Richard Mann nominates his latest horses to follow from the recent racing action at Meydan and in America

RASTRELLI – Simon Crisford

When Simon Crisford left his role as Racing Manager for Godolphin to set up his own training operation, I can’t have been the only one to have arched an eyebrow at such a bold move. A few years on and I’m a Crisford convert. An excellent trainer who has already tasted Royal Ascot success, Crisford has proven himself equally adept at handling juveniles as he has at eking out improvement from recruits from other stables. One such recruit has made my list of horses to follow this summer with Rastrelli very interesting if Crisford opts to exploit his current handicap mark of 100. The son of Siyouni began his career with Charlie Appleby, racking up a couple of wins as a juvenile before returning the following spring with a striking success over 1m2f at Newbury. His subsequent start, when floundering around the tight turns of Chester in the Dee Stakes, proved to be his last for Godolphin but Crisford was quick to make his move and following a good break, the Newmarket handler brought him back with a highly-promising third in a one-mile handicap back at Meydan in January. He shaped with an abundance of promise on that occasion, running-on strongly from the rear in the final furlong and suggesting he would have plenty more to offer when returned to 1m2f or ever further. That looked set to happen when he was subsequently entered up back at Meydan but a late scratching meant his supporters had to keep their powder dry, for now at least, with plenty of options sure to be available to this lightly-raced five-year-old once the British Flat season finally gets under way.

MUTAKATIF – Chad Brown

British fans might remember Mutakatif from his time with Charlie Hills between 2017 and 2018, the son of Acclamation proving good enough to finish second to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Expert Eye as a juvenile before making all at Chester later that season. Those who remember him will have also noted his tendency for pulling hard and compromising his chances by racing too freely. It was just the same when he made his US debut for Chad Brown at Gulfstream Park in March 2019, a series of striking workouts seeing him sent off a hot favourite before he gave jockey Javier Castellano a torrid time, fighting for his head and pulling his way to the front. It says a lot about his latent natural ability that, despite doing so much wrong for much of the race, Mutakatif very nearly won and it was no surprise to see Brown drop his new recruit back from a mile to six furlongs next time. Again, the result was the same but following a subsequent seven-month break in which Brown has had time to work his magic, Mutakatif returned to Gulfstream and a mile to take down a smart field in a hot Allowance Race in January. He looked much more tractable on that occasion, settling well off strong early fractions before easing to the front and holding off a strong challenge from the held-up Personal Time who had, himself, enjoyed the perfect set-up to produce his late rally. A return to the winners’ enclosure aside, this represented a big step in the right direction for Mutakatif and for all he might need a strong pace to chase to be seen at his best, he is in the right hands to keep progressing and finally deliver on his huge potential.

PABLO ESCOBARR – William Haggas

Step him up in trip, please. Regular readers of my Meydan previews will know Pablo Escobarr is a horse I have a lot of time for, one whom I retain absolute faith in and believe could be a real force in the next year or so. Nevertheless, he is now a four-year-old with only two career victories to his name – a Goodwood maiden as a juvenile and a Kempton Listed Race in December – and connections will be keen that the next few months are fruitful ones. All through Pablo Escobarr’s body of form there is quality, from his runner-up finish to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line Of Duty, his second to Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck at Lingfield, and his defeat of Loxley at Kempton. There is no doubt that trainer William Haggas has a very smart colt in his hands but the best of his efforts have all showcased his strong staying power, more than a potent turn of foot. He was left for dead by Anthony Van Dyck before staying on at the one pace, the same when touched off in a valuable handicap at Bath the time before, while his defeat of Loxley over 1m4f saw Pablo Escobarr tough it out in front having been given an aggressive ride from a prominent position. When Loxley reversed that form in Group Two company at Meydan earlier this month, Pablo Escobarr ran yet another solid race but was short of pace when the taps were turned on and once again, looked well worth a crack at 1m6f or even further. Much of Pablo Escobarr’s pedigree doesn’t scream 1m6f and two miles but the fact he was running over as far as 1m2f as a two-year-old would suggest Haggas has always believed staying was his bag and crucially, history tells us that progeny of Galileo invariably improve the more distance they get to run at. The evidence on the track would certainly suggest this is the case, too, and Pablo Escobarr is one to keep on side going forward.

TOKEN – William Mott

Token attracted plenty of support prior to her Gulfstream Park debut over six furlongs in January and despite showing plenty of early pace, connections will have been disappointed with the way in which she backed out of that contest with two furlongs to run. Nevertheless, trainer Bill Mott opted to persevere on dirt and was rewarded with a huge run second time out only a month later, his Curlin filly taking the step up to a mile in her stride and blowing the field apart for much of the contest before being collared by Will Take Charge in the dying strides. It was a particularly tough beat for supporters of Token, the inside, not for the first time at Gulfstream this winter, not proving the best place to be, but she remains a filly worth following between six furlongs and a mile with her natural early pace sure to prove a huge asset going forward. She has no entries at present but should make a splash when she does return to action.

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