It is almost Classic season on the flat. Newmarket’s Craven meeting gets underway on Tuesday with the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, a key trial for the 1,000 Guineas, the feature. Find out who we’re backing, along with Betfair‘s new customer offer of Money Back As Cash Up To £20.
Hello You (David Loughnane, Rossa Ryan) 9/4
The only runner in the lineup under a penalty. Impressed on debut for Ralph Beckett before two placed efforts in Group company. Moved to David Loughnane in August and although the transfer did not initially pay dividends, patience was rewarded when she took the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket over 7f in September. Tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf was ambitious, but paid off in part with close-up fifth, narrowly behind Cachet. Could give 3lb all round here, if having come on from two to three, as she was possibly the classiest of these as a juvenile.
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Almohandesah (Karl Burke, Andrea Atzeni) 25/1
One win in six starts as a two-year-old, narrowly landing a Pontefract novice event in June on her second start. A hat-trick of fifth-placed efforts followed in Pattern company and, though Karl Burke’s filly never really landed a blow in any of them, she was often slightly unlucky in running. Signed off her season with a fourth at Newmarket in the Listed Montrose Fillies’ Stakes, form which is clearly below this standard. Would need to have developed markedly over the winter to feature.
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Cachet (George Boughey, William Buick) 2/1
Strike rate is among the most modest in this field, but she has performed to a much higher level than all of these bar Hello You. Placed three times in Pattern races after runaway debut victory at Newmarket, including to aforementioned rival in Group 2 Rockfel Stakes over course and distance. Followed that with excellent third in Group 1 Fillies’ Mile while US sojourn resulted in a fourth-placed effort. Very consistent apart from a poor run in France last term and getting 3lb from nearest market rival, she could be difficult to beat.
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Flash Betty (Mick Channon, Silvestre De Sousa) 16/1
Remarkably busy juvenile, who has already raced 18 times. Patience has been a virtue for Mick Channon, as his charge took ten attempts to get off the mark, that coming in a class 6 handicap at Lingfield off a rating of 62. Since then, she has won twice more and took an enormous step forward to be second in the Montrose Fillies’ Stakes at Listed level, finishing ahead of Almohandesah. Handicapper thought that was worthy of a 22lb hit despite her exposure, but this grade still looks beyond her.
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Perfect News (William Haggas, Tom Marquand) 4/1
Record of two wins from five starts last season, including one over course and distance. Stepped up from 6f to 7f after underwhelming in her first Group race effort at Salisbury in September, winning a novice handicap off a mark of 93. Was made favourite for the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes off the back of that, but never really featured and though she is one of only three with a triple-figure official rating, she has not shown the quality of the other pair.
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Ribbon Rose (Marco Botti, Neil Callan) 10/1
Least experienced in the field with only two runs to date. Both of them have been victorious ones however, with the first coming at 25/1 over track and trip. She then defied a penalty in a novice auction event at Kempton on her reappearance. Neither race has been of a high grade, but the form has not worked out too badly. Sire did not make an immediate impact last season and this filly was not the most expensive purchase, but she has done little wrong and could be interesting here.
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Rishes Baar (David O’Meara, Daniel Tudhope) 11/1
Another with less experience than the majority, with three racecourse appearances thus far. Got the job done at Haydock on debut, though only narrowly before embarking on Group level races. She was fifth in the Firth Of Clyde Stakes at Ayr, before being badly hampered at the business end of Oh So Sharp. Ultimately a length behind Perfect Power, but may well have finished ahead of that rival but for interference and curiously a much bigger price than her here.
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Romantic Time (William Stone, Hollie Doyle) 16/1
Sprung a 28/1 surprise at Salisbury in the Group 3 Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes last September. That was a real coup for connections, who kept faith after she was beaten in Listed company the time before. She had previously won twice in novice and nursery company, but her Pattern success owed to the step up in trip and her being cannily ridden by Hollie Doyle as space opened up against the rail. Only seventh in the Rockfel Stakes to Hello You though and 7f seemed to stretch her late on. Needs more.
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System (Richard Hannon, Sean Levey) 28/1
Very good early on in her two-year-old campaign, making as sparkling a start as any of these. Runner-up at Salisbury on debut before sealing a Listed victory on just her second start at Newmarket over 6f. Close up fifth in Royal Ascot’s Princess Margaret Stakes too, but was then down the field in two 20-runner fields at York and Doncaster. Alarming that her form tailed off so markedly, but could be revived by return to this track.
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Verdict
The 3lb penalty for Hello You would not be a problem against the majority of this field, but may be too much of a concession to CACHET providing George Boughey’s filly has trained on. She was behind her chief rival at this track, but beat her off level weights in the Breeders’ Cup and should take some beating. The unbeaten Ribbon Rose is interesting, while Rishes Baar may be another good one for each-way purposes.
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