A great weekend of action at HQ saw a few bubbles burst whilst others enhanced their claims as far as the early Classics next year went – read on for Dave Massey’s updated Horses to Follow 2024 from this weekend’s Newmarket action.
Horses to Follow 2024: Serving With Style (Karl Burke)
She isn’t going to get the full credit I think she deserves for her second to Bubbling in the Rockfel, as the general line will be that she had the run of things from the front, but she was a likeable sort in the parade ring beforehand, if a little on her toes, and if you’re happy enough to forgive her slightly disappointing effort in the May Hill at Doncaster, which wasn’t a catastrophe anyway, you’ve a got a progressive filly that has proven herself with some cut in the ground a couple of times now.
She touched evens in the run itself around 2f out when she kicked again and had them all in trouble, and that includes Bubbling, who was caught flat-footed before the final climb saw her stamina kick in and Serving With Style’s ebb away somewhat. I see no reason why, as a daughter of Mohaather, she won’t progress again at three and as long as she keeps going under the radar, she’s going to represent a bit of value when in Group company.
Horses to Follow 2024: Azoozi (John Butler)
It would be very easy just to stick one of the front three from the maiden into the tracker as I’m sure they’ll all progress, but this column is about finding a winner or two at a working man’s price, and hopefully by sticking with Azoozi once he gets a mark and goes up in trip, we’ll do just that. He took the eye in the preliminaries, a lovely big, tall sort that’s still filling out and we won’t see the best of him until next year, but I saw enough here to think he’s got some ability.
In the end, he’s paid a heavy price for trying to lay up with better-class horses and faded right out of things, but he travelled nicely enough into the race until the combination of soft ground and helping force the pace tells on him from the two-furlong marker. The pedigree screams middle distances at you, Azoozi being half-brother to Queen Blossom (who did win over a mile at two) and Winged Spur, who just about got a mile and half too. Needs another run for the mark, and might be capable of picking up a back-end nursery once that’s happened, but definitely one you want for handicaps next year.
Horses to Follow 2024: Royal Playwright
No 2yo this season is going to look as forward or attractive as Angelo Buonarotti, and that was very much the case again as regards the Royal Lodge on Saturday, but Royal Playwright made plenty of appeal on looks too. A lovely scopey sort, lengthy, strong and a 3yo for sure, in finishing second to form-pick Wimbledon Hawkeye, he very much ran like one in need of a step up in trip, as his pedigree suggests.
Indeed, he’s a half-brother to the the yard (and owner’s) Spirit Mixer, who has shown himself such a tough and genuine sort at staying trips this season, and it’s not hard to think that’s where he’ll find himself this time next year. Maybe a cheeky ante-post dart at a price for the St Leger isn’t the worst bet you’ll ever have?
Horses to Follow 2024: Shadow Of Light
Sticking to sprinting will be the game next year, said Charlie Appleby, with the Commonwealth Cup nominated as his target and whilst on this showing I’ve no doubt that seven furlongs would be within his compass, but who wants to win good races over seven furlongs, eh?
The reason for giving the Middle Park a write-up wasn’t so much to tell you Shadow Of Light is going to make a quality 3yo, we can all see that, but that on looks he was definitely best on the day. Perhaps he lacks the size of Whistlejacket, but he was tuned to the minute, whereas it must be said that – and this went for all four paddock judges I spoke to on the day, who all said the same – it just looked a race too far for Whistlejacket this season.
He still looked good, but that superstar quality he’s exuded all year was missing. Don’t judge Whistlejacket on this too harshly, he could bounce back next year, but Shadow Of Light is going to take some beating if sticking to six furlongs next year.
By Dave Massey
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