Five horses who will love soft ground at Newmarket with rain forecast for Guineas weekend
FLAT racing really shifts into top gear this weekend with the 2000 and 1000 Guineas.
The first two Classics of the season will identify the top three-year-old colts and fillies.
But with rain forecast on the first day of action on the Rowley mile, the ground could race on the softer side of good for Saturday and Sunday.
City Of Troy is the massive odds-on favourite for the 2000 Guineas for colts.
While Aidan O’Brien’s other representative that weekend, Ylang Ylang, is 4-1 second-fav for the 1000 Guineas on Sunday, behind Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel.
Here we look at five horses who could enjoy softer conditions on a mega weekend at HQ.
City Of Troy
2000 Guineas (3.35 Saturday)
4-6
It’s hard to find a weakness in this awesome son of Justify.
Although all horses will race off level weights, he’s 6lbs better than anything else here.
His Dewhurst win on soft suggests he’ll handle conditions fine, as he pulled away smartly from runner-up Alyanaabi.
Ramatuelle
1000 Guineas (3.40 Sunday)
10-1
Top French trainer Christopher Head was recently rocked by the removal of 22 horses from his yard.
But he retains a star in Ramatuelle, who’s been narrowly denied on very soft and heavy ground on her past two runs.
While more exposed than many of her 1000 Guineas rivals, she boasts a win on soft.
She is also out of an unraced half-sister to 1m1f Group 1 winner Best Of The Bests so should have stamina on her side.
Aberama Gold
William Hill Extra Place Races Handicap (1.45 Saturday)
12-1
This absolute legend of a horse will be having his 71st career run – and from a falling mark on ground he could enjoy, makes a bit of appeal.
Aberama Gold won twice on heavy last term – including the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood – and has two previous wins on soft.
A versatile veteran who goes on just about anything, he won’t mind a bit of dig in the ground.
Racingbreaks Ryder
William Hill Suffolk Stakes (2.20 Saturday)
25-1
If he lines up here then Racingbreaks Ryder could relish softer ground.
The Charlie Hills-trained four-year-old has won on good but his three other career wins have come on soft.
A 9lb drop in ratings from a high of 97 at last year’s Royal Ascot could help his cause too.
Ghostwriter
2000 Guineas (3.35 Saturday)
16-1
Clive Cox’s unbeaten three-year-old could be backed in for a place amid any rain.
He is by Invincible Spirit, whose progeny, including Kingman and Moonlight Cloud, have all shown winning form on soft.
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