Winners: Horses to Follow – Flat 2020
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from 100 WINNERS: HORSES TO FOLLOW – FLAT 2020 100WINNERS HORSES TO FOLLOW – FLAT 2021 100 WINNERS HORSES TO FOLLOW – FLAT 2021 Fifty-ninth year of publication Contributors: Rodney Pettinga Richard Young 100 WINNERS HORSES TO FOLLOW – FLAT 2021 (ages as at 2021) ADAYAR (IRE) 3 b c Frankel - Anna Salai (Dubawi) This Frankel colt out of a Group Three winner over 1m in France ran just twice last season, both times over 1m at Nottingham. Well backed on his debut in mid-October, he was slowly into stride, stumbled at about halfway and very much looked in need of the experience as he finished a well-beaten fourth of eleven. He reappeared just two weeks later and clearly had benefitted massively from that initial experience as he hosed up by nine lengths in what was, on paper, a slightly stronger race. A couple of the beaten horses have won since to give the form a solid look too. He stayed the mile well, but it will be over middle distances that he will probably find his niche as a three-year-old (he holds an Irish Derby entry). William Buick, who rode him on both of his starts, said after the Nottingham romp: ‘He’s a lovely looking colt, well-bred and will be a nice horse for next year.’ CHARLIE APPLEBY ALCOHOL FREE (IRE) 3 b f No Nay Never - Plying (Hard Spun) After winning a maiden at Newbury in August which worked out exceptionally well, Alcohol Free ran in the Group Three Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury where she narrowly lost out to Happy Romance, the winner of the Weatherbys Super Sprint earlier in the season and a rival with far more experience, having run five times previously. Alcohol Free clearly learned plenty from that race as she took on better fillies in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes (6f) on her next assignment and she passed the test with flying colours as she gamely saw off Miss Amulet and Umm Kulthum in a thrilling finish. Her half-sibling Alexander James was a winner over 1m and 1m1f and it seems likely that this filly will now be stepped up to a mile, with the 1,000 Guineas looking a realistic early-season target. She’s currently around 20/1 for that contest. ANDREW BALDING 3 100 Winners: Horses to Follow – Flat 2021 ALOE VERA 5 b f Invincible Spirit - Almiranta (Galileo) Assuming she stands up to the rigours of training, Aloe Vera is just the type to make up into a Group-winning performer over middle distances this season. Considered too backward to run as a juvenile, Ralph Beckett’s mare quickly made up for lost time when winning a Chepstow maiden and the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood on her first two racecourse starts in May 2019. However, she didn’t see the track again until late September last year, where she confirmed she retained at least all her ability when chasing home a smart Charlie Appleby six-year-old in Walton Street (a Dubai winner this January) when upped to 1m4f for the first time in the Listed Godolphin Stakes at Newmarket. Although the remainder of the season passed her by, she remains open to plenty of further improvement and, given she’s well worth a try over further, a race like the Group Three Bronte Cup over a trip just shy of 1m6f for fillies and mares at York’s Dante meeting in May could be a useful and informative starting point. RALPH BECKETT ALPINE STAR (IRE) 4 ch f Sea The Moon - Alpha Lupi (Rahy) Although she won just one of her four starts in 2020, Alpine Star nevertheless enhanced her reputation with a trio of near- misses against some top-notch rivals, most of whom went on to confirm the form in no uncertain terms. Her sole win came in the Coronation Stakes in June, where she put four and a quarter lengths and more between herself and her rivals, emulating her half-sister Alpha Centauri, who won the same race in 2018. Next, she went to France in July, where she lost out by a head to Fancy Blue in the Prix De Diane over 1m2f 110y, and that filly franked the form next time by winning the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. After that she ran in the Jacques Le Marois over 1m in August, where she lost out by three quarters of a length to St James’s Palace Stakes hero Palace Pier, with Circus Maximus five lengths behind her in third and subsequent Prix Du Moulin winner Persian King a further three lengths behind in fourth. Finally, she took on Tarnawa in the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day where she lost out by a head, with Audarya a length behind in third. Those two rivals went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf respectively next time out. Alpine Star battled her heart out in each of those three defeats and she richly deserves to pick up the winning thread again as she resumes her career at four. JESSICA HARRINGTON 4 100 Winners: Horses to Follow – Flat 2021 ANGEL POWER 4 b f Lope De Vega - Burning Rules (Aussie Rules) This daughter of Lope De Vega had a fantastic three-year-old season with five wins from seven starts, including four from four after she was stepped up to around 1m2f in August. Her first win came in a novice stakes over 1m at Chelmsford in June, after which she finished runner-up in a pair of 1m handicaps at Haydock and Goodwood. She next ran in a fillies’ handicap over 1m2f at York off 91 and routed the opposition by three and a half lengths and more. After that she went to France and won a Listed race in early September, which prompted her connections to step up to Group Three company at Newmarket. She took it in her stride, beating 13 rivals with ease. She added a Group Two in Italy with similar ease in November, a performance which suggests there is more to come at four. After her Newmarket romp Roger Varian said, ‘Angel Power is admirable and tough as old boots and has done nothing but improve and I couldn’t be more pleased with how her season has gone. I think she will be even better next year.’ ROGER VARIAN ANNANDALE (IRE) 3 ch c Australia - Fountain Of Honour (Sadler’s Wells) The end-of-term report concerning Annandale’s juvenile record could read ‘Progressive sort. Has done everything asked of him. Likely to do a good deal better at three.’ That’s a tag that has been applicable to a huge number of horses from the Mark Johnston yard down the years and there’s every reason to think he’s up to winning a good- quality handicap over middle distances and beyond in 2021. The colt didn’t necessarily have to step up on the form of his pleasing debut third at Ayr’s prestigious Western Meeting to win over 1m2f at Bath on ground that was just on the easy side in October. While the bare facts of that win are nothing out of the ordinary, he did show a good attitude, something that was also in evidence when he followed up on his AW debut and returned to 1m on his nursery debut at Newcastle on his final juvenile start, when allowed to dictate his own fractions. Given he’s by Australia out of a Sadler’s Wells mare and that he’s a half-brother to the owner’s 2m soft-ground winner Three Castles, a good test of stamina is likely to suit and he’s one to note from his current mark of 78. MARK JOHNSTON ART POWER (IRE) 4 gr c Dark Angel - Evening Time (Keltos) One of the most taking handicap performances of the season was Art Power’s demolition job of a competitive field in the first 5 100 Winners: Horses to Follow – Flat 2021 running of the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap over 5f at Royal Ascot last summer. Of course, subsequent events have shown he was a Group horse posing as a handicapper but the form stacks up as he gave both weight and a ready beating that day to a tough and reliable yardstick in Keep Busy, who went on to finish a close second in a Group One at the Curragh. Tim Easterby’s sprinter then showed that he was just as good over 6f when bagging a Group Three in Ireland but 5f on a sound surface on York’s speed- favouring task was totally against him and he managed only sixth behind Champion Sprinter Battaash in the Nunthorpe in August. However, he showed that to be all wrong on his final two starts of 2020 in Group One events back over 6f (both run on soft ground). He’s still relatively lightly raced and he’s very much the type to develop into an even better sprinter this time round. The Group Two Duke Of York Stakes over 6f back at the Yorkshire venue in May could be a good place to start the campaign (four-year-old have won the last four renewals), especially if there is give in the ground. TIM EASTERBY BABY ALYA (IRE) 3 ch f Rio De La Plata - Queen’s Logic (Grand Lodge) Baby Alya has some way to go before she matches the achievements of her illustrious parents, but she got her career off to the perfect start when winning a maiden for fillies over 7f on Tapeta at Newcastle on her debut in early September.