As the tape fell for the first on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, most keen racing eyes were fixated on the enigmatic Ballyburn ahead of what can only be described as a demolition performance in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle.
Meanwhile, however, hardcore flat enthusiasts were hitting refresh on HRI's website, eagerly awaiting the entries for the first meeting of the new season at the Curragh.
The opening maiden is the first domestic juvenile contest across Ireland, Great Britain and France and first season sire representation never goes amiss. The covering season might be in full swing but as stallion masters will remind us, there is ample time to modify your mating plans. With four freshman sires represented in this year's opener, the result could have a positive bearing on both the quality and quantity of their fourth season mates, a notoriously difficult period for new sires.
ARIZONA BLAZE (Sergei Prokofiev x Liberisque By Equiano)
From a first crop of 120 yearlings, no less than 84 went through the sales ring as yearlings. This colt was no exception having changed hands twice in his short life already. A 36,000gns foal, he was re-offered at Goffs Premier yearling sale at Doncaster. A sale synonymous with sharp, precocious juveniles, the reputable Aguiar name was on the ticket when this colt was purchased and he will race in the distinguishable purple silks of Amo Racing. Both of this colt’s preceding siblings are winners, one as a juvenile which is a help to his chances as his dam and her pedigree are undoubtedly more progressive than precocious. Sergei Prokofiev was a short head behind G1 winner Skitter Scatter on his debut in April and third in the Coventry Stakes to Calyx. His progeny are expected to follow suit. One to watch for now.
BESIEGE (Arizona x Dianthus By Epaulette)
Going two places better than Sergei Prokofiev the following year was Arizona who took the Coventry Stakes for the second of his two wins at two. The first was over this track in May 2019, albeit over a furlong further, by an impressive eight lengths. This colt’s dam won over 7f as a three year old, and the class on the page comes in the shape of his third dam who showed her best form over a mile and a half. Given Arizona never raced at the minimum trip, this colt might lack a gear in this contest.
BROSAY (Tasleet x Hattytown By Ivawood)
By a sprinter who sired Coventry winner and King’s Stand winner Bradsell in his first crop, this colt is the first foal out of an unraced mare by July Stakes winner Ivawood. This is a pedigree destined to relish five furlongs and unlikely to ever want further. The dam is a half-sister to Group placed sprinter Blood Moon (Equiano), but there isn’t much class elsewhere on the page. Class in abundance may not be required here and his sire Tasleet enjoyed his brightest day winning the G2 Duke Of York Stakes on soft ground. Check the betting.
HES BULLET PROOF (Unfortunately x Allegro Viva By Distant View)
This colt’s sire has struggled to make the grade and stands for a career low of €3,000 this year. His dam, to her credit, has produced seven winners from eight runners and ten foals including G2 Prix Chaudenay winner Canticum (Cacique). That is over a mile and seven furlongs though and happened back in 2012. That said, this is an exceptionally deep Juddmonte pedigree with an illustrious roll of honour including Champion Two Year Old Native Trail, Coventry winner Calyx and Champion Three Year Old French Sprinter African Rose to name just a few. There is enough class on the page to spring a small surprise, but the sire’s stud record and his affinity for fast ground are live concerns.
MONOTONE (Verbal Dexterity x Yes Oh Yes By Gone West)
A Jim Bolger homebred through and through, this colt is a half-brother to Listed winner and Irish 2000 Guineas fourth Wexford Native (Teofilo). This colt is from the first crop of Bolger’s homebred Group 1 winner Verbal Dexterity who he stands privately and thus will be watched with intrigue. Despite winning the National Stakes at two, Verbal Dexterity lacked support to stand publicly having failed to win again in eight subsequent starts. It’s hard to know what to expect from him and his progeny which makes this colt one to watch, even noting Jim Bolger’s liking for the first two year old maiden of the year and the depth to his pedigree.
ROWDY YEATS (Make Believe x Amazonite By Lawman)
After a bright start with his first juveniles, the mystique surrounding Make Believe was not sufficient to survive the inevitable quiet period as his smaller, cheaper crops hit the track. He is operating at a level now and has shown he is capable of getting a good one, if a little inconsistently in the higher grades. This colt’s unraced dam is by French Derby winner Lawman out of a Group placed miler, and all indications on pedigree suggest this trip will prove too sharp and too early in his career to have a significant impact here.
BOBBI ROSA (Havana Grey x Fandance By Gay Fandango)
Everything Havana Grey touches seems to turn to gold, and this filly has every chance on pedigree to fulfil the prophecy. Not only is she blessed with 5f Group 1 winner Havana Grey as her sire, but her dam is well related too. Though she never ran, she is by the emphatic Coventry winner Canford Cliffs and out of a 5f Listed winning juvenile. The proof is in the pedigree – although Dijarvo unfortunately died after having just four foals, two of them earned black type. One of those is Windsor Castle winner Soldier’s Call (Showcasing) who did all of his best work on the track over the minimum trip including arguably a career best third place as a two year old against older horses in the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye. This filly is bred to have an engine and to show her hand early. Watch the market, on pedigree she is the pick of the paddock.
CHARANDA (Ardad x Koharu By Ishiguru)
This filly is from Ardad’s aforementioned tricky fourth crop and was bred off a fee of just £4,000. Her dam has already bred a Listed winning two year old by exiled sire Coach House from just three runners. She has bred two winners to date including winning debutante Elegant Madame (Inns Of Court) for the same owners last year, which is a good indication of what she might be showing at home.
FAR AT SEA (Far Above x Musicora By Acclamation)
Ill-fated as a racehorse, Far Above will be hoping for much better fortunes with his progeny on the track. Winning three of his four starts at three, Far Above looked to have the sprinting division at his mercy on his four year old debut which subsequently turned out to be his final visit to a racecourse. In a competitive renewal of the G3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, he showed that five furlongs was his game but unfortunately finished lame and was retired. This filly’s dam is yet to produce a winner and it is back to the third dam to find a stakes winner. One to watch until we learn a little bit more about the sire, especially considering he didn’t run at two himself.
LINESKY (Inns Of Court x Fast Dandy By Dandy Man)
Inns of Court has seemingly been written off in the court of public opinion if sales results are to be used as a barometer. A fast start or nothing is the bar and despite maturing into a top racehorse and showing his best form as a five year old, Inns Of Court’s tame start as a stallion means he has a mountain to climb to reverse commercial condemnation. This filly is out of an unraced daughter of Dandy Man from the family of Gold Cup winner Estimate. Even with Dandy Man’s influence, it is difficult to envisage her showing her best form at this stage.
MARIANNE NORTH (Belardo x Xcite By Kingman)
Belardo began his stallion career brightly but endured a quiet spell and has failed to recapture his early promise to date. This filly is out of a 10f winner by Kingman who is very much at the beginning of his career as a broodmare sire and yet to play his hand. This is one of the classier pedigrees in the field, but more so over a mile than the minimum trip. Champion Sprinter Diktat features under the third dam, and one generation further back you can find top sire Cape Cross as well as Iffraaj. That means this filly boasts Moyglare and Cheveley Park Stakes winner Park Appeal as her fourth dam. Whilst Belardo might not be the most popular in the sales ring, he is a solid source of winners. Whether that will be over five furlongs, I am not so sure.
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