Paddock notes following Classic trials at Newmarket's Craven and Newbury's Greenham meetings

It is the changing of the seasons, a week for Classic trials after the excitement of Aintree, with feature races at Newmarket and Newbury offering clues aplenty for the two Guineas back at Newmarket at the start of May. Except it didn't really work out like that. Haatem in the Craven Stakes was the most convincing of the trial winners, seemingly exposed at two, but finding plenty of improvement on his return.

Haatem really ought not to be good enough in the Classic, but his form is still in advance of the winner of the Greenham, Esquire, who, as a gelding, is not eligible to run in the Guineas. The winners of the two fillies trials aren't currently entered for Newmarket. Nell Gwyn winner Pretty Crystal wouldn't be sure to stay a mile anyway; the Fred Darling scorer Folgaria has the Pouliches on her agenda, though even that would require quite a bit more.

In terms of paddock appearance, the Nell Gwyn favourite/runner-up Dance Sequence stood out, more substantial than the majority of her rivals and in good order. She may well prove the best of this field as well, though she didn't impress with her finishing effort and the fitting of headgear might be in order.

Folgaria has a bit about her too and in coming from off the pace in a slowly-run race, she clearly did well. So too did third home Elmalka, who was doing her best work late on. She had had just the one run on the all-weather, so lacked the winner's experience as the pair made their effort. Although she's on the small side, Elmalka looks sure to progress again.

So far as the colts' races go, the Craven field had the edge over the Greenham on looks, though there were disappointments in both and the form of each looks a bit substandard.

Thank goodness, then, for the maiden and novice races, which threw up plenty of horses to keep on side, including one or two with classic aspirations. Perhaps the most impressive performance came from Star Style, a Richard Hannon-trained 1000 Guineas entry who made a winning start in the Bridget Maiden at Newbury.

This newcomers race doesn't have the most notable role of honour, but Star Style can do her bit to improve that. She impressed with the way she travelled and she soon put the race to bed when asked, and while the race was slowly run and she was clued up, her effort can still be viewed very positively.

Star Style, who was about the second pick in the field after Tarqeez, probably lacks the experience for the Guineas, but an impact at pattern level is on the cards sooner rather than later.

Star Style was completing a double for her owner and trainer, Voyage having made a successful debut in the valuable ten-furlong novice earlier on the card. He was another clued-up newcomer, but again there was a stylishness to his performance. By a Derby winner out a mare by another, he will have no problem with an extra quarter mile. He is entered at Epsom; a Derby trial seems a likely next step to see if he can justify that.

A Derby trial may well also be on the agenda for Hidden Law. He followed a promising debut on the all-weather with a win over eleven furlongs, finding a good turn of foot in a steadily-run race. The form has a few holes in it and he's smallish in stature, so there are slight negatives, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt for now.

The mile maiden brought a Newbury win for Economics, yet another Derby entry. This is the most celebrated of the maidens and novices at this two-day fixture, won in recent years by such as My Prospero, Snow Lantern and Foxes Tales, and Economics may prove to be another future pattern winner to break his duck in the race.

A strong colt who was a bit on his toes beforehand, Economics stepped up on his debut effort over seven furlongs, seeing out the extra distance well to score with a bit in hand. Economics' dam stayed a mile and a half, but that might stretch him and a mile and a quarter could prove his optimum trip. As such a route to the Jockey-Club at Chantilly, rather than to Epsom for the Derby seems most likely.

A couple of promising newcomers made the frame in this race. Under Siege was green beforehand and did his best work late on to take second – he seems certain to improve. Perhaps even more promising was the fourth Amphius. A rangy son of Kingman, he was fitted with a red hood in the preliminaries, on his toes regardless. Perhaps the energy used then was a factor in his not quite fully delivering on his progress into contention. His was, nevertheless a promising effort – expect Amphius to win races.

Earlier in the week at Newmarket, perhaps the most impressive performance came in a handicap, with Kalpana scoring by ten lengths in a romp on her turf/handicap debut. She looks the part – a tall, athletic filly – and has the pedigree to match, so that such significant improvement doesn't look questionable. Kalpana was scoring off a BHA mark of just 78, but a step into pattern company would be fully justified on the back of this effort.

It's also worth being positive about the runner-up in this race. Align The Stars has the pedigree of a middle-distance stayer and is much more a three-year-old than two-year-old on looks, so it isn't surprising that he made a positive impression on his first start of the year. Align The Stars will be suited by another two furlongs and looks sure to win a handicap or two this summer.

Derby pointers came in a couple of other races at the Craven meeting, the mile-and-a-quarter novice perhaps more of interest than the listed Feilden Stakes in that regard. The race was messy, slowly run, and that almost enabled Salamanca to prevail, Endless Victory just holding on after leading only a few strides from the line. There would likely be further between them another time.

In terms of looks, I preferred Endless Victory's stable companion Kalidasa – who wouldn't prefer a 2.8 million-guinea yearling – but he doesn't hold the fancy entries of the winner and looks more a work in progress. The other good looker in the field was Meydaan. He does hold a Derby entry, a lot to do still to justify that, though there will be more to come over an extra two furlongs and with a stronger gallop. He will win races at the right level.

As for the Feilden, the winner Jayrebe is an athletic sort who was on his toes. He wouldn't be sure to stay a mile and a half, so is another for whom the Jockey-Club seems a sensible target. Narkez, an attractive sort with scope, might end up there as well. He went off favourite for the Feilden, but neither the track, the pace nor the ground looked to play to his strengths.

There was plenty of interest, as ever, in the Wood Ditton, the most famous newcomers race in the calendar, with well-bred sorts from good stables on show. Charlie Appleby's First Conquest, a gelding by Teofilo out of a Dubawi mare, beat a pair from the Gosden yard, Lead Artist and Earl of Rochester, both of those sons of Dubawi.

First Conquest was the most clued up of the trio and he might not beat the other pair another time. Lead Artist, from an excellent Juddmonte family, was the pick of the three runners on looks, a well-made sort, though he was a bit coltish in the paddock. He may prove the best of them in time.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.