Archie Watson, fastest rising of all young Flat trainers, has a possible Derby contender in his string. I learned this at a media morning yesterday at his Saxon Gate stables in Upper Lambourn, formerly used by Fulke Walwyn and an early base for Mick Channon in the days of Piccolo.
When Watson started up there in 2016, he initially had just three horses that he’d bought on spec. Four wins that year became 56 the next and 105 last year, when his prize money total broke the £1m mark. Now he has more than 100 horses spread across two nearby sites and is making another strong start to the year.
Isn’t training supposed to be difficult? Watson, who has just turned 30 and is a ringer for Eddie Redmayne, could make his professional rivals still greener with envy if his Nate The Great does indeed turn out to be worth his Derby entry.
“I possibly at this stage see him as a Queen’s Vase horse,” Watson said. “Yabass was fifth in the race last year and Nate would have a bit more class than him. But he will go to the Lingfield Derby Trial, I imagine, and if he was to win or finish a close placed, I would obviously have a crack at the Derby.” The Leger was also mentioned.
More immediately, Watson hopes to have a big Easter, just as he did last year, when Corinthia Knight won a £93,000 pot on Good Friday, aka All-Weather Finals day, at Lingfield, while Brandon Castle won the Queen’s Cup the next day at Musselburgh. This Good Friday, at the end of next week, he will field Gorgeous Noora and Silver Quartz at Lingfield, while Lady Kermit, who won by six lengths on her debut and has Royal Ascot potential, goes to Newcastle. The pretty little chestnut Shumookhi goes to Bath and then Ulster will try to give Watson back to back wins in the Musselburgh race 24 hours later.
“Everyone’s getting very excited about our two-year-olds,” Watson notes. “I’d say it might just be because my horses are more forward than other people’s.” He offers as one to look out for a juvenile filly called Endless Joy, by Showcasing out of Funny Enough, being aimed at Yarmouth on 23 April.
Thursday’s best bets
More immediately, we have four cards to think about. Saumur (2.10) is napped at Huntingdon and 7-2 is fair in division two of what looks a weak maiden hurdle for mares. A middle-distance winner on the Flat, she has performed with credit in two hurdle runs, the second being a significant improvement on the first, for all that she was fourth both times.
The betting market is interested in a couple of others but The Crafty Touch did not achieve a great deal in winning her two points, while Jane Lamb has not been seen for well over a year. The latter is a Dan Skelton horse partnered by Bridget Andrews, who is very capable but does not generally get to ride the yard’s most fancied runners.
A busy day has been arranged for the conditional jockey Max Kendrick and I think he could end up riding winners at two locations in the colours of his mother, Carolyn. He’s on Coole Well (2.45), a 9-4 shot who is easy to like for Huntingdon’s novice hurdle, and must then scoot to Wetherby, where he’s on the aptly named Sharp Getaway (5.40) in the closing handicap hurdle.
Sharp Getaway opened at 14-1 last night but is now a general 8-1 shot. One looks in vain for signs of promise in his three hurdle starts so far but he is a half-brother to The Big Bite, rated 50lb higher and recently tried in the Supreme Novice Hurdle. I sense that improvement is possible from Sharp Getaway, now that he makes his handicap debut for Fergal O’Brien, having been switched from Ben Case’s yard at some point since early December.
Aidan O’Brien makes his Essex debut when U S S Michigan runs in a conditions race there. This could be O’Brien’s Kentucky Derby horse, we are told, and the associated palaver has made him favourite. I’m happy to oppose with 7-2 about Dark Vision (3.35), an impressive winner of the Vintage Stakes last year who can probably be forgiven his autumn flop behind Too Darn Hot.
Huntingdon 1.40 Toodlepip 2.10 Saumur (nap) 2.45 Coole Well 3.15 Cracking Destiny 3.50 World Premier 4.20 Pique Rock 4.55 Heavenly Promise 5.25 Keen On
Wetherby 1.50 The Maestro 2.20 Ardera Cross 2.55 Reverse The Charge 3.25 Morraman 4.00 Arthur’s Sixpence 4.30 Trio For Rio 5.05 Never Up 5.40 Sharp Getaway (nb)
Chelmsford 2.00 Don’t Do It 2.30 Kimblewick 3.05 Goodnight Girl 3.35 Dark Vision 4.10 Lion Hearted 4.40 Holy Tiber 5.15 Waneen 5.50 Imperial Act
Newcastle 5.30 Extreme Appeal 6.00 Addis Ababa 6.30 Devil’s Angel 7.00 Blazing Dreams 7.30 Sylviacliffs 8.00 Munhamek
