With Newbury's card transferred from Saturday, Sunday sees a feast of action in Europe which should answer more questions regarding the upcoming Classics. Other than the fact that the G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. clashes directly with ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix de la Grotte, the day is set fair for some pulsating racing which begins in earnest with Newbury's seven-furlong G3 Fred Darling S. for the fillies. Heading the list is Jeff Smith's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), who tries further than six for the first time and faces the perennial stamina quandary as the mile Classics loom. David Bowe, general manager of Smith's Littleton Stud, gave the lowdown on Saturday. “She came back to Littleton for her winter break, we sent her back to Andrew [Balding] after Christmas and he has been pleased with her since,” he said. “I think she will stay the seven furlongs, but we will find out much more in regards to her trip on Sunday. Oisin [Murphy] has been to ride her. He was very happy with her and Andrew is confident she has trained on.”
Behind Alcohol Free in the Cheveley Park were the third-placed Umm Kulthum (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the fourth Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and fifth Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). Happy Romance had previously beaten her in the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S. at Salisbury in early September and trainer Richard Hannon is hoping she can regain the winning thread back at the track she was successful at during her busy juvenile campaign. “I do think she's slightly under-appreciated in terms of what she has achieved and she was never a 2-year-old for me,” he said. “I always thought she was a big girl who is going to make a nice 3-year-old and hopefully make a miler. I think she'll be better for going further and I think she's improved from two to three. She's a tough filly and she's very happy.”
In a deep renewal full of talented fillies, there are a clutch of unexposed types including the John and Thady Gosden-trained Wild Iris (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was impressive given that she blew the start on her sole start in a Newcastle novice in October. Roger Varian also supplies an all-weather winner in Shadwell's Zaajirah (Ire) (Shamardal), a distant relative of the 1991 Fred Darling winner Shadayid (Shadeed) who scored with real authority on the Polytrack at Kempton in October. Angus Gold said of her, “She won well on her only start and has been pleasing them with her work. When they've won a maiden, you don't know where you are but she looks a nice, progressive filly in her homework. She obviously lacks experience, but she hasn't done anything wrong so far, so let's see where she fits in.”
The French fillies get their turn in the Grotte, with Gemini Stud's impressive Mar. 21 Listed Prix la Camargo winner Sweet Lady (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) taking on the G3 Prix d'Aumale scorer King's Harlequin (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) and G3 Prix Six Perfections scorer See the Rose (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}). Thirty minutes later, the colts line up for the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau where Haras de la Gousserie and Guy Pariente's dominant G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) sets the standard. Andre Fabre puts Godolphin's Parchemin (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) to the test, with the chestnut having beaten the subsequent G3 Prix Djebel scorer Fast Raaj (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}) on debut at Compiegne in early October before following up in the Listed Prix Isonomy at Deauville later that month. The card also sees the return of Gestut Schlenderhan's G1 Deutsches Derby hero and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the 12-furlong Listed Prix Lord Seymour.
Back at Newbury, the G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. boasts a fascinating cast headed by Shadwell's G2 Mill Reef S. winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Michael Pescod's G2 Champagne S. winner Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Both were left behind in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in October, but excuses can be made for both and they have the chance to wipe the slate clean here. Richard Hannon said of Chindit, “On that day, the times said it was riding like it was heavy ground at Newmarket and Chindit was wheel-spinning the whole way. Chindit travelled into it very well, like he normally does, and didn't pick up at all. I'm more than happy to forgive that run. To me, last year it looked like he wanted all of that seven furlongs when he won the Champagne S. and was crying out for a mile. I hope that's the case, but the nice thing with a 3-year-old now is if you don't get the Guineas trip, you can come back to Royal Ascot for six furlongs.”
Perhaps tellingly, Jim Crowley has opted to ride the G3 Horris Hill S. winner Mujbar (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) even though Alkumait looks more likely to relish this fast ground. Angus Gold said, “Sunday will tell us a lot more, but the Hills camp have always hoped Mujbar was going to make into a Guineas horse. He obviously won a group race as a 2-year-old, as did Alkumait, but everything about Alkumait that I have seen suggests he's more of a sprinter and I know Jim feels the same. Marcus [Tregoning] wants to see whether he would stay seven furlongs. We'll be trying to get him to settle and finish it off, so we learn whether he does stay. He didn't stay in the Dewhurst last year, but that might not have been just down to stamina. I think Jim is looking to the future and we're thinking that if Mujbar has come on, he could be a Guineas horse, whereas I would be pleasantly surprised if Alkumait made a Guineas horse. We could all be wrong and I'd be delighted to be proven wrong, but at this stage I see Alkumait as more of a Commonwealth Cup type.”
Marie McCartan's G2 Coventry S. winner Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) later split Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and the re-opposing Rhythm Master (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville in August before being left trailing when second to the aforementioned Sealiway in the Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day. Nando Parrado's trainer Clive Cox said, “He's pleased me very much and has been working nicely. We've got confidence in him over seven and I still think a mile is well within his compass.”
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