Newmarket: Craven Stakes

The Craven Stakes, run today at 17.05 CET at Newmarket, used to be the most important trial for the 2000 Guineas; this is actually no longer the case in view of the competing classic trials in France and Ireland and in particular for the modern habit of running the top 3yo´s in the first classic without having a prep race at all. However today´s event is still a good race and the Hannon stable, who have won it for the past 3 years, have good prospects with two runners - Kool Kompany (Richard Hughes) and Moheet (Frankie Dettori). The former won 4 of his 8 starts last season, including two Group Twos, but he is penalised for that and we prefer the less exposed runner, who is running in the same Al Shaqab colours as yesterday´s Nell Gwyn winner Osaila. Irish raider War Envoy (Aidan O´Brien/ Ryan Moore) could be the main danger, although he is unlikely to be the stable´s main Guineas hope.

The race is supported by two Group races for older horses, the Abernant Stakes over 6 furlongs at 16.30 and the Earl of Sefton over 9 furlongs at 17.40. The former, the first significant sprint of the season, actually has a 3yo running against the older sprinters, Angelic Lord (Tom Dascombe/ Richard Kingscote) and although he might take top rank later, we feel that it is a bit early for the younger horses and prefer Music Master (Henry Candy/ Dane O´Neill), who had good form last season in the top races over this distance. There is a German runner in the latter race, the very lightly-raced Schlenderhan-bred Iman, owned by Stall Salzburg and trained by Ilka Gansera. He must show enormous improvement to figure here - not impossible with this trainer- but for now we expect Arod (Peter Chapple-Hyam/ Andrea Atzeni), runner-up in last year´s Dante and 4th in the Derby, to score today.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Show Day - Sense Of Fun - War Queen
2. Race: Barreesh - Argus - Markstein
3. Race: Secret Brief - Azmaam - Cape Clear Island
4. Race: Music Master - Astaire - Angelic Lord
5. Race: Nafaqa - Moheet - White Lake
6. Race: French Navy - Mondialiste - Arod
7. Race: Black Cherry - Hundi - Golden Laughter
8. Race: Mohatem - Muqtaser - Dissolution