After the delights of Cheltenham and the Grand National, we feel the Flat season spring into full effect with the first Classic of the season at Newmarket.The QIPCO 2000 Guineas (16:40) will take centre stage this afternoon and Aidan O’Brien looks to have very strong claims of landing an eleventh career renewal of the prize with market leaders, Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear.Frankie Dettori has announced this is to be his last season and he takes the mount on Chaldean.
This colt carries the famous “Frankel” silks and the jockey warmed up for this year’s race with victory in the Italian 2000 Guineas.The sprinters get their turn in the Palace House Stakes (16:00) with Henry Candy’s Twilight Calls likely to head to post as favourite having finished as runner up in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.The North could get its moment in the Listed Kilvington Stakes (14:15) as Darlington-based Michael Dods saddles two likely ladieswith Gale Force Maya and Azure Blue.Join us for all of the action in our LIVE blog from the headquarters of Flat racing as Garry Owen will be along to help mark your card with his hot tips.
Well I've managed to go an hour without uttering the "F" word - so here he is - in all of his glory... The inclement weather that is forecast to hit the area later in the day would not be ideal for Auguste Rodin despite him winning the Futurity on a typically autumnal surface.
His trainer, Aidan O’Brien said: “We were a little bit worried about going Auguste Rodin at Doncaster on that ground as it got very soft and he is a beautiful-moving horse and definitely not a soft ground horse.
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