All four of Thursday afternoon’s meetings play host to some intriguing two-year-old contests. We have picked out one from each card that looks worth following, alongside 888, who are offering £30 in Free Bets + A £10 Casino Bonus when you bet £10.
CRYSTALLIUM – (1.00 Chelmsford)
The George Boughey trained Peace Of Mine is already off the mark and bids to defy a penalty against his nine rivals here.
However, the two-year-old of most note here, win or lose is CRYSTALLIUM for Tom Clover. In 2022, Clover has run only one of his juveniles on the all-weather but that proved to be a winner when Rogue Spirit won at Wolverhampton in June.
That bodes well for this debutant, who is well-related. Two of his three half-siblings were race winners, while all three achieved Racing Post Ratings of 86 and above, which is a very solid score. It suggests he will be able to find a victory at some point in his career.
However, that might come sooner rather than later. His two half-siblings who won both did so for the first time on the all-weather as two-year-olds. His sire Expert Eye has had a decent enough first season with eight of his offspring having won and he may have another here.
MUSTAJAAB – (1.43 Ffos Las)
There are already two non-runners in this 6f maiden, both of whom would have been in with a chance. That may have opened it up for the likes of MUSTAJAAB.
He runs out of the stable of William Muir & Chris Grassick, making his debut at Ascot last month. He finished fifth and the form is mixed, though the runner-up is now rated 85, while the eighth has won since and contested a Group 2 at York last week. There are certainly reasons to be positive about the run.
Once again, he is most interesting due to his pedigree. He is a half-brother to Listed winner Checkandchallenge, as well as four other winners. Perhaps more importantly, two of those winners have been trained by Muir as well and both achieved Racing Post Ratings above 90.
Moreover, both showed improvement between their first and second starts, which will be the hope for Mustajaab here. This looks a winnable maiden for a decent horse and he may just be that.
Ffos Las Racecourse
Culla Road
Trimsaran
Kidwelly
Dyfed
SA17 4DE
United Kingdom
Flos Las Racecourse
Ffos Las is the UK’s newest racecourse and has been something of a success story. A flat, fairly galloping left-handed course of around 1m 4f long, it hosts both national hunt and flat racing fixtures throughout the year.
POP STAR – (2.25 Navan)
Aidan O’Brien’s juveniles are regularly in notebooks before they even run, but there is more to POP STAR than simply his trainer.
On form alone here, he has quite a lot of ground to make up on Sioux Spirit, with whom he shares his sire Sioux Nation. However, while his sire is likely to prove valuable in terms of precocious juveniles, it is Pop Star’s overall family which make him the one to watch.
His debut over 6f was nothing to shout about when seventh of 19 at the Curragh, but the drop to 5f should be of benefit. That is because he is a half-sibling to recent Nunthorpe favourite Royal Aclaim, who demonstrated such speed in her previous Listed victory at York and still has much ahead of her.
Pop Star should have plenty of speed to be involved if having learned from his debut and it should not be long before he steps up a gear.
ALPHA CAPTURE – (2.35 Carlisle)
A runner-up on his debut in July, ALPHA CAPTURE has a lot going for him at Carlisle tomorrow.
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede’s colours are more known in the National Hunt game, but there is no doubt this horse is only intended to be a flat performer. He is by top sprinter Cotai Glory and showed some of his sire’s speed when second at Newbury.
He is one of three half-siblings to have raced and both Acklam Express and Maglev, his half-brothers, are rated over 100. The former was recently third in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, so hopes will be high that Alpha Capture can follow in his footsteps.
Being trained by William Haggas is an obvious benefit given the year he is having and he may not find one too good this time.
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