'Everything went wrong and he still won' - find out which juveniles impressed our experts most at Newmarket

On a weekend known as the Future Champions Festival at Newmarket, which juvenile caught the eye of our experts?

'He has to enter the equation for the 2,000 Guineas'

Sorry for being so boring, but how on earth could it not be Shadow Of Light?

We weren't sure whether he would stay beforehand, but not only has he seen out the trip, he had switched sides and came from the most unpromising of positions to gun down two thorough stayers in Expanded and Ancient Truth. It was a hell of a performance.

There is little doubt in my mind that The Lion In Winter would have won the Dewhurst had a late setback not ruled him out, but don't let that take anything away from the performance of the winner. Everything went wrong and he still won. He must have a huge amount of raw ability to get the job done in the manner he did.

Whatever way you look at it, he has to enter the equation for the 2,000 Guineas and 10-1 seems a perfectly fair price.
David Jennings, Deputy Ireland editor

'It will not stop him from being a serious prospect next season'

I loved the way Starzintheireyes won the Zetland Stakes, as he responded really generously for pressure before pricking his ears in the closing stages, which suggested he had plenty left to give.

Delacroix was a similarly strong-staying winner of the Autumn Stakes, which looked a strong running, and the third-placed Nightwalker was the horse who made the best impression on me.

Starzintheireyes wins the Zetland StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Juddmonte colt was positioned in behind the protagonists and did not get much daylight when asked to make his challenge. He was also unbalanced in the Dip, but he stayed on really encouragingly under Oisin Murphy.

Nightwalker is trained by the soon-to-retire Sir Michael Stoute, who tends to bring his horses along slowly, and it speaks volumes that he was happy to allow the juvenile to take his chance in this grade at this stage in his career.

Unlike some of the other runners, he does not hold a Futurity entry. However, that may be to his long-term advantage and it will not stop him from being a serious prospect next season.
Maddy Playle, reporter

'The sectionals suggest that the front three ran their race on soft ground'

While Darley’s stallion division will be licking their lips at the thought of one day retiring a Middle Park and Dewhurst winner, from the point of view of how Charlie Appleby campaigns Shadow Of Light next year, I think he would have rather found out where he stands against The Lion In Winter now.

If he’d been beaten by the Coolmore first string, then it might well have been a straightforward choice to go back to sprinting, but the fact he rallied to beat Expanded and Ancient Truth makes him a contender for the 2,000 Guineas.

Aidan O’Brien couldn’t hide his delight with the performance of runner-up Expanded just a week after his debut success, and the sectionals suggest that the front three ran their race on soft ground, so there has to be an awful lot to look forward to with this good-looking son of Wootton Bassett.
Scott Burton, France correspondent

Read this next:

'Not many two-year-olds I've ridden would be able to do that' - Guineas-bound Shadow Of Light completes Middle Park-Dewhurst double 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.