A Maiden Stakes over 5f 13y on good to firm ground. Seven two year olds take part: six colts and one filly. Two horses have race experience. Last year, this race was won by Burtonwood on his second start. His best effort came in the Woodcote Stakes (Listed) at Epson, where he finished fourth behind Baitha Alga.
Raj To Riches, trained by David Evans, was an unlucky loser of debut at Windsor when caught on the line. This son of Iffraaj makes a quick return in what could be a more competitive race. This chestnut colt was well backed that day. It was a significant pointer being entered to run in the Brocklesby Stakes. Raj To Riches looked primed to go on debut, on his toes in the paddock and behind the stalls, athletic if not sparingly made. Flying from the stalls, this speedy type looked certain to win but showed signs of inexperience in the closing two furlongs. It is difficult to assess the form of that race although I was left with the feeling that most needed the race. David Evans' runners have fair win and place claims on their second start when priced 7/2 & less. He looks the type of horse who will break well and hope to hold that advantage to the line.
Sir Dudley ran in the Brocklesby Stakes, finishing someway down the field in fifth place. This Irish son of Arcano is out of a winning mare. Trained by James Given in the familiar silks of The Cool Silk Partnership, he was quite well backed with a starting price of 9/2. This February foal is a fair looking juvenile but ring rusty, outpaced and never in contention. It could well be a positive he was fancied in the betting but he needs to find ample improvement to figure here. The stable have a poor win and place strike rate with fancied horses on their second start.
Five debutantes make intriguing opposition from established stables.
The only filly in the field is Caitie, trained by Paul Cole, owned by loyal patron A H Robinson. This bay daughter of first-season sire Canford Cliffs is out of a twice Listed-placed mare [The Shrew], She was unplaced in the 1000 Guineas. Caitie was purchased by Oliver Cole for 40,000gns at the yearling sales. The betting is the best guide. Debutantes from this stable have fair win and place claims when priced 8/1 & less. However, few horses win at bigger odds.
Tom Dascombe is a talented trainer of two year olds and very much a gambling stable. Fresh Arugula is an early foal, a bay colt sired by Fast Company out of a twice-winning mare. He cost 55,000gns at the yearling sales. Manor House Stables often go well with horses making their racecourse bow and if priced 7/1 & less (generally 11/2 & less) they feature fair win and place claims.
Gittan is a son of Kodiac out of a poor mare. This bay colt cost 55,000gns at the yearling sales, rising in value from a foal. Owners Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar have seen their racing silks adorn talents such as Danchai, Toofi & Justineo. Richard Hannon's stable has such a vast string of two year olds that they should always be respected. I find this stable difficult to call but if fancied in the betting has claims.
Mark Johnston is another trainer with a mighty string of juveniles. His team have been going well since the first day of the Flat turf season. Riflescope is a January foal sired by Raven's Pass out of a winning mare. This colt cost 130,000gns [52,000gns foal] when purchased by John Ferguson Bloodstock at the yearling sales. Kingsley House Stable have plenty of form lines to asses their juveniles although I find them tricky to pinpoint on debut. On breeding, this bay colt may need further.
Godolphin have fielded three juveniles this season - all relatively fancied in the betting - but all have trailed home either last or second from last. Charlie Appleby has trained this lackluster trio but there may be hope with Seastrom. This son of Oasis Dream is out of a talented mare [Seta] who won on debut, third in May Hill Stakes (Goup 2), unplaced in the 1000 Guineas. She was highly tried at Group class, while winning three times at Listed. This colt was purchased at the yearling sales for 425,000gns. A beautifully bred juvenile who is worthy of respect.
Conclusion: A fascinating race. Raj To Riches sets the standard and bar a head-bob is a winner in a maiden race. There isn't much of this colt and he was primed for debut. Connections must have been peeved he lost that day and this looks a tougher race. The Windsor contest didn't look that competitive and most of the field needed the race. Evans two year old showed inexperienced when all but a winner, hanging and awkward in the closing stages. The apprentice is in the saddle to give every advantage. Evans is a canny stick and he will use their experience and set the pace hoping to gain an easy lead and hold all-comers at the death. If betting, I would lay your stake bet in-running at even money - praying you hold on! I would have concerns these may be better horses and experience will definitely be their trump card. It wouldn't surprise me if Sir Dudley has more ability than seen on debut in the Brocklesby. Given's stable have poor statistics with fancied runners on their second start which puts me off. I'd rather watch this horse and learn. With such a small field the betting may be skewed in trying to assess the debutantes. However, all should be respected if priced 7/1 & less. Godolphin's two year olds have looked poor this season but Seastrom is bred to be a decent colt and I would suspect he will go well. A watching brief for me. The main pointer is if backing Raj To Riches try and cover your bet if he gains an easy lead.
Take a look at our other top websites:
Horse Trainer Directory
Eric Winner
High Class Equine
Outsider
The first two-year-old race of the season. Great to see the Brocklesby opening proceedings. From an original 19 entrants we see a relatively small field of just nine juveniles: colts bar one filly. A mix representative of leading to small stables over 5f on good to soft going.
One name synonymous with the Brocklesby is Bill Turner. This year sees him field Just That Lord, a son of Avonbridge out of Lady Filly, who was similarly owned and trained. The mare ran in the silks of Mrs M S Teversham and a precocious type running six times in her formative season, winning her first three starts, then far from disgraced when visiting Royal Ascot in the Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2). This home bred chestnut colt is an April foal, so officially not quite two. Turner has excelled in this race and it is no understatement to say he usually sends his best two-year-old to compete. In the last seven races he has won this contest three times and runner-up twice. There is little doubt Just That Lord will be primed and ready, from a good family, and with a valuable 5lb claim from Ryan While I would be expecting a big performance.
By all account assessing the ability of debutantes relates to breeding and particularly trainer standards and performance.
Scott Dixon is a charismatic trainer who won this race last year with the talented Cock Of The North who fairly powered home in the hands of Matthew Hopkins (beating Bill Turner's Paddy Again). Cock Of The North proved a class performer competing at Group class including a narrow loss in Solario Stakes (Group 3), while finishing his season in the Racing Post Trophy (Group 1) behind Elm Park. In all honesty it would be a miracle for this year's candidate to reach such dizzy heights. Dixon's hope is Rupert Boy an Irish bred son of first-season sire Frozen Power out of an unraced mare. This chestnut colt was purchased at the yearling sales for 26,000gns by the trainer, running in the ownership of J Radford. Trainers are creatures of habit so it could be a sign of interest and 7lb apprentice David Parkes is a talented pilot.
First Bombardment is trained by David O'Meara in the silks of Northern Hart Racing & Partner. This son of Pastoral Pursuits is out of a twice-winning mare costing £18,000 at the yearling sales. This stable can ready a horse to win on debut although they feature a relatively poor strike rate. Money would give greater hope although a horse I would rather watch.
Brian Ellison doesn't have many debut winners but a shrewd trainer. General Alexander is a son of Zebedee out of a winning Irish mare. This grey colt is quite an early February foal, meaning he is just over two and purchased by the trainer at the yearling sales for £30,000. Mrs J A Martin is a good patron of Spring Cottage Stables (Northgate Lad won on debut as a two-year-old at Beverley). This horse is bred to be an early type and the betting is the best guide.
Mark Johnston had two horses entered to contest this race but Ravenhoe will be the first juvenile runner for Kingsley House. This chestnut son of Bahamian Bounty cost £16,000 at the yearling sales when purchased by the trainer for established owner David Abell. The mare was a prolific sprinter with Kevin Ryan, who won on debut at Doncaster. There is nothing in the breeding of this horse to put you off. Mark Johnston has a fair win rate with his two-year-olds making their racecourse bow although I find him something of an enigma. In general, his better juveniles appear in May and even then it can be very difficult to pick the wheat from the chaff. His horses either win easily or prove disappointing losers. I would have to take a watching brief.
James Given has a brace of runners: one colt and the sole filly of the field. He fielded Magic Florence in this race last year, who won in her two-year-old career although proved a frustrating individual at times.
Sir Dudley runs in the same ownership of The Cool Silk Partnership who know a good horse. This bay, an Irish bred son of Arcano, is the oldest in the field (10th February). He is out of a winning mare and cost £52,000 at the yearling sales and half-brother to Apostle. In general, the stable's juveniles are better on their second start although they can go well if fancied in the betting. If priced 4/1 & less I'd expect a big run but weak in the market a watching brief.
Given's saddle the only filly in the field Silk Bow for The Cool Silk Partnership. This daughter of Elusive City cost £31,000 when purchased by Athony Stroud at the yearling sales (10,000gn foal). The mare raced at three and won over a mile. The betting is the best guide and most probably the second string for Mount House Stables.
Teversham is handled by Chris Dwyer. This bay colt is a son of Kheleyf out of a twice-winning mare trained by D Cosgrove. An 8,000gn foal, purchased by the vendor. This juvenile races in the familiar silks of Strawberry Field Stud, connections of Basil Berry. The stable are a canny outfit but their two-year-old usually progress with racing. Unless seriously backed, best watched.
Last but not least is Tim The Taxi trained by Natalie Lloyd-Beavis, who was granted her trainer's licence in 2012. This bay colt is a son of Compton Place out of a winning mare trained by Rod Millman, similarly bred by The Pocock Family. Originally purchased as a foal for 8,000gns by Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock, latterly by Tim Suttle as a yearling for 3,000gns. Best watched.
Conclusion: The beginning of the Flat turf season. The Brocklesby has been won by a few talented juveniles including Mind Games, Hearts Of Fire & Cock Of The North. Nineteen horses were entered for this race and those original entrants are worth noting. All Stakes race entrants/runners often prove up to winning maiden contests. With no form we have to use our experience to assess these. Bill Turner is always worth noting in the Brocklesby as he has made it his own. Just That Lord is bred to be precocious and fast. With a relatively small field the only negative may be the price. I wouldn't bet at short odds but if an each-way price must go well. The betting is key for most and money is never a bad sign. Sir Dudley would have sound win and place claims if priced 4/1 & less. Ravenhoe could be anything but Johnston's debutantes are so hit and miss I would watch this horse.
Review: Disappointing to see a small field, no doubt diluted by two other juveniles races on the same day - at least two other horses gave the Brocklesby a miss to compete at Kempton or Chelmsford City. Only four horses made any impact in this race: Ravenhoe, First Bombardment, General Alexander & Just That Lord. All horses entered for or running in this race are worthy of interest on their next starts. Stakes races are often a good source of talent. However, the form of these early two-year-old races can only be assessed with time. Certainly the final furlong was slow. Mark Johnston's Ravenhoe was quite well backed and not best away but ran to the line. The stable fielded all three juvenile winners on the day and they looked - physically - fair horses. This colt just held First Bombardment who touched below 1/10 in-running. David O'Meara's horse was a touch keen and always in a nice position just behind the lead. He lost nothing in defeat and looks a straightforward juvenile who should win. General Alexander had a slow start and then a touch outpaced, switching on the outside before switching back to the rail. Brian Ellison's juvenile wasn't pressed but ran on encouragingly. This colts should improve and not a million miles away from the first two. Just That Lord is a fair-looking colt and showed a professional approach, plenty of pace and looked to hold every chance until the closing stages when he showed his limitations or needed the run. It is difficult to assess horses at this early stage although he was ridden as if fit and ready. He may have go a stride too fast which could have told in the closing stages although on this evidence looked held. All four horses are likely to be short odds for their next start with valuable race experience. Until the form has been tested I would take a watching brief. Mark Johnston's winners at Kempton and Chelmsford City both caught the eye. For a filly, Rah Rah has size and scope with a fluent action. That was a tidy performance against Hannon's odds-on shot (Anwar). At Chelmsford City, Buratino looked very inexperienced, hanging and clueless, but beat the opposition without any fuss and is sure to improve for this first start. All three winners have hope of progressing to a higher level and set the standard for stakes race to come.
