Ten to follow
Robin Oakley
The next time I bump into John Hills before a big handicap and he says, 'It would be nice to win this one, wouldn't it?' with a particularly cheery grin, I shall pay much closer attention. At Kempton on Coral Rosebery day, I thought no more of our exchange until his Broadway Score was driven on in the final furlong by his brother Richard to win at 16-1, paying 27-1 on the Tote. And I shall never allow myself to be put off in future by a fit of the glums from Hughie Morrison, with whom I watched the race. He had told us that his Kylkenny was probably better on a lefthanded track, wouldn't be suited by the going and couldn't really be fancied. Only for the 25-1 shot to run a blinder, finishing close on the heels of the leaders in fourth and paying £6.70 for a place on the Tote.
I had to slink away early from my table at the Coral lunch after Nadour Al Bahr, my own selection in the race, became my fourth tip in a row to perform with as much distinction as the Iraqi army. Diving for gaps like a Baghdad looter, Robert Miles, his normally capable apprentice rider, found himself hopelessly squeezed and earned a three-day suspension for his efforts. Terry Mills's gelding, who finished full of running and as frustrated as a stud in a nunnery, looks ready to win a decent race despite the big weights he is asked to carry.
It was a grim, grey day at Kempton, more appropriate to the winter game. The only things shining were the toecaps of John Dunlop's perfectly polished shoes, but, if the Arundel trainer was as usual the best-turned-out sight on the racecourse, his Prince Turn Turn also had a gleam about him in the parade ring and took command in the final furlong to win the Easter Stakes. Stronger both mentally and physically than he was at two, he looks a very decent miler.
On the basis that my tipping can't get any worse than that day, here goes anyway with this season's Ten to Follow. Whether or not Sir Michael Stoute has Russian Rhythm ready to do herself justice in the 1,000 Guineas, I remain convinced on what we saw of her as a two-year-old that she is star quality. The chestnut daughter of Kingmambo showed her battling qualities and her class in the Lowther Stakes at York last season when she was badly baulked but pulled round two horses and accelerated to win.
Henry Candy's filly Airwave was the one who later destroyed Russian Rhythm's unbeaten record in the Cheveley Park Stakes with a blistering turn of speed and sprinting will be her forte. She will make the perfect successor at Kingston Warren to Henry's brilliant sprinter Kyllachy, with whom he did so well last season, though I fear we will not get the prices with her that followers of an earlier Top Ten enjoyed with Kyllachy.
Another filly who should repay interest is Henry Cecil's Midsummer, a half-sister to the Oaks winner Reams of Verse. It was not just the fact that she won her 11-furlong maiden at Kempton which impressed but the way she stretched clear in the straight.
We need a Derby contender in the list. One possible at this stage is the Aga Khan's Alamshar. He impressed as a likely improver when second at Leopardstown on his seasonal debut and he is trained by John Oxx, who showed with Sinndar that he knows what it takes to win at Epsom. His trainer warns, however, that it is not yet certain he will get the mile and a half. Three different people urged me at Newbury the other day to take an interest in Stoute's Kalaman, who had been impressing on the Newmarket gallops. He won his race there nicely and is expected to challenge at the top level.
One of my favourites of last season, Terry Mills's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Where or When, could add some significant prizes over ten furlongs to his mile victories last year. And I am determined to back Sulamani in this year's Group Ones open to older horses until he is beaten. The acceleration he produced for Frankie Dettori to win the Sheema Classic at the World Cup meeting in Dubai was truly thrilling.
I feel I must include one of the formidably consistent Mark Johnston horses and I will go for the three-year-old Double Obsession, a Sadler's Wells colt who showed promise in his first two races last year, winning a maiden at Ayr. And we should not neglect new talent either. Andrew Balding, having taken over from his father Ian, is already demonstrating his ability to have a horse ready. He has con siderable faith in his sprinter Dubaian Gift, whom he said improved with every race last year. Small but really speedy, he should pay his way over the minimum distance.
I was going to say have fun but don't put your pension funds on them. But given what Standard Life have been doing with mine, while awarding their own fat cats even larger saucers of cream, I might just as well do so.
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