Juvenile Watch: 16-1 Henry Longfellow makes Classic appeal
Our two-year-old expert Ross Millar nominates his star performer from last week, an improver to note now qualified for handicaps and two antepost tips for the 1000 and 2000 Guineas in his latest must-read bulletin.
STAR OF THE WEEK
Cogitate made a lovely start at Newbury last week
The maiden and novice contests from Newbury are always worth watching as they invariably throw up some above average performers.
I’m confident that Cogitate, winner of the first division of the seven-furlong novice on Friday, fits that description. He was noticeably keen through the first couple of furlongs but did then settle, travelling powerfully just in between the leaders, and after rider Hollie Doyle angled him out to produce him with a run his response was striking. Doyle only needed to resort to her whip once as the colt understandably lost some focus once in front.
Given how keen he was in the early stages, his finishing effort needs upgrading and he’s certain to improve for this debut experience. This win was also against the general form of his yard, which is currently operating at a win rate of just 9 per cent.
A "delighted" Charlie Hills reflects on a smart debut from Cogitate
Cogitate’s pedigree also hints at more to come. His dam, Damaniyat Girl, was a 104-rated Listed winner over six furlongs who also placed over a mile in Turkey for William Haggas, while sire and dual Guineas winner Churchill is blessing his offspring with plenty of stamina, so it’s reasonable to expect further improvement when this smart type tackles a mile later this season. He can excel at 10 and 12 furlongs next term.
NURSERY WATCH
Horse: Whiteley Way (Sixties Icon)
Trainer: Roger Teal
This filly has enjoyed a nice introduction to her racing career, with her three starts being equally spaced out and progression forthcoming on each run.
Her latest start at Lingfield was her best performance yet, settling better than ever and consequently finishing her race well. Despite having to wait longer than ideal for a gap to open she was beaten just two lengths into third.
The winner, Band Of Joy, is a winner of two of her three starts and rated 83 so, on this line of form, an opening mark of 70 for Whiteley Way would look workable - even when accounting for the 7lb she received from the winner.
CLASSIC FANCIES
It was around this time last year that I suggested Mawj as an ante-post selection for the 1000 Guineas. A notable performance from the weekend as well as a notable declaration for Thursday have encouraged me to have a small ante-post wager in both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.
1000 GUINEAS
A stable management issue meant that the George Boughey-trained Soprano missed the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes after she was fed medication intended for a stable-mate.
I take it as noteworthy that, despite holding an entry in the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes over six furlongs at Ascot on Saturday, connections have instead elected to run her over seven furlongs in Listed company at Sandown on Thursday.
Given her strong finishing effort over six furlongs in the Albany Stakes - where to my eye she got outpaced in the middle part of the race - I’m confident that this step up in trip is going to see Soprano produce a career-best.
I’m sure that some will point to her sire, Starspangledbanner, and suggest he doesn’t get a multitude of milers, and that may well be true - though I’m bolstered by the fact that many said similar about Exceed And Excel and Mawj last year!
Soprano’s unraced dam Lealas Daughter is by Excelebration, a multiple Group One winner over a mile, and the majority of her siblings have form over a mile. Most notably, the dam's half-sister Obviously was a Group One winner over a mile in the US, and she was by sprinter Choisir – also the sire of Starspangledbanner.
I expect Soprano to win comfortably on Thursday and would advise taking the 25-1 about her for the 1000 Guineas before that price invariably contracts.
2000 GUINEAS
Henry Longfellow makes an exciting start at the Curragh
I suggested last week that, despite his clear ability, City Of Troy was too short in the betting for the opening colts’ Classic - largely down to the chance that his trainer is yet to unleash more smartly-bred colts on the track.
Henry Longfellow looked hugely classy when winning the seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh on Saturday. He broke smartly, travelled with zest throughout and quickly had the race won, with greenness once in front the sole reason the runner-up closed at the line. Aidan O’Brien also said afterwards that Henry Longfellow had received a shorter preparation than ideal for this debut run.
"He shows everything, he looks very classy" - O'Brien on Henry Lonbgfellow at the end of this extended Curragh debrief last weekend
Of course his stable-mates River Tiber and City Of Troy have achieved more, but visually he looked high-class and while the runner-up Mythology is yet to shed his maiden tag, he did shape well when finishing powerfully in the Group Two Railway Stakes over a clearly inadequate six furlongs. When speaking to Racing TV’s Gary O’Brien at headquarters, O’Brien had no hesitation in putting Henry Longfellow in the same bracket as River Tiber and City Of Troy and noted that the normally cool Ryan Moore was “excited by him”.
By Dubawi out of 2016 Guineas scorer and seven-time Group One winner Minding, Henry Longfellow possess an elite pedigree and he will undoubtedly now have his sights raised. I’m confident that by the end of the season his odds will be at least half that of the 16-1 currently available.
