Looking at four of the most promising flat horses to look out for in 2020 (Photo credit: © Martin Applegate | Dreamstime.com)
Filled with stories of triumph over adversity, racing is a sport defined by the ability to overcome the odds, and there’s no doubt in our minds that it will be business as usual again before we know it.
Indeed, it seems to us that there’ll be plenty of exciting on-track action left for us to enjoy in 2020, and a large amount of it is likely to come from a few particularly promising names. With a selection of top-quality three and four-year-olds already having shown some serious form, these are the flat horses that we’re most looking forward to seeing back out on the track before the year’s end.
Pinatubo
Owned, as all the best horses seem to be, by Godolphin, one of the most promising young horses on the track at the moment is three-year-old Pinatubo. Having shown great form in his two-year-old season, with six wins from the same number of starts, among them the Grade 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, he wintered with the inimitable Charlie Appleby, and is expected to burst back onto the scene when racing resumes. Awarded a phenomenal score of 128 in the 2019 European Classifications, he’s believed to be a strong contender for the 2000 Guineas, scheduled to take place in May.
Art Power
Bred with speed in mind, Art Power is another natural choice for this list. The three-year-old is owned by King Power Racing, the handsome grey is by Dark Angel out of Evening Time. He got off to a satisfactory but not amazing start in his first season, finishing third on his debut, but then set the track alight in his second race, when he won by five lengths in front of a roaring crowd at York. Perfectly summed up by Tim Easterby as a “little machine”, many believe that the eventual aim of his connections will be to enter him into the Commonwealth Cup – with, dare we say it, a real chance of winning.
Quadrilateral
Always guaranteed to hot up the on-track action, three-year-old Quadrilateral has so far proven herself to have astonishing form. Going into her winter quarters unbeaten, the Roger Charlton-trained youngster has won all three of her impressive runs so far. Seemingly being aimed at the Classics, this little horse’s breeding indicates that she has the potential to go all the way, being by the legendary Frankel and out of mare Nimble Thimble. Certainly, she was (fairly) installed as the favourite for the 1,000 Guineas in the horse betting, with much to suggest that she’s one to watch.
Last Look
Last but not least is, fittingly, Last Look. A full sister of Farhh, this mare got off to a rather belated start on the track, not being entered into her first race until she was three, but she quickly proved herself a force to be reckoned with. Taking three wins in three starts, it seems likely that Godolphin will aim to get some black type on her pedigree, with a view to achieving this in the 2020 season. This means her upcoming career moves could make for some very interesting runs.
Tell us, which of these four rising stars of the racetrack as you most excited to see in 2020?
