Vicki Gibbins looks into the pedigrees of those on show in the Ascot opener…

There is always something vaguely stirring – along the same lines as the Craven Breeze-Up catalogue dropping through the door – about the five-furlong conditions juvenile race at Ascot on Trials Day.

It hints Royal Ascot is just around the corner, summer days drinking Pimms are not far away and the lure of Glorious Goodwood and York further down the line. As such, it requires the annual deep pedigree dive – usually an easier task with only four to five runners in the past few years – and dutifully, here it is, covering all fourteen declarations…

Dickensian (Kevin Ryan)

By second-season sire Pinatubo, who enjoyed a solid although not bountiful opening season at stud, Dickensian is one of three in the field with a winning debut under his belt. Dam Yourtimeisnow, successful in the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes, is yet to produce a Black Type performer but at nine-years-old, her broodmare prospects remain bright.

Inca Heights (Clive Cox)

Having stood out as a typical, racy, early-season two-year-old before winning at Newbury on debut, Inca Heights provided a first success in Britain for freshman sire Nando Parrado. You'd expect to see his age group catch up with him eventually, although he's a half-brother to three multiple winners.

Super Soldier (Karl Burke)

It's no surprise to see two representatives of Dark Angel in this early-season conditions race and Super Soldier has already produced a win at Leicester for connections. His dam First Party is also responsible for the Listed placed Wonderwork – who, it is worth taking note, won in impressive style on debut before finishing last on his subsequent two runs as a juvenile.

Angel Of Anfield (Tom Clover)

Angel Of Anfield hails from a US-bred maternal line, although dam American Endeavour raced solely in Britain for trainer Marco Botti. A winner over seven furlongs as a juvenile, she appeared to improve for the application of headgear as an older filly, picking up two subsequent victories on the all-weather at Kempton and Wolverhampton.

Chale Chalo (Tom Dascombe)

Another first-season sire representative, Chale Chalo is by Mickley Stud's Ubettabelieveit, who has already recorded a success on the freshman stallion

scoresheet. Dam Capomento is yet to produce a winner but she scored on debut as a juvenile at Ripon and was thought good enough to try her hand in Group 3 company (since promoted to Group 2) in France – finishing fourth behind Polydream in the Prix du Calvados.

Credit Forgedd It (Richard Hannon)

It was stallion Space Blues who struck first in the race for first-season sire honours at the Curragh last month and he holds another possible chance with Credit Forgedd It. The colt is the first raced offspring out of dam Star Alexander, who enjoyed a short-lived racing career, winning at Bath on her second outing as a juvenile. More importantly, she is a half-sister to Supremacy – who challenges Space Blues for freshman sire honours.

Dublin Bay (Ollie Sangster)

New Bay is a consistent producer of all-round stock and Dublin Bay appeals on his dam side. La Fiamma, by War Front, placed in two starts in France for the Niarchos family and her own dam Faufiler was one of four Black Type performers out of champion race-mare Six Perfections - an illustrious maternal pedigree.

Eschweiler (Gary & Josh Moore)

Whilst Alkumait may not be amongst the leading lights for the first-season sire title, he remains an exciting prospect for breeders at a notably low fee. A half-brother to 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean, Alkumait was quick enough to win a Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes as a juvenile, offering some speed influence to Eschweiler's dam side – which has been seen to best effect over middle-distances.

Espona Bay (Michael Bell)

Espona Bay's dam Grammata enjoyed a long career on the track, racing fifteen times with a win and five placings to her name. It is probably worth noting that all but two of those top three finishes came as a juvenile, including a second in the five-furlong Listed Tipperary Stakes.

Goldwork (Dark Angel)

The second of Dark Angel's progeny in the race, Goldwork hails from a Godolphin maternal line. Dam Thread Of Silver raced in both the UK and France for the royal-blue silks, picking up two victories and multiple placings at both two and three-years-old. A daughter of Shamardal, Thread Of Silver is a half-sister to French Black Type performer Broderie.

Siren Suit (Churchill)

Disappointing on debut at Newbury, Siren Suit is out of Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner Angel's Hideaway. Her dam, The Hermitage, was almost exclusively bred

to Dark Angel during her stud career – resulting in two Black Type performers, Angel's Hideaway and Perfect Angel, and two additional individual winners.

Tadej (Archie Watson)

Tadej boasts one of the nicer maternal pedigrees in the field, as a son of the three-time placed Tilly Frankl. Whilst Tilly Frankl's racing career was short, the same could not be applied to her dam Ribbons, who proved a real success story for Elite Racing Club, winning the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet and Group 2 Blandford Stakes. She has already translated that success to stud, producing Soulcombe – second in the 2023 Melbourne Cup.

Wild Thoughts (Richard Spencer)

Lucky Vega is expected to be a force to be reckoned with for his opening Northern Hemisphere crop, having already produced Black Type performers in Australia. Wild Thoughts, bred by Lucky Vega's owners Yulong, is out of She's Complete, who raced as a juvenile in both Ireland and America. She won over a mile at Del Mar and produced five-time flat winner Blow Your Horn, seen to best effect over two miles before switching to a hurdling career.

Wise Approach (Charlie Appleby)

If you're looking for the pedigree pick amongst the fourteen, Godolphin's Wise Approach stands head and shoulders above the rest. The Mehmas colt is a half-brother to Perfect Power and Golden Mind, who were both trained to Black Type success by Richard Fahey. Perfect Power earnt his place at Dalham Hall Stud (Darley) with victories in both the Group 1 Prix Morny and the Group 1 Middle Park and proved equally capable at three, recording a third Group 1 in the Commonwealth Cup.