Under The Radar: 10 British-Trained Three-Year-Olds to Follow in 2025

[Wandering Eyes]

After Brian Sheerin provided his 10 horses to follow during the 2025 Irish Flat season, we now head to Britain where Adam Houghton has been pouring over the pedigrees and performances to narrow down his list of under-the-radar three-year-olds–including potential Classic contenders available at odds of 33-1 and 40-1 for their respective targets.

Almeric (GB)
Study Of Man (Ire) colt out of Alvarita (GB) (Selkirk)
Form: 41
Trainer: Andrew Balding

Study Of Man only has 58 two-year-olds to run for him this year, but there's enough promise among his latest crop of three-year-olds to suggest this is a stallion we're going to continue to hear plenty about in the coming months, after a blistering start to his second career at Lanwades Stud.

One such name to look out for is that of Almeric, a homebred from the family synonymous with Lanwades owner Kirsten Rausing. His maiden victory at York in October saw him become the tenth winner (from 13 runners) out of his Listed-winning dam, with the others including the G3 Kilternan Stakes scorer Alla Speranza (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}). Alvarita, in turn, is out of the dual G1 Champion Stakes heroine Alborada (GB) (Alzao), a full-sister to the three-time Group 1 winner Albanova, whose Listed-winning daughters All At Sea (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) have produced Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), respectively.

All eyes will be on Alpinista's two-year-old full-sister, recently named Alpinara, when she takes to the track this year with a 2.5 million guineas price tag on her head, but Almeric could be the one to watch after his breakthrough win on the Knavesmire, by a length from the standard-setting favourite. That appeals as strong form–the first two pulled four lengths clear of a next-time-out winner in third–and the way Almeric came home over a mile on soft ground suggests he'll be well suited by middle-distances this year.

 

Cathedral (GB)
Too Darn Hot (GB) filly out of War And Peace (GB) (Frankel {GB})
Form: 12
Trainer: Ralph Beckett

Ralph Beckett had so many promising two-year-old winners in 2024 that this list could very easily have been populated by horses trained exclusively at Kimpton Down Stables, but in the end it was Cathedral who got the nod, after she showed more than a hint of star quality in two starts last season.

The daughter of Too Darn Hot had plenty of admirers from early on last year, notably fetching the joint-top price for a filly at the Arqana May Breeze-up Sale when going the way of the Amo Racing team for €800,000. She then didn't make her debut until lining up in a six-furlong fillies' maiden at Lingfield in September, but it proved well worth the wait as she sprinted to a clear-cut win by over four lengths.

Though beaten when stepped up in class and distance for the seven-furlong G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket the following month, Cathedral arguably went through that race like the best horse, travelling powerfully into contention before being worried out of it close home by Ballydoyle second string Merrily (No Nay Never).

Certainly, Cathedral has the scope to do better as a three-year-old with only two starts under her belt, with a Classic trial such as the Nell Gwyn appealing as a suitable starting point. She should stay a mile on pedigree–her dam is an unraced half-sister to last year's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}), also trained by Beckett–and odds of 33-1 for the 1,000 Guineas surely won't last if she can build on last year's promise on her return.

 

That gear change from €800k debutante Cathedral @amoracingltd could have a smart one on their hands… pic.twitter.com/I3nbaIQrch

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 4, 2024

 

Good Banter (Ire)
Calyx (GB) colt out of The Stalking Moon (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})
Form: 211
Trainer: Clive Cox

Beaten just a head on his debut at Salisbury in August, Good Banter has since confirmed the promise of that effort with back-to-back victories on the all-weather at Wolverhampton. He was last seen winning a six-furlong novice there in November, since which time the form could hardly have worked out better, with the second, The Quiet Gent (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), and third, Don Pacifico (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), both winning next-time-out.

Good Banter ran out the winner by nearly two lengths, despite conceding 7lb to both of the placed horses, earning himself an opening BHA mark of 93. That appeals as being more than fair and he could be one to rack up a sequence in three-year-old sprint handicaps for Clive Cox and owners Paul and Clare Rooney, who enjoyed some good days with a similar type last year in James's Delight (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}), the Listed winner who pushed his rating from 88 to 110.

 

Northern Ticker (Ire)
Mehmas (Ire) gelding out of Moment Of Hope (Ire) (Casamento {Ire})
Form: 3113
Trainer: Michael Dods

If Cox is renowned as an expert handler of sprinters, then County Durham trainer Michael Dods most definitely belongs in the same category, having enjoyed notable success with Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) and Azure Blue (Ire) (El Kabeir), to name just a few.

Northern Ticker still has some to way to go if he's to be mentioned in the same breath as that trio, but he achieved a lot in a short space of time as a two-year-old, winning twice after an encouraging debut at Carlisle, before signing off with a third-place finish in the Listed Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar in October.

He was very well backed on the last occasion, returning an SP of 5-2 in a field of 19, and even in defeat there was plenty to like about his performance. He certainly travelled like the winner for much of the contest and the fact he was beaten just a length saw him emerge as the best horse at the weights, having conceded 4lb to each of the front pair.

Northern Ticker was raised to a BHA mark of 101 on the back of that run, so it will be interesting to see whether his connections test the waters in handicaps this year or pitch him straight in at the deep end. Either way, he's likely to be contesting Group races before the season is out, very much a sprinter going places.

 

Candy lands a surprise victory in the Listed William Hill Two Year Old Trophy for George Wood and Richard Spencer

@WilliamHill @Richspencer89 pic.twitter.com/tq6EKfIQQr

— Redcar Racecourse (@Redcarracing) October 5, 2024

 

Realign (Fr)
Blue Point (Ire) colt out of Maggies Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})
Form: 23
Trainer: William Haggas

Like Cathedral, Realign was an expensive purchase at the Arqana May Breeze-up Sale, when bought by Blandford Bloodstock–on behalf of Wathnan Racing–for €550,000, before showing plenty of promise without managing to get his head in front in two starts for the William Haggas yard.

Runner-up when making his debut over six furlongs at Newmarket in August, he was beaten only two lengths there by none other than Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the subsequent dual Group 1 winner who was, admittedly, giving him 7lb. Three weeks later he made his second appearance in the Convivial Maiden at York's Ebor Festival, the richest race of its type in Britain, where he posted another encouraging effort to finish third (beaten four lengths) behind the ill-fated Angelo Buonarroti (Justify).

A son of Blue Point and the Listed-placed sprinter Maggies Angel, Realign shaped over seven furlongs on the Knavesmire like a drop back to six would be in his favour, looking the biggest threat to the winner at one stage before tiring late on. A good-looking sort, he should have more to offer as a three-year-old and winning a maiden/novice is likely to be a mere formality on his way to bigger and better things.

 

Sacred Fire (GB)
Cracksman (GB) colt out of Hurricane Harriet (GB) (Bertolini)
Form: 1
Trainer(s): John and Thady Gosden

The fact Sacred Fire was an 18-1 shot when making his debut at Newmarket in early-November suggests his subsequent victory rather took his powerful connections by surprise, but it was certainly an encouraging start to his career as he edged out a well-touted rival from the Beckett yard by a neck, despite edging right throughout the final two furlongs.

The Gosden stable won the same seven-furlong novice in 2021 with the classy Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and the form of the latest edition is already working out well, with the fifth, Noble Champion (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), and seventh, Merchant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), both among the winners on the all-weather this winter.

A 70,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, Sacred Fire is the fourth winner from five runners out of his winning dam, with the others including the G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes heroine Move Swiftly (GB) (Farhh {GB}). He should progress and win more races in 2025, with a step up to a mile (and perhaps further) promising to play to his strengths.

 

Tough

Sacred Fire (Cracksman) digs deep to prevail on debut in the Cologne's German 2000 Guineas @BritishEBF Novice Stakes for John & Thady Gosden under Kieran Shoemark @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/ohP9W792dh

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 1, 2024

 

Shes Perfect (Ire)
Sioux Nation filly out of Galeaza (GB) (Galileo {Ire})
Form: 13
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes

Shes Perfect made rather hard work of her debut success in a fillies' maiden at Haydock last August, but her effort when third in the British EBF £100,000 2yo Fillies' Series Final at Goodwood a few weeks later was much more like it, suggesting she's a filly with her best days still ahead of her as a three-year-old.

In a race run on heavy ground, the daughter of Sioux Nation looked to be labouring at one stage, before making steady headway through the final two furlongs to be nearest at the line, less than three lengths behind the more aggressively-ridden winner, Love Talk (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}). Crucially, Shes Perfect was conceding 3lb to that filly, as well as the runner-up, Miss Nightfall (GB) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), who had previously finished third in the valuable sales race at Doncaster's St Leger Festival.

That appeals as very solid form, especially with the subsequent Listed winner Glamis Road (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) back in fourth. She now has a BHA mark of 100, whereas Shes Perfect has been allotted an opening mark of just 88. She's clearly thought capable of better–certainly if her French Classic entries are anything to go by–and there should be a handicap or two to be won with her, before her connections start to consider black-type options.

 

Stem (Ire)
Calyx (GB) colt out of Princess Cleopatra (Bernardini)
Form: 1
Trainer: Richard Hannon

Johnny de la Hey, the owner of high-class chasers such as Cyrname (Fr) and Pic d'Orhy (Fr), is no stranger to big-race success at Ascot through his investment in National Hunt racing, but it could be time for him to swap his tweed for top hat and tails come the summer, when the exciting Stem might have a Royal Ascot date in his diary.

There's a lot of water to pass under the bridge before then, of course, but it's fair to say that Stem could hardly have been more impressive when making a successful debut in a seven-furlong novice at Newbury last September. In a race run in conditions more suitable for National Hunt racing, the son of Calyx ploughed through the mud in a manner that his eight rivals simply couldn't live with, hitting the front inside the final two furlongs and gradually drawing clear from there to win by nine and a half lengths.

That performance seemingly didn't come as a total surprise to trainer Richard Hannon, who spoke very highly of this colt in his post-race interview. A €120,000 purchase at the Arqana May Breeze-up Sale, he looks to have a very bright future and is one to follow when he steps up in grade, with no reason why he shouldn't prove just as effective on a sounder surface.

 

Smart performance!

Stem makes an eye-catching debut as he bolts up at @NewburyRacing for @rhannonracing and Ryan Moore… pic.twitter.com/aZBxQSS9DC

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 21, 2024

 

Treble Tee (Ire)
Persian King (Ire) colt out of Sefroua (Kingmambo)
Form: 1
Trainer(s): Simon and Ed Crisford

The seven-furlong novice which went the way of Treble Tee at Newmarket last October looked a warm race of its type on paper, featuring a whole host of well-bred newcomers from powerful yards, and already its proving an informative contest with the third-, fifth- and seventh-place finishers all winning on the all-weather subsequently.

In the race itself, Treble Tee belied his inexperience with a stylish performance, really impressing with the way he put the race to bed in the final furlong as he powered to the line over two lengths clear of Mudbir (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a sibling to the multiple Group 1 winners Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) from the Gosden yard.

Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, having been bought for €55,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale, Treble Tee is one of five winners from seven runners out of his Listed-winning dam, with the others including the G3 Prix Chloe scorer Suphala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}). A scopey sort, he's very much in the mould of his sire, Persian King (Ire), and it will be no surprise if he makes significant progress from two to three. Take the odds of 40-1 for the 2,000 Guineas now, before he appears in a Classic trial.

 

Verse Of Love (GB)
Siyouni (Fr) filly out of Vercelli (GB) (Shamardal)
Form: 1
Trainer: Charlie Appleby

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin already have one ready-made Classic contender in the shape of their unbeaten G1 Fillies' Mile winner Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), while Verse Of Love must be considered an enviable second string to have waiting in the wings after her stylish debut victory in the seven-furlong fillies' maiden which kicked off the Fillies' Mile card at Newmarket.

Sent off the 2-1 favourite in a field of 15, the 'TDN Rising Star' justified that market confidence in no uncertain terms as she dished out a five-length beating to her rivals, showing her inexperience at various stages of the race but ultimately proving in a different league to the rest after moving up to lead over a furlong out.

A Godolphin homebred, Verse Of Love is the first foal out of Vercelli (GB) (Shamardal), a half-sister to four black-type winners, headed by Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a three-time Group 1 scorer in Australia. A general 16-1 chance for the 1,000 Guineas, she's another filly with the potential to advertise her claims in a trial between now and then. Even if that Classic comes a bit too soon in her development, there can be little doubt that she's a Pattern performer in the making.

 

Verse Of Love (Siyouni) makes a lovely start, travelling powerfully and pulling clear of a talented and well-bred field for Charlie Appleby, @WilliamBuickX and @godolphin @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/R9ASRAqdlZ

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 11, 2024

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