Already this week there have been some excellent juvenile performances. Those, along with what we’re about to see this weekend at Newmarket, could help define the real pecking order for next year’s Classic hopes.
Weekday Wonders Not to Be Ignored
William Buick was called upon by John and Thady Gosden to ride their two-year-old debutant Sacred Ground at Yarmouth on Monday. The pair were successful in the one-mile novice.
The performance won’t lift your skirt up based on figures, but it was lovely on the eye. Sacred Ground was given time and was just coaxed into it by Buick. She then strode away to score by ¾ of a length from a Ralph Beckett filly.
Bred to be special! 🌟
By Kingman and out of Oaks winner Anapurna, Sacred Ground makes the perfect start to her racing career with a taking performance on debut for John and Thady Gosden…@GTYarmouthRaces | @WilliamBuickX pic.twitter.com/ZGT6i9s6Su
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 6, 2025
Beautifully bred, she’s by Kingman but more importantly she’s out of Oaks winner Anapurna. Stamina should come through from the distaff side, and she looks classy. It’s unsure what if anything she’ll do the rest of this year, but an early Oaks trial should be on the cards in the spring.
Rapid Force was handed a racecourse debut at Kempton on Wednesday. He didn’t have much to beat with only two against him, but the £1 million colt did it in style.
Rapid Force was a big-money buy for @godolphin and the two-year-old showed a good turn of foot to land the @unibet Zero% Mission EBF Novice Stakes under @WilliamBuickX. pic.twitter.com/aCApth4hgD
— Kempton Park Racecourse (@kemptonparkrace) October 8, 2025
More to the point, Godolphin had what was originally an even-money chance elsewhere, but Buick wanted to ride this one. He was backed into odds-on, ultimately going off as short as 2/5.
Winning like he did isn’t easy in a three-runner race with a potentially false pace. Rapid Force took some persuading, but under hands and heels the penny dropped late on and he kicked away to win by two lengths from a 78-rated second favourite. He’s from a sprinting family but looked like seven furlongs would suit him even now and he can’t be ignored for the Guineas.
Buick the Angle
On the same Kempton card, Cheveley Park and John Gosden ran Siren Suit, another odds-on winner at this fair track. By Churchill out of Angel’s Hideaway, Siren Suit has a mile pedigree but ran as early as April over five furlongs.
His debut was nothing to shout about but he stayed on, then ran third of 13 behind subsequent Middle Park winner Wise Approach at Ascot. Kept off the track for more than five months, he was sent over seven furlongs at Kempton and was ridden with confidence from the front by William Buick, ultimately making all.
The Siren goes off! 🚨
The talented Siren Suit takes full advantage of an easy lead to open his account in dominant style.
A Churchill colt with a bright future for the @CPStudOfficial team.
🔴🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/tNPZcRE6r4
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 8, 2025
Buick just gradually increased the tempo and kicked clear to win by 2½ lengths. Godolphin’s top jockey rode all three of these horses and has plenty more to come this month in the upper echelons of the juvenile ranks. Listen carefully to his opinion in interviews coming up, because he has the inside track.
More to Come at Newmarket’s Future Champions Festival
Though old school bettors are salivating at the prospect of Saturday’s Cesarewitch Handicap, this weekend is all about the classy juveniles. We’ll learn more, significantly more, about what the Classic markets will say over the winter.
Andrew Balding’s Mubisamah made a lovely debut at Newmarket two weeks ago. She’s back for her second start in Friday’s Oh So Sharp stakes and it’s worth keeping an eye on her progression.
The big race of the day is the Fillies’ Mile (Group 1). Aidan O’Brien’s Precise has now won three in a row and has already reached a good level. Out of a Galileo dam, she could be an Oaks hope.
Legacy Link (Gosden) goes up against her. She was fancied before her debut but is a work in progress. She was average at Newmarket, but improved plenty to win at Haydock in style and she’s moving up the ladder quickly. A Dubawi/Galileo cross, both the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks could be long-term targets.
Dance To The Music is also entered for Charlie Appleby. She could have gone to the Breeders’ Cup, but this is seen as a better target. She may be overpriced too after one defeat in conditions which didn’t suit her in Canada.
Champion Juvenile to Be Crowned
Saturday’s feature is the Dewhurst (Group 1), the crowning race for champion juveniles. Zavateri is only third in the market for Eve Johnson Houghton but is the one to beat on paper. He’s very tough, which is a virtue, but it also means he’s only just winning and something classier could come along.
Gstaad (Aidan O’Brien) has a high level of form, but he’s been beaten twice at the top level and Charlie Appleby has a handle on his form via other horses. Appleby runs Distant Storm who is now the market leader.
Distant Storm, similar to Ruling Court (Guineas winner), was an expensive breeze-up buy who failed at York. He was excellent in the Tattersalls (Group 3) last time and looks like the class angle in the race.
The Zetland Stakes could provide Derby clues. Endorsement (O’Brien) and Look To The Stars (Appleby) are both likely types.
Appleby also has a great record in the Autumn Stakes in which he runs Al Zanati. He has been targeted at this for some time, made a lovely debut, has been given 64 days to recover and improve and should have a massive chance. The excellent Karl Burke runs Hankelow against him.