Our form expert has two selections for Sunday's ITV Racing on Betfred 1000 Guineas day at Newmarket.
The Verdict: Sunday May 4
1pt win Anna Swan in 1.45 Newmarket at 7/1 (General)
1pt win Story Horse in 2.55 Newmarket at 11/1 (General)
Swan to stick her neck out in Pretty Polly
It’s a cracking renewal of the Betfred 1000 Guineas on Sunday with two top-drawer two-year-olds clashing first time out at three.
Desert Flower v Lake Victoria is an early season blockbuster between Godolphin and Coolmore and there’s not much between these two on what they did last season.
There’s always a question mark over whether they’ll train on to the same or better standard, but there’s no reason why they won’t and if they are both on their A-game we’re in for a super horse race.
Both should be fine on the conditions and I don’t really want to take the pair on, although if they do underperform Duty First has shown she has progressed well from two to three already after an emphatic win in the Fred Darling.
The ground looked quick on 2000 Guineas day, the times suggesting Good to Firm, but all the aforementioned should be fine with that and while I’ll keep the powder dry in the feature I do like the look of ANNA SWAN in the opening Listed Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes.
There are lots of promising fillies in here including the well-backed Falakeyah, but Anna Swan is well proven on Good to Firm ground and that could count for plenty in this.
The daughter of Almanzor looked really promising on such a surface when scooting away to win on debut at Yarmouth and that was the best she looked at two as she went on to run down the field in Desert Flower’s Fillies’ Mile.
That was too hot too soon but the experience won’t be lost on her and if she’s anything like her dam, Vivionn, she’ll be improving significantly now she’s three.
William Haggas has already improved one he got from Sir Michael Stoute’s in More Thunder, who won again on Saturday, and there’s every chance he’s got his hands on another progressive one in Anna Swan.
The Verdict: Back ANNA SWAN in the 1.45 Newmarket
Sunday another chapter for Story
The best bet on 1000 Guineas day is STORY HORSE in the Betfred Handicap over 1m6f for William Knight and Saffie Osborne.
The five-year-old ran a really nice race in third on his reappearance at Southwell last month and he usually comes on significantly for a run, so improvement from that effort is expected here.
He weakened late on and relinquished second, but he paid for making a race of it with the winner, Caballo De Mar, who has subsequently hacked up at the same track from a 6lb higher mark.
Story Horse remains on a mark of 82 and there looks to be mileage in that rating now he returns to turf over his ideal trip of 1m6f.
Last season he progressed over the distance, winning at Haydock under Sunday’s rider off just 3lb lower last July during a series of runs that proved his effectiveness on quicker conditions.
He’s relatively lightly-raced over a mile and three quarters and has progressed each time he’s tackled the distance, while there’s no reason why Osborne won’t get a good, prominent, position looking at the ordinary early pace on paper.
In the Cesarewitch Trial here last September he ran well, leading three out before not appearing to stay the 2m2f, but back on the Rowley Mile over 1m6f with a run under his belt, this looks perfect for him.
The Verdict: Back STORY HORSE in the 2.55 Newmarket
Preview posted at 1555 BST on 03/05/25
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