Monday 7th April 2008
Contenders gearing up for opening shots
Twice Over wins at Newmarket on Saturday 3rd November. Picture by Stephen Cargill
THE NEWMARKET gallops have been packed with Classic contenders over the past couple of days as the town’s trainers begin to up the ante with their respective strings.
At first lot on Wednesday April 2, trainer John Gosden called on jockey Jimmy Fortune to sit on leading StanJamesUK contender Raven’s Pass in a work-out on Racecourse Side.
Multiple champion trainer Henry Cecil had a large string exercising on the Across The Flat gallop, including both of his StanJamesUK 2000 Guineas entries – Twice Over and Kandahar Run.
They both moved smoothly in their exercise and are set for their respective 2008 bows on The NatWest Rowley Mile at the Craven meeting.
Cecil confirmed: “I would like to get Twice Over and Kandahar Run out at Newmarket at the Craven meeting. Also, I would like to run Multidimensional in the Earl Of Sefton - otherwise there is a race for him at Sandown at the end of the following week.”
Cecil also gave a spin to Passage Of Time, who has the Group 3 Dahlia Stakes – sponsored by StanJamesUK – on her agenda on Saturday May 3.
A day earlier, the action had been on the Al Bahathri polytrack on the other side of town with trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam galloping a couple of his Guineas hopefuls.
Winker Watson, 10-1 with Stan James for the 2000 Guineas, quickened clear of a Listed winner, while Cape Amber, a 12-1 chance for the StanJamesUK 1000 Guineas did everything right in her work-out.
By Tony Rushmer
