John Gosden and Frankie Dettori combined to land a treble on the opening day of the three-day Craven meeting at Newmarket, with Nell Gwyn winner Nathra cut to 8/1 (from 14s) with BetVictor for the first fillies’ classic of the season. Gosden and Dettori should enjoy yet further success on the Rowley Mile this afternoon with Foundation (4.30) likely to enhance his Derby credentials in the feature Craven Stakes over the straight mile.
The selection won his first three races as a juvenile, including scoring over course and distance in the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes when a well-backed favourite to beat Aidan O’Brien’s Deauville here in September. The well-bred colt enjoyed a luckless passage when third in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster when last sighted in October but should relish the drying ground and win en-route to a Derby trial and then the real thing at Epsom in June.
2016 Derby prices from BetVictor
US Army Ranger 7/2 (From 9s)
Foundation 10/1
Midterm 10/1
Wajeez 16/1
Harzand 16/1
20/1 Bar
Gosden saddles Blue Geranium (2.10) in the opening 7f Fillies’ Maiden who must go close under born again Frankie Dettori. The pair combined to land the opening fillies’ maiden on yesterday’s card with Swiss Ranger and this well-bred daughter of Dansili boasts a similar profile. The selection made a promising debut on ground softer than ideal towards the close of last season’s campaign in a Newbury maiden over a mile and can use the benefit of experience to make it second time lucky dropping back down in trip.
A field of just 9 go to post for the 200,000 Tattersalls Millions and Aidan O’Brien’s Landofhopeandglory (3.20) taken to relish the step up in trip to a mile and a quarter. The High Chaparral colt made a winning debut at Galway in August before finishing a runner-up three times thereafter, including an unlucky second at the track on Future Champions Day. The Master of Ballydoyle saddled the winner of the corresponding contest last year with a similar type and he must go close under Ryan Moore.
Moore is an eye-catching booking aboard Richard Hannon’s Tupi (3.55) who is a fascinating runner in the G3 Abernant Stakes dropping down in trip to six furlongs for the first time in his career. The selection scored twice last year, over seven furlongs and a mile, both at Newmarket and could prove a nice sprinter for connections for the remainder of the season.
Liverpool’s finest were on display last Friday at Aintree and the girls take centre-stage once more this afternoon with three excellent Mares’ races on the second of Cheltenham‘s two-day April meeting. Nicky Henderson saddles two in the opening Mares’ Listed Novices’ Hurdle over two and a half miles with his Chocca Wocca (1.50) likely to relish the step up in trip to two and a half miles. The daughter of Kayf Tara was far from disgraced last month at the festival and should reward each-way support under Nico De Boinville.
Few have better form around Cheltenham than Perfect Candidate, with Fergal O’Brien’s charge an impressive winner over course and distance in January and likely to be competitive from an 8lb higher mark. Forgotten Gold was beaten a short head in the 2014 renewal of the 3m 2f Handicap Chase and is another likely to be competitive after hacking-up last time out at Ascot. Tom George’s 10-y-o will likely be near the head of the market and must go close under a 7lb penalty, however a chance is instead taken on Mick Channon’s Warden Hill (3.35) under 3lb conditional Harry Bannister. The son of Presenting missed last week’s engagement at Aintree in search for better ground, boasts a great record fresh and is unexposed on just his fifth start over fences.
The feature Mares’ Novices’ Chase has attracted a field of 11 with Bon Chic (2.25) chanced to land the Skelton brothers back-to-back renewals after Pumped Up Kicks’ success for Dan and Harry in the corresponding race 12 months ago. The selection has progressed on all four starts over the larger obstacles, making it fourth time lucky over fences last month at Fakenham, and remains open to further improvement from an attractive-looking mark of 125.
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