Ahead On The Flat: Handicappers to follow including Shandoz and Sunray Major (above)

AL TARMAAH - William Haggas

• (Muhaarar – How's She Cuttin', 4yo gelding, OR 65)
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Rarely would the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum keep a 65-rated gelding in training as a four-year-old. That has been the case with the thrice raced AL TARMAAH though.

Out of a mare who was Listed placed for David Barron, the son of Muhaarar was bought for 350,000gns as a yearling and is a half-brother to Washington DC, who was a Group 3 winner and runner-up in the Group 1 Prix de L’Abbaye at Chantilly in 2016.

Unraced as a juvenile, William Haggas’ charge was clueless on his first two starts last summer missing the break over seven furlongs at Doncaster and Haydock and finishing well beaten on both occasions.

It was a different tale on his most recent outing at Redcar in September though. Dropped back to six furlongs, he was partnered by Danny Tudhope for the first time and, while Al Tarmaah wasn’t the quickest into stride, he didn’t forfeit too much ground and was very much in contention with a couple of furlongs to run.

Leading inside the final 200 yards, he ran on well to beat a 53 rated rival by nearly two lengths with the 75 rated Desert Palms back in third. The further he went at the Cleveland track, the better he looked. Gelded since, he is crying out for a return to longer distances and is the type to progress through the ranks as a four year old.

His trainer feels he hasn’t scratched the surface yet with Al Tarmaah, who we are likely to hear plenty more about in 2021.

BIG BOY BOBBY

• (Vadamos – Duchess Of Foxland, 3yo gelding, OR 77)
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BIG BOY BOBBY is expected to make an impact in three-year-old handicaps this year for Roger Charlton.

Purchased for €60,000 as a yearling, he is a half-brother to three times winning sprinter Tawdheef, but is expected to stay beyond a mile this year – his dam won a Listed race over nine furlongs.

He raced three times as a juvenile, including two respectable efforts on the all-weather at Kempton. It was the run in between at Newbury which signalled him as a horse to watch out for in the future.

Lining up over a mile in a novice stakes in October, the race was run on heavy ground and, following a slow start, he kept on well in fifth under Jason Watson. Only beaten two and a quarter lengths by Aleas (won again since and rated 86), the runner-up Title is well thought of, while the fourth and sixth have scored subsequently.

Rated 77, he was beaten around four lengths on his final start on the all-weather, which was a fair effort considering the drop back to seven furlongs wouldn’t have been to his liking.

His dam won on good or slower ground, so it is possible Big Boy Bobby may prefer some ease underfoot. He could be a progressive middle distance three year old handicapper.

SHANDOZ

• (Golden Horn – Shabyt, 4yo colt, OR 96)
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Roger Varian and his team have done an outstanding job with the very talented but fragile Fujaira Prince. The seven-year-old was having only his eighth career start when winning the Sky Bet Ebor at York in August. A couple of months earlier, he won the inaugural running of the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot.

That was his first run for 362 days having finished third in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the Royal fixture in 2019. His trainer is eyeing that 12 furlong contest for younger stablemate SHANDOZ on June 18 this year.

Unbeaten in two visits to Ascot, he is a progressive four-year-old who has only seen a racecourse on six occasions. Rated 96, he won at Wolverhampton as a juvenile and landed two of his three races last term.

Off the track for 322 days, the son of Golden Horn led close home in a twelve furlongs handicap at the Berkshire track in August beating Grand Bazaar by a short head.

Raised four pounds to a mark of 89, he produced an even better performance in a heritage handicap over the same course and distance in September. Varian won the race with Battersea (2014) and Apparate (2019), and Shandoz stayed on strongly to beat Cepheus and the quirky but useful Kipps by upwards of three parts of a length.

Below par on his final run in the Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket, the 11/2 favourite wasn’t suited by the soft ground and finished a dozen lengths behind the winner Kingbrook.

Varian feels that Shandoz will stay beyond a mile and a half, which brings the Sky Bet Ebor (August 21) into the equation. However, he will be kept to a mile and a half initially with Royal Ascot his first main target.

The Jorvik Handicap at York’s Dante meeting (May 12) looks an ideal stepping stone. The aforementioned Fujaira Prince finished runner-up in that 12-furlong contest in 2019 en route to finishing third in the Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal meeting. Trainers tend to be creatures of habit.

SUNRAY MAJOR

• (Dubawi – Zenda, 4yo colt, OR 92)
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With a rating of 92, the twice raced SUNRAY MAJOR needs to improve if he is going to develop into a Pattern race miler.

The four-year-old has the pedigree, being a half-brother to the brilliant Kingman, and the reputation to emerge as a high-class four year old though.

Well touted before his debut at the Craven meeting last spring, he was an impressive winner of the second division of the one mile novice stakes.

The son of Dubawi won by three and three quarters of a length and had subsequent winners Spectrum Of Light, My Oberon, Ilaraab, Boss Power and A’Shamardi in behind. It was therefore disappointing him to see him only finish fourth under a penalty in a similar contest over the same course and distance thirteen days later.

Nearly seven lengths behind Al Mutathar, he hasn’t been seen since, which suggests Sunray Major had an issue.

Kept in training, he could be a ‘blot’ on the handicap, if his connections elect to go down that route. The Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot (June 16) could be tailormade for him before going up in grade.

TOM COLLINS

• (Dubawi – Cocktail Queen, 4yo colt, OR 85)
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Bloodstock agent Sam Haggas has made some astute purchases in recent years, including the ill-fated Listed and Group winner Miss O Connor. TOM COLLINS looks one of his most interesting buys from 2020.

Formerly handled by David Elsworth and well bred being a son of Dubawi out of a Group 2-winning mare, he is now in training with William Haggas having been bought for 100,000gns last autumn.

Potentially well treated off 85, he won twice for Elsworth, including over seven furlongs at Newmarket as a two year old – back in third that day was his new stablemate and Group 3 winner Al Aasy. He also won over a mile at Pontefract in October last year shortly before the sales.

Gelded since arriving at Somerville Lodge, there is a difference of opinion regarding Tom Collins’ optimum trip – Sam feels he wants to drop back in trip, while William believes the four-year-old wants further.

Their theories could be tested in something like the Victoria Cup at Ascot – the stable have won the race twice with Yeast (1996) and Fastnet Tempest (2017).

Regardless of his ideal distance, expect the former Jeff Smith-owned gelding to reach a loftier rating by the end of the campaign.

Ahead On The Flat

Ahead On The Flat, which includes exclusive interviews with Andrew Balding, Ralph Beckett, George Boughey, Roger Charlton, Clive Cox, Tim Easterby, William Haggas, James Tate and Roger Varian, can be purchased for £10.99 (including postage) from www.mhpublications.co.uk

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