Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips on Saturday at Newmarket. View selections below.
AUSTRALIA (3.50) can live up to his towering reputation by landing the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. There can be few better bred colts worldwide, being a son of two Classic winners in Galileo and Ouija Board. His pedigree screams Derby and there are clearly concerns that Australia may be chopped for speed over a mile. However, Galileo produced wonder horse Frankel, along with the likes of Rip Van Winkle and Magician, so Australia may well be the next big thing to emerge from County Tipperary. Although Australia hasn’t been seen in public since scoring by six lengths at Leopardstown in September, it’s worth remembering that Aidan O’Brien’s last four Guineas winners were all prepared at Ballydoyle. Impressive Greenham winner Kingman could be anything but is trading quite short. Spanish raider Noozhoh Canarias is an intriguing runner and is perfectly capable of running into a place, at least.
On the support card, PEARL SECRET (2.40) can scoop the Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes sponsored by his Qatar owners. He ran on well into third behind Sole Power and Shea Shea in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot but was then off the track through injury until making a winning return at Nottingham last month. Sole Power didn’t hit the heights in Meydan, so the way looks clear for David Barron’s Pearl Secret to put down a marker in the sprinting division for the rest of the season.
TRADING LEATHER (3.10) brings Classic-winning form to the table in the Jockey Club Stakes. Jim Bolger’s Irish Derby hero was subsequently placed in three Group 1 contests won by The Fugue, Declaration of War and Novellist and he sets a stiff standard under Kevin Manning. Gospel Choir has a bit to find on official figures but Sir Michael Stoute often targets this race.
CLOUDSCAPE (5.00) has been elevated in the ratings for his beating of next-time-out winner Windsheer over course and distance 16 days ago but may well improve past the Craven Stakes third Postponed. Clearly, a good run from Toormore and The Grey Gatsby in the Guineas would boost Postponed’s credentials but Cloudscape showed a very willing attitude at HQ.
In Sunday’s Qipco 1,000 Guineas, MISS FRANCE (3.50) can make a successful cross-Channel raid for Andre Fabre. She is bred to get further but Newmarket’s stiff mile can bring out the best in this daughter of Dansili. She also boasts winning course form, bagging the Oh So Sharp Stakes from Lightning Thunder (pair clear) last season with a nice turn of foot. Forget Miss France’s warm-up run at Maisons-Laffitte as she simply refused to settle properly off a stop-start gallop.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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