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The 5f novice stakes on the Victoria Cup card at Ascot on Saturday is known for producing a good juvenile with subsequent Group winners Go Bears Go and Noble Style taking the race in 2021 and 2022. Plenty will be said about the reputation of these colts, but what do the pedigrees look like?
Valour And Swagger (Blue Point x Music Chart)
Valour And Swagger was first-season sire Blue Point's second winner when he took a novice stakes event at Windsor on the 17th of April and the stallion has since recorded three more. His dam, Music Chart (Exchange Rate), succeeded in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial for Godolphin before finishing third in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas and her two other raced offspring (One Vision and Miss Blue Sky) have shown their best form over a mile to ten furlongs.
Golden Arrow (Havana Grey x Music Pearl)
Although dam Music Pearl has produced a ten-furlong winner, her best offspring have performed over sprinting distances. Golden Arrow's half-brother Born To Finish (Dark Angel) is a prolific ten-race winner in handicap company and Music Pearl has produced three other individual winners (Mark Of Respect, Arden Pearl and Pepsi Cat).
Natural Force (Land Force x Delevigne)
Land Force is a first-season sire that may have not received the same billing as stallions such as Ten Sovereigns and Blue Point. Standing for £5000 at Highclere Stud, the son of No Nay Never hails from the family of Coolmore legends Magical and Rhododendron. Winner of the Group 2 Richmond Stakes, he covered 155 mares in his debut book and represents commercial value for those looking for a Black Type pedigree on a low budget.
Ocean Runner (Blue Point x Most Beautiful)
Blue Point is triple-handed in the novice stakes and Ocean Runner may prove to be the quicker of the pair. His dam Most Beautiful was a winner of the 6f Group 3 Grangecon Stud Stakes at the Curragh as a juvenile and her only other raced offspring (Ludo's Landing) contests the mile handicap on the same card.
Son (Too Darn Hot x Mia Diletta)
Sire Too Darn Hot is yet to produce a winner and this colt may be seen to better effect over a little further in time. Out of Italian Listed winning mare Mia Diletta (Selkirk), he is a half-brother to Poetta Diletto (Poet's Voice), successful in Italian Group Three company over a mile and Mia Eccellenza (Exceed and Excel) who was Listed placed.
South Shore (Blue Point x Angel's Glory)
It looks to be a sensible move by the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum breeding operation to inject some additional speed by pairing seven-furlong winner Angel's Glory with Blue Point. This colt will be the first foal to reach the track.
Western (Magna Grecia x Murhibaany)
Dam Murhibaany (Elusive Quality) was unraced by Shadwell Farm, but she boasts an excellent Black Type pedigree as a full-sister to the Listed-placed Wid and half-sister to Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes victor Farhaan (Jazil). Another half-brother Haatheq (Seeking The Gold) was a prolific winner in the UAE, with eleven career victories including at Stakes level. It is a pedigree which suggests a longer distance may suit Western in time.