Sunday Racing Tips and 1000 Guineas Preview
Sunday Racing Tips newmarket and haydock
It was another disaster of a day on Saturday. None of our selections hit the frame and some of them never even raised a gallop. The less said about them the better. The girls take centre stage on Sunday at Newmarket in the 1000 Guineas. There is also top class action at Haydock too where the Brigadier Gerard is the feature. Dave Stevos has previewed all live ITV races, check out his Sunday racing tips for Newmarket and Haydock below…
Newmarket Preview: 1.50pm – Buckhound Stakes (Listed)
First up on 1000 Guineas day at HQ is the Listed Buckhound Stakes. Ten will go to post for this 12f contest and I think Kelly’s Dino could go well at a price. Karl Burke’s string has hit the ground running and he had 3 winners last week. He might struggle to beat the 115 rated favourite Communique but apart from him this race looks wide open. Kelly’s Dino is rated 106 and he goes well on ground ranging from good to firm to good to soft.
Another plus for his chances is his record when fresh. He possesses form figures of 11222 when returning from breaks of 57 days or more. Ben Curtis is in top form and he has 7 wins aboard this son of Doctor Dino. Like I said, the favourite is most definitely the one to beat but there is place money up for grabs too. At odds of 25/1 Kelly’s Dino could sneak into the frame.
SUNDAY RACING TIPS: KELLY’S DINO E/W @ 25/1 NAP
Sunday Racing Tips Haydock: 2.05pm – Pinnacle Stakes (Group 3)
The ground is good to soft at Haydock so an ability to handle cut will be paramount. A field of 6 fillies and mares go to post for this 11.5f Group 3 and it is a high class renewal. Fanny Logan and Manuela De Vega both bring solid Group 1 form to the table and they head the market. Both horses have form on easy ground and it is difficult to separate them.
Vivionn was a progressive sort last year in handicap and listed company and she takes a marked step up in class. She is very nicely bred but she is unproven on an easy surface. Shailene and Bella Vita both have form on soft ground in the book too. With just 6 runners and 2 places for each way bets this is a race I’ll just watch. No bet.
HAYDOCK SUNDAY RACING TIPS: NO BET
Newmarket Sunday Preview: 2.25pm – Handicap (Class 2)
Regular readers of the blog will know I have a soft spot for George Margarson as a trainer. His horses often go off overpriced and I think Protected Guest is too big at 16/1 for this 10f handicap. The son of Helmet comes into this race off a career high mark of 99. However, the form of his 2nd off 97 on his final run last year at Yarmouth suggests that he could well be competitive off that rating. He was conceding a stone to the winner Summer Moon (beat 1.25L) and that horse subsequently finished a close 2nd in the Cesarewitch off 5lb higher.
That race was over 14f and this drop back to 10f looks sure to suit Margarson’s charge. He has three previous outings at today’s trip and the last two resulted in victory. He loves good ground though, so he wouldn’t want to see much more rain. Tom Queally will ride and he was on board for this horse’s last win. He is versatile tactically and that Summer Moon form stands up to scrutiny. At odds of 16/1 Protected Guest is the each way pick, once there is no soft in the ground description.
SUNDAY RACING TIPS: PROTECTED GUEST E/W @ 16/1
Sunday Racing Tip: 2.40pm – Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Group 3)
The Brigadier Gerard is a 10f Group 3 heat and a field of eight will go to post. Elarqam is the highest rated in the race by some distance with a mark of 120. The son of Frankel was a Group 2 winner on easy ground (10f) at York last season, beating Addeybb by over 3L. He followed that up with a fine effort behind Japan at the same track on good and that is the best form in this race. You could forgive him his final run at Leopardstown as it may have been one race too many. Mark Johnston is flying and this horse looks a worthy favourite.
One that could go well for each way players is Walkinthesand. This colt has winning form at 10f and while that came on good to firm, he handles a slight ease. He was far from disgraced on soft at this track last season when beat 5L by Great Scot in a Group 3. It was good to soft when he was short headed on debut too so the ground should hold no fears. Richard Hannon has always said we won’t see the best of this horse until he was a 4yo and at 25/1 Walkinthesand is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.
SUNDAY RACING TIPS HAYDOCK: WALKINTHESAND E/W @ 25/1
Newmarket Sunday Tips: 3.00pm – Pretty Polly Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)
Nine 3yo fillies will line up in the stalls for this 10f Listed heat. Some of the best sires around at the moment are represented in this race. Sea The Stars (2), Shamardal, Camelot, Frankel, Lope De Vega (2) and Teofilo have runners here and all connections will be desperate to get some black type for breeding purposes. The favourite, Tiempo Veula, is by Lope De Vega and out of a High Chaparral mare. She is 1/1, scoring in decisive fashion at Newcastle (8f) at the backend of last season.
Others in the field have achieved a lot more though and at the prices I would rather be with Queen Daenerys. This filly is by Frankel and she is already a course winner (8f gd/fm). That win came in a novice event and while she was only 6th when stepped into Group 1 company on her next start (8f gd/sft), she was only beat 5.5L and she shaped as though further would suit. Roger Varian’s horses are flying (3 wins 7 places from 21 runners) and at odds of 9/1 Queen Daenerys is worth chancing each way.
SUNDAY NEWMARKET RACING TIPS: QUEEN DAENERYS E/W @ 9/1 NB
Haydock Sunday Tips: 3.15pm – Spring Trophy Stakes (Listed)
The last live race from Haydock on Sunday afternoon is the Listed Spring Trophy. Ten were declared and the openness of the race is reflected by the market. Safe Voyage and Space Blues are battling it out for favouritism and both bring rock solid form at a much higher level to the table. The third favourite Happy Power has Group 1 form in the book too. Splitting the three of them is very difficult but soft ground could hand the advantage to Safe Voyage.
Another horse with plenty of decent form on testing ground is Snazzy Jazzy. This son of Red Jazz was 3rd to Safe Voyage in a G3 here last season (7f hvy). He is 3lb better off with that rival for a 4L defeat so he is at least weighted to get closer to that rival. Clive Cox is yet to get off the mark since the resumption of racing but he has had a couple go close which is encouraging. With trip, track and ground to suit Snazzy Jazzy is worth chancing each way for small stakes.
SUNDAY HAYDOCK RACING TIPS: SNAZZY JAZZY E/W @ 16/1 (4 PLACES)
Newmarket Sunday Tips: 3.35pm – 1000 Guineas (Group 1)
Both of our 2000 Guineas selections ran awful races so hopefully our luck changes here. The 1000 Guineas looks more open on paper at least and 15 fillies will go to post. Two Irish raiders head the market, Millisle for Jessie Harrington and Love for Aidan O’Brien. Both managed to win Group 1s last season and the two of them handle ground ranging from soft to good. The question is whether they have trained on during the off-season and as Pinatubo showed earlier, there are no guarantees that they have.
Quadrilateral is the only other horse at single figure odds and he is 3/3, including a C&D Group 1 last term. By Frankel, her long term aim is more than likely the Oaks but connections wouldn’t mind too much if she picked up a 1000 Guineas along the way. She should get her optimum good/good to soft ground and Roger Charlton and Jason Watson teamed up for a nice handicap winner here yesterday. A big run could be on the cards in a first time tongue tie.
Stars Could Shine
One filly that comes into the race somewhat under the radar is Under The Stars. This daughter of 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder was a very good 2yo at 6f/7f. She won 3 of her 6 starts, all at 6f, including a valuable sales race on good to soft here in October. The big question mark for this filly is whether she will get the mile here but her pedigree does offer hope.
His dam won over a mile, her two half sisters won at the trip too while her half brother scored at 9f. This filly is unlikely to stay much further, but she won’t need to in this race. Her trainer James Tate says he is very happy with her and he teamed up with PJ McDonald for a nice winner here on Saturday. Hopefully they can repeat the trick with Under The Stars in the big one. At odds of 25/1 she is the each way pick.
