Cosmic Year and Nightwalker look top prospects.
Juddmonte enjoyed a successful day at the races on Wednesday, highlighted by the impressive performances of two juveniles that suggest a wealth of potential ahead, alongside a triumph in the feature event at Sandown.
At Sandown, the Harry Charlton-trained Cosmic Year made a stunning debut in the Sir Michael Stoute – Farewell And Thank You Novice Stakes, riding under the guidance of Oisin Murphy. This victory earned him an enticing 33-1 quote for the upcoming 2000 Guineas from Paddy Power.
In a delightful twist of fate at Yarmouth, Nightwalker, trained by the renowned Stoute, followed up on his promising third-place debut in a competitive field by leading from start to finish in the EBF Future Stayers Maiden Stakes, with Ryan Moore in the saddle on his birthday.
Both of these talented two-year-olds boast impressive Juddmonte bloodlines. Cosmic Year (5-2) is sired by Kingman, out of the Group One-winning mare Passage Of Time. Meanwhile, Nightwalker is a half-brother to Whitebeam, a US Grade One winner, and hails from the same lineage as the St Leger winner Logician.
"It's been a good day at the office," stated Juddmonte's Barry Mahon. "Harry highlighted that Cosmic Year showed exceptional potential some time ago, and Oisin, who rode him, echoed that sentiment, which heightened our excitement to see him in action today."
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Cosmic Year (Kingman) makes an impressive start to his career with a convincing debut win under @oismurphy for @HarryJCharlton 💥@Sandownpark | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/YxjfS7E6DU
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 18, 2024
Mahon noted that, despite their impressive home performances, the two-year-olds had never been fully challenged until today. "It was gratifying to see Cosmic Year demonstrate a change of gear when called upon, indicating he’s an exciting prospect. With a pedigree like his, being related to Time Test and Tempus, and coming from a mare like Passage Of Time, he’s bred to excel and also looks physically impressive."
Regarding Cosmic Year’s future, Mahon expressed a desire for one more outing this season in a suitable stakes race. "It would be beneficial to give him more experience before the spring, as Group One races will come thick and fast then, and having experience is crucial."
At Yarmouth, Nightwalker (6-5) fended off the well-backed Ultrasoul, who had previously performed admirably in the Convivial maiden at York.
Mahon elaborated on Nightwalker's debut, noting, "He was quite green during his first run and ended up being stuck on the wing. Ryan, who had worked him a few times, expressed confidence in him, and I believe he has the makings of a promising horse capable of handling a mile and a quarter next year. Ideally, Michael would like him to race one more time this year, especially since it was nice to win the race named in his honor at Sandown."
In contrast, Juddmonte experienced a rare setback with Jonquil last week at Doncaster, who had impressed on debut at Sandown but failed to perform in the Flying Scotsman. "Ryan felt he was quite flat and was beaten by halfway. He checked out fine afterward, so we’ll attribute it to him being flat and the race perhaps coming too soon," Mahon explained.
