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Art Connoisseur - Craven meeting winner at two

THE Craven meeting is renowned for its recognised Guineas trials and other Classic pointers.

But its reputation as a starting-point for top-class two-year-olds is less well known – or, certainly, has not been as widely reported.

The two-year-old fillies’ maiden, in particular, has an astonishing recent record. Sponsored by NGK Spark Plugs/Coachmakers, since 2004 this 5f contest has been won by no less than Flashy Wings (subsequently successful in the Queen Mary, Lowther Stakes in 2005), Silk Blossom (2006 Lowther Stakes) and Sienna Gold (Weatherbys Super Sprint), while Spinning Lucy (2007 Bosra Sham Stakes) finished third in it.

The two-year-old conditions race has an equally proud record in recent times. If it needed one, it was given a further boost last year with Art Connoisseur landing it en route to Coventry Stakes glory at Royal Ascot.

Twelve months earlier and Dark Angel began his season by finishing second in the event: he ended the campaign with success at Newmarket in no less than the Group 1 Shadwell Middle Park Stakes.

In 2006 Gilded won it before her Queen Mary triumph and a year before that Cool Creek (Mill Reef Stakes winner) was victorious.

Other two-year-old runners at the meeting – this year scheduled for April 15-16 – have been Excellent Art (won), Red Clubs and Blue Dakota (won), all of whom went on to stakes’ success with the first two landing Group 1s.

Newmarket’s Director of Racing Michael Prosser says: “The quality of the two-year-old racing at the Craven meeting speaks for itself.

“Year after year, these races produce Group winners – indeed Group 1 winners in some instances.

“Of course, race-goers attend the Craven meeting for Classic clues and rightly so. But history shows that close scrutiny of our juvenile events is also likely to pay off in the not-too-distant future.

“We are proud of the record of the two two-year-old races that we stage at the Craven meeting. I don’t doubt that at this year’s fixture we will once again witness stakes performers in the making in those two five-furlong contests.”

Indeed, the maidens for three-year-olds are likely to contain gems – some of whom may be hidden down a field. It was in 2006 that Sixties Icon finished sixth of 14 in the 1m 2f event for horses without a previous win. He went on to secure that year’s St Leger crown.

Last year’s 7f maiden was won by Virtual, who added a further three victories to his CV. Recent World Cup runner – and Group 3 winner – Snaafy prevailed a year earlier, while Notnowcato was third in the 2005 renewal. Who would have predicted his subsequent Group-1 winning exploits on that day?

Two three-year-old handicaps that invariably provide a stepping stone for Group performers in the making are staged over 6f and 1m 2f. In 2007 Sakhee’s Secret took the former contest and later that year returned to Newmarket for the Darley July Cup, which he bagged in thrilling style from Dutch Art.

Last year’s 1m 2f furlong handicap saw a cracking duel between Bronze Cannon and Doctor Fremantle. They pulled five lengths clear of the third before Bronze Cannon emerged successful, although Doctor Fremantle went on scale greater heights, winning the Group 3 Chester Vase and then finishing fourth to New Approach in the Derby.

Prosser adds: “Whichever way you look at it, the Craven meeting is packed full of high-quality racing. Yes, the banshahousestables.com Craven Stakes and the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn – along with the Weatherbys Earl Of Sefton Stakes – deservedly receive a great deal of attention from race-goers and media alike, but the other 12 races staged over the two days are intriguing in their own way.”