Seymour Biz takes a quick look at Sunday’s action, which includes the 1000 Guineas at Headquarters. Here are his Lucky 15 selections. You can find all of his UK racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
The television cameras are at Newmarket on Sunday for the 1000 Gns meeting and are also showing a race from Hamilton where William Haggas’s classy sprinter, Deputise, has scared away the opposition and goes off odds on favourite. But Newmarket has some very open races, not least the Guineas itself, so here are my thoughts for the four TV races for us to watch while we put our feet up on Sunday afternoon.
Starting at 1.50 with the Quatar Racing Handicap over 12 furlongs we have the first of the open betting contests. Mark Johnson’s Baghdad is the bookies choice after his prep run on the all-weather where he could finish only third , he still looks like work in progress. I prefer Deja from Peter Chapple-Hyam’s yard, a winner of both his starts of last year. I saw him battle his way to victory at Chester in September and he has tremendous heart which he again showed when winning his final contest at Pontefract. Melting Dew can chase him home. At 2.20 is the Dahlia Stakes and there is a disappointing turnout for this prestigious contest. Veracious trained by Sir Michael Stoute is a very warm favourite but she ran poorly in her final race of last season, the Sun Chariot here at Newmarket. Just in front of her that day was Billesdon Brook who returns to the scene of her shock win in last year’s 1000 Gns and Richard Hannon will be keen to see reprise her victory over a trip just a furlong further. The Longholes Handicap is at 2.55 and this 6f contest is the most open race of the day. On The Warpath from Charlie Appleby’s stable is favourite but I don’t think this drop back in trip will suit him. He has only ever won over 7f and there are horses in this race who are 6f specialists. One of which is Gunmetal from David Barron’s yard, a triple winner last year including a course and distance victory here at HQ last June. Flavius Titus who won here last month during the Craven meeting looks the main danger.
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So we come to highlight of the day at 3.35, the Quipco 1000 Guineas where Qabala is all the rage. The reason she is so highly fancied is her victory in the Nell Gwyn here last month but I can’t help feeling she didn’t beat very much that day. In her two runs she has not faced the better horses of her generation and in this Classic she may well be found wanting. Aidan O’Brien has four runners the best of which may well be Fairyland who won the Cheveley Park here at Newmarket last September. His son Joseph may have a better chance than those four with Iridessa who had a prep run at Leopardstown on ground that didn’t suit, she may well take the spoils after her Fillies Mile win here last September. But my choice is John Oxx’s Skitter Scatter who was developed slowly, going through the ranks of Group races finally winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes, a Group 1, at the Curragh last September. She was staying on well that day on yielding ground and the step up to a mile will not be a problem for her.
Sunday Newmarket Lucky 15
1.50 Deja
2.20 Billesdon Brook
2.55 Gunmetal
3.35 Skitter Scatter