The flat season is beginning to switch into top gear now, the Guineas Weekend at Newmarket followed by Chester’s May meeting and the Dante Meeting at York. While we at RB Racing won’t, unfortunately, have a runner at those meetings we do have a busy bank holiday weekend upcoming.
Guineas Weekend at Newmarket, May 1st 2026
Mesaafi returns to the track where, arguably, he’s ran his best race, when he lines up in the Naas Racecourse handicap at Ascot on Friday afternoon. In three visits to the track last year he was placed twice, finishing second over six furlongs there before being beaten a neck into third at today’s trip of five furlongs. That run was from a mark of 87, eight pounds higher than what he’ll race from today so if he could reproduce that form he would be have to go close in what looks a competitive, but open sprint.
Guineas Weekend Preview: Mighty Mesaafi
Pixie Diva represents the in-form George Scott yard with Ryan Moore booked and would rate an obvious danger in current form. Artagnan is the early favourite after a string of solid efforts and the valuable seven pound claim of Harry Vigors, though he will have to prove he can cope with the drop to the minimum distance. Jack Mitchell, who knows Mesaafi extremely well takes the ride for us and we’re hopeful of a big run his return to what I think is his favourite surface.
Guineas Weekend Preview: Monday Runners
On bank holiday Monday we will be doubly represented at the races, with Dust Cover returning to Kempton, the scene of his last win, and Seventy having his first grass start for us at Windsor, both for the Unlucky Rovers. Dust Cover is coming back onto the all-weather after a fruitless trip north of the border three weeks ago. The ground at Musselburgh that day was quicker than the forecast good to soft and Dust just never coped with the ground or the tight turns of the track.
Because of this and because the horse is still very mentally immature I’m very keen to start him somewhere we know he handles and Mondays race looks like the ideal spot to do that with Dust already a winner there over that distance.
Guineas Weekend Preview: Super Seventy
At Windsor, Seventy will aim to make it a day to remember for the owners as he bids to gain a first turf win to supplement his winner on the all-weather earlier this year. Being by Ghaiyyath I think he’ll appreciate coming back on to the grass and after finishing third on his last two starts we would be hopeful he still has some mileage left in his handicap mark. We’re sticking to ten furlongs with him even though he won at a mile and a half, I feel he has more than enough speed to cope with the drop back in trip and he showed good speed off a slow pace when he won at Lingfield.
Guineas Weekend Preview: Classics Fancies
Looking at the two Classics this weekend I think the colt race could be won by a local horse for the third year in a row. Bow Echo is unbeaten and was impressive over course and distance in the Royal Lodge last year. Track familiarity could prove vital and I think he will maintain his unbeaten record. The fillies race has a much more open look to it. It may be worth chancing My Highness trained by Andre Fabre. He doesn’t bring horses to England for the weather and the booking of Oisin Murphy takes the eye at a nice double figure price.
By Ross Burdon
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