Fran Berry's blog on Guineas weekend at Newmarket

It was disappointing on the day to be beaten on Intern in the Classic Trial at Sandown but in hindsight he ran a tremendous race.

He only went down by a head to Cunco and it was a lovely first run for the stable and of the season. He's a nice horse to have in the yard and hopefully he can develop into a contender for the King Edward VII Stakes.

He is still in the Derby and the Lingfield trial could be an option but I would think that Royal Ascot is more likely.

I rode against Ajman Princess at Royal Ascot last year and also in some of her maidens so I know her quite well. She's a nice ride to pick up for Roger Varian and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and her experience will stand her in good stead in the Betfred TV EBF Stallions Daisy Warwick Stakes at Goodwood.

She finished a fine second to Even Song in the Ribblesdale and had a good break after flopping in the Irish Oaks. She was entitled to win her maiden but it's still a plus that she's got a run under her belt this season.

It's a big help landing a single figure draw on Zwayyan in the seven furlong handicap. Mr Haggas has his team in good form and I've got down to my minimum weight - 8-9 - to ride him. It's not too much of a problem to get down to that weight, I just have to work a bit harder, but I wouldn't do it too often and the 48 hour decs are a big help.

It's Zwayyan's first run of the year and since being gelded but he looks to be a four-year-old with plenty of upside after only a handful of starts. He disappointed last time but won his handicap debut well at Haydock before that and I'd be hopeful of a big run.

It's all about how well you travel at Goodwood and despite the idiosynracies of the track it comes down to what you're riding but Desert Haze has already proved she can act here when winning at Glorious Goodwood last season.

You can put a line through her run at Kempton as I was caught three wide without cover and she just seemed to lose interest. She lacked a run and I was never ideally placed as it turned out as it was very windy that day and a lot of the winners were held-up and behind.

She looks very well and has been working well since. She proved that she was up to this level [Listed] at Dundalk last season and she's a lively each-way chance [in the Betfred 'Watch Sky Sports In Our Shops' Conqueror Stakes].

Duchess Of Fife will be my first ride for William Knight and I don't know too much about her yet but the yard has been in great form and does well at Goodwood, their local track, and I'd be hopeful she can step up on her handicap debut in the Betfred Celebrating 50 Years Of Success Handicap.

I'll be keeping an eye on Newmarket where the QIPCO 2000 Guineas revolves around Churchill. He was an exceptional two-year-old and has course form having won the Dewhurst. He follows the Aidan O'Brien template for the Guineas and is very much the one to beat but he won't have it easy as Barney Roy and Eminent won their trials impressively as did Al Wukair.

Fillies' Mile winner Rhododendron is the one to beat in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas but I've been a big fan of Winter since I saw her at Leopardstown and the market has spoken this week.

The form has worked out well and she's an each-way chance on that run. 

It looks an open race and Talaayeb is another with an each-way chance for Owen Burrows. I was taken with her at Newmarket last season when she picked up well from halfway to come home strongly and win her maiden.

My first ride is in the Havana Gold Maiden Stakes that follows the Guineas and we introduce an interesting two-year-old in Solid Man.

He was imported from Japan and has a fascinating pedigree as he's from the first crop of Lord Kanaloa who was the outstanding racehorse of his generation and a champion over six furlongs and a mile.

I follow Japanese racing closely so I'm well aware of his talents and from what I know of Lord Kanaloa, he was very relaxed with a good mind and a good temperament and Solid Man has inherited the same traits; he's already travelled halfway across the world.

We like him at home, he's been doing it well and this will help us find out where we are with him. He will improve for the run but only one of the other runners has had a start which is a definite plus and I'm hopeful of a good showing. 

Isabel De Urbina has an entry in the Oaks but I wouldn't read too much into the fact that Ralph last won the Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes with his Epsom winner Talent!

We also had Camerone entered but Isabel De Urbina is probably that little bit more forward and she's ready to go and it fits in well with her schedule.

She was a big raw juvenile and did well to make it to the track so to win her maiden was very pleasing; she was very immature and it took her all of the long straight at Ffos Las to get on top. 

Ralph then put her away to give her a chance to develop and she certainly looks to have done that. It took her a while to come to hand but she's really come to life in the last few weeks and I'm very pleased with her.

She has potential but most of the field are lightly raced maiden winners and the race will help us find out where we're at.

It's the 188Bet Chester Cup Handicap on Wednesday and I'm hoping they'll get some rain so Magic Circle can line up. Last season he missed the Cesarewitch because of the ground but good or good to soft will be fine for him and he's in good shape and should go well, draw permitting of course!

If the rain does come, keep an eye out for Mount Moriah who also has an entry on Wednesday. He won twice as a juvenile and his experience will stand him in good stead around Chester but we have been waiting for his ground. He's worth keeping an eye on as he should do well in three-year-old handicaps in the first half of the season when he has his conditions.

Fran joined Oli Bell, Ed Chamberlin and our team to look ahead to the Guineas Festival in our latest podcast, click here to listen.