Frankie Dettori is optimistic that James Garfield can outrun odds of 25-1 in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas after his other potential ride was ruled out of the Classic.
The Italian would have been aboard Without Parole if that one had lined up in the Newmarket race but the colt was found to have a bruised foot. Dettori presumably feels a bit deflated about that bad news, as Without Parole is an exciting, unbeaten son of Frankel and impressed clock-watchers with the speed of his success at Yarmouth last week. While he has been running in a lower grade than James Garfield, the betting market thought he had a better chance and he was no bigger than 14-1 on Tuesday morning.
But the jockey expressed no feeling of disappointment, noting instead that in James Garfield he has a horse of proven quality to ride in the year’s first Classic.
“He was a nice two-year-old, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s a real fighter. He’s fit and well, he’s won the Greenham. He’ll run his James Garfield race, you know what he’s like, he’s always competitive and if he’s got a fight on his hands, he’ll thrive on that.”
Asked if he could see the horse as a Guineas winner, Dettori added: “I don’t know what Aidan O’Brien is bringing to the table. No one really knows. Listen, he can only beat what’s put in front of him and he did that in the Greenham. The horse is fit and well, we go in there with an outsider’s chance but we hope for a little bit better than that.”
James Garfield is trained in Newmarket by the 29-year-old George Scott, who has already earned Dettori’s faith. “It’s his third year training and he’s got a horse running in the Guineas with a chance, so … He’s a friend, I’m a friend of Tim and Bill [Gredley, owners of the horse]. They’ve been friends for a long time, I feel for them and that’s why I want to do well.”
Scott spoke of the thrill of having his first runner in a Classic, moments after watching James Garfield do his final bit of fast work, which proved happily uneventful. “I’m nervous, apprehensive but seeing him in such great form this morning definitely calmed my nerves,” Scott said.
“I’m more excited than anything. It’s a dream come true, to be able to line up in the 2,000 Guineas. I’m trying to enjoy the build-up. I honestly couldn’t be happier with the condition that he’s in at the moment. Providing we can maintain that over the next few days, I’ve been delighted with his preparation.
“James has obviously got a very high cruising speed and he’s arguably one of the fastest horses in the race. He’s shown stakes form at five, six and now seven furlongs. So a cruising speed and a nice turn of foot. He’s the most tenacious and toughest of horses. His will to win is a big asset to him.”
Under plans announced last summer, Bill Gredley, who is Scott’s father-in-law, will build him a 130-box yard at Fitzroy House in the centre of Newmarket but the grateful trainer says he is keeping well out of that process and maintaining his focus on the 60 horses at his current base on Hamilton Road, close to the racecourse. “I’ve taken a step back from it and I’ll wait until I’m given any information on that. It appears everything is moving in the right direction but it’s not something I’ve been concentrating on.”
Scott’s career is being followed with interest by his last employer, Lady Cecil, to whom he was assistant when Noble Mission won the Champion Stakes in 2014. His owners include Arthur Boyd-Rochfort, brother to the much-missed Sir Henry Cecil, who sent Frankel out to win the Guineas in 2011.
Wolverhampton 1.50 Malaysian Boleh 2.25 Sea Youmzain 3.00 Costa Percy 3.35 Geetanjali 4.10 Valcartier 4.45 Desert Diamond 5.20 Homeopathic 5.55 Shamonix
Ascot 2.00 The Irish Rover 2.35 Dathanna 3.10 Desert Skyline 3.45 Eirene 4.20 Century Dream 4.55 Love And Be Loved (nb)
Pontefract 2.10 Celebrity Dancer 2.45 Allieyf 3.20 Vigee Le Brun 3.55 Music Seeker 4.30 Short Work (nap) 5.05 The Right Choice 5.40 Mr Strutter
Brighton 4.25 Princess Keira 5.00 Tin Hat 5.35 Shrewd Approach 6.10 Ettie Hart 6.40 All AboutThe Pace 7.10 Fayrouz Rose 7.40 Kafeel 8.10 Krazy Paving
Bath 5.45 Raskolnikov 6.20 La Fortuna 6.50 Give Em A Clump 7.20 Bonjour Steve 7.50 The Daley Express 8.20 Dilinger
Tips by Chris Cook
