Saffron Beach to stake claim for Guineas

There may be a couple of jump jockeys’ championships still to be determined either side of the Irish Sea, but with the Grand National behind us, the focus turns to the first Classic trials of the Flat season at Newmarket today.

The 1,000 Guineas trial is the highlight, with 10 fillies lining up for the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, before the colts have their turn in the Craven tomorrow.

The two-year-old form is with Sacred, runner-up in the Queen Mary and Lowther. She was last in the Cheveley Park, but that was too bad to be true and can be ignored. It is her first time at seven furlongs and that may even bring improvement, but I prefer Jane Chapple-hyam’s unbeaten Saffron Beach, who can put herself in the Guineas picture, although you have to go back to Speciosa in 2006 to find the previous winner to come back in 2½ weeks and win the Classic.

She beat Thank You Next in the Oh So Sharp Stakes in the autumn and her ability to handle a tricky track should stand her in good stead.

“Saffron Beach has wintered well and she is training well,” Chapple-hyam said. “Adam Kirby knows the filly well as he is two from two on her, while you can’t beat that track experience she has.”

It is Frankie Dettori’s first ride on British turf as a 50-year-old after a winter in the Middle East and he should prevail on Global Giant in the Bet365 Earl of Sefton Stakes.

At Southwell, Harry Skelton rode a three-timer to leapfrog current champion jockey Brian Hughes and lead 139-137 in this year’s title race.