David Cleary Paddock Notebook: Newmarket

COVET, 7f 2yo Novice, Newmarket, 30th October

The withdrawal of the favourite Last Horizon removed one significant newcomer from the field for the second division of this novice, but he would have needed to be pretty sharp to get the better of Covet, who impressed as a useful prospect in scoring by three lengths on debut. This race perhaps wasn't such good form as the first division (won by Solo Quest, who is also featured in this list), but the style of Covet's win was very encouraging.

Covet was the pick of the field beforehand, a good-topped, attractive colt, and he looked ready to do himself justice. Good market support for a newcomer from a yard that isn't noted for getting a two year old primed first time out was another positive sign. Covet didn't disappoint. He travelled well under a patient ride, showed a good turn of foot to go to the front two furlongs out and drew away when shaken up in  the final 200 yards to win with a bit in hand.

Covet is a son of Kingman out of Chaleur, a useful filly who was listed-placed at  around a mile. Chaleur is actually a sister to a winner at up to two miles on the all-weather, but Covet seems likely to be campaigned at around seven furlongs to a mile, at least initially, as a three year old, and he'll be of interest wherever he turns up.

ENACTMENT, 7f 2yo colts and geldings Novice, Newmarket, 21st October

Newmarket's 'Two Year Old' day didn't seem to have quite the degree of potential on show that it usually does, but there are a couple that make this list from that card, the first of them Enactment, who beat four other colts to land the seven-furlong novice.

Enactment stood out in the paddock – he's a tall, attractive colt with scope, just the sort to make a better three year old – and he overcame inexperience to get the better of the odds-on Altius by a head, leading near the finish under a hands-and-heels ride. The first two finished a long way clear, which might suggest not much depth to the race, but the runner-up had already shown form good enough to win a similar event and the overall time backed up a positive view of the form.

Enactment, bought for $300,000 as a yearling, has a smart American pedigree. He's by Justify out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare who won over six furlongs. The best of her previous winners was successful in a Grade 3 over a mile, while she's a half-sister to a Grade 1 winner over nine furlongs, who is the dam of a multiple Grade 1 winner around a mile. He is likely to be suited by a mile and will stay a mile and a quarter.

IBTEKAR, 7f 2yo fillies Maiden, Newmarket, 31st October

The final maiden of the Newmarket season went the way of the favourite Ibtekar. She had made a promising debut at Ascot at the start of the month, when finishing third of five, running as if she just needed the outing to put her spot on.

Ibtekar had been unconsidered in the market that day, but was favourite at Newmarket and never looked in much danger. She made all and found plenty when shaken up, leading home a stable one-two as the newcomer Gorgonzola took second late on. The second was an 80/1 chance, but, given the red-hot form of the Ed Walker-yard, the SP shouldn't offer a reason to question the form.

Indeed, Ibtekar recorded a time only .03 seconds slower than that taken by the winner of the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes later on the card. Ibtekar's pedigree suggests she will stay a mile. Her dam Lovely Pass won the UAE Guineas in her racing days and has already produced a pair of useful winners. Ibtekar, a sturdy filly who looked in good shape at Newmarket, could well be another.

MAWRID, 1m 2yo Novice, Newmarket, 21st October

It's fair to say that not many horses that get the description 'smallish' merit inclusion in a column that is first and foremost about paddock appearance. But there are times when an exception is called for and the case of Mawrid is one of those. He was sent off at 12/1 in a field of five on debut, in a market dominated by two runners from the Charlie Appleby yard, notably the previous winner Muqarrabin.

Muqarrabin landed the odds, but was made to work by his stable-companion Al Lahbab. Meanwhile, Mawrid was having a tough time on his first day at school. He was left several lengths at the start and didn't have much idea when first shaken up, going into the Dip. However, Mawrid was getting the idea in the final furlong and managed to sneak into third near the line.

Mawrid should learn a lot from the experience. On pedigree, he looks sure to benefit from going up in trip – he's by Sea The Stars out of a listed winner over a mile and a quarter. His dam, Maqsad, broke her duck in a maiden at the Craven meeting as a three year old. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Mawrid start off his campaign in the spring somewhere like that.

SOLO QUEST/ARKAT, 7f 2yo colts and geldings Novice, Newmarket, 30th October

There were two that stood out in the paddock for a 12-runner novice at Newmarket last week – Solo Quest, a strong colt with size and substance, and the well-made newcomer Arkat. Solo Quest had made a promising start in a similar event at Yarmouth earlier in the month and was sent off a warm favourite. Arkat was easy to back in a race where none of the debutants seemed to be particularly fancied. The pair shaped as might have been anticipated.

Solo Quest put his experience to good use, travelling strongly in front and finding plenty in the final furlong to win going away by four lengths. A novice under a penalty seems a likely option before he's aimed higher, the level he achieved here towards the upper end of what one can expect in races of this type. He'll stay a mile, but doesn't need to step up in trip necessarily.

Arkat raced in touch, but when he was shaken up three furlongs out he ran green and couldn't quicken with the leaders. However, he kept on in the final furlong, taking third in the last 100 yards. He will be much sharper for the experience. He ran to just a fair level, so will need to improve to win a maiden or novice, but the potential is there. He's by Blue Point, though is out of a mile-and-a-half winner, with plenty of stamina on the dam's side. The way he shaped suggests going up in trip won't be a problem.

UPDATE

Three debutants that featured in the last Notebook all had their second run last month. None of them won, though Hamrin fared best, beaten under a length when third in a novice at Nottingham. That was a much-improved effort. Cornichon also stepped up on his debut effort when runner-up at Goodwood, but Coloniser went backwards from his debut when only third at York.

Tropbien returned from a three-month break to win a novice at Newcastle. Nobody Knows was back on track after an even longer absence – over five months – to finish an encouraging fifth in a class 2 handicap at York. He is among the favourites for Saturday's November Handicap under Ryan Moore, which would be his first try at a mile and a half – his pedigree offers plenty of encouragement that he will stay.

A few of the more notable names have had runs in France in the last month. Maltese Cross was a respectable sixth in the Arc. He's had a good campaign and is set to return next year, when he should be a force in the older middle-distance division. His stable-companion Crown of Oaks missed the Balmoral due to the ground and ran in a Group 2 at Saint-Cloud, where he finished second, running as well as he ever has. He's drawn a blank this year, but has ended the campaign strongly and is another who can make an impact next year.

Less good efforts came from Pierre Bonnard, who was a disappointing favourite for a Group 2 at the Arc meeting, and Fifty Years On, who was last of 18 in a Group 3 at Chantilly. Johanna Walsh (Breeders' Cup Turf), Into The Sky (Champions Sprint) and Valedictory (Cesarewitch) are others who might have been expected to do better.

A pair that ran creditably in defeat are Desert Castle and Galiyan, who were runners-up in the Dewhurst and a listed race at Ascot respectively. Desert Castle lost his unbeaten record in going down by a neck to Darkness Falls, but he ran well enough for connections to entertain 2000 Guineas' dreams over the winter.

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