Stable Musings With Roger Varian

By Chris McGrath

So much for the theory that Flat trainers spend the British winter in hibernation. On Monday, Roger Varian had three winners from four runners on the Polytrack at Chelmsford, and was pleasantly surprised to buy a half-brother to Harbour Watch (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) for 100,000 guineas at the December Yearling Sale. There is no standing still, plainly, for a trainer who has rapidly established himself as a worthy successor to his late mentor, Michael Jarvis, since taking over at Kremlin House Stables in 2011.

Trainer of eight Group 1 winners already, at just 35, Varian now presides over one of the most powerful strings in Newmarket. His rise reflects an exemplary balance between personal modesty and professional assurance, which proved equal even to the furore that accompanied the arrival of 35 horses removed by Sheikh Obaid al Maktoum– including Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.–from the yard of Luca Cumani.

But it is horses with rather less obvious credentials that TDN sought in the first of a short series designed to keep readers ahead of the curve in 2016: one that might not have had the rub of the green this year, perhaps, and another that maybe remains unexposed after just getting started.

Varian places Battersea (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) squarely in the former category. “I'm sure we didn't see the best of him this season,” he said. “He was a highly progressive 3-year-old last year, but was slow to get going this time round after a setback early on and ended up only running three times. Two of those runs, in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock and then a good race at Goodwood, were on good to soft going, which wouldn't get the best out of him–he's a top-of-the-ground horse. And I then thought he was very unlucky when second in the Mallard at Doncaster's St Leger meeting, slammed on the inside for a couple of furlongs. So for one reason or another he missed out this year, and he's now rising five, but with his pedigree–he's out of Gino's Spirits (GB) (Perugino), making him a half-brother to Gitano Hernando (GB) (Hernando {Fr})–he could be the sort to come strong next year.”

As a trainer who tries to get horses progressing from a solid base, meanwhile, Varian is able to choose from several 2-year-olds that have encouraged him in the little they have been asked to do at this early stage. “One would be Mytimehascome (GB) (Montjeu {Ire},” he said. “She's out of Vital Statistics (Indian Ridge {GB}) and ran fifth in a backend fillies' maiden over seven furlongs at Newmarket. Her work has been quite smart and she could be a nice filly next year. Another that just had one run at the backend was Shabeeb (Smart Strike). He ran sixth in a mile maiden at Newbury, and I'd say he's a nice prospect for middle distances.”

Both those two were held up by immaturity, whereas Taneen (Speightstown) was able to break his maiden at Newmarket in August following a debut third at Salisbury. “He was a Keeneland September purchase, for $350,000, and won impressively over six furlongs on the July Course,” Varian said. “He just had a little hold-up afterwards, so we couldn't aim him at a good race–but I felt he won his maiden like quite a smart colt, so I hope he might be one to look forward to.”

Both Shabeeb and Taneen are owned by Sheikh Hamdan, on whose behalf Varian signed for the colt by Shamardal (Giant's Causeway) out of Gorband (Woodman) at Tattersalls on Monday. “Going back to my years with Michael Jarvis, he often used to pick up a nice horse at this sale,” he said. “I thought this one was a lovely type, by as good a stallion as there is around, and obviously the page is strong.”

As the yearling sales season drew to close, Varian was satisfied with his overall recruitment. “I hope we've bought well,” he said. “We've a long way to go with all of them but, looking at the young horses at home, we're particularly pleased. The sales were strong but I thought if you persevered, and put in the work, you could buy for most people. It was possible to find horses at medium and lower prices that you could be happy with.”

As a postscript, TDN is also asking trainers to nominate a horse from another stable that has caught their eye this year for the 2016 Classics–other, that is, than the inevitable Air Force Blue (War Front). “I know Foundation (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) was unlucky in the Racing Post Trophy but you couldn't help but like the way it was won by Marcel (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}),” Varian said. “Pete [Chapple-Hyam] has got a brilliant record at training good horses, and I can't see any reason why this one shouldn't be competitive in a middle-distance Classic, be it the French or English Derby.”