At the start of the Flat season in 2022, we are very excited to see our latest crop of Chasemore Farm-bred two-year-olds on the track.
Our farm manager Jack Conroy and resident vet Pat Sells give us their five to follow:
BREEGE (Starspangledbanner ex Wowcha, bay filly born 29/01/20)
This filly is bred for speed being by the multiple Group 1 winning sprinter Starspangledbanner and being out of Wowcha, a half-sister to The Wow Signal who also won a Group 1 along with the Coventry stakes at Royal Ascot. Unfortunately, Wowcha passed away during the Autumn last year at the age of eight after just three foals with Breege being the only filly out of the mare, so fingers crossed that she can do her mum proud!
Described by her trainer John Quinn as being “a hardy filly with strength and power” she should be ready for her racecourse debut in early May over 6f. This filly has taken to her training well mentally and physically which is always a good sign and hopefully she can take high rank this season.
WAXING GIBBOUS (Sea the Moon ex Mary Boleyn, bay filly born 05/02/20)
This filly has only been at her trainer David Menuisier for two weeks so it’s very early stages for her, but she is a filly that will need time and probably won’t be seen at her best until she is a three old at least. She looks like a 1m4f/1m6f type and will need patience to strengthen and develop which is one her Trainer’s greatest attributes.
MUDSKIPPER (Le Havre ex Arendelle, bay colt born 26/01/20)
A truly beautiful looking colt who is the first foal out of the winning Camelot mare Arendelle. He probably wouldn’t be what you would describe as a typical Le Havre as he is very strong with great size and presence. His trainer David Menuisier who knows how to train Le Havre’s progeny has been very happy with him, but he won’t be rushing him, and the horse will probably be ready to make a racecourse appearance around September. An exciting middle-distance prospect who would fall into the category of “anything he does as a two-year-old is a bonus”!
FARHHFROMFORGOTTEN (Farhh ex Formidable Kitt, bay colt born 08/02/20)
Was sold by the farm in Book 2 last year for 125,000guineas to Karl & Kelly Burke and has reportedly settled into life at Spigot Lodge very well. This colt is the first foal out the 5f two-year winning mare Formidable Kitt and is one of Chasemore Farm’s most exciting families. He was widely regarded on the farm as one of the nicest yearlings in our draft last year so hopefully he will be lucky for his new connections. Unfortunately, he had a slight setback in early Spring, but he should still see the racecourse around June time.
Unnamed (Oasis Dream ex Ape Attack, bay colt born 21/02/20)
A very nice colt who made 57,000guineas at Book 3 last year and is entered in the Arqana Deauville breeze up sale next month. He has plenty of size and class with a good active walk so hopefully he breezes well for his new connections before going on to have a successful racing career.
MADAM MACHO (Camacho ex Madam President, chestnut filly born 30/4/20)
The only horse bought at public auction in 2021 by the Blacks became her sire’s highest priced yearling (Tattersalls Book 1). A ¾ sister to Group-winning sprinter CAPPELLA SANSEVERO, the filly was very popular due to her bombproof attitude, big walk, and clean vetting. She was selected with lofty aspirations of a 2yo Royal Ascot-type. 7 winners of the Queen Mary have been bought at the October sale since the turn of the century, so it’s not a silly place to look. Johnston Racing have won that race twice, so was a logical destination to be trained. Charlie reports that her physique certainly matches that remit, although her early work might possibly be more suggestive of a 6f starting point.
HARBOUR WALL (Le Havre ex Wall of Sound, bay/brown filly born 1/2/20)
This blue-blooded homebred is a late maturing filly that oozes class. Don’t expect to see her out in ’22 – several interruptions in her pre-training career have led to plenty of paddock time back at the farm, and she won’t return to Malcolm Bastard’s until the summer. For altricial types like her these hold-ups can often be a blessing in disguise; the extra time has allowed her to mature and fill her scopey frame. This slow-developing filly has serious potential as an older, middle-distance galloper, and we hope she has taken notes from her paternal sibling and former paddock-mate WONDERFUL TONIGHT!
Unnamed (Kingman ex Bible Belt, bay/brown filly born 17/3/20)
Throughout her time on the farm this filly was unassuming and unremarkable. As a yearling she was deemed to be physically diminutive with an average action. As such the market shunned her and she was sold at Book 1 for 42,000 guineas. Mike Ryan is a world-renowned judge who bought her for himself, to be trained by the legendary Chad Brown. She makes my selection because she reminds me of another Kingman filly who failed to make the radar as a youngster, another diminutive physical who received modest reports right up to her 2yo spring: that filly turned out to be Group-winning BOOMER, her sire’s highest rated juvenile of 2019. I suspect Mike Ryan might be rubbing his hands together later this year.
Unnamed (Churchill ex Opportuna, bay colt born 6/4/20)
This colt had a difficult start to life, with plenty of early confinement and correction to address his congenital limb issues. The tenacity he showed in getting through this stage was impressive, and the limbs were completely normal by the time sales prep came around. It was a great source of pride for the team to get him to sale looking so good considering where he began, and he was a value purchase at 33,000 guineas for James Fanshawe at the December sale. By this point he was a muscular, powerful individual and definitely looked to have the precocity that his half-brother showed when running away with his August Leopardstown maiden.
Unnamed (Zoustar ex Roger Sez, bay filly born 10/2/20)
This filly inherited her sire’s easy, feline action, and that didn’t go unnoticed at the sales, making an impressive 77,000 guineas at Book 3 to Tally Ho. Reports have been very positive, and she heads to the Arqana Breeze-up sale. Zoustar has been very successful over Roberto-line mares in the Southern Hemisphere, and Roger Sez is 4x4 to the stallion.
