We take a look at this week's racing.(credit:
Andrew Stawarz)
The flat season has begun and with the Guineas meeting at Newmarket just over a month away, some Classic hopefuls will be getting a run out this week. Live-horseracing previews all the best racing action taking place over the next seven days.
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Sunday March 28
Leopardstown
2:25 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden
Maiden events at the major courses are always worth watching and this one is no different. Run over ten furlongs and confined to three-year-old fillies, it could feature no fewer than four entrants saddled by Aidan O'Brien and a couple of debutants from the in-form Tommy Stack stable.
2:55 Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes
A race that usually goes to one of the top stables, this is the season's first proper Classic trial and should be closely watched. Pick of the entrants on form is probably Aidan O'Brien's You'll Be Mine, which finished third in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies Mile at Ascot last season.
4:05 Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes
The second of the meeting's Classic trials and a race that has produced some top class winners over the years. Jim Bolger's Free Judgement looks the best of them, but all of the entrants will have Group potential and this is a must see race.
Doncaster
3:35 williamhill.com - Play Roulette Doncaster Shield
This interesting Class Two conditions event is the classiest event on the second day of the Lincoln meeting. Richard Fahey's Furmigadelaguista was runner up in this twelve furlong event last year and is the highest rated of the entrants on official figures.
4:10 williamhill.com - In Play Handicap
This looks like being a really competitive Class Two contest, run over a straight six furlongs. Saturday's races here should have given punters plenty of clues as to the existence of any draw bias and should help in the unravelling of a typically tricky sprint handicap.
Tuesday March 30
Fontwell
2:30 Entertainers.co.uk Novices' Chase
We may be in the middle of the lull between Cheltenham and Aintree, but there is plenty of interesting jumps action going on, including this two-miles-and-six-furlongs event. Some potentially useful novices have been entered for this, including impressive Newton Abbot winner, Song Sung Blue.
Wednesday March 31
Exeter
3:20 City of Exeter Challenge Cup Novices' Chase
Another intriguing contest for novices, this time run over the dramatic undulations of this Devon course. There are plenty of entrants from the bigger jumping stables, including the progressive Fistral Beach for Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson's dual chase winner, The Polomoche.
Saturday April 3
Kempton
2:05 kempton.co.uk Fillies' Conditions Stakes
Not one of the main Guineas trials; a mile round sandy Kempton being someway removed from the galloping straight at Newmarket. Nevertheless, this Class Two event for three-year-old fillies could offer some clues for the summer ahead and could be well worth watching with an eye to future investments
2:40 kempton.co.uk Conditions Stakes
The counterpart of the opening event, this is a mile contest confined to three-year-old colts and whilst it may not produce the 2000 Guineas winner, it is sure to feature some high class horses from the better stables.
3:10 Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes
Traditionalists can still be heard muttering that this event is not what it used to be, but they are not about to dig up the Polytrack at Kempton anytime soon and this Easter favourite has well and truly been transplanted from the turf. The Snowdrop Stakes is a good chance to look at some of the fillies kept in training and likely to be aimed at Group honours this summer.
3:45 Panoramic Bar & Restaurant Handicap
This looks like being a thoroughly competitive race, a Class Two seven furlong dash with a decent prize on offer. The Dandy Nicholls trained Something sprang a surprise in this event at decent odds last year.
Haydock
2:55 Daffodil Vase Handicap Chase
The pick of Saturday's jump races, this is a valuable Class Two handicap chase, run over two-and-a-half-miles, for which the hefty prize money is likely to attract a decent sized field and like all of these Saturday handicaps, it should be a thoroughly competitive affair.