7-2 STRIKE FOR DAQMAN: Noche Clasica (WON 7-2) means a classic night out and it was a welcome Sunday best at the end of the day for Daqman.
CLASSIC TRIALS WEEK: The Flat season proper – ‘real racing’ to purists – starts this week, with Classic trials at Newmarket and Newbury. Daqman sets the scene.
FRANKEL OUT ON HIS OWN
Follow the fillies. Their trials this week, the Nell Gwyn and the Fred Darling, could come back into fashion as Classic pointers.
As for the colts, the Craven Stakes is a likely pointer to the Irish 2,000 but the Greenham has produced only Frankel as a winner going on to Newmarket Classic glory.
⭕ 3.35 Newmarket, Wednesday (Nell Gwyn Stakes) Only half a dozen winners of this fillies’ trial have taken the 1,000 Guineas since the Nell Gwyn’s inception in 1961.
They were: Flying Water (1976), Fairy Footsteps (1981), Pebbles (1984), Oh So Sharp (1985), Speciosa (2006) and Cachet (2022).
⭕ 3.35 Newmarket, Thursday (Craven Stakes) Was the recognised stepping-stone to the 2,000 Guineas in the 1980s when both races were won by Shadeed, Dancing Brave, Doyoun and Tirol.
But it fell out of fashion and Haafd (2004) is the only Craven winner to take the Newmarket Guineas this century, though Native Trail (2022) and Field Of Gold (2025) followed up at the Curragh in the Irish 2,000.
⭕ 2.00 Newbury, Saturday (Fred Darling Stakes) This fillies’ trial had its day in the 10 years from 1990 to 1999.
Fred Darling heroines that won the 1,000 Guineas in that time were Salsabil, Shadayid, Bosra Sham and Wince.
⭕ 2.00 Newbury, Saturday (Greenham Stakes) Frankel (2011) followed up in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, while Kingman (2014) was second at Newmarket but went on to win the Irish 2,000.
* Ayr, Saturday Back to the Jumps and the Scottish Grand National. Final day of the NH season is at Sandown a week later, April 25.
ROSE TO BLOOM
⭕ 1.52 Leicester today This looks a well above average novice event to kick off the Leicester card with last time out winners Crimson Rose (Charlie Appleby) and Westport (George Boughey) taking on the promising Nevasca Cinza from the James Fanshawe yard.
I was really taken by the win of Crimson Rose at Newmarket last July where she quickened up in grand style to beat Country Artiste by four lengths in a class 2. It might not have been the best race for that level but third placed Enamorus gave the form a boost with a subsequent good run at Ascot.
The drop in class (by two grades no less) would normally be interpreted as a positive but in the case of Crimson Rose I’m more left wondering WHY as I thought her sights might be set higher this season. She also doesn’t hold any big race entries at the moment.
However, she should still prove too strong for today’s opposition. Westport justified favouritism to win nicely enough at Lingfield last month on debut whilst Nevasca Cinza has his first start for the Fanshawe yard having gone close in soft ground at Hamilton on his second start. Both these rivals need to improve whereas Crimson Rose already has the form the book.
COMMAND IN CONTROL
⭕ 4.22 Leicester Albeseeingyer looks a little vulnerable at the top of the Betdaq Betting Exchange market for this seven furlong handicap. The mare takes a further drop in the handicap but she doesn’t look in the kind of current form to repeat her course and distance success of 2023.
Mission Command looks set to continue the good recent form of trainer Jennie Candlish who has sent out five winners from her last 24 runners.
She’s versatile ground wise and arrives on the back of a good third at Pontefract last time out – despite not really getting the rub of the green in the race. She returns off the same mark.
DON’T MISS SAIGON
⭕ 7.00 Newcastle the best race of the night, on paper at least, and Evening Saigon might be one to catch fresh.
He defied a lengthy absence to win at Chelmsford last year before getting bogged down in the heavy ground at Doncaster in November when stone last of 22 runners.
I’d be tempted to put a line through that form though and think the switch back to the all-weather should help here and he remains relatively lightly raced.
Grant Wood seems to have been revitalised by the switch back to the all-weather and has chances of reaching the frame again despite a 8lb hike since his easy C&D win here in March.
DAQMAN’S BETS
on Betdaq Betting Exchange
★ 1.52 Leicester (win 10, nap)
BET 4.2pts win CRIMSON ROSE
4.22 Leicester (win 10)
BET 2.9pts win MISSION COMMAND
7.00 Newcastle (win 10)
BET 4.4pts win EVENING SAIGON
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