The Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on Tuesday was a disappointment when it came to unearthing Classic clues but the road towards the Guineas will begin in earnest on Wednesday with two fascinating trial races on the Rowley Mile.
The Nell Gwyn Stakes tends to vary in quality from season to season but the latest renewal looks like one of the best for many years. Brave Anna took the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at this course last September but she can be backed at around 8-1 this morning which is an indication of the depth in the 11-strong field. Her top-flight success means she carries a 3lb penalty and the market takes the view that at least one of Wednesday’s opponents will take advantage.
Roly Poly, her stable companion at Aidan O’Brien’s yard, is the obvious one to do so, as she was only just touched off in the Chevely Park Stakes, but there is plenty of untapped potential in Wednesday’s field too.
Pamplemousse, a ridiculously easy winner of her only previous start for Andre Fabre, has been backed down to favouritism on Wednesday morning and must be respected but Sea of Grace (3.35) has also been the subject of positive reports in the buildup to her debut for William Haggas. At the prices on offer, the new arrival from John Oxx makes plenty of appeal to justify a prominent position in the ante-post 1,000 Guineas betting.
Seven Heavens looked like he could be one of the best of Frankel’s first crop of foals in his first two starts last season but he ended the campaign with a disappointing seventh place in the Dewhurst Stakes. He was struggling to direct himself towards the job in hand both before and during the race, and while John Gosden has had several months to address the issue it remains a worry. Seven Heavens has little in hand of Wednesday’s field on the bare ratings in any case and Whitecliffsofdover (2.25), while probably not in the top rank of the stable’s classic colts, could well be good enough to win a Free Handicap.
Spark Plug (3.00) steps up to Group Three company in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes and could have the quality to bridge the gap judged on his victory in the Cambridgeshire over the same track and trip last autumn.
Cheltenham’s season starts to wind down with a seven-race card where Village Vic (2.40) and Its’afreebee (3.15) make most appeal. Fidelma Moon (6.20) and Swansway (8.45) should go well on the cards at Beverley and Wolverhampton respectively.
Wednesday racing tips
Newmarket 1.50 Normandy Barriere 2.25 Whitecliffsofdover 3.00 Spark Plug (nap) 3.35 Sea Of Grace (nb) 4.10 Formidable Kitt 4.45 First Dance 5.20 First Nation
Beverley 2.15 Almane 2.50 Bengali Boys 3.25 Amlad 4.00 Sir Plato 4.35 East Street Revue 5.10 The Blues Master 5.45 Areen Heart 6.20 Fidelma Moon
Wolverhampton 5.40 Mr Chuckles 6.15 Challow 6.45 El Cap 7.15 Rain Wind And Fire 7.45 Dunquin 8.15 Gulf Of Poets 8.45 Swansway
Sedgefield 4.50 Broadway Belle 5.25 Hi Dancer 5.55 Cesar Et Rosalie 6.30 Never Up 7.00 Thisonetime 7.30 Sweet Belle 8.00 Mitcd
Cheltenham 2.05 William Henry 2.40 Village Vic 3.15 Its’afreebee 3.50 Doing Fine 4.25 First Fandango 5.00 Marracudja 5.30 Red Tornado
