Despite us heading into a very important weekend for British and Irish two-year-olds, there still a lot of action to come.
The £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes is run over six furlongs next Saturday, before a major collection of juvenile races surrounding the Cesarewitch Handicap later on.
Friday 11th October sees both the Oh So Sharp Stakes over seven furlongs and the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile being run at Newmarket, before the Dewhurst Stakes is held the next day.
That race essentially crowns the champion juvenile of the season, but on the same day we also see crucial events such as the Zetland Stakes over a mile and a quarter and the Autumn Stakes over a mile.
Two weeks later, the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster is likely to confirm who is the winter favourite for the 2000 Guineas and/or the Derby.
Despite all of that action being still to come, as well as Group 1’s in France and at the Breeders’ Cup, this weekend is the next major step towards showing us the pecking order. Several races during a huge racing week now have major implications for next year’s top three-year-old races.
Newmarket & Curragh Taking Centre Stage
| Day | Course | Race |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Newmarket | Tattersalls Stakes |
| Friday | Newmarket | Rockfel Stakes |
| Saturday | Newmarket | Cheveley Park Stakes |
| Saturday | Newmarket | Middle Park Stakes |
| Saturday | Curragh | Beresford Stakes |
| Saturday | Curragh | Goffs Million |
| Sunday | Epsom | Derby “Wild Card” Stakes |
When it comes to the Derby and the Oaks, such types can improve in their own sweet time. We often don’t know until all the spring trials are run who is at the top of the ladder.
The 1000 and 2000 Guineas are different. Notable Speech being a major exception, it tends to follow that you need to have won one of the major Group 1 juvenile races or some of the other significant Group events to truly have a live chance.
Some of those races are being run this week. As well as these, there are numerous nursery, maiden and novice events to keep an eye on, but the following races are genuinely crucial regarding next year’s Classics and Royal Ascot action.
Tattersalls Stakes, Newmarket, Thursday
This is one for the males over seven furlongs. Aidan O’Brien’s Monumental runs, but if British trainers are to challenge him next year, they need to beat the likes of this one.
Charlie Appleby has a strong hand, including with Symbol Of Strength. He raced on the wrong side when second in the Flying Scotsman and he looks the best of this bunch. How he stays on up the hill will determine whether he can be a Guineas horse or not.
Rockfel Stakes, Newmarket, Friday
The Group 2 Rockfel for the fillies is another seven-furlong event, and a bona fide early trial for the 1000 Guineas.
Cheveley Park and Sir Michael Stoute team up with favourite Formal, though Tabiti has arguably achieved more. A win for either filly would seem them head towards the top of the Guineas betting.
Royal Lodge Stakes, Newmarket, Saturday
As a mile race, this acts as a Guineas pointer but also one for the Derby as long as contenders are bred for the job.
Luther (Frankel) is one such type as is Angelo Buonarroti (Justify), while Wimbledon Hawkeye (Kameko) may be better at a mile long term. Windlord, by Dubawi, could be the one to watch at a bigger price.
Cheveley Park Stakes, Newmarket, Saturday
The six-furlong Cheveley Park is for the fillies. Both this, and the colts’ equivalent below, often baffles punters as so many winners of such races are fancied for the Guineas but ultimately don’t stay the mile.
The unbeaten Babouche is the rightful favourite. She may well win this, but at this stage I’d have her down as a Commonwealth Cup type rather than a Guineas contender.
Lake Victoria has similar profile, but as a Frankel daughter if she were to fight on and win this, she could be a genuine contender for the first fillies’ Classic.
Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket, Saturday
Another for the potential top sprinters. Whistlejacket for example is all speed, while Shadow Of Light could be the one staying on best in the closing stages.
The latter, as a Lope De Vega colt, would be considered for the Guineas if he won this, as would Wathnan Racing’s Defence Minister.
Beresford Stakes, Curragh, Saturday
A one-mile, Group 2 race much like the Royal Lodge, the Beresford Stakes is often called the ‘Aidan O’Brien Benefit Race’ as he wins it so often.
He has contenders once again, and whoever wins this is likely to go on to run in the Futurity at Doncaster.
Goffs Million, Curragh, Saturday
This valuable seven-furlong race will take some winning, so I’d expect whichever horse does to be a good one but will have less improvement to come between now and the Guineas.
The Lion In Winter is the standout name here for Aidan O’Brien, the current Derby favourite, but there are plenty of others in contention.
Derby “Wild Card” Conditions Stakes, Epsom, Sunday
This race, especially being run on a Sunday, will likely go under the radar this week but it really shouldn’t. As its title suggests, the race offers its winner a wild card entry into next year’s Derby.
What does that mean? Well, it means that owners and trainers who didn’t stump up the money to enter their colts at a ridiculously early entry stage can still get their talented types to Epsom in June.
The likes of Angel Hunter and Linwood have experience, but what we should be hoping for is Ralph Beckett to allow Anniversary to take up his entry. His debut win was outstanding, and the form is rock-solid.