Irish Guineas plan for Juddmonte's talented Kingman colt Cosmic Year

A massive May weekend for the Juddmonte team began perfectly on both sides of the English Channel with impressive performances for a trio of impeccably-bred three-year-olds, headed by a Listed winner at Newmarket on the opening day of the Guineas meeting.

Cosmic Year made it three wins in as many starts, all over seven furlongs, when stamping his class on the Listed Charles II Stakes for Harry Charlton and Ryan Moore.

The three-year-old Kingman colt had been as short as 6-1 in places for Saturday's 2,000 Guineas but with Juddmonte's cup of high-class colts overflowing it was decided to aim the half-brother to dual Group 2 winner Time Test at this race instead, with one eye on the Irish 2,000 Guineas later this month.

Kingman's Craven-winning son Field Of Gold is favourite to earn Rowley Mile revenge for his sire and Juddmonte in the opening Classic of the season and Harry Charlton outlined Juddmonte's early season Classic plans for their colts.

Charlton said: “Barry [Mahon] and Prince Khalid’s family have made the right call in that they had three horses that could have run in the Guineas. Hopefully Field Of Gold can win tomorrow and we have come here today with the view of going on to the Irish Guineas and Jonquil [Greenham winner, trained by Andrew Balding] will go for the French Guineas [May 11]. If all three win, it will be great for Juddmonte."

Cosmic Year is a full-brother to the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes and Prix Quincey winner Tempus, while his aforementioned dual Group 2-winning half-brother Time Test was placed four times at the highest level including when third in the Eclipse.

Formerly standing at the National Stud in Newmarket, where he sired Charlton's Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes winner Okeechobee, Time Test relocated to Turkey for the 2025 breeding season.

They are out of Passage Of Time who won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and was favourite for the Oaks following her success in the Musidora Stakes but the daughter of Dansili finished eighth behind her stable companion Light Shift.

While Passage Of Time had the stamina to win over ten furlongs at two, Charlton believes that her son has inherited his sire's speedier genetics.

"He won’t stay further than a mile," Charlton said. "We’ll see how we go but I think the plan will still be to go to Ireland. I think that will suit him better as you generally get a good pace there [at the Curragh] with lots of space and you can ride them a bit differently. Whether that leads on to a St James’s Palace – we’ll see with the result and the result of the Guineas here tomorrow [Saturday]."

Alpine Trail and William Buick win at NewmarketCredit: John Grossick

At Chantilly, Francis-Henri Graffard recorded a double with Juddmonte newcomers in the opening two races which were for unraced three-year-olds over ten furlongs. Marlowe, a son of Siyouni, initiated the brace in the Prix de Joinville, which was quickly followed by Golden Horn filly Golden Splendour in the Prix de Manse.

Marlowe is the third runner out of Juddmonte's Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes winner and Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes second Mori, a daughter of Frankel and the multiple Group 1 winner Midday by Oasis Dream.

Three of Midday's top-level triumphs were in successive runnings of the Nassau Stakes and Winsili, another Juddmonte homebred winner of the Goodwood race, is the dam of Golden Splendour.

Derby trials on the horizon

The Aga Khan Studs' Siyouni had a double of three-year-old winners at the stunning French course where Nitoi put himself firmly in the frame for the Prix du Jockey Club with his win in the Listed Prix des Suresnes for Andre Fabre and his owner-breeders, the Wertheimers.

Nitoi is a half-brother to Junko, successful in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase and Grosser Preis von Bayern for the same connections. Off the track since last June when the Intello gelding won the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, the six-year-old is scheduled to make his comeback in Sunday's Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville at Longchamp.

Alpine Trail won the Listed Newmarket Stakes on Friday for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, leading home a 1-2 for his sire Dubawi. Appleby indicated that he will also be given an opportunity to earn his place in a Classic, in his case the Derby.

“We could now look at something like the Lingfield Derby Trial for him. Do I think he is a Derby horse? I don’t know. Like I say, he wouldn’t jump out at home but you can’t fault what he has done on the track," Appleby said. 

Bellum Justum (Oisin Murphy) wins the Blue Riband Trial at EpsomCredit: Edward Whitaker

“He is not currently entered in the Derby but we will step him up at Lingfield and see what materialises from there. He has done it all nicely today [Friday]. He showed he stays and stepping up to a mile and a half might see more improvement again – which he will need with what we are mooting for."

 A €550,000 purchase by Godolphin from the draft of Ecurie des Monceaux at the 2024 Arqana August Yearling Sale, Alpine Trail is the second foal out of Pollara. A daughter of Camelot, she won the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont and also comes from a Wertheimer family. 

Pollara is a half-sister to the Listed winner Stormina by Gulch, who is the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Silasol. 

“He was a raw Dubawi last year who just needed a bit of time. He got it and has repaid us so far," the trainer added.

Return to form for Justum

Andrew Balding saddled a Newmarket treble, with the highlight being the victory of last year's Listed Blue Riband Trial winner Bellum Justum in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes. 

The son of Sea The Stars is owned by King Power Racing and the trainer is looking forward to having runners for the operation at Royal Ascot, with the meeting very much on the agenda for Bellum Justum.

Balding said: “Bellum Justum is a high-class horse and had got some good form from last year. Obviously, the second  [Silver Knott] is a very good horse as well.

 “I am delighted because he was a big disappointment in the John Porter and it’s just nice to see him back on track. I think the cheekpieces helped and it was an excellent performance."

Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, Bellum Justum was bought for 375,000gns by Sackville Donald from Baroda Stud at Book 1 and is out of Natural Beauty, a winning Oasis Dream sibling to Group 3 winner Laaheb by Cape Cross. Their dam Maskunah is an unraced half-sister to Group 1 winners  Luso and Warrsan.

 "He has had a hard enough race today and I think we will probably wait for the Hardwicke now. It will nice to have runners with a chance for King Power at the Royal meeting," Balding, who trains Jonquil, added.

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