Newmarket’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas trial looks red hot

Hot Snap wins her maiden at Kempton Park last year. Can she emulate her half-sister, Midday, who was one of the stars of the QIPCO British Champions Series in 2011? Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

The Richard Hannon-trained Sky Lantern heads a powerful line-up of 14 fillies in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile tomorrow (Wednesday), a key trial for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas back at Newmarket on Sunday 5 May.

Sky Lantern is the only filly in the 4.05pm race to carry a 3lb penalty as a result of her brilliant victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh last September.

The opposition includes three fillies all placed at Group 1 level – the second and third in the Jaguar Cars Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket last autumn, Winning Express and Baileys Jubilee, and Sorella Bella, runner-up in the Gran Criterium at San Siro in Italy last October.

Another to take the eye is the Luca Cumani-trained Nargys, runner-up to QIPCO 1000 Guineas ante-post favourite, Just The Judge, in the Group 2 Vision.ae Rockfel Stakes on Dubai Future Champions Day last October.

Also declared are Waterway Run and Light Up My Life, first and second in the Group 3 Sakhee Oh So Sharp Stakes run over the Nell Gwyn course and distance last September, and Hot Snap, a half-sister to the brilliant Midday.

Hot Snap, trained by Sir Henry Cecil for Prince Khalid Abdulla, won her only start, an all-weather maiden at Kempton last September, and is highly regarded by her connections.

Lord Grimthorpe, Abdulla’s racing manager, said: “The is a fact-finding mission. We rate her, but this is a step up from a maiden.

“Henry is pleased with her. She’s a good type who has done very well over the winter.”

Ralph Beckett also has a positive bulletin on Waterway Run. The trainer said: “She is in very good form.

“She had a small blip three to four weeks ago – she had a temperature for a couple of days and missed some work – but she has done enough to show she’s ready to run.

“She is not a flashy worker, however, and will come on for the run.

“She came a long way in a short space of time last year and I hope that she will progress from two to three."

Another highlight on an eight-race card for day one of the Craven Meeting is the appearance of Andre Fabre’s unbeaten colt Intello in the ebm-papst Feilden Stakes at 4.40pm.

The Montaz Restaurant EBF Maiden is also packed full of interest at 5.15pm, as Frankel’s half-brother, Morpheus, makes his seasonal debut alongside stablemate Demonic.

Both are trained by Sir Henry Cecil and owned by Prince Khalid Abdulla. Lord Grimthorpe said: “Demonic and Morpheus are both progressive sorts and we are disappointed the race has not divided “

Stable jockey, Tom Queally, takes the rides on Demonic with Grimthorpe explaining: “Morpheus has taken more time to come to hand than Demonic.”