Our Value Bet expert looks beyond the more obvious candidates and aims to unearth some of the more interesting dark horses who could end up in Classic contention this year.
THE PRETTIEST STAR (Ed Walker)
- 25/1 for QIPCO 1000 Guineas, Newmarket
Twice raced at two, Ed Walker’s Starman filly The Prettiest Star justified 15/8 favouritism in a moderate Nottingham maiden over six furlongs on August 7 before returning 50 days later to run a fine race when second behind Zanthos in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket.
She appeared to be well suited by the step up to seven furlongs on the Rowley Mile. Indeed, she was the only one to lay down some sort of challenge to the winner, who bagged the favourable stands’ side rail some way out, and although never quite looking likely to get there in time, The Prettiest Star was right alongside a stride or two past the finishing post (replay below).
She’s out of a Kingman mare (Ediyva) who is closely related to winning milers and from the family of two Gold Cup winners in Estimate and Enzeli, so there’s every chance the Guineas trip will be in range for The Prettiest Star. The improvement she appeared to make from first to second start as a juvenile was quite stark and it will be fascinating to see how she has developed through the winter.
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ENOCH (John & Thady Gosden)
- 50/1 for QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Newmarket; 66/1 for Betfred Derby, Epsom
Whether it’s a Guineas trial or something more geared towards the middle-distance division this season, Enoch is well worth looking out for when returning to action.
We don’t have a whole lot of racecourse evidence to work with but the Frankel colt, who is a half-brother to top-class performer Almanzor, showed quality and an abundance of promise in his sole start over seven furlongs on the Rowley Mile course last September.
Easy enough to back on the day (SP of 4/1), Enoch was slow from the stalls and had to sit in rear but he travelled quite stylishly and the response when asked to quicken in the final furlong and a half was really impressive.
He’s proven on the famous undulations now but another start before a possible crack at the Guineas would not go amiss and he looks a dark one from the Gosden yard while all the focus seems to be on stablemate Publish who is, admittedly, a top prospect in his own right.
KING’S TRAIL (Charlie Appleby)
- 25/1 for QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Newmarket; 50/1 for Betfred Derby, Epsom
Another currently entered for both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, King’s Trail could end up being more of an Epsom candidate in the making given he didn’t make his debut until December 1, when ultimately well on top to land a mile novice event at Kempton despite being asked for an effort some way out.
Having said that, he's "not short of pace" according to William Buick, and is odds-on favourite having been declared for the mile conditions race at Kempton this Saturday.
The son of Sea The Stars is out of a Dubawi mare who is a half-sister to 10-furlong Group 1 winner Cutlass Bay as well as 12-furlong Group 2 winner Boscobel, so a Derby trial may look a more natural route to take with the chestnut beyond this weekend. However, his trainer Charlie Appleby isn’t against running horses he knows may ideally need a bit further in the 2000 Guineas, just to give them that experience at Classic level if nothing else, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on running plans for this colt. He’s a 25/1 shot for the Guineas and 50/1 for the Derby at the time of writing.
ARMADA DE LOPE (Paddy Twomey)
- 100/1 for Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas, Curragh
Armada De Lope has no right whatsoever to be talked of a possible Classic contender but there is still a couple of months to go before the Irish Guineas and horses are going to emerge from all corners during that time.
This daughter of Lope De Vega shaped well despite a low draw and wide trip on her Curragh debut last September and, although she failed to build on the initial effort when again finishing fifth over the same six furlongs the following month, the heavy ground looked dead against her that day and Billy Lee made the sensible move to go easy when it became clear she wasn't at home in the conditions.
She’s got a mountain to climb in order to make it at pattern level this year but trainer Paddy Twomey evidently holds her in high regard and her half-brother Spartan Arrow improved with time and experience so there’s still some hope. Her other classy half-sibling, Twilight Gleaming, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint so I’m looking forward to seeing what Armada De Lope is capable of on a sound surface when the opportunity arises.
EARTH SHOT (William Haggas)
- 40/1 for Betfred Oaks, Epsom
The Betfred Oaks remains open for entries until a couple of weeks’ time (April 7) and it will be interesting to see if William Haggas has a filly or two in the Classic he won in 2011 with Dancing Rain.
Haggas hasn't had a runner in the Oaks since Frankellina was fifth in the race seven years ago but he’s got some potential ammo this time around, not least the Newbury novice race winner My Ophelia who trades around the 16/1 mark in the antepost book.
At almost three times the price, I’m drawn to Earth Shot, who finished second under fairly considerate handling on debut in the same Newbury novice won by her stable companion in the autumn. She was the big eyecatcher of the race for me, staying on in the final furlong to pass eventual third Queen’s Companion, who had the benefit of a previous run to her name, and she’s bred to come into her own over 10 furlongs and beyond this time around.
Wherever My Ophelia goes, I don’t think Earth Shot will be too far behind provided she’s matured as hoped and her dam Precious Ramotswe won the 2018 Bronte Cup at York (1m6f) so perhaps her Yorkshire-born trainer will look to work back from something like the Musidora in May all being well.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsPublished at 13:50 GMT on 26/03/26
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