Winter Dreams

CHALDEAN (GB) 118

ch c Frankel – Suelita (Dutch Art)

A Frankel half-brother to Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Alkumait, the handsome colt made 550,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2020 as a rare sales purchase for Juddmonte Farms. Despite the whopping price tag (offset by his sire’s stud fee, of course), he looks a shrewd purchase. Though beaten on debut, he progressed throughout the season, winning a 7f novice at Newbury in July, the Group 3 Acomb Stakes in August by half a length from Indestructible, the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster by 3½ lengths from the same rival (with Silver Knott last of three) in September and the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at on his final start, holding on gamely to defeat Royal Scotsman by a head.

Chaldean made most at Doncaster and Newmarket, although Andrew Balding thinks he will be better getting cover in a bigger field. He showed the speed he’s bred for when quickening away from his rivals off a false pace at Doncaster, but Chaldean doesn’t move like a sprinter, and while his trainer feels a mile may prove his limit, there are reasons to believe he will take after his sire rather than his sprinting dam. He is a long-striding colt, and it would not surprise me to see him stay 1¼m as well as he does a mile, and he was quite a late foal, so should keep progressing for a while yet.

Andrew Balding

SAKHEER 115p

b c Zoffany – Shortmile Lady (Arcano)

Showed himself well above average when winning a 6f Haydock novice by six lengths on his second start and looked even better when upped to Group 2 company in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury on his final start, winning by 3½ lengths from Rousing Encore. Sakheer merely had to be shaken up briefly to assert and Roger Varian believes he he will stay seven furlongs or a mile with another winter behind him. He shapes more like a sprinter though, for all half-sister Lemista (by Raven’s Pass) did win the Group 2 Kilboy Estates Stakes over 1m1f. He’s likely to run in a 2000 Guineas trial first time up in 2023, but it would be no surprise to see him in the Commonwealth Cup, with a stiff six furlongs at Ascot looking ideal at this stage. 

Roger Varian

BLUE ROSE CEN 114

b f Churchill – Queen Blossom (Jeremy)

Beaten twice in six juvenile starts, but one of those came on debut when in need of the experience and the other was when second to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road in a red-hot Listed contest. Blue Rose Cen showed marked improvement in the autumn, but whether that was down to softer ground, the increased emphasis on stamina, or both, remains to be seen. She first came to prominence when landing the Group 3 Prix D’Aumale in September, beating Heavenly Breath by a length and a half, and progressed again to run out an authoritative winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac at the Arc meeting in October, quickening off a strong pace to lead a furlong out before pulling right away from some useful fillies, headed by Jim Bolger’s Gan Teorainn, who was beaten five lengths at the line. The finish was dominated by those held up, but Blue Rose Cen broke well and led briefly early before allowing a couple to pass her on the outside. She was still close to the pace and gained no advantage from her track position other than a clear run from the home turn. Her ability to quicken on demand and then to increase her lead was visually impressive and she deserves to be seen as a leading Classic candidate. Blue Rose Cen is likely to prove best beyond a mile, with her dam a graded winner over 1½m in the US, and the way she maintained a strong gallop at ParisLongchamp suggests the Prix de Diane would be her perfect target in the short term.

Christopher Head

BRADSELL (GB) 113p

b c Tasleet – Russian Punch (Archipenko)

The Coventry Stakes winner sustained a season-ending injury in the Phoenix Stakes and whether he’s able to come back as good as he was, is a significant worry. His racetrack performances marked him down as an excellent prospect, however, and he was 11/8 favourite to win the Phoenix ahead of putative champion juvenile Little Big Bear. A bad stumble at the start didn’t help his cause, and although he rallied to dispute the lead a couple of furlongs out, he looked uncomfortable, and an injury was diagnosed soon after the race.

The son of Tasleet won by a wide margin on his debut, and quickened decisively to defeat Persian Force, Royal Scotsman and Blackbeard at Ascot. The trio who chased him home have added considerable gloss to the Coventry form, with Persian Force winning the Group 2 July Stakes and narrowly beaten by Blackbeard in the Group 1 Prix Morny. Royal Scotsman took the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and was just beaten by Chaldean in the Dewhurst on his final start, and it’s clear that Bradsell’s form has depth as well as visual appeal.

Archie Watson

MISCHIEF MAGIC 113

b c Exceed And Excel – Veil of Silence (Elusive Quality)

British stables were very well represented in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, with July Stakes winner Persian Force, Queen Mary winner Dramatised and Prix de l’Abbaye heroine The Platinum Queen well fancied. They were all beaten by Mischief Magic, who showed much improved form to sweep through from last to first in a thrilling spectacle. A full-brother to the same connections’ Windsor Castle winner Sound And Silence, his best effort before Keeneland had been a win in the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes. A good fourth behind Blackbeard in the Middle Park seemed to confirm the level of that form while suggesting he was short of the best of his cohort, but he changed that impression when overcoming a poor start to land his biggest win in spectacular style, running down the gallant Dramatised barely 50 yards from home.

It's worth noting that the precocious Sound And Silence didn’t really train on and that may be the case for Mischief Magic, but he’s an obvious sort for the Commonwealth Cup, with 6f at Ascot sure to suit him well. He will probably be seen to best effect on fast turf or artificial surfaces.

Charlie Appleby