key quotes for the Royal Lodge at Newmarket
The Champions Juvenile Stakes, run at the Irish Champions Festival three weeks ago, has been won by two of Ballydoyle’s subsequent Derby winners in the last ten years – Australia in 2013 and Auguste Rodin in 2022 – and Aidan O’Brien saddled the first two again this season.
Diego Velazquez beat Capulet by half a length and the first two pulled three and a quarter lengths clear of the remainder. If Diego Velazquez is a potential Derby winner then Capulet must also be considered a top-class prospect and he bids to confirm that view in this Group 2.
Capulet was awarded a Racing Post Rating of 103 for that good second at Leopardstown, which is the equal-best on offer alongside Aablan, and he clearly has a big chance on form. However, while O’Brien has won this twice in the last ten years, it hasn’t been with any stars.
His two wins came consecutively in 2018 and 2019 with Mohawk and Royal Dornoch, who won only twice more between them, so that tempers enthusiasm about how good Capulet may be.
This is a rare juvenile race at Newmarket that Charlie Appleby has yet to win and Flying Honours was a beaten 2-7 favourite for the trainer last year. He saddles Aablan, who is Capulet’s equal on form following his win in the Solario Stakes at Sandown four weeks ago.
He hasn’t looked an outstanding performer as yet, but there have been signs of inexperience and there should be further progress to come from this son of Dubawi now he is up to a mile.
Maybe the most exciting horse in the line-up comes from outside of the big yards because Ghostwriter ran a remarkably quick time for a juvenile when winning at Ascot three weeks ago and is taken up in grade by Clive Cox. This will be his first runner in the race this decade.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway
What they say
Charlie Appleby, trainer of Aablan
We felt that he did well to win the Solario Stakes, when seven furlongs looked sharp enough for him, and we're looking forward to seeing him over a mile. He has done well since Sandown and looks a live contender. We're hoping this can propel him on to a bright three-year-old career.
Roger Varian, trainer of Al Musmak and Defiance
Al Musmak has done nothing wrong and the race he was second in at Ascot is working out tremendously well, with the fourth winning a Group 3 at Newmarket on Thursday. It's a strong Royal Lodge but this looks the obvious race for him and I like his chances. Defiance won nicely on his debut at Sandown and he's in the could be anything bracket. It's a big jump up in class and he might lack a bit of experience, but he’s a nice horse for the future.
Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of At Vimeiro
He's a nice horse with a nice future ahead of him.
Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Capulet
He's a very nice colt who won first time out at Dundalk and we knew he would make Diego Velazquez fight at Leopardstown. We were delighted with him there and he's been in lovely form since then. A mile on nice ground at Newmarket will suit him well.
Barry Mahon, racing manger to Juddmonte, owners of Macduff
He's a promising colt, but it's all about next year with him. We just want to give him some more experience this year, a bit like we did with Westover when he was two. This horse is similar to him. I'm not saying he'll be as good but mentally and physically he's a bit immature, so we wanted a third run under our belts if he's to step into nice races next season. Rossa [Ryan] felt last time at Haydock the penny hadn't dropped and when the winner went by him, he didn't know what to do, but then ran on. This is about educating him and hopefully he can run a good race.
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