OCTOBER REVIEW
Another 12 winners added to our tally in October, a month that will be remembered for a scintillating Group 1 victory for the brilliant Kalpana. We head into November in second place in the Trainers’ Championship, over £1 million clear of the third and having broken through the £5 million prize-money mark for the first time.
Kalpana‘s progression from a Wolverhampton novice win on her debut in January to winning the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes has been very special. Since finishing third in the Ribblesdale, she has won the Listed Glasgow Stakes, Group 3 September Stakes and now a Champions Day success by a combined 11.25 lengths. Prominent throughout at Ascot, she was brought to challenge in the final quarter-mile at Ascot under William Buick and once again quickened very impressively to win in style. She really has the world at her feet and will be back next year to try for further top-level success.
Subsequent has also made his way through the ranks this year, winning a novice and two handicaps before landing the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot at the beginning of the month under Oisin Murphy. The son of Galileo is a very smart young stayer and looks every inch a Group performer to look forward to next season.
Berkshire Sundance was off for a year and then had a mishap in the stalls last month, so we were delighted to see him make up for lost time with two wins in October, scoring in heavy ground at Salisbury at the beginning of the month for Oisin Murphy before a comfortable success at Southwell under Jason Watson four weeks later. He remains a lightly-raced and unexposed performer and could well record the hat-trick next time.
Lzaz built on a good effort in defeat at Kempton Park in mid-month with a game success at Southwell the following week, since when he has been sold at the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale. Celtic Warrior was another to get his head in front on his final run before the sale, scoring at Newcastle under P J McDonald. We wish both sets of new connections the best of luck with them.
Our two year olds remain in excellent form and there were several exciting performances amongst our six winners this month.
Falconer defied his inexperience to make a winning debut at Nottingham under Callum Hutchinson, despite looking green at various stages in the race. It is a contest that has produced many classy performers over the years (not least subsequent Derby hero Adayar in 2020) and the son of New Bay looks to have a very bright future indeed.
Almeric is another to look forward to, the son of Study Of Man (sire of Champions Day heroine Kalpana) building on his very promising debut the previous month with an authoritative display under P J McDonald, readily getting the better of an experienced rival with the pair drawing clear.
A daughter of Hello Youmzain, Bermuda Longtail had shaped well on her debut at Kempton Park and went one better when scoring under Jason Watson on his second start there three weeks later. A recruit from the breeze-up sale at Arqana in the spring, she is a very exciting filly for next season. Gallant is by the same sire, was another to arrive from the breeze-ups and ran out an impressive winner at Kempton Park under Oisin Murphy. A half-brother to Straight Right, who was a smart performer for us a few years ago, he will be seen up in grade next time and is another to look forward to.
Qetaifan has improved with every start, building on his Chester novice success with a front-running win on heavy ground at Goodwood under Oisin Murphy. There is more to come from him, as there is from Urban Glimpse, who was another to score on his second start at Kempton Park, coming home strongly under Jason Watson. He was then all at sea in very heavy ground in Milan for the Group 2 Gran Criterium, but remains a fine middle-distance prospect for 2025.