Spring 2008 Review
Guineas’ stars ‘Henry’ and Natagora provide Spring-season highlights
The 2008 Spring season on The NatWest Rowley Mile has been truly memorable, once again showcasing the talents of top-class horses in top-class races.The importance and prestige of the StanJames UK Guineas Festival was re-emphasised with a series of a superb contests set, as they were, against the rich back-drop of history and tradition that centuries of racing at Newmarket has created.
As always, the atmosphere at the Home of Racing was electric for the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas - and what a spectacle the packed grandstands witnessed.
Fittingly, for the 200th running of the famous Classic, there was a magnificent duel between two outstanding horses, Henrythenavigator and New Approach.
The pair went eyeball to eyeball through the closing stages of the race with Henrythenavigator emerging victorious by a nose. It was the first time the 2000 Guineas, one of the greatest races in the world, had been decided by this most slender of margins.
Henrythenavigator and New Approach battle for the StanJames 2000 Guineas. Picture by Trevor Jones.
If Saturday May 3 was all about high-octane excitement, then Sunday May 4 - when the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas was staged - didn’t disappoint either. Thousands gathered to watch the flying filly Natagora land a blow for France with a gutsy display.
On a day for every race-goer to savour, the stanjamesuk.com Jockey Club Stakes saw another victory for a cross-Channel traveller as Getaway impressively powered to victory. The sport’s star sprinters were also on the card with last year’s Darley July Cup winner Sakhee’s Secret just going down in a thriller to Captain Gerrard in the Stan James-sponsored Palace House Stakes.
Captain Gerrard after his victory in the Stan James Palace House Stakes. Picture by Steve Cargill.
Spring on The NatWest Rowley Mile had earlier begun with a bang at The Craven Meeting. Trainer John Gosden stole the show on the first day, saddling an extraordinary four winners. The second day saw Henry Cecil once more in the limelight as Twice Over (banshahousestables.com Craven Stakes) and Phoenix Tower (Weatherbys Earl Of Sefton Stakes) provided him with two Group 3 wins.
Evening racing at Newmarket is usually associated with The July Course, home of the famous ‘Newmarket Nights’ series. But this spring saw a welcome additional evening event (May 15) on The NatWest Rowley Mile.
This marked the beginning of two three-day fixtures with a particularly high-quality card staged on May 24. Traditionally, the meeting has provided countless Royal Ascot clues over the years. What chance, then, that perhaps Unnefer ( National Express Fairway Stakes) or Calming Influence (Coral.co.uk King Charles II Stakes) go on to make their mark at the Royal meeting.
Calming Influence winning the Coral.co.uk King Charles II Stakes. Picture by Steve Cargill.
Attention now switches to The July Course where there will be no less than 19 days’ racing - including seven superb Newmarket Nights - to savour.
It promises to be a dazzling summer in Newmarket - just as it’s been a fabulous spring on The NatWest Rowley Mile.