At Bath on Thursday The Can Can Man ran on well through beaten horses to finish a never nearer 5th and Divine Rhythm like many horses on the day failed to handle the track conditions which the jockey’s described as ‘extremely holding’.
As we pointed out on Wednesday when a Haggas 2yo runs well in October on either their first or second start it is a big pointer towards their potential to be horses worth following as a 3yo.
In the last two years Infraad, Alobayyah, Almeraq have all fitted this profile and Friday is going to be all about looking forward to 2027.
An early start is required as Haggas runs three in the Newmarket Class 3 Novice stakes due off at 12.05.
Hierax is the first horse William Haggas has trained for Valmont and their retained rider Hector Crouch takes the ride. It goes without saying all concerned will be keen to win with the well related son of Frankel. However, although the horse with experience, he is not on my list of 2yo’s to follow, into next year, I thought he looked one paced at Sandown and I am happy to let him win unbacked, the market agrees with me as he is 12/1.
On the other hand Medvedev looks a colt with a lot of potential. By Sea the Stars -from the family of Russian Rhythm on the dam’s side he is a colt that looks set to be a useful 3yo. He has been introduced as 2nd in the market at 5/1 as a consequence. The third runner Alphonso is related to numerous winners and is from the family of Superstar Leo one of the early group class horses that helped put Somerville Lodge on the map. He looks likely to need more time as his opening price of 22/1 indicates.A race to watch without a bet and it will be the same scenario in division 2 at 12.40
Haggas runs another pair Masia Land who was very backward and showed little promise on his debut at Kempton is 18/1 and Old Compton a son of Ten Sovereigns is 5/1 for his first appearance on a racecourse . On breeding both look likely to be better with time and experience.
Al Aasy has defied father time, the form book and better fancied stable mates in a remarkable season that has seen him win 3 of his 5 starts including a first Group 2 success at the age of 9. On Friday he has to give weight all round in the Group 3 St Simon Stakes at 2.20.
With the ground drying out, which is against the short priced market leader Aegean Prince, who is to say he cannot end the season with another win. He is a horse I have watched without backing for a couple of years and I will once again be willing him home without a financial interest.
In the 3.30 Carbine Country reappears after a great effort first time out run in the Class 2 Tattersall Autumn Sales race. It was an extremely unusual step for Haggas to run a 2yo first time out in that type of race and he must have been readied more than most of the Somerville Lodge 2yo debutants.
That form should be good enough to win this event, although 4 of his rivals have potential to be useful . He is short enough at 13/8, too short for my betting purposes.
The final runner on the day is the frustrating 8 race maiden Venetian Sky in the Newcastle 7f Novice Stakes at 4.45. I have felt that unlike some of the yards disappointing 3yo’s she has potential to win a race and Haggas has found a very weak maiden for her on Friday.
She is dropped in trip which maybe the key, Jason Hart is booked at Newcastle, which will aid her chance as I suspect he will force the pace at a track on which he excels..
Had she ran slightly better on her previous AW starts I would have got involved but on balance I will leave Friday alone for betting purposes.
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