Matty Sutcliffe looks to end the week on a high and has THREE bets for 1000 Guineas day at Newmarket, which takes place in front of the ITV Racing cameras.
1:45 Newmarket – Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes (Listed Race) (Fillies) (Class 1) (3yo) – Sand Gazelle 7/1 1pt WIN
John Gosden has won six of the last ten renewals of the Pretty Polly Stakes and three of them were coming on the back of success at Kempton over a mile, so Sand Gazelle is taken to extend his impressive record.
The daughter of Frankel took a while to be wound up by Kieran Shoemark at Kempton December when relatively unfancied in the betting, but once she hit top gear, she flew home down the outside to win a shade cosily by a length.
Seven furlongs looked the bare minimum she’d need in her racing career which bodes well for this step up in trip, and given her dam is a half sister to Arc winner Bluestocking, the distance can easily bring out further improvement for the in-form Gosden team.
2:55 Newmarket – Betfred Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Story Horse 9/1 1pt EW 3 places
The four toward the head of the weights all have something to prove off their marks and Liam Swagger is no guarantee to transfer his hurdles form back on to the flat given he was held off this mark at Chelmsford last time out, and if there is one to be potentially well handicapped off their mark it may be Story Horse.
His form figures over this distance read 521823, and the sole poor effort came six days after his win at Haydock, which potentially came too soon having hung right handed throughout around Yarmouth. That Haydock success was his sole run under Safe Osborne who returns here, and it can be somewhat marked up as the three who raced prominently with him that day finished in the latter trio of the field. The second won next time out, and the form of his neck second to Pappano off this mark in September also reads well as he was 9lbs worse off with that one, who franked the form when third in listed company next time out.
His two efforts here toward the end of the season can be discounted as he looks a non stayer over 2m2f, and he proved capable of winning off the mark when a length third over this trip on seasonal debut at Southwell (0-5 on AW), with the winning completing a four timer before going on to bolt up next time out off a 6lbs higher mark.
He’s likely to strip fitter for that effort, and the yard have started to hit form with two of their last eleven runners winning.
3:35 Newmarket -Betfred 1000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies) (Class 1) (3yo) – Hey Boo 66/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
This has the potential to develop into a match between the unbeaten pair of Desert Flower and Lake Victoria, but the 1000 Guineas has developed a habit of throwing up a surprise result of late with just one winning favourite and five single figure winning SP’s, so it may pay to scout of the rear end of the market and the Nell Gwyn second Hey Boo is worth chancing for frame possibilities.
The daughter of Iffraaj conceded first run to Duty First in the Fred Darling Stakes last time out which has been a good pointer for this contest in the past, and despite being the lowest rated filly in the field, she proved she was capable of backing up her initial promise on the all-weather onto turf.
She was free in the early stages without cover and perhaps had too much daylight in the centre, but I thought once she was doing all of her best efforts late on under somewhat tender handling from George Bass, and this extra furlong can easily bring out further improvement.
She’s one of only four in here with recent match practice and the Channon’s very rarely send one into this company unless they aren’t smart, such as Caernarfon who filled the frame in 2023 despite rated just 99, before going on to to finish a two length third in the Epsom Oaks next time out.
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