Paddock Notebook: Horses to follow from Newmarket and Newbury

DOUBLE RUSH, 6f 4yo+ 0-100 Handicap, Newmarket, 15th April

A year ago, the sprint handicap that opens the middle day of the Craven meeting went in impressive fashion to a four-year-old having its first run for a new yard; 12 months on, history repeated itself, with Double Rush even more taking in victory than More Thunder had been in 2025.

Formerly with Charlie Hills, the reappearing Double Rush was hammered in the market and made a nonsense of a BHA mark of 90, bolting up by four lengths in what otherwise looked a competitive affair. He's been raised 13 lb, but that is highly unlikely to be enough to stop him following up before he moves on to pattern company.

More Thunder went on from last year's victory to land a similar race at the Guineas meeting before winning the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, his first outing in pattern company. Double Rush, a strong, good-quartered colt who took the eye beforehand at Newmarket, may well get to pattern level rather quicker than More Thunder did, no surprise to see him given an entry in the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

MAGIC EFFORT, 5f 2yo fillies' Maiden, Newmarket, 15th April

Despite being unconsidered by the market – she was the second longest-priced runner in a field of eight – Magic Effort stood out beforehand and made a winning debut ahead of a field of fellow newcomers. She obviously knew her job well enough, making much of the running and sticking to her task when the runner-up Call Me Tomorrow laid down her challenge.

The form of the race is probably nothing out of the ordinary, but Magic Effort looks likely to leave the bare form well behind in time. The obvious next race for her would seem to be the Marygate at York next month, with the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot the option if that goes to plan.

Magic Effort is a strong filly, much better developed than her rivals here, and, as looks suggest, is bred to be a sprinter. She is by Good Effort, a smart and prolific winner for Magic Effort's connections. Good Effort, who himself was a strong, attractive horse in his racing days, is standing more or less as a private stallion for his owner, but if he produces more like Magic Effort interest could well come in from elsewhere.

GALIYAN, 1¼ m 3yo Novice, Newmarket, 16th April

Being asked to take on once-raced, unbeaten Derby entries from the yards of the Gosdens, Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Appleby, set Galiyan with a demanding task on debut, and while he was never really competitive, he very much caught the eye with the way he went through the race under very considerate handling from Oisin Murphy and he looks sure to leave the bare form well behind.

A lengthy colt with scope, Galiyan didn't have much idea through the first part of the race and was detached to halfway before making some ground, no further impression after two furlongs out, but seeming to finish with running left.

Galiyan, who himself holds a Dante entry, ran to a level good enough to win an ordinary maiden, so with marked improvement on the cards, he looks a banker for a race of that type before he progresses to something better. Physically he's the type to improve through the season and his pedigree suggests he will stay another couple of furlongs at least.

HARRY KNOWS, 5f 2yo Maiden, Newbury, 17th April

The field for the opening race of the Greenham meeting was a good one on looks for this early stage of the campaign, and although the bare form is just fair, the race looks sure to throw up winners, with the unlucky runner-up Harry Knows top of the list.

Had he not been squeezed out at the start, Harry Knows would likely have made a winning debut. This mishap left him still with plenty to do with two furlongs to run and meant that the winner Blessed Voyager got first run on him. Harry Knows began to make ground approaching the final furlong, reducing the deficit to just a head by the line.

Harry Knows is a lengthy colt, who looked to be carrying some condition beforehand, as well as being on his toes. A son of Mehmas, he will stay six furlongs in time, though a win at five seems on the cards before long.

SHABAB AL AHLI 1¼ m 3yo Novice, Newbury, 17th April

Six horses covered by under a length at the line is the sort of result an official handicapper would give their eye teeth for, but if that is the outcome of a maiden or novice, that tends not to be a good result. However, just such an outcome in the valuable novice at Newbury's Greenham meeting could well prove an exception to the rule.

The six runners involved included four previous winners and a pair with well-above-average form in maiden/novice company. Five of the six hold Derby entries. Those include Shabab Al Ahli, who ended up finishing fourth but might have even won with a little further to travel. Having been hampered at the start and ridden a little further back than the trio that finished ahead of him, he put in good work late on, nearest at the line.

Shabab Al Ahli has plenty about him physically – he's a big, long-backed colt – and has a pedigree that's more stamina than speed. Having won over a further further on his debut, it's not surprising he ran the way he did at Newbury. He will be well served by a return to further and remains likely to leave this bare form well behind in time.

SONG OF THE CLOUDS 7f 3yo fillies' Newcomers, Newbury, 17th April

The market for the Bridget Maiden was dominated by two daughters of Night of Thunder and the race saw the heavily-punted favourite Synchronicity get the better of her chief rival Song of The Clouds by two lengths. However, that hardly tells the whole story and the runner-up might well prove the better of the pair in the longer run.

Song of The Clouds' problems began when she was badly hampered at the start. She was asked for her effort after three furlongs out, but ran green and it wasn't until the last 100 yards that she secured second.

Song of The Clouds, a well-made filly, has a good pedigree as well. She is a half-sister to two above-average winners, Mighty Ulysses, who won at Group 3 level here and in Australia, and Lou Lou's Gift, who won three times for Song of The Clouds' trainer William Haggas. Her dam Token of Love also ran for the yard, winning a listed race, before being placed at Grade 3 level in the States.

KING OF EARTH, 1m 3yo Maiden, Newbury, 18th April

It came as something of a shock when 26 runners were declared for the maiden on the Greenham card and the race didn't divide. The prospect of a field that size, full of unfamiliar names, splitting into two or three groups, is something to cause the odd bead of sweat to form on even the most experienced commentator. Not to mention racereader.

As it turned out, there wasn't a lot to trouble us. The field soon raced as one towards the advantageous near-side rail. That left the route through difficult for anything trying to come from off the pace and the finish was dominated largely by those at the head of the market.

One of those, King of Earth, took fourth, coming from further back than most of those that finished in the first third of the field. This was his third run, and although he holds a Guineas entry, it's more likely that connections will have good handicaps in mind to start with, the Britannia perhaps the plan. King of Earth is a well-made colt and a likely sort to find plenty of improvement through the season.

UPDATES

Maltese Cross provided the first winner from the horses nominated for this year in the 2025 Review. He was successful in a 1m2f novice at Newbury last Saturday, when another in the list, Joulany, was a close third and Shabab Al Ahli (included above) was fourth. Maltese Cross took time to find his stride and will be well served by going up in trip. A Derby trial is an option, though perhaps aiming at the Queen's Vase might be a better one.

Joulany, who also holds a Derby entry, was narrowly denied for the second time in three starts and surely won't be long in winning a race.

Another Derby candidate Pierre Bonnard was, on the face of it, disappointing in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown, sent off favourite and beating only two of his eight rivals home. Badly in need of the run seemed to be the view of connections afterwards and it's obviously much too soon to be writing him off.

Wedonttelllies is another who fully deserves excusing their reappearance run. Drawn wide at Bath, he was dropped in at the back of the field over the shortest trip he's tackled. Run off his feet to some extent early, he was beginning to make ground when finding himself short of room two furlongs out and then got a massive bump over a furlong from home, race over.

Finally, a couple of entries to note. Crown of Oaks is entered in the Suffolk Stakes at the Guineas meeting, where he would have to defy a mark of 104. Into The Sky is likely to take his chance in the Guineas itself. As reported on Sporting Life, he galloped at Newmarket last week prior to racing and handled the track well enough for his trainer Jim Boyle to take a view that the classic was the best option.

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