Newmarket hosts another highly informative eight-race card on the second day of the Craven Meeting, Thursday, April 19, headed by the £55,000 Group Three Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes (4.10pm).
The mile contest has proven to be a leading trial for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and a field of 13 for this year's contest includes last year's Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes third Most Improved. The Brian Meehan-trained colt has been the subject of glowing gallops reports and is currently second favourite for the first Classic of the season at Newmarket on May 5.
Mahmood Al Zarooni recorded a first British Classic success with Blue Bunting in last season's QIPCO 1000 Guineas and the Godolphin handler could unleash another potential Classic contender in Mighty Ambition, who stayed on strongly to take a seven-furlong Newbury maiden on his debut in September.
Al Zarooni said: “Mighty Ambition won his maiden very well and will appreciate the step up to a mile. We are looking forward to getting a run into him so we can see where we are. Hopefully, the race can be a stepping stone in the right direction.
“He has done well through the winter and I have been pleased with his training. He will improve for his seasonal return but we are hopeful that he can run well.”
Born To Surprise made an exciting start to his three-year-old season with an emphatic five-length victory in a seven-furlong Doncaster maiden and the Exceed and Excel colt's trainer Michael Bell is hopeful of a good run.
Bell commented: “Born To Surprise has come out of his Doncaster race well and we have always had a high opinion of him. I am just hoping that we don't get too much rain at Newmarket because he is a very good mover.
“He certainly warrants his place in the line-up and he is colt that we like a lot. The Craven Stakes will show us whether he is good enough for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at this stage of his career.”
Richard Hannon has won the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes on four occasions, most notably with subsequent 2000 Guineas victor Tirol in 1990, and the champion trainer has three contenders - Dubai Dewhurst Stakes fifth Trumpet Major, Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes winner Crius and Newmarket maiden scorer Campanology.
Other notable runners include the William Jarvis-trained Beaufort Twelve, who comfortably took a Newmarket maiden on his only appearance to date in October, plus Forgotten Hero and Eastern Sun, who have made winning starts to their campaigns for Charlie Hills and John Gosden respectively.
Dual Champion Stakes victor Twice Over captured the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes in 2008 and the seven-year-old is set to make his seasonal return for Sir Henry Cecil in the nine-furlong £55,000 Group Three Weatherbys Earl Of Sefton Stakes (4.45pm), for which 10 horses have been declared.
Thursday's action also includes the £250,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Trophy (3.00pm, 14 runners) over a mile and a quarter and the Listed Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes (3.35pm, 11 runners) over six furlongs.
