2022 Newmarket Guineas Ante-Post Tips – DS
2022 Newmarket Guineas Ante-Post Tips
In just over a month the first two UK classics of the season will be run at Newmarket. In 2021 we found Lucky Vega e/w at 20s in the 2000 Guineas and he landed place money for us. Our 1000 Guineas selection didn’t fare as well but it would be rude not to have another go this season. Dave Stevos’ has had a look at the 2000 and 1000 Guineas and he likes a couple at big prices. Check out his 2022 Newmarket Guineas Ante-Post tips below.
2000 Guineas
First up on the 30th of April will be the colts in the 2000 Guineas. Irish trainers have won 7 of the last 10 renewals. It was Jim Bolger who took home the prize with Poetic Flare in 2021. Aidan O’Brien has won it five times since 2012 and when he wins, it tends to be with his more fancied runners (11/2, 3/1, 6/4, 4/1, 15/8 winners). That’s not much use to those seeking a bit of each way value. His two main hopes for this year look to be Luxembourg (5/1) and Point Lonsdale (10/1).
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin look to hold an extremely strong hand too. They have the 3/1 favourite in Native Trail and the 5/1 shot Coroebus, both of whom tick plenty of boxes. Native Trail was particularly impressive when extending his winning sequence to four in the Dewhurst over 7f here last season. With a mark of 122, he is the top rated by some distance. I think the form of that race is strong and I am going to take a chance on the horse who finished 4th behind him, Berkshire Shadow.
Coventry Winner
This horse won the Coventry at Royal Ascot (6f gd/fm) last season and we were on at 20s. That has turned out to be solid, if not spectacular, form. However, there is no doubt about the quality of his next run when finishing 0.5L behind Angel Bleu on ground he didn’t like at Goodwood (7f sft). He was conceding 3lbs to the Beckett filly and she won a pair of French G1s on her next two starts. Andrew Balding’s charge ran below par in the Gimcrack at York (6f gd/fm) next time behind Lusail. Perhaps the run came a bit soon after his tough race on soft at Goodwood.
Balding gave him a break after that run and he next appeared in the Dewhurst. That was a messy race, he was a bit slowly away and in the circumstances, it was a solid effort to get up for 4th. Yes, he does have to find over 4L with Native Trail but I think he’ll be far better suited by a truly run race. He could well close that gap, granted they go a proper gallop.
His dam won over a mile so the trip should suit, even if his pedigree screams speed more than stamina. He only has 1.75L to find with Bayside Boy on that Dewhurst run (beat less than 2L by Luxembourg on his next start) and he is 25/1. Berkshire Shadow is chalked up at 66/1 with one firm. That looks a bit too generous to me. Balding says he is being trained for the race and at those odds, Berkshire Shadow is the e/w pick.
2022 Newmarket Guineas Ante-Post Tips: Berkshire Shadow e/w @ 66/1
1000 Guineas
This race has been dominated by ‘The Lads’ in recent seasons. Aidan O’Brien has trained five of the last six winners and will be bidding for a fourth successive win in 2022. Tenebrism and Tuesday are the shortest priced of his at odds of 5/1 and 12/1 respectively.
However, it is Inspiral who heads the market for the Gosdens and Cheveley Park. The daughter of Frankel is unbeaten after four starts and given her pedigree, she should make into a cracking 3yo. Her dam, Starscope, was beaten 9L into 2nd by Homecoming Queen in the 2012 1000 Guineas. Connections will be hoping for revenge but she might prove to be more of a staying type. One for the Oaks, perhaps.
Carol Looks A Big Price
The bookies haven’t really missed any horses that have already shown form at a high level. Prosperous Voyage is one that could be overpriced at 25s but at 50s, so is Miss Carol Ann. By Kingman, Roger Varian’s filly made an extremely taking debut at Newmarket in late September (7f gd/fm). She broke well and settled nicely in midfield for Andrea Atzeni. When he asked her to move into the race, she did so with ease and she quickened out of the dip under hands and heels to score readily.
The bare form of that race isn’t world beating but she could do no more than beat what was in front of her. It was a very impressive debut and it was no surprise that she was sent off joint favourite for a Listed heat at Newbury on her next outing. However, it was bottomless there and even though she travelled into the race well, she couldn’t pick up on that ground and she got tired. She eventually finished 20L behind the winner Jumbly but on faster ground, I think there could have been a very different outcome.
Kingman has only produced 8 heavy ground winners, compared to 72 on good to firm. Miss Carol Ann’s dam was at her best on quick ground and her siblings (Summerghand, Eastern Impact, New Strategy) all enjoyed faster conditions too. If it rains and the ground turns soft this bet is goosed, so keep stakes modest. However, if the weather gods play ball and the sun shines, Miss Carol Ann could surprise a few with a big run at odds of 50/1.
