Continental Classics

28th February, 2020

The seasonal returns of Highclere Classic hopefuls Fantail and Thunderous are fast approaching and their respective trainers Simon Crisford and Mark Johnston have recently covered some early closing Classic race entries on the continent.  

These entries do have to be made some way in advance and making any firm plans to run at this stage is very difficult, but they are important options to have and we will learn a lot more about them in training over the next six weeks and when they return to the racecourse in mid-April.  Both horses were unbeaten at two, Thunderous winning three times including the Listed Denford Stakes at Newbury and Fantail impressing on debut in a one-mile novice stakes.    

Thunderous, a 3yo colt by Classic winner Night Of Thunder, is out of the 1m 2f Listed-winning mare Souviens Toi.  He already holds the Derby entry made for him as a yearling and has now been entered into the German 2000 Guineas (Mehl Mulhensrennen), a Group 2 race at Cologne on 17 May, as well as the  Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), a Group 1 event over a distance of 1m 2f at Chantilly on 31 May.      

Fantail has been entered into the French 1,000 Guineas (Poule D'Essai Des Pouliches (Group 1) 1m) at Longchamp on 10 May and the French Oaks (Prix de Diane (Group 1) 1m 2f) at Chantilly on 14 June.  The daughter of Zoffany out of the 1m 2f-winning and Listed-placed High Chaparral mare Red Fantasy has also been entered into the Prix Saint-Alary (Group 1) at Longchamp on 24 May.