Monday, 11 April 2011

Newmarket Craven Meeting - Nell Gwyn Stakes


4.10 Newmarket
Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (Fillies' Group 3) (Class 1)  (3YO only)
Winner £28,385

Pick: Sing Softly (win)

Maqaasid: Showed immense promise on debut and realized that very quickly when winning Queen Mary Stakes in course record time, but failed to build on that when failing to stay in both the Lowther and Chevley Park Stakes; Both good runs and not without hope of shaping into a class contender by 7f and penalty are big issues.

Barefooot Lady: Cam right away on debut despite needing plenty of stoking and achieved a lot more when winning at St Ledger festival next, doing job just as nicely; Not disgraced when third and second in Group/Listed contests but 6f an unknown, as is her form; Stable bang in form.

Crying Lightening: Taken awfully long time to come to hand this year in Dubai after promising juvenile campaign in which she finished respectable second to Whit Moonstone; Has a lot of improvement to make up based on her poor opening form but juvenile campaign form makes her a real fact and will be fit here.

Elshabaakiya: One of race’s strongest form contenders going down by only a length to Maqaasid on debut, then Crying Lightening next time out; Only went down by a neck to Dubawi Gold on seasonal reappearance and could be set for a big run today.

Laides Are Forever: Might just have been tapped for a toe a little behind Maqaasid in the Queen Mary, taking advantage of being well treated when landing big listed prize at Beverley; Shaped that day as if she’d stay 7 furlongs and interesting runner here.

Lily Again: Won 6f Kempton maiden before good second in Chantilly listed contest (had to give 10lbs to the winner) and bettered that again when fifth behind Memory in Cherry Hinton; Continued in same vein with listed win and fourth in Debutante but went backwards since and hard to fancy.

Qushchi: Not seen after breaking maiden in workmanlike fashion, having shown customary promise on debut; A well bred horse (half-sister to Dewhurst/St James´s Palace winner, Grand Lodge) who may be able to do better this year but not particularly fancied for this test.

Show Rainbow: Took four tries to break duck last year, having seemingly ‘spurted’ two chances before coming right away from field on heavy in October; This steep rise in class expected to find her out.

Sing Softly: Seventh on only run as a juvenile but came with withering late run to land maiden in impressive style and built on that when winning listed event against males, both times at Curragh; Race fitness gives her big advantage and seen as possible Guineas outsider so would have to be fancied.

Strictly Pink: Won handicap latest under good ride and broke maiden this year (fourth in-between) but unable to buy a win at a two year old and well beaten on only run in group company; So hard to see her making an impact here.

Sweet Cecily: Messed around on debut but underwent complete transformation when making all in 6f maiden here; Held her own in better company but now looks exposed and hard to fancy.

VERDICT: Maqaasid is likely to be many’s choice following her Queen Mary win but she didn’t appear to stay 6 furlongs in the Lowther or Cheveley Park, may not be at peak fitness here and will have to give away a penalty in what’s already a tightly matched field. SING SOFTLY, so impressive on both her wins in Ireland this year, could be the one most likely to take advantage ahead of Ladies Are Forever and Elshabaakiya.

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