Horse Of The Year; One For Next Year

It's all about family for Tom Frary in selecting his favourite horse of 2024, and that extends to this talented sprinter's exciting young sire.

Horse of the year: Kind Of Blue

There is nothing better than seeing families produce good horses time after time, particularly when they are associated with the same owner-breeder-trainer combination down the years. Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) represents just that, with his original owners Michelle Morris and Jan and Peter Hopper having also enjoyed much success with the dam's brother Deacon Blues (GB) (Compton Place {GB}). Kind Of Blue went on to emulate that former Fanshawe trainee in winning Ascot's British Champions Sprint Stakes, but he did it a year earlier having had some tough battles along the way including when edged out of the Haydock Sprint Cup.

When a TDN Rising Star tag was put on him at Doncaster in May, there was little in the way of expectation that he would hit the heights so soon and justify that decision. Deacon Blues was just a useful handicapper as a three-year-old, while his half-brother The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) had a go at the Champions Sprint at that age but could manage only fourth before he went on to mature into a top-class sprinter. He won this last Group 1 at the age of six, while another ex-Fanshawe member of the dynasty, Warningford (GB) (Warning {GB}), was the grand age of eight when taking his third renewal of the old G3 Leicestershire Stakes.

Kind Of Blue has all their class, but the key may be that he is by Blue Point who has injected that bit of x-factor to take him to the next level. Have a look at his debut win at Kempton and you'll see it was all there at the beginning, just as it was when another of the stable's kingpins Soviet Song (GB) won on her debut there in 2002. When a Fanshawe horse wins first time out, you have to take notice and it was great to see the humble maestro of Pegasus Stables have such a banner year again thanks to this crack sprinter and the Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}).

One for next year: Falakeyah

This one came late in the day, but the manner of Shadwell's TDN Rising Star performance at Wolverhampton last month suggests she could be one to take seriously. Trained by Owen Burrows, whose horses usually need time to flourish, she is a granddaughter of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Lahudood (GB) from that amazing family of Hukum (Ire) and Baaeed (GB). Like Kind Of Blue, she did what she wasn't supposed to win on debut and although that probably wasn't a strong race she couldn't help but showcase her class. By the high-achiever New Bay (GB), she should stay at least 10 furlongs next term and whatever she does on the track she could be a significant addition to Shadwell's broodmare ranks in time.

Stallion to follow: Blue Point

Not exactly a leftfield suggestion, but after the start this boy has had at stud the sky is the limit. Shamardal has already given us Lope De Vega (Ire) and now he has supplied another star sire. With Kind Of Blue, the brilliant St James's Palace Stakes and Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Rosallion (Ire) and the super-charged Big Evs (Ire) already in his locker along with the exciting two-year-old Sky Majesty (Ire), the way is clear for him to get some top producers and some stouter mares to deliver those Classic horses year after year.