Darley Dewhurst Stakes preview: Laura Joy on the pedigrees of the seven runners

Aesop’s Fables (NNN x How’s She Cuttin’ by Shinko Forest)

Aesop’s Fables is a son of sire of the moment No Nay Never who is experiencing unforeseen success this season with his juveniles. The sire of Timeform top rated juvenile Little Big Bear with stablemate Blackbeard not far behind, Aesop’s Fables will bid to add a third individual Group 1 winning juvenile to his impressive class of 2022.

A half-brother to Royal Ascot winning two year old Washington DC (Zoffany), he reportedly found seven furlongs on soft ground a fraction too far last time out. His dam How’s She Cuttin is by the G1 Japanese sprinter Shinko Forest (Green Desert) and made 21 of her 25 starts over 5f, so whether the true 7f test of Newmarket’s Rowley Mile will see him to best effect remains to be seen.

With the likes of Little Big Bear out of a Bering mare and middle distance prospects like August Rodin (Deep Impact) and Denmark (Camelot) tucked up at home in Ballydoyle, one suspects this colt might have his sights set on sprinting targets in 2023 rather than the Classics.

Chaldean (Frankel x Suelita by Dutch Art)

If No Nay Never is dominating the juvenile scene, then Frankel is dominating everywhere else in his bid to retain his Champion Sire crown. 12 years on from his own incomprehensible Dewhurst performance, Chaldean will bid to emulate his father carrying the same colours as his esteemed sire.

Bred by Cheveley Park, he is out of the smart Dutch Art mare Suelita who has been threatening to break through with a top flight success as a broodmare for quite some time. Proving her prowess at an early stage with black type horses by Mukhadram and Cityscape, Suelita more than earned her visit to Frankel to produce this colt.

Her 2018 colt Alkumait (Showcasing) was just a yearling when she visited Britain’s second most expensive stallion, but confidence will have soared at Cheveley Park when hewon the G2 Mill Reef at Newbury. The best was hopefully yet to come and a yearling price of 550,000gns for Chaldean will only have enhanced that belief.

Chaldean’s dam was a sprinter but comes from the family of Pinnacle Stakes winner Moment In Time with Lonsdale Cup winner Opinion Poll under his fourth dam. There is ample speed on the dam’s side and, but an appealing blend of stamina that indicates a mile will be right up this colt’s street in due course. If that’s the case, the 7f Dewhurst trip should be perfect for him at this stage of his career and it’s hard to make a case against him.

Isaac Shelby (Night of Thunder x Kentucky Belle by Heliostatic)

The young sire whose name is on everybody’s lips, Night Of Thunder is surely smashing records for his yearling sales average bred from a €25,000 fee and a look at his accomplishments quickly explains why.

Isaac Shelby is his dam Kentucky Belle’s third foal to race, but he is by far the most accomplished. Kentucky Belle was unraced and amongst his first three dams the best level achieved is Kentucky Belle’s Grade 2 winning half-sister Ramazutti who was foaled in 2002. In fact Grade 2 is the highest level achieved by his immediate family.

Kentucky Belle is by the useful but below G1 class G3 winner Heliostatic (Galileo) whose highest rated offspring on record was the 113 rated Crius, also a G3 winner at his best. In Isaac Shelby it looks as though Night Of Thunder has done what prompted his €75,000 fee and current €232,000 yearling average for 2022 – moved up this mare.

Closely inbred to Galileo, Isaac Shelby has done nothing wrong in two starts to date and was precocious enough to win the G2 Superlative Stakes. However, like Night Of Thunder’s best daughter Highfield Princess, he might prove a more progressive type who could find this step up to G1 company a little too much at this stage of his career, though he is more than entitled to try.

Marbaan (Oasis Dream x Zahoo by Nayef)

After last season’s Champion Two-Year-Old Native Trail, Oasis Dream has produced the goods yet again to prove age is but a number and he is by far the best value Group 1 sire across Great Britain and Ireland.

Marbaan looked very good when taking the G2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and in doing so lived to his smart pedigree. Dam Zahoo is one of seven black type earners out of Tanaghum. Tanaghum is by Darshaan and responsible for G1 winner Matterhorn (Raven’s Pass) as well as The Foxes (Churchill) who won the Royal Lodge two weeks ago, a Group 2 contest for juveniles run over a furlong further on the same track.

Marbaan’s dam Zahoo is already responsible for G3 winner Convergence who is by Cape Cross who is also a son of Green Desert just like Marbaan’s sire Oasis Dream. This is a pedigree that makes sense despite an apparent halt in his progression last time out. In winning the Richmond Stakes he accounted for Holloway Boy, the same rival favourite Nostrum beat last time out, albeit with considerable ease. Put a line through Marbaan’s last effort and he is overpriced.

Royal Scotsman (Gleneagles x Enrol by Pivotal)

The Galileo - Pivotal cross needs no introduction and Richmond Stakes winner Royal Scotsman is no exception. Galileo’s dual Guineas winning son Gleneagles has stepped up a gear in the past 12 months adding two G1 winners to his record.

A yearling price of 125,000gns suggests he caught the eye at an early stage and he wasted no time in vindicating said belief. Finishing third in the Coventry Stakes, one position better than subsequent G1 winner Blackbeard, on pedigree this step up to 7f should prove a help rather than a hindrance. As likeable as Royal Scotsman may be, he would constitute a surprise winner were he to take down his highly-regarded rivals in this contest.

Nostrum (Kingman x Mirror Lake by Dubai Destination)

Living in the shadow of one of the greatest of all time means Kingman could be forgiven for going under the radar. However, despite sharing a barn with Frankel, he is more than holding his own. Nostrum is one of 13 Group winners for him this year with new Group 1 winner Kinross the icing on the cake.

A half-brother to a Group 2 winner, Nostrum has been imperiously faultless in two starts to date. Blessed with an explosive turn of foot, he demonstrated a liking for course and distance in the G3 Tattersalls Stakes last time out. His pedigree might be one of Juddmonte’s less renowned families, but a closer look tells us it’s a mistake to think any less of him.

This is the extended family of QIPCO British Champion Sprint winner Creative Force (Dubawi) who is of course a half sibling to QEII winner Persuasive (Dark Angel). Persuasive made the headlines yet again this week when her Dubawi yearling colt sold to Godolphin for 1 million guineas.

The question mark here is the timing. This test comes a little over two weeks after his arrival amongst the upper echelons of the 2022 juvenile crop after which a possible tilt at a G1 was considered. For all that Kingman’s progeny are talented, they need tender handling. Nostrum will need to overcome a short turnaround here to prevail. If he doesn’t, that might end up being a worthy excuse.

Naval Power (Teofilo x Emirates Rewards by Dubawi)

With Teofilo enjoying somewhat of a resurgence, it’s appropriate the former Champion Two-Year-Old should be represented so well in one of Europe’s flagship juvenile contests. Naval Power showed the tenacity we have come to associate with both his sire and damsire in winning the Listed Ascendant stakes at Haydock. His dam Emirates Rewards was best at a mile and is a half-sister to one of trainer Charlie Appleby’s most important winners to date.

Outstrip (Exceed And Excel) took home the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Appleby’s first ever Breeders’ Cup contender in his first season holding the licence at Moulton Paddocks. Every Group 1 matters but one suspects a win from this colt might carry an extra level of sentimentality should he get the job done. Naval Power’s pedigree has it all but stepping up from Listed company to the highest level is a big ask. With four runs under his belt, a lack of experience won’t be a valid excuse but given his pedigree and attitude, he has every right to be there or thereabouts when push comes to shove.

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