Mark Howard: Five dark horses for 2020

William Haggas has an array of unraced three year old talent on offer for 2020 and, while he may not prove the pick of the bunch, AMETIST could be a horse to keep an eye on, both in the short and long-term. Owned and bred by Cheveley Park Stud, the chestnut son of Dutch Art has already been gelded. Out of Zykina, the dam has produced Jumaira Bridge and Spangled, two useful performers for Roger Varian in the past. The latter won the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster in 2016. Described as a big powerful horse with a fine temperament, he has been given plenty of time and that patience is expected to be rewarded. He is a dark one.

DO YOU LOVE ME cost a king’s ransom as a yearling with Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited parting with €3,200,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale for this daughter of Galileo. Beautifully bred, she is a full-sister to Epsom Oaks winner Forever Together and a half-sister to another Group 1 winner Lord Shanakill. Like the latter, she is trained by Karl Burke and held some lofty entries as a juvenile, but has yet to make her first public appearance. Entered in the Epsom Derby, Prix Saint-Alary and Prix de Diane, she is another smart prospect for her powerful Middleham yard.

Andrew Balding understandably harbours high hopes for his Group 1 winning juvenile Kameko and the Kingsclere trainer is known to be excited about the unraced MAHANAKHON POWER. Owned by King Power Racing, he was purchased for £380,000 as a yearling and is out of Lady Éclair, who was a seven times winner, including at Listed level, over staying trips for Mark Johnston. The dam has already produced Lord Lamington, who won three times on the level before developing into a decent juvenile hurdler last winter for Alan King. Reported to have shown enough at home to suggest he could be above average, the son of Gleneagles could develop into a useful middle distance prospect.

Sir Michael Stoute isn’t lacking talent amongst his three year olds this year and the head of Freemason Lodge is reportedly looking forward to unleashing the well bred RANSOM in the coming weeks. A colt by Kingman who is owned by Prince Khalid Abdulla, he is a half-brother to Desert Diamond, who was a Listed winner for the same stable a couple of years ago. Backward last year, the family invariably improve with age and he worked well with some useful stablemates at the start of the month. Expect him to start off over trips around a mile, but his pedigree suggests he won’t have any trouble staying at least ten furlongs.

Fellow Newmarket trainer Roger Varian is another handler who is blessed with plenty of strength in depth amongst the Classic generation. SEMSER failed to see a racecourse at two, due to a minor hold up, but his homework has been most encouraging and the son of Siyouni is held in high esteem at Carlburg Stables. From a good family, he is a half-brother to five winners, including Musidora Stakes winner Liber Nauticus and the likes of Thetsis, Indelible Ink and Serenada, whom Varian also trained. A mile at one of the better tracks is likely to be on his agenda, although he is bred to stay further and has been given an entry in the Prix du Jockey Club this summer.

Mark Howard, author of Ahead On The Flat, One Jump Ahead & Racing TV pundit.

Ahead On The Flat, which includes exclusive interviews with Andrew Balding, Ralph Beckett, Roger Charlton, Tim Easterby, Charlie Fellowes, William Haggas, Jedd O’Keeffe, James Tate and Roger Varian can be purchased for £10.99 (including postage) from www.mhpublications.co.uk

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