The 2yo races are always hot contests during Royal Ascot week, with many top-class prospects looking to take the step up in class for the first time, showing potentially their true colours as a Group winning horses.
To follow on from my 2yo Market Leader article, Here are a few runners to keep an eye on in the 2yo contests at bigger prices.
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*Odds Correct at time of publishing – 11.35am 19th June*
ARMY ETHOS (Coventry Stakes) 14/1
Archie Watson/Hollie Doyle
Now we don’t usually have a horse that is that big of a price win the Coventry Stakes, As 5 of the last 12 winners have been favourites or joint favourites, and 7 of the last 12 winners have been in the top three of the market, but there is one who could potentially line up too big of a price for last year’s winning connections of Hollie Doyle and Archie Watson. That was Bradsell, and this year they have Army Ethos who probably wasn’t as impressive on his debut run, but still did catch the eye for me. He went all the way up to Ayr for his debut, and the son of Shalaa couldn’t have been any more professional, breaking well to make all and pull away in the closing stages, eventually winning eased down as they passed the line, by just under 4 lengths. Any horse that can make all to win on debut, clearly has plenty of ability, and I really liked the way he done it on his debut, it was very professional, which I feel is one of the most important features to a 2yo, especially running in this big races where there will be a huge buzz coming from the crowd before the race. He may not be quite good enough to win a contest of this nature, but I fully expect him to be thereabouts come the finish. Nonetheless Archie Watson’s 2yo’s are going very well this year (26%-win strike rate for all his 2yo turf runners) and he is a trainer who can train a Royal Ascot winner, a trainer I really like with these sorts of horses.
BOBSLEIGH (Coventry Stakes) 16/1
Even Johnson Houghton/Charlie Bishop
Another type that heads into the first 2yo race of Royal Ascot slightly under the radar, who probably hasn’t been as impressive on his two starts so far, but has shown some great battling qualities, especially last time out in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Derby weekend. He was switched off early and kept at the rear, before making some good headway to run on very well to win by just under a length. That was a decent display, and if he can stay up with the pace like last time, he could be staying on at the finish should it fall in his lap. His debut effort at Brighton where he won by just under 3 lengths was decent, and the horse he beat that day has since placed twice and won since they met, so the form has been franked in some way. Although he would have to find a little bit more to win this, I like how he battled last time out, and he could be running on the best at the finish.
GOT TO LOVE A GREY (Queen Mary Stakes) 9/1
Karl Burke/Sam James
A horse that is quickly becoming a little favourite of mine, so my judgement might be clouded by that fact, but I do genuinely believe she is good enough to win a contest of this nature, a race where she can put her experience to good use and win this, especially against some raw 2yo fillies. Karl Burke is having a phenomenal season with his 2yo runners, operating at a 27%-win strike rate for the season with his 2yo turf runners, and he does have a few runners lined up in this. She was very well fancied on her debut, and she shown why, winning by 6 lengths on her debut at Nottingham, breaking well and running through the race very prominently, before going on to pull away down the Nottingham straight. She then backed that performance up with another win in the Listed Marygate Fillies Stakes at York, where she shot out the stalls, making all and staying on well to hold off the other Karl Burke runner at the time, winning by half a length. Perhaps the run of the race didn’t suit her last time out, and she did hang left coming down to the line, so the margin could have been further had other things gone differently. I feel there is still more to come, the more she runs, and with more experience on her side compared to some of the other runners, she could go well at double figures for a yard who’s 2yo’s have been in red-hot form this season, who also won this contest last season.
HACKMAN (Windsor Castle Stakes) 20/1
Hugo Palmer/James Doyle
One of the more experienced rivals in this contest, which could mean something with less experience might improve past him but looking at this race (Apart from a few at the top end of the market) I can’t see many improving past the son Mehmas who is having quite a good season with his crop. We saw the Manor House Stables horse come 3rd in what now looks to be a very high class Maiden contest at Newmarket, with the winner that day being sent off fairly short odds for the National Stakes (Where he came 6th) Maximum Impact (2nd) winning next time out and is well fancied in the market for this contest, and Flag Of St George (4th) going on to win next time, as well as Yorkshire Terrier (5th). Hackman ran a very respectable 3rd that day, only to be beaten by just under 2 lengths. He backed that debut performance up with a pretty dazzling display at Chester, where he won by just under 2 lengths, looking like a real speed ball, before going on to run 3rd in the National Stakes at Sandown last time, which is not bad form given the horses who finished in front, and I don’t think Sandown was his sort of track. The quicker they go the better for him, as he is all speed, and when Michael Owen was interviewed after Hackman won at Chester, there was a slight twinkle in his eye when speaking about this horse. I think he is underestimated in the market, and if they go quick, he could put his big race experience to good use and finish in the frame.
UP THE MANOR (Windsor Castle Stakes) 20/1
Jack Jones/Colin Keane
Jack Jones is a name a few racing people might not have heard much of as yet, but he is a young trainer to firmly keep an eye on going forward. He currently resides in the famous Chesnut Tree Stables at Newmarket; a place most racing fans will know it was where the great Sir Henry Cecil once trained before moving to Warren Place, with Rae Guest residing since then. The one thing that really catches my eye with Up The Manor is the jockey booking, top Irish Jockey and 4x Irish Champion Jockey Colin Keane is booked to take the ride on this son of Soldier’s Call. The debut effort at Doncaster was decent, where he beat a field of 14 runners, winning more comfortably than the margin suggests by a length, keeping on well heading to the line before slightly lugging left in the closing stages. Although he may not quite be good enough to win a contest of this nature, he does look a nice type going forward and was very professional on racecourse debut, plus the jockey booking is a real eye catcher, so I will be keeping a firm eye on Up The Manor in this.
BOMBAY BAZAAR (Norfolk Stakes) 14/1
Richard Fahey/Oisin Orr
Again like a few of these, the Richard Fahey trained son of Kodiac has probably the most experience under his belt, which means he could be susceptible to a lightly raced improver or improvers going past him, but what he has shown so far in three runs has been very encouraging, and he does look likely to land some black type in his career. A decent 3rd on his debut at Thirsk, he has since gone on to win twice at Beverley, the first time by just over 4 lengths, and last time by three quarters of a length, which was a very decent Class 2 Conditions contest. Now he would have to step up his form massively to land a contest of this nature with some real speedy types, but I like his attitude and he still seems to be improving, plus his last race, things during it didn’t help him, so he might have won further if things went his way. I like this horse, and it’s obvious he needs to step up even further, but he could make good use of his experience come the finish if he is fast enough.
MAPMAKER (Albany Stakes) 16/1
Darryll Holland/Jason Watson
The second-year runner Darryll Holland lands himself a nice Amo Racing 2yo (Primrose Ridge last season who came 2nd in the Brocklesby) and Mapmaker does look a nice type going forward. A very decent 3rd on debut at Redcar in May, looking to run even more of a blinder before being short of room in the closing stages, but she still came 3rd, beaten by just under 2 lengths (The two horses ahead of her that day haven’t run since and both have been entered for the Queen Mary Stakes). She then went on to put that experience to good use when lining up at Newbury, where she tracked the leaders before going on clear to win by 2 lengths, keeping on very well inside the final furlong. She looks a nice sort, and the daughter of Aclaim looks to keep improving with each passing run and vibes at home are she is still improving nicely. She could outrun her double figure odds.
LA GUARIDA (Albany Stakes) 20/1
Richard Hannon/Kevin Stott
Another Amo Racing horse, this time with their retained jockey Kevin Stott booked to ride (That could change, as they have a fair few entered for this race) Amo have a 30%-win strike rate for their 2yo turf runners, which is an exceptional strike rate for an ever-growing ownership. I’ve been keeping an eye on this horse ever since her debut run at Newmarket, where she finished 3rd behind the well-regarded Jabaara in what looks to be a potentially decent Maiden contest in the long run. She looked to be needing the run that day, and she shown that was probably the case when winning next time out at Goodwood. She wasn’t particularly well fancied that day, being sent off at 7/1 behind a well fancied Cheveley Park Horse, the grand old saying of a horse doesn’t know his/her price, as she won very nicely indeed by just over 2 lengths, running on very well towards the finish. As mentioned, she looks to be improving with each passing run and given Kevin Stott (Hopefully) has been booked to ride her, that is a huge plus.
Final Verdict
Realistically none of these could feature, hence why they are bigger prices, but it is Royal Ascot, with plenty of runners in each race, so literally anything can happen, especially when it comes to 2yo’s. I think Army Ethos in the Coventry could be the most likely to outrun his odds, for last year’s winning connections. I really liked his debut win at Ayr, he was professional and showed some nice speed, and any horse that can make all on its first start is clearly quite good. I fully expect him to get a little bit shorter throughout the day tomorrow.
Mapmaker improved nicely from her first run, and the first two who finished ahead of her on debut could also be decent types in the long run, I expect Mapmaker to improve even more heading into the Albany. Good luck everyone for the week ahead, the best five days off the flat calendar.
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