Handicappers' Corner: Trumpet blasts to top of Guineas ratings

David Johnson
23 April 2012

Richard Hannon's Trumpet Major is now Newmarket-bound

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

Timeform Flat Editor David Johnson rounds up the latest action on the level from the Timeform Ratings perspective...

"...Trumpet Major still put up a good effort as far as Craven winners go, his rating of 121 the best since the aforementioned Haafhd ran to 124."

Over the same course and distance as the 2000 Guineas, the Craven is traditionally one of the stronger trials even if no horse has been successful in both races since Haafhd in 2004. Recent winners Native Khan and Delegator both finished placed in their respective Guineas though and Trumpet Major has solid claims of emulating them after his Craven success.

Although weakened by the withdrawal on the morning of the race of Most Improved, Trumpet Major still put up a good effort as far as Craven winners go, his rating of 121 the best since the aforementioned Haafhd ran to 124.

The Greenham produced the winner of the English and German 2000 Guineas last year in Frankel and Excelebration, but this year's renewal looked less interesting after the withdrawal of the well-regarded Top Offer and it will be a surprise if Caspar Netscher wins in top company over a mile.

Caspar Netscher proved both tough and progressive as a two-year-old and took a further step forward to prove his stamina for seven furlongs, earning a rating of 118 in the process. That said, whilst that leaves him currently behind only Trumpet Major in the current ratings for the Newmarket classic on May 5, both fall short of the median average rating of 125 required to win the last five renewals.

The trials this week for the 1000 Guineas failed to shed any light on the first fillies' classic with neither the Nell Gwyn winner, Esentepe nor Fred Darling winner Moonstone Magic entered at Newmarket.

Esentepe came out on top in a tight finish of a weak Nell Gwyn, running to 102, but the best performance at the weights came from runner-up Nayarra who failed by a neck to concede a 3 lb penalty. A median rating of 117 has been required to win the 1000 Guineas over the last five seasons.

Moonstone Magic put up a noteworthy effort, running to 116 just eight days on from making a winning debut in a Leicester maiden. Whilst a step up to a mile will hold no fears, there's a strong possibility that she'll need testing conditions to put her best foot forward.

Rounding up the best of the rest at the Newmarket, Mayson put up a Group-class performance to win the Abernant and increased his rating to 122. Many sprints, even Group-class ones tend to be circumstance dependent, but given a fair crack he'll be amongst the leading contenders for the Duke of York Stakes. In the Earl Of Sefton, Questioning made the breakthrough at pattern-level, improving to 120 to hold off a below-par Twice Over.

As well as the Guineas trials, Newbury also hosted the John Porter and Harris Tweed was finally able to win his first pattern race. He has come a long way since being unable to finish in the first three in a couple of all-weather maidens for Sir Mark Prescott, but with conditions very much playing to his strengths on Saturday, it's unlikely he has to improve on his pre-race rating of 120 to beat Allied Powers by 5 lengths.

It was a productive couple of days for Harris Tweed's dam Frog who also produced Vow who won the first divison of the mile-and-a-quarter fillies' maiden on Friday. Rated 90P, she's likely to head to the Muisidora and will relish the Oaks trip.

Over in Ireland on Sunday, Excelebration made a winning start for Aidan O'Brien in the Gladness Stakes, looking as good as ever but only having to run to 122+ on the day.