Craven Meeting: Horses on trial

DUBAI : Many dreams, nourished so carefully over the winter, will have been shattered by Saturday as it is the main Newmarket Craven and Newbury classic trials this week for the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas.

The week's feature, the Group 3 Craven Stakes is this afternoon. The only one of the week's Guineas trials actually run over the same mile distance as the real thing, it has attracted a field of eight and Godolphin's City Style (who cannot run in the 2,000 Guineas as he is a gelding) will be a popular selection after his two Nad Al Sheba wins this season.

Jockey Frankie Dettori, who rode Fantasia to an impressive victory in the fillies' equivalent, the Nell Gwyn, yesterday, said: “City Style won both his starts well and deserves his step up in class but it is obviously his toughest task to date.'' Delegator has been touted as a serious 2,000 Guineas hopeful over the past week, while Sans Frontieres won his only start as a juvenile.

Pure Poetry won last week and is clearly in great heart and Glass Harmonium represents the all powerful Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore combination in what looks a wide-open contest. Last year's Craven winner Twice Over then takes on nine rivals in the Earl of Sefton Stakes and should start a warm favourite.

GREENHAM STAKES

The action rolls on to Newbury on Saturday with the Greenham Stakes for the colts and geldings and the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (formerly the Fred Darling) for the fillies. Mick Channon has a good record in the latter race and his Lahaleeb will be among the favourites this year with Jim Bolger likely to saddle an interesting challenger for Ireland in Maoineach.

In the Greenham, Godolphin will rely on Shaweel, making his debut for the team having won the Gimcrack (rescheduled to Newbury) last year for Mark Johnston. Shaikh Hamdan's Finjaan looks another sure to go well having finished just in front of the new Godolphin recruit in last year's Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

Spanish Moon, runner-up in the Group 1 Sheema Classic on World Cup night also looks likely to make his return to action in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes with Carnival winner Young Mick in opposition.