G3 Craven S.

With no standout member of the line-up, Thursday's G3 Craven S. at Newmarket may offer more clues as to the 2000 Guineas prospects of those in absentia who share the stables of the main contenders. Ballydoyle are perhaps scouting the local opposition to City Of Troy with Cambridge (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Godolphin saddle Native Approach (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) possibly with a view to weighing up where their Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) sits. Andre Fabre is here again with Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor...

Beaten twice by Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at two but evidently unbowed, the aptly-named Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}--Shareva {Ire}, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) marked his debut for the Karl Burke stable with a win in Newmarket's G3 Craven S. to continue Amo Racing's strong start to the current campaign on Thursday. Able to get into some kind of fight with Andrew Balding's leading 2000 Guineas hope in York's G3 Acomb S., he was put in his place when last seen in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster in September...

There is no doubt that, in general, Newmarket's G3 Craven S. has lost much of its former relevance as a 2000 Guineas trial, but in the last two years it has enjoyed a revival with winners Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) going close in the mile Classic. Godolphin and Charlie Appleby have another leading man this time in the GI Summer S. and G3 Prix Francois Boutin scorer Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), but the one that really catches the...

Charlie Appleby has two strong hands to play in the upcoming 2000 Guineas and one of them, the European champion juvenile Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB), enjoys a surprise if welcome prep in Wednesday's G3 bet365 Craven S. at Newmarket. It's the age-old question, can the one who was at the apex the previous year maintain his dominion after the winter sojourn? It is necessary to go back to the mid-nineties and the likes of Alhaarth (Ire) (Unfuwain) and Xaar (GB) (Zafonic) to recall reigning champions taking in this...

The Classic trials caravan rolls into Newmarket today with the Rowley Mile venue primed and ready to host a seven-race card and open its three-day Craven fixture. Sophomore fillies take centre stage on day one with nine set for another competitive edition of HQ's G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. over a straight seven furlongs. Middleham Park Racing's 2012 victrix Esentepe (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) is the only winner since the turn of the century to have undertaken a preparatory run, so the trends are not in favour of Scuderia Archi...

Thursday at Newmarket means the G3 bet365 Craven S. and all the rush of excitement that accompanies it, with the Suffolk faithful hoping they see the subsequent G1 2000 Guineas hero moving through the gears. At this stage, with form from 2020 to guide, Charlie Appleby's Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) appears the most obvious one to emerge with a target on the main prize given how impressive he was in the G2 Superlative S. at the July meeting here. There was much to take from his fourth,...

Andrew Balding could look to the G3 bet365 Craven S. at Newmarket as a potential starting point for Kameko ahead of an outing in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. The Kingsclere handler believes the mile Group 3 contest could be the ideal stepping stone for the son of Kitten's Joy, before returning him to the track for the opening Classic. After finishing second over course and distance in the Royal Lodge S. on his penultimate start, Kameko ended the year on a high when winning the first Group 1 race...