Godolphin’s 2,000 Guineas second favourite the star turn as Flat racing returns to Newmarket on Tuesday
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For many people, the Flat season in Britain truly gets going only with the three-day Craven meeting at Newmarket and, while Tuesday will this year provide a low-key start before two major Classic trials later in the week, the sense that the serious action is upon us is hard to escape.
Here are three reasons to pay close attention to the Newmarket card, while there could be valuable Royal Ascot clues on offer at Chantilly.
Talk Of New York returns
Talk Of New York was heavily supported for the first Classic of the season at Newmarket before his second start in the Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas at Meydan in late February and although his credentials appeared to take a knock when only third that day, such is the buzz around Godolphin’s son of Wootton Bassett that, with the tragic loss of Gewan, the sidelining of Publish and the defeat of Albert Einstein, he has pushed his way back towards the top of the ante-post lists.
Rather than enjoy a racecourse gallop as is often the case with Classic aspirants when they return from a winter in Dubai, Charlie Appleby has elected to give Talk Of New York more racing experience in the 7f conditions stakes (2.25).
A best-priced 6-1 for the Betfred 2,000 Guineas, Talk Of New York will need to account for four rivals without being fully extended to make serious inroads into Bow Echo as favourite, with stablemate Maximized and the Richard Hannon-trained Lost Signal both required to concede 3lb as two-time winners.
The next Big adventure?
Big Evs and Big Mojo have taken Paul and Rachael Teasdale on a high-class tour of the world in recent seasons but, although they might not have the spending power of their superpower rivals, neither of their two sprinting stars were bargain-basement buys, costing 50,000gns and 175,000gns.
Big Evs is flanked by Rachael and Paul Teasedale, whose Big Snoopy will make his debut at NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker
Nevertheless, there must be a few nerves jangling at the prospect of the regally bred Big Snoopy making his debut in the opening 7f maiden (1.15)
A 300,000gns purchase and by leading sire Siyouni out of the French 1,000 Guineas winner Teppal, Big Snoopy was just the fourth yearling through the ring at Tattersalls Book 1 in October 2024, and the wait must have seemed interminable.
Charlie Appleby fields a well-bred newcomer of his own in Cerro Blanco – like Talk Of New York by the late and lamented Wootton Bassett – while the Jane Chapple-Hyam and Peter Harris axis also dug deep to secure the third newcomer in the eight-strong line-up, Makerstoun, who changed hands for €500,000 at Arqana.
A sprint handicap featuring some familiar names
The biggest prize of the day is the £30,000 on offer for the 5f handicap (3.35), a race which poses the exam question of this stage of the season: do punters take race-fitness from the all-weather or side with classier turf form posted last autumn?
Rosario and Jakajaro head the weights and finished third and fifth in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting last September, and both are making their reappearances; in the case of Jakajaro after making his final two starts of 2025 in the US.
We Never Stop and Existent have been running well on the all-weather since the turn of the year, while Dyonisos might offer a middle way, having finished second to Run Boy Run on turf in a Meydan handicap in February.
Meanwhile at Chantilly . . .
Time For Sandals won last year’s Commonwealth Cup having been second in the Prix SigyCredit: Patrick McCann
The Group 3 Prix Sigy (3.50) over 5½f has produced the winner of the Commonwealth Cup three times, and Karl Burke is double-handed in his quest to find a successor to Quiet Reflection, who won both races in 2016.
Sam James takes the ride on Soul Love, a homebred daughter of Starman who bids to remain unbeaten after two wins on the all-weather, while Cristian Demuro is reunited with Pearl Fortune, the pair having combined for Listed success at Deauville last October.
The travelling contingent is completed by two more fillies in Argentine Tango for Tim Easterby and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Yaupon De Replay, while Afjan was sixth to Charles Darwin in last season’s Norfolk Stakes for Henri-Francois Devin.
Read more:
Harry Wilson’s play of the day at Newmarket
The Punt Acca: Stuart Langley with three fancies from Newmarket and Market Rasen on Tuesday
Meet the Racing Post’s first ever Newmarket correspondent – who used it as the launchpad for an astonishing career
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