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With six last-time-out winners in the field, this looked a competitive 1000 Guineas Trial and the form has a strong look. Buttons was the pick of Ryan Moore among Aidan O’Brien’s four runners and she duly fared best of the Ballydoyle quartet in third, shaping with plenty of encouragement too on what was her first start since last June.
A tardy start meant Buttons was caught further back than ideal and she still had plenty to do approaching the final furlong but ran on late to finish just under three lengths behind winner A Lilac Rolla.
The winner of a course-and-distance maiden on her only start last year, Buttons is by Kingman out of Oaks runner-up Wonder of Wonders so is bred to be smart and she’s one to look out for, especially when upped to a mile.
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This appeals as sound form, the winner, along with the third, very solid yardsticks, but it was Roxanne who looks the horse to take away from the race.
She was progressive when winning all three starts for Markus Klug in Germany and, though she was easy to back on her British debut, she showed plenty to work on.
Roxanne continued the theme of run-to-run improvement whilst also shaping as if she'd benefit from an even greater step up in trip, so it is probable there's better still to come from her, especially as she is entitled to strip fitter for this run which was her first for six months.
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From the in-form stable of Clive Cox, Pedro Valentino looked to have been allotted a handy mark for his handicap debut and, upped in trip, shaped well on his return from five months off having been gelded since his final two-year-old start.
In the end he ran as though the run was perhaps just needed, racing handily before threatening briefly over a furlong out and then unable to quicken in the closing stages, finishing two and three quarter lengths third to another handicap debutant Purefoy.
The winner of a maiden at Wolverhampton on his second/final start at two, Pedro Valentino looks sure to win more races this season.
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Moonlight Express was held back by inexperience on her debut, but shaped better than the bare result, left with a hopeless task from the position she found herself in.
She ran a similar race on her qualifying run at Lingfield, too, again given too much to do, and staying on in the closing stages without ever causing a serious threat.
Moonlight Express has seemingly been brought along gradually, and looks a sure-fire improver now she is qualified for handicaps next time. Her opening mark will more than likely be a lenient one in relation to her pedigree, while she will also be seen in a better light once moving up to middle distances.
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Toimy Son had been given a chance by the handicapper, almost a stone lower than this time last year, and ran his best since joining David Menuisier on what was his first start for nine months and after being gelded.
He shaped encouragingly too without the blinkers he’d worn on his last two starts last season, having to weave his way through in the straight after being held up and finishing with running left to take a never-nearer third, a length and a half behind winner Zero Carbon.
Toimy Son had been highly tried when trained in France earlier in his career, winning a listed race at Longchamp, and will be of interest in handicaps back on turf.
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Pique’ had shown promise in a couple of novices last October on her first two starts for James Fanshawe and shaped well with handicaps in mind returning from five months off and fitted with a hood for the first time.
Held up and travelling smoothly, she made steady headway from two furlongs out under a hands-and-heels ride to take fifth, just over five lengths behind the winner Travolta in what was a soundly-run maiden which appeals as form likely to work out well.
Pique’ boasts a cracking middle-distance pedigree, by Nathaniel out of a Lancashire Oaks winner who has bred numerous winners, several useful or better, and she looks sure to win handicaps, her three runs so far probably only scratching the surface of her ability.
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A tall, imposing gelding, I’d Like To Know went into Monday’s race as the 6/4 favourite on the back of an authoritative Newbury win exactly a month earlier.
On the face of it, I’d Like To Know was disappointing at Plumpton, but he shaped as if still in good form when a 12 and three-quarter-length fourth to C&D specialist Scarface, going with enthusiasm throughout.
I’d Like To Know should remain competitive off this sort of mark back over shorter, his style of racing in this sphere suggesting he'll prove ideally suited at around two miles for now even though he had winning hurdles form over two and a half miles.
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