Takteek

The three-year-old Dark Angel gelding Takteek is an exciting new recruit with an enormous amount of potential. He has gone into training with James Owen in Newmarket.

Picked up at the Tattersalls July Sale following four starts for Charlie Fellowes, Takteek was bred by Godolphin and is closely related to numerous high-class individuals. He is out of the Dubawi mare Mannaal, who won four times at up to 1m3½f and was rated 94 at her peak, as well as narrowly missing out on black type when fourth in the Listed Montrose Fillies’ Stakes.

The second dam is the Gr.3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner Soraaya, a half-sister to the Listed-winning and Gr.1-placed two-year-old Declaration Of War. The deeper family includes numerous further Stakes horses, notably the Italian Gr.1 winner Le Vie Dei Colori and the Gr.3 (then) Queen Mary Stakes winner Shining Hour.

Against this backdrop, Takteek looked a smart prospect ahead of making his debut in a 6f Kempton maiden in May. Although he didn’t make any impression on that occasion, there was greater encouragement when he finished seventh at Catterick a few weeks later. Travelling sweetly on the inner, he kept on well to finish in mid-division behind a winner now rated 90. On his third start, Takteek finished seventh behind the subsequent Gr.3 Jersey Stakes runner-up Spy Chief at Yarmouth, with an opening handicap rating of 65 allotted shortly afterwards.

Making his handicap debut back at Kempton in early July, again over 6f, Takteek gave himself little chance with a sluggish exit from the stalls, but he kept on in the closing stages to finish sixth, beaten about seven and a half lengths. There were definitely some positives to be taken from the race. He has subsequently been dropped 2lb by the handicapper to a rating of 63, and it looks as though there is plenty of mileage in that mark, particularly as his pedigree suggests he could be tried over a longer trip. Furthermore, as a late-developing type who remains almost entirely unexposed, his best days are clearly ahead of him.

Adding to Takteek’s appeal is the identity of his trainer. James Owen has quickly risen towards the top of the training ladder on the Flat and over Jumps, and he is particularly adept at improving horses sourced from other stables. With 65 winners on the board and counting this season, it will be a surprise if Takteek does not add to the trainer’s tally in the months ahead.