Trackside: Horses to follow from Sandown's Classic Trials card and elsewhere

Black Star Boy (Ed Walker)

Friday April 24 - Sandown - Bet365 Handicap

I could have put either of the front pair up here, as Roger Varian’s Calico Blue also made plenty of appeal on looks and was definitely one I marked down as “one to follow this season, whatever happens here” but winner Black Star Boy gets the vote as I was convinced this big, good-topped sort was in need of the run and would improve plenty for it.

The fact he proved too good for them despite that makes me think he’s going to be Group class this season, and it’s hard to pin down exactly how far he could go. Clearly this stiff finish suited him well and with that Ascot will hold no fears, and a step back up to six furlongs is very likely to suit. A good race with depth - should pay to follow.

Raaheeb (Owen Burrows)

Friday April 24 - Sandown - Bet365 Classic Trial

It’s rare we do a Trackside Horses To Follow column on a Sunday/Monday and just put the week’s previous winners in and say “follow these”, as it’s hardly rocket science, but when Raaheeb was as impressive as he was here, despite doing a fair bit wrong beforehand, more to the point - he’s got to be a major contender for all the top honours this year.

On his own in the pre-parade ring, you could see him still taking it all in and he even had a little whinny at one point, still as green as grass on his second start. He settled a bit better in the parade ring but for all you couldn’t help but be impressed by him physically, you felt that perhaps Aidan O’Brien’s Action was a bit fitter and a bit more forward on the day. How wrong we were.

At the start there were more signs of greenness from Raaheeb but once racing, he settled well, and thrashed what looked a decent field on paper, coming right away in the final quarter-mile and looking like a mile and a half wouldn’t be any problem at all. It was interesting to hear Owen Burrows say afterwards that he felt much the same as what we’d seen regarding his greenness, and that he was essentially still learning, and wasn’t going to commit to the Derby at this stage. But you were left with the impression you’d just seen something very special indeed.

Bnaider (Harry Dunlop)

Friday April 24 - Sandown - Nordoff & Robbins Ozzy Osbourne Memorial Handicap

Alright then, he’s one that didn’t win, but still left a good impression on me and is definitely one to follow as he keeps stepping up in trip.

Bnaider is a big unit, a proper galloping type and is crying out for twelve furlongs already, much as his pedigree would suggest, his dam a half-sister to Dubai Future, who stayed two miles easily and was placed in an Ascot Gold Cup. I’m not suggesting for one moment that Bnaider, who was perhaps more in need of this run than I thought from paddock inspection, is going to be anywhere near as good, but there are certainly handicaps to be won with him this season.

The way he finished off under nothing more than hands and heels from Oisin Murphy was taking enough, and he’s worth sticking in trackers with 12f+ handicaps in mind (ideally on a galloping track) this year.

Moreedd (Roger Varian)

Friday April 24 - Doncaster - Natural Innovations Novice Stakes

On paper this looked an excellent chance for the well-bred Moreedd, related to plenty of top-class horses including Benbatl and 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka, but the paddock reports we received suggested he was in need of this run, a bit green beforehand and would most certainly come on in terms of fitness too.

He was given a chance to quicken up and join the leaders if good enough on the day, but wasn’t given a hard time once that chance had gone.

Disappointing on the face of it, but I wouldn’t be giving up purely off the back of this.

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