Newmarket Saturday Preview - 30/04/22

The first race of the afternoon at Newmarket is the Listed Kilvington Stakes over six furlongs and Flotus having been bought for 1,000,000gns by Japanese owner Katsumi Yoshida looks to be the pick of the bunch.

A superb sprinter last term making an emphatic debut in May at Goodwood when bounding clear of the second by close to five lengths.

She then went to Royal Ascot on heavy ground in the G3 Albany Stakes and ran no race and did the same when looking to bounce back in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes.

A better sixth of 17 in the Listed St Hugh's Stakes over 5f at Newbury, he then went to Ripon and got back to form in a big way bolting up in a Listed event.

Flotus put in her best run to date when last seen in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes over course and distance when looking the winner a long way out but being pipped close home by the superstar Tenebrism.

Getting weight off the field it looks a great bit of placing and dropping back in grade makes her very tough to beat.

Next up is the Class 2 Handicap over six furlongs that sees 21 runners line up and with that in mind we have have two stabs at the race.

The first is the William Haggas trained two year old Tarhib for Shadwell Estate with 1.05 million guineas purchase looking to kickstart her campaign.

Seen four times to date, she made her racecourse debut in October 2020 when second at Newmarket in a Fillies' Novice Stakes on heavy ground.

Saved for her three year old campaign she returned in October last year when getting off the mark on debut at Lingfield on her first try at 6f and then backed that up at Yarmouth under a penalty.

Last seen in the Listed Wentworth Stakes at Doncaster in November she was a midfield eighth of 15 with the softer ground going against her.

Making her handicap debut in this event off a mark of 83 with Hollie Doyle in the saddle being one of the few jockeys to make the weight of eight stone, she looks chucked in if living up to her lofty reputation.

Drawn on the other side of the track and a bigger price than Tarhib is the Michael Dods trained Blackrod who was superbly consistent last season and hopefully he can pick up from where he left off last term.

Having been a fair juvenile winning one of his three races, everything seemed to click for him last season, winning some good races between five and six furlongs.

Needing his debut run at Haydock in May when only seventh in a handicap off 88, he then got onto quicker ground at York in June and finished a superb second to the talented First Folio off 3lb lower.

Still on a handy mark of 87 he got off the mark for the season at Newmarket on the July Course and landed a good 17 runner handicap, again on quick ground.

Dropped to five furlongs at York, now on a mark of 91 he scooted up again seeing off a nice type in Digital for Kevin Ryan.

Off the same mark in his last start at Ayr in September he was a gallant third of 24 in the Ayr Silver Cup, showing he loves these big fielded handicaps on good ground.

Now only 4lb for this run, Michael Dods is superb with his sprinters and this lad seems to still be progressing.

Another nice event is the Class 2 Handicap over 1m1f and although at the top of the weights Movin Time for Roger Varian looks to be horse to catch when fresh.

The four year old has only been seen five times in his career, twice as a juvenile when second on both occasions over a mile, bumping into the smart Rebel's Romance on his first start.

Seen three times as a three year old, he made a very pleasing seasonal debut in may over 1m2f at Newmarket when beating the talented Kemari by four lengths in a maiden.

He then went into the G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and could only run into fifth behind the talented Mohaafeth.

He finished last season in July when fourth of eight behind Real World in the Listed Steventon Stakes, with that horse franking then form throughout last term.

Now running in a handicap off a mark of 106, Talented claimer Harry Davies takes a much needed 7lb off which could be the difference for this horse on the day.

Worth a chance at 6/1 for us.

The first Group event of the day is Palace House Stakes over 5f and Came From The Dark for Ed Walker takes the eye with his consistent nature.

The six year old was an expensive 480,000gns purchase as a yearling but has provided some superb days for his connections over the years and this can be another one.

Seen four times last year he started his campaign off at Musselburgh of 5f and was a good third of 13 behind Jabbarockie and Zarzyni who he was giving weight away to that day.

Sent to Newbury next time out he got off the mark for the season, seeing off talented sprinters Garrus, King's Lynn and Tis Marvellous to land the spoils.

Looking to make it back to back wins he went down by a neck to Godolphin's Lazuli in this race last year, with Appleby's horse franking the form in better races throughout the campaign.

Came From The Dark rounded off last season by winning the Group Three Coral Charge at Sandown in July from Arecibo and Happy Romance.

He holds some of the leading form in the book and if fully wound up looks a big player.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Group One 2000 Guineas with the first Classic of the season seeing 15 runners head to post and we have a win and each way punt.

We can't look past the favourite Native Trail in this one with the Charlie Appleby trained animal now unbeaten in all five starts and having shown his class on three year old debut, he has obviously trained on.

As last year's champion two year old, he landed four races including a maiden at Sandown, the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket, his first Group One in the National Stakes at the Curragh and he round the season off by taking his second top flight race in the Dewhurst Stakes.

Hoping he would be just as good or event better as a three year old he returned in his prep run for this event over the Guineas course and distance in the G3 Craven Stakes and having taken a little time to get going he powered away from a nice horse in Claymore.

This is his trickiest task to date with dangers all around him but with Buick picking him and his record to date, he is very hard to overlook.

A less obvious selection at 22/1 is the Roger Varian trained Eydon who could pick up some decent place money if coming on for his seasonal debut.

The Prince Faisal owned three year old was first seen in December 2021 when a close third behind a nice type for John Gosden and then over the same C&D in February he was a short head second to Oceania Legend.

Given his first start on turf at the Craven meeting over 1m1f in the Listed Feilden Stakes, he drifted out to 22/1 on the day but went on to bolt up by over three lengths, seeing off smart challenger Masekela.

He has not had the most conventionally route into this race but he obviously does not lack talent and looks a type who has plenty of scope to improve with each run.

Outside chance.

The penultimate event of the day at Newmarket is the Class 3 Handicap over a mile and King Of Time for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin could be tough to beat looking for the hat-trick.

The three year old son of Kingman was a 475,000gns and made a pleasing debut at Lingfield over a mile and then backed that up over the same course and distance under a penalty.

Appleby is in flying form at the moment and making his turf debut he could improve again.

Big player.

The final event of the afternoon on the Rowley Mile is the Class 2 Handicap over 6f and Annaf at 10/1 looks big value off the back of his latest run.

The three year old son of Muhaarar made his debut for the yard in January this year at Newcastle when getting off the mark in taking style.

He then went to Kempton and finished a good second behind the talented Kaboo and backed that up next time out at Newcastle in a Novice Stakes over 5f when winning comfortably.

Having his third run at Gosforth Park in the three year old All-Weather Championships he ran on well to grab fourth at a big price against some smart horses.

Annaf is a very progressive horse that looks overpriced to us in the market and if staying on an upward curve has to be of some interest at the price.