Horse racing weekend watch: Juveniles to note including Mr Kiki and Even So
Richard Mann looks ahead to this weekend's racing action and nominates five two-year-olds across the UK and Ireland that could be worth noting.
EVEN SO - 14.05 Gowran Park
Ger Lyons has enjoyed a summer to remember, Mustajeer's victory in the £1million Sky Bet Ebor and Siskin's unbeaten juvenile campaign demonstrating the quality within his County Meath stable. The continued backing of the Juddmonte Farms operation should ensure that doesn't change anytime soon and it is notable that John Magnier has now thrown his support behind Lyons. Even So, a beautifully-bred daughter of Camelot, made a debut packed full of promise when finishing third at Tipperary last month and she will be winning soon. Having found herself in the rear for much of that contest, she made up a remarkable amount of late progress up the straight to eventually finish third behind subsequent Listed winner Blissful, strongly suggesting she would have gone close to winning with more ground to run over. Whether she lines up on forecast Good-to-Firm ground at Gowran Park on Saturday remains to be seen but she is one to note when stepped up in trip in the coming weeks.
BHARANI STAR - 14.10 Newmarket
Though not enjoying the same level of high-profile success in recent years that he did earlier in career, Peter Chapple-Hyam remains one of the finest trainers in the land and his current association with Phoenix Thoroughbread Limited is one that should prove a big fillip to his Newmarket yard. Those owners forked out 270,000 US dollars to get their hands on Sea The Stars filly Bharani Star and they will have no doubt been encouraged by her debut offering at Ascot earlier in the month. Despite taking a grip when trapped out wide for much of that one-mile contest, she showed distinct promise when running-on well inside the final couple of furlongs until her early exertions took their toll. Noticeably green, she should come on plenty for that initial experience and the fact she has shown enough at home to warrant an entry in the Fillies' Mile suggests she ought to make her mark on Saturday.
MR KIKI - 14.55 Newmarket
This year's running of the Mill Reef looks a particularly warm one with the penalised Mystery Power already a winner at this level and the likes of Malotru and Shadn bringing solid form to the table. Impressor and Pierre Lapin are both exciting and must be thrown into the mix but Mr Kiki is not to be underestimated. The No Nay Never colt was only beaten a length on debut when finishing fourth to Mums Tipple at Ascot in a race that has worked out particularly well. He was always doing enough when opening his account at Yarmouth subsequently, giving the impression that his future will lie in the sprint division, and it will be fascinating to see how he goes now stepped up in class.
POINT OF ORDER - 15.35 Catterick
Trainer Archie Watson is enjoying another fine season with his juveniles and is currently operating at a 22 per cent strike-rate with his two-year-olds since the beginning of 2019. Watson seems more than capable of eking improvement from the yard's lesser lights and there should be a race or two to be won with Point Of Order from his current handicap mark. This well-bred son of Showcasing has been placed at Beverley and Bath already and his latest effort at Chelmsford must be forgiven after he helped force a strong pace that was always likely to collapse. The sharp five furlongs at Catterick should prove right up his street and armed with a low draw, he might just take some pegging back if Andrew Mullen can get his fractions right.
SHANDOZ - 19.50 Wolverhampton
Newmarket handler Roger Varian doesn't miss too often when sending runners to Wolverhampton and he has every right to be hopeful that Shandoz can put his previous experience to good use on Saturday evening. Having made a fine start to his career when only beaten half a length into third at Newmarket, he could only finish fourth when sent off favourite at Salisbury a couple of weeks later. Given he finished just behind the 86-rated Mambo Nights, that effort might prove better than it looked at first glance and he has been found a winnable opportunity here. A son of first-season sire Golden Horn, this slightly longer distance ought to suit on pedigree and he is fancied to improve on Varian's 22 per cent strike-rate at Dunstall Park in the last five years.
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