Tag: 2000 Guineas

Racing Preview Saturday 4th May

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Saturday’s feature race is the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but there are plenty of other races worthy of study. In truth, the rest of Newmarket’s card is a little disappointing. I am often surprised at the poor turnout for Group races in this country and the Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2) is a case in point. Just four runners for a £100,000 race preceding the first classic of the season? I know that the authorities do their best with the re-opening of races but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a bit of a change to the programme next year.

The opening race is an interesting handicap and the betting is likely to revolve around Rye House, trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He doesn’t keep them in training at four unless they are likely to pay their way and the lightly raced son of Dansili starts the season on a fair handicap mark. The Palace House Stakes is typically competitive and I’m a big fan of Spirit Quartz, trained by Robert Cowell. He won well enough at Nottingham first time out and is surely destined for a big sprint victory this season. I would have been more confident but for being drawn 15 tomorrow but he looks worth supporting at 13-2.

In the 4.25 I’ve got to side with Fils Anges who got no run at all when a beaten favourite last time out. Michael Bell’s grey colt was gaining with every stride but the post came too soon in the Nottingham race won by Mayfield Girl. The form of the race may not be anything special but the extra furlong will help and Hayley Turner can guide him to victory. Mark Johnston runs Windhoek quite quickly after winning a valuable sales race here last month. That looked a better class of race than he faces tomorrow and it will be disappointing if he cannot remain unbeaten.

Away from Newmarket there are one or two horses worth noting for the season ahead. William Haggas is sending Sentaril to Goodwood to start her campaign. She looked a smart filly last season but never quite fulfilled the promise of her great run in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. She won over a mile on the all-weather without really having the run of the race and can confirm the placings with runner-up Burke’s Rock on the way to better things.

Sir Michael Stoute runs another useful sort in Enrol in the sprint handicap at Doncaster tomorrow evening. The lightly-raced daughter of Pivotal won two of her four starts as a three-year-old and is difficult to assess on that form. Cheveley Park will be hoping she can step up from handicaps to listed class later in the season and she will be a popular choice here. There is also a good quality card at Thirsk featuring the Thirsk Hunt Cup. David O’Meara’s stable continue to churn out the winners and he is well represented throughout the meeting. However, the draw has not been kind to his horses and course regular Dubai Dynamo could represent each-way value.

Rye House 2.05 Newmarket 7-1 Paddy Power
Spirit Quartz 2.35 Newmarket 13-2 Paddy Power
Fils Anges (NAP) 4.25 Newmarket 8-1 Paddy Power
Windhoek 5.00 Newmarket 11-8 Bet365
Sentaril (NB) 4.05 Goodwood 11-4 Bet Victor
Dubai Dynamo 4.35 Thirsk 16-1 Bet365
Enrol 6.45 Doncaster 3-1 Bet365

Newmarket 2000 Guineas Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

I am just back from a week away and have been catching up with the news. I thought that I had selected a pretty quiet week for a break but apparently not! The Godolphin doping scandal has rocked the racing world; most particularly Newmarket as it shudders at the thought of life after Sheikh Mohammed. Fortunately it seems that there is no immediate threat to his racing empire and Mahmood Al Zarooni has been hastily despatched back to Dubai on the back of an eight year ban. That all seemed to be dealt with rather too hastily and you can’t help but wonder what repercussions lie just around the corner.

It only seems like yesterday that we were trying (in vain) to work out the Grand National winner and here we are approaching the first classic of the new turf season! Godolphin may have lost the chance to run Certify in the 1000 Guineas but they still have the favourite for the first colt’s classic in Dawn Approach. He is trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger but there is no doubt that the Godolphin operation has been tainted by recent events and it would be ironic if they collect on Saturday. He was smart enough as a two-year-old but without a recent outing I am not remotely tempted by odds in the region of 11-8.

His victory in the Dewhurst Stakes was more workmanlike than spectacular and he briefly looked in trouble before responding to pressure to run down stable companion Leitir Mor. He was well on top at the finish but it did not look a vintage renewal. In third place that day was Aidan O’Brien’s George Vancouver who closed in to challenge before flattening out again in the last furlong. He has three and a half lengths to make up on Dawn Approach but put up a much improved effort to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf next time out. He was given a perfect ride by Ryan Moore that day, holding his position on the fence before being produced between horses in the short straight.

The chief market rival to the favourite is Richard Hannon’s Toronado. His front-running display in the Craven Stakes has seen his price collapse to 9-4 and you can understand why. Hannon rates him right up there with the best and he goes into the race fit and unbeaten. He also looks a straight forward ride and you would expect Richard Hughes to have him right up there from the outset. Whether or not 9-4 is great value is hard to say but he looks a major player.

Aidan O’Brien also runs Cristoforo Colombo and Mars with Joseph O’Brien preferring to ride the former. He looks tried and tested and the application of cheek pieces on Saturday does not inspire confidence. Mars is obviously a colt of enormous potential but seems well down the pecking order at Ballydoyle ahead of the first classic. I am a big fan of Garswood who did this column a favour when winning the Free Handicap in great style recently. Trainer Richard Fahey admitted that he had no idea whether or not he would stay the seven furlongs that day but he is apparently now full of hope that he will last the mile. As much as I like the colt, I must admit that it had occurred to me that he was a classic contender and I am slightly mystified by his price of 12-1.

Of the remainder, I like Moohajim but his run in the Greenham suggested that he will not stay a mile. He cruised into contention but found little under pressure behind Olympic Glory. He will presumably be held up to get the trip but it is difficult to be confident that he will do so. Toronado looks the most likely winner but I’m also going to recommend an each-way bet on George Vancouver at 16-1.

Toronado 9-4 William Hill
George Vancouver (each-way) 16-1 Paddy Power