Ross Millar's Juvenile Watch: Look out for Shivraj up in trip

Mise En Scene put herself forward as a filly of huge potential with a gutsy performance to win the Group Three Prestige Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.

This was a big step forward from her debut win at Haydock in early July, albeit when impressive.

She travelled well, bordering on being too keen, in the opening stages and handled the bend well.

Her jockey, Oisin Murphy, briefly had to wait to extricate himself from a pocket on the rail before Mise En Scene showed great tenacity and reserves of stamina to get on top close home.

Connections have tentatively nominated the Fillies’ Mile as her next and seemingly last target of this season, with Murphy suggesting that plenty of time between races has suited her well.

She was arguably a comfortable winner, despite only getting to the front in the shadow of the post, and stepping up further in trip seems certain to suit her even more.

She possesses a high class pedigree, with her dam, Gadfly, by Galileo, being a half-sister to 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa.

Mise En Scene’s sire, Siyouni, has crossed particularly well with Galileo mares, having already produced this year’s leading three-year-old middle-distance colt, St Marks Basilica, plus 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, Sottsass.

This pedigree combined with an already high level of performance, marks Mise En Scene out as a filly that will surely take high rank going forward.

It would be untrue to suggest that the runner up, Daneh, didn’t stay the 7f trip. I think it was simply a case of the winner seeing things out better.

However, the turn of foot shown by Daneh, as they approached the final furlong, was impressive as she quickly took lengths out of the field.

I would be very interested to see her over a stiff six-furlongs where that acceleration, combined with her strong travelling style, could prove potent.

As we head towards the autumn I’ve asked a few connections to name an as yet, unraced juvenile that they are looking forward to seeing in action.

This week trainer James Ferguson has nominated Deauville Legend, a son of Sea The Stars who changed hands for €200,000 as a yearling, as one he’s most looking forward to seeing.

Soho Rose, his dam, was a winner over a mile as a two-year old, and it’s over this trip, at Haydock on Thursday (3.15), that Deauville Legend will make his debut.

Shivraj (Michael Bell)

As a son of the high class Invincible Spirit out of dual Oaks winner Sariska, it’s almost certain that nurseries were not the plan for this colt.

But after three runs he has yet to trouble the judge and finds himself with what might turn out to be a lenient mark of 62.

His debut over 7f at Newmarket came in a very hot novice contest won by Lusail, the subsequent dual Group Two winner.

On that occasion, Shivraj faded late on but not before showing a glimmer of ability.

His past two starts have been over 6f. At Nottingham, he again looked green and never got competitive. And then, on his latest start at Windsor, he struggled to hold his place in the middle part of the race before rallying in the closing stages, sugggseting he will have plenty more to offer when upped in trip.

Sherdil, who finished just over two lengths ahead at Windsor, had already shown a fair level of ability and has been given a mark of 74.

I’ve added Shivraj to my Racing TV Tracker and will be keen to support him in nurseries over 7f or more.

Emperor Caradoc (Bryan Smart)

He’s a colt by Siyouni out of a dam line that has plenty of stamina.

Having been declared a non-runner over 7f on account of firm ground, he instead made his debut at Carlisle over 6f, finishing sixth. He was betrayed by inexperience in the early stages and would not have been helped by racing on the wing of the field.

It took a good while for him to get the hang of things when asked by Graham Lee for his finishing effort but, once the penny dropped, he did some nice work late on.

I think he’s well capable of winning in a similar grade when upped to 7f.