Juvenile Watch: "I'll be staggered if he wins again"

The Solario Stakes at Sandown saw Alfred Wallace gain a first success at Group level.

He’s been kept busy this season by trainer Ed Walker, and this was already his seventh start of the season. It could be argued that he arrived at Sandown with the best form to his name.

Connections were obviously keen to make use of that experience against a field of less experienced rivals, with Kieran Shoemark adopting a prominent position, in contrast to his latest run in the Acomb, where he was ridden with restraint.

To my mind, this was the winning of the race, as I’d be confident that, in the fullness of time, both second-placed Dover Street and, in particular, third-placed Breacher will prove themselves to have more ability than the winner.

On this occasion, though, their immaturity showed as they were asked to go and close down Alfred Wallace. The winner responded instantly when asked to quicken by Kieran Shoemark, and while the runner-up was closing at the line, Alfred Wallace was comfortably the best on this occasion.

Trainer Ed Walker suggested he’ll be kept busy through the rest of the season and, given the son of Dubawi coped so well on this slower surface, it seemed a sensible suggestion from Shoemark that “maybe the Lagardere would suit him”.

The withdrawal of the strongly fancied Rock Montreal did weaken this contest and, as such, it’s not a form line I’ll put much weight on. Indeed, I’ll be staggered if Alfred Wallace wins again this season. However, both Dover Street and Breacher shaped like colts who will hold their own in races of this grade next season, particularly when stepping up in trip.

At the Curragh, there was an upset in the Group Three Round Tower Stakes as Push The Boat Out ran down strong favourite Great Barrier Reef in the dying strides for jockey Seamie Heffernan and trainer Michael O’Callaghan.

A son of Kodi Bear, he’d won his maiden over course and distance and took the step up in grade in his stride, showing a great will to win when asked. Connections suggested that he could be supplemented for the Dewhurst at Newmarket, but also acknowledged that he’s still weak, and so it’s possible they might opt to stay in calmer waters.

Great Barrier Reef was carrying a 5lb penalty for his Coventry win and probably wasn’t advantaged by the slower ground. I would, though, just question his tenacity in the closing stages, as I wasn’t overly enamoured with his head carriage.

I would concede that he had raced alone and might have been getting lonely, and that the winner’s textbook head carriage might have exaggerated his slightly higher carriage. I will, though, be cautious of following him next time.

Everyone takes a different approach to assessing form, but I’m often surprised at the reluctance of some to forgive one poor run. I’d be more forgiving, particularly with juveniles and particularly when that poor run comes at a marquee meeting such as Royal Ascot.

This was certainly the case with SILENT BEAUTY. She’d looked very good when winning on her debut at Yarmouth, pulling four lengths clear of a now 97-rated runner-up, with a further two lengths back to the third, who now holds a rating of 82.

Her next start came in the Albany and she was disappointing, possibly racing a bit too keenly early on and ultimately only beating two home.

Yet at Ripon on Monday, in their Champion Two Year Old Trophy, she looked far more like the filly we saw at Yarmouth. She broke smartly and, in truth, always looked like the class animal in the field, racing strongly and then drawing clear when asked for her finishing effort by David Egan.

The withdrawal of Pure Mint undeniably made this a lighter contest, but I was still impressed by the Amo Racing-owned daughter of Night Of Thunder. It’s been well publicised that the season has been tough for Amo, with a number of expensive purchases failing to match their price tag.

Silent Beauty was a million-euro purchase and has a long way to go yet to be considered a shrewd purchase, but on this evidence she’s well up to Group company. Given she’s proven on softer conditions, she’s one to follow this autumn.

Looked very raw on debut over six furlongs at Carlisle. A slow start put him at an immediate disadvantage and he took a while to pick up when asked for his finishing effort, where he again showed immaturity by hanging to his right.

Yet there were signs of promise and, given his smart pedigree — he’s a half-brother to Ain’t Nobody, a Listed winner for this yard — he’s well worth adding to your Racing TV tracker.