Wednesday, Newmarket, post time: 15:00, EARL OF SEFTON STAKES-G3, £95,000, 4yo/up, 9fT
Field: Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Boiling Point (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Persica (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Prague (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Skukuza (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: Hopes that Damysus could make his mark at four are high considering he captured the same Listed contest at Deauville as had his esteemed stablemate Ombudsman 12 months earlier. Following up in the G3 Darley Stakes over this course and distance in October, Wathnan's exciting prospect adds some stardust to this contest which features another with winning form over the track and trip in the Cambridgeshire winner Boiling Point. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, LANWADES STUD NELL GWYN STAKES-G3, £95,000, 3yo, f, 7fT
Field: Act Of Kindness (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), America Queen (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}), Asmeralda (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Awaken (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Azleet (GB) (Tasleet {GB}), Beautify (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Cherry Baker (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Fitzella (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Golden Palace (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}), Harlequin Breeze (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Inis Mor (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Mubasimah (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Silenciosa (Ire) (Blame).
TDN Analysis: Aidan O'Brien looks to have a steely grip on the 1,000 Guineas at present and so something special will be required here to make a serious impact on the ante-post market. He even supplies the best of these on form and the likeliest winner in Beautify, who won the Airlie Stud Stakes and finished runner-up in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, but the reality is that she isn't near the top of the pecking order at Ballydoyle. Reverting to six for the Cheveley Park when last seen, she was behind both the Lowther runner-up America Queen and the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner and G2 Prix du Calvados runner-up Fitzella but is sure to be better suited than those peers by a return to seven. There is the prospect that Godolphin's 3.7 million gns course-and-distance maiden winner Act Of Kindness could surge into the picture, but interestingly she was beaten on debut by Mubasimah, who went on to be second in the Oh So Sharp also over this track and trip. The Gosdens always target this with one of their best and the Kempton novice winner Asmeralda must be treated with respect for that reason alone. [Tom Frary].
Wednesday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, FEILDEN STAKES-Listed, £60,000, 3yo, 9fT
Field: Command The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Shayem (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Bourbon Blues (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), Isaac Newton (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Morshdi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Poseidon's Warrior (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Wareeth (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
TDN Analysis: Not the Derby pointer it once was, this nevertheless represents one of the early possible stepping stones to the Blue Riband and hosts the impressive Goodwood novice winner Poseidon's Warrior. Wareeth took his debut at Newcastle by 14 lengths, but this is entirely different territory with the likes of the Criterium de Saint-Cloud fourth Isaac Newton in attendance. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, BETWAY CRAVEN STAKES-G3, £95,000, 3yo, Open, 8f 0y
Field: Avicenna (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Commander's Intent (Fr) (Victor Ludorum {GB}), Hankelow (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Hawk Mountain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Hidden Force (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Oxagon (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), Venetian Prince (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}).
TDN Analysis: Ahead of one of the most head-scratcher 2,000 Guineas for some time, a fascinating Craven where nothing can be safely ruled out and which has surprisingly attracted a Group 1 winner in Hawk Mountain. While it is the Prix du Jockey Club that Aidan O'Brien is talking about for last year's Futurity Trophy winner, the fact that he is here for the chief 2,000 Guineas trial and is still entered in the course-and-distance Classic does add a twist to proceedings. With Albert Einstein potentially off the radar after Saturday and Gstaad and Puerto Rico yet to be committed, surely a win for Hawk Mountain here would see him come back in just over a fortnight? If Ballydoyle's 2,000 Guineas picture is cloudy, Charlie Appleby also has a large cast still in contention with probably only a hunch at best as to which one is best. Hidden Force, who has gone the now-established Kempton route, is the one chosen to tackle this rather than smaller fare or a racecourse gallop and he offers an entirely different profile to the Ballydoyle raider. Avicenna beat Hankelow at Doncaster last year and is similarly unexposed, so a big performance from him would see him jump into the Guineas picture. [Tom Frary].
Thursday, Newmarket #41602, post time: 15:00, THE ZYN ABERNANT S.-G3, £95,000, 3yo/up, 6f 0y
Field: Aramram (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Completely Random (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Crestofdistinction (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence), Elmonjed (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), My Mate Alfie (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Prince Of India (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Quinault (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Washington Heights (GB) (Washington DC {Ire}), Time For Sandals (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Beckford's Folly (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Aspect Island (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).
TDN Analysis: This isn't generally a race for three-year-olds for obvious reasons, so it is significant that Charlie Appleby throws the Cornwallis winner Beckford's Folly into the mix. Heading the older cast is last year's surprise Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals, who brings a class edge on that form, while William Haggas saddles Shadwell's Listed scorer Elmonjed who could still be improving. [Tom Frary].
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