Norman's Cay edges home in the Brocklesby

Racing week ahead: Two-year-olds to note

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Mon May 26, 2025 · 7M ago

Thursday’s Star Sports National Stakes at Sandown could confidently lay claim to being the best two-year-old race of the season to date in England.

Five of the initial 12 entries are trained by Richard Hannon. Sean Levey has already been pencilled in to ride Harry’s Girl, touched off by Ruby’s Angel in the Marygate at York earlier this month.

The trainer can also turn to Ballistic Missile and First Legion, debut winners at the Dante Meeting, Brocklesby victor Norman’s Cay, and Logi Bear who made it third time lucky at Newmarket earlier this month.

Karl Burke has made an equally strong start with his two-year-olds and is set to run Clear Force. There was many a long face at the Middleham yard when he was beaten at Musselburgh first-time-up but he made no mistake at Ripon last month.

Ryan Moore is set to ride Kempton winner Sayidah Hard Spun for Richard Hughes, Anthelia is two from two for the Rod Millman and Middleham Park team while there was an awful lot to like about Eskimo Pie’s debut second to Dance To The Music at Doncaster.

A good race.

Join the Sporting Life Racing Club - for FREE

It’s a time of year when trainers try to get a run into horses with Royal Ascot pretensions too.

Richard Fahey said in his latest column that he had some nice colts to unleash over the next two weeks.

His interesting entries include Storm Force, a 230,000 guineas Craven breeze-up purchase for Wathnan Racing. The son of Starspangledbanner is entered at Hamilton on Wednesday with James Doyle riding.

Come On Over, a son of Kodiac who cost Amo Racing 200,000 guineas at the Book Two Sale at Tattersalls in October, is entered in the Chester race the Musley Bank team won with Columnist last season before he went on to finish third in the Coventry Stakes.

Utmost Respect, who looked very unlucky when second to Ballistic Missile at York, is another interesting Fahey entry at Nottingham on Sunday.

Kevin Ryan takes the wraps off Rock On Thunder, a 380,000 guineas son of Night Of Thunder, at Leicester on Tuesday while he pitches Mo Of Cairo, a 135,000 son of Havana Grey who is bred to be quick, in against Storm Force in Scotland.

One of the potentially most informative races of the week is the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Yarmouth on Thursday.

A seven-furlong contest, it has attracted Wild Desert, an impressive debut winner at Haydock last week for Charlie Appleby and his stablemate Man Of Vision, a son of Dubawi out of a half-sister to Coronation Stakes winner Rizeena.

Command The Stars and Commander’s Intent were both given positive mentions by George Scott in his recent Two-Year-Old Guide interview with Dan Briden, as did Warning Symbol in James Owen’s piece too.

He’s a Mohaather half-brother to Wimbledon Hawkeye and a colt connections hope “might be a Coventry horse given what he is showing us at present”.

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.

Like what you've read?