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.”