Newmarket opens today with top 3yo´s

For many racing people, the flat season proper starts today with the Craven Meeting at Newmarket, and today´s card of 8 races - 7 of them restricted to 3yo´s - gives many members of the classic generation the chance to shine. Main feature is the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes over 7 furlongs for 3yo fillies, a trial for the 1,000 Guineas, and there is a strong field, headed by the penalised Maqaasid (John Gosden/ Richard Hills), winner of the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Ladies are Forever (Geoff Oldroyd/ Silvestre de Sousa), not far behind her then and now better off at the weights. Crying Lightening (Peter Chapple-Hyam/ Jimmy Quinn) won in Dubai and has fitness on her side, but so does Irish challenger Sing Softly (Aidan O´Brien/ Ryan Moore), who has already won twice at the Curragh this season and looks the one to beat.

The listed European Free Handicap over the same trip at 16.35 is always won by a good horse and is a race often targeted by Barry Hills, who has won it for the last two years. His Rerouted with son Michael aboard clearly comes into the reckoning, but although there are only 6 runners, this is a very open race with all of them having good form. The listed Feilden Stakes over 9 furlongs at 17.45 is another decent race. Toolain (Roger Varian/ Neil Callan) is top-rated here, but we prefer Specific Gravity (Henry Cecil/ Tom Queally), who looked very promising when winning his maiden at Nottingham last October.

Cecil and Queally are represented by debutant Midsummer Son in the 3yo maiden over 10 furlongs at 18.20 and this humble event could be the most interesting race of the day, as there is a huge whisper out for Midsummer Son, a half-brother by Monsun to multiple Group One winner Midday. Most valuable race on the card is the Tattersalls Millions 3yo Sprint over 6 furlongs at 16.00, which could well go to Neebras (Mahmoud al Zarooni/ Mikael Barzalona), Godolphin´s first British runner of the year.