Friday 5th May 2023

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Welcome aboard to my Guineas Meeting Preview whIch is set to take place at Newmarket over the next three days for the first classics of the season. I’ll be previewing all of the action over the next few days at HQ so as ever, I hope you enjoy the blogs, and if you are having a bet remember to do it responsibly.

The 1.15 is the opener and this is the Newmarket Stakes a listed race over a mile and two furlongs. This is competitive, however, I think Like A Tiger could be the one to take a chance on for James Ferguson and Daniel Muscutt. He won well over course and distance last month and looks to still have more improvement to come.

Next up it’s the 1:50 which is the Group 2 Bet365 Mile and this can go to Native Trail for William Buick and Charlie Appleby, surprisingly, he’s not the highest rated in the race but I think he has the best form on offer, being a multiple Group 1 winner including the Irish Guineas and Dewhurst. If he’s anywhere near his best he’ll be incredibly tough to beat.

The 2:25 is more listed action in the form of the King Charles II Stakes which is ridden over seven furlongs. This is another competitive affair but I think Shouldvebeenaring can go well, he’s a very consistent and likable sort who often gives a good account of himself, as he did on his most recent outing last month here within a competitive handicap. He’s every chance of going well again.

It’s handicap action at 3:00 in the Nyetimber Handicap over seven furlongs, in this particular affair I’ve sided with Final Watch for William Stone and Hollie Doyle. He’s a course and distance winner who posted a decent effort on seasonal reappearance here last month when finishing fifth. He’s just two pounds higher than his last winning mark and if building on his last run he has every chance.

The 3:35 is the feature race of the day and it’s the Group 2 Jockey Stakes over a mile and four furlongs. I’d be willing to give Hurricane Lane one more chance here, his reappearance effort at Newbury last time was very poor, however, he’s well clear on ratings here and there has been market support for him. He wouldn’t need to be anywhere near his best to win this.

Moving onto the 4:10 and this is a fillies’ maiden that’s ridden over five furlongs. This is a bit of a guessing game as the majority of the line-up are having their racecourse debuts, I’ve sided with Soprano though for William Buick and George Boughey. She cost 100,000gns and is by Starspangledbanner, she’s with top connections and has seen market support already.

The penultimate race of the day is the 4:45 and it’s another fillies’ maiden this time over a distance of a mile and two furlongs. This looks to be all about Infinite Cosmos who was narrowly denied by a short-head on her racecourse debut at Doncaster last October, that defeat came at the hands of a rival who has since gone on to finish second in a Group 3. She sets the standard.

It’s handicap action at 5:20 which wraps it up on the opening day of the meeting, this is another competitive race but I think Longlai can follow up his Kempton win from last time out which came on his stable debut. He loves quick ground and still looks to be on a handy mark.