'We'll think about something at Royal Ascot' - Fozzy Stack outlines plans after newcomer justifies strong support

The money spoke in favour of the Fozzy Stack-trained newcomer Unexpected Issues in the opening two-year-old maiden and the outcome spoke in her favour, too, as the daughter of Starspangledbanner registered a debut success in a strong-looking maiden from which plenty of winners are likely to emerge.

In the hands of Seamie Heffernan, she had to work to get the better of the Ballydoyle newcomer Heavens Gate under Ryan Moore, and once she got there she showed a really good attitude to score by half a length, leaving her trainer hopeful he might have a Royal Ascot juvenile on his hands.

Stack also trained the filly's brother Castle Star, an even speedier juvenile in 2021, and he said: "She's going to be an early two-year-old. I suppose we'll run maybe once more and think about something at Ascot for her."

He added: "She was a little bit green, a little bit slow away and then ran around a bit. She should come forward for that. She's only worked once on grass so she should improve.

"Her brother, Castle Star, was a very good horse and he got beaten first time out so she's already done better than him! I would say she'll get six now. I was in the car with Seamie coming up so I'll talk more in depth with him going home, but if you get five here you'll get six most places. We might look for a winners' race, we'll see what's there and how she comes out of it."

Nouvel gives Barcoe hope

Kilkenny trainer Jim Barcoe has seen a few of his horses run well while hitting the proverbial crossbar of late. He was glad of the services of Monday's Athasi Stakes-winning rider Dylan Browne McMonagle, who brought the unexposed four-year-old Nouvel Espoir with a very well-timed challenge to land the second of the sprint handicaps.

Still bearing the scars of his encounter with the hind legs of his mount at the Curragh the previous day, McMonagle pounced late on the son of Harry Angel to beat the always prominent Cuban Grey by a neck.

Barcoe said: "He came on nicely from his run at the Curragh the first day and Dylan gave him a brilliant ride. He's a lovely horse and hopefully he can keep going forward.

"That was only his fifth run and he learned a lot the last day. He just hadn't had enough racing done before today and hopefully he can keep progressing as the year goes on."

McCreery on call

Willie McCreery is looking forward to Moyglare runner-up Vespertilio going for glory in Sunday's French 1,000 Guineas, and the trainer warmed up for that when the Billy Lee-ridden Concluding Call lowered the colours of odds-on favourite Uncanny in the mile fillies' maiden. It was the second leg of a double for Lee after he landed the sprint maiden earlier in the afternoon on the Paddy Twomey-trained Air Force One.

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