15 GO FORWARD FOR THE QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS ON SATURDAY (APRIL 30th 2011) NEWMARKET ROWLEY MILE

15 GO FORWARD FOR QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS

The unbeaten Henry Cecil-trained Frankel is set to be the hottest favourite for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Saturday since Nijinsky won the Newmarket Classic at 4/7 41 years ago.

Frankel, plus his pacemaker Rerouted, are the among the 15 horses confirmed at today’s five-day stage for the first British Classic of the season over the Rowley Mile on 30th April.

The colt, owned and bred by Khalid Abdulla, impressed on his seasonal return in the Group Three Greenham Stakes at Newbury earlier this month and will be his trainer’s first runner in the Classic since 2000 as Cecil seeks his third triumph in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, following on from Bolkonski (1975) and Wollow (1976).

Frankel shared the accolade of being the champion European two-year-old of 2010 after his excellent Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes win at Newmarket in October.

His main challengers are set to be Pathfork, also unbeaten and trained in Ireland by Jessica Harrington, Roderick O’Connor, one of three colts going forward for Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien (also Alexander Pope and Master Of Hounds), and Ed Dunlop-trained Native Khan, who landed the Group Three Breeze Up Vendors Craven Stakes over the course and distance at Newmarket on 14th April.

Godolphin could have two QIPCO 2000 Guineas runners, Group One Racing Post Trophy hero Casamento who is handled by in-form Mahmood Al Zarooni and the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Group Two Champagne Stakes victor Saamidd.

Eoghan O’Neill, who trains in France, has left in Broox, fourth to Dream Ahead in the Group One Darley Prix Morny in August, while Fury is unbeaten in two starts for trainer William Haggas, the latest of which came in the £500,000 Tattersalls Millions 2YO Trophy on the Rowley Mile in October.

The Richard Hannon-trained Dubawi Gold has landed a pair of Listed races this year, while the others still engaged are Happy Today, Loving Spirit and Slim Shadey.

23 TARGET QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS

INCLUDING SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRY BAREFOOT LADY

ANDREW BALDING AND HIGHCLERE THOROUGHBRED RACING HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR CLASSIC SUCCESS IN THE QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS WITH

I LOVE ME AND MEMORY RESPECTIVELY.

I Love Me, successful in a Tattersalls sales race on her debut last year, finished a close third behind Cape Dollar and Cochabamba in the seven-furlong Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on October 16 last year and she will be returning to action in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday, 1st May.

Trainer Andrew Balding is looking forward to running the Cape Cross filly, with Jimmy Fortune up, in the fillies’ Classic which has 23 going forward after today’s six-day stage, including the Richard Fahey trained Barefoot Lady who was supplemented today at a cost of £30,000, having won the seven-furlong Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on 13th April.

Balding said today: “I Love Me has a fair bit to find on form but she has improved over the winter and a mile is right for her.

“She is working well and looking great. I am very happy with her and Jimmy Fortune will ride.”

Richard Hannon will saddle Memory, winner of the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket in July last year but only sixth to Misty For Me in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on her final start of 2010.

The three-year-old filly is owned by the Masquerade Syndicate of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, whose managing director Harry Herbert commented today: “Memory is going really well. She had a seven-furlong gallop down the straight at Newbury a week ago and that seems to have put her right.

“She has been ticking over since and Richard Hannon was very pleased with that work and does not plan any more serious work.

“Memory is bigger and stronger than last year and much more relaxed at home. She looks fantastic and her owners, some of whom are experiencing ownership for the first time, are very excited to have a live chance in a Classic.”

Laughing Lashes, from Jessica Harrington’s County Kildare stables, defeated the Aidan O’Brien-trained Misty For Me in the Group Two Debutante Stakes at the Curragh before finding that rival a length superior when runner-up in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the same course on 29th August and they are due to clash again in the Newmarket Classic over a mile.

Also among those going forward for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas is last year’s champion juvenile filly Hooray. Sir Mark Prescott’s charge stormed to a four and a half-length victory in the Group One Adnams Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in October.

Sir Michael Stoute has two fillies remaining, the unbeaten Group Three Sakhee Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Havant and Group Two Rockfel Stakes heroine Cape Dollar.

Godolphin handler Mahmood Al Zarooni could saddle course and distance winner Blue Bunting, successful in the Listed bet365.com EBF Montrose Fillies’ Stakes, and the unbeaten Listed Radley Stakes winner Zoowraa.

As well as Misty For Me, O’Brien has Group Three winner Empowering and Together still entered. 

The French could have three runners, headed by Moonlight Cloud from the Freddy Head yard. The Invincible Spirit filly impressed when winning the Group Three Prix Imprudence on April 7 and her only career defeat came against colts when fourth to Wootton Bassett in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp in October.

Robert Collet could run the smart Immortal Verse, while his son, Rodolphe Collet, has Listed winner Nova Hawk.

Others still in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas include Group Two Queen Mary Stakes winner Maqaasid, the Barry Hills-trained Make A Dance, well backed at fancy odds in recent days, and Group Three winner Majestic Dubawi.

LATEST GOING

Good to Firm (Good in places) (Watering as necessary)

The stands’ side course will be utilised for the QIPCO Guineas Festival.

Newmarket’s Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing Michael Prosser said this afternoon: “We put 15 millimetres of water on the course during Friday and Saturday, cut the grass today and will resume watering tomorrow, with another 15 millimetres planned to go down by Wednesday. (27 April 2011)

“The temperatures will be cooler from tomorrow until Thursday when some rain is forecast in the evening and then there could a shower or two on Friday.

“Temperatures are set to pick up again for the QIPCO Guineas Festival on Saturday and Sunday. We will reassess the ground towards the end of the week and see whether we need to water again.”

For more information please contact:

Michael Prosser, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing, 07802 844 578

Tony Rushmer, Racing PR Manager, 07702 579 382

THE QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS (THE 203rd RUNNING)

Class 1, Group 1, Total Prize fund £350,000. Newmarket, Saturday, April 30, 2011, one mile. For three-year-olds only, entire colts and fillies. Weights: colts 9st, fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed March 1, entries released March 3 (52 entries), Scratchings deadline noon, April 19 (20 remained). Five-day confirmation and £30,000 supplementary stage noon, April 25 (15 remain). Final declaration stage 10.00am, April 28. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up and including the racing of Monday, April 25, 2011. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Owner Trainer

331(1)-(6) ALEXANDER POPE (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

112410- BROOX (IRE) G A Lucas Eoghan O'Neill FR

1211- CASAMENTO (IRE) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

0410-(1)(1) DUBAWI GOLD Andrew Tinkler Richard Hannon

1111-1 FRANKEL Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil

11- FURY Cheveley Park Stud William Haggas

41-2 HAPPY TODAY (USA) Jaber Abdullah Brian Meehan

12- LOVING SPIRIT P C J Dalby & R Schuster James Toller

22136-(2) MASTER OF HOUNDS (USA) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

114-1 NATIVE KHAN (FR) Vefa Ibrahim Araci Ed Dunlop

111- PATHFORK (USA) Silverton Hill Partnership Jessica Harrington IRE

13414-2 REROUTED (USA) Khalid Abdulla Barry Hills

3121- RODERIC O'CONNOR (IRE) Sue Magnier/Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Sangster Family Aidan O'Brien IRE

116- SAAMIDD Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

561245- SLIM SHADEY Phil Cunningham Stan Moore

15 entries remain after April 25  five-day declarations

4 Irish-trained

1 French-trained

The four taken out today were    (Monday 25th April 2011)

DREAM AHEAD (USA) Khalifa Dasmal David Simcock

ECLIPTIC (USA) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

NEEBRAS (IRE) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

TLAAD (USA) Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

THE QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS  SUNDAY MAY 1st 2011 (THE 198th RUNNING)

Class 1, Group 1, Total Prize fund £376,500. Newmarket, Sunday, May 1, 2011, one mile. For three-year-old fillies only. Entries closed March 1, entries revealed March 3 (79 entries). Scratchings deadline noon, April 19 (30 remained). Six-day confirmation (22) 30,000 supplementary stage (1), April 25 (23 remain). Final declaration stage 10.00am, April 29. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up and including the racing of Monday, April 25, 2011. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Owner Trainer

1132-1 *BAREFOOT LADY Mrs H Steel Richard Fahey

211- BLUE BUNTING (USA) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

3131-0 CAPE DOLLAR (IRE) Saeed Suhail Sir Michael Stoute

(1)2262-6 COCHABAMBA (IRE) The Rat Racers Roger Teal

22-(2)0 ELSHABAKIYA (IRE) Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

0(2)(1)-1 EMPOWERING (IRE) Annemarie O'Brien Aidan O'Brien IRE

11- HAVANT James & Anita Wigan Sir Michael Stoute

0361(1)1- HOORAY Cheveley Park Stud Sir Mark Prescott Bt

153- I LOVE ME Neven Botica Andrew Balding

12-4 IMMORTAL VERSE (IRE) Richard Strauss Robert Collet FR

2-1 IZZI TOP Helena Springfield Ltd John Gosden

2212- LAUGHING LASHES (USA) Betty Moran Jessica Harrington IRE

011-6 MAJESTIC DUBAWI Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon

(0)1- MAKE A DANCE (USA) Khalid Abdulla Barry Hills

1143-3 MAQAASID Hamdan Al Maktoum John Gosden

1116- MEMORY (IRE) Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-Masquerade Richard Hannon

01211- MISTY FOR ME (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

(1)14-1 MOONLIGHT CLOUD George Strawbridge Freddie Head FR

01422-1 NOVA HAWK Ahmed Mouknass Rodolphe Collet FR

42(2)1-4 SHOW RAINBOW Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon

(6)210-(1) THE SHREW Bill Gredley John Gosden

134235-5 TOGETHER (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

11- ZOOWRAA Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

*supplementary entry today

23 entries go forward at six-day  supplementary entry stage

4 Irish-trained entries

3 French-trained entries

The eight taken out today were:-

LADIES ARE FOREVER Reg Bond Geoff Oldroyd

LOOK AT ME (IRE) Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

MIXED INTENTION (IRE) J Romel Fabrice Vermeulen FR

NOVA STEP Ahmed Mouknass Francois Rohaut FR

SORAAYA (IRE) Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum Mick Channon

TRAFFIC SISTER (USA) Fitri Hay Stan Moore

WHITE MOONSTONE (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

WILD WIND (GER) Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE

 
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