| A preview of the upcoming UK horse racing action for | | | | impressive victories at Fairyhouse and Ayr. |
| May. A host of betting tips and sneek-peek at the | | | | Over in France on the following day, May 13, the |
| horses to keep an eye out for. There has been more | | | | European Flat season steps up a gear with the Poule |
| than whiff of cordite about the way the current Flat | | | | d’Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) |
| turf season has burst into life and further fireworks | | | | and the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French |
| can be expected at Newmarket on Guineas weekend. | | | | 1,000 Guineas) on the same card at Longchamp. |
| Jim Bolger’s unbeaten Teofilo should fill more | | | | Ballydoyle and Godolphin have both targeted these |
| than the eye as he bids to extend his unbeaten run in | | | | prestigious prizes in recent seasons and their runners |
| the 2,000 Guineas on May 5 and banish the temporary | | | | should be closely inspected while the talented Darjina |
| blues that greeted the news of a recent training | | | | flies the flag for France in the ‘Pouliches’. |
| setback for the short-priced favourite for the first | | | | Flat’s racing roller-coaster month pitches up |
| colts’ Classic. | | | | next at York for its three-day Dante meeting and a |
| The imperious Teofilo has been given a clean bill of | | | | handful of possible Oaks fillies will run in the Musidora |
| health by connections and remains the one they all | | | | Stakes on May 16 when Henry Cecil’s current |
| have to beat but the opposition has grown more | | | | Oaks favourite Passage Of Time is expected to go |
| potent by the day and includes Sir Michael | | | | head-to-head with Godolphin’s rising star, |
| Stoute’s formidable colt Adagio, an nonchalant | | | | Measured Tempo. |
| winner of the Craven Stakes and arguably the | | | | On May 17 it is the turn of the Derby hopefuls in the |
| greatest threat to Bolger’s mighty star. | | | | Dante Stakes and all eyes will be upon Peter |
| On Sunday May 6 Newmarket hosts the 1,000 | | | | Chapple-Hyam’s Classic hopeful Authorized |
| Guineas and the first fillies’ Classic is a | | | | who is likely to face a stern challenge from |
| demonstrably less competitive heat than the | | | | Godolphin’s number one contender, Eastern |
| colts’ counterpart. Once again that man Bolger | | | | Anthem. This mile and a quarter Group 2 contest has |
| holds all the aces courtesy of his star filly Finsceal Beo, | | | | developed into a key Derby trial and Sir Michael |
| a dual Group 1 winner last autumn and a worthy | | | | Stoute’s chosen runner should also be noted. |
| favorite to land the fillies’ prize. | | | | He has the best contemporary record in the race with |
| Reported in the best of form by her astute handler, | | | | two winners and three placed horses. |
| she should take the world of beating after the failure | | | | On May 19 it is the turn of the season’s |
| of Sander Camillo, her main market rival, to run any | | | | top-class milers to strut their stuff in the Lockinge |
| sort of race at Newmarket in the Nell Gwyn Stakes. It | | | | Stakes at Newbury and in recent renewals this has |
| will take something special to stop the 1,000 Guineas | | | | been a good race for Saeed Bin Suroor and the |
| crossing the Irish Sea while on the same day Sixties | | | | Godolphin team, but given the poor showing of their |
| Icon, the 2006 St Leger winner, should begin his | | | | horses in the recent Dubai Carnival at Nad Al Sheba, |
| season on a high note by lifting the Jockey Club | | | | the boys in blue will be looking for a lift in this valuable |
| Stakes for trainer, Jeremy Noseda. | | | | Group1 prize. Intriguingly, Aidan O’Brien may |
| Chester’s prestigious three-day meeting follows | | | | have something to say about the race’s |
| hot on the heels of Newmarket and the Derby | | | | outcome courtesy of George Washington who returns |
| hopefuls will be on show in the Chester Vase on May | | | | from a barren spell at stud to vex his rivals on the |
| 10 where John Gosden’s easy Epsom winner | | | | racecourse once more. |
| Raincoat could bid to put flesh on the bones of his | | | | In France on the following day, Longchamp’s |
| Classic challenge while in the Cheshire Oaks on May 9 | | | | Prix d’Ispahan regularly draws the top mile and |
| the fillies will seek to do the same for their Classic | | | | a quarter horses and this is often a contest that |
| aspirations. Barry Hills boasts a superb record on this | | | | exerts a powerful bearing on some of the |
| turning track and any horse he runs in the | | | | season’s best ten furlong races. Andre |
| aforementioned two races should be worth close | | | | Fabre’s Manduro should be hard to beat here. |
| inspection. | | | | The high-class action in May comes to a thrilling climax |
| On Wednesday May 9 the Chester Cup is the | | | | with the Irish 2,000 Guineas on May 26 followed by the |
| meeting’s big betting race and Philip Hobbs may | | | | fillies’ equivalent, the Irish 1,000 Guineas on the |
| well let the irrepressible Fair Along, his dual purpose | | | | next day. Both these top-class contests tend to be |
| National Hunt star, bowl along in front on the Roodeye | | | | won by horses that have raced in the Newmarket |
| in a race where four-year-olds often run well. | | | | Classics and British trainers boast an enviable record in |
| Queen’s Vase runner-up Galient represents this | | | | both races. |
| age group while smart northern challengers Halla San | | | | May’s racing roundabout ends with |
| and Admiral, a winner in 2006, stir the pot even thicker. | | | | Sandown’s Temple Stakes on May 29, a |
| The run of Classic trials continues at Lingfield on May | | | | high-class pattern contest for sprinters that should see |
| 12 with the Lingfield Derby Trial and the similarly-titled | | | | Ireland’s Dandy Man bid for a famous victory |
| Oaks Trial for the fillies’ on the same day while | | | | against a resurgent Tax Free while on the same day |
| over at Haydock the Lancashire course stages the | | | | the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes is always |
| valuable Swinton Hurdle, a 2m handicap that invariably | | | | interesting. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute is the man to side |
| draws a high-class field. This year backers should look | | | | with in this event. He won it again twelve months ago |
| no further than Charlie Swan’s Empatt for the | | | | courtesy of Notnowcato and any runner from |
| winner. He comes here bidding for a hat-trick following | | | | Freemason Lodge is worth a close look. |