Fine Form
Popular performer
Haatem GO – 4.17
can make a winning start to his season in the Goodwood Festival Stakes.
A genuine and consistent type for trainer Richard Hannon, the son of Phoenix Of Spain is now a five-year-old and has not been seen since a rare blip when sixth of seven in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock in August.
Prior to that he was third in the Summer Mile and the winner of the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Ascot, the latter level being the same one at which he makes his return.
Third in the 2000 Guineas in 2024 and second in the Irish equivalent prior to a Jersey Stakes win in his three-year-old season, Haatem is evidently incredibly talented and remains entire as a future stallion prospect.
What he can achieve in his fourth season in training will be interesting to witness and he appears to be edging up in trip, something he did with success in the Wolferton last season.
Many moons ago he made an encouraging debut at Goodwood before returning to win
the Vintage Stakes, so he is well accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of the Sussex Downs and if hitting the ground running, which he did previously when winning the Craven first time out in 2024, then he will be the horse to beat.
Night In Vegas GO – 1.57
looks potentially another top juvenile for Eve Johnson Houghton and has to be followed in the Soil Association 80th Anniversary Conditions Stakes.
A 10-1 chance on debut at Ascot, the Lucky Vega colt produced a really taking performance to beat Victory Gold, who himself was nicely clear of race favourite Cuban Heels in third.
Johnson Houghton enjoyed a fine season last year with Zavateri and while it remains to be seen how far Night In Vegas can go, the Coventry Stakes is the obvious target if all goes well here.
At Haydock,
Rosy Affair HY – 2.55
looks the safest option in the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Cecil Frail Stakes.
Trained by George Boughey, she ended last season on the crest of a wave, winning a Listed race at Pontefract fairly easily before going over to France where she won a Group Three at Deauville.
Connections were prepared to roll the dice on Champions Day but a bruised foot ruled her out of that Group One. However, she returned as good as ever at Newmarket when beaten just a head by Flora Of Bermuda.
A repeat of something like that clearly makes her the one to beat without a penalty.
In the Newsells Park Stud Fillies’ Novice Stakes it is Charlie Appleby’s
Fashion’s Fancy HY – 1.45
who can come to the fore.
Notably well-bred with her dam a half-sibling to the mighty Rebel’s Romance, the filly was incredibly green on debut as she finished third in a Kempton novice.
She should have learnt a great deal on that occasion and with the experience under her belt she must be very hard to beat.
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