Nell Gwyn horse-by-horse guide Craven Meeting Newmarket

Brave Anna – 3yo 9-3 OR: 116 (T: A P O’Brien, J: J A Heffernan)

Defied a tardy start when running out a gutsy winner of the Albany at Royal Ascot last season over six furlongs. Disappointed subsequently when stepped up to today’s trip in both the Debutante and the Moyglare at the Curragh but a return to six furlongs saw her claim Group 1 honours in the Cheveley Park at the end of last season. She beat stablemate Roly Poly that day who reopposes here, with the classy Lady Aurelia back in third and that form sets the standard. Gives the impression she will stay despite her disappointing runs coming over this trip and seemed to relish quicker ground last time out. Has to give 3lb to all but has leading claims here. 

Choumicha – 3yo 9-0 OR: 83 (T: H Palmer, J: A Atzeni)

Got off the mark at the second time of asking winning her maiden at Leicester at the back end of last season. That race has worked out quite well with the second, fourth, seventh and eighth all winning races since. Not completely disgraced when stepped up to Listed class on her next start but was behind today’s rival Kazimiera that day and will have to have improved markedly over the winter to figure in this. 

Daban – 3yo 9-0 OR: 81 (T: J H M Gosden, J: L Dettori) 

Showed a lovely turn of foot and overcame trouble in running to win her only start to date at Kempton Park. She came from well off the pace to win a shade cosily in the end and is open to bags of improvement, though it’s hard to know what to make of that form with the third disappointing since. Represents last year’s winning connections under a jockey who has won the last three renewals and has to be respected. 

Kazimiera – 3yo 9-0 OR: 90 (T: C Appleby, J: W Buick)

Likeable sort who progressed well last season. Fared much better in her second start in Listed company when runner up behind Really Special on this course, finishing a length and a half in front of Choumicha in the process.  Holds entries in both the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Investec Oaks so is clearly well regarded by her trainer who has made a relatively quiet start to this campaign. May find one or two of these too good but ground and trip should suit and has a definite each-way chance.

Kilmah – 3yo 9-0 OR: 101 (T: M Johnston, J: S De Sousa)

Tough front runner who has proved difficult to pass on occasions, most notably when staying on gamely to win a Group Three at Goodwood on her penultimate outing before running no race in the May Hill last time out. Perhaps the mile trip stretched her stamina too far that day and the drop back to seven furlongs here on quicker ground should see her in better vein. There’s a possibility she could set this up for those in behind and her trainer’s runners are unusually backward for the time of year so it’s hard to see her making the frame. 

Pamplemousse – 3yo 9-0 OR: (T: A Fabre, J: P C Boudot)

A well-bred half-sister to five winners including Odeliz, a dual Group One winner for Karl Burke. Hard to know what to make of the form of her only start to date in an all-weather maiden over six and a half furlongs at Chantilly, but she won with such authority it would be no surprise to see her in contention here. Represents a shrewd French trainer who doesn’t bring them over for the fresh air and looks sure to give a good account of herself. 

Poet’s Vanity – 3yo 9-0 OR: 104 (T: A Balding, J: Oisin Murphy)

A winner of two of her three outings to date including the Group Three Oh So Sharp Stakes over course and distance last time out. Travelled well and showed a great attitude that day beating some useful fillies and conditions here are perfect for her. She holds an entry in both the English and Irish 1000 guineas and is highly regarded, though there’s a niggling doubt about the form of her trainer who has said he expects her to improve for the run. Solid each-way chance.

Roly Poly – 3yo – 9-0 OR: 115 (T: A P O’Brien, J: R L Moore)

A speedy filly who rounded off a fantastic campaign last year with a disappointing run in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf at Santa Anita’s Breeders Cup meeting, finishing down the field. Prior to that she’d put in a string of top performances at the highest level, most notably when being chinned on the line by stablemate Brave Anna in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at this track. Very closely matched with that rival and it’s difficult to separate the two, though this filly would appear to be the first string on jockey bookings. She is seen to best effect on this quick ground and it would be no surprise to see her in the frame here.

Sea Of Grace – 3yo 9-0 OR: 107 (T: W J Haggas, J: P Cosgrave)

Formerly with John Oxx, this daughter of Born To Sea was one of a number of horses owned by the Tsui family that switched to William Haggas’ yard at the end of last season. A winner of two of her three starts as a juvenile and last seen taking the scalp of the talented Ezirya in the Group Three Flame of Tara Stakes at the Curragh way back in August. That form has been franked since with Eziyra winning a similar contest quite comfortably, and is major player here if her new trainer has her spot on after a 235-day absence. 

Tallulah Rose – 3yo 9-0 OR: 92 (T: K Burke, J: A de Vries)

Improved markedly on her narrow victory in a maiden to finish a respectable fourth in the Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes at Ascot in July. There may have been something amiss in her next outing when last of eleven and beaten out of sight in a Listed contest at Newbury as she hasn’t been seen since. First run for her new trainer here after switching from George Baker’s yard and will have to have improved significantly over the winter to figure in this. 

Unforgetable Filly – 3yo 9-0 OR: 99 (T: H Palmer, J: James Doyle)

Progressive sort who has some solid form to her name, including when third behind Poet’s Vanity in the Oh So Sharp Stakes last Autumn. That was by far her best performance to date and it could be that she’s not yet finished improving, though it must be noted that she has to find in advance of 15lb with some of today’s rivals on official ratings. Whether she can find that amount of improvement remains to be seen but she is in good hands and may run well at a big price.

Verdict

PAMPLEMOUSSE is somewhat of an unknown quantity arriving off the back of a facile success in France only two weeks ago. She is with a top trainer who has an enviable record at this track and it is unusual to see Andre Fabre bringing one over from France so early on in the season. That could be significant and she has race fitness on her side, something which can’t be said of Aidan O’Brien’s two representatives Roly Poly and Brave Anna. The former is the mount of Ryan Moore and conditions look perfectly suited to her, though this may only be a prep race for the Ballydoyle duo ahead of their respective Guineas targets. Brave Anna arguably boasts the best piece of form with her win in the Cheveley Park and is sure to be involved along with the progressive Sea Of Grace who makes her first start for William Haggas. Similar to the selection, Daban could be anything and represents a trainer-jockey combination that have enjoyed a lot of success in this race in the past. She can run well at a big price along with the Hugo Palmer trained Unforgetable Filly.