Happily (right) gets the vote from Simon Holt
Simon Holt free horse racing tips Sunday 1000 Guineas at Newmarket
Horse Racing
Sun May 06, 2018 · 7y ago
Racing commentator Simon Holt put up the winner of Saturday's 2000 Guineas and is spying a big-race double for both himself and Ballydoyle in Sunday's 1000.
Recommended bets
2pts win Happily in 3.35 Newmarket at 11/4
1pt win Duke Of Bronte in 1.50 Newmarket at 8/1
1pt win Magical Memory in 2.55 Newmarket at 11/1
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
As a full-sister to the 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles and Irish Guineas winner Marvellous, HAPPILY has tremendous credentials for Sunday's QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket notwithstanding the fact she has the best form.
Already a dual Group winner, beating stablemates Magical and September in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh before taking advantage of her sex allowance to account for Olmedo and Masar (third in Saturday's 2000 Guineas) in the Prix Jean Luc-Lagardere at Chantilly in October, the daughter of Galileo looks a cut above her rivals.
There is one black mark on Happily's copybook as she blew out badly in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar in early November, but that run is easily forgiven after what was quite a long first-season campaign.
Ryan Moore jets back from riding Mendelssohn in the Kentucky Derby to take the mount.
In opposition, Godolphin field two live candidates in Soliloquy (William Buick) and Wild Illusion (James Doyle) and both look decent.
Soliloquy ran out a comfortable winner of the Nell Gwyn Stakes at the Craven meeting, beating Altyn Orda by nearly two lengths with Eirene (disappointing at Ascot this week) and Billesdon Brook third and fourth. She should stay this extra furlong, though only scraped home over a mile at Ascot last September.
Wild Illusion produced a shock result when beating the smart French filly Polydream in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day at Chantilly last October (in a faster time than Happily in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere) with the aforementioned Magical back in fourth.
That was a big step forward for this quite stoutly-bred daughter of Dubawi, who could well thrive over longer distances later in the season.
With all due respect to O'Brien second-string I Can Fly, who is a potential improver despite finishing only third to Altyn Orda here last October, Laurens looks the other obvious possibility after narrow wins in the May Hill and Fillies' Mile (this course and distance) last autumn.
Karl Burke's strapping filly has a wonderful attitude but, like Wild Illusion, I wonder if she will be better suited by further this season as her dam was a stayer and is related to middle distance winners.
Earlier, DUKE OF BRONTE is fancied to supplement his recent all-weather success at Chelmsford in the Qatar Racing Handicap.
Rod Millman's progressive four-year-old did well to win that day considering his inexperience on the surface, the fact that the 10-furlong trip would have been sharp enough and that he beat several in-form synthetics specialists.
Last season, Duke Of Bronte developed into a useful handicapper, proving an early-season 100/1 victory over a mile at Newbury was no fluke with subsequent successes on the same course and in a valuable heritage handicap at Ascot in September.
On his final start, he split Time To Study and Royal Line in a three-runner affair back at Newbury, form which has been well boosted in the last fortnight.
Adamant is likely to head the market having returned from a 12-month absence to chase home Lunar Jet at Newbury, staying on strongly over 10 furlongs.
Sir Michael Stoute's gelding, who had won two of his three previous starts, shaped as if this extra distance is what he needs even though his pedigree does not necessarily guarantee stamina.
He could easily be a step ahead of the handicapper, but there is also the possibility of a 'bounce', just 15 days after that comeback, to consider.
In the longholes.com Handicap, MAGICAL MEMORY must have a great chance if running to anywhere near his best.
The grey, a three-time Group winner, eclipsed the less-than-magical memory of a bad run in Dubai when shaping nicely in fourth place behind Brando in the Abernant Stakes, a race he won in 2016, over this course and distance 17 days ago in which the horses in front of him and some of those behind were higher rated.
Down from a peak rating of 114 to 108, Magical Memory, who goes well for Frankie Dettori, runs in his first handicap since landing the Stewards' Cup in August 2015.
The improving Scorching Heat had a very consistent season last year before winning the Stewards' Cup consolation race with something in hand, and could be a danger providing he is not too inconvenienced by the drying ground.
Posted at 1620 BST on 05/05/18.