Read an extract from the latest edition of Timeform's Horses To Follow focussing on Flat editor David Johnson's name to note, English Oak.
Ed Walker and owner David Ward enjoyed plenty of success with the high-class sprinter Starman who won five of his eight starts, notably the 2021 July Cup. Starman did all his racing at around six furlongs though he wasn’t at all speedily bred on his dam’s side, being out of a mile-and-a-quarter winner by stamina influence Montjeu. English Oak might not be another Starman ability-wise, but he too looks like proving much speedier than his pedigree might suggest. After all, he’s by Wootton Bassett, sire of last year’s Derby runner-up and Champion Stakes winner King of Steel, while the pick of his siblings are the smart mile-and-a-quarter performers Forest of Dean and State Occasion who are both by Wootton Bassett’s sire Iffraaj.
In fact, English Oak didn’t have his attentions turned to sprinting until his final start in the autumn. Starting over seven furlongs at Newbury in May, English Oak seemed badly in need of the experience on his debut, looking a longer-term prospect, but he showed considerable improvement to win his very next start, at Thirsk in July, when stepped up to a mile. Still seeming rough around the edges, English Oak looked held for most of the final furlong until a late surge enabled him to pip the odds-on favourite Mubhijah by a head on the line. English Oak remained at a mile for his next two starts but, while he improved again under a penalty to finish third in a stronger novice at Newmarket won by Jeff Koons, he proved disappointing with Ryan Moore booked for his handicap debut in a valuable three-year-old contest at York’s Ebor meeting.
Although bred to stay further than a mile if anything, English Oak had taken a strong hold at York which prompted a drop back to Ascot’s stiff six furlongs in October. It resulted in English Oak’s best effort to date and he did well under the circumstances to run the former Wokingham winner Rohaan to a neck in receipt of a stone. While the winner found the gaps to get up late on the near rail, English Oak made his move more towards the centre of the track and led inside the final furlong until headed late on. A tall, imposing type who cost 200,000 guineas as a yearling, English Oak will make a better four-year-old and is one to follow now that connections seem to have found his optimum trip.
David Johnson says:
An improving sprint handicapper is worth their weight in gold and Ed Walker looks to have a cracking four-year-old prospect in English Oak. I was very taken with how he shaped when runner-up to Rohaan at Ascot in the autumn on his first start at six furlongs. He looks the sort to develop into a contender for the very best sprint handicaps in 2024.
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