Our two-year-old guide author Dan Briden rounds up the latest from the juvenile scene featuring some horses to note at Ascot in the coming days.
Ascot on the agenda
The 7f maiden on Ascot’s Friday card produced future Group 3/Listed race winners Raaheeb and Behike 12 months ago, and there is plenty of interest dotted throughout this year’s renewal.
Both the Roger Varian-trained Chymbulak (brother to Charyn; ran on late having been very green when chasing home a well-backed one at Kempton on debut) Brian Meehan’s San Jose (keen; green off bridle; late progress to take fourth on debut at Newbury) and offered enough first time out to think their respective breakthroughs wouldn’t be too far away.
As usual there are several interesting newcomers, not least the Andrew Balding-trained Impasto. He is a three-parts brother to Group 3-placed 2025 Irish 7f 3yo winner Fingerpaint useful UK/US 7-8.5f winner Samburu (both by Kingman). His dam, a fairly useful Irish 7f 2yo winner, was a full sister to Arlington Million winner Set Piece, an impressive debut winner himself at two. He is said to have pleased at home and is very much bred to make an immediate impact at this sort of trip.
Harry Charlton’s Senor Blues is a Siyouni son of Heiress, a once-raced daughter of Kingman and Love Divine who created a huge impression when making a winning start in a backend Newmarket maiden as a two-year-old, never sighted again due to injury. Senor Blues is well liked by his trainer, albeit reportedly has something of a fiery disposition to go along with his ability.
William Haggas has seen fit to give Korsakov an entry in the Royal Lodge Stakes. He is a Sea The Stars out of a mare who has cut very little ice despite being well supported so far, though herself is from the fine Ballymacoll Stud/Weinstock family of Islington, Greek Dance, Mountain High et al. From his big-race entry to his pedigree, it’s clear another furlong will be required before long, but the fact he is started off at this course is an indicator of the regard in which he is held.
