10 Dark Horses To Follow For The 2019 Flat Season

With the flat season on turf starting any day now, attentions will be turning to the speedier sorts and a bit of sunshine over the months ahead, with the five English classics starting with the 2000 Guineas in May along with their Irish and European equivalents to look forward to.

Whether we ever see another Frankel is open to question, but as they head out on to the track in many cases for their first or second seasons, the future is an unknown quantity. In that vein, what better way to keep ourselves amused over the year than a “dark horses to follow” list for 2019.

There is still plenty of National Hunt action left, however, with our Grand National tips on site now as we look to round off the campaign with a big priced winner!

1 SALTONSTALL

Two wins from ten starts for Mick Halford in Ireland at Limerick and the Curragh, he has now moved to Adrian McGuinness and may even make his racecourse debut in the Lincoln at Doncaster in the first big handicap of the season.

Runs off three pounds lower today this his last start back at the Curragh and may well have a big handicap over a mile in him at some stage this season either at home in Ireland or on his ventures overseas.

2 KING POWER

Unusually well-supported first time out at Newbury the expensive (2,500,000 Guineas) daughter of Frankel ran well enough without ever bothering the judge to come home fifth after failing to quicken up when asked.

Like the majority of the stable’s newcomers, she will have learned a lot from the experience and will be far happier on a quicker surface. Sure to win races and an interesting type to take forward.

3 DUBAI INSTINCT

Trained by the shrewd Brian Meehan with just the one race under his belt when as green as grass in a Sandown maiden, keeping on nicely to be beaten less than five lengths in sixth.

Bred to be better over nine or ten furlongs as a son of Le Havre the form of his sole race is working out well with the second third and fourth all winning since and as the money was down that day (backed from 25/1 to 14s at the off), more is confidently expected.

4 QABALA

No list would be complete without a runner from the Roger Varian stable and the winning daughter of Scat Daddy could well prove one of his better horses for the season ahead.

She looked a little headstrong on her debut yet still scored by a head in a race that is working out particularly well and can only improve with maturity. Holds a 1000 Guineas entry but may well find herself back in the winners’ enclosure at a slightly lower level.

5 VASILIEV

Owned and bred by Cheveley Park Stud the Dutch Art colt has a race or two in him for trainer Clive Cox even if he does seem likely to fall short of the highest level.

Once raced at two he was held up out the back at Kempton in late November before flying close home to go under by just a neck, leaving the impression that this was the first part of his education. The mile that day should prove ideal again and he can win his maiden plus a handicap or two this season.

6 OMNIVEGA

One more run needed to get a handicap mark for David Simcock’s Siyouni colt who was spotted running on late though beaten horses at Newmarket on his debut before unsurprisingly finding the company too much in the Group Three Autumn Stakes at the same track in October.

Needs to be campaigned at the appropriate level as a three-year-old but looks capable of picking up a decent handicap at some time, and one to think about all season with a little juice in the ground likely to suit him perfectly.

7 NEFERTITI

Plenty of well-bred or expensively bought horses have fallen by the wayside over the years but hopefully this daughter of Galileo will prove an exception.

Immaturity kept her off the track at two but work watchers in Newmarket have been calling her name for some time now with some well-known bookmakers introducing her into the Epsom Oaks odds at big prices.

That would be a huge ask, but she is clearly decent and ought to win races if placed correctly by trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

8 BIELSA

Our second older horse at the age of four and one that seems best equipped for handicaps this season over distances up to a mile for shrewd trainer Kevin Ryan who seems sure to place him to great effect.

Well backed when winning on his Redcar debut on soft ground he won’t mind a bit of cut this year either and looks the sort to turn up at a big price in a top class handicap at the likes of Royal Ascot Goodwood or York with a bit of luck.

9 SANGARIUS

Another for Sir Michael Stoute and a decent sort at two with wins at Newmarket and Doncaster before being stepped up in class to take on the very best in the Dewhurst Stakes back at Newmarket last October.

Although beaten eight and a half lengths that day he would have been much closer with a clear run and as a son of Kingman he is bred to be far better as a three-year-old. Holds 2000 Guineas entries in England and Ireland and should pay his way in the better races as the season progresses.

10 JAHAFIL

If you are looking for a homebred that would have gone for millions at the sales then look no further than the John Gosden filly.

A daughter of Kingman who was a top-class Group One miler out of the extraordinary Taghrooda she was too backward to see a racecourse at two but is bred to do better at three regardless and is reported to have pleased connections over the winter.

Our daily racing tips can be found on site each evening, with greyhound selections to go alongside!