of last season...

‘One for the long-term tracker, we’ll come back to him next year, for sure.’

We are unashamedly banging the same drum - we think this may be a good horse and will keep telling you about him until he proves us otherwise.

The son of New Bay caught the eye as soon as he walked into the pre-parade. There was a shine to his coat unusual in a liver chestnut, he moved with grace and poise and had an unassuming quality that just made you go wow. It was a tough division of the novice stakes too - the second-placed Hatteen was a typical quality son of Lope De Vega whilst Haggas’ Infraad calmed from early preliminary antics with a second handler.

There was a hint of inexperience about Bay Royale - he’d only had one previous start - but floated to post, and moved with ease throughout the ten-furlong contest to secure a straightforward two-and-a-quarter length victory.

You may have noticed - we’re impressed.

Fairy Park (Joe Tizzard)

April 9, Aintree - Grade 2 Goffs Nickel Coin Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race

Is there anything better than a Graded mares’ bumper? Add in a big crowd and an Ibiza dance tent and you’ve got a true test of a young horse’s mettle in busy surroundings.

A 20-strong field and every shape and size was on display. Big, small, physically forward, mentally backward - we had them all. Fairy Park was the first mare we saw as we walked in the pre-parade ring and she immediately caught the eye. The Tizzard team know how to find a big strong chasing type, and although the five-year-old mare falls into that category, she’s surprisingly physically forward and well-muscled for a woman who is only going to improve as she hits her prime.

Settled midfield by Brendan Powell, she made good progress from two furlongs out and kept on for a strong third behind Nan’s Choice. Quiet and professional, both in the preliminaries and the race, Fairy Park has next year, and the next, written all over her - she’s one to watch.

Mambonumberfive (Ben Pauling)

April 10, Aintree - William Hill Manifesto Novices Chase

We’ve seen Mambonumberfive in action a few times this season, notably when winning at Newbury and Kempton this winter, and after a disappointing effort at Warwick in the Kingmaker, the heavy ground probably not suiting him, he was given Cheltenham off.

Reappearing here instead, we both felt that, on paddock looks, he’d come on quite a bit for this run, he looked to be carrying a bit of condition for all he’s a big unit, and with that, there’s maybe a win in him this spring, possibly one Ben Pauling might go to war with at Punchestown, as he’s just as happy right-handed as left. Keep him onside, his best days are yet to come.

Le Roi Remi (Tom Ellis)

April 11, Aintree - Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat

As is so often the case, there were any number of horses you could take from the bumper, and those of you with good memories will remember me giving Merlin Allen a shout on this column after his win at Aintree earlier in the season. As a four year old taking on his elders here, he’s again shaped very well in finishing third, and he is undoubtedly one to follow. I think he could be very good indeed.

Le Roi Remi was another of the Trackside paddock picks. Just the sort we like, plenty of size and scope to him, but not to the point where he’ll need twelve months to fill out, he shaped really nicely in finishing seventh, just lacking a gear late on to go with the principals. That’s not a surprise, given he’s a half-brother to Full Back, who stayed three miles (and a bit further) well. He’s crying out for an obstacle already, in our opinion, and will be an exciting novice hurdler next year.

More from Trackside

• Horses to Follow from Doncaster, Warwick and Uttoxeter
• Horses to follow from Wetherby, Southwell and Newbury
• Handicappers to follow from Cheltenham
• Novices to follow from Cheltenham
• Horses to Follow from Kelso, Newbury and Plumpton
• Horses to Follow from Huntingdon, Southwell, Kempton & Fontwell
• Horses to Follow from Ascot and Haydock
• Horses to follow from Newbury and Warwick
• Horses to Follow from Trials Day at Cheltenham