Jupiter Pluvius might miss Guineas

On Wednesday, trainer Aidan O'Brien warned that Killavullan S. (Ire-G3)

winner JUPITER PLUVIUS (Johannesburg) may miss Saturday's English Two Thousand

Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket. Confirming that Johnny Murtagh would ride

Coventry S. (Eng-G2) winner and Phoenix S. (Ire-G1) runner-up HENRYTHENAVIGATOR

(Kingmambo), the Ballydoyle conditioner revealed that Jupiter Pluvius had a

dirty scope.

"At the moment it's looking like Johnny will probably ride Henry and PLAN

(Storm Cat) is likely to run also, but Jupiter Pluvius is not a definite to run

as his scope wasn't 100 percent clean this morning," he told the Racing Post.

"It will be checked again in the morning and if he doesn't run it's possible he

might run in the Tetrarch S. (Ire-G3) at the Curragh on Monday."

Sir Michael Stoute will saddle PERFECT STRIDE (Oasis Dream [GB]) in the

Guineas despite the colt missing the Craven S. (Eng-G3) with an injured hock.

The Sandown maiden scorer has made the race against time.

"Perfect Course is on course to run in the Guineas," the owner's Racing

Manager Bruce Raymond said. "He banged a hock just before the Craven, but there

was only a minor strain. Sir Michael and his team seem to have sorted it out

very well. Of course he did miss a race and had to have a few days off, but Sir

Michael would not be running him if he wasn't entirely happy with him. He worked

nicely on Monday and will probably breeze tomorrow."

Also going in the Guineas despite missing the Craven is ALFATHAA (Nayef).

Forced to sidestep the Craven due to a foot problem, the Royal Lodge S. (Eng-G2)

fifth has been given the green light by trainer William Haggas and connections

are waiting on his owner-breeder's decision.

"We wanted to run him in the Craven and he needs to get out and run," jockey

Richard Hills said. "I'd imagine if Sheikh Hamdan and William are both happy he

will turn up. He worked extremely well before the Craven, then we had to wait a

bit with him and has been a bit lazy since."

In other news, SPACIOUS (Nayef) was reported on course for Sunday's English

One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) by trainer James Fanshawe. Last year's May Hill S.

(Eng-G2) winner, whose workmate Cesare (Machiavellian) registered an easy

success in the Paradise S. at Ascot on Wednesday, was reported "really well" as

she prepares for the Newmarket mile classic.

"It is encouraging to see Cesare win because they do a lot of work together,"

he said. "Her coat has come now, so a prep race wouldn't have done her any good.

She has the physical size and scope to go on and improve all year and it was

testing when she won at Leicester and fast at Doncaster, so the ground shouldn't

be a problems."

"It was good-to-soft when she won first time, but I feel her best form is in

nicer ground so I'm hoping it will dry out," jockey Jamie Spencer added.

Connections of contenders wanting a quick surface for the weekend Guineas may

be disappointed after significant rainfall changed Newmarket's ground on

Wednesday. Director of Racing and Clerk of the Course Michael Prosser said that

22 millimeters of rain had changed the official description to good,

good-to-soft in places.

"Further showers are forecast for (this) afternoon; however, these are likely

to be less prevalent than in the past 36 hours," Prosser said. "There is the

possibility of further showers on Friday but they are likely to more localized.

Indeed, there is every chance that we could be dry from Friday through to the

end of the meeting on Sunday."