Arrest, the son of Frankel trained by John and Thady Gosden, is being considered for Newbury's John Porter Stakes as a potential starting point for the upcoming season. The connections of this four-year-old colt, who finished as the runner-up in last year's St Leger, are confident that he can establish himself as a high-quality middle-distance competitor this year.
n 2023, Arrest had an impressive debut as a three-year-old, winning the Chester Vase, which made him the favourite at 4-1 for the Derby. However, he struggled with the challenging terrain at Epsom on fast summer ground. Nevertheless, towards the end of the season, he showed his true abilities and came close to improving his record in classic races, providing jockey Frankie Dettori with a final successful ride at Doncaster.
Having previously won the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, Arrest is now set to return there for the mile-and-a-half John Porter race on 20th April. The Arrest team hopes that this will be the first step in a season that includes several prestigious targets. Barry Mahon, the European racing manager for Juddmonte, the owner of Arrest, acknowledged that the Derby was a mistake due to unsuitable ground conditions and track but expressed confidence in the colt's potential to compete in top mile-and-a-half races throughout the year.
Juddmonte also has high expectations for Laurel, another horse trained by John and Thady Gosden. Laurel had a disrupted campaign last year but showed promise by winning Kempton's Snowdrop Stakes. Although her attempt at the Lockinge proved challenging, she was considered a top contender for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot before being sidelined by injury. The primary goal for Laurel in the early part of 2024 is to participate in the Group Two race at Royal Ascot, and the connections aim to ensure she reaches peak condition for the summer event.
Currently, Laurel is back in training and progressing well. The plan is to give her a preparatory run at the end of May or the beginning of June before heading straight to Royal Ascot, provided she remains free of any injuries. With good fortune, Laurel, the daughter of Kingman, has the potential to be an exciting prospect for the year.