Juvenile colts Naval Power and Highbank laid down significant early markers for next year’s Classics with impressive victories in the UK on Saturday.
Naval Power completed a hat-trick with a dominant display in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot, a race that has helped launch the careers of subsequent G1 winners Raven’s Pass and Naval Crown.
A crack at G1 company is also on the cards for Naval Power and the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster looks a likely end of season target for the unbeaten Teofilo homebred.
Highbank made an exciting introduction at Newmarket as the son of Kingman powered through the field to score by nearly four lengths. This year’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Modern Games captured the same race 12 months ago and Highbank looks set to have his sights raised to Group company, with the G3 Solario Stakes at Sandown Park a potential next step.
Fellow two-year-old Yakushima also made a winning debut on the same day in Japan. A great-grandson of Teofilo through his sire Havana Grey, the GB-bred colt looks to have a bright future following a cosy length success in a newcomers’ race at Kokura.
In North America, Nostalgic acquitted herself well as she finished third behind this season’s top three-year-old fillies, Nest and Secret Oath, in Saratoga’s G1 Coaching Club American Oaks.
Mysterious Night will be hoping to continue the good run of juveniles this week when he looks to emulate Pinatubo with victory in the G2 Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Modern Games will take the place of Coroebus in the meeting’s feature G1 Sussex Stakes, with the latter set to tackle the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville next month following treatment for an abscess.
New London gets the chance to advance his St Leger claims in Thursday’s G3 Gordon Stakes, while established performers Lazuli, Passion And Glory and Rebel’s Romance also hold Goodwood entries.