Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 15:00, BLANDFORD BLOODSTOCK ABERNANT STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, 6f 0y
Field: Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), Grand Grey (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}), Lethal Levi (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
TDN Verdict: One of those Fabre specials is in evidence here at the track he so loves, with the burgeoning sprinting talent Sajir bidding to add to his G3 Prix Sigy success of last term. The trouble is, he is up against a filly with potentially even more upside in Romantic Style, who is unbeaten at this trip in her last three starts over it which include the course-and-distance Listed Bosra Sham Fillies' Stakes as a juvenile. Needless to say, if she was good enough to subdue Ramatuelle (Justify) and Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) in the G3 Prix Imprudence last April she should be clear favourite for this. Which of course she is.
Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 15:35, BET365 CRAVEN STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo, c/g, 8f 0y
Field: Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Benevento (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Matauri Bay (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), New Century (GB) (Kameko), Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), The Waco Kid (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), The Watcher (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko).
TDN Verdict: Whether the 2,000 Guineas is as open as the betting and formbook suggests probably depends on what Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is capable of, but at this stage there definitely scope for the Craven to produce something significant. Not the same pointer it once was, due to a variety of reasons, this year's edition is a quandary with the quartet of proven performers engaged all having been upstaged after winning their group or graded stakes. Perhaps Opera Ballo is the answer, given that he has mainly followed the same route as Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and put up a significant time performance in comparison with last year's Guineas hero in Kempton's “European Road To The Kentucky Derby” Conditions Stakes in February. William Buick apparently thinks not, as he sides with the G2 Vintage Stakes winner Aomori City who will tell us more about one of the Newmarket Classic's leading protagonists Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) who he trailed when fourth in The Curragh's G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes. Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Field Of Gold also came up short in his group 1 at two, but everything about his pedigree suggests he is only just getting started and he has that killer Kingman freshness to call upon here.
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