Frankie Dettori won the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, his twentieth Classic, aboard the Aidan O'Brien trained Mother Earth with Santa Barbara only fourth. Recap the action.
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1655: That brings the curtain down on the blog for the weekend.
The Classics produced two exciting finishes and the colts' race may just have the more enduring impact on the season. Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning are certainly not talking down Poetic Flare and it will be fascinating to follow his progress through the next couple of months and find out whether he can confirm the form with Master Of The Seas.
As for today's race, it would be no surprise were Santa Barbara to prove best in time but it sounds very much as though we won't see her again until Epsom.
What price will you be prepared to take about a twice-raced maiden winner landing the Oaks?
That's a question we don't have to answer for a good few weeks yet thankfully and the picture may even be a little bit clearer by this time next week depending upon what happens at Chester.
Enjoy the action - goodbye for now.
1643: Echo Point remains very strong at 4/7 with Parachute 5/2 and the blinkered Defined at 11/2.
The favourite has shaped as though he could improve for this step up to a mile and a half. The form of his latest run has already received a boost this afternoon with No Recollection winning, narrowly, at Salisbury.
Parachute is also tackling a new trip after failing to justify market support over 10 furlongs at Redcar. That turned into a rather muddling race and there has to be a worry about something similar here with just the three runners.
Lydia Hislop has just asked Martin Dixon who might lead and he replied: "Sorry but it could be anyone."
I think everyone's ready to hit the road!
They're struggling a little for things to talk about or to analyse with just the three runners.
A reminder, if you haven't checked it out already, that there's still a selection to come for the Punting Pointers team as they put up Tanasoq at Hamilton.
The leader at Newmarket is Parachute. Entering the final five furlongs. Parachute stretches and Echo Point is switched off the rail and looks to have them covered. He is having to work, it's not over. It is now, Parachute has won.
Tom Marquand was able to set his own fractions but I wouldn't hold that up as a reason for Echo Point's defeat, he looked to be going very easily when pulled out to challenge but was fairly comfortably seen off.
1634: It's an undeniably low key end to the weekend but we don't have very long for the action to heat up with Chester's May meeting starting on Wednesday.
The final race at Newmarket is restricted to horses who haven't won more than once which is a relatively unusual race condition. It's certainly appears to be an open handicap. There's been no money for Bonnyrigg but I thought he was of interest for Andrew Balding on his seasonal reappearance.
1619: There's a move for Boy In The Bar at Salisbury who is 11/2 from 8/1.
Rectory Road is the market leader for the AJN Steelstock "Kentford Newmarket" Handicap which is restricted to female amateurs.
Lucky Louie just holds on from Rectory Road and Voltaic as that money for Boy In The Bar came to nought.
That's the lot from Wiltshire but there are still three to come from Hamilton and two from Newmarket.
There are only three to consider in the Betfair Weighed In Podcast Handicap and Echo Point is odds-on. He bumped into one last time in the form of Mohaafeth who looked as though he could be out of the ordinary when winning yesterday.
Keith Dalgleish has just completed a double on the cards at Hamilton, he keeps firing in the winners.
1606: There are five runners in the Betfair British EBF Maiden Stakes and Secret Strength is 13/8 favourite from Berkshire Phoenix.
Richard Hannon saddled Threat to win this at 10/1 in 2019 and he did win on his racecourse debut but the yard's juveniles so often improve for that initial experience and you're being asked to take a much shorter price about this year's newcomer.
Berkshire Phoenix has the benefit of a run as does outsider of the field War of Courage who I'm quite interested to see. He made his debut just last week in a useful Ascot race won by Brocklesby winner Chipotle - he was six lengths adrift but it will give that form a boost if he can run well.
Secret Strength, an expensive breeze up purchase recently, is 'a really attractive colt' and the best looking runner in the field.
Dig Two also has experience and should improve from his Windsor introduction but another debutant in My Dubawi is much shorter in the market and all the money seems to be for the two newcomers with Berkshire Phoenix easy to back.
One more to load.
Rossa Ryan restrains the favourite before settling him in behind My Dubawi.
Tight going towards the line. It's Dig Two who wins and wins well, going on to score by a couple of lengths at least. Secret Strength only second. The last four finished fairly closer together but the winner really did well to put daylight between himself and the rest in the final few yards. That was quietly impressive.
Modest encouragement from the other four I would say. The second and third are obvious improvers while Berkshire Phoenix finished closer than looked likely for most of the race and is still very much a work in progress.
1600: I missed the beginning and didn't catch everything that Aidan O'Brien said but here is some of it:
"We were delighted with Santa Barbara, she'll probably go to the Oaks next time and Mother Earth to the Irish Guineas. That's what we're thinking.
"(Her inexperience showed) Going into The Dip especially on fast ground, she will have learnt a lot - ran a lovely race really.
"She's beautiful, a big, powerful filly. She's got everything.
"She (Mother Earth) put her head down and ran to the line, very tough and very genuine.
"He's (Zoffany) a big loss. He was a great stallion.
"She (Santa Barbara) had to come for experience and that's why she's here. The plan was to come here, then go to Oaks and have a late season campaign.
"Van Gogh will go up to a mile and a quarter and could yet go to the Derby. The other two will stay at a mile and I'll see where we go after that."
Oaks betting: 5/1 Santa Barbara, 10/1 Mother Earth, 14/1 Saffron Beach.
Or thereabouts. It's still settling down on Oddschecker. I'm not convinced about the last two getting 12 furlongs but that will clearly be no problem for Santa Barbara for whom O'Brien revealed that it had always been the plan to have a light campaign.
1547: The combined age of the two Guineas winning jockeys is 104 and Dettori is enjoying every moment.
"We can still do it! I'm delighted.
"I followed Ryan and I kicked at the top of the hill as I knew she'd get home and she did. Definitely get a mile and a quarter, she's very easy to handle. She's very relaxed, a professional. She's not very big but she's got a big engine.
"I love it."
The winning time was 1.36.37.
The winner was a daughter of Zoffany who also sired yesterday's beaten Classic favourite - clearly there were no problems with this filly training on.
Vadream is one getting a positive mention as the race is reviewed, she's another that probably didn't get home but she caught the eye in finishing sixth.
Santa Barbara should improve for the experience and going up in trip in future, it still seems likely that she will turn out to be the best filly in the race.
Statement and Sacred did too much too soon. Adam Kirby delighted with Saffron Beach, she wanted to go left late on and that didn't help her as she didn't see Mother Earth. Paul Hanagan also delighted with Fev Rover.
More from Dettori, this time on Racing Tv.
"Aidan said to me 'I think the best way to ride your filly is to drop her in with cover but I'll leave it to you'. Luckily William went forward and Ryan followed in his slipstream and I managed to get myself in behind Ryan who I thought was the one to beat.
"I hit the front a good furlong and a half out. In The Dip I could hear them coming but when we hit the rising ground she went again. In the latter half of the season she might go even further. She's not over big but she's got a great will to win."
1536: The field are on the way to post for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
It's a fascinating market and the Racing TV studio are reporting that Alcohol Free was briefly favourite. I'm still pretty amazed by the level of support for Andrew Balding's filly. There have been a couple of races won from off the pace so far today which is good news if you fancy Vadream, third behind Alcohol Free, as Jamie Spencer is likely to play his hand late as the filly did at Newbury. A good number of these have stamina doubts and I wonder if Mother Earth will help to ensure there's a reasonable gallop as Santa Barbara has no stamina concerns. They are now joint-favourites.
They're off!
Fev Rover and Statement lead, a shade keen. Santa just in behind. Saffron Beach there too. Wide open.
MOTHER EARTH wins the QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
The winner was returned at 10/1.
Saffron Beach was second. Close for third with Fev Rover and Santa Barbara. Fev Rover has been confirmed as third.
The initial reaction on Racing TV is that the experience - or lack of it - was key.
Alcohol Free and Sacred didn't appear to stay, both were produced with every chance. Alcohol Free wasn't beaten too far into fifth in fairness.
The beaten favourite has stepped forward a lot from her maiden and should continue to progress through the season.
1525: Andrew Balding: "She's a class act and the form is in the book. Obviously there is a stamina doubt but I'm pretty hopeful. She relaxes well and she's got a good chance of staying a mile. She's still a little bit woolly but a lot better than she looked at Newbury."
Hayley Turner rides work there and reports that the yard is 'buzzing' and that Oisin Murphy is very happy with her.
Balding did say that Alcohol Free is 100% better in her coat than she was at Newbury.
Fev Rover and Thunder Beauty contested the Marcel Boussac last October, underfoot conditions could hardly be more different and that French Group One may not have shown either filly in their best light. Quite a few are prepared to give the duo another chance at the prices as they look to get Santa Barbara beaten.
Dixon on Santa Barbara: "She's attractive. She's not as big and rangy as some of the others. She's got the two handlers that are keeping her nice and relaxed and looks fit and well. She's got a bit of size and quality, she's a good looking filly."
Both Dixon and Hislop put up Fev Rover as their paddock pick. Richard Fahey's runner is the standout alongside the favourite - they are the two in the paddock for the Racing TV team.
They are heading out onto the course.
Sacred has been all over the place in the market, from near second favourite to double figures and back into 8/1 now.
Freddie Meade says of Statement: "Couldn't be happier with the way she's come out of it, she seems to be in good form and pleased to be taking our chance."
The money for Santa Barbara is not absolute - you can get some 5/2 again.
1513: I've changed channels to watch the Group One from France while on ITV they're loading for the conditions stakes at Hamilton where Dragon Symbol has, a little surprisingly, drifted to odds against - quite an interesting little five furlong heat.
The favourite is three from three for Archie Watson and has done everything very easily. I liked Ben Macdui last year but he didn't really go on from an encouraging start and there wasn't a huge amount of promise on his seasonal reappearance.
The betting in Longchamp is quite different from when I last saw it with Mogul 7/4 and Magny Cours 9/4.
Is it down to concerns about the form of Aidan O'Brien's runners? Maybe Mogul just looks a little ring rusty?
Mare Australis is now into 5/2, alongside Magny Cours, with Mogul 15/8.
At Hamilton, Dragon Symbol defies that market drift to win comfortably at 11/8. He was well backed ahead of his debut and Archie Watson's team usually seem to know what they've got. The Cable Boy colt was rated 99 going into today and has made rapid strides in a short time. Significantly and Ben Macdui filled the frame.
Off at Longchamp. Mogul is in second under Christophe Soumillon, Mare Australis leads. Never easy to tell from watching the telly but the pace looks reasonable......for France. The field round the turn in single file which you don't see all that often. Five to run. The pace may have slowed in the false straight, the top three in the betting are the first three. Mogul has been outpaced.
Mare Australis wins under Pierre-Charles Boudot. Gold Trip up for second.
1505: The QIPCO 1000 Guineas is next and Santa Barbara continues to shorten, the 2s is disappearing.
Shoemark: "I just feel she's strengthened again this year. Very gutsy. It's good for the whole team, they deserve it. I feel she could progress throughout the year. Delighted, always nice to be competing on the big stage."
The winner is a bit of a diva and 'hard work' in the evenings according to the lass leading her in but she's certainly forgiven her and is absolutely delighted.
There is the Prix Ganay before the Guineas where Mogul was the clear favourite when I last looked this morning. I mightjust have time to watch a handicap from Salisbury before Longchamp; No Recollection is favourite from Big Boy Bobby and Farhan.
Back to Newmarket and Alcohol Free remains solid at 7/2 but Saffron Beach is back out to double figures and the support for Fev Rover and Thunder Beauty appears to have dried up too.
Big Boy Bobby leads through the first quarter of a mile at Salisbury on his handicap debut. He can't stay there though and may even have finished last but at the head of affairs it's a photo between Farhan and No Recollection. I'm none the wiser after watching a slow motion replay either!
1451: There's a suggestion from the Racing TV team that Lady Bowthorpe will improve for this seasonal return in the Betfair Dahlia Stakes.
There is the non-runner to take into account but Queen Power has shortened up a little as the 2/1 favourite.
Posted has gone to post so early that they didn't see her in the paddock. They are wondering whether she might go from the front in what 'could be a very tactical race'.
Freyja has a nice attitude and one would imagine that she will be prominent from the off; she has to take another big step forwards in order to win this prize even if it may not be the strongest Group Two.
Queen Power is undeniably the one to beat but her supporters have burnt their fingers in the past. She can be a little keen and that could be a concern.
Someone is going down to Queen Power who has stopped the wrong side of the eight furlong pole and has threaded a lead rein (??) through her tack and is jogging her down to the stalls to join the others. I don't know if this is part of the plan, I think it may be as it's not a stalls handler who went down to meet her. She's gone down willingly enough.
Post time approaches in a few seconds and they are heading behind to start loading.
'Away they go,' calls Simon Holt. Freyja leads. Indie Angel races away from the rest. Lavender's Blue is prominent, in company with Queen Power. Queen Power appears to have settled satisfactorily. They're quickening. Three in a line.
The well tipped up Lady Bowthorpe beats Queen Power and Lavender's Blue.
Good finish, solid but unspectacular form.
William Jarvis' mare has been returned at 6/1 and continues the good start to the season that he's made. Kieran Shoemark was the man in the saddle, bringing his mount from last to first.
1436: The British EBF/AJN Steelstock "Supporting UK Construction" Maiden Stakes is underway at Salisbury and the second race on Hamilton's card isn't too far away; the odds-on Soul Seeker took the first.
Oman is under a ride but has been in the lead for some time in Wiltshire. He keeps responding for Hector Crouch and opens his account, beating Mellow Magic.
A little more from Ben Curtis: "Her form coming into it was the best form on offer.
"That was probably her first real test on a quicker surface. I thought that was pretty impressive and she felt a million dollars. She's always been straightforward. Today she showed a little bit of class when she quickened up. Hopefully she keeps progressing."
1424: Lady Hayes is still on her toes at the start.
The top two in the market look the part physically and Dixon was particularly taken with the way that Sea Karats has handled herself in the preliminaries. One or two questions have been raised about A'Shaari's action with suggestions that she may prefer more cut than she'll encounter today.
A'Shaari is keen through the early stages as William Buick struggles to settle her towards the rear. She's out towards the middle of the track with Sea Karats just in behind the pace towards the far rail where a lot of the racing has been done. They're finishing down the middle though and the lead is still held by Mystery Angel.
She wins by a length and a half or so from Sea Karats and Taslima (very promising) having always been to the fore under Ben Curtis. The early exertions of A'Shaari probably took a toll late on but the 'big two' were undeniably disappointing.
No Oaks winners to see here.
"The dream's alive now," Curtis tells Matt Chapman.
"She was impressive there. Good attitude and a well deserved win."
The winner was returned at 13/2 and that is a 23/1 double.
That was her third win from 10 starts and she's progressed nicely since winning a nursery off 72 and yes, I am damning with faint praise.
1412: The runners are in the paddock for the Betfair Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.
Lady Hayes is not behaving apparently.
"She is above herself at the moment," says Lydia Hislop.
"A typical Kodiac," adds Dixon.
He is very positive about A'Shaari and the market has been pretty positive about her chances too. It is just a match according to the betting with the two once-raced fillies (Sea Karats the other) backed to the exclusion of the others.
Tom Marquand on Sea Karats: "She was unlucky first time. In a way it's kind of a blessing. It's almost a nice thing when they do get beat as it gives you choices."
Marquand is obviously looking forward to the ride and believes his filly should have learned a good deal from Newbury.
Alba Rose is quite a keen filly at home according to her trainer so it will be interesting to see how she settles once they're racing.
There is a notable non-runner from our next with Fooraat out of the Dahlia.
A lot of the 9/4 about Santa Barbara has been mopped up and she's 2/1 in more places than not for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at 1540.
1403: Back to Salisbury for the City Bowl.
Opera Gift is a perfectly acceptable 5/2 ahead of the prolific Prince Alex at 10/3 but there's been some money for Ispahan who is also available at 'Berlington Bertie'.
It will be a rare flag start and they're off.
The jolly races in second behind Gumball but as they race around the loop, Hasanabad goes on by a couple. About half a mile to race, no cards played. Opera Gift goes well but there's three or four across the track. He goes through the gears eventually (it took a while!) and ultimately runs out a ready winner.
Tight for the minors with Midnight's Legacy edging out Gumball and Prince Alex.
The winner was going by far the best but he took a little while to respond to David Probert's urgings and I wondered for a while whether he would pick up.
That's got Jeff Smith's day off to a decent start. Can Alcohol Free top it off?
1358: "He put his head down and you can't ask anymore than that. I'm delighted with him," Ben Curtis tells Matt Chapman.
Curtis plays down his prospects of being Champion Jockey (I felt) but his star is firmly on the rise and he's getting some increasingly high profile rides; this could be a very profitable link up with Mark Johnston for him.
Aidan O'Brien on ITV (filmed yesterday): "She's always been a very straightforward filly, brilliant in her work. She's never been asked to come off the bridle so she'll learn a lot tomorrow. She's a lot of firsts (new experiences). She's very intelligent, learns things very quick. It's a very big ask for her."
Are you with or against Santa Barbara? There doesn't appear to be any of the 5/2 left at the moment with 9/4 more or less across the boards.
1350: They're at post time.
Grand Bazaar strides on but Zabeel Champion isn't far behind. Global Storm is last. The field are closely grouped passing the five furlong marker with no changes to the order.
Ooh.
It looked for a long way as though Grand Bazaar was going to be the beneficiary of a Frankie Dettori special but he was only third.
Zabeel Champion was the first to be ridden but kept to his task well for Ben Curtis and he's beaten Global Storm on the nod. All three have run on really well with the third obviously enjoying the run of the race. Martin Dixon is suggesting Global Storm hasn't applied himself 'as sharply as the other two' but that looks a little harsh to me.
The distances can't have been much more than a short-head and a neck or similar, that was an exciting finish.
1340: There's been money for Global Storm in the Back And Lay On Betfair Exchange Handicap.
He was behind Zabeel Champion on the July course and has only had the one run since in Meydan. He's unexposed over a mile and a half and the market clearly suggests that he's expected to improve for it but Zabeel Champion has done everything very nicely at Ripon this season and is unlikely to go down without a fight.
The runners are on their way down to post with the field completed by two likeable but exposed runners in Sky Defender and Hyanna and Grand Bazaar who has been gelded since last in action.
Zabeel Champion is an imposing colt whereas Global Storm is a more compact individual.
Charlie Appleby says on ITV that his runner has 'done a nice couple of bits of work at home'.
He also tells Oli Bell that Master Of The Seas will go straight to the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. That race is also on the radar for Poetic Flare and the race is beginning to shape up nicely already.
There's a little money for Grand Bazaar although Mick Fitz thought he was a little keen on the way to post. They've arrived now.
1325: In 2019 the two divisions of the upcoming AJN Steelstock "Success Breeds Success" Novice Stakes were won by Oxted at 25/1 and Biometric (10/3).
The latter was rated over 100 before being sold to race in Australia so the winners from that season certainly went on to hit the heights. Connections of Hamoudi will be hoping that he can go on to achieve a similar level of form having shown some promise at Newmarket on his first completed start.
There is a little bit of money for State Secretary against him but all the money this morning was for the Roger Varian trained Hamoudi.
I don't think Andrea Atzeni will want to ride Hamoudi again as he's been unseated for the second time in three starts.
Power Em burst through the stalls and didn't go. State Secretary was pulled up half a mile from home.
That left Walls Of Kano to beat Aesthete in a race that produced more drama than could reasonably have been expected.
It seems as though Hamoudi just took a false step with no blame attached to the horse, Atzeni walked away so is hopefully none the worse for the fall.
1309: Lydia Hislop doesn't like the way that Fountain Cross is throwing his head around in the paddock ahead of the Better Odds On Betfair Exchange Handicap, the first from Newmarket.
Kehailaan and the newly gelded Western Symphony both have scope to improve on their current handicap marks but both have done all of their racing on the all-weather so far. The former has the scope to improve throughout the season according to the Racing TV experts.
Francesco Guardi has taken a remarkable drift in the market (from 15/8 out to 4/1) which has rather turned this race on its head. The unexposed pair at the bottom now head the betting and it remains to be seen which of them proves the most effective on fast turf.
It looks as though Western Symphony is going to be sent off as favourites to continue the good form of Charlie Appleby. Kehailaan is obviously now favourite.
It's just started raining at Newmarket and the wind has blown the papers from Hislop's monitor. The rain isn't obvious on the telly although Simon Holt describes it as 'steady'.
They're racing in two groups in the early stages but are moving together. Francesco Guardi 'really tanking along'.
Western Symphony and Kehailaan on alternate flanks with the former on the far side. The latter under a drive and not responding as Western Symphony took over fully a quarter of mile from home. River Alwen was played late and got on top close home, going on to score by about a length.
Francesco Guardi presumably did too much for the first half mile or so while Kehailaan ran no race at all. The action all unfolded against the far side rail ultimately. The form may not amount to a great deal but the 5/1 winner did everything very easily for Jamie Spencer. The second was in front a long way from home.
The time was five seconds above standard and was 2.05.78.
Back in the studio and Mark Johnson says 'I don't think we'll see a better ride all day. I think this is Spencer at his absolute top-notch best'.
1301: Silver Bullet Lady was very green out of the gates but came home from last to first to win quite impressively.
I thought it was going to be an eyecatching debut but the filly picked up really strongly to win going away by almost a length from Out Of Yorkshire who looked to have the race in safe keeping. The winner was returned at 7/1.
Doyle did start her blog with the words 'I’m hoping to make it a day to remember at Salisbury on Sunday for my boss' and she's certainly done that.
I was taking a moment to watch that replay and one who is worth considering for your My Stable tracker is the Richard Hannon trained Banner Moonshine who also finished off her race to good effect.
Hannon had won that race with some useful sorts in the past, including Tiggy Wiggy, and this was a reasonably promising introduction.
1252: "The market is correcting itself," says Barry Orr of Betfair.
"To what is becoming a backable price. Alcohol Free has been pretty well supported, Statement another one. Saffron Brach another. They're backing everything around the favourite but the favourite is drifting to a backable price.
"There's plenty going on. The Betfair Dahlia Stakes, Lady Bowthorpe has been really well supported and A'Shaari against Sea Karats in the Betfair Pretty Polly."
Vaunted was playing up a little ahead of leaving the paddock at Salisbury and Liam Keniry opted to jump out of the saddle, allowing Clive Cox to lead her out onto the track. Pictures are now live and Charles Bishop is having to lead Hattie C to post.
All the money is for Out In Yorkshire.
There is a little money around for Silver Bullet Lady who is the first runner for Decorated Knight for owner Imad Alsagar. The Sky Sports Racing ambassador reported that the filly had been 'progressing nicely' and was ready to start her career but being trained by Roger Charlton, you might expect her to improve from this experience.
1244: The studio are raising concerns about the form of Aidan O'Brien's string.
His runners are 0/10 in Britain and and 3/25 overall. Not ideal perhaps but I don't know that I'd get too hung up on that.
Clerk of the Course Michael Prosser says: "We watered last night. We had to get the pipes out swiftly as we knew the frost was going to come down. The course walks well, clearly it's tightened up where we haven't irrigated but we're pleased with where we're at.
"We've irrigated between two furlongs and seven furlongs. We couldn't have done it (watered the remainder) anyway and that was the most important and the tightest area.
"The wind has changed direction and is less. It's due to stay minimal all day. It's coming from the west which is across and slightly behind."
1232: Mark Your Card has just started on Racing TV so I'll hopefully have some news from the track for you over the next 30 minutes or so before racing begins.
They've started with the Guineas and Martin Dixon opines that Santa Barbara has by far and away the best pedigree for the race and that it is an unexceptional renewal; 'her pedigree is where her potential lies,' he says.
Lydia Hislop likes Statement best of the Fred Darling runners but the market has spoken very strongly in favour of Alcohol Free this morning. The duo are on the fence about whether Vadream will stay the mile but both are confident that Statement will enjoy the trip and both are leaning towards Alcohol Free being a non-stayer.
It's a similar view to regards the first two in the Nell Gwyn with Saffron Beach viewed as the potentially stronger stayer but neither Dixon or Hislop are adamant about it.
Mother Earth, like Thunder Moon, is by Zoffany so Dixon is keen to see her in the paddock as the colt hadn't trained on in his view. She does have the best form in the race but believes she might not be able to improve on that level in 2021.
Fev Rover is put up as being a big price and an each-way chance.
1227: The form of St James's Palace Stakes entry Bullace received a boost yesterday with the victory of Crossford and his formlines could be further enhanced this afternoon, albeit at a relatively lowly level.
Lovely Breeze finished a neck behind him at Chelmsford in October and she lines up in the 1720 at Newmarket while Big Boy Bobby makes his handicap debut in the 1510 at Salisbury having finished a respectable four lengths or so behind Bullace on his third and most recent start at Kempton in November.
The fourth from that Kempton race goes at Windsor tomorrow, incidentally.
1211: The AJN Steelstock "Delivering Steel Expertise" City Bowl Handicap is the feature at Salisbury and features some typically progressive handicappers.
Prince Alex won five in a row in handicaps last season and is re-opposed by Yarmouth fourth Ispahan with the latter 5lbs better off and Boss Power who was almost six lengths adrift of the multiple winner at Haydock in September but meets on the same terms having run well on his two subsequent starts.
There should be more to come from all three while Gumball won this race last year and may not be a back number yet but I find it hard to get away from the favourite Opera Gift whose second (from 6lbs lower) to Ocean Wind at Doncaster in October looks decent form with the winner finishing second to Sir Ron Priestley and Stradivarius on his two starts this season.
He is owned, like Alcohol Free, by Salisbury Racecourse chairman Jeff Smith and appeals as one of today's stronger fancies.
1201: It's time for some market movers.
The move for Alcohol Free is quite something although she may now be easing a little.
Santa Barbara continues to drift and there's some 5/2 about now. I wouldn't be at all surprised if her backers come in again nearer post time.
Paddy Power
Newmarket
1.15 River Alwen 7/1 from 15/2
2.25 Ashaari 13/8 fav from 7/4 fav
3.00 Posted 15/2 from 9/1
3.40 Alcohol Free 11/4 from 15/2
4.15 Dig Two 9/2 from 5/1
5.20 Lovely Breeze 11/2 from 6/1
Salisbury
2.05 Opera Gift 2/1 fav from 85/40 fav
Hamilton
3.15 Dragon Symbol 5/6 fav from 10/11 fav
Sky Bet
Newmarket
1.50 Zabeel Champion 15/8 from 9/4
2.25 Mystery Angel 8/1 from 14/1
3.40 Alcohol Free 3/1 from 13/2, Statement 13/2 from 12/1
Salisbury
1.30 Aesthete 2/1 from 4/1
2.35 Oman 2/1 from 3/1
Hamilton
2.40 Alright Sunshine 9/2 from 7/1
1147: John Gosden may have bossed the Pretty Polly but Sir Michael Stoute's runners have blossomed in the Betfair Dahlia Stakes with the veteran Newmarket handler sending out six winners of the Group Two.
Consequently his runners always attract plenty of attention and in the last two years he's seen this year's representative Queen Power finish second (at 9/2) and Veracious only fourth (as the 5/4 favourite) and Queen Power was initially put in at 2/1 by some firms.
She's drifted to a more accurate - and appealing? - 11/4 with support coming for Lavender's Blue who is a mare I have time for you. She's returned in good form and may be able to make a little further progress this season while a good case has been made for Lady Bowthorpe in more than one place.
I keep going around in circles and getting no closer to an answer but I'd become more and more interested in Queen Power if she continues to drift.
1124: Runners at Newmarket are a little bit thin on the ground again and the same is true of Salisbury and Hamilton who both stage good, competitive cards.
A potential Derby contender emerged from the undercard yesterday and a filly could put herself forwards for the Oaks with an impressive display in the Betfair Pretty Polly Stakes.
It's less unusual to have a lightly raced favourite for this Listed race than it is the Guineas but A'Shaari and Sea Karats have had just the two starts between them and the latter is still, perhaps slightly unluckily, a maiden.
John Gosden's record in the race (six wins, two behind Sir Henry Cecil) is such that it would be remiss not to mention Taslima but the betting would suggest that she is no Taghrooda as she's out at double figures.
The Gosdens should have a reasonable idea where they stand with Sea Karats as their Gloria Mundi won the Newbury maiden she contested.
A'Shaari looked an exciting prospect when making a winning debut in August and she's beautifully bred as a sister to Wuheida.
Wuheida was being aimed at the Oaks but injury kept her off the track until July of her three-year-old season; perhaps her younger sibling will prove good enough and stay sound enough to have a crack at the summer Classic herself.
She's actually the longer priced of the market leaders in the ante-post market (stamina concerns presumably although Charlie Appleby didn't appear to have any for Wuheida) and is 28/1 in a place (general 25s but as short as 12s) for Epsom with Sea Karats 20s.
1103: There's no shortage of alternative opinions on our pages through an array of columnists and tipsters so do take time to check those out if you haven't done so already; they can all be found via the links at the top of the page.
The QIPCO 1000 Guineas is not the only Group One being staged today with the Prix Ganay being run at Longchamp.
The 10 furlong contest was won in 2019 by Waldgeist and in 2020 by Sottsass and both horses ended up their respective seasons by winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Mogul is an odds-on favourite for this afternoon's race and around 25/1 if you fancy the Ganay to bring up an unusual hat-trick.
He's already won at Longchamp having beaten last year's Arc second In Swoop in the Grand Prix de Paris over 12 furlongs and this would appear to be a nice starting point for his European season having taken in races in Hong Kong, Dubai and America since that victory in France.
1045: The one that I do like as an each-way option against the favourite (I'm not brave) is Saffron Beach who was second to Sacred in the other key trial, the Nell Gwyn.
She shapes as though she will be the stronger stayer of the pair and this is not a chance of the arm with a smart juvenile but a long-term plan as Jane Chapple-Hyam explained in October when deciding not to take Saffron Beach to the Breeders' Cup:
"She's going to have a rest now, before she comes back for the Nell Gwyn and the Guineas.
"The main reason we're not going is the owners wouldn't be able to attend, and also she'd had two quick runs, so it's best for her that she has a break with next year in mind. We'll have the opportunity to travel with her next year.
"She's just a natural. She was a late developer - but as soon as she got fit, the fitter she got the better she got. Looking at her pedigree, most have got better with age, so that's what we've got to look forward to.
"That's why I think the best thing to do is rug her up now, and look forward to next year."
It's stretching the point that the Guineas is an afterthought for the likes of Sacred but she was a precocious and smart juvenile whose stamina for the mile was always going to be in question.
I don't feel that's the case with Saffron Beach and as 'a late developer' she could be open to considerably more physical improvement than some of those who achieved more in 2020. She seems to have had the ideal preparation, has had all three starts at Newmarket so there are no worries about how she'll handle The Dip and at 9 or 10/1, she'll do for me.
1026: Santa Barbara is drawn out on the flank in stall one which is a potential further complication for Ryan Moore.
You can tie yourself in knots trying to work out the impact of the draw (it is still worth trying, always) as the excellent Racing TV experts did yesterday in suggesting that the best pace and better fancied runners were drawn high before watching horses from 4, 2 and 3 dominate the finish.
Moore would presumably prefer to be drawn closer to the middle and it will be interesting to see how his filly breaks and where he looks to go after that. Alcohol Free, Saffron Beach and Sacred are berthed in 11, 10 and 9 but Moore does have stablemate Mother Earth next to him and Statement in three so there's a reasonable split between the 'quality'.
The Dubai Duty Free Stakes - or Fred Darling if you prefer - is one of the key formlines with the first three all going to post again. Oisin Murphy was obviously delighted with the performance of Alcohol Free and both he and the trainer gave valid reasons as to why she would step up on that form.
I'm just not that excited about the standard with maiden winner Statement a close second and over two lengths back to Vadream. Throughout the Fred Darling my eye was drawn to Vadream and she came home really well, away from the first two, to claim third and I'd rather take the chance that she can take another big step forwards at around 20/1 (extra places on offer) than back Alcohol Free at 3s.
1010: The picture at the top of the blog is of Love winning the QIPCO 1000 Guineas with ease.
She went on to enjoy the most remarkable of seasons, adding the Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks to her tally to finish the season unbeaten and with three Group Ones to her name.
Thankfully she will get the chance this season to show us what might have been in the big autumn prizes having swept all before her prior to that. She won by over four lengths on the Rowley Mile and the manner of her victory there and at Epsom render it relatively meaningless that the form of last year's Classic didn't turn out to be all that exciting.
Love seemed to surprise connections last year but there will be no amazement if Santa Barbara produces something stunning this afternoon given the atypical reports of her homework.
She has raced just the once and the form of her maiden hasn't worked out either but as the above suggests, you can't always hold that against the winner. Indeed, I read a snippet this morning reminding me that Santa Barbara created a sufficiently strong visual impression on her sole start to leave people talking of a top-class filly and a tilt at the Fillies' Mile.
How good is the level of opposition?
Hindsight will provide the answer but it doesn't have the look of being an exceptional year and the field size is down a little too which I think can only be of benefit to the favourite.
Does all of that make her a bet?
I was going to answer with a resounding 'no' but having just refreshed the odds, I'd far rather back her at 2s than Alcohol Free at 3/1 so I may sit on the fence a while longer - the view's good.
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