Following the international spectacular of the Arc Weekend, this week, the focus returns to the domestic fare, with a quality weekend of action headlined by the informative Future Champions Festival at Newmarket.
As the name suggests, this two-day fixture – kicking off on Friday, 11th of October – is an excellent place to spot a future star or two, particularly in the Group 1 double act of the bet365 Fillies’ Mile and the Dewhurst Stakes.
The first of those contents tops the bill on the opening day but is just one of a quartet of intriguing juvenile contests on offer – all of which have attracted regally bred sorts from the leading British and Irish yards. With our pedigree book at hand, we pick out the most eye-catching contenders in all four events.
1:07 Godolphin Under Starters Orders Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, 7f, Class 2
Owner/Breeder powerhouse Godolphin sponsors the first three races on the card and has picked up four wins in the past seven years in the opener. Two runners carry the all-blue silks in 2024 in the form of Wild Angel, who finished a fair third in a soft ground event over course and distance last time, and debutante Verse Of Love. The fact that William Buick opts to ride the latter suggests she shows plenty at home. By Siyouni and out of a half-sister to four 100+ rated performers, she seems likely to prove popular in the market.
Of the other newcomers, Mayflower Dream looks interesting for the Jane Chapple-Hyam team but, with stamina on the dam side, may need further than this in time. Celestial Pearl isn’t as appealing as some on pedigree, but Ed Walker has his juveniles flying at present, so it would be no surprise to see her go well.
Kevin Philippart De Foy’s Wilhelmina caught the eye when finishing well for second on debut at Kempton (ahead of Wild Angel) and is our second choice, but this can go to Ballydoyle.
Head To Head carries the hopes of the Aidan O’Brien team and is nicely bred for the task at hand – by Wootton Bassett and out of Coolmore, who landed a Group 3 juvenile contest over this trip. If stepping up on her debut second at Dundalk (as so many runners from this yard do), she may prove tough to stop on this turf debut – her sire boasts a 12% strike rate on the all-weather, which rises to 16% on good turf ground.
Recommended Bet: Head To Head to Win at Best Morning Price
1:47 Newmarket, Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes, 5f, Group 3
We have much more form to assess in race two, with each runner having at least two previous outings under their belts.
Wathnan Racing’s The Strikin Viking (7/2 with BetVictor) currently heads the betting and boasts solid claims – if we draw a line through his tame effort in the Gimcrack Stakes last time. His previous second in the Richmond Stakes reads well, but that York display is enough to put us off at a relatively short price.
Aidan O’Brien’s No Nay Never colt Treasure Isle (4/1 with bet365) is another who brings solid form to the table, having twice finished within 2½l of the winner over this trip in Group 3 company. Those efforts suggest he should be on the premises but possibly needs to improve to get his head in front.
Of those available at bigger prices, the blisteringly quick Zayer (14/1 with bet365) will likely lead at some stage, but his best effort has come on quick ground, which seems unlikely here. La Bellota (14/1 with BetVictor) is another to make some each-way appeal, having finished second in Group 2 company earlier in the season, but needs to bounce back from a flop in the Prix de l’Abbaye - for all that she faced a huge uphill task in that field.
Plenty of these set a decent standard, but it may not be insurmountable. The horse to carry our cash is the up-in-class Midnight Thunder, who goes for Saeed bin Surroor and the sponsors. But for losing six lengths at the start on debut, this one would arrive with a three-from-three record, and has really impressed us with his acceleration. We fancy he is fast enough to quicken into the lead here, and, having won over 6f on soft ground, he may prove hard to reel in.
Recommended Bet: Midnight Thunder to win @ 9/2 with bet365
2:25 Newmarket, Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes, 7f, Group 3
Sticking to the Group 3 action, we move up in trip for an event Godolphin have claimed three times in the past decade. Charlie Appleby’s Magical Trail (5/1 with BetVictor) sports the royal blue in 2024 and heads to Newmarket with two wins from as many starts. Scoring over this trip on debut and showing a tenacious attitude to get on top late over 6f at Kempton last time, she’s a likeable type but may not have beaten much in those two efforts.
Debut scorers Cathedral (10/3 with BetVictor) and Troia (20/1 with bet365) fall into the could be anything category, but the former is short enough in the betting, whilst the latter may find this 7f strip stretches her.
Flight (9/2 with bet365) boasts rock solid form, having finished second and third to Fillies’ Mile favourite Desert Flower this season, whilst the two-from-two First Instinct (6/1 with BetVictor) looks dangerous if handling the step up in trip, but at the prices we will return to Ballydoyle for our selection.
By Japanese sensation Lord Kanaloa ad out of the Group 1 winning mare Magic Wand, Ecstatic (9/1 with bet365) is bred to be smart. She looked just that when slamming 14 rivals to break her maiden at Tipperary but managed only fifth in the May Hill Stakes last time. However, she ruined her chance by kneeling down as the stalls opened and wasn’t given an unduly hard time thereafter. That said, she showed good pace to make up the ground and can at least make the frame, granted a smoother start.
Recommended Bet: Ecstatic each way at 9/1 with bet365
3:35 Newmarket, bet365 Fillies’ Mile, 1m, Group 1
Aidan O’Brien and Charlie Appleby dominate the betting in the feature, with three of the top four in the betting hailing from the most powerful yards on either side of the Irish Sea.
Godolphin’s Desert Flower leads the way at 6/4 with BetVictor, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Three from three in her career to date, this daughter of Night Of Thunder conquered the reopposing January last time out in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes. Possessing plenty of scope, she’s the one to beat on form.
Considering January (4/1 with bet365) has work to do with the favourite, it’s interesting that Ryan Moore opts to ride her over stablemates Dreamy (6/1 with BetVictor) and Ballet Slippers (11/1 with BetVictor).
However, Moore doesn’t always get it right with these unexposed fillies, and of the trio, the one we like best is the impeccably bred Dreamy. By US Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and out of the Group 1 winning Galileo mare Tapestry, this one showed her inexperience on debut but still got up close home. Last time out at the Curragh, she stepped up on that to land a Group 3 by a cosy 1½l despite displaying signs of greenness. The unbeaten Anna Swan (12/1 with BetVictor) is another to note for Sir Michael Stoute, but if there is to be a shock here, we fancy Dreamy may be the one to provide it.
Recommended Bet: Dreamy to win at 6/1 with BetVictor
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
