WEMBLEY TO SCORE IN GUINEAS
Kitty's Light was most unfortunate in the Bet365 Gold Cup last weekend to see out the jumps season on a winner!
That is all in the past and we on to the flat turf season with the first classic of the season. The 2000 guineas is for 3yo colts or fillies only but normally the fillies wait for the 1000 guineas on Sunday.
The Irish trainers look to have a strong hand in the 2000 guineas with Aidan O'Brien, Jim Bolger, Jessie Harrington & Joseph O'Brien supplying six of the fifteen runners.
Wembley looks sure to relish going out in trip to a mile who has 1st Jockey to Coolmore Stud Ryan Moore booked to ride. Ryan rode Wembley when second in the Dewhurst stakes here last October. In that race Ryan settled Wembley out the back and he made up significant ground to finish second beaten under a length by stablemate St Mark’s Basilica. That was impressive on soft ground and he looks certain to stay a mile on fast ground well.
Thunder Moon beat Wembley in the Group 1 National Stakes in Ireland when once again Wembley was left with lots of ground to make up from his position out the back. If Ryan can keep Wembley closer to the pace on fast ground he has a great chance of powering to the front up the finishing climb to the winning line. Wembley is not badly drawn in stall 8 in the middle giving Ryan options to come down the middle or come across towards the rail.
Of the rest, Thunder Moon is an obvious danger having won the Group 1 Vincent O'Brien stakes at the Curragh. He has a good turn of foot so a sedate pace would suit him best. Lucky Vega is all speed and I'd be surprised if he stays a truly run mile but connections are correct to give it a shot. Jim Bolger should never be underestimated when sending a runner to the UK. His Poetic Flare won a listed 7 furlong trial race nicely at Leopardstown this season and can step forward again. The other Aidan O'Brien pair of runners, Battleground & Van Gogh have strong chances but Ryan Moore has chosen Wembley which is fully respected. Chindit runs for trainer Richard Hannon who has a solid record with his runners in this race. He bombed out here on soft ground in the Dewhurst stakes so has a course question to answer this afternoon.
The main UK challenger could be Master of the Seas who finished a close fourth in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh. He is on home turf this time round and won nicely over course and distance in the Craven Stakes. The other Godolphin runner One Ruler finished second to Mac Swinley in a Group 1 on heavy ground at Doncaster having previously won a Group 3 at Newmarket in good style.
A cracking contest but it is the Aidan O'Brien trained Wembley that looks bound to improve the most for stepping up to a mile.
Newmarket - 3:40
1 Point Each Way Wembley 5/1 William Hill paying 5 places.
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