Timeform’s Tony McFadden provides an update on the state of play among Britain’s two-year-olds.
You’d be forgiven for mistaking the two-year-old standings with the novice hurdlers such is one Irish trainer’s dominance. Aidan O’Brien is responsible for five of the six highest-rated juveniles so far this season, with compatriot Ger Lyons responsible for the other one among that sextet. That’s not to say there aren’t any promising two-year-olds in Britain, however, and Field of Gold enhanced his reputation in the Solario Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.
That earned him a Timeform rating of 104p (from 99p) and places him just outside the top ten British-based juveniles. Crucially, he still has the Timeform ‘p’ to highlight that he is likely capable of better.
Here are the top five two-year-olds in Britain who still have the Timeform ‘p’ and can be expected to improve.
Ancient Truth extended his unbeaten record to three when successful in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July, extending Charlie Appleby’s fine record in that Group 2.
Appleby had won the Superlative four times previously, including with Quorto and Native Trail who followed up in the National Stakes at the Curragh. It would be little surprise were Ancient Truth tasked with emulating that duo, and a clash with the highly promising Henri Matisse (112p) would present him with an opportunity to enhance his rating.
He’ll be well worth his place in Group 1 company as his length-and-a-half win over Seagulls Eleven (replay below) is just about the best performance by a British-trained two-year-old so far this season, and the form was franked by third-placed Wimbledon Hawkeye’s excellent effort in the Acomb Stakes.
Wimbledon Hawkeye has had to settle for minor honours on his last couple of starts but he’s run well in contests won by top prospects.
Kempton maiden winner Wimbledon Hawkeye was three and a half lengths behind Ancient Truth when raised markedly in class in the Superlative Stakes, and he took another step forward to split well-regarded pair The Lion In Winter and Ruling Court in the Acomb.
Wimbledon Hawkeye emerged with his own reputation enhanced and the way he stuck to his task suggests there’s more to come when he steps up to a mile.
Ruling Court, a €2.3 million purchase from the breeze-up sales, was sent off favourite for the Acomb after creating such a striking impression on his debut at Sandown where he looked like a high-class colt in the making.
He was unable to justify his status at the head of the market at York but still showed much-improved form to finish third behind Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter who posted the best performance by a two-year-old colt so far this season.
He seemed less mature than the impressive winner, both beforehand and during the race, so there’s the potential for more to come as he settles down.
Al Qudra didn’t look like he was going to be one of his powerful stable’s leading lights when he was beaten in a couple of five-furlong novices at Newmarket but he has progressed as he has stepped up in trip and produced a useful effort to win the listed Pat Eddery Stakes in decisive fashion last time.
Al Qudra set a good pace and saw things out thoroughly on his first start at seven furlongs to win by two and a quarter lengths. That form is working out well as the second, third and fourth all won next time out.
The Gosden stable often targets one of its better two-year-olds at the Solario Stakes, a race that has been won by Too Darn Hot, Kingman and Raven’s Pass down the years, and the latest winner, Field of Gold, also looks promising.
Field of Gold had run to a high level for a maiden winner when scoring impressively at Newmarket in July and he didn’t need to show marked improvement to follow up in a higher grade at Sandown (replay below).
There was still a lot to like about the way he completed the task, however, notably the turn of foot he showed to settle matters in a steadily-run race, and he can run to a higher level when required.
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Highest-rated two-year-olds in Britain
110p Ancient Truth (Charlie Appleby)
109p Wimbledon Hawkeye (James Owen)
109+ Rashabar (Brian Meehan)
108p Ruling Court (Charlie Appleby)
108 Cool Hoof Luke (Andrew Balding)
Highest-rated two-year-olds
116p Bedtime Story (Aidan O’Brien)
115p The Lion In Winter (Aidan O’Brien)
113p Babouche (Ger Lyons)
112p Fairy Godmother (Aidan O’Brien)
112p Whistlejacket (Aidan O’Brien)
112p Henri Matisse (Aidan O’Brien)
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