AUGUST REVIEW
A wonderful and memorable month of August saw us record 22 winners, including a brilliant Group 1 success and three further Group wins.
Never So Brave has enjoyed a stellar campaign, his impressive wins in the Buckingham Palace and Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot leading to a first tilt at Group 1 level in the City Of York, the first top-level running of a race we have won four times since 2003. He took the step up in class in his stride, Oisin Murphy bringing the son of No Nay Never with a well-timed run to hold off the challenge of a pair of rivals that had placed form in Group 1 company, with the top-class Rosallion back in fourth.
It was a wonderful performance from a highly-progressive and now top-class four-year-old and with the mile potentially even more suitable, he is a hugely exciting prospect for the future.
Jonquil had himself come within touching distance of Group 1 success when beaten a head in the French Guineas, but hadn’t matched that form dropped in trip for the Commonwealth Cup or the Lennox. However, the return to a mile proved the catalyst for a return to his best in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood under Colin Keane and he is a colt with the potential to get his head in front at the top level.
Queen’s Vase runner-up Furthur didn’t give his running in the Bahrain Trophy, but bounced back with a career-best effort to land the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer at Newbury under Oisin Murphy, the three year old powering away in the closing stages from two classy older performers. In doing so, he booked his spot in the St Leger and he is a young stayer with a big future.
Gewan maintained his unbeaten record, the Newbury maiden winner adding an impressive success in the Group 3 Acomb at York – incidentally, the same two races won by Chaldean back in 2022. He raced enthusiastically under P J McDonald and found plenty for pressure to win in very good style. He holds entries in the Champagne Stakes and the Dewhurst and looks potentially top-drawer.
Though his win at Glorious Goodwood came in a conditions contest, Fox Legacy’s performance screamed Pattern class, coming home over five lengths in front of a 103-rated rival in the hands of Oisin Murphy. There are plenty of options and the son of Lope De Vega holds an entry in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
The Melrose is a race that we have enjoyed a good deal of success in and it was a relief to see Tarriance get the better of an incredibly-tight photo finish in this year’s renewal, with Colin Keane getting him up on the line. A sharply-progressive three year old, the son of Frankel has a big future in the staying division and is one to really look forward to.
Belgravian continued his relentless progress through the ranks, with two wide-margin wins in small-field handicaps at Haydock Park and Goodwood, with Jason Watson on board for both successes. He has now won four of his five starts in handicap company, rising 29lbs in the process, and it is hard to say where the ceiling of his ability is for this ante-post favourite for the Cesarewitch.
Like Belgravian, Gladius is another three year old to be motoring through the grades and he made it three wins from four career starts with a narrow success in a highly-competitive handicap at Glorious Goodwood under William Buick. He ran an excellent race in defeat when fourth in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes on his next outing and is a colt with a future in Group company.
Mister Winston is a colt on the up and he produced a taking front-running performance to win easily at Newmarket under Jason Watson, in doing so incurring the wrath of the handicapper, who reacted with a 10lbs rise. He ran better than the result suggests when fourth at Goodwood next time and there is a nice handicap in him this autumn. He holds a Cambridgeshire entry.
Marchogion has had a busy time of it this year, but continues to thrive and he produced his best performance yet when scoring in style at Chester under P J McDonald. He can progress further and is one for all the big sprint handicaps going forward.
Respond shed his maiden tag at the fourth time of asking, taking advantage of a good opportunity to land the odds at Haydock Park under Oisin Murphy, who was also on board Golden Redemption for his odds-on success in a Newbury maiden. Both are useful individuals with the ability to make up into smart handicappers.
Falmouth Lad had produced an improved showing on his latest outing when runner-up at Sandown Park and it was pleasing to see him go one better at Newmarket for Jason Watson, making all the running and showing a good attitude to hold on. He should get further and remains handicapped to win races.
Alongside the aforementioned Gewan’s Acomb win, there were a further eight successes from the two year olds, who look a highly promising group.
Allegresse absolutely bolted up on his second start at Kempton Park and the son of Oasis Dream looks potentially very smart indeed, with fellow twice-raced novice winner Venetian Prince a similarly-promising individual, having impressed in victory at Newbury. The latter is a half-brother to See The Fire and Royal Playwright and both colts have very bright futures.
Five Ways was another to win at the second attempt, impressing from the front at Salisbury under Jason Watson, in a race won by Group 1 winner Minzaal back in 2020. He is out of a Listed winner and the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park is his next target.
Laazm made a winning debut in a small-field affair at Chester and built on that when runner-up at the same track on his next start, with P J McDonald on board on both occasions. The son of Mehmas looks sure to improve again and should make his mark in a nice nursery, like stablemate Stellar Sunrise, who made a winning handicap debut in the valuable contest at York’s Ebor meeting under Oisin Murphy. That followed a success in maiden company at Glorious Goodwood and he is a juvenile firmly on the up, with a step up in grade next.
There was a lot to like about Imperial Ballet’s debut success at Newbury under Oisin Murphy and the beautifully-bred daughter of Blue Point looks a really exciting prospect, as does Pacific Mission, who showed marked improvement to win on her second start and she holds an entry in the Group 2 May Hill.
Entailed made her second start a winning one with success at Sandown Park under Oisin Murphy, but has just found life a little tougher in two starts since. However, she is capable of better and can go on to further success this autumn.