UK: Superb Guineas Festival Looms

Unbeaten Racing Post Trophy winner Camelot heads 22 horses going forward in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, May 5, while 21 fillies remain in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday, May 6.

Jeremy Noseda has supplemented Talwar, who won the Listed International Trial Stakes impressively at Lingfield on Polytrack on his seasonal return, at a cost of £30,000 for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas.

The once-raced Newbury maiden winner Top Offer represents owner Khalid Abdulla, whose silks were carried to success last season by the brilliant Frankel, while Sea The Stars' half-brother Born To Sea could bid to emulate his illustrious sibling, who took this race in 2009.

The French are set send over a strong team this year with French Fifteen, Abtaal and Hermival, who were first, second and third in the Prix Djebel earlier this month all likely to take their chance.

Mandaean, winner of the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud when trained by Andre Fabre last year, is one of two remaining entries for Godolphin handler Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Camelot's stablemates Power and Furner's Green also go forward in the first Classic, as does Jim Bolger's Parish Hall, who has tasted victory on Newmarket's Rowley Mile when winning the Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes last season.

Richard Hannon saddled Dubawi Gold to finish second last year and could be represented by Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes winner Trumpet Major, Dubai Dewhurst Stakes fourth Bronterre and Coupe De Ville.

John Gosden's Fencing also goes forward along with Alan McCabe's Caspar Netscher, who was an impressive winner of the Group Three Greenham Stakes on his reapperance at Newbury on April 21.

McCabe said: “Caspar Netscher has been in good form since Newbury and he did it nicely that day - I'm happy with him. Going into the race he was where I wanted him and he did it accordingly.

“He has definitely come on for the run and I hope he has got further improvement left in him.

“We are going into unknown territory in regards to trip, but we are going there in very good nick and Shane Kelly will ride.”

Maybe is a strong favourite for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas after she rounded off an unbeaten juvenile campaign with an easy victory in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in August. Her trainer Aidan O'Brien, whose only success in the Classic came in 2005 with Virginia Waters, could also saddle Group Three Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial winner Homecoming Queen and Up.

The Irish-trained contingent also includes last season's Group One Jaguar Cars Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lightening Pearl and Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes scorer La Collina.

The unbeaten Godolphin pair Discourse and Lyric Of Light also go forward, while Ralph Beckett has supplemented unbeaten Moonstone Magic at a fee of £30,000 after her imperious success in the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury on April 21.

Beckett said: “Michael Prosser (Newmarket's Clerk of the Course) tells me that the ground won't be faster than good and it's a shade of odds-on that it will be good to soft. Moonstone Magic needs dig in the ground for sure and I think it's unlikely she will be as effective on quicker ground as horses who are so effective on soft going are rarely as effective on fast ground.

“She has recovered from Newbury but its always going to be a concern running three races in as many weeks. However, her owners are keen to run and I'm keen to run.

“She is a filly we have always liked, but she was a huge two-year-old and we never expected her to achieve what she has so far. There is plenty of speed in her pedigree, but I don't think the trip will be an issue - she will get a mile.”

Also remaining in the fillies' Classic is William Haggas' impressive maiden scorer Diala and the John Gosden-trained duo The Fugue and Starscope.

The French-trained entry going forward is Mashoora, winner of the Group Three Prix Imprudence on her seasonal reappearance at Maisons-Laffitte earlier this month. That contest has proved a good trial for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas in recent years, with both Special Duty (2010) and Natagora (2008) contesting the French trial race to Classic success on the Rowley Mile.

The Group Two Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes, also run on Saturday, has some top-class contenders remaining including the Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden and runner-up Red Cadeaux. Last season's Ladbrokes St Leger winner Masked Marvel could also take his chance along with the Grand Prix de Paris winner Meandre for Andre Fabre, who won the race in 2006 and 2008 with Shirocco and Getaway respectively.


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