Wednesday 22nd April 2009
Ghanaati and Shimah set for stanjames.com 1000 Guineas
RAINBOW VIEW HEADS 26 GOING FORWARD FOR NEWMARKET CLASSIC
Leading owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum is set to be doubly represented as he bids for a fifth victory in the £400,000 stanjames.com 1000 Guineas with Ghanaati and Shimah among 26 fillies going forward for this year’s contest, run over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile on Sunday, May 3. and Shimah among 26 fillies going forward for this year’s contest, run over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile on Sunday, May 3.
The famous blue and white colours have been carried to victory in the fillies’ Classic by the outstanding quartet of Salsabil (1990), Shadayid (1991), Harayir (1995) and Lahan (2000), and his racing manager Angus Gold is hopeful that the pair of home-bred fillies can carry on their owner’s fine record in the Classic.
The Barry Hills-trained Ghanaati is currently a 20/1 chance with race sponsor Stan James and the Giant’s Causeway filly posted an eye-catching six-length victory in a seven-furlong maiden at Kempton on her latest appearance in October.
Gold revealed: “Ghanaati galloped on the Rowley Mile prior to racing last Wednesday. Everyone seemed happy with her afterwards and the plan at the moment is to let her take her chance in the stanjames.com 1000 Guineas.
“She has only run twice so she’s very short on experience let alone what she has to find on the formbook. It’s a big ask for her but Barry has always liked her and is happy with her progress so she’s going to take her chance.
“We think that she will get further later in the season and we wouldn’t have entered her if we thought that she was going to run badly. It’s going to be a bit of a learning experience and we will know a lot more about her after the race - whether she is up to that class or if she wants further.
“She’s a very well-bred filly. We have to start her season somewhere and I’m hopeful that she will run well at Newmarket.”
While Ghanaati will be taking a marked step up in class, the Kevin Prendergast-trained Shimah has already ran well in Group One company, when a half-length second to Again in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh at the end of August.
The daughter of Storm Cat, a 16/1 shot for stanjames.com 1000 Guineas glory with the race sponsor, had previously been successful at the same course on both her other two starts including a comfortable three-length victory in a Listed contest in June.
Gold continued: “Shimah will also hopefully run in the stanjames.com 1000 Guineas. She’s a very decent filly and we have been very happy with her over the past few weeks. She’s a small filly but that has always been the case and she has lengthened over the winter rather than grown.
“I saw her on Tuesday morning and Kevin seems happy with her. I think that the forecast faster conditions will suit her and her breeding suggests that she will prefer it.
“Her half-brother Haatef didn’t stay when he was 10th in the 2007 stanjames.com 2000 Guineas but I think that he was more of a sprinter than she is and the Prendergast camp feel that she will get the mile trip.
“She stayed seven furlongs in bad ground in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and I didn’t think that it was the trip that beat her - she got carried wide and various other things happened to her.
“Whichever one of Rainbow View and Fantasia run, the other fillies look set to be up against a seriously good horse. I was very impressed with the way Fantasia quickened away in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes and Rainbow View is obviously a top-class filly.”
The betting for the stanjames.com 1000 Guineas has been headed over the winter months by Rainbow View, who enjoyed an outstanding unbeaten juvenile campaign that culminated with victory in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Ascot in September. The John Gosden-trained daughter of Dynaformer, a 5/4 chance for the fillies’ Classic with stanjames.com, is set to make her seasonal reappearance at Newmarket on May 3, having completed a racecourse gallop on the Rowley Mile at last week’s Craven meeting. who enjoyed an outstanding unbeaten juvenile campaign that culminated with victory in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Ascot in September. The John Gosden-trained daughter of Dynaformer, a 5/4 chance for the fillies’ Classic with stanjames.com, is set to make her seasonal reappearance at Newmarket on May 3, having completed a racecourse gallop on the Rowley Mile at last week’s Craven meeting.
Rainbow View’s owner George Strawbridge has also left in Fantasia after the Luca Cumani-trained filly posted a stunning seven-length victory in the Group Three Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on April 15. after the Luca Cumani-trained filly posted a stunning seven-length victory in the Group Three Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on April 15.
Lahaleeb also enhanced her Classic claims with victory over Super Sleuth in a Group 3 at Newbury on Saturday. The Mick Channon-trained filly has already triumphed at Newmarket, having comfortably beaten Aspen Darlin in the Group Two Countrywide Steel & Tubes Rockfel Stakes on Champions’ Day last season. in the Group Two Countrywide Steel & Tubes Rockfel Stakes on Champions’ Day last season.
Other fillies going forward include Serious Attitude, successful in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes, dual Group Three scorer Cuis Ghaire, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Heart Shaped, and the Michael Bell-trained Sariska, who was a staying on fourth to Lahaleeb at Newbury. , successful in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes, dual Group Three scorer Cuis Ghaire, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Heart Shaped, and the Michael Bell-trained Sariska, who was a staying on fourth to Lahaleeb at Newbury.
stanjames.com 1000 Guineas - sponsor’s latest prices
5-4 Rainbow View, 2 Fantasia, 9-2 Serious Attitude, 12 Cuis Ghaire, 12 Lahaleeb, 14 Sariska, 16 Shimah, 20 Ghanaati, 25 Nashmiah, 25 Heart Shaped, 25 Again, 33 Super Sleuth, 33 Devotee, 33 Pursuit Of Glory, 50 Maoineach, 50 Damaniyat Girl, 50 Purissima, 50 Penny's Gift, 50 Aspen Darlin, 66 Seradim, 66 Rose Diamond, 66 Marquesa, 100 Wadaat, 100 Beat Seven, 150 Silver Games
1/4 odds 123, Non Runner No Bet
