Space Blues is an ultra progressive sort who looks worth siding with at 11/4 with Betway to take the step up into Group 2 company in his stride and landed the 7f Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday (15:05).
This Godolphin owned three-year-old son of Dubawi has taken his form to a new level this season since being dropped in trip.
After defying top weight to easily land a competitive 19-runner class 3 handicap at York by two lengths from Reeves, Charlie Appleby’s charge followed-up in good style when beating Urban Icon by a neck in the Listed seven furlong Surry Stakes at the Epsom Derby Festival.
Space Blues raced keenly early doors in the latter and was held-up until making stealthy headway two from home on the outside of the field.
He then took up the running approaching the final furlong, and only had to be shaken up by James Doyle to be kept up to his work and readily hold off the late challenge of the runner-up.
Space Blues scored with far more in hand than the winning margin suggests and it was an authoritative display, so he is fully expected to confirm the form with Urban Icon.
Judged on the way in which he got the job done, there is even better to come from this beautifully bred sort. Space Blues is a perfect two from two of the 7f trip of this.
He hails from an in-form yard who have already tasted success at the meeting as a result of Blue Point retaining his crown in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes.
There is simply nothing not to like about the profile of Space Blues, so he had to feature as the main selection in this Jersey Stakes preview.
Happy Power a key player
The Andrew Balding trained Happy Power is another firmly heading in the right direction and looks sure to go well under champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa.
This King Power Racing owned three-year-old, who can be backed at 13/2 with BetVictor, has won four of his seven starts.
He was very impressive at Newbury on seasonal reappearance when quickening clear to impressively land a handicap by five lengths from the aforementioned Reeves.
Happy Power backed that up with a solid 1 1/2 lengths third to Safe Voyage in a Listed contest at Haydock.
The winner has since followed-up in a Group 3 at the same venue, so that gives the form a solid look.
He then got back to winning ways eight days ago at Newbury when running on strongly to comfortably beat Waadilsafa in the Listed 1m Ganton Stakes.
That was a career-best performance and the drop back to 7f is not an issue as Happy Power is two from three over it.
It is far from ideal, however, is that he is drawn right on the far side in stall one. At the time of writing, middle to high numbers have had a huge advantage on the straight course.
Getting Happy Power into a good early position will take all the skill of SDS, but if he can then he looks the one most likely to give Space Blues most to think about.
Momkin the each-way value
Momkin has form in the book which makes him look the each-way value in the Jersey Stakes at the 12/1 on offer with Paddy Power.
This Roger Charlton trained son of Bated Breath won one of his three starts as a juvenile and ran a blinder on seasonal reappearance when runner-up in the Group 3 Craven Stakes over a mile at Newmarket.
Momkin found himself short of room at the vital stage inside the final furlong but, when finally getting some space, ran on strongly to go down by just a neck to Skardu.
The winner has on to finish a fine third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, fourth in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh, and a close up 1 1/2 lengths fourth to Circus Maximus in the Group 1 St James’s Palace here earlier in the week.
That gives the form a strong looks in relation to this, especially given how the race panned out.
Momkin himself was also far from disgraced when 10th to Magna Grecia in the 2000 Guineas when making headway to hold every chance a furlong from home, before weakening to be beaten 8 1/4 lengths.
Judged on that effort, the drop back to the 7f trip os this may well suit.
Momkin is now reunited with Andrea Atzeni for the first time since landing his sole career success at Newbury 11 months ago.
It makes him a fascinating contender and a repeat of his run in the Craven would give him every chance of hitting the frame at least.
