BIG RACE PREVIEW: The highlight of Thursday’s action at Newmarket is the Tattersalls Stakes with seven horses going to post.
When Modern Games ran away with the Take The Reigns Nursery Handicap at Doncaster a fortnight ago, he looked to be a potential group horse in a handicap. He gave 10lb and a comprehensive beating to a progressive rival in Sed Maarib who filled the runners-up spot whilst the third placed horse is Group 1 entered later in the season. It is no surprise to see Charlie Appleby immediately step up the son of Dubawi to listed level in the Tattersalls Stake (2:45pm Newmarket Thursday) and he looks sure to go well.
However his task will be far from easy. Cresta actually beat Modern Games on his debut at Leicester just over seven weeks ago. He was receiving 9lb from the penalised runner-up and they meet on level terms here. However that was his debut and this double Group 1 entered horse is clearly well thought of at home and he can be expected to step up again. Harrow is improving at a rate of knots, Ribhi is still full of potential and Ring Of Beara could be anything but the real fly in the ointment for Modern Games could be the Andre Fabre trained Trident. He finished second in the Group 1 Prix Morny behind Perfect Power last time out and before that he had finished third in a Group 3 event.
His trainer is talking him up as a potential Dewhurst Stakes candidate and if he is to go there then he must go close here. And so in fascinating event it could be that Modern Games and Trident go head-to-head in an intriguing battle and there may not be much to chose between these two promising colts.
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