It’s Guineas weekend! The first Classic of the season is upon us at Newmarket on Saturday and it’s bound to be a thriller. Here we look at all of the races on Saturday’s ITV cards, with Saturday Horse Racing Tips for all today’s big races.
1.45 Newmarket – William Hill Extra Place Races Handicap
The terrestrial action begins with a competitive sprint handicap at Newmarket. There will be plenty of pace on here so it might pay to side with horses who will be ridden with some restraint.
The horse of interest here is Charlie Appleby’s NOBLE STYLE, who is by far the classiest horse in the race. He is the perfect example of a horse who didn’t train on from his juvenile season. He was hugely exciting as a two-year-old, winning all three starts including the Gimcrack, but he could only manage sixth in the 2,000 Guineas last year and his career has spiralled downwards since.
Nonetheless, we have to keep the faith. The son of Kingman enters handicap company for the first time and he has had nine months off the track to get his act together. If Appleby has him back on song, he should win doing handstands.
2.05 Goodwood – Conqueror Fillies’ Stakes
NOVUS must carry a penalty after landing a Group 3 at Newmarket in October, but she should prove far too classy for her rivals nonetheless. She won on her second start last year after a poor effort on her seasonal debut, so the fact she ran a poor race at Newmarket last month isn’t a worry. She will strip much fitter now and has winning form over this course and distance.
2.20 Newmarket – William Hill Suffolk Stakes
William Buick has ridden the winner of this handicap three times in the last six years, and the fact David O’Meara has acquired his services for the ride on THEORYOFEVERYTHING could be a tip in itself. The four-year-old son of Frankel had six starts for the John & Thady Gosden, with his sole success coming in testing conditions over 7f on debut at Doncaster.
Theoryofeverything had his first start for O’Meara here at Newmarket last month, where he was a huge eyecatcher. Held up in rear, he made smooth headway but got badly impeded approaching the furlong pole. He got out and burst home strongly in the closing stages and finished a close-up fourth. The step up in trip will suit and he looks well ahead of the handicapper.
2.40 Thirsk – Thirsk Hunt Cup Handicap
REDARNA won this race two years ago at odds of 66-1 and the 10-year-old should remain competitive here from 3lb lower despite shoving on in years. He ran a respectable race at Musselburgh on his comeback, coming home well from rear to finish a never-nearer fifth, and with plenty of pace guaranteed here, he should run a big race at a price.
2.55 Newmarket – Palace House Stakes
MITBAAHY rounded off last year with a good win in the Listed Queensferry Stakes over 6f at Chester in the mud in August when trained by Roger Varian. Now with Charles Hills, he finished his race off very well when fourth in the 6f Group 3 Abernant Stakes here last month, and that should put him spot on for this assignment.
Given he will be held up in the hands of Jamie Spencer, the drop to 5f in a smaller field might not be a major positive, but he’s a former Group 3 winner over this trip and he has form on a sound surface. Of the others, Clive Cox’s Kerdos is a big danger if he’s on a going day. He won the Beverley Bullet in September and was only beaten a couple of lengths in the Group 1 Prix de L’Abbaye at Longchamp in October.
3.35 Newmarket – Qipco 2,000 Guineas Stakes
Aidan O’Brien has made plenty of noise surrounding the fact he regards City Of Troy as the best two-year-old he has ever trained. The son of Justify now needs to prove he has trained on, and he might well obliterate his rivals, but he is a very skinny price and couldn’t be advised as a bet at odds-on.
Only one favourite has won the contest in the last eight years and this could be a much more competitive race than the market would suggest.
ROSALLION could be the answer. Richard Hannon’s son of Blue Point has won three of his four career starts, and rounded off last year’s campaign with a stylish victory in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Arc day. Back in second was Unquestionable who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita a month later.
The selection hit the line well on that occasion which would suggest the step up to a mile will bring out further improvement. At a good price, Ghostwriter isn’t to be discounted either. One can never knock a horse who is unbeaten, and the son of Invincible Spirit won all three starts as a juvenile, including the Group 2 Royal Lodge over this course and distance.
By Jack Ogalbe
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