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It is in many ways a season of renewal: in the training ranks Charlie Johnston is going well in succession to his father Mark, as is Jack Channon in taking on the mantle from father Mick. Ed Bethell, too, is building an effective operation following father James. Alongside the established names we can expect further progress this season from the emerging new wave Newmarket forces of George Boughey, George Scott and James Ferguson, three internationally-minded and media-savvy younger handlers. New names don’t make it any easier finding a summer Twelve to Follow for Spectator readers after our success with the dozen winter jumpers but at least Azure Blue (at 7-2) and Rajinsky (at 16-1) of last season’s Twelve have struck already.
Let’s start in coronation month with a royal prospect. King Charles’s three-year-old Slipofthepen, trained by the Gosdens, wasn’t ready for the Guineas but has won two on the all-weather and has Classic potential. It would be renewal indeed if King Charles could win with one bred by his mother. James Ferguson looks to have a potential future star with Canberra Legend, a winner of the Feilden Stakes over nine furlongs. I also like the look of Finn’s Charm, trained by Charlie Johnston and owned by Dr Jim Walker. Finn’s Charm won the Royal Mile handicap at Musselburgh in April.
Some thought Ismail Mohammed over-optimistic running Once More For Luck as a 250-1 shot in the Middle Park Stakes last October, but it didn’t look so silly when he came out and won at 25-1 over six furlongs at Newmarket in April. Second and third that day have won since. We will need luck, though, with my next selection. Pearle d’Or was 18th of 18 on his last racecourse appearance at Leopardstown for Dermot Weld, but I include him because he has since been acquired by David O’Meara who has a remarkable record with other people’s cast-offs and who told the Racing Post he looks well handicapped. The consistent Charlie Hills is in spectacular form this season and certainly knows how to train fast horses. I’m including his Raabah, run twice on the all-weather to prepare him for big sprint fields, and will throw in too his Cicero’s Gift, an impressive winner of a one-mile conditions stakes at Goodwood. Ed Bethell’s Yorkshire should win a sprint or two as should Roger Varian’s Saint Lawrence. William Haggas as always has strength in depth and Tom Marquand rushed back after an injury to ride his Amleto to a comfortable ten-furlong victory at Chester.
One of the phenomena of last season was Lambourn’s Owen Burrows who in his first season as a public trainer sent out 21 winners from just 67 runs. His Alflaila looks good for middle-distance races but I will plump instead for Tarjeeh who won over seven furlongs in his second outing at Newbury last July. Veteran trainer Sir Michael Stoute is on a handy strike rate so far this season and his Passenger earns inclusion too. When ITV’s Matt Chapman noted that Passenger had made a noise in the paddock, his trainer retorted drily: ‘So do you.’
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