Al Aasy
This Sea The Stars colt makes the list as he looked a picture and really athletic before his racecourse debut in a seven-furlong novice stakes at Newmarket in October.
While he didn’t win that day, his looks didn’t deceive as he ran a race full of promise in finishing a two-and-a-quarter length third to Tom Collins.
He stayed on very nicely that day under Jim Crowley and when he stretches out over greater distances, he’s a sure-fire maiden winner with a lot of potential for loftier targets.
Born With Pride
This filly was unfancied in the market when making a 20/1 winning debut in the Listed Montrose Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket at the back-end of last season, when she ran on well under Tom Marquand to get home by a neck.
The very fact that Haggas threw her in at that level on her bow would indicate that he thinks she is above average and as that race was over a mile on heavy ground. Presumably, an Oaks trial might be her first port of call.
She does have an entry in the Kerrygold Irish Oaks at The Curragh, which might be a very suitable target as her father Born To Sea ran at the home of the Irish Classics on four occasions. That including winning a Listed race first time out before finishing second to Camelot in the Irish Derby and filling the same position behind Famous Name in the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes.
Convict
This fellow took a while to get the hang of things, beaten at least eight-and-a-half lengths on his first two outings, before not being too extended to win a Redcar maiden.
The Australia colt then ran in a mile York nursery in October, when he went down to Lucander in a thrilling finish. Just 11 days later wily Haggas stepped him up in trip a couple of furlongs and he was a revelation, flying up in another nursery at Newmarket by four lengths.
That success came off a handicap mark of 85 and he’s been raised 11lb for his troubles. While a Derby entry looks a wee bit fanciful at this stage, he could win a nice handicap or even make the progression into Listed and Group 3 contests.
Pablo Escobarr
This fellow put up his best performance when fourth last time in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold at Meydan in March, when he was doing his best work at the finish under Tom Marquand.
That performance was over a mile and a half, so you could definitely see him getting another two furlongs and with a bit of improvement turning into a Cup horse.
It’s worth remembering that he was only beaten two-and-a-quarter lengths by subsequent Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck in last year’s Lingfield Derby Trial, so a Group 3 race should be his for the taking at the very least.
Skardu
Craven Stakes hero Skardu was something of a nearly horse last season after winning his Guineas trial, but as he has strengthened into a four-year-old he could have a right season now.
After that Newmarket win, he was third to Magna Grecia in the Guineas and then fourth in the Irish equivalent.
He was knocking on the door of being top-class and he could be a major force in Group 1 and 2s this term, probably kicking off his campaign in the rearranged Lockinge Stakes if he’s ready. He’s proven on a fast surface and operates well on good ground.
Ummalnar
An intriguing inclusion as this mare has won three and been placed once in five starts. The daughter of Shamardal won her first two outings in a couple of novice stakes before being upped in class in a Listed heat at Saint-Cloud in 2018, when she finished a creditable two-and-a-quarter length third behind Shepherd Market.
Her seasonal return last year was the one poor run of her career when a beaten favourite in a Ripon handicap, but to be fair, she was squeezed for room over a furlong out and that may have had an impact on the result.
The following month she skated up on her last start in an Ascot fillies’ handicap, in which Tom Marquand hit the front over a furlong from home and the pair coasted by four lengths. She seems most effective over a mile on fast ground or an all-weather surface.
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