Best when fresh can work for Ghaiyyath
GHAIYYATH can gain a landmark first British Group One victory in Friday’s Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup at Newmarket.
The 12-furlong contest may have switched venue from Epsom, but it has again drawn a top-class field with no less than five individual Group One winners and two Group Three scorers in the line up.
Ghaiyyath has so far shown his best form on his travels, but he proved quite capable as a juvenile, counting the Autumn Stakes in his two wins, while his one run at three yielded Group Three gold in France.
The Dubawi horse really began to show his true potential last term though, winning the Prix d’Harcourt first time up before he found subsequent Arc victor Waldgeist too good in the Ganay.
That run was a touch disappointing, but you could not be anything other than impressed with his 14-length stroll in the Grosser Preis Von Baden before he found deep ground and the competition far too much of a test in the Arc.
Charlie Appleby had set his sights on the Sheema Classic with Ghaiyyath and his warm up run produced a comfortable eight-length victory, but then the big race was called off amid the coronavirus pandemic.
That cancellation can play in Ghaiyyath’s favour though as he seemingly runs his best when fresh and given he is rated 126, which puts him among the top rank worldwide, it will be a letdown if he cannot stamp his authority on this event.
Oxted has a bit to find with Brando in the Betway Abernant Stakes, but this four-year-old looks ready to make the transition to Group race performer this term.
With just seven previous runs, Oxted looks to have any amount of improvement in him after rounding off last season with a gutsy success off near top weight in the uber-competitive Portland at Doncaster.
The first three-year-old to win the race in nearly 20 years, Oxted is clearly pretty decent and having been narrowly beaten in Listed company previously, Pattern events should be well within his compass.
Escobar is worth a shout in the Betway Paradise Stakes at a decent price while Dubai Instinct is one to note in the Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap.
It is Classic trials day at Lingfield, with last year’s renewals having proved particularly relevant with both Anthony Van Dyck and Anapurna having gone on to victory at Epsom.
Anapurna’s trainer John Gosden is triple-handed in the Betsafe Top Price All Runners Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes and preference is for Chelmsford maiden winner Lake Lucerne.
She boasts a beautiful pedigree as a daughter of Dubawi out of Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Round Pond, but failed to do herself justice on her debut back in December, running incredibly green before finally making a bit of late headway.