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| Newmarket Guineas News 2010 |
Newmarket Guineas Festival 2009
Bumper Entries for StanJames.com 2000 Guineas
05/02/10
Increased entries were revealed yesterday for the StanJames.com 2000 and the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas, the first two British Classics of 2010.
Both contests are worth £400,000 in 2010, with 91 entries (up from 89) in the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas and 71 (up from 65) in the fillies’ Classic, the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas. The StanJames.com 2000 Guineas takes place on the Rowley Mile on Saturday, 1st May, with the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas following on Sunday, 2nd May.
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Xtension has already exhibited top-class form on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course and last season’s Group One Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes third has pleased trainer Clive Cox with the progress he has made this winter ahead of a planned tilt at the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas.
The three-year-old Xaar colt, beaten only a neck and nose behind Beethoven in the seven-furlong Newmarket contest, won two of four starts last term including the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and was also runner-up to Canford Cliffs in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Cox revealed today: “Xtension has wintered very well and I am pleased to say that we have had a good start with his training. He is pleasing me with his build-up at this stage.
“He would not get a penalty in the Greenham (Newbury, 17th April), so that is an option before Newmarket but, ground dependent, we would not be at all worried about running him in the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas first time up.
“I am very confident that, although he is very lightly raced, he is obviously more experienced than when he ran in the Dewhurst off the back of a break. I think, in this day and age, I would be quite happy taking him to the Guineas without a prep.
“The Dewhurst is what it is - a Group One race - and he showed a very high level of performance at that stage of his career. I am quite satisfied and would expect him to have improved and progressed through the winter.”
The current 100/30 favourite with Stan James for the 2000 Guineas is St Nicholas Abbey, one of 13 entries for Aidan O’Brien. The Ballydoyle trainer is seeking a sixth victory in the Classic following King Of Kings (1998), Rock Of Gibraltar (2002), Footstepsinthesand (2005), George Washington (2006) and Henrythenavigator (2008) and is just two winners behind the overall record of John Scott achieved in the 19th century.
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St Nicholas Abbey was undefeated in three outings last season, culminating with an emphatic victory over Elusive Pimpernel in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and was subsequently rated the best two-year-old in Europe. Other possibles starters for the Ballydoyle team include the first two horses home in the Group One Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes on the Rowley Mile on Champions’ Day, Beethoven and Fencing Master, as well as the fourth horse home in that contest, Steinbeck. Cape Blanco and Joshua Tree, both Group Two scorers and Jan Vermeer, a Group One winner in France, are also among the formidable O’Brien entry.
In addition to Aidan O’Brien’s team, there are a further five entries trained in Ireland, while Pascal Bary supplies the one French-trained contender, Eightfold Path, a Group Three winner at Chantilly.
Godolphin has won the 2000 Guineas with Mark Of Esteem (1996) and Island Sands (1999) and the Maktoum family’s racing operation has the largest number of entries of any owner this year, with 14 possibles at this stage. These include the Group One Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Vale Of York, the Group One-placed Chabal, the unbeaten Kingsfort, a Group One winner in Ireland last season when trained by Kevin Prendergast, Passion For Gold, who landed a Group One at Saint-Cloud in 2009 as well as Zeitoper, who is unbeaten in three starts and is out of the 2002 1000 Guineas heroine Kazzia.
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Owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum has seen his famous blue and white silks carried to victory by Nashwan (1989) and Haafhd (2004) and has a dozen entries in 2010, headed by the Mark Johnston-trained Awzaan. The colt went through 2009 unbeaten in four starts, culminating with a battling effort to lift the Group One Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in October. Other possible starters for Sheikh Hamdan include Arcano, successful in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville last season, when he defeated the current favourite for the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas, Special Duty.
Trainer Richard Hannon is another trainer to boast an excellent record in the 2000 Guineas, having recorded victories with Mons Fils (1973), Don’t Forget Me (1987) and Tirol (1990). This year, he has seven possible starters headed by Canford Cliffs, the emphatic six-length winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and a close third behind Arcano and Special Duty in the Prix Morny.
Sir Michael Stoute’s record in the first Classic of the season is also impressive, following the victories of Shadeed (1985), Doyoun (1988), Entrepreneur (1997), King’s Best (2000) and Golan (2001). The master of Freemason Lodge has a trio of entries to choose from in 2010, including Workforce, a facile winner on his sole start in a Goodwood maiden, Treble Jig, successful in a maiden on the July Course, and Markazzi, a Leicester maiden scorer but a disappointing 11th behind the Ralph Beckett-trained Oasis Dancer in the lucrative Tattersalls Timeform Million on the Rowley Mile in October.
Pat Eddery won the 2000 Guineas three times as a jockey and has a live contender as a trainer this year with Hearts Of Fire, a Group One winner on his final start at San Siro, Italy, last season.
Charlie McCann, Head of PR for Stan James, said: "We were privileged to be proud sponsors of the race that launched an equine superstar in Sea The Stars last year and, who knows, perhaps there is another racing great among the entries for the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas.
"All eyes are likely to be focussed on St Nicholas Abbey after his breathtaking win in the Racing Post Trophy but the unbeaten 'A Team' of Arcano and Awzaan as well as brilliant Coventry Stakes winner Canford Cliffs ensures a very strong British challenge for the first Classic of the 2010 season."
Tickets are now on sale now for the StanJames.com Guineas Festival and are priced at £40 Premier Enclosure, £25 Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure and £10 Garden Enclosure. Why not visit www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk for a 25% discount when tickets are booked online in advance. Alternatively, tickets can be ordered over the telephone on 0844 579 3010.
Latest prices from Stan James : 100/30 St Nicholas Abbey, 8/1 Canford Cliffs, 9/1 Steinbeck, 10/1 Awzaan, 12/1 Arcano, 14/1 Elusive Pimpernel,14/1 Workforce, 16/1 Kingsfort, 20/1 Cape Blanco, 20/1 Pounced, 20/1 Fencing Master, 25/1 Chabal, 25/1 Poet's Voice, 25/1 Hearts Of Fire, 25/1 Inler, 33/1 Bar
THE StanJames.com 2000 GUINEAS
(THE 202nd RUNNING)
Class 1, Group 1 Race, Total Prize fund £400,000. Newmarket, Saturday, May 1, 2010, one mile. For three-year-olds only, entire colts and fillies. Weights: colts 9st, fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed March 2, entries released March 4 (91 Entries), Scratchings deadline noon, April 20. Five-day confirmation and £30,000 supplementary stage noon, April 26. Final declaration stage 10.00am, April 29. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up and including the racing of Monday, March 1, 2010. May not include some overseas form.
Form Horse Owner Trainer
113- AL ZIR (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
11165(0)- ALFRED NOBEL (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
111- ARCANO (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Brian Meehan
5-(1) ARRY'S ORSE Harry Redknapp Bryan Smart
1230- ATLANTIS STAR Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
201143- AUDACITY OF HOPE The Hon Earle I Mack/Four Winds Racing Charlie McBride
22(3)104- AWESOME ACT (USA) Susan Roy & Tom Ludt Jeremy Noseda
1111- AWZAAN Hamdan Al Maktoum Mark Johnston
1- BEAUCHAMP YORKER Erik Penser Henry Candy
13461(6)- BEETHOVEN (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
13345-(5) BLACK SNOWFLAKE (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
BUSINESS BAY (USA) Ali Saeed Ed Vaughan
221355- BUZZWORD Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
113- CANFORD CLIFFS (IRE) Heffer Syndicate, Susan Roy & Mrs Instance Richard Hannon
111- CAPE BLANCO (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
202011- CARNABY STREET (IRE) Noodles Racing Richard Hannon
120- CHABAL (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
1- COMMISSIONAIRE Cheveley Park Stud John Gosden
315- CRITICAL MOMENT (USA) Khalid Abdulla Barry Hills
214- DANCING DAVID (IRE) Catesby Clay Brian Meehan
41- DESTINATION AIM Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
111156- DICK TURPIN (IRE) John Manley Richard Hannon
621360- DUBAWI PHANTOM Sultan Ali David Simcock
230(1)- DYNASTY Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE
0-(1) EDINBURGH KNIGHT (IRE) Knights Racing Paul D'Arcy
131- EIGHTFOLD PATH (USA) Niarchos Family Pascal Bary FR
(1)- ELSPETH'S BOY (USA) David Gorton John Best
112- ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL (USA) Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc John Dunlop
41212- EMERALD COMMANDER (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
22- ENCOMPASSING (IRE) Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
32- ESAAR (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum Barry Hills
2- FAIR TRADE Raymond Tooth David Elsworth
(1)2- FENCING MASTER Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
(1)(5)- FIGHTING BRAVE (USA) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
20(1)(4)01- FREE JUDGEMENT (USA) June Judd/Jackie Bolger/Ennistown Stud Jim Bolger IRE
1041- FREMONT (IRE) Julie Wood Richard Hannon
1100-(2)(2) FROZEN POWER (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
4-(2)(1)(1)(1) GREYFRIARSCHORISTA Greyfriars UK Ltd Mark Johnston
4- HARVEST DANCER (IRE) Paul & Jenny Green Brian Meehan
252111- HEARTS OF FIRE Pat Eddery Racing (Detroit) Pat Eddery
1- INLER (IRE) Maggie Findlay John Best
10(2)634- IVER BRIDGE LAD The Iver Lads John Ryan
411- JAN VERMEER (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
121- JOSHUA TREE (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
11162- KAPTAIN KIRKUP (IRE) Kevin Kirkup Michael Dods
11- KINGSFORT (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
3- LATANSAA Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
615- LORD ZENITH Mrs M E Wates Andrew Balding
401431- LUCKY GENERAL (IRE) Julie Wood Richard Hannon
1- MAKFI M Offenstadt Mikel Delzangles FR
210- MARKAZZI Hamdan Al Maktoum Sir Michael Stoute
326233- MATA KERANJANG (USA) Fitri Hay Paul Cole
0(1)- MEEZAAN (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum John Gosden
(1)-(1) MENDIP (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
(0)-(1) MIDFIELDER (USA) H R H Princess Haya of Jordan John Gosden
2101- MON CADEAUX Mick and Janice Mariscotti Andrew Balding
31- MONT AGEL Jeff Pearce Michael Bell
2215- MORANA (IRE) Andrew Black Peter Chapple-Hyam
414- MR DAVID (USA) Gold Group International Ltd Brian Meehan
321- MUFARRH (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop
(2)10- MUSAAFER (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Michael Jarvis
NAASEF Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop
16- NO HUBRIS (USA) Fitri Hay Paul Cole
021- OASIS DANCER Heather Slade Ralph Beckett
131- PASSION FOR GOLD (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
31314- POET'S VOICE Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
2121- POUNCED (USA) Lady Rothschild John Gosden
01100- PUNCHER CLYNCH (IRE) Ennistown Stud/Jackie.Bolger Jim Bolger IRE
3342(0)1- PURPLE HEART (IRE) Derrick Smith/Sue.Magnier/Michael Tabor/Peter Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
r- PURPLE LAND (USA) Jackie Bolger Jim Bolger IRE
1(1)2- QUADRILLE The Queen Richard Hannon
1- RASHAAD (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum Barry Hills
51- RASMY Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
1103- RED JAZZ (USA) Ronnie Arculli Barry Hills
20- REITERATION (USA) Jackie Bolger/ Ennistown Stud Jim Bolger IRE
0311- RUM KING (USA) Sir David Seale Richard Hannon
111- ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
41135(2)- STARGAZE (IRE) John Stocker Alan Bailey
14- STEINBECK (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
4- STRONG VIGILANCE (IRE) Lawrie Inman Michael Bell
210- STUNNING VIEW (IRE) Dr Ronan Lambe Dermot Weld IRE
21- TAMAATHUL Hamdan Al Maktoum Barry Hills
01- TREBLE JIG (USA) Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute
15132(1)- VALE OF YORK (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
31120- VISCOUNT NELSON (USA) Sue Magnier/Diane Nagle Aidan O'Brien IRE
25- WILLIAM VAN GOGH Bill Gredley John Gosden
1- WORKFORCE Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute
1213- XTENSION (IRE) Brighthelm Racing Clive Cox
22- YOUM JAMIL (USA) Jaber Abdullah Brian Meehan
4(1)- ZAAHY (USA) M Al-Qatami & K M Al-Mudhaf Peter Chapple-Hyam
111- ZEITOPER Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
91 Entries
18 Irish-trained
2 French-trained
