Horses to follow from Newmarket Guineas Festival

There was though a Derby winner in attendance, with the return of 2021 Epsom hero Adayar.

Adayar, a rare Derby winner these days to race on at five, looked as if there was something to work on beforehand, but he had too much class for his rivals in the rescheduled Gordon Richards Stakes. He scored readily, albeit in a race with the feel of a well-rewarded gallop to it, and should be primed for tougher assignments ahead, back at a mile and a half.

Adayar was kept off the track until September last year, but showed he retains all his ability in finishing runner-up in the Champion Stakes; with a full campaign in prospect this time round, he ought to win his share of good races.

His stable-companion Hurricane Lane, who was third to him at Epsom, also got his career back on track in winning the Jockey Club Stakes in good style. Hurricane Lane had looked more as if retirement was on the cards when flopping at Newbury last month, following a short and lacklustre 2022 campaign, but he was revitalised by cheekpieces first time and seemed very much his old self.

Lockinge obvious aim for Mutasaabeq

Charlie Appleby's third previous classic winner to run during the week, Native Trail, was turned over at short odds, but connections won't have been too disheartened by his effort in a race that wasn't run to suit him.

Native Trail took second in the Group 2 Mile, another race rescued from the abandoned Sandown meeting the week before. He hadn't been out since running poorly in the International at York, given a breathing operation in the interim, and looked as if he would come on for the run. Rather like Hurricane Lane, Native Trail might benefit from headgear.

Mutasaabeq was the one to take advantage in the Mile (replay below), impressing with the way he travelled and then quickened, just needing to be pushed out. The race wasn't the deepest at the level, but Mutasaabeq shaped as if he'll progress again this year. He might be a difficult horse to peg back if he takes his chance in the Lockinge in a couple of weeks.

The Classic Trial, usually run at Sandown, wasn't added to Newmarket's fixture, with the listed Newmarket Stakes over the same mile-and-a-quarter trip one of the features on Friday's card. A trio of those originally declared to run at Sandown were in the field, but Flying Honours, one of Godolphin's main hopes for the Derby, wasn't among them. Instead, the Appleby yard relied on a pair not entered at Epsom, Castle Way and Victory Dance.

Neither had run since the autumn, but Castle Way looked well forward and stepped up from nursery company to score well, just pushed out. Castle Way is a rangy colt and he ran poorly when tried at Epsom last year, which may explain his absence from the entries. He's a likely sort for the Edward VII at Royal Ascot, though the way he won and his pedigree both suggest he could win a good race at this shorter trip.

Victory Dance shaped well, stepping up from seven furlongs, particularly given he was carrying a fair bit of condition. He looks the sort to make a better three-year-old, and the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot might be a suitable target.

Tough call for connections of Running Lion

Newmarket offered rather more of interest when it comes to the Oaks, though not particularly from the 1000 Guineas, despite six of the field being entered at Epsom. However, Infinite Cosmos and Running Lion staked their claims for Epsom in landing a maiden and the Pretty Polly Stakes respectively. Infinite Cosmos, who is a strong filly with a lovely pedigree, won with a fair bit in hand and will be well suited by a mile and a half. However, the form is nothing out of the ordinary and her position in the Oaks market is more about reputation and potential than anything she's achieved.

Running Lion is a different matter. She looked an above-average winner of the Pretty Polly, taking on previous winners who are well entered up. She is a smooth traveller with a turn of foot, and it was most encouraging that she was able to transfer that from three races on the all-weather at a mile to soft ground and an extra two furlongs in the wide-open spaces of Newmarket.

Were it not for the fact that one of her trainers expressed the view that she might go for the Diane instead, Running Lion would surely be favourite for Epsom after this performance. The extra two furlongs is the issue. Her sire Roaring Lion, who was also trained by John Gosden, didn't quite get home at Epsom and her pedigree doesn't have many whose optimum trip is beyond ten furlongs. One of the few that is, is by Pour Moi, a Derby winner and obvious stamina influence. Perhaps the Diane is the right call.

Horses to take from Ascot's Trials Day

Earlier in the week, the Gosdens introduced a really nice three-year-old in the valuable fillies' novice at Ascot. Queen For You was up against three previous winners and a couple of promising maidens, but she overcame obvious inexperience to win in impressive style.

Queen For You is a well-made filly with a superb pedigree, by Kingman out of the Coronation Stakes winner Fallen For You. She has been given an entry in the Coronation herself, and while her lack of experience and the quality of the first two in the Guineas would make that a searching test, she would be a fascinating contender. Even if she comes up short at Ascot, Queen For You looks sure to win a good race at some point this year.

The Ascot card, billed these days as Trials day, offered quite a few pointers for the Royal meeting. Coltrane looked in great shape for his reappearance in the Sagaro Stakes and won well enough to get promoted to the head of the Gold Cup market.

Whether Coltrane was quite so good as he looked, chased home by two outsiders in a race that tested speed over stamina, remains to be seen.

Bradsell, last year's Coventry Stakes winner, ran a fine Commonwealth Cup trial in the race so named (replay below), just running out of steam on his first start since August. The form of the Coventry worked out really well and he is a live contender for a second victory at the Royal meeting.

Sprinters asked to stretch out

The Commonwealth Cup market is currently dominated by a trio that ran in the Guineas, Noble Style, Little Big Bear and Sakheer. Noble Style seems the most obvious to benefit from a drop back to six furlongs. He's a powerful colt, the pick of the paddock in condition on Saturday, but he failed to see out the mile under testing conditions. He comes from a family largely of sprinters and his demeanour suggests he's one.

The same might be said of Little Big Bear's demeanour too, though with a pedigree that gave plenty of hope that he would stay a mile. As he finished lame, the evidence in the Guineas with regard to stamina isn't cut and dried, headstrong as he was.

Older sprinters had their turn in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, with Vadream landing a race set up for her. The one to take from the race is definitely the third Manaccan. Racing on the softest ground he's ever encountered, on the 'wrong' side and without the benefit of a previous run this year, he still ran close to the pick of his form, giving best only in the last 50 yards.

Manaccan is set to go for the King's Stand next and will give a good account on a track where he has won twice from three previous starts.

Big things to come from Via Sistina

The easiest winner over the three days at Newmarket was Via Sistina, who was barely off the bridle in landing the Dahlia Stakes. She had joined George Boughey late last season and did well in two runs for his yard, but this was a big step forward on anything she'd done previously.

Via Sistina, who isn't in the Duke of Cambridge, possibly needs give in the ground, which may limit her summer options. However, such was the manner of her success, that connections ought to be considering the very best races, not just those against her own sex. The Opera and the Champion Stakes ought to be on the agenda.

On the two-year-old front, Soprano landed a touch in the valuable fillies' maiden. She's small, looked trained to the minute and clearly knew her job well. There would be some doubt whether she would beat the second and third, Midnight Affair (found trouble) and Indispensable (green), were the three to meet again.

At Ascot, Maximum Impact followed up his debut win on barely raceable ground at Leicester with a useful effort, strong at the finish in overhauling the speedy Action Point. This race has often been a pointer to the Norfolk or Windsor Castle, but it might be Maximum Impact, a well-made sprint type, is more of a contender for the Coventry.

Finally, those who play the combination of Lope De Vega and testing ground had a profitable time on the last two days at Newmarket, after rain had turned the going to soft. Teumessias Fox, King of Conquest and Royal Rhyme all delivered handicap wins for the sire, all three edging their way towards listed/pattern class.

Teumessias Fox in particular looks to be very upwardly mobile, though it may be that Royal Ascot and the Ebor are on the agenda before he gets his chance in conditions races. Keep him on side.

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