Vintage Greenham on tap; Tiggy Wiggy auditions in Fred Darling

Vintage Greenham on tap; Tiggy Wiggy auditions in Fred

Darling

Saturday's Greenham S. (Eng-G3) at Newbury offers a middle ground for last

year's sprinting juveniles attempting eventually to stretch out to the mile of

the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), which is where Ivawood (Zebedee) is headed if

he can prove his stamina here.

Westward Bloodstock's bay looked to have more than a fair share of star

quality when capturing the July S. (Eng-G2) at Newmarket and Goodwood's Richmond

S. (Eng-G2) over six furlongs last summer before surrendering his perfect record

when nosed out by Charming Thought (Oasis Dream) in the Middle Park S. (Eng-G1),

also over that trip back at Newmarket in October.

"We are very hopeful," trainer Richard Hannon commented. "We didn't go to

Newmarket, because we wanted to run over seven before we went over a mile in the

Guineas and he doesn't have a penalty. He'll definitely stay seven, but has an

awful lot of speed so (the mile) is a concern. We won't know until tomorrow or

possibly not even until the afternoon of the Guineas."

Jockey Richard Hughes added, "He's moving absolutely wonderful and although

he's not much bigger than last year, he was big enough then. There is a bit of

improvement left in him and I'd like to think that the run at Newbury will bring

him on. I'd be disappointed if he got beat, as he's a very clear-winded horse

and if he wins it's all systems go for the Guineas."

In what looks a much stronger trial than Thursday's Craven, Godolphin and

Prince Faisal's Belardo (Lope de Vega) looks to uphold the impression he created

when a clear-cut winner of Newmarket's Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1) in October.

Trainer Roger Varian commented, "I have been happy with Belardo throughout

the winter and he has trained well this spring. I have always had it in my mind

to run him in the Greenham as his prep race for the Two Thousand Guineas and I

think it will put him just right for Newmarket in two weeks' time. He showed in

the Dewhurst that he is a very high-class colt and this looks like the ideal

spot to launch his three-year-old campaign."

Only fourth in the Dewhurst, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Estidhkaar

(Dark Angel) was notably slowly away and seemed to underperform after his taking

wins in the Superlative S. (Eng-G2) at Newmarket in July and the Champagne S.

(Eng-G2) at Doncaster in September.

"I've been particularly pleased with Estidhkaar," Richard Hannon said. "When

he came back from Newmarket he had a tiny hairline fracture and didn't run his

race. Physically, he's done probably the best of all of them. Ivawood seems to

have a taller reputation, but I'm very happy with both of them."

Also in the Shadwell silks are Fannaan (Speightstown) and Muhaarar (Oasis

Dream).

"Fannaan has won both his starts very nicely," racing manager Angus Gold

said. "He's from quite a speedy family and, physically to look at, it wouldn't

surprise me if he turned out to be a sprinter, but as with all the horses at

this time of year you have to give them the opportunity to see if they can stay

further. It's a similar thing with Muhaarar, who showed a lot of speed last year

to win the Gimcrack (Eng-G2) and we'll see if he can stay a bit further this

year or not."

On last year's sprinting form, there is no doubt that Tiggy Wiggy (Kodiac) is

in a league of her own lining up for Saturday's Fred Darling S. (Eng-G3), but

the small matter of a seventh furlong is the troubling scenario as connections

face the age-old question of the spring.

Potensis Bloodstock's flying filly was ablaze in the Lowther S. (Eng-G2) at

York in August and Cheveley Park S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in September, but that

natural fire will have to burn more steadily in the hands of Richard Hughes

Saturday.

"In her coat and physical well-being, she looks a million dollars and looks

like a colt," he commented of the Hannon pupil. "If she stays, she stays and

it's not the end of the world if she doesn't, so I'm going to try and drop her

in. She's only been dropped in once in her career and she settled quite well and

if I go and make it, I would then have to try and drop her in first time in the

Guineas. I'd rather do the homework and use it as a trial on Saturday and hope

that she settles."

While Hannon is a name accustomed to the big time, Jonny Portman is the

opposite, but he supplies a genuine contender here in Royal Razalma (Lope de

Vega). Successful in the five-furlong Cornwallis S. (Eng-G3) at Newmarket in

October, the chestnut is stepping up markedly in trip but her conditioner is

expecting her to relish the test.

"She has wintered well and she's training well," he told PA Sport. "We had

anticipated starting her off on slightly softer ground, but it's not the end of

the world. We are looking forward to seeing her out and seeing what her trip is

going to be and how good she is going to be. I'd be confident of seven furlongs

being no problem for her. It might give us some clues that she might get the

mile as well."

John Gosden puts forward the promising Jellicle Ball (Invincible Spirit) for

the Lloyd-Webbers and she looked a filly with a bright future when scoring on

debut over this trip on Kempton's Polytrack in October.

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