Our pedigree expert focuses on the two key races on today's Trials card at Ascot, including the return of Bradsell.
2.05 Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions Stakes
The market seems to think this Conditions Trial boils down to two contenders.
Amo Racing have had a dream start to 2023 with both their Classic contenders and their juveniles, and twelve length debut winner Maximum Impact (Havana Grey ex Natural Choice by Teofilo) will bid to maintain that start. Second crop sire Havana Grey has continued in the rich vein of form in which he ended 2022 as Champion First Crop sire with Nell Gwyn winner and 1000 Guineas fancy Mammas Girl proving he’s not just a source of speed and precocity.
Maximum Impact is out of the Teofilo mare Natural Choice who similarly broke her maiden as a juvenile by a wide margin. Notably, Maximum Impact is inbred 3x2 to Teofilo being out of a daughter of Teofilo and by Havana Grey. Natural Choice is a daughter of G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Oiseau Rare (King’s Best) who won the French Group Two when it was run over a mile and a half. Considering Maximum Impact’s dam won over a mile as a two year old and comes from a predominantly middle distance family, it will be Havana Grey’s speed coming to the fore if he prevails here.
Last year this trial went the way of Bakeel (Sioux Nation) who did the Trial no harm when running a creditable fifth to The Ridler (Brazen Beau) in the G2 Norfolk Stakes over course and distance. Sioux Nation was making all the right noises at the time with his first crop on his way to finishing second to Havana Grey in the Championship.
Much the same can be said about Action Point (Blue Point) who comes from a stable well versed in readying sharp early two year olds. Sent off a short priced favourite on his debut (replay below), Archie Watson’s charge knew his job well. Four winners from his first eleven runners is a promising start for much missed Shamardal’s latest recruit to the stallion ranks. Already a proven sire of sires, Blue Point was the fastest son of Shamardal and one of most highly anticipated to retire to stud.
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Action Point’s dam Khaleesi Wind (Exceed And Excel) is an unraced full sister to the admirably consistent Excelette who was a 5f Listed winning juvenile. Further back in the family is another King’s Stand winner Bolshoi (Royal Academy) who took the 1998 renewal. If ever there was a track for Blue Point’s progeny to excel it is Ascot and who better to do it than this colt. In six starts at the track, all in Group company, Blue Point won five of them. His sole defeat came at the hands of Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup who at the time was on an unbeaten run of six.
The stakes are high and the pair’s three rivals are unknown quantities. Experience counts for a lot at this stage of their careers and the suspicion is the market has got it right. If Blue Point is the real deal, Action Point might just edge this one on paper.
3.50 Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes
While talking about first and second crop sires, how could we leave out Shadwell Stud’s Tasleet (Showcasing) whose first crop son Bradsell shone so brightly at the Royal meeting last year. Injured when finishing fourth behind Little Big Bear (No Nay Never) in the G1 Phoenix Stakes, Bradsell makes a long awaited reappearance here. With small crop numbers, second crop sire Tasleet needs stars like this colt to keep his name in the lights until his subsequent crops reach the track. Undoubtedly his headline act, Bradsell carries more than just the (very light) weight of Hollie Doyle on his back.
Tasleet’s own sire Showcasing holds a strong hand in bidding to usurp his son with the battle hardened Cold Case. In six runs, all bar one over six furlongs, Cold Case has never failed to give his running and put in a career best when winning the Redcar Two Year Old Trophy by two and a quarter lengths (replay below). That was in Listed company but he’s from an out and out sprinting family and ended last season on an upward curve.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsConceding a penalty but for good reason being a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner, Charlie Appleby’s hardy son of Exceed And Excel is the only proven G1 performer here. The key questions surrounding Mischief Magic’s chances are whether he has trained on and if he needs to improve to win this? On pedigree there is arguably more precocity that progression, but he is not without hope.
Second dam Gossamer (Sadler’s Wells) was Champion 3YO filly in Ireland in 2002 and is a full sister to Barathea – both won their respective Irish Guineas and earned Champion honours in near faultless careers where they excelled over a mile. Having shown the notoriously demanding raw speed required to win at the Breeders’ Cup, if this colt has trained on he is unquestionably the one to catch.
Overcoming subsequent Prix de l’Abbaye winner The Platinum Queen (Cotai Glory) by a head in the G2 Flying Childers at Doncaster is probably the best form on offer and Trillium’s first three dams all excelled over sprinting trips. Her first two were best as juveniles, and in an important season for her sire No Nay Never, we wait to see how much improvement this first expensively bred crop find after their juvenile campaigns. Life can be tough for three year olds in the sprinting division and even more so for fillies. Giving away weight to colts here, she’ll have to show the same gutsy attitude she needed to overcome The Platinum Queen to give weight away to this bunch.
In a wide open race, beaten Fred Darling favourite Magical Sunset (Kodiac) ran a winning race until the final furlong and makes a quick return to the track to test her sprinting credentials. Her half-brother Hey Jonesy (Excelebration) was beaten just two lengths into fifth by Eqtidaar (Invincible Spirit) in the Commonwealth Cup and her sire Kodiac has history with both this trial and the Commonwealth Cup itself. His daughter Campanelle won the 2021 Commonwealth Cup in dramatic fashion that concluded in the steward’s room whilst his sons Kodi Bear and Ardad sired the Trial (Go Bears Go) and Cup (Perfect Power) winners last year.
Two sons of proven stalwart Oasis Dream are not without chance. G2 Vintage Stakes winner Marbaan drops back in trip here having subsequently disappointed twice over 7f in Group 1 company. His pedigree doesn’t scream sprinter but it is not without hope either as a son of speed influence Oasis Dream. He might need a run or two to find his feet in this company, but Ascot’s stiff finish should play to his strengths given his winning Group form over further.
Andrew Balding’s gelding Desert Cop is yet to race on turf and though his sprinting pedigree and progressive profile are both likeable factors, it’s a big ask for his turf and stakes debut.
One of the hottest sire lines around right now is Showcasing and if Bradsell retains his ability he should be hard to beat. If not, his paternal grandsire’s Cold Case might be the one to land the spoils.
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