Timeform's Top Juveniles: April 20-26

at 6:00 am | Back to: Europe, Shared News Europe

Updated: May 1, 2026 at 6:44 am

Tribeca (purple) | Racingfotos.com

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The pick of last week's maiden/novice winners sported the familiar purple silks of Amo Racing, bringing to an end the Ballydoyle domination of what is always an informative contest at Navan.

=4. FINAL APPEAL (IRE)
Inns Of Court (Ire) – Olive Branch (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
Timeform performance rating: 82

Following a narrow defeat at Nottingham on April 8, Final Appeal fully confirmed the promise of that debut effort when going one place better in the 5f novice run at Wolverhampton on April 21, making all to win by over three lengths with plenty in hand.

Final Appeal was awarded a Timeform master rating of 82p following this emphatic success, which saw him pay a compliment to the horse who beat him a shade cosily at Nottingham, Rotelle (Showcasing). As a result, Rotelle has had his master rating boosted to 83p, with both horses remaining open to more improvement.

Certainly, Final Appeal is in the best possible hands with Karl Burke, invariably one of Britain's most prolific trainers in this division. A €37,000 purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, he is the second winner out of Olive Branch, whose three Group-winning siblings include the G1 The Metropolitan hero Sir John Hawkwood (Sir Percy).

 

 

=4. KING'S PRIZE (GB)
Too Darn Hot (GB) – Award Scheme (GB), by Siyouni (Fr)
Timeform performance rating: 82

Royal runner King's Prize created a good impression when making a successful debut in the 6f fillies' novice run at Nottingham on April 26, continuing the fast start made by Ralph Beckett with his two-year-olds this season.

Odds-on favourite Phalanx Nation (Sioux Nation) attempted to dominate from the outset, showing good early speed before being headed entering the final furlong by King's Prize. From there the winner quickly asserted in the style of a useful prospect, ultimately winning by a length and a half from the running-on Dubai Charm (Blackbeard), who edged out Phalanx Nation for second.

It's a race which promises to throw up plenty of winners, with King's Prize arguably deserving extra credit for coming out on top over a trip which is likely to prove short of her best if her pedigree is anything to go by. Indeed, this family is chock-full of talented middle-distance performers, including the dam, Award Scheme, who was twice placed at Listed level at up to 12f.

 

 

=2. MATTEO (IRE)
Coulsty (Ire) – Debutante's Ball (Ire), by Society Rock (Ire)
Timeform performance rating: 83

It was probably a thin race in which Matteo made his debut at Beverley on April 23, but that shouldn't be held against him, such was the manner in which he dismissed his eight rivals. Sent off the 2/1 favourite for that 5f novice, he soon settled matters after tanking to the front over two furlongs out, drawing clear thereafter to win easily by nearly five lengths.

The timefigure provides a bit of substance to the form and, with further progress on the cards, Matteo should be up to defying a penalty in a similar event before his sights are raised.

Much like stablemate Where Love Lives (Cotai Glory) – who ran to a Timeform performance rating of 86 when making a winning debut at Thirsk on April 10 – Matteo was a relatively inexpensive yearling purchase by that shrewd combination of Kevin Ryan and Stephen Hillen. The second winner out of Debutante's Ball, he was picked up for €43,000 at Book 2 of the Goffs Orby.

 

 

=2. SIOUXPERB (GB)
Sioux Nation – Swing Out Sister (Ire), by Kodiac (GB)
Timeform performance rating: 83

It paid to follow the money when Siouxperb made his debut at Yarmouth on April 21. Facing five other newcomers in a 6f novice, he was very well backed on the day and duly gave his supporters very few anxious moments when justifying 4/6 favouritism at his leisure, making every yard of the running to register a four-length verdict.

Another two-year-old winner to have had the reported benefit of a barrier trial, Siouxperb certainly knew his job as he emulated some talented relatives from what is a very precocious family. Indeed, he is the third two-year-old winner out of Swing Out Sister, with the others including this colt's full-brother, Ancestral Land, who also finished third in the G3 Horris Hill Stakes. A 5f winner herself at two, Swing Out Sister is notably out of a half-sister to the G1 Sprint Cup-winning sire Red Clubs.

Bought for 110,000gns at the Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Siouxperb features in what looks a strong team of juveniles assembled by Archie Watson for 2026. Having already won two-year-old races at Royal Ascot with Soldier's Call (Windsor Castle Stakes) and Bradsell (Coventry Stakes), Watson could be very well represented again there next month, with Siouxperb looking as exciting as any from the stable at this early stage.

 

 

1. TRIBECA (IRE)
Blue Point (Ire) – Tina Angelina (Ire), by Dansili (GB)
Timeform performance rating: 86

The near-6f maiden run at Navan on April 25 has been dominated by Aidan O'Brien in recent years, with the subsequent Group winners Aesop's Fables, River Tiber, Camille Pissarro and Charles Darwin rattling off four consecutive wins for the stable between 2022 and 2025.

West Of Eden (No Nay Never) was sent off the 5/6 favourite to continue the winning sequence for Ballydoyle in the latest edition but, in the event, he never threatened to get seriously involved as Amo Racing and Anne O'Callaghan's Tribeca made virtually all to beat Barrow Boy (Bayside Boy) by half a length. The runner-up was doing his best work late on, looking one to follow in a similar event next time, but Tribeca was always holding on to kick off his career in the best possible fashion.

A 575,000gns purchase at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tribeca is out of a winning full-sister to the dual Group 3 scorer Carla Bianca. Tina Angelina and Carla Bianca are also half-sisters to Joailliere (Dubawi), the Listed-winning dam of the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Homeless Songs (Frankel). Whilst there is plenty of stamina on the distaff side of Tribeca's pedigree, the speed he showed here suggest he's built more in the image of his sire, Blue Point.

 

 

Timeform's Top-Rated Two-Year-Olds (in Britain and Ireland)*

97p    Great Barrier Reef
97      Adonius
94p    Adaay Of Scarlett
92p    A Bear Affair
92p    Maria Quiteria (f)
90p    Dance A Jig
90p    Star Prospect

*Up to and including racing on Sunday, April 26

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