If you’re going to name a horse after one of the most famous stretches of London’s West End, he’d better have some “theatrical” presence. At Navan this Monday, Shaftesbury Avenue didn’t just perform; he shut down the box office.
Trained by the master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O’Brien, this three-year-old son of Maxfield arrived with the kind of price tag that makes accountants sweat and bloodstock agents purr: a cool $1,000,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. After a promising debut at the Curragh, he stepped out in first-time cheekpieces for the Vintage Crop Raceday Maiden, and the transformation was night and day.
Ridden by the ever-reliable Wayne Lordan, Shaftesbury Avenue moved through the heavy ground like a “unit”a term usually reserved for heavy machinery, but entirely appropriate for a colt of his imposing stature. Lordan sent him forward early, and while he was briefly headed by the Aga Khan’s Tashakour, the “millionaire” simply shifted through the gears. He didn’t just win; he asserted himself with the casual indifference of a horse who knows he’s the most expensive thing on the premises.
Lordan’s post-race assessment was a classic of the genre:
“He’s his own worst enemy in that he doesn’t do a stroke and doesn’t show you everything… he’s lazy and parks up in front.”
In horse racing, “lazy” is often code for “I have so much natural ability I don’t feel the need to try.” If this was Shaftesbury Avenue half-asleep, the rest of the three-year-old division might want to start worrying about what happens when he actually wakes up.
Tomorrow’s Card: Tuesday, March 31st
As we roll into the final day of March, the focus shifts to a mix of tactical jumping and late-night Tapeta grinding. Here is the breakdown for the UK and Irish action.
📍 The Venues
Bangor-on-Dee (Jump): Starting at 14:15. Expect “Good to Soft” conditions. A track for nimble jumpers who can handle the tight turns.
Newcastle (Jump): Starting at 14:30. Traditional Northern jumping where stamina is often the deciding factor.
Limerick (Ireland – Jump): Starting at 16:10. A heavy-ground specialist’s dream. It’s a seven-race card featuring some intriguing juvenile hurdles.
Wolverhampton (All-Weather): Starting at 17:30. The evening shift on the Tapeta for those who prefer their racing under the floodlights.
Timeform Analysis & Best Rated
For those looking for the “pinstickers” backed by data.
🐎 Timeform Analysis: The Ones to Watch
The NAPs: March 31st
🇮🇪 Irish NAP: Ballyhahill (Limerick, 16:10)
Gordon Elliott sends Ballyhahill to the opener at Limerick, and with Jack Kennedy booked, the intent is clear. This four-year-old looks to have a significant edge in class over this field and handles the testing conditions better than most.
UK 🇬🇧 Timeform NAP: Smokeringinthedark (16:00 Newcastle). Rationale: This horse is currently “ahead of the handicapper” according to Timeform’s p (large improvement expected) rating.
OLBG Community NAP: I C U In My Dreams (15:00 Newcastle) Note: Showing a 100% NAP success rate in recent expert picks.
Value NAP: Anyharminasking (15:50 Bangor-on-Dee), Note: Targeted as an Each-Way NAP by several Timeform analysts at 9/1.
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Silks and Shenanigans 