Our columnist is back with more horses to add to your trackers as the Flat seasons swings into top gear.
Royal Ascot winning handler Ed Bethell has made a brisk start to the new campaign with three winners from only 11 runners during April.
The Middleham-based trainer is looking forward to stepping the thrice raced COUNTING CARDS up in distance this term, having shaped encouragingly as a juvenile. A 40,000gns yearling, the son of Territories finished fourth at Thirsk on his second outing in August before chasing home Apache Green at Pontefract a month later. Beaten three parts of a length, P.J.McDonald’s mount was fastest in the final furlong covering it in 12.75 seconds compared to William Haggas’ 79 rated winner (13.06 seconds) Both those races were over six furlongs and Bethell is adamant he will improve when tackling seven furlongs and a mile.
Gelded last Autumn, the three year old looks fairly treated off 76 and it is not beyond the realms of possibility he will emerge as a contender for the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot (19th June), a race his stable won last summer with Mickley last summer.
The Roger Varian trained Fujaira Prince was a hugely talented, but fragile, horse who was at his best during the 2020 campaign. The grey gelded son of Pivotal was rated 99 when winning the inaugural running of the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot before following up in the Sky Bet Ebor at York a couple of months later. Subsequently runner-up in the Group 1 Irish St Leger, Varian is hoping to do something similar with the lightly raced FRENCH DUKE in 2025.
The son of Sea The Stars, who has been gelded during the winter, is also rated 99 and his trainer is eyeing the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot (20th June) before stepping up in trip in the Sky Bet Ebor (23rd August). Narrowly beaten on his seasonal return at Newbury last spring, he was purchased by Wathnan Racing and made his handicap debut in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. He finished a creditable sixth, having raced too enthusiastically during the early stages. Three and a half lengths in arrears of the ill-fated Going The Distance, French Duke was fitted with a hood next time in another competitive three year old handicap at ‘Glorious’ Goodwood in late July. James Doyle partnered him for the first time and, having hit the front over a furlong out, he stayed on strongly to beat Lord of Love by a neck – the fifth was Subsequent who has won twice since, including a Listed event – off a rating of 88. He rounded off his three year old career by finishing three lengths second in a heritage handicap at Ascot in September.
