Gleneagles (4-1) and Goldream (5-1) gave us a profit on the first day of the Guineas meeting at Newmarket. It is the fillies turn to take centre stage on Sunday with the 1000 Guineas, the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Dahlia Stakes.
Our regular readers will be hoping that Local Time gives us a good run having been tipped at 40-1 in the ante-post lists. She is a lot shorter than that now and should not mind the quicker ground judged by her action on dirt. The race does not look particularly strong, especially with O’Brien having taken out both Found and Together Forever.
There are a couple of almost impossible handicaps on the card starting with the 1.50. Lungarno Palace did us a favour at the recent Epsom meeting while Watersmeet has looked a much improved performer on the all-weather. Arab Dawn has attracted market support and looks the sort to develop into a decent handicapper this season, although you could make a case for a dozen of these.
Andre Fabre went close in the 2000 Guineas with Territories and sends over Fintry for the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes. It is interesting to see Clive Brittain’s Rizeena kept in training while Bragging looked a progressive filly last season for Sir Michael Stoute.
A sharp pin may be as good as anything in the sprint at 3.00 but I’m going to give Zanetto another try. He has looked very useful on occasions and was tried at Group 1 level by Andrew Balding last summer. I’m a bit worried by the draw after the way the Guineas panned out and Huntsmans Close could be worth a saver on this side of the track.
The Pretty Polly Stakes has produced the last two Oaks winners in Talent and Taghrooda. There certainly does not seem to be anything of that quality entered on Sunday. It isn’t that often that Dermot Weld sends one over so presumably Zannda will handle the quicker surface and could step up on her Leopardstown form.
The closing handicap is another puzzler with Muqtaser representing the Dissolution form from the Craven meeting. The first six home that day could have been covered with a large horse blanket so the form may be suspect. Her Majesty The Queen’s Mustard seemed to hang fire last time out so I’m going for Godolphin’s Global Force. He made all to win his maiden in good style and could be tough to peg back.
Arab Dawn 1.50 @12-1 Ladbrokes
Fintry 2.25 @2-1 Bet365
Huntsmans Close 3.00 @12-1 Bet365
Zanetto 3.00 @16-1 Coral
Local Time 3.40 @40-1* ante-post (now 16-1 generally)
Zannda 4.50 @3-1 Coral
Global Force 5.25 @9-2 Coral
