Spyce ready to take on the big boys in the Zetland at Newmarket on Saturday

October 9

Alan would be the first to admit that he has never had a stronger team of two-year-olds than he has this season. They might only number nine, but several have shown the quality to suggest that they could dip their toes in Pattern waters before too long.

Spyce is definitely among them, and Alan is really looking forward to seeing how he shapes when stepping up to G3 company for the G3 Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Doubtless, the form students will pick holes in Spyce’s form – Frescobaldi, who beat him first time out in the Convivial Stakes at York, subsequently failed to make the frame in a Listed race at Doncaster, while Nova Centauri, who finished third when Spyce confirmed that Knavesmire promise when breaking his maiden at Yarmouth, has since been beaten at odds-on at Southwell.

But Alan has always held Spyce in high esteem – why else would he have forked out 280,000gns to buy him at the Breeze-Up Sales ? – and his policy is to focus on what our horse can do rather than worry about the opposition.

Saturday’s race is over a mile and a quarter, so will be a severe test for the juveniles, though against that at least we look like getting perfect ground.

Alan said:”Yarmouth was a seriously hot maiden, and the first two pulled well clear of the rest. Spyce will have learned plenty from that and he had only been on the grass twice before that race – one at the breeze-up sales and then when he ran so promisingly at York.”

The step up in trip could also be a plus for Spyce. He comes from the same family as Seal of Approval, who won the G1 Fillies & Mares on Champions Day at Ascot in 2013, and Spyce was also doing all his best work crossing the line, both at York and Yarmouth.

Stamina is also a strong suit for Barnso, who accompanies Spyce in the horsebox to Newmarket, his target being the second leg of the autumn double, the Godolphin Cesarewitch run over two and a quarter miles.

Barnso was having his first race for Barbury and his first for 14 months when he ran at Glorious Goodwood, and it was an encouraging debut as it was only at the furlong-pole when his long absence started to tell and  he lost touch with the leading group.

Remember, when previously trained in Ireland Barnso was only beaten three lengths in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot, and he also belied his big odds when finishing a highly creditable fourth to the mighty Kythnos at Navan last April. Sure, Barnso will be one of the outsiders on Saturday, but he should be a lot sharper after that Goodwood run and is an interesting runner.

Finally, on Saturday we have Insanity dropping down in trip for what looks a trappy handicap over the extended 10 furlongs at York. Connor Beasley, who rode Insanity when he won at Ayr in June, is back on board, and the gelding remains in cracking form, having produced a career-best performance when beaten only a neck in a Heritage Handicap (12f) at the Ebor meeting. If he can cope with this shorter distance he, too, could be in the money.