Qatar Racing youngsters out to star at HQ
Qatar Racing has runners in three two-year-old Group races at Newmarket across Friday and Saturday.
First up is homebred Lightening Quick who bids to take her record to two from two in the Gr. 2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes over seven furlongs at 3.00pm on Friday. She booked her place in the field when making a winning debut in a big-field maiden at Leopardstown three weeks ago, showing an impressive turn of foot to mow down an experienced Ballydoyle filly who had got first run. Trained by Ger Lyons, who also trained her dam Lightening Pearl, Lightening Quick is among the Rockfel favourites and we're excited about her prospects.
Lightening Pearl famously won the 2011 Gr. 1 Cheveley Park Stakes carrying Sheikh Fahad's Pearl Bloodstock colours, and bidding to win the six-furlong race for Qatar Racing at 2.20pm on Saturday are Treasuring (pictured) and Special Purpose. Treasuring is already a Group winner having made all in the Gr. 3 Curragh Stakes over five furlongs at the Curragh last time, and she's bred to relish this extra furlong. She's bound to give it her best shot as she tries to give her Qatar Bloodstock-owned sire Havana Gold a Gr. 1 winner in his first crop. Special Purpose is also a tough sort, only narrowly beaten in the Gr. 3 Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury last time, and both fillies deserve their chance in this race.
Also in Group-race action on Saturday is the unbeaten Roaring Lion who puts his reputation on the line in the Gr. 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile (1.50pm). He made a winning debut on Newmarket's July course in August and was even more impressive when following up under a penalty in a Kempton novice earlier this month, streaking clear to win by six lengths. He's bred to come into his own over middle distances next year, so is another youngster we have high hopes for.
Qatar Racing will also be represented in the valuable and historic Cambridgeshire Handicap (3.35pm) on Saturday, a cavalry charge featuring 35 horses over nine furlongs. Three-year-olds have won two of the last five renewals, and among that age group this year is Naval Warfare who won a handicap on the July course in August and ran just as well when fourth in Listed company at Sandown last time. He's very tough and has genuine claims of giving a first Cambridgeshire win to Qatar Racing, trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy.