raced centre, dwelt, held up, headway approaching final furlong, never nearer
raced centre, chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, stayed on same pace under pressure
raced alone far side, in touch 5f
raced centre, dwelt, always towards rear
raced centre, led, ridden and headed over 2f out, soon weakened
raced centre, held up, ridden and headway 2f out, stayed on final furlong, not reach leaders
dwelt, raced centre, behind, never nearer
raced centre, held up in rear, ridden and no response over 2f out, soon eased
slowly into stride, raced center held up in rear, galloping awkwardly, ridden and headway over 1f out, no impression final furlong
raced centre, held up mid-divison, headway 2f out, soon ridden, chased winner approaching final furlong, no impression inside final furlong
mid-division, pushed along 5f out, headway 3f out, ridden and weakened well over 1f out
raced centre, with leader until over 2f out, soon weakened
dwelt, tracked leader centre, ridden and every chance over 1f out, no extra well inside final furlong
The first Classic of the season can go One Cool Cat, with Haafhd, Salford City and Grey Swallow rated the main dangers. With the smallest field going to post for the Guineas since 1996, the decision to place the stalls in the centre of the track has thrown into possible confusion the impact of the draw. With just 14 runners, the hope is that it will have no bearing on the eventual outcome, and clerk of the course, Michael Prosser is sure that this will be the case. The one to beat, then, in our view, is the Aidan O'Brien-trained One Cool Cat (drawn 13) who goes into the race as a well-supported favourite. The son of Storm Cat has yet to race this season but won his last four races as a juvenile, including the Group One National Stakes at The Curragh. The fact that he is highly-rated by the Ballydoyle team, and they have won this race twice in the last six years, and Aidan O'Brien is sure he will stay a mile, then his credentials are rock-solid and he can give Jamie Spencer his English Guineas success in his first season as stable jockey at Ballydoyle. Obvious dangers are the impressive Craven winner, Haafhd, the eye-catching Greenham winner Salford City and Dermot Weld's unbeaten and highly-rated Grey Swallow. Of the others, last year's Royal Lodge winner Snow Ridge has been pleasing in his home work but ran poorly here in the Dewhurst Stakes on his last run as a juvenile; the Coventry Stakes and disqualified Middle Park Stakes winner Three Valleys has five lengths to find with Haafhd on Craven form; the Dewhurst winner Milk It Mick has four lengths to find on Salford City on Greenham form, and the Solario Stakes winner Barbajuan made a disappointing return at Kempton, and has something to find on six-furlong juvenile form with One Cool Cat anyway. France is represented by the impressive Prix Djebel winner Whipper, who will appreciate any easing in the going, while John Oxx runs the unbeaten Night Shift colt, Azamour, who, though highly promising, faces his stiffest task to date. Overall, then, in what looks to be a very good line-up for the 2,000 Guineas, One Cool Cat is taken to score.
