1,000 Guineas at Newmarket

Frankel silenced the doubters with a devastating display yesterday at Newmarket, but the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, the fillies´equivalent due to be run at 16.15 CET this afternoon, looks a very different race with 19 runners and no obvious favourite. With the bookies going 5-1 or even more the field, there are plenty of possibilities. 4 of the fillies are trained in Ireland and 3 in France. Aidan O´Brien saddles 3 of the Irish contingent, with his son Joseph riding in his first classic on the family-owned Empowering, Pat Smullen on Misty for me (probably the best of them) and Colm O´Donoghue on Together. However O´Brien´s 3yo´s do not look as strong as usual, and if there is to be an Irish winner it will most likely be the consistent Laughing Lashes (Jessica Harrington/ Fran Berry).

We think a French winner is more likely, and Moonlight Cloud (Freddy Head/ Davy Bonila) looks clear best of the Gallic trio. French fillies have an excellent record in this race, and while Freddie has not yet scored here, his sister Criquette has done so often enough. Moonlight Cloud was not far off the top last season and started this year with an easy win in the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte.

The British entries come from all over the country, with Yorkshire-trained Barefoot Lady (Richard Fahey/ Paul Hanagan) supplemented for this after her nice win in the Nell Gwyn Stakes here over 7 furlongs. Trainer and jockey are in top form, but this filly needs to improve a few pounds to figure at this level, which is by no means impossible.

There are 7 Newmarket entries, of whom Sir Mark Prescott´s Hooray (Seb Sanders) has the highest rating after winning her last 3 races in 2010, including the Cheveley Park here. However all her races were at 6 furlongs and she is by no means certain to stay a mile. Sir Michael Stoute saddles two fillies, with stable jockey Ryan Moore on Havant, the only unbeaten runner. She looks classy enough, but is coming off a long break and almost certainly needs softer ground. Mahmood al Zarooni has his string in great form, so Godolphin´s Blue Bunting (Frankie Dettori) must be in with a chance, while John Gosden also saddles two, of whom Maqaasid (Richard Hills), who did not have a clear run when a close 3rd to Barefoot Lady here, the pick.

Looking further south, there are strong vibes coming from the stables of Barry Hills (Make a Dance /Michael Hills , who could complete a Guineas double for Khalid Abdullah), I Love Me (Andrew Balding/ Jimmy Fortune) and especially Memory Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes). There was no explanation for Memory´s last time flop, but she won her first 3 races in good style, and the stable optimism will have been boosted by the second place of Dubawi Gold yesterday. However she is drawn 1, which is normally a disadvantage; it did not stop Frankel, but we doubt that Memory is in that class. There are a dozen plausible winners here, but we give a very tentative vote to Moonlight Cloud.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Times Up - Fox Hunt - Sweet Origin
2. Race: Mirror Lake - Contredanse - Eleanora Duse
3. Race: Moonlight Cloud - Havant - Memory
4. Race: Barney McGrew - Prime Defender - Pastoral Player
5. Race: Tell Dad - Mizbah - Commissar
6. Race: Izzi Top - Primevere - Dorcas Lane
7. Race: Art History - Barbican - Barney Rebel