King's Mill can grind down his Feilden rivals
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.After the quake on Tuesday at Headquarters there will be more aftershocks in the 2,000 Guineas market this afternoon as another wave of pretenders parades for the first Classic
The most notable movement is likely to come after the Craven Stakes, even if it does not concern a runner in the race. Aidan O'Brien runs Rossini over the Guineas course and distance. He was second in Doncaster's Champagne Stakes last season to Distant Music, but he is not in the vanguard at Ballydoyle. O'Brien already has a line to the Greenham form through Ciro, promoted to first in the Grand Criterium at Longchamp last October in front of Tuesday's winner, Barathea Guest. If Rossini wins this the price about O'Brien's principal hope, Giant's Causeway, will cascade.
For once there is no obvious choice in the Craven, which is usually the stopping-off point for the Guineas winter favourite. King's Best, at 20-1 with Coral, is the shortest-priced Classic entrant of the six runners. As Richard Hills will be on Sir Michael Stoute's Misraah in the Guineas, Kieren Fallon, the Freemason Lodge stable jockey, will probably be on King's Best (3.10) on 6 May. He finished in front of one of today's rivals, Shamrock City, in the Acomb Stakes at York last summer before turning in a quite diabolical performance behind Distant Music in the Dewhurst Stakes. If the devil is out of him today he should win.
There are Guineas aspirants elsewhere. Henry Cecil's Shibboleth has been mentioned in dispatches this spring, but this full-brother to Danehill has been slightly less impressive on the Newmarket gallops of late. His contest can be left to Material Witness (4.15).
Cecil has prospects earlier with Western Summer, who takes in the Feilden Stakes in preference to the Craven. This colt was 20-1 for the 2,000 Guineas a week ago, but is now 10-1 after efforts on the trial grounds which include a piece of work with the highly-rated 1,000 Guineas aspirant High Walden. He is reported the most forward of the Warren Place three-year-olds. Western Summer won on his debut last backend at Nottingham.
There is not much banker material here, however, with young horses emerging for their first competition of the season. More reliable is KING'S MILL (2.05, nap), a recent winner in a good time, who represents the local stable of Neil Graham which has already scored in these surroundings this week.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments