Racing Post Trophy third Fencing is on schedule to make the line-up for the £350,000 Group One QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, May 5, despite missing an intended reappearance at the Craven meeting last week.
Trainer John Gosden worked the son of Street Cry with one of his other QIPCO Guineas Festival contenders, Masked Marvel, at Newmarket's July Course yesterday morning.
Gosden was granted permission to work the duo because both are likely runners in Group races at the QIPCO Guineas Festival, with Masked Marvel being aimed at the £100,000 Group Two Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes. The pair worked over just shy of a mile with William Buick on board St Leger hero Masked Marvel and Nicky Mackay taking the reins on Fencing.
Commenting after the workout, Gosden said: “Fencing went nicely and we are still hoping to get him to the QIPCO 2000 Guineas. I was pleased with how he went.
“A toe clip went into his foot and he was sore, so we had to sit out the Craven meeting. But he is back in good form now and there is no reason why he wouldn't go straight there.
“I was pleased enough with Masked Marvel. It was just a little on the soft side for him, so we want some drying weather to ensure his participation in the Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes.
“We very much want to run him - it's been the plan all winter.”
A total of 26 contenders remain in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas following the April 24 scratchings' deadline.
Camelot remains a hot favourite for the Rowley Mile Classic after a runaway success in the last season's Racing Post Trophy and is one of three entries going forward for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Ireland's champion handler may also be represented by Group One National Stakes winner Power and Group Three Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial winner Furner's Green.
The Roger Charlton-trained Top Offer remains engaged after missing his intended prep run in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury and will come into the Classic with only a maiden success to his name.
Richard Hannon has five entries going forward, including impressive Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes winner Trumpet Major. He could also be represented by Dubai Dewhurst Stakes fourth Bronterre, who disappointed on his reappearance in the Greenham Stakes on Saturday, and last season's Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes winner Crius.
Alan McCabe will be chasing his first Classic success with multiple Group-winner Caspar Netscher, who completed a rare double last season when winning the Gimcrack Stakes at York and Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. He made the best possible return this season with an authoritative success in Newbury's Greenham Stakes, where he got the better of John Hills' stable star Boomerang Bob.
Godolphin could be represented Mandaean, who joined Mahmood Al Zarooni's string after an easy success in last season's Group One Criterium De Saint-Cloud when trained in France by Andre Fabre. The highly-touted Mighty Ambition remains a possible despite finishing fifth in the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes.
Irish handler Jim Bolger has two remaining entries headed by Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes winner Parish Hall and the progressive Light Heavy, who won the Group Three Ballysax Stakes over 10-furlongs on his latest start.
Sea The Stars began his memorable three-year-old campaign with victory in the 2009 2000 Guineas and his three-parts brother Born To Sea could be looking to follow in his footsteps for Currabeg handler John Oxx.
A strong potential French challenge is headed by the first three home in this season's Group Three Prix Djebel, run at Maisons-Laffitte on April 5, with French Fifteen, Abtaal and Hermival all going forward. The last-named's stablemate Dragon Pulse remains engaged for trainer Mikel Delzangles, successful with Makfi in 2010, after bursting Dabirsim's bubble in the Group Three Prix Fontainebleau at Longchamp on April 15.
