Black-Type Analysis: Can Alpine Trail Punch His Derby Ticket At HQ?

[Wandering Eyes]

Friday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 16:05, BETFRED JOCKEY CLUB STAKES-G2, £125,000, 4yo/up, 12f 0y

Field: Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Divina Grace (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}).

TDN Verdict: One of Europe's most dubious Group 2s, but this year it holds up well with the accomplished Silver Knott racing in his home town for the first time since the 2023 2,000 Guineas. Ambiente Friendly looks like a horse that needs a confidence boost and with Godolphin's stalwart in here that's not on the cards, so this is as much a test of his character as his ability which we saw in full in last year's Derby. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 13:45, TRUSTATRADER NEWMARKET STAKES-Listed, £55,000, 3yo, c/g, 10f 0y

Field: Alpine Trail (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Aurel (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Devil's Advocate (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Ernst Blofeld (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Harvey (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), Nebras (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Before the Guineas on Saturday, we'll be focusing on the Derby with this sporadically meaningful trial and the customary Godolphin lurker this time is Alpine Trail, a relative of Solemia who has the pedigree credentials to enter the “when will Dubawi's first Derby winner come” debate. Charlie Appleby might already have a fairly good idea of where he stands with regards to Aurel after that colt beat one of his other nice prospects at Kempton in November. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 14:20, NYETIMBER KING CHARLES II STAKES-Listed, £55,000, 3yo, 7f 0y

Field: The Waco Kid (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Big Cyril (Ire) (No Nay Never), Chancellor (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Diego Ventura (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), La Botte (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Marvelman (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Pellitory (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev, Port Light (Ire) (City Light {Fr}), Symbol Of Honour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}).

TDN Verdict: What is really a St James's Palace/Jersey trial is easily the card's most interesting race, with TDN Rising Star Cosmic Year taking the sensible route away from the Guineas but unfortunately still ending up presented with a true test. He may have won his two starts by wide margins so far, but he'll need to show another side to his make-up here. With the ground lively, this will be an examination of speed which will suit Godolphin's Symbol Of Honour and Wathnan's Diego Ventura while the impressive Craven meeting winner Pellitory and TDN Rising Star Chancellor rate as significant threats. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Chantilly, France, post time: 16:03, PRIX DE SURESNES-Listed, €55,000, 3yo, 10fT

Field: Azimpour (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Nizam (Fr) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Leffard (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), New Ground (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Juwelier (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Chaumiere De Pre (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Nitoi (Siyouni {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: If it's Rouget and unbeaten, it matters until proven otherwise and Leffard is the chosen one in a race he likes. After all, this is the race that launched Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in 2019 and Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in 2023, so although we learned little about this relative of High Chaparral (Ire) at either Cagnes-sur-Mer or Toulouse we must pay close attention now. Nitoi probably sets the standard on his G3 Prix Noailles second, while the G3 Prix la Force runner-up Azimpour adds spice. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain, post time: 15:35, BETFRED 2000 GUINEAS STAKES-G1, £525,000, 3yo, c/f, 8f 0y

Field: Benevento (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Ruling Court (Justify), Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Seagulls Eleven (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Tornado Alert (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko), Yah Mo Be There (GB) (Mohaather {GB}).

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