Tipping / Timeform / 14 April 2010 /

The Craven meeting heralds a new season of Flat racing at HQ, and the Timeform 3-y-o Trophy is one of the most valuable prizes on offer to the classic generation all season...

Ameer showed useful form at 2 yrs, winning his first 2 starts (7f/1m) before finishing third in a Saint-Cloud Group 3 event on his final start. He should stay this trip and is a leading player with further improvement on the cards.

Chain of Events has not really gone on since finishing a promising third over seven-furlongs at Newbury on his debut, and he needs to step up significantly on the form of last month's reappearance to get anywhere near here.

Coordinated Cut came with a big reputation prior to winning a mile maiden at Doncaster last September. He bombed out in the Racing Post Trophy (left Peter Chapple-Hyam after) but he should still be capable of quite a bit better.

Doctor Zhivago created a big impression when winning both starts at Southwell this winter, he was heavily eased to win a mile handicap on the second occasion. This is much tougher but he is open to considerable improvement.

Don Carlos has shown progressive form, winning a Leopardstown maiden prior to finishing fourth in a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud on his final 2-y-o start. He is open to further progress and is very much a leading contender here.

High Twelve was very promising at 2 yrs, finishing fourth in the Royal Lodge after winning a Sandown maiden. He was unsuited by the drop to seven-furlongs in the Dewhurst on his final start and is shortlisted now back up in trip for the yard which won this last year.

Hot Prospect got the better of a subsequent Group 3 winner when winning a mile Sandown maiden last September. He flopped when favourite in a listed event on his final start (got worked up beforehand) but he deserves another chance.

Ice Viking's form in his six starts as a juvenile (best placing fifth) is nowhere near what will be required here.

Karaka Jack was highly progressive as a 2-y-o, winning a York maiden before producing a useful effort to land a seven-furlong Southwell nursery (by eight lengths) on his final start. There should be more to come but he is not bound to be suited by the longer trip.

Kona Coast showed useful form when second to Oasis Dancer in a valuable sales race here on his final outing at 2 yrs, but he was nowhere near that level in two starts on polytrack this year and has questions to answer at present.

Longliner shaped well when placed in maidens at 2 yrs. He needs to step up quite a bit to play a part here but this well-bred colt couldn't be in better hands and could be open to plenty of improvement.

Mark Twain showed pretty useful form at up to a mile last season (left Aidan O'Brien prior to final start). He has already run eight times so he looks to have less potential to improve than the majority of these. He has been gelded.

Next Move is a son of Tiger Hill who made a winning start to his career in a seven-furlong maiden at Kempton last November. He is bred to be suited by this sort of trip and should improve, though he looks to be the yard's second string on jockey bookings.

Cracking Lass is a Thirsk maiden winner who wasn't disgraced in valuable sales races here on her final two starts last year. Her yard are flying but plenty of improvement is required, while she's not certain to stay this trip either.

Jira is a useful performer at up to seven-furlongs who showed she retains her ability when finishing fourth in a Lingfield listed event on her return. That still leaves her short of what will be required here, though.

Sunarise is a Lingfield seven-furlong maiden winner who ran as though amiss in a mile listed event here on her final start at 2 yrs. She needs to improve, but she is lightly raced enough to do so and it's always dangerous to rule out her stable in these.

Verdict

One of the most valuable 3-y-o prizes of the season and a tricky puzzle to solve as most of these look open to improvement. That said, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Don Carlos did reach the frame at Group 1 level last term and looks sure to make a bold bid. Ameer won two of his three starts last year and could have plenty more to offer, while Royal Lodge-fourth High Twelve is another who should go well.

The Timeform Free Form Site offers tips and advice for every race every day in Britain and Ireland. To visit simply go to www.timeform.com/free

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